#Smokescreen x Knock Out | Explore Tumblr Posts and Blogs

moni-logues · 7 months

Text

Something Blue

Pairing: Taehyung x f.reader

Genre: childhood friends-to-lovers, smut

Summary: You thought you had lost your best friend when you had just asked him if he was sure of what he was doing. Then he comes back and this time, he is sure.

Word count: ... 3...k.. 👀👀 (+369....)

Content: alcohol, unprotected sex in the quickest sex scene that's ever been written lmao

A/N: So.... I wrote this as part of the Into the Blue challenge that @jeonqkooks @daechwitatamic and @wintaerbaer are running but um... honestly.. idk if I've sufficiently or satisfactorily followed ANY of the rules lmao so uh.. yeah, you guys can decide if you want to include this in the challenge or not but I enjoyed writing it nonetheless! This is unbeta'd and pretty unedited because we truly love a chaotic, spontaenous fic drop

You shouldn’t have said it. You knew you shouldn’t have said it. You had known even before the words left your mouth that you shouldn’t have been saying them. The sweat slicking your palms, the churning in your stomach, your heart beating hard and fast against your ribs; your body had known, too.

But you also couldn’t have not said it.

“Are you really, actually, one hundred percent sure you want to marry her?”

He had been livid, angrier than you had ever seen him before. He was so angry, he didn’t shout, didn’t even speak. He looked at you with fury, hatred, in his eyes, turned on his heel, and left with his hands clenched into fists at his side.

He hadn’t spoken to you since. Tomorrow was the wedding day. You weren’t going to be there. It felt wrong that you weren’t going to be there, to stand at his side on his wedding day, when you had been at his side for all the others, all the less important days, every day since he accidentally pushed you in the playground at 5 years old. But you couldn’t do it. You didn’t think he would want to see you there anyway, not after the way he had looked at you that night.

You’d tried reaching out, conciliatory without actually apologising—because you still thought you were right to ask the question. Sometimes you have to ask, even if it makes you the bad guy; sometimes people need to be asked, to be given the freedom to answer. Not Taehyung, it seemed, but you had had to try. You couldn’t have lived with yourself if you hadn’t asked, if you hadn’t checked and it all turned out wrong.

You didn’t want it to turn out wrong. You wanted Taehyung to be happy, blissfully, eternally happy, with her or whoever... You just hadn’t been convinced that he was. Truth be told, in your more assertive moments, you thought that his reaction was quite befitting of someone who, perhaps, wasn’t sure and was hiding from it, his anger a smokescreen for his uncertainty. Not that you were saying that to him. You were just reaching out, trying to get a response from him. Anything would do.

But nothing came.

Until the night before the wedding when there was impatient, insistent knocking on the door and a continued buzzing from your doorbell. You hesitated to answer because you lived alone and you didn’t know who you would find out there, but then your phone started ringing.

Taehyung.

You picked it up immediately.

“Tae?”

“Open the fucking door.”

You were on your feet before he had finished the sentence and wrenching it open as he hung up the phone.

“Tae.”

His face was grim and he said nothing to you, just walked past you and straight into your kitchen. He was getting vodka out of the cupboard before you caught up with him.

“What’s up?”

He didn’t answer, but he did hand you a shot glass, full to the brim and dripping over his hand. You took it and watched as he knocked back his own shot and then another. You put yours on the counter.

“Seriously-”

“Be quiet.”

His voice was gruff and harsh and you immediately zipped your lips shut. You were worried, more than anything, what all this meant. Showing up out of nowhere like this, looking like he did, drinking like he was, something had to have happened. Something big. He had been ignoring all your phone calls and messages; he had blocked you on as many social platforms as he could. What could have brought him back?

He knocked back a couple more shots before he took the glass and bottle over to your sofa.

“Are you coming?” he called when you didn’t immediately follow.

You finally moved and sat in the armchair to his right.

You decided not to speak, to let him come around to it first. For one thing, you had no idea what to say. He continued drinking, sloppily filling the glass each time, pouring vodka on your coffee table and wiping his hands on your sofa cushion.

It was when he reached his seventh or eighth shot that you leaned across and took the bottle from him. He shot you a scowl and you shrugged back.

“If you have much more, you’re going to be so drunk, you won’t be able to do whatever it is you came for.”

He slumped backwards then, hands in his lap, bottom lip jutting in his characteristic pout. You listened to the clock tick with growing impatience. He was the one who had come here; he had a reason; why wouldn’t he just spit it out?

With a sigh, you stood to go to the bathroom, and that’s when he spoke.

“You know I loved you for like, fucking ever?”

“What?”

“I was in love with you.”

You took an involuntary step backwards, your foot hitting against the chair, knocking you off-balance. You fell heavily back into it.

“What do you mean?”

The look he shot you was icy. He leant forwards, forearms on his knees, and sneered at you.

“I was fucking in love with you,” he repeated. “For years. Forever. Always. And you never fucking saw it. Never fucking let me. Fine. Whatever.” He threw his hands up in the air and sat back again. “As if I fucking cared. I got over it. Then you have the fucking audacity to ask me if I want to marry Gabi? To ask me if I’m fucking sure? As if you ever gave a single shit about who I dated? What does it matter to you? It’s not like you ever wanted to marry me; why would ask me that? Why the fuck would you ask me that?”

You felt winded. Dizzy. Taehyung. In love with you. For years. You rubbed your eyes and massaged your temples but you couldn’t wrap your head around it. You were friends. Best friends. Forever friends. You’d had no idea he ever felt any differently. None whatsoever.

As for you not giving a ‘single shit’ about who he dated? Could not be more wrong. You cared. A lot. But you knew that Taehyung being so close to you was obstacle enough to most women—they were insecure, jealous of your closeness, of the length and age of your friendship, the way it was embedded in both of you. The way trees grew around fences and signposts attached to them, that was how you and Taehyung had grown around each other. You didn’t want that to get in the way of his relationships, you didn’t want it to make things complicated so you always hung back a little. You didn’t want to get in their business. You didn’t want to cause any problems.

Besides which, it hurt when you saw him with someone else. As kids, he was just Taehyung, your best friend; you didn’t notice him as a boy until much later. Until you were in your teens and looking around at all the other boys and wondering why on earth you would ever want to go out with any of them, wondering how Taehyung could be the same species as them, when he was clearly so much better than they were.

He got a girlfriend first. It had knocked you for six. You argued about it, though you couldn’t, now, remember quite why or what had prompted it. Eventually, after a couple of weeks, he ended things because he didn’t want it to ruin his friendship with you. You had been overjoyed. You had been so happy that you almost told him, right then and there, that you wanted to be his girlfriend. Of course you did. You knew no one better, trusted no one more, and he was becoming so handsome, even though he was a little gangly and his ears stuck out and the other girls sometimes made fun of him for having one monolid and one double. There was no one who compared.

And that was how it was. You didn’t get a boyfriend until you were 18 and at university. Taehyung had attended elsewhere and it was only then, when you weren’t next to each other every single day, that you were able to get your mind off him. You thought about telling him how you felt just before you left and then you realised what a terrible idea that was and you had cried on the train to Busan, realising that you had missed your chance. You had been waiting to turn into a swan, to get through your ugly duckling phase, to have your braces off; you were waiting, too, for a time when he was single because he always had someone. You couldn’t blame him, couldn’t blame them either, because they were doing what you wanted to, they had the very thing you wanted.

Then you got used to it. The not having of him. The him having someone else. You had resigned your feelings to the back of your closet and shut them away.

But here he was telling you that he had been in love with you, too?

“I didn’t know,” you said, your voice hoarse, mouth dry. “I didn’t know.”

Taehyung looked a little surprised by that. He had clearly been chewing over the next bit of his speech but you had made him falter.

“You didn’t know,” he repeated dumbly.

You shook your head and lifted the vodka bottle to your lips. It burnt as it went down but you needed a shock to the system.

“I swear I didn’t know. If I had known that, I-”

“You what?”

You took another swig. You had already lost him. Before he had shown up here, you had thought you had already lost him, and he was clearly here to scorch the earth, to raze everything to the ground, leave no stone unturned. So you took a third gulp and a deep breath.

“If I had known, I would have told you I felt the same. If I had known that, at any point in our friendship, you wanted more from me than that—than just friendship—Tae, I’d have fucking jumped at the chance. I always wanted you. You were, are, always have been, probably always will be the best person I know. Of course I’ve been in love with you. This whole time. Of course I have. Ask anyone and they’ll tell you. But I never thought you felt the same; I never thought you wanted that so I never said anything. Besides, you’re the one getting married tomorrow.”

He scoffed, eyebrows raised at you.

“You think I’m going to get fucking married?”

Your stomach lurched as if it were going to bring back up all that vodka you just downed.

“You aren’t?”

“Course I’m fucking not. It’s been off for weeks.”

“Oh.”

“You think you, you of all people, could just ask me if I was ‘really sure’ I wanted to marry her and I’d still do it?”

That was a bewildering question.

“I- I don’t know?”

“Of course not!” He was shouting, getting to his feet and running his hands through his hair. He placed them flat against the cool glass of the window, leaning his weight on them, his back to you.

You stayed in your chair, holding tight to the vodka bottle, staring at him.

“No, I wasn’t really a hundred percent sure I wanted to marry her,” he said after a long time had passed in silence. “Because Jimin had fucking asked me about you. Hadn’t for ages, had left it alone like I asked him to. But then he asked me about you, just for the last time, he said, because he really wanted me to be sure. Because he didn’t think I should go through with it if I was still thinking about you, still holding a candle for you. He asked me what I would do if you showed up, night before the wedding, morning of maybe, and said you didn’t want me to marry her. What if you finally said that shit? What would I do then?

“I told him to fuck off. Less nicely than that. But I couldn’t stop fucking thinking about it, could I? About you. All this fucking time and I’ve never been able to fucking forget about it! About you.”

He turned suddenly, looking straight at you, his eyes alight.

“And then you,” he said, moving closer to you, his voice deep, low, rumbling in his chest. “Then you had to go and ask me that, too.”

He was so close to you that you had to tilt your head to look at his face. His eyes were dark and aflame, his jaw tense, chest heaving as he breathed. Words caught in your throat.

“Sorry.”

It was barely a whisper.

“Are you?”

He raised an eyebrow at you.

“Are you really sorry? Did you really want me to marry her?”

“No.”

“No, you didn’t. But you didn’t have the fucking guts to tell-”

“I thought you loved her!” you shouted at him, pushing him away from you. “I thought you loved her and maybe you were just having doubts! I didn’t know you fucking loved me, Tae. I already told you that! If I had known, I wouldn’t have asked you if you wanted to marry her, if you were sure. I’d have straight-up told you not to.”

You could feel yourself warming up to this, getting on a roll. You stood from the chair, squared up to him, and continued.

