agonybow

[agonybow]

PANTHERA : [ pan-ther-uh ]

noun. 1. a genus of chiefly large cats that includes the snow leopard, tiger, leopard, jaguar, and lion, most having the ability to roar.

#self promo #cat boy era begins anew

[agonybow]

― your body is a museum of natural disasters .

#(points aggressively) #U Will Love Them Both

[agonybow]

when at the precinct, sebastian was the typical class clown. he enjoyed bringing up spirits and keeping things light when possible, and his peers either detested him for it, or adored it.

out on the field, however, all the games were out the window, and he fixed leon with a gruff, irritated look. not only was this situation potentially life-or-death, but this rookie could sabotage his efforts. this situation of a two-birds-one-stone scenario of rescuing civilians and showing his worth was becoming more complicated.

"i guess i'll fill you in," sebastian sighed, as if it were a great burden to take leon under his wing, rubbing his neck. "people keep being reported missing, and the last time they were all seen, they were headed up this way--into these woods."

he nodded his head in direction of the thicker clumps of trees, expression pensive.

"technically, i'm en route to provide add to raccoon city because of some crowd control issues, but, after getting dragged out here..."

remembering that he never actually introduced himself to leon--not with his title, at least--sebastian lifted his jacket, showing the badge clipped onto his belt.

"sergeant sebastian castellanos, krimson pd. if this area is the clue to where all those people are going, then i'm figuring out why."

                            Wandering into the gloomy forest,  where even the moon hanging up on the nightly skyline struggled to pierce through the dense crowds and shed some light,  he couldn’t bear the idea of how low Sebastian’s chances were to get out of there in one piece.  Not like he was hesitant about the other’s perseverance skills  (  because it did take quite the grit to even walk into the immeasurable void filled with…  goodness knew what exactly  ).                             As much as it was showcasing determination and bravery,  it was hard to miss out on that sheer stubbornness.  Maybe they really weren’t so different.                             Everything he would hear the farther he ventured was whooshing and crackling happening all around him,  but he remained on the barely visible path leading forward,  instead of allowing himself to get distracted by the woods’ gimmicks and the shadows moving in the corner of his eye.                             With his quivering hand hovering over the holster,  the rookie’s tension partly diffused when he made out the silhouette approaching him.                             “  Sorry,  ”  he only mouthed without a sound,  staring at the man wide-eyed.  Looking around,  as though to make sure nobody was eavesdropping on them,  his words were merely a tad louder than the wind,  “  What’s your plan?  All you’re going to find here is trouble.  Deadly trouble.  ”

#buriedabove #( did a quick check and seb is Exactly one year older than leon #v much going to be pulling the 'im ur senior!!' card like a brat)

[agonybow]

in all fairness, sebastian had thought--for a total of one millisecond--about turning back with leon. if only to walk the guy to his car. they seemed about the same age, though one with more experience than the other. he remembered when he had his first day--a little overeager, fumbling to figure out the ropes, but somehow, he had made a strong impression.

this sort of gutsy, headlong attitude was risky, but, he made it to sergeant for a reason, hadn't he?

minding his step, trying to avoid the crunch of dry, fallen branches and old leaves, he pushed leon out of his mind, and focused on the task at hand. people were going missing, and if this place was the reason why, he could nip this in the bud, and get help.

or so was the gameplan, until his stealth mission was disrupted.

"christ on a stick--"

turning sharp on his heel, leon's panicked bellow echoed throughout the forest, and he tensed, waiting for the sound of anyone approaching. nothing.

on swift, quiet feet, finding leon wasn't too hard--not when he was so damned loud--and sebastian reached out, grabbing him by the arm.

"hush," he hissed, scowling. "are you trying to announce us to every possible hostile in the area?"

                            He wanted to admit to himself that he thought convincing the man to tag along with him wouldn’t take much effort,  but truth be told,  it didn’t even cross his mind that in return he could be met with refusal.  Polite and conciliatory,  that he had to give to Sebastian.                             “  Well,  uh—  ”  he stood there with his mouth agape,  unblinking eyes following the silhouette soon disappearing amidst the shadows.                             Though he briefly wondered whether what he’d witnessed tonight had anything to do with the unsolved cases plaguing Arklay Mountains  (  hadn’t it been for them,  he probably would’ve ended up in a department closer to home  ).  Shoulders dropped in resignation,  but he halted half-turn as he was ready to head back to his car and finally make it to Raccoon City.                             If it was any other day,  not one infested with beings he struggled to find the appropriate terminology for,  Leon would let it go  &  exchange the courtesies.  But he didn’t have the heart to.                             “  Hey,  it’s not safe!  ”  The rookie bolted into the boundless woods,  trying to discern the tracks of the daredevil,  who seemingly vanished into thin air.  Switching the flashlight off to avoid alerting unwanted attention,  he carefully paced forward farther into the abyss,  “  Sebastian..?  ”

