Decimation
Some members of one of the GIW’s top-secret research facilities have made an earth-shattering discovery.
They’ve found a way to make half-ghosts.
The failure rate is high. For every subject they successfully convert, many more are left burnt-out corpses—or worse, as rabid undead that must be put down with force.
It didn’t matter. The test subjects were cheap, worthless. Their countless deaths were an acceptable sacrifice in the name of progress.
Their operative’ deaths when they begin the full plan… those will matter more. Their warped agents may be more dangerous than normal humans in combat, but legions of foot soldiers still have their place. It would be foolish to leave themself solely in the hands of ectoplasmic entities, even if they’re allies and still partially human. Recruiting and training enough replacements to recover the losses would take time.
But it will all be worth it.
Finally, they will have control of a strong enough army to bring their goals to fruition. Those inhuman wraiths will be eradicated, ensuring the safety of the real, living humans and opening up a whole new dimension of untapped resources.
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“I don’t hate the word boyfriend,” Rune says, picking up the thread of a days old conversation like the response has just come to him. And okay…it’s possible that it has, but that’s just for him to know. “It just makes me feel like a teenager with a crush.”
Addam smiles, metal fingers curling around Rune’s ankle where it’s slung into his lap. “Am I to understand then, Hero,” he says, amusement and that teasing fondness making his voice deeper than usual. “That you would not have had a crush on me when you were a teenager?”
Before Rune can finish being flustered by Addam’s tone, Brand is snorting from his place in the armchair across the room.
“Hey. Shut up,” Rune says, and points at him for emphasis.
Brand, predictably, ignores him. “He absolutely would have had a fucking crush on you back then. You would have come over with your smile and your accent and your dimples, and this one would have swooned all over his fucking self. All I would have heard for weeks was ‘did you see the way he looked at me, Brand? Do you think he likes me, Brand?’ Worse, I would have had to feel him crushing on you through the bond because his control was shit as a teenager. Fucking embarrassing.”
“That’s offensive,” Rune replies.
“Truth hurts,” Brand shoots back, shrugging a shoulder.
Addam’s still grinning, showing off the very dimples in question, and Rune doesn’t think he can be blamed for the way his whole torso goes a little gooey at the sight. Teenage Rune would’ve had good taste, at least, if Brand’s right. Which he isn’t. Mostly.
“That’s the second time you’ve mentioned my dimples in such a complimentary way, Brandon,” Addam says. “I’m flattered. And even moreso that you think they would have been enough to send Rune swooning into your arms.”
Brand rolls his eyes. “It’s not the compliment you think it is, Saint Nicholas. You flash those things all the time when you want to get your way. That’s where Quinn gets it from. And Rune’s just weak to that pretty boy shit.”
“You can’t be mean to me,” Rune complains. “I’m still recovering. I had an ordeal.”
“Oh now you’re recovering. This morning when I caught you trying to sneak down to the beach without having breakfast it was ‘fuck off, Brand, I’m fine’.”
“That was then.”
“Uh-huh.”
The two of them have a familiar stare down: Rune makes a pitiful face that he knows will just make Brand laugh at him, and Brand tries to keep his expression as flat as he can make it. The waves of good humor echo through the bond from both ends though, and Rune’s heart is very full.
“I like the two of you like this,” Addam says after a bit. “It is always intriguing to see you in a fight, working together and reading each other's minds, but I much prefer when your odd version of telepathy can be applied this way.”
“What, Brand using our sacred, special bond to bully me? Are you condoning this?” Rune asks, pretending to be outraged. “You’re supposed to be defending my honor, Addam. That’s sort of your job as my fiance and literal knight in shining armor.”
“And if I thought your honor was in danger, I would certainly leap to your defense,” Addam replies evenly.
Brand laughs at that, and Rune folds his arms, lips turning down into an exaggerated pout.
“Do you want to know what I think?” Addam continues, glancing at the pair of them. “I think that perhaps Rune would not have been the only one who was weak to ‘that pretty boy shit’, as Brand so colorfully put it. I think that if I worked at it, I could have had you both.”
It’s an Addam level mic drop as he slides out from under Rune’s legs and makes a show of stretching. His arms reach overhead, and he pushes up onto his toes so his muscles pull into one tight line. A few inches of that lovely tanned skin flash as Addam’s shirt rides up, then disappear when he sinks back to his feet with a content sigh. He drops a kiss to the top of Rune’s head, puts a hand on Brand’s shoulder, and then makes his exit from the room.
Rune and Brand sit in silence for a full minute once he’s gone, gaping in the direction he went. They turn to look at each other at the same time.
“What the fuck was that?” Brand demands.
“This is your fault for bringing his dimples into this,” Rune replies, sliding down the couch so he can put his head on the arm rest. “Everybody knows naming something gives it power.”
“Shut the fuck up.”
Rune can only sigh and wonder at his attraction to men obsessed with having the last word.
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knight!suguru with his shining armour and even kinder demeanour. gentleman of all gentlemen and respected. a little more than mysterious looking when he dawns his helmet and turns his back to you, but it isnt something anyone mentions.
he leaves a good first impression, yet, after longer conversation, he leaves most wondering and with the taste of something odd at the tips of their lips.
everyone will see the sword resting on his hip, comfortable and often using the hilt as a resting place for his hands. he rarely shows it off; but when he does, people gawk and gasp at the pure look of it. the thing is nearly innocent, perfectly made and maintained, it returns such a sparkling reflection that it would be hard to imagine the face of an enemy branded into the blade. but of course, that would be a ridiculous thought, knights never fought with their hands so it must be used.
but you would be wrong. because when you send yourself into the woods in hunt of some pillaging monster and find that you’ve been beaten to the chase, you’ll find him fighting with his hands: bare and fisted and bloodied. his sword will be unsheathed and your eyes will collide just as he punches through the monster’s chest and sends it flying.
there’s something so vulgar about it all, perhaps even a little scandalous. your knees almost feel like giving out once you see the monster doesnt get up after the blow. but your stomach truly drops when you see that the knight in bloodied armour is approaching you with a polite smile plastered on his face.
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