Febuwhumpday26 - Tumblr Posts

The Weight of the World

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Febuwhump Prompt - "Please don't do this."

Prompt - “Because he's a hero, darling, and when do they ever get a happy ending?”

You felt sweat pouring off you as you leant against the wall, panting for breath as your eyes stared at the door just in time to see it slam shut, trapping the uncontrollable flames caused by Fiendfyre behind them. You gripped your wand tightly in your hand as you forced yourself to take a deep breath, knowing