“You think, if I had thought there was a chance for us, I’d have just let you marry another fucking woman? You think, if I had thought at any point that you wanted me, I’d have ever turned you down? I’d have ever let anyone else get a look in? You seriously think I wanted you to marry someone else?”

“Then why didn’t you fucking say so?!”

“Why didn’t YOU?!”

The air crackled with tension as you stared at each other, just a few feet apart, both breathing heavily, neither one looking away, neither moving. Then you saw the switch flick in his eyes and he took two steps towards you.

“Well, I’m fucking doing it now,” he said and, without giving you a second to respond, he took you by the back of your neck and pulled your face to his.

He kissed you, hard, pulled your body closer, held you tight against him. It took you a second to feel it, to kick your brain into gear and respond but you made sure that you were making yourself very fucking clear this time.

You lifted onto your tiptoes, tangling your hands in his hair, sucking his bottom lip into your mouth. All the times you had thought about this, wondered what it would be like, flashed in your mind like a kaleidoscope of missed opportunities. All the kisses you could have shared until now, wasted. Lost. You moaned as he licked into your mouth and you felt the hair on the nape of his neck rise. There wasn’t a single part of you that wasn’t fully invested in this moment, that was holding back. You weren’t asking questions about this, or what it meant, or what would happen afterwards. You were just grabbing with both hands the thing you had wanted for so many years.

Taehyung’s mouth travelled to your neck and his hands found their way under your T-shirt. You made his job easier for him and pulled back to take it off. He didn’t act surprised; he just shrugged off his leather jacket and tore his own T-shirt over his head. You pushed your leggings to the floor and stepped out of them, watching him do the same with his own trousers.

That was enough time apart.

You collided again, a whirl of hands and lips and tongues. You were hurtling at breakneck speed towards something that would change your friendship forever. But it had already changed. Cat was out of the bag now. The only question was would you lean in or would you chicken out?

You had done chickening out. Years of it, more than a decade of chickening out of telling him you felt, what you wanted. Not this time.

He hummed, a low rumble in his chest, as you reached into his boxers and wrapped your fingers around him. He was hard and heavy in your hand and your core clenched at the thought of him inside you. You wanted to take your time with him now, show him everything you’d ever wanted to, tell him everything you’d never said, but the want in you was so strong and you felt so weak beneath it. You were dizzy with need for him, aching so that it hurt.

“Tae,” you whispered, your breath coming in gasps already. “Tae, just please fuck me, ok? Just p-”

He cut you off with a kiss and didn’t hesitate to acquiesce. His fingers were dragging at the waistband of your underwear and pulling at his own. You were kicking them off your feet and he was pushing you onto the sofa and kneeling over you, just for a moment, his eyes roving over your body for the very first time, drinking you in with his bottom lip caught tight between his teeth.

You opened your mouth to prompt him, to hurry him, to ask him again to please just fuck you, but no sooner had you opened it, than he was pushing at your entrance, your words lost to a gasp and then a whine as he sheathed himself inside you.

“Fuck,” you whispered, overwhelmed.

“Yeah,” he grunted above you, looking at the place your bodies met.

He moved slowly at first, to let you adjust to him, but it wasn’t enough, not even close.

“More,” you panted. “Faster, please.”

You were clawing at his back, wrapping your legs around him, pulling him down, closer to you, so you could kiss him as he fucked you, so you could you curl his hair around your fingers and tug and make him moan into your mouth. You put one hand down between your bodies, pressing and circling over your clit as he snapped his hips into you over and over and over.

You panted, repeating his name like a chant or a prayer. Like a wish. Your voice broke, your words lengthening into whines, then disappearing altogether as he pushed you towards climax. You had never got there so quickly, so easily, but it was Taehyung. After all this time, it was finally him and you came with a choked whine and a whole-body shudder. As if he had only been waiting for you, as soon as your body flopped backwards into the mattress, he was coming, too, your name dying on his lips as he gasped through his final thrusts.

He fell heavily on top of you, his alcohol-clean breath washing over your face. You lay, not speaking, the only sound the rush of your breathing and the tick of the clock. Neither of you made a move to sit up, to disturb the peace around you. Taehyung shuffled, tucking his face into your neck, sliding off you slightly and resting his arm over your waist. You absent-mindedly stroked his hair, thinking about everything that had just happened.

“Loved,” you said, startling Taehyung from the doze he was falling into.

“Hm?”

“Loved... You said you loved me. Past tense.”

He only grunted.

“Taehyung.”

“What?”

“I’m asking if you love me. Present tense.”

He shuffled again, pulling himself a little bit closer to you. He didn’t answer right away and you could feel your heart start to race again, anxiety this time, a railroad spike of it straight through your hear-

“Of course I fucking love you,” he mumbled, his lips against your skin. “Don’t be stupid.”

“Ok.”

A minute passed.

“Well?” he asked, sounding a little more awake now.

“Well what?”

He poked you in the ribs.

“Do you?”

“Yes, I love you. I’ve always loved you.”

“Good."

A beat.

"Want to get married tomorrow? I never actually cancelled the registrar.”

#taehyung x reader #taehyung smut #taehyung fic #bts x reader #bts fic #bts smut

286 notes · View notes

dragonridernoobie · 2 months

Note

hello! I was wondering if you could do some HCS (or a scenario idrc) of TFP Optimus x Fem reader (not human) who is a single mother?

Could it go something like where when Optimus first met the reader and her little one he would just help her out and understand the situation. But when he and the reader start interacting more he like slowly falls for her and her little one?

(Hope this makes sense, if not just delete or ignore this‼️) Ty!!<33

This is really fucking cute. I will try my best, also I know there's a human form in the Fandom, I can't remmber what it's called (it's 1am bare with me) so I'm gonna do that for some situations since a 30+ft robot playing house with a child....seems hard to do without breaking something XD. also you dident specified what age the kid so I'm throwing in a 4 year old boy. Hope you enjoy!!!!!!! <3

Request are still open

OptimusPrimeXSingleMotherReader

When optimus met (Y/N) and her son was when they where cought in the middle of a fight between the decepticons and autobots.

Optimus picks up (Y/N)'s car while they are still in it and runs into the autobot base.

Optimus explains why they are here, the people that attacked them, what happens now, and the story.

(Y/N)'s little kid spoke before (Y/N) and ran up to optimus

(Y/N)'s son: wow! You are big! Really big! I bet you are a giant robot like in power rangers! Have you beaten a mosnter?!

Optimus actually shows emotion when this happens by smiling

(Y/N) takes his hand and put him behind her. She apologized for him

Tho, optimus if fine with it, he love little ones.

Optimus offers to be (Y/N)'s and her son's guardian.

Later, optimus talks to (y/n), asking if they have a place to live and where's there mate.

(this is up to you)

(Y/N) explains there "so called mate" has (insert here)

Optimus feels bad but offers then a ride home.

On the ride home, (Y/N)'s son is having the time of his life, since he loves trucks and he was riding in one.

(Y/N) son: mama! Look, look, we are in a big robot! Optimus! Can you transfowm into anything else?

Optimus: no little one but I am happy you are enjoying yourself.

On the way, optimus talks to (Y/N)'s son and enjoying their company.

When they got home, the kid was knocked out from all the excitement they got.

(Y/N) thanked optimus for tiring out her kid.

Over the next few weeks of then being there, optimus took (Y/N)'s son out for drives when she needed a break.

He offers to babysit when (Y/N) needs to go to work or a errand.

The other autobots noticed, even ratchet. Because of this, he actually became a softy toward you and your son.

I can see him over at you're house when you are at work, when you come home, he is in his human form, playing power rangers with you're son.

I belive after maybe...2 years of you knowing him, he could come you and confess his feelings to you.

Optimus: (Y/N). Will you give me the honer to be the father of you're child and let me be you're new mate?

You obviously say yes.

Optimus will teach you're son Patients, wisdom, and more.

Oh, don't worry, he definitely gotten 1000000000000000% more protective of you and you're child.

If yiu are wondering about the team, yes. They love you're child to.

Also, you might have gained a new child, well, a few new childrean. And their names are Bumblebee and smokescreen

Bumblebee has a mother now (Yay!!!)

You bet you're son is best friends with bee.

Wheeljack is the best uncle

Ratchet is the best grandpa

Arcee is the best aunt

Bulkhead is the best uncle

UltraMagnus is the best grumpy uncle

Smokescreen is the best brother

Bumblebee is the best brother

Hope you enjoyed it!!!! Here is something funny

#transformers tfp #optimus prime x reader #optimus prime #tfp ratchet #autobots #single mother #x reader

39 notes · View notes

cybertroniannugget · 6 months

Note

Hello hello and Guten Tag!

I saw your post and wanted to try to help with the writing ideas. Maybe give you a little challenge? 🤷‍♀️

Anywhizzle, idea time!

TFPSmokescreen x Cybertronian!reader who is a medicbot

Smokescreen is trying to impress reader with his skills and fighting. What he fails to realize is that reader is also skilled in hand to hand combat and easily knocks him off his peds.

Romantic or platonic. Smokey needs love and a wee slice of humble pie.

Ich wünsche Ihnen einen schönen Morgen/Nachmittag/Abend!

Hallo und Guten Abend, a fellow German I see.

He sure does need a slice of that humble pie xD

And I am here to deliver, hope you like it.

And thanks for requesting.^^

Medics do know how to fight

(I just love that picture lmao)

About this fic: sfw, gn reader, some romance

851 words

"I doubt medics know how to fight. I mean Ratchet surely does but THEM?"

"If I were you Smokescreen, I wouldn't be saying that...", Bulkhead chimed in, a hint of worry in his tone of voice.

"Pff nahh, am I right doctor?"

You just roll your optics in annoyance, continuing on working on the task Ratchet gave you, back to the others.

Atleast he stopped calling you doc, so that's gotta be something.

Yes you may be a medic in training but oh was he wrong with that statement of his.

"Look? They're not even replying, because they know I'm soo right."

You turned around to face the white red and blue bot, who had his arms crossed before his chassis so full of himself.

"Oh really Smokey?"

"Hey, you know I hate that nickname!"

"Fine, I will stop using it IF, you win against me in a 1v1."

"Oh, it's so on!"

"But", you add, raising a single digit at him. "If I win, I'm gonna call you that for as long as I shall live. And no more making fun of medics, I mean it"

"Pff, humans call that child's play."

Raising an optic ridge, you step away from the console, attention now fully on him.

"Go on.", you try to encourage him.

"At least step away from my equipment...", Ratchet grumbled.

Not wanting to have wrenches flying your direction you do as you're told.

"So, wanna start?"

"And no guns for Primus' sake!"

You chuckle

"Alrighty Ratch!"

The bot infront of you turned to stand in a fighting position, fists raised to the height of his chest.

Game on.

He went for a frontal attack, which your easily dodged by ducking and turning to the side.

You counter with a light blow to his side, making him stumble.

