gt oneshot
@gtlurker
Three soldiers, Sol, Warren, and Simon, were on a mission to investigate an old abandoned labradory. The lab had been shut down for a few months after the scientists working on it got exposed for illegal drug trafficking. The building was thought to be empty, however the soldiers’ commander thought otherwise, and ordered it be searched before demolition.
„Hey Warren, can you pass me one of those pistols? Don’t wanna risk close combat with my rifle” Sol said, his voice airing on the more tired side.
„Here” Warren said, his tone quiet and cold, he was the most serious of the bunch. The three soldiers were fresh out of triaining and this was only their second mission, but they had all been in bootcamp together, so they had a bond.
„How much longer are we going to have to explore this place? It smells like acitone” Simon complained kicking another door open. They however, he was sushed by sol when the soldier noticed a small noise in the other room.
The three boys stepped closer into the room, it was dark, but something quiet could be heard in the very corner. Sol flicked on his light and clicked it to the corner where his eyes widened upon witnessing a horrific sight.
In the corner, something star size of the mouse, yet distinctly humanoid lay curled up, trembling. The small figure looked barely alive, but was evidently conscious. It’s eyes, a bright silver opal, gleamed in the light with fear, shimmering with tears. The poor thing was little more then 4 inches tall, and was definitely-well…mostly- human.
The three soldiers froze in shock, staring at the trembling figure, a million thoughts rushing through their heads. Sol let out a small gasp, quickly followed by Warren whispering a soft profanity. Simon was still speechless however, his gaze wide with disbelief, but he snapped out of after a few seconds .
"What the… hell is that thing?" he managed to say, his usually arrogant tone replaced with confusion and surprise.
Simon picked up a stray paper which was stained with dried coffee, but could hold a clue…
Experiment W1NT3R- aka winter- was a size shifter, meaning he could change his height depending on the amounts of energy he expounded. Unfortunately right now he was in a very weak state.
Winter had curly white hair with deep brown roots and opal eyes, his skin was fair and smooth, glittered with freckles and lightly tanned. He was thin, lanky and lean. He had a timid nature and elvish features. He was soft spoken normally
Winter shrank back intimidated. Being mainly nonverbal, winter mostly communicated through unintelligible sounds and motions.
Winter was curled up in the back corner of the cellar. His body was starved and he was severely dehydrated. winter was a weapon, something which’s power was unknown to this group but was powerful enough to be of value to their enimy.
winter kept quiet to himself in the corner of the cellar they kept him in, picking at scabs and scratching scars as a way to still feel like he was real, human
Simon scoffed at the paper then spoke aloud „so the things a damn experiment”
Sol turned to Simon, a disapproving frown on his face. "Don't call him that" he said, more sternly than usual, his protective side coming out.
Simon rolled his eyes. "Relax Sol, it's just a freak of nature. Besides, the files say he's a weapon." he said, holding up the file again, reading through it.
Warren, who had remained quiet, spoke up again. "Yeah but look at him. He's barely alive." he said softly.
Winter keeps himself completely still as his eyes stared up, he was barely chocking back a scream, or a panic attack. The poor kid looked so damn terrified like he could pass out at any moment, but he also looked up with a twinge of hope at Sols words. The softeness the human spoke with was unlike how the scientists had addressed him.
Sol noticed the fear, the hope, in Winter's eyes. He saw the way his trembling form tensed at every word. He couldn't understand why, but he felt something, an overwhelming sense of protectiveness over the small experiment.
Simon, on the other hand, seemed unbothered by Winter's state. "Weapon or not, the commander would definitely be interested in this thing" he said, his tone still cocky and arrogant.
Warren, despite his cold exterior, was also concerned. "You're not seriously suggesting we bring him back to base?" he said.
Sol shook his head, his protective nature taking over. "No way in hell are we bringing him back" he snapped, crossing his arms.
Simon raised an eyebrow. "And why the hell not? This could be the biggest thing to happen to the military. We'd be praised for this" he said arrogantly.
Warren, the more levelheaded one, spoke next. "And what would happen to him once they're done with him, huh? They'd use him as a lab rat, a damn test subject. Is that what you want?"
The mention of tests made winter go pale, no matter how scared he was of these humans, the ptsd ha had from all the years of experimentation crashed down like a flood on winters small body. He became ghostly pale, Moreso then his already starved body was previously.