#buriedabove #( sometimes i forget that sebastian played ~*bad cop*~ even when he was younger #i prommy he's normally a fun guy leon... when he's not working )

[agonybow]

leon had obviously detected how suspicious he was--though, anyone with eyes could have been able to tell the same--by his quick and forthcoming explanation. while still somewhat dubious, especially of the convenience of leon's flashed badge, sebastian did not outright dismiss it. he did recognize the emblem for the raccoon city police department--the sister city of krimson.

maybe this guy really was just having a rough first day--odd as it was that he'd stop while on the way to his first day on duty.

"sorry 'bout the rough day you're having. hopefully, your ride to work won't take too long."

in other words: thanks, but no thanks.

now that he was here, and beginning to understand the possible circumstances around all of the disappearances, there wasn't a chance in hell he was backing out now. his new friend leon would have to drag him away kicking and screaming.

looking back, deeper into the dark woods he had seen some of the snarling 'people' vanish away into, sebastian gave leon a short nod.

"good luck."

with his farewell, sebastian brushed by and trudged on the strangely well-worn path into the woods. another suspicious sign. these woods were remote as hell, and certainly not hiker-friendly enough to have such distinctive paths running through the trees and stomping down the dirt.

                            Ever since he’d woken up in the afternoon with his head booming,  it just kept getting worse and worse,  and worse.  He didn’t want to disappoint the chief,  but it felt like he clearly already had.  At the moment,  Leon could only ponder how many of his mishaps could pass as rookie mistakes.  It was weird nobody tried to reach him,  despite that eerie call from a week ago.  He forgot about it until he made it to that empty gas station with patrons  &  cashiers,  not at all welcoming.  Uncongenial,  and apparently,  very much undead.                             “  Where do I start?  ”  Leon tossed the question to the nightly breeze,  asking himself rather than the man.  He threw a brief look to the other end of the empty road;  the chilling sensation of being watched wasn’t something he’d be shaking off anytime soon,  it seemed.                             “  My first day and I’m running late,  ”  he disclosed with a bittersweet half-grin,  sliding the jacket a bit off his shoulder to unveil the department’s badge embroidered on the sleeve.  Covering it back up,  the newbie explained further,  “  I thought I heard something,  like,  snarling…  Followed the footprints and found you.  ”                             Perhaps the two of them shared some similarities.  They shouldn’t be stranded out here for too long,  though.  If they wanted to stay in one piece,  that is.  Leon turned to the path he came from before gazing expectantly at Sebastian.                             “  I’m heading to the city and my car’s a ten-minute hike from here.  The choice is yours. ”

#buriedabove #( seb vc: bet? )

[agonybow]

uncertain of whether to feel relieved, or simply that much more hollow by the fact that this guy seemed to know about as much as he did, rather than being his guide out, sebastian merely grunted. resting easy wasn't his forte.

"not hurt. all in one piece. save for a bastard of a headache."

after eyeing up leon one more time, as though gauging whether or not he would abruptly go back on his word and maul him, sebastian finally holstered his weapon.

"i was hoping you could be the one to tell me that. all i know is that..."

he frowned. how much should he reveal? he had gone out solo to this location after the mysterious disappearances of more than just a few people the moment they came within even a mile radius of this patch of woods, and while he had his answer that this was, indeed, the right place, he wasn't so keen on giving that away. leon would simply have to show himself as someone trustworthy first.

"my car broke down," he admitted. "something bashed me upside the head while i was working on it, and then i found myself in the company of some less-than-friendly people."

not the best way to begin an investigation, but, the silver lining? maybe he could find those missing people.

"... what about you? what are you doing here?"