"Are you even trying? Or am I just too good to-"

And that sentence of his was cut right off as you went forward, ducked again and kicked his pedes away, making him fall right onto his face, taking a box down with him.

"I needed that!", Ratchet yelled furiously.

"Ow"

"I may be a medic, but I surely know how to fight. Next time you underestimate me I won't go so easy on you."

"Ha, they busted you Smoky!", Miko laughed, pointing at the red blue and white colored bot, who was now slowly standing up, rubbing his helm in pain.

"And they surely got that sass from old Ratchet..", Smokescreen mumbled under his breath.

A wrench came flying his way from across the hall, which you catched easily right after your sensors detected it.

"And I got mad reflexes so better watch out from now on."

"Okay, let me get this straight.", Miko spoke up again. "They busted your metal ass AND saved you. Damn, you're so in their debt!"

The she comes to a complete halt, holding onto the railing while looking directly at the Smokescreen, her eyes wide.

"You were trying to impress them!", she exclaimed, jumping once and pointing at Smokescreen.

"Smoky is in love, Smoky is in love!", she declared, jumping around excitedly.

"WHAT?!", you and the mostly silver bot said simultaneously, exchanging a rather flustered look.

"Oooh and they love you too. Robot romance yayy"

"Miko...", Bulkhead reprimanded her.

"Whaat? It's true Bulk! They're in love!", she said, gesturing wildly towards the two of you while looking up at her guardian.

"We've got two lovebirds.", she explained proudly, hands on her hips now.

Ratchet raised an optic ridge, looking between you and a now very flustered Smokescreen.

"Well finally it's official. I can't stand you two pining for each other any longer.", the medic said, rolling his optics, going right back to work afterwards.

Indignant, you finally turn to speak.

"And what makes you ALL think that we're in love?!"

"Oh please, I've seen the way you look at eachother. And you would NEVER accept to a fight like this.", Arcee mentioned, arms crossed over her chassis.

"I could not help but notice a tension you two hold.", Optimus adds, who had been silently watching until now.

"Not you too Prime..."

You clear your throat.

"Yeah sure whatever..."

While cleaning up the mess you two created, you made sure not to look at Smokescreen, who couldn't take his optics off of you.

Sure, he was cute and you mayyyybee caught feelings, but it couldn't have been THAT obvious. Right?!

"You fight pretty good for a medic."

You shoot a glare at him.

"I mean, you fight really good.", he corrected himself. "No more making fun of medics, I know."

You chuckle, nudging his side. "You're not too bad yourself Smokey."

His helm turns toward you.

"What? I won, so you're Smokey from now on."

"I love you!", he blurted out, covering his intake with both servos immediately after.

You laugh, placing a servo on his shoulder.

"Don't worry, the feeling's mutual."

You two stand up straight and you put the now tidy box on top of a counter.

"Who are we kidding? Even Miko figured something was up. Might as well indulge and make it official, don't you think?"

The bot nods. "Yeah, you're right."

"I know I am, better get used to it."

"Pff"

#transformers x reader #tfp smokescreen #request #gender neutral reader #no y/n #Smokescreen x reader

50 notes · View notes

madamefluffnstuff · 1 month

Text

Reunions and Confessions

Fandom: Elder Scrolls Online

Pairing: Bastian Hallix x Ebonymist (Fem!Khajiit! Vestige)

Rating: T

Warning(s): Reconnecting with long-lost family, Romantic confessions, Mutual Pining, Mentions of a rough past, Near Death Experience. Bastian is a lil clueless and Ebony is shy for quite literally the first time in her life.

Words: 1,687

AN: @alaxon had requested a while back if I could write out my Ebonymist confessing her feelings for our dear Bastian. I had already had it planned out but kept getting distracted lol. But- I am happy to say it's finally finished! If you're curious, this is what she looks like! (Art by @soft-and-horny, their commissions are open!)

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Ebonymist lounged on her rented bed at the Cloudy Dregs Inn. The book that had been sitting on the nightstand when she arrived made for decent reading material, but it was more to distract her from the agonizing waiting. Bastian had left a few hours earlier to meet with his long lost sister, Clairene. He had offered his Khajiiti companion to come with him, but she didn't want to intrude- this was for him, and he needed to do it himself, if nothing else to heal his hurt heart.

She was pulled from her thoughts as the sound of familiar footsteps caught her attention. Her sensitive ears twitched, trying to locate the sound. Just as she was about to pinpoint the source, there was a knock on the door.

"Yes? Who is it?" She called as she set the book down.

To her surprise, the door opened and in walked Bastian.

"Bastian! You're back already?"

He gave a sheepish smile, "Yes, it- It didn't, well. It didn't last as long as I was thinking it would. She is a countess, after all. She had business to attend to."

The Khajiit nodded. "Makes sense, I suppose. Did you get to talk to your sister at all?"

"First, before I go any further, I want to get something to eat. I'm starving."

"...Your sister didn't even feed you?"

~*~

Their ordered meal from the inn's kitchen arrived sooner than they expected. Ebony didn't eat much, she was too excited about what her companion would tell her of the meeting with his long lost family. As she watched him eating, her... complicated feelings began to well in her gut. His focused gaze, his polite mannerisms, how fierce he was in combat-

How he cried out in horror when he first watched her fall from the Worm Cult assassin that snuck up behind her. Silent as the grave, their presence only made known when she felt the puff of their smokescreen and the jagged dagger slicing into her shoulder blade. As the air was forced out of her lungs with a choked scream, the stinging, burning sensation rapidly spreading across her back meant only one thing- Worm Venom. Realization sunk in as Ebony's vision started to blur and she began to panic.

Bastian's voice laced with terror and dread and pain- the "pain" part stunned her. She was still conscious enough to somewhat register his tones. Countless fights and heroic escapades and such a sound never left his throat. While she lay bleeding out, scrabbling unsuccessfully for a potion in her pack, Ebony could barely make out his blurry form running toward her.

It was when he was kneeling over her, the acrid smell of his staff burning tickling her nose, her heartbeat slowly and hollowly beating in her ears, and his fear stricken voice saying "I'll make them pay!"- there, something in her brain clicked.

She shook her head a little to clear the memory. Bastian didn't notice, as he hadn't looked up from his plate. He was clearly enjoying the amicable environment of the inn room, with his dear friend. Still, Ebony was more interested to hear what had happened with Clairene.

"Well. Now that you've eaten," she said calmly, "Why don't you tell me what happened?"

"I don't even know where to begin," Bastian replied quietly. "My sister and I haven't seen each other in twenty-five years! She remembers me as a two-year old child, and I don't remember her at all. What if we have nothing in common besides a name?"

Ebony smiled and hummed a purr, "You'll figure it out."

"For the first time since we started down this road, I think I believe that, too." He stared into his cup and slowly nodded. "But we have so much time to make up for. And the thought that I missed the chance to be a part of this family decades ago is almost too much to bear."

The pain in his voice nearly broke Ebonymist's heart. It was all too similar to the tone he used back then. Her tail tip curled a little at the thought.

A moment of anxious silence passed. She broke it with a soft "Can you forgive Count Auzin for that?"

"For all I know, Elmonde Auzin saved my sister's life by lying to her," he immediately replied. "And it's obvious that he loves her with all his heart. They are happy together. ...For my sister's sake, I can set aside old sorrows."

Ebonymist smiled again. She adored that about him, his willingness to compromise for his friends- and now family. Plus, these were unusual circumstances. Were she in his shoes, she could definitely see herself doing the same thing.

"But I am done with the Silvelles."

"As am I, Bastian. If we ever run into them on our travels again, you might have to hold me back."

"That won't be necessary, my friend," he nervously chuckled.

She gave a slight smirk and her ears twitched in amusement. "Can't promise that."

He stifled a laugh at that, then sighed. "Well. It's late. I spent longer there than I expected to, and I'm sure you need your sleep too."

Her head snapped up. "Oh no no, that's alright, I don't mind!" That came out a little faster than intended, she cursed herself mentally.

"Oh don't worry about me, I don't want to bore you," he started to stand up. "You've done so much for me, so. You deserve some rest after this journey." In reality, Bastian was mentally and emotionally exhausted from this ordeal. From discovering Clairene, to tracking her down, to rescuing her... he was worn out and needed rest himself. But he also didn't want to be rude and say that out loud to Ebonymist, who nearly bent herself backward to make this possible.

Ebonymist, on the other hand, felt her heart suddenly leap into her throat and she froze. Bastian, understandably, took her silence as permission to leave and he bid her a friendly "good night". He stood up and made his way to the door and began to open it-

Before she knew it, the Khajiit blinked and she was standing next to him with her hand clamped around his wrist. She felt herself say "Wait-", but the sound didn't register in her ears. The same earlier feeling of anxiety in her gut returned, which was soon replaced with creeping dread as she feared she royally messed up.

They both jumped when she grabbed his wrist, both equally surprised at this sudden reaction. Bastian blinked. As he waited for an explanation for her action, they locked eyes. He could see something odd; Anxiety? Desperation?

No. Pleading.

The mage was very much puzzled by this. Ebonymist, one of the strongest, most resilient individuals he had ever met in his life, acting like this.

"Eb?" he asked. "Is... something wrong?"

A small silence followed, before she quietly answered, in a voice just barley above a whisper, "I... I don't want you to go."

He blinked again. "You don't?"

Ebony was silent a moment before her ears drooped and she shook her head no. He felt her hand trembling against his wrist.

"I've never seen you this nervous," he relaxed his stance a bit, if nothing else out of morbid curiosity. "What's the matter?"

"I..." she averted her gaze. Now or never, she thought. "I- I want you to stay. I want you to spend the night here. With me."

The following silence was deafening. Neither one moved. All Ebony could hear was her heart pounding like a war drum in her ears. Bastian slowly reached over to the doorknob and pulled it closed. Then he turned his undivided attention to the anxious Khajiit.

"You know I have to go soon, but... This is clearly important to you. So I'll hear you out."

Once they sat back down at the table, he realized he'd had so much on his mind this evening, he barely noticed her. Now that she was sitting in front of him, it was clear as day something was on her mind; her normally alert ears were turned back, and her tail tip was twitching back and forth.

She took a deep breath and laid it all out. Her feelings for him, how much she cared for him, how valued he was as a companion, how he had been occupying her thoughts as of late- ...Perhaps that was a bit much.

Bastian laced his fingers and rested his chin on them, thinking as he let this sudden information sink in. Every second that passed felt like a literal eternity to Ebony. "Well... I have to be honest. I had suspected that was your intention. It seems I was reading you right, for once."

"For once?"

"You can be hard to read sometimes. Not always, though. Remember when I mentioned in the Valenwood market, "I don't have a romantic partner back home, but I know a girl who would get mad if she heard me say that"?"

Ebony scowled at him. "You did that on purpose."

He chuckled, "Perhaps. Your reaction gave me an inkling I was right, though." She rolled her eyes.