Quiet wheezing irregular breaths broke out from winters small trembling body as he quickly spiraled into a state of panic
Sol's eyes widened in horror as he watched Winter turn pale, his breathing turning into erratic wheezes. Without thinking, Sol dropped to one knee—bringing himself closer to the ground—to get a better look at the tiny figure.
**"Shit—Simon! Warren!"** Sol snapped urgently. **"He’s panicking! Look at him!"**
Simon hesitated for half a second before scowling. **"What do you want us to do? He's not gonna die from some damn hyperventilating."**
Warren ignored Simon and took a cautious step forward instead, voice low but firm:
**"...Hey.** *Breathe.* **You're safe."**
His words were stiff—like he wasn’t used to comforting anything—but they still hung there in the air between them all like an unspoken plea: *Don't let this thing break.*
Winter shrank back with a scared cry and his arms flung over his body bracing to be grabbed or ripped away by giant hands, the second he saw those hands anywhere close it was like a gunshot to his gut that made his knees buckle with terror. A frantic terrified plea broke from his torn up throat
„N-n-no-o-! P-pl-pleas-ase!” He choaked out, voice raw, clearly screaming…but so small it was almost unheard
Warren was about to take a step closer when Sol stopped him with a firm hand. He seemed to sense that physical comfort would only worsen the small experiment's fear.
**"No, don't-"**
But it was too late. Winter shrank away, a terrified cry escaping him as he flung his arms up protectively. Sol winced at the sound, his gut twisting at the sight of the terrified young being.
**"He thinks we're gonna hurt him."** he said quietly, his protective side flaring up again.
„so let’s show him we won’t” Warren said in a surprisingly gentle voice
Sol couldn't help but blink in surprise at Warren's tone, but he nodded slowly, understanding the logic.
**"Yeah...yeah. That could work."** he agreed, keeping his tone soft to avoid further frightening Winter.
Meanwhile, Simon was becoming more and more impatient. He rolled his eyes and huffed, crossing his arms.
**"Oh come on. You've gotta be kidding me. We're seriously trying to comfort some tiny freak experiment? What the hell is wrong with you two?"** he sneered.
Something in sol snapped at Simon’s indifference
„Listen Simon. This isn’t a game, he isn’t a lab rat or pet or something, this is a person, and one who has clearly been though more hell than any one of us. So either treat this seriously, or go back to base” sold voice was stern and strict
Simon paused, surprised at Sol's sharp tone. He had seen Sol annoyed and frustrated plenty of times, but this... this was different. There was a coldness in the other's voice that made Simon hesitate.
He opened his mouth, about to retort, but something in Sol's expression made him think better of it. "...Fine" he muttered, his arrogance giving way to a hint of reluctant compliance.
Warren, on the other hand, couldn't help but smirk. He knew Sol had been protective of Winter from the start, and seeing him take charge gave him a sense of relief.
But winter was still scared shitless in the corner, mid panic attack as the humans talked above him, words blurred and muffled over the sound of winters pulse ringing in his ears
Sol’s protective instincts flared up even more when he noticed Winter wasn’t calming—just trembling, his breath ragged and panicked.
**"Warren."** Sol spoke low, urgent. **"We gotta do *something* before he passes out—or worse."**
Warren nodded sharply and crouched down slowly—not too close to the corner but within sight of Winter. He held both hands up where the tiny figure could see them clearly: empty palms facing forward like a surrender gesture.
Then Warren did something unexpected for someone so cold—he *softened* his voice further than before:
**"...You hear me? I'm not grabbing you.** ***No one*** **is grabbing you."**
His words were deliberate; heavy with intent that this wasn't just talk but a promise if it could reach past all that fear in time…
Winter whimpered still unable to calm his breath. He squeezed his eyes shut as the shadow of a hand cast over him. He braced to be yanked up, to be grabbed tightly, to have the air knocked from his lungs and his body crushed under the weight of a apathetic person.
But it didn’t come. Winter didn’t feel the cold touch of a heartless scientist, or the overweening virdigo of being yanked off the ground suddenly. Instead a warmth surrounded him. An unfamiliar yet…comforting feeling that caused his panic to freeze momentarily
Warrens hand gently came up beside winters tiny body, he had pulled off his rough combat gloves and let the warmth of his skin melt away the freezing cold of winters body. His heart nearly stopped when the tiny figure timidly leaned into the warmth, pressing his teary face into the heat of the humans palm in helpless touch starved need
Warren froze, his heart skipping a beat as he felt Winter's trembling face press against his palm, seeking comfort in the warmth of his skin. It was such a small gesture, so subtle, yet it spoke volumes of the fear and loneliness this creature had endured.