                              Wasn’t it quite a diplomatic way to put it.  Townspeople.  He always struggled with finding the right word.  Some seemed too dehumanising  (  one thing many of his colleagues would disagree on  ),  some felt like they were giving them too much credit.  At the end of the day,  it was all semantics.  No time to play the linguist when he could swear growling was following him everywhere he would go,  just like those countless pairs of glowing eyes making him feel like the deer in the headlights.                               “  You can rest easy,  I’m not,  ”  lowering his hands,  he shook his head and offered something resembling a smile.  A weird twitch tugging at the corners of his lips,  a slight grimace.  Well,  simply speaking,  a smile.                               Mud-splattered boots shuffled forward across gravel,  stepping closer in Sebastian’s direction while maintaining his shield of caution.  Nonetheless,  Leon wanted to make sure everything was fine  (  as fine as it could be  ).  Out of his pocket,  he pulled out a small flashlight,  directing the beam to the ground.  Enough to illuminate their closest surroundings without blinding anybody.                               “  Nobody—  Nothing hurt you?  ”  His tone shifted,  turning more docile.  “  How did you even end up here? ” 

#buriedabove #( seb will warm up i prommy rn he's just big squint )

[agonybow]

while the circumstances were less than pleasant, sebastian did not get the feeling that this was the guy who had hauled him off to the middle of nowhere. even if his sardonic personality was a blood red flag.

trust was not something he would give willingly, but he would concede that this was one, not a rabies-infested monster in a human suit, and two, not someone who was a threat. for now.

sebastian, eyeing the glint of metal holstered on the man's hip, pursed his lips. first he was dragged out into the woods after being bashed over the head, next the only civilization he could find were rabid townspeople wanting to rip him to shreds, and now, a wise guy with a gun and far more preparation than he liked for these otherwise unusual circumstances.

"... sebastian," he conceded gruffly, finally lowering his weapon. "am i right to guess you aren't with the..."

he paused, considering his description of the few people he had seen. foaming at the mouth, highlighter yellow, eyes bloodshot and glazed...

"townspeople here?"

                              He’s no stranger to such warm greetings with the cold glare coming from a gun.  Usually,  thanks to his oh-so gratifying profession,  he also happens to be the one reaching his hand out like this.  For the time being,  his own restless hand doesn’t reach for the pistol lulling peacefully in the concealed holster.  Instead he remains on the same spot and lifts his arms in the true cinematic fashion  (  to avoid saying mocking  ),  the bomber jacket lifting just enough to reveal the piece of steel loaded with lead resting against his side.  Two can play that game,  after all.                               “  Oh,  not those existential questions again,  ”  a faux displeased grunt escapes past his writhed lips;  he’s enjoying it way more than he should.  Considering the monster-ridden circumstances.                               Eventually,  the agent gives in,  but only a tad,  “  I’m Leon.  What do they call you? ”

#buriedabove #( bonding time <3 )

[agonybow]

for my #ressie mutuals, i forgot but i do have raccoon city verses (pls bear with me tho my ressie knowledge is fuzzy and stops at about resident evil 0 plus whatever ive consumed via osmosis on tumblr) with seb being sent out during the initial outbreak to help the rcpd.

as he is the same age as leon tho that verse is him as a baby rookie cop being flung right into the deep end bcuz we can't make things easy for anybody here.

#i like to think krimson and raccoon city are neighbors #fucked up nightmare town neighbors

[agonybow]

just about losing both of his shoes in his jerkish attempt at escaping, sebastian evaluated the damage with a deep scowl. he was soaked in mud up to his knees, his shoes were ruined, and his jacket was caked at its edges. much as it needed a clean, he couldn’t imagine throwing into the wash and erasing the long-faded scent of myra from it—what remnants lingered, at least. he would have to carefully scrape it all off by hand to avoid being questioned at the precinct.

“pawn it off to tobias, he’s been chomping at the bit for something,” he grunted, shaking out his left leg and finding the fabric sticking to his skin like glue. it was wet, cold, and miserable, and enough encouragement to begin the trek back to the patrol car.

“before we head back to the precinct, we’re gonna swing by my place. if i walk in with these pants, they’re gonna give me hell…”

pausing, he glanced back at joseph, giving him a squint that was almost reminiscent of the memory of his more playful self.

“you better not tell anyone about this.”

it takes an earnest few tugs before, with a sucking, disgusting squelch the mud relinquishes its prize, nearly gaining the both of them in the process. joseph briefly cannot help pulling a face, letting go to adjust his glasses and cast a glance over deceptively still sludge.

" one that doesn't want their victims found easily. "

he regards the wet, brown edges of that familiar tan trenchcoat now clinging to the back of sebastian's ruined slacks with a minor grimace, then carefully leads the winding way back toward the yellow-ribboned partition barrier they had left.

" i'll let lieutenant vankirk know we need the dogs further out here. who were you wanting to put on this one? "

#belfrys #( living life on the wild side by replying on mobile #we will see if once I’m back on my computer if I can then trim this )

[agonybow]

@buriedabove sent... MEME.