He continued, "But, after that, I had some time to think on it. And, well." His hand reached across the table and carefully clasped hers. "I can't picture myself with anyone else, especially not with someone who hasn't done as much for me as you have."

"Are you saying-"

"We're definitely partners in arms, and in crime, depending on the situation. So... how about we be partners off the battlefield as well?"

Bastian barely got the words out of his mouth when Ebonymist jumped up and launched herself into his arms, the biggest smile on her face as she hugged him. "Yes! Yes! A thousand times, yes! Oh Bastian you have no idea how happy this made me!" She nuzzled her face into his chin.

The mage laughed as he spun her around, reflecting the sheer joy radiating off of his partner. Today was definitely a chaotic day. But it definitely ended in the best way possible.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Special thanks to @rvnwtch for helping! <3

Tag List: @lithiumrev, @arisenlicious, @alaxon, , @itheliaapologist, if you want in on the tag list plz let me know!! <3

#elder scrolls online #eso #the elder scrolls #bastian hallix #eso bastian hallix #female vestige #eso vestige #bastian hallix x vestige #found family #family reunion #love confessions #gushy love stuff #fluff #writing #writingblr

19 notes · View notes

cartoonslovers · 5 months

Note

greetings!🌌 hey, what do you think about Smokescreen and KO's interactions? X) despite the fact that KO literally ripped the Omega Key out of him, their moments were funny. so many ideas can be take place here. especially considering that everyone is now on Cybertron, and KO is also in Team Prime

Aside from the oblivious "Knock out ripped a key out of Smokescreen " thing. To me, I feel like They are like Tom and Jerry since they trick each other into getting stuck inside a wall. Like I feel like they would have a very cartoonish dynamic in team prime. I definitely can see Smokey pranking Knockout the most out of the other Autobots. I mean guess they could become friends eventually but I find this a lot funnier since I like the idea of Knockout and Smokescreen chasing each other lonney tunes style across Cybertron.

#tfp smokescreen #tfp knockout #transformers prime

19 notes · View notes

smokescreenstuff · 8 months

Note

hi!!! Your symbiote AU is SO cool, and I was wondering if you had any more thoughts about it?

(and also I wanted to ask if you'd mind if I shared any ideas I had about the au too)

- SP

Idea sharing is very welcome!

...

I've got a few ideas about what happens after X finds Smokescreen as well as some interactions with Alpha Trion, but that's about it.

After X finds Smokescreen during the Elite Guard training mission, a few... Accidents happened, or at least that's what Ultra Magnus put in his report.

...

During the exercise a group of trainees and Ultra Magnus are investigating an abandoned site. X finds the group and decides to use Smokescreen as his new host. He crawls up Smokescreen's leg which grabs the attention of not only Smokescreen, but everyone else. Ultra Magnus tries to calm Smokescreen and find a solution, while X fully covers Smokescreen.

Still in the mindset Shockwave gave him, which is basically just kill, X immediately goes on a rampage. All of the trainees are killed before Smokescreen can get X under control. Ultra Magnus is tempted to just kill Smokescreen and X along with him, but instead just knocks them out.

...

✨Trauma✨

#tfp #tfp smokescreen #smokescreen #transformers au #symbiote #symbiote au

7 notes · View notes

cherry-flavoured-thot · 2 years

Text

Hot-Blooded

Pairing - Childe x Pyro! Reader

Warnings - None!

Summary - Essentially Childe just wants you to kick his ass, but like affectionately instead of derogatorily-

Word Count - 1.1k

Your blood and temper burns as hot as the pyro vision that inhabits your body. You’re far too easy to goad with that short fuse of yours. To the point of certain insults making you burst into pure flames. You certainly don’t pull your punches when pissed off. When furious, you are like a wildfire, destructive, all-consuming and in Childe’s opinion completely eye-catching. He’s seen people three times your size go down without you even utilizing your vision. And he’s been head over heels ever since.

He’s acted as gasoline to your fire to see how much of your wrath he can withstand. The first fight was different, he had misjudged your abilities, thinking your bark was worse than your bite. But you were faster than expected, one moment he was musing to himself how easy it would be to pin you down, the next you were digging a heel into his chest, pressing his back into the dirt. A smug grin on your features - signifying his defeat and your victory. A quick demand of a rematch on his behalf (something you had at first refused until he said it was a fluke and you were just being a coward because you knew that) had his odds looking much better. As that time, he had some awareness of your abilities. But when a fireball the size of a small town was flung at him from the sky after he had said something that struck the wrong nerve with you, he started backtracking about the assumption he had of your fighting capabilities immediately.

The flames disintegrated before the ball made impact with the ground, leaving a thick smog to surround him, hiding you from his line of sight. He had wondered what your next move was, only for you to reappear, lunging at him through the smoke, answering his thought for him. A motion of which he defended against, shielding himself from your weapon. Causing you to leap back into the dark cover of the smokescreen. You repeated the actions, lunging at him head on, him deflecting you, you sliding back into cover. He thought he had you when he spotted your shadow about to fly forth at him again. Not expecting the sensation of warmth firing up behind him, in his surprise you swept his feet out from under him. You weren’t grinning as you had been in your first victory, instead a harsh glare had been directed down at him. “Fatui scum.” You had spat, leaving him on his back before heading in the other direction.

He had stared up at the sky, letting the smell of smoke flood his senses, reflecting on your strength and your anger. His contemplation brought him to a single conclusion. He had to fight you again. He needed to see more. Thus, the natural thing he thought to do was track you down to where you live in his free time, then challenge you once more. You weren’t very pleased to see him. “Ugh you again?” Despite the annoyance plain on your face, you don’t turn down his invitation to a fight. He ends up defeated again. “Happy now?” You snap, looming over his beaten form. He’s not, because he wants to challenge you again, he wants to feel the sheer force that you are rush at him until he’s nothing but ash. He doesn’t voice his sentiment instead giving you a thumbs up, that makes you roll your eyes and turn on your heel. “What a weirdo.” You murmur on your exit.

You had hopelessly thought to yourself that maybe it would be the last time he’d approach you for a fight. It wasn’t. He appears again weeks later, grinning asking if you were ready for another rematch. You aren’t sure what makes your blood boil more the fact that when you consider telling him to get lost, he manages to rile you enough that you can feel sparks alighting at the tips of your fingers, or that he keeps his wide grin the entire time he does it. Even when you end up defeating him once more, knocking his weapon right out of his hands. “Same time next week?” His question sounds like a joke, but you know he’s serious. You just sigh at him, murmuring a small ‘whatever,’ helping him up off the ground and staring at him as he goes off in the direction that he came.

The cycle repeats itself; he manages to score a few wins, a task that was surprisingly hard considering how both of your elements were direct counters for one another. But you used the vapor from the clashing of pyro and hydro the same way you used the smoke. The most satisfying parts of those victories being the way you order him to come back for a rematch asap or else you’ll hunt him down yourself. Something he didn’t believe until you in fact did. You won that fight, mostly because he spent half of it in awe of your sheer tenacity. Although one day had stood at among the others, he had found you, but your stance was tense, and you’d dismissed his presence the moment he entered your vicinity. “I’ve gotta do something first.” You had told him, eerie calmness in your tone. He was going to ask questions only to notice the sparks of rage behind your eyes. Deciding to only follow when you stormed off down the path, when you had paused in front of a tall, muscled man, Childe stops from a distance.

“Stop threatening the kids asshole.” He heard you yell.

“Oh yeah? And what are you gonna do about it?” The man was met with an upper cut so fierce that he’d been unconscious before he hit the ground. Childe had closed the gap of distance between you both, letting out a whistle at the sight of the unconscious man on the ground. You turned to him with a grimace.

“Listen I know you probably want to fight but now’s not a good time.”

“You said something about kids?” He doesn’t expect you to answer the question. But when you proceeded to tell him how you’d been looking out for some of the kids in your neighbourhood, he is surprised. Although not surprised enough to not tease you for it. “Aw you’re secretly a softie!” You scoffed at him.

“Keep that up and I’ll change my mind.”

“Doesn’t phase me either way, you sure are pretty when you’re mad.” When your response had been a glare as a hot as your vision, he dramatically clutched his chest. “Be still my beating heart!” He had expected you to tell him to piss off, not for you to snort, and playfully jab back at him.

“And it looks like you’re secretly a dork.” That caused him to scoff. But he still followed you when you decided to slip away from the unconscious body on the ground.

He still follows you now, waiting for your fire filled gaze to glare at his form. For the flames of your temper to ignite and flicker, to threaten to burn away your opponents. For the warmth that you are to consume him whole.

#genshin impact #genshin impact x reader #genshin imagines #genshin impact imagines #genshin #childe #childe x reader #ajax x reader #tartaglia #ajax #tartaglia x reader #genshin childe #childe genshin #my writing tag #ajax genshin #genshin ajax #tartaglia genshin #genshin tartaglia x reader

18 notes · View notes

empresssweetiepea · 4 years

Video

Knock Out x Smokescreen - Love Game

#transformers prime #tfp #knock out #smokescreen #tfp knock out #tfp smokescreen #knock out x smokescreen

26 notes · View notes

mgarmagedon · 5 months

Note

How often Knockout thinks/recalls his time with Breakdown, or does he ever? I assume it must be painfull and bitter-sweet thinking back about their time together.

Actually he is thinking of it quite frequent.

Since his life slowed down a lot and now he doesn't need to worry if his ass will be ripped apart by Megatron also has very good position as a head of hospital in new Iacon, that he got after the high council put Ratchet on forced retirement. (He actually likes spending a little time now with Ratchet now, because he understands him quite well)

He has a lot of time to think about the past and what he has done wrong... and one of this things is Breakdown's tragic death.

You don't even know, how happy he was when the group of researchers landed on one of their moons to investigate toxicity of this place after the war and they found corpse of Arachnid, that died of hunger very very VERY long time ago and with her, thousands of dead insecticons from which all the energon had been sucked out to the state where they looked like raisins.

He is so tired of all that stuff that happened to him and what he done to Bee and this whole situation with Smoke, which is been endless drama for almost 20 years and the most... that he never went with Breakdown on that stupid mission with Dreadwing and Arachnid.

He still believe if he was there, for sure Arachnid wouldn't kill his beloved... or at least die with him.

OF COURSE he doesn't want to kill himself, after all he still has two sons and whole career of being great doctor and boss of hospital to care on.

But he's daydreaming about his life with Breakdown and how it would look like if he was still around. Maybe he would have son with him too...

I'M NOT SUGGESTING ANYTHING BUT----

He just needs some therapy.