For a moment, he forgot about the mission, the strange circumstances, and saw *this*—a living, breathing being, desperate for even the smallest touch of kindness.
Sol and Warren both froze when they realized—*oh.*
Winter wasn’t just breathing too fast. He was *crying*, silent tears streaking down his pale face, his entire tiny body trembling like a leaf in the wind. The sight hit them harder than any battlefield wound ever had.
Simon finally shut up entirely, watching with an unreadable expression as Sol let out a sharp exhale through gritted teeth before moving again—this time slower than before.
**"...Warren."** His voice came out strained but steady: **"Cover me."**
Without waiting for confirmation (because he already knew), Sol reached into one of their pack pockets and pulled out what little rations they'd brought along—a small protein bar wrapped tightly to avoid crumbs or messes…and then carefully broke off half to place near Winter instead of directly toward him lest it trigger another panic response prematurely…
Warren silently shifted his position to create cover so Sol could set down the rations near Winter. He watched carefully—ready to intervene if Sol's actions backfired—though his gut told him it wouldn't.
Winter, though caught up in his panicked tears, seemed aware of Sol's presence nearby. He lifted his head from Warren's warm skin, only to notice the carefully placed snack nearby.
His eyes flickered between Sol and the food, confusion momentarily replacing the raw terror that had consumed him moments ago…
Winter timidly reached for the crumbs, a quiet whimper echoing from his throat as he pulled a crumb the size of his chest close to him, he curled up on the cold floor, his tiny back using warrens hand as a cover as he burrowed up against the warmth.
He timidly nibbled at the crumbs, but it wasn’t long before he was scarfing it down. He was evidently starving and needed something in his system. His breathing had managed to settle mostly, now only quiet hiccuping whimpers broke past his lips in between bites
Sol and Warren watched silently, their hearts aching at the sight of Winter's tiny frame curled up on the floor. They had seen soldiers battle starvation and thirst before—hell, they lived it themselves—but this felt different.
Winter's fragile, trembling body…the way he clutched the crumbs desperately in his hands...it was like witnessing a desperate creature clinging to any hint of sustenance it could find.
Warren, still holding out his heated palm for Winter to lean against, spoke softly, his tone unusually tender:
**"...Poor thing is starving..."**
Winter ate as much as his little 4 inch frame could handle, barely finishing the minuscule crumb he had claimed. He whimpered softly, he was clearly exhausted but too scared to relax fully, no matter how tempting the warmth of warrens hand was
Warren's heart ached at the whimper that escaped Winter—the sound breaking his cold exterior further than anything had before. This... this poor creature, so small, so helpless, barely clinging to the last bits of energy it had after surviving on crumbs alone.
He couldn't bear to see Winter shivering any longer, so Warren carefully moved his hand, gently scooping Winter up from the floor—careful to cup the tiny experiment in his palm. He brought Winter closer to himself, his touch soft and careful.
**"It's alright. Shhh..."** Warren whispered softly.
A startled whimper broke past winters lips as he stumbled at the shift of terrain, but was gently adjusted. He was taken aback with the slow ease that the human handled him with, not rough or manhandling, more like the soft care one might use to handle a baby bird.
Warren continued to hold Winter close, the contrast between his rough appearance and the gentle way he held the tiny figure stark. There was a tenderness in his movements, a carefulness that he rarely showed.
He could feel the fear in Winter's tense body, the trembling of the tiny creature who clearly expected pain. It broke his heart.
Warren kept one hand holding Winter steadily while the other began slowly and gently stroking the small creature, attempting to soothe him.
**"Shhh...its okay. You're safe now. We're not gonna hurt you."**
Winters panic shifted into timid weeping as he curled up in the humans hand, far too exhausted to be wary. He had lived so long in the cold isolated captivity of the lab, lived every day loosing a reason to live as his life was drained from him. He had been dehumanized to the point where being talked to, like an actual person, was enough to make him melt.
He quietly weeped as he clung to the humans finger timidly. His whole body trembling from overwhelming exhaustion. He was so scared, but for the first time in his life, he felt a glimmer of hope
Warren's heart clenched at the sound of Winter's quiet weeping. He had always been a stern soldier, but the fragility of the tiny experiment in his palm pierced through every barrier he'd built around his heart.