“ i’m going to ask you to lower that weapon. ”  

after being dragged off the beaten path to a gloomy, isolated town, one would not be at fault for finding it difficult to trust. not when the few people encountered had turned wild and rabid upon him, foaming at the mouth as he barely fought them off. thus, at the sound of footfalls, his pistol lifted, its sight pinned upon a strange man.

no foam at the mouth, no jaundiced eyes, and speech he could understand.

sebastian's brow drew to a sharp furrow, suspicious still.

"tell me who you are, and i'll consider it."

#buriedabove #( made this vague so it can be a brand new adventure for everybody!! yay!! suffering!! )

[agonybow]

joseph did not have to vocalize his announcement of i told you so for sebastian to know he was thinking it. it was in the subtle curve of his lips, just a hint of a smile, and the brightness to his eyes that had chased away the dim disgruntlement that came with his prior warning. he might have been happy, as well, to see joseph so chipper... if it weren't for how cold his legs were getting.

"i'm calling this crime scene a wrap," he grumbled, taking joseph's offered hand with quiet relief, glad he didn't leave him any longer to suffer in the muck. "someone else can take this case. what kind of masochistic killer is luring victims out to the fuckin' muddy woods?"

to his credit, joseph does not laugh. he really doesn't much anymore, yet the expression he wears is something almost akin and exclusive to these situations - a certain brightness to steely eyes, the faint curve that curls the edge of his lips to watch his great and capable partner bested by a deep swath of mud.

he lets it sink in for just a moment, chiding and cold puddle both, before tucking his notebook into his vest pocket, freeing gloved hands to reach out to take sebastian's reaching hand in both of his own.

he was right, of course, but luckily he does not have the heart to be cruel about it.

#belfrys #( u think if i reply once and then u open up for ur reply #it will let u trim #trying to live on the wild side (rping on my work laptop) )

[agonybow]

follow batty's sideblog @belfrys for joseph joy. watch in real time as he ages faster than he should due to sebastian's shenanigans.

#now to see if i can get away with formatting on my work computer #w/o downloading new xkit

[agonybow]

@belfrys sent... MEME.

“ can’t say i didn’t warn you. ”

wasn't that just the truth of their lives? joseph, always providing warnings, while sebastian just ran head-long into it all. such as the thick, knee-deep mud he had mistakenly believed to be far more shallow than it was, and then promptly dismissed joseph for believing otherwise.

he scowled, irritated not only about being very much in the wrong, but also the wet mud seeping through his pants.

"yeah, yeah, you told me so--help me out? please?"

a hand was outstretched to where joseph stood safely on the firm grass, managing to rearrange his sour expression into a puppydog plea--or, perhaps more kindred to an old hound's sorrowful expression.

"my pants are going to be all kinds of fucked up after this."

#belfrys #( just another day in the life of 'absolutely incorrect' sebastian living wild n free )

[agonybow]

@valour-bound sent... MEME.

“ this place will eat you alive if you aren’t careful. ”

"i think i got that impression already."

while two seconds away from a crisp thanks, captain obvious, sebastian held his tongue as he focused on the more important matter of binding up his leg. one wrong move, and his calf had been more than just nicked by some barbed wire, tearing his trousers and the flesh beneath.

he grimaced as he cinched tight a torn piece of his shirt around the wound to try and ease the bleeding. damn near everything in this place seemed out to kill or mortally wound him.

"have any other pearls of wisdom for me?"

#valour-bound #( don't mind him he's just innately grumpy he'll get over it... eventually )

[agonybow]

* 𝐑𝐄𝐒𝐈𝐃𝐄𝐍𝐓  𝐄𝐕𝐈𝐋  𝟐.

feel free to change pronouns / wording!

“ look man, i’m serious okay ? ”  

“ i’ve never seen anything like it … ”  

“ i haven’t been able to sleep since that night. ”  

“ don’t give into fear out there. ”  

“ if you freeze up around these things, they’ll sink their teeth into you. ”  

“ something’s not right. ”  

“ don’t move, i’ll be back for you. ”  

“ don’t shoot ! ”  

“ you can thank me later, when we’re safe. ”  

“ hopefully, they’ll have some answers at the police station. ”  

“ it’s a good thing we found each other. ”  

“ oh my god, this is so unreal. ”  

“ what if there’s no survivors ? ”  

“ looks like we’re walking from here. ”  

“ you’re safe, for now. ”  

“ i’m sure you did what you could. ”  

“ this place will eat you alive if you aren’t careful. ”  

“ i am not the priority here. ”  

“ if you see one of those things - uniform or not - you do not hesitate. ”  