35 notes · View notes

cloudraker · 2 years

Text

Masterlist

☀ - Headcanons

☁ - Drabble

☂ - Angst

♥ - Valentines event

Matchups are under their own tag and sorted by character

Holiday-specific requests are under their own tag

IDW

Lost Light crew playing Slime Rancher - ☀

Whirl, Fort Max, Drift, and Rewind+Chromedome with a female human s/o that likes chin scratches - ☀

Rodimus, Swerve, Ratchet, and Rung cuddle headcanons with an overwhelmed human - ☀

Fortress Maximus with a witty S/O - ☀

Fortress Maximus relationship headcanons - ☀

Rodimus with a competitive S/o - ☀

Nightbeat with a sidekick S/o - ☀

Cygate and Chromedome/Rewind adopting a child - ☀

Fort Max, Ultra Magnus, Drift, and Megatron being climbed by a human - ☀

Coming out to Ultra Magnus and Rewind - ☀

Megatron with a former gladiator S/O - ☀

Tailgate and Swerve with a brainwashed S/o - ☀/☂

Megatrons S/o gets mnemosurgery’d - ☂

Rodimus, Drift, and Tailgate being shown Just Dance - ☀

The Day Ahead - Spinster x reader - ☁

And They Were Roommates - Chromia x reader - ☁

Repair Bay - Nickel x reader - ☁

Return to Sender - Prowl x reader - ♥/ ☁

Doctors Note - Nickel x reader - ♥/ ☁

Anonymous Request - Nightbeat x reader - ♥/ ☁

Transformers G1

Soundwave with a parental S/o - ☀

Ironhide with a transmasc S/o - ☀

Skywarp with an S/o that can generate seismic force - ☀

Coming out to Optimus and Hot Rod - ��

Mirage and Red Alert with a brainwashed S/o - ☀/☂

Transformers Animated

Bumblebee with a goth male S/O - ☀

Wreck-gar with a friend who makes art out of recyclables - ☀

Lockdown whos S/o was reincarnated - ☀

Sunstorm and Mixmaster with a glass artist S/o - ☀

Rodimus with a crush on a human on Optimus’ team - ☀

Blurr with a crush on a human on Optimus’ team - ☀

Transformers Prime

Decepticons reacting to a small predacon - ☀

Knock Out, Breakdown, and Starscream hearing their S/o speak for the first time - ☀

Ratchet being shown a plush version of himself - ☀

OP, Bumblebee, Smokescreen, Dreadwing, and Soundwave with an S/o with a tattoo of them - ☀

Arcee marriage headcanons - ☀

Bumblebee, Ratchet, and Arcee with an S/o who cosplays - ☀

Arcee with an S/o who’s Optimus’ younger sister - ☀

Autobots with a tall teammate - ☀

Skyquake with an S/o that can generate seismic force - ☀

Airachnid and Arcee with a female S/o - ☀

Arcee, Cliffjumper, and Airachnid meeting their thought to be dead S/o - ☀

Ratchet, Optimus, and Ultra Magnus meeting their though to be dead S/o - ☀

Platonic Breakdown headcanons - ☀

Arcee being comforted by her S/o - ☀

Ratchet, Optimus, Arcee, Bumblebee, and Ultra Magnus with a military S/o - ☀

Predaking with a reincarnated predacon S/o - ☀

Soft Arcee headcanons - ☀

Bulkhead and Ratchet with a male S/o who likes their alt mode - ☀

Decepticons with a sparkling - ☀/ ☁

Transformers Cyberverse

Shockwave with a gender neutral s/o that’s interested in his robots - ☀

Megatron with a chubby S/o - ☀

Coming out to Cheetor - ☀

Megatron with a shy S/o - ☀

#masterlist #matchups #valentines event

144 notes · View notes

revenant-dumpster-fire · 3 years

Text

Warm (Revenant x Reader)

Theme: Reader comforts Revenant after a somewhat brutal loss in a duos match as Revenant becomes concerned with his image.

Warnings: Mentions of mania, mentions of depression, mentions of suicide, threats of violence, graphically described violence, pain, sharp objects, borderline sexual fluff.

Reader's Notes: Revenant (Apex Legends) x Reader, reader is non-gendered in this chapter, this is getting romantic but hasn't crossed the line quite yet, reader will eventually have to be gendered (but I'll hold off as long as possible).

Writing Notes: Compliments give me fuel. Lot of development this chapter, more characters. I feel like this is increasingly revealing of who I am as a person, so I'm glad I'm anonymous.

Navigation:

First Chapter | Previous Chapter | Next Chapter

The Apex Games are brutal. It's a miracle these people can be suspended in death boxes and sewn or pieced back together after what happens to them. You've heard murmurs that some of the visual brutality is simulated by an AI for the cameras while the much less damaged person is imprisoned in a deathbox, but you are not so sure of that. It looks too real, and the Legends seem way too accustomed to pain and morbid destruction for it not to be. You are desensitized to a lot of gore and snuff yourself, but you've come to know the Legends just well enough to shudder when they are disemboweled in front of you. When you first started volunteering to help, you remembered being endlessly relieved the first time you saw them all return from the medical ward.

Even though you know they will likely be fine, you whimper as Bloodhound takes an apparently fatal blow from the favorites for this duos match: Loba and Bangalore. It isn't very often that random chance creates such an iconic duos pair, but it's happening today and the cameras are loving it. The cameras have been so fixated on these two that you haven't seen night or day out of Revenant. According to the trackers on the screen, Revenant is still in the game, but his teammate--Fuse--was knocked out of the match early on. Knowing those two, they likely agreed to drop hot--in an area with lots of combatants. While it's a good way to get kills, it's also an ideal way to get killed. From previous matches, you have the impression Revenant will drop hot if his teammate or teammates agree, but he won't do so otherwise. Fuse is absolutely the type to agree to dropping hot. You worry for Fuse even though you are certain he will be back tomorrow or soon thereafter, ready for more.

Loba and Bangalore have used their combined skills to gather long-range sniper weapons and considerable kills so far this match. Bangalore is able to use her abilities to create confusion and draw combatants out from cover, and Loba could create or close distances with her warp band while also gathering excessive amounts of high-level weaponry, mods, and armor to make them all the more terrifying. They pulled ahead early in the game, and now they feel unstoppable. The cameras watch as they run across Olympus' beautifully groomed grass towards the next team to victimize.

You feel like you're not doing what you should be doing. Did Revenant really just want you to watch the match today? Shouldn't you do something helpful?

You get yourself to the edge of the bed, hop up, and start to make it. It was so perfect when you hopped in yesterday, you want to try to make it equally as perfect. Your legs no longer hurt, and you feel well-rested despite Revenant's creepily watchful eyes. You take a deep breath, stretch backwards, and get to making the bed. You will have to go to your volunteer bunk and change soon. You wonder if you will have to move out of the volunteer area--even though it's small and cramped, it's been your home for a few years now. Your coworkers feel more like roommates, varying from cool but introverted to outgoing but overbearing. You like all of them, and you have the unusual standing as one of the longest-running volunteers, staying through off and on seasons to keep things functioning. You don't want to lose them, or the only home you've known for a few years.

Gunshots ring out on the television, Loba and Bangalore are taking shots at another team fight from afar. You see the symbol for Lifeline pop up as knocked, then eliminated. Caustic's name pops up next. Finally, Revenant came up as knocked, but not eliminated. You can't help but panic just a little, but Revenant apparently had a self-revive and is moving again, fleeing the area as Loba gives vicious chase trying to make up the distance from sniping. Revenant is in bad shape, he has been fighting solo for a while, and Loba knows he is practically a free kill at this point. You're afraid this is going to turn into another Loba versus Revenant fight, a favorite of the audience due to how ruthless they both are with each other. You don't like them fighting. You don't like seeing Loba be nearly beheaded or gutted, and you don't like seeing Revenant be slowly but surely tortured to death. There is no alternative ending with those two. It's always violent, and Revenant doesn't stand much of a chance at this rate. He clearly knows that.

You stare at the television breathlessly, trying to make the bed without looking away. Loba is hunting, and Revenant is unable to keep enough distance. In a last gambit, Revenant manages to break line of sight, launching his silencer into the doorway of a bunker and then intentionally running into the opposing bunker. Loba falls for it, as she makes an immediate path for the bunker with the silencer, opting to take the back door. It buys Revenant enough time to use a Pheonix Kit, a piece of equipment that restores his shields and health completely for a much fairer fight.

Hell is about to break loose.

You plop down on the bench having finished the bed, unable to look away. Loba and Revenant meet eyes from within each bunker through the small windows on each side. Loba looks infuriated at his newly rejuvenated state. Revenant's look is too intense to be smug, it truly is a mechanical malice undescribable by any other terminology. These two loathe each other. The spectators roar in excitement at another bloodbath between the lovely but deadly master thief and her mechanical antagonist, the commentators giving a short review of the last time these two met on the battlefield.

Revenant, now unafraid of the odds, immediately dashes to close the gap between their bunkers. Loba flings her warp band in his direction, landing behind him, and immediately getting two Mastiff slugs in his back. You cringe at the sight. Revenant turns to meet her fire with his Volt, but Bangalore's lobbed smokescreen fills the area before his shots meet. Bangalore had been lagging behind Loba, but she was close enough now to take shots again. You hear Loba's Mastiff take a number of more shots in the smokescreen, the Volt returning fire. Bangalore calls in her Rolling Thunder, cascading aerial bombardment all throughout the smokescreen. Revenant manages to break free of the now-fading smokescreen, trying to escape the explosives, but it was clearly Bangalore's intent for him to do so. With her well-equipped Longbow, she manages to snipe Revenant, knocking him to his knees.

Loba was soon looming over him, waiting for the camera to catch up. The crowd chants and screeches waiting for the gore. There are no microphones on the Legends themselves, but you can tell that Revenant is cursing her as she comes over to finish him. You wince, you don't want to watch this, but you feel you have to.

Loba kicks his head hard enough to knock out any human opponent, sending him to the ground. His mask is cracked open, revealing the copper lining underneath and the wiring for his optics. He stays grounded, glaring at her with an unspeakably vicious hatred. He faces his demise with just as much malice as he had moments earlier, perhaps even more. She goes in for a direct stomp, plunging the five-inch tall heel of her shoe into and through Revenant's left optic. You grimace at the horror of it, wanting to cover your face to escape the imagery. Revenant's body lurches backwards and writhes in pain, grabbing aimlessly at his face, screaming so loudly that the drone camera picks it up as his vocalizations crack and become inundated with static.

Revenant isn't eliminated. Revenant is treated differently than the human and more finite combatants. His deaths are of no consequence, so he isn't protected from them. He can just come back, over and over. So the cameras roll and he's left to suffer whenever it makes for better television. The most bloodthirsty fans have always loved this double-standard, but you are beginning to revile it more by the moment.

Loba spits on him, taking a moment to parade to the crowd her triumphant moment. Revenant's last remaining optic is dimming uncontrollably, but is still locked on her when she returns to finish the job. They lock eyes for a moment. You don't know the details--nobody does--but it's clear they have some kind of history where all the hatred stems from. Revenant looks away in acceptance of his defeat, and his neck is immediately clamped down on by her heels. With a single twist of her leg, the cracking noise of his head being forcibly freed from his torso rings out. You want to vomit.