He continued to hold Winter carefully, his fingers gently rubbing the small being's back in an attempt to soothe him. He glanced at Sol who watched silently, seeing the same raw emotion in the soldier's eyes.
**"...He's breaking my heart, Sol."** he mumbled softly, the tenderness in his voice only for Sol to hear.
Winter cried until his tears ran dry, he burrowed his face into the pad of the humans finger as he curled into the warmth, warrens hand gently cupping around the small boy as tenderly as would a lover
Warren couldn't take his eyes off the tiny figure curled up in his hand. He watched silently, his heart aching as Winter sobbed until his tears were spent. And then, the exhausted creature buried his face into his fingers, seeking comfort in the warm touch.
Warren's heart skipped a beat at the innocent gesture. It was as if the young experiment had found solace in the simple act of being held with kindness—a kindness he had clearly never experienced before.
He gently wrapped his fingers around Winter, forming a makeshift cradle. **"You're safe now,"** he whispered softly.
Those words were enough to make winter finally relax enough to drift into some much needed sleep. His small body going limp in warrens hand as he managed to trust the human enough to sleep in his palm
Warren watched as Winter's trembling body finally stilled, the small experiment falling into a state of exhausted sleep. His tiny features, once drawn into a permanent expression of fear, relaxed into an almost innocent look of peace.
Warren let out a deep sigh, his shoulders sagging momentarily with the weight of what had just happened. He was a fighter, a soldier to the core, but holding this fragile being in his hand, seeing the trust in Winter despite everything he must have endured... it affected him deeply.
His eyes found Sol, the other soldier watching silently nearby.
Sol stepped closer, his gaze flicking between the sleeping Winter and Warren's weary expression. He could sense the change in the usually cold-hearted soldier; the way he held the tiny experiment with such care, the rare display of vulnerability in his eyes.
**"You okay, man?"** Sol asked quietly, his voice gentle. He knew Warren's stoic exterior well, and this reaction was out of character even for him.
Warren blinked, caught off guard by Sol's sudden concern. His jaw tensed for a moment—old habits making him want to brush it off with a gruff *"I'm fine."* But something in Winter’s sleeping form made the words die in his throat.
Instead, Warren let out another slow breath and admitted quietly: **"...Never seen someone scared like that before."**
His fingers twitched slightly where they cradled Winter—not enough to disturb him but enough to betray how unsettled *he* was beneath all that military discipline.
Simon finally broke from his stunned silence near the doorframe with an incredulous scoff: **"You two are really gonna adopt some lab rat?"**
Sol snapped again „Simon? Do you genuinely have no empathy? This isn’t just a rat or animal or something, we’re handling a human rights abuse here, sure he’s smaller than normal, but you heard him talk, that’s a person. And of you don’t start treating him like one, then you’re going to be dishonorablly discharged”
Simon flinched as if physically struck by Sol's words, his usual cocky smirk vanishing. He opened his mouth—probably to retort with another sarcastic jab—but then stopped when he saw the *look* in Sol’s eyes. Not just anger, but something deeper: a soldier who’d crossed lines before and wasn't about to let it happen again.
Warren didn’t even glance at Simon this time; too busy carefully adjusting Winter so the sleeping experiment wouldn’t slip from his palm while muttering under his breath:
**"...Should've been discharged years ago for that attitude."**
A beat of tense silence passed before Simon finally scowled and looked away sharply—no comeback left in him now that reality had settled uncomfortably heavy between them all.
„let’s just bring him back to base. We won’t tell captain about him just yet, I don’t wanna risk loosing him to interrogators” Warren said with an unusually protective tone in his voice
Sol nodded in gruff agreement. **"Yeah... best to keep this off the books for now."**
S gritted his teeth—unhappy with that decision but smart enough not to argue. He shoved his hands in his jacket pockets and let out a frustrated sigh, his usual bravado diminished considerably.
Warren began to stand with Winter cradled tenderly in his palm, the experiment looked so young and defenseless; a sharp contrast to the hardened soldiers surrounding him.
**"...let's move out."** He said quietly.
(let me know what yall think about this story and if the writing is any good at all, I wrote it basically immediately out of surgery on heavy narcotics so idk if it’s even edited correctly lolll)
Part Two