“ this is not how i imagined my first day … ”  

“ it is so nice to see you. ”  

“ don’t worry about me, _____. you take care of yourself. ”  

“ bet he’s not part of the rescue squad. ”  

“ i won’t hurt you, i promise. ”  

“ you gotta be kidding me … ”  

“ i just need you to lower that ladder for me. ”  

“ it means we’ve got something in common … ”  

“ i’ve been looking everywhere for you. ”  

“ on the ground, hands behind your head. ”  

“ he’s full of shit ! ”  

“ don’t tell me how to do my job ! ”  

“ obviously, nobody taught you manners ! ”  

“ we can’t let this thing spread. ”  

“ i won’t let you down, ____. ”  

“ somebody’s watching me. ”  

“ hey. stay sharp. ”  

“ surprised you made it this far. ”  

“ that information’s classified. ”  

“ do yourself a favour : stop asking questions and get the hell out of here. ”  

“ i don’t believe it. a real human. ”  

“ are we the last ones alive ? ”  

“ i’m sure he had a good reason. ”  

“ don’t be an asshole. ”  

“ just get me the fuck outta here ! ”  

“ it just … happened so quick. ”  

“ this is getting old. saving your ass - that’s twice ! ”  

“ this isn’t a game ! ”  

“ nothing dies down here. ”  

“ what about you ? trying to save the world ? ”  

“ i’m not going to hurt you - ”  

“ i’m going to ask you to lower that weapon. ”  

“ we need to terminate her before she turns. ”  

“ i told you to stay put. ”  

“ whatever it takes to save this city … count me in. ”  

“ you are gonna be so fucking sorry ! ”  

“ that explains the horrible things i’ve seen. ”  

“ god only knows what’s down here … ”  

“ you’re stuck with me to the end. ”  

“ can’t say i didn’t warn you. ”  

“ i’m just impressed you made it in one piece. ”  

“ not much time … need to dispose of it. ”  

“ forget about me … just go. ”  

“ you have to get up. he’s going to get us ! ”  

“ i don’t have time to play twenty questions. ”  

“ i was scared. ”  

“ power must be out. ”  

“ should’ve known you wouldn’t die ! ”  

“ this conversation is over ! ”  

“ i will get you whatever you need, okay ? ”  

“ you can run, ____, but you can’t hide. ”  

“ bravo. gonna burn me alive now ? ”  

“ enough with this cat and mouse game. ”  

“ i don’t like the sound of that … ”  

“ i’ll bet those rats spread it. ”  

“ there’s no turning back. ”  

“ your jacket’s so warm. ”  

“ i don’t know what i’d do without you. ”  

“ you were doing just fine without me, until i came along and got you into all sorts of trouble. ”  

“ i was getting worried there for a sec … ”  

“ i can’t walk like this. ”  

“ you’re not getting rid of me that easy. ”  

“ let me carry you. ”  

“ worse than it looks. ”  

“ i got plenty to live for. ”  

“ what the fuck were you thinking ? ”  

“ you left me no choice. ”  

“ i knew you’d make it. ”  

“ you don’t look so good. ”  

“ i’m so lucky to have you. ”  

“ i think i can open it from the other side ! ”  

“ we make a good team. ”  

“ as much as i wanted to trust you, i didn’t. ”  

“ i was just some pawn to you ? ”  

“ i don’t wanna hurt you. ”  

“ then you shoot me, but i don’t think you can. ”  

“ i … need to take a shower. ”  

“ we gotta stop meeting like this. ”  

“ show no mercy. ”  

“ so … are you guys like, boyfriend and girlfriend ? ”  

“ that would’ve been one helluva first date. ”  

#does a spin

[agonybow]

also wow happy almost five years of this blog (anniversary is feb 2019). absolutely bonkers how this is one of the few charas i truly hyperfixated on.

#i feel a lot of nostalgia around seb #as he was my primary blog for awhile and i made a lot of rly fun memories #time 2 do that again

[agonybow]

post-tew2, when he has lily back and his life is more settled, sebastian weans off of alcohol and cigarettes, both things he started when the house fire took lily, and later myra as she pursued the truth.

his vices of choice now are coffee, the very rare energy drink (usually a redbull), and sugar. mostly coffee, however. he definitely has a caffeine addiction, and will try to curb cravings to drink by having a cup of coffee, which has slowly wormed into associating any hint of a craving with a sudden need for coffee.

arguably better, not the best, but it's better.

#« ⌜ headcanon ⌟ → i’m wrong. i will get out. but without you.