Revenant is only now considered eliminated, his husk of a chassis lying nearly in two pieces, his head twisted perpendicular to his torso. The crowd is absolutely ablaze. Loba reaches down, tearing the scarf off his head and holding it triumphantly in the air, looking as if she just scalped her kill. Bangalore shies away from the cameras herself, she's clearly ready to move on. Loba revels in the violence, just like Revenant does, but there is something especially malicious between them.

You feel the nausea taking hold even stronger. Revenant is someone you know now. He's shown you kindness, and you've become very fond of him. You can't say you know him extremely well, granted, but well enough to feel empathy for his pain. Watching him essentially have his skull broken, eye gouged, and neck severed is a lot to take. You could literally see the excruciating pain in his body language when his eye was stomped out. They shouldn't allow it. The moment a human life is in danger they get deathboxed. Only now that Revenant's body is dead and vacated of all living code, as well as the audience thoroughly satiated, does Revenant's corpse get deathboxed. He managed to fight his team all the way to seventh place alone. Loba and Bangalore continue on, the cameras lovingly cataloging their sweep.

You get up and turn off the television, sheepishly use your new ID to leave the room, and head to the volunteer bunks. It's the middle of the day, so nobody is around. A note on your bunk reads "Worried about you! Let me know when you get back. -Sherry". You scribble back, "Sorry Sherry, had a special request I had to run, need to talk later. Text me." and place it on her bunk. Sherry is the de facto leader of the volunteers, here since day one of season one. You know each other well. She doesn't pry often, but disappearing for a night is really out of character for you, so you don't mind it this once. She will know if you're allowed to stay in the volunteer bunks or not. You gather your things, just in case, and haul them to Revenant's room. You only have a single duffel bag of clothes and toiletries to your name. It has been that way since you found yourself on the streets years ago. It's easy enough to carry, but some amount of sadness still lingers in you as you haul your only worldly possessions in a single bag. The Apex Games gives you year-round work in exchange for a place to live rent-free. The Legends who tip well basically keep you at a decent wage for the hours. So despite not having much to your name in terms of assets, you now have a bank account with enough value to move on if absolutely necessary.

You use the badge to open Revenant's door. It dings satisfactorily, and you dump your bag on the floor. You're not leaving the area until he's back. You already decided. You're in some stage of denial after watching him die, but simultaneously you cannot be in denial if he always comes back. You shake your head, the nausea fights for its throne in your gut. You grab a change of clothes out of the bag and head to the bathroom in the far left corner of the room.

As you enter, you see a mostly untouched bathroom, spare for a strangely out-of-place comb, shaving cream, an old-fashioned razor blade, and the mirror smeared opaque with dried suds--likely from the shaving cream. None of those items make sense. Not a single one. Why was the mirror so filthy? Why did a simulacrum have shaving or hair brushing tools? You consider that it might be a coping mechanism, but that doesn't explain the mirror. Whatever, you'll clean it in a second. No need to make a big deal out of it all.

Halfway through changing, you lose your battle with nausea. You don't have anything in your stomach, a fact you quickly realize as you lurch over the toilet. Just stomach acid. What a violent and terrible death. You know he feels just as a human does, it's not his fault he isn't as fragile. It's so unfair. You stand tall, having expelled the worst of it. You finish putting on your "I'm not feeling it" shirt, and make a quick orbit to the duffel and back, picking up your toothbrush, toothpaste, and mouthwash. You clean out your mouth thoroughly, trying to fight off the taste of acid.

You finish up, leaving your oral care items behind to take your dirty clothes to the laundry room and grab some mirror cleaning supplies while there. Since you know how to fully clean down a room, you figure it is within your ability to completely clean Revenant's room. Maybe Fuse's too, these cleans tend to be quick and efficient when you perform them.

• • • •

"Hey, oh my gosh, where were you last night?" The text comes in as you're hauling the cleaning supplies to Fuse's room. It's early afternoon, you'll be done with this before it even begins to get dark.

"Hey, sorry, I had a special request. I didn't mean to worry anyone. I'm cleaning Fuse's room now." You text back, hoping Sherry will meet you here and help wrap up even faster.

"OMW" The text comes in only moments after.

After a few minutes, you hear Fuse's door open. Sherry is a petite blonde woman in her early twenties. Despite her longer, curly hair, she is otherwise not too dissimilar looking from Wattson, her favorite Legend. They have a good relationship apparently, Wattson regularly jokingly adding "request for mon Sherry" to her requests, a play on "mon cherie" in French.

"I didn't see a request for Fuse to have his room cleaned, did you delete it from the system?" Sherry was always on-task.

"Oh, sorry, no, I kinda needed something to do." You look up from changing the bed sheets, "Do you mind giving me a hand?"

"Sure, but there are tons of requests you could have taken, why make one up?" She walks to the opposite side of the bed, nabs the sheet, and looks up, locking sights on your ID.

Her shock is immediate and silent. You notice that she has noticed.

"How did you get that..." She trails off, her head clearly running at max capacity with various theories.

"Revenant gave it to me." You answer blankly. "I don't know what to do."

Sherry stares, her expression becoming increasingly appalled and concerned.

"What... what happened last night? You didn't like... "earn" that, right? I mean, you didn't trade for it, did you?" Her expression grimaces further. "Does he even have the parts for that...?"

You suddenly realize what she's saying, and wave your hands to snap her attention.

"No! Nothing like that! He sees me so often he wanted a personal lackey instead." You see her expression soften for a moment before it snaps back.

"Then where were you last night?"

"Wha--?"

"You heard me, where were you then?"

You stare at the floor, unsure if you can lie so blatantly to her. She stares at you for a moment.

"One moment you're depressed, then next thing I know you're manic, then you disappear for a day and a half. Is this some kind of new suicide plot you have? Seduce a murder robot?" She seems genuinely worried.

"I promise it's not like that! I was exhausted! I accidentally fell asleep when I brought him water--"

"Why did nobody call the paramedics? If you passed out, you should have been given a health check! Why didn't that robot call anyone?" She genuinely cared about you, she was a good friend, through and through.

"Uh, well, I kinda slept in his bed."

Her face went from worry to one of shock and morbid concern. Her knees buckled for a moment and rectified themselves as she cartoon-ishly tried to process her thoughts.

"You see, I guess he's taken a liking to me, and he saw how tired I was, so--"

"So you slept with him just so you could get a break? You should have just asked for time off! You never take it! I would have given it to you!" She was clearly upset.

"It didn't happen like that!" She had a tendency to catastrophically think, so her mind was already five steps ahead of you in the worst possible timeline. If you could stop it now, hopefully it wouldn't continue.

"Wait, why are we changing Fuse's sheets? How many robots and people have you slept with?!" she dropped the sheets at a complete loss. Too late to stop her mental train, it was already off the rails and burning in a ditch.

"Sherry! Pay attention! I didn't do anything with anybody. I just passed out in Revenant's bed, and he decided not to kill me but promote me instead because he's Revenant and he does what he wants, even when it makes no sense to anybody. I didn't even see Fuse yesterday, I just figured I'd clean his room since both him and Revenant took a heck of a loss today." You didn't often get loud, so when you did it tended to garner attention.

Sherry sighed.

"Yeah, that sounds more like the truth than my insane theory." She rests her face in her palms for a moment. "So, uh, I guess you and Revenant are friends now?"

"Subordinate or lackey is probably a better term, but he actually is nice to me! Aside from all the threats..." You trail off, wondering if he means it or if he simply is keeping up his persona.

"Well, congratulations on becoming the homicidal robot's plaything?" She wasn't wrong. Actually, her term was probably more accurate. "Please don't get murdered. I didn't get you out of that homeless shelter just to deliver you into the hands of a bloodthirsty robot with a fascination for evisceration. I'll feel so bad if you die..." She trails off, catastrophic thoughts ablaze. "Just quit!" She perks up with her solution.

"He's not going to kill me, and if he does, it's not your fault. I'm choosing to do this."

She sighs, and starts making the bed with clean sheets, unsure of how to argue, or if the argument is worthwhile.

Sherry was the one you reached out to when you heard that you could work for the Apex Games in return for a bed, bathroom, food, and basic healthcare. She picked you up at the homeless shelter, and helped forge some fake credentials on your resumé at the time. She cleared you herself, pretending as if she never met you before and calling your previous "boss" who was actually just a very confused telemarketer, resulting in getting you the place and position you have now. You've always thought she's an upstanding person; her maternal instincts sometimes getting in the way of her letting people make their own choices freely though. She felt like an older sister to you.

"Please tell me you're at least getting paid. Without the tips from the other Legends, how are you going to keep saving up?" She asked weakly, finishing up by fluffing the pillows.

"Uh, well, I haven't asked yet... I actually meant to ask if I have a room still." You answered, a bit dumbfounded you hadn't considered that before.

"What?! Did you think this through at all?" She burst, but quickly softened, "Of course you still have a room, there should be a door in the back of every Legend's room with the same kind of bunks as we have. Those are for you special folks. It has a bathroom and everything."

"Ah, good, I kinda wish I could stay with you guys, but..."

"...but your new robot-boyfriend is calling you?" She breaks her melancholy with ruthless teasing, just like an older sister. "Yeah, I'll need the space for a new volunteer, definitely."

"I figured as much. Always running on short-handed here." You're a little relieved the choice is made for you.

"So, I'm guessing you now have all Revenant requests, now and forever?" She chuckles a bit. "You somehow take the biggest demotion and consider it a promotion. I can't believe you like dealing with that guy."

You banter back and fourth, finishing up Fuse's room. It'll be nice for him to come back to a clean room, especially considering how his match went that morning. Sherry promises to come around this part of the building more to keep an eye on you, swearing she will kick Revenant's ass if he does "whatever murder-bots do". You go your separate ways, laughing at each other's stupid quips.

• • • •

There is a door at the back of the room. Sherry was right. It is intentionally made to camouflage into the wall, as well as the scanner that opens it. You hold your ID up to it, hear the positive chirp, and the door slides open to reveal a nice small room and bathroom. It's a private bedroom embedded within Revenant's. The door now freely slides like a pocket door to open and close, apparently you only need to activate it once to get access. A nice little bed, a nice little dresser, and a nice little bathroom! It reminds you of a super tiny hotel room, everything is compact but still a notable step up from shared bunks. You breathe deeply, inhaling the smell of a fresh new room. You haul your duffel bag in and toss it into a little cubby under the mattress, and boom, you're moved in! So easy!

Revenant still isn't back yet though. You wonder how long it will take for his new chassis to activate and return here. You wish so badly to know how he is doing, but it is impossible to know. You grabbed some snacks from the kitchen alongside dinner with Sherry, so you have food to stress-binge on if necessary. You figure laying down for the night can't hurt. So you hit the lights in Revenant's room, leaving it to only be lit by the rising moonlight overhead through the skylight. You sneak into your little cubby of a room, flipping the lights off as you slide the door shut behind you. You don't have any skylight, in fact, your ceiling was about 6 feet or so shorter than his, making it much more average. Granted, his room is massive, but you are happy with your tiny private closet. It is so cool.

You fall back in the bed. Soft as can be. Same as his.

Sleep takes you very quickly.

• • • •

You wake up to an inhuman screeching. You jolt up, making yourself panic further as you check your surroundings and recall where you are. You're alone in the little bedroom, the screaming is from the other side of the door, in Revenant's main room. It echoes in a uncanny valley between human despair and mechanical detune. You leap out of bed and rush to open the door to see what is wrong.

The door slides open and you see Revenant, his mask and jaw tilting in opposite directions to replicate an open mouth, revealing a disturbingly black void where his mouth would be, no headscarf, howling in some kind of agony under the moonlight. It sounds so sad, so sorrowful. The pocket door clicks as it reaches its full open position, and Revenant's eyes lock on as soon as the sound is registered. His instincts are instantaneous. His howl slowly fades as he uses up what's left in his artificial lungs, his eyes never breaking from yours. The sorrow leaves him, his jaw slowly closes, and his stature returns for a moment.

"Are you okay?!" You ask him.

He hides is face and his body motions like a person who is sobbing for a few moments, but he doesn't. He couldn't even if he wanted. He regains himself quickly, walking up to you blankly.

"Hey, uh, are you oka--?"

"Keep me warm, skinsuit." His voice shakes as he pulls you into him in an embrace.

He is extremely cold, but his metal parts start to sap your body heat immediately. He is alive. He is new, but alive. You wrap your arms around his small abdomen, slipping under the pistons that hold up his large torso. You squeeze harder than you mean to, giving away that you are genuinely worried about him.

"I thought you left." He admits shakily, still not wholly able to hide his emotions. "I didn't..." He trails off. He places his hand on your head, messing with your hair a bit, until you gaze up at him. He looks down at you in the eye and you see something familiar. Disbelief. "You stayed."

You don't have words. Words mean nothing anyway in moments like this. You squeeze him tighter and he winces a little. You realize his abdomen is probably the least protected area of his body, and even you might be able to hurt him with the wrong touch. You lean forward and bury your face into it anyway, you're pretty sure you can feel a pouch through the leather skin that acts as a stomach receptacle, but you're not sure.

Revenant's body shakes a little like he cannot hold back tears, but as a simulacrum, he has none. You hear a sorrowful moan instead that is quickly stifled. Despite his persona, he has a very human personality.

"Come, keep me warm." He pulls you away for a moment so he can move again, then grabs your wrist and pulls you to the bed. The bed he never used. "It's easier with insulation." He rips the blanket off of it, wrapping it around you both in one sweeping movement, and sitting on the edge, pulling you down with him.

Your face flushes hot red. This is unlike him. He notices, and you swear you see a little bit of a pink glow on him too. He definitely had been flush during his stunt on live TV before joining the games. Insane to think they built that functionality into a mask. He grunts and breaks eye contact.

"Don't look at me like that, I'm just cold." He pulls you into his lap before you can say anything in response. "I have an easier time cooling down with fans than I do heating up. I'd have to run really stressful code to do that and using you is so much easier."

He redirects you to face away from him, and as soon as you do he sucks you in as close to him as you can. You're practically inside of his giant, looming frame. His breath rattles a little in his artificial lung pumps. His hands grapple around your hands while holding the blanket taut, holding them in balled fists and trading his cold for your heat. His vocalizer sounds as if it's giving a deep growl, closer to a purr, almost too soft to be heard, but not quite.

His new chassis smells a little more like plastics, metal shavings, and leather than the previous one, which had been muddled with the scent of dirt, grass, and polish. It's so cold, he must have only just made it inside. You wonder how far he had to run to get back here.

His head lowers to rest his face into your shoulder. You rest your head back on his. For a moment, this creature is just the same as you. Human.

He stays there, humming and purring and enjoying the moment. His body is no longer cold at all, he is now reflecting your heat back at you and feels warm himself. You carefully turn your head and push your face into the side of his mask where his ears would be. His head perks up a little for a moment, just long enough to catch his dumbfounded expression and pinkening cheekbones before his face retreats into your shoulder again. He squeezes you close, grappling your fists as if to never let go.

You sit there for a while, until finally you feel his cooling fans click to life. He lifts his head off your shoulder.

"Thank you." He says as he releases you. He looks away, clearly trying to hide from your gaze. You don't get up. You keep staring in his direction, hoping he will give in and turn to you. But you are both stubborn.

After a long while, you stand up in surrender, but place your hand on his unclothed head, petting it once, just for good measure. His hand rises to cover his face.

"Please go back to bed, I'm sorry for scaring you." He says in an abnormally low baritone, trying to hide himself further.

You surrender. It isn't worth prying away his façade when he isn't ready. He had already shown different colors than he did most of the time. This was scary, but in an unexplored territory sort of way. You weren't giving this exploration up after a single expedition. So it is best to rest up and not overextend.

You retreat into your little closet of a room, sliding the door gently shut. The moment it shuts completely, you hear Revenant move around rapidly. He's normally so silent. You recline into your bed, happy to be as warm as you are. You fall asleep almost instantly.

• • • •

You wake up, no idea what time it is. The room doesn't have a clock, maybe a bit of an oversight on the decorator's part. You get up, lurk over to the bathroom, and start performing your daily routine. Brush the teeth immediately, get the gross overnight flavor out of it. Strip and shower, thankfully there are already towels in the bathroom. Brush your hair while still damp after trying to get it as dry as possible with your towel. Deodorant. Grab your clothes. You put on something a bit nicer than yesterday. Finally, you're ready for whatever.

You waltz over, and knock on the door to make sure he won't be startled.

Instead, you hear a surprised grunt, scraping metal, and hushed curses against the door. You quickly go to open it, thinking he may be hurt, but the door is locked. You hesitate, dumbfounded. The Legends can lock people in like prisoners if they want to. Your attention snaps back as you hear the lock disengage, and the door flies open before you can move it. Revenant faces you, somehow looking a little disheveled.

"Were you outside my door the entire night...?" You ask, still fairly shocked.

"Doesn't matter." He absolutely was. He spoke hurriedly, potentially a little embarrassed. But he recovers his slow speaking pace quickly. "I should have just let myself in, I feel like I missed a great episode. Do you know what you said last night? Some pretty exciting gibberish."

"So you were against the door all night."

"Dammit, skinsuit!" He throws his arms up and turns away from you, towering over the doorway too short for him to enter comfortably. "You should have just slept out here. You know I get bored."

"I didn't think you wanted me to, you acted like you didn't."

"Well, I didn't really care!" He cared immensely, apparently. "I just needed something entertaining to keep my mind off yesterday." He crossed his arms, and began to meander over to the computer desk.

"I'm sorry, I wish you had told me."

"I was in a bad mood, just forget about it. It's fine." He tapped away at the computer, letting out a depressed sigh. "That scene from yesterday has all of Loba's fans riled up. They're posting it everywhere." He covers his face with his hands for a moment, motioning in embarrassment. "I can't believe I let that happen. I would have been better off letting Caustic gas me earlier."

"You were outnumbered, you did the best--"

"I'm getting my damn scarf back." He refused your comforting words, flinging himself to his feet and trudging out the door in a huff. You go to follow, but he whirls around, pointing straight to you, locking you in a glare. "You stay away from Loba, understand?"

He pauses, waiting to hear your reply.

"Uh, okay, I'll try to stay away from her."

While not an entirely satisfactory answer, Revenant whips back and disappears from sight. You sigh aloud. If those two have some kind of long-running hatred for each other, it would probably be best if you didn't get in the middle of it.

You peer over to the computer. He's right, Loba standing over his dead chassis holding up the scarf is everywhere. Loba fans are absolutely enamored by the triumphant image. Revenant fans openly mourn, swearing revenge. Loba and Bangalore apparently took the win, finally fighting down the second place team of Wattson and Rampart. Sherry will be miffed that Wattson had the spotlight and win taken from her. Although, now knowing you're on team Revenant, she probably will spare you any of her rants.

You stare at the image. It makes you overwhelmingly sad. Right before that snapshot was taken, Revenant was in unspeakable pain. The scream you heard on the broadcast echos in your head. It was one born of pain: strong, violent, and sharp until the static began to overwhelm it. The screeches you woke up to last night were not the same. They were mournful: hollow, airy, and almost melodic in their melancholy. Revenant can feel great pain, but clearly has some kind of appreciation for warmth and a kindly embrace. Why didn't others see that? Why does he have to suffer so much more, just because he is a simulacrum?

You close the browser. It messes with you. The imagery makes you upset. You feel you might vomit again if you're not careful.

You're snap back to attention at a commotion outside in the hallway. You peer out in the general direction of the other Legends' rooms.

"Fuck. You." Revenant's voice is so low it could rattle someone's bones. Fuse is standing in front of him, but Revenant is speaking beyond him to Loba, holding the scarf.

"It's my trophy. I'm a master thief, I don't just give things back." Loba proudly holds it in front of her face.

Fuse tries to keep Revenant at a fair distance from her, but Loba is standing her ground, completely unafraid.

"Woah now, come on, we don't need to settle this here and now." Fuse is attempting to keep the peace.

Revenant's growls can be heard from down the hallway, a number of volunteers have stopped to avoid getting too close, and a couple Legends are peering out their doors. The extra attention is displeasing to Revenant.

"Fine, but you will regret this." He starts to back off, prepared to fight another day, but Loba is relentless.

"Not if you want anything from me. Including that source code." Only now is she content to click her heels and turn away, Revenant suddenly looking like he lost the fight.

"Geeze, mate, do you really have to be so aggressive all the time?" Fuse gasps in a sigh of relief, addressing Revenant. "And I think I come on strong--you're a whole 'nother level!" He is already beaming a smile from under his moustache again, chuckling at his own joke.

Revenant shoots him a scowl for a moment, then turns back to you and begins to come back to the room, scarfless.

Fuse keeps pace with him as you retreat back inside, not sure if you should stay out of their way or not. You instinctively dive in behind the bed, staying low as not to be seen. You hear them come around the corner.

"Wait a minute, mate, I wanted to apologize." Revenant is already in the room, turning around to face Fuse who is standing in the doorway. You stay hidden behind the bed, nearly on the floor, listening in on their conversation. "That wasn't my best work out there yesterday. I feel like if I had been there, maybe you wouldn't have, uh..." He trailed off, his point was clear. "Listen, I'll talk to her, see if I can get 'yer scarf back. I don't want there to be any hard feelings."

Revenant's breathing pattern and low growl sounds like he is about to explode, and Fuse knows it too.

"Oh hey! They cleaned your room too!" His diffuses can be surprisingly effective. "Heh, I didn't even ask and apparently they decided to be like mum and make sure it got done whether I liked it or not."

Revenant hadn't actually noticed until now. He turns to look into the room. He peers across the way, seeing the bathroom mirror is reflective again.

"You're right." He sounds surprised. You swear you can hear another sigh of relief from Fuse now that the anger is gone.

"I was told it was that runner who seems to have a bit of a thing for 'ya did it. Seen 'em around lately?" Fuse asked. "I like to tip everyone, they do such a great job and they're not getting paid."

Revenant ignores him, walking into the middle of the room, peering around. To your recollection, he had never asked for his room to be cleaned as long as you have been volunteering. His room was very dusty. Now light is shining through all the windows, the television is clear, the bed sheets fresh, the carpet vacuumed...

"Yeah, where are they?" Revenant finally asks aloud. Is that your invitation to reveal yourself?

"Um, hi, sorry." You slowly pull yourself up from the floor, revealing your truly mediocre hiding spot.

Fuse gives a surprised stare, clearly catching a glimpse of your red badge, then laughs it off.

"You picked a cute one, didn't 'cha Rev?"

Revenant turns to face him in an absolute fury.

"Listen, I'm just telling ya to play nice." Revenant gets in Fuse's face immediately, but Fuse doesn't budge and meets him eye-to-eye for his next words. "You seem pretty defensive of 'em. Keep it that way."

Those words take Revenant aback just long enough for Fuse to break away and waltz up to you.

"Cheers, thanks for bein' my mum for me." He hands you enough money for a month of groceries, so generous!

"Thank you! That's very kind of you!" You chirp back, very happy to have more for your savings. Revenant seems shocked by the genuine joy in your voice.

As Fuse walks by Revenant to leave, you hear a short exchange:

"I'll try to get the scarf. Don't go killing anybody, and I didn't see anything out of the ordinary." Fuse murmurs.

"...thanks." Revenant sounds genuine.

Fuse gives him a side-hug on the way out, Revenant leaning away to escape it, but failing. Fuse laughs at Revenant's bashfulness. Getting a thanks from Revenant is a miracle unto itself, worthy of such a small celebration. Fuse is a genuinely good person. He is universally loved by the volunteers for his generosity and positivity. A lot of people have crushes on him, and you can understand why. One swift set of finger guns at each of you and Fuse is gone out the door, closing it behind himself.

"He's nice!" You say very matter-of-factly to Revenant.

"Sure, whatever you say, little skinsuit." He mumbles, seeming a bit exhausted by all the exchanges this morning. "What did he give you?"

"Money!" You hold out quite the wad of cash. Revenant chuckles a little under his breath at your happiness.

"What are you saving up for, anyway?"

"Well, for when this gig ends, I guess." You think aloud. "I just never want to be homeless again."

"Homeless?" Revenant looks at you with concern, "You were homeless before the Games?"

"Yeah, it's terrible out there..." You trail off your own words a bit sadly, but in seeing his concern for you, you decide to end on a high note. "With everything I save, I'll make sure I always have enough to live off of, and with the experience I'll have an easier time finding a job."

"Would it help if I paid you?" Revenant asks, plainly.

"Well, yes, but you don't need to."

"You should have told me." He almost whispers. He sounds a little sorrowful again.

You walk up and give him a quick hug.

"Sorry, I didn't know you would want to."

"If you keep getting too close to me, one of these days you're going to end up in a body bag." He sneers, trying to regain his vicious demeanor.

"Sorry, just keeping you warm, boss!" You play along, for now. You release him. "I have to actually get some food, go by the medical ward for some medicine, and then I need to leave the facility to pick up some new clothes. Do you need anything?"

Revenant stares for a moment.

"I'll be here when you return, bring me something alcoholic though." He answers, studying your eyes.

"Yes sir!" You rush out the door.

• • • •

When you return in the evening, you find Revenant's chassis laying like a corpse on the bed, his headscarf back on his head. His eyes are glowing dimly, staring at the ceiling with little interest.

"Oh hey." You address him.

"Oh, hey." He addresses you back, but slower. He keeps his eyes on the ceiling.

"You okay? You got your scarf back." You acknowledge, hoping he will perk up.

"Yeah." He sounds... depressed?

You put the bag of medicine on his computer desk, along with your bag of new clothes. You walk over with the remaining bag, which has the largest bottles of rum, whisky, and vodka the store sells. It is heavy and expensive, so you carefully place it on the end table next to his bed.

"I got you a ton of alcohol. It was kinda expensive, I'll probably need to be paid back." You carefully request, unsure how he will react. He gives you a thumbs up before his arm collapses onto the bed again. "What happened while I was gone?"

"Nothing much, I just got my scarf back." He sighs.

"Well, how did you get it?"

He moans audibly.

"Fuse got Mirage and Caustic to help him. Apparently it was an absolute mess. Mirage had to make tons of fakes to play keep away with my scarf, and Caustic gassed Loba's room with... zinc chlorides...? Something like that. It set off the fire alarms, everyone had to evacuate--"

"You didn't evacuate, did you?"

"Absolutely not. Anyways, in the chaos my scarf somehow ended up with Artur and Bloodhound."

"Oh geeze, what happened then?"

"They cleaned it, brought it to me, and gave it to me folded up neatly."

"Oh. Well... that last part isn't so bad."

"They were kind." His eyes tightened with discomfort, "And they left me with this." He holds up a single crow feather, perfectly dainty and undamaged.

"Aw, Artur!" You chirped; Artur was the sweetest bird you have met, not that you have met many.

Revenant sat up suddenly, his eyes getting bright again.

"Why would they do that?" He studied the feather in his hands, like he is completely bewildered with the concept of kindness. "They didn't owe me anything." He puts the feather down in front of him on the bed, pulling his hands up to hold his scarf in his grip on the two sides of his head. "They don't owe me this."

"Are you alright? You seem to not want to accept that Bloodhound is a nice person." You wanted to feed him the answer inside the question.

He stays silent for a while, taking the feather and handing it to you.

"Artur said this was for you, specifically."

"Wait, what do you me--"

"It's Bloodhound. It's in their name." He sighs, as you recognize concern in his tone, "They know who you are, they know you're here, and they recognized your scent on me." He lays down on his back, exasperated. "I can't let more people know." You hold Artur's feather, twirling it in your fingers. "They can't know. I am not like this." He seems genuinely upset.

"You seem cold." You prompted.

"I am very cold." He responds, overanalyzing each word for their deeper meaning.

"Do you want to be warm?" You put the feather down next to the bag of alcohol.

He pauses to sit back up before answering.

"Yes, but I can never let any of them know that." He answers plainly, but seriously.

You sit down next to him and are quickly grabbed and enveloped in his cold body, pulling you deeper onto the bed and directly under him. He almost instantly rests his head on your shoulder. His breath slows to a relaxed pace, rattling a little in his chest. His vocalizer hums at a low purr, and he moves his hands to feel your pulse, one at your chest and one to your jugular. He presses in, studying your inherent tick.

The television is on in front of you, but you haven't noticed it until now. The commentators are going over the edits of the "Loba the Scalper" image they found on social media, having nothing more important to talk about before the upcoming trios match. Revenant sighs a bit in your ear, still clearly bothered by his very public execution. You wrap your arms behind you to hug his waist. He holds you tighter for a moment, clearly understanding your intent is to comfort him.

You begin to massage the leather and the mechanisms underneath, unsure of how he will react; but he almost instantly squeezes you again, endorsing your idea. As you work into his back, his eyes dim and his breath quickens and deepens at strange intervals, relating to each long, deep stroke you perform. He slowly but surely relaxes his grip on you, potentially not realizing it. His mask digs into your shoulder, possibly trying to stifle his abnormal breathing. You keep at it for a few minutes, revelling in how sensitive his chassis is. Simulacrums were truly amazing.

Revenant's body melts under your touch, his chassis making odd movements clearly out of pure enjoyment. He's completely warm now, actually turning a bit hot as his code runs trying to keep up with your inputs. You worry that perhaps his circuits are being stressed too hard, but he also seems to be enjoying it so much.

He suddenly seems to shut down. His eyes go black, his weight falls on your shoulders, and his arms dislocate and slump out of his shoulder armor. You struggle to hold up his weight, his torso must be nearly two hundred pounds alone. No wonder he needs pistons to hold it up with his skinny waist.

He roars back to life, literally growling like a beast. His hands open and stretch like talons, the tips sharpening into claws. His legs cross in front of you, and his arms cross in front of you, and they pull you up against him in a nearly-crushing manner. His talons press into your flesh where they land, causing you a minor amount of pain. More concerningly, his jaw pulls open and he immediately goes as if to bite you, pushing your neck into the void of his mouth. He doesn't bite down though. His eyes are needle-thin, and brightened to a nearly red color. You gasp for breath in complete shock.

"You're mine!-Mine!-Mine!" His vocals are skipping as his hoarse, aggressive voice practically screams. "You belong to me!" He falls silent for a few moments. His shoulders refit themselves into their sockets as he slowly relaxes and retracts his claws from you. His softer voice returns. "Mine..." he calmly finishes. His jaw removes itself from your neck and closes. "I'm sorry. Emotions load faster than logic. It's hard to control myself after a reboot."

You had been holding your breath, and finally exhale and inhale, feeling faint with fear and deoxygenated blood. You slump back in his grip, putting your hands on your diaphragm to steady your breathing. You let yourself completely melt onto the bed, allowing yourself to look up at his face, gazing down at you.

"So, that's how you really feel then?" You pant, still catching your breath.

"Only a bit." He tries to comfort you, taking your hands in his. "I'm sorry, I don't mean to scare you. Being a simulacrum is complicated. Even more complicated if you don't learn humanity while you're still human." He looks away, apparently not necessarily sure what he is missing in himself. "But I cannot deny there is truth in that emotion."

"It sounds like 'if I can't have you, nobody can' isn't off the table yet." You are slowly catching your breath.

"I would be very upset. I don't handle being upset well." His words are foreboding, but you're unsure if he is uncertain himself or trying to hide the truth. You want to sleep; you feel like you're going to have a heart attack. He squeezes your hands, noticing your weariness. "Sleep out here tonight."

You give him a weak thumbs up, fully expecting to just sleep right where you are. Revenant releases your hands, throws a blanket over you, and pulls you by your torso into a better sleeping position, up against a pillow. You throw out another thumbs up in approval. He snickers in response.

"I'm getting drunk. So sick of today. I'm going to create a scene so gruesome next game that everyone forgets about this little fiasco." He grumbles. You hear him cork something as you drift to sleep. "Have a good night, little skinsuit." Sleep was taking you rapidly.

"Thank you for the warmth." is the last thing you hear.

158 notes · View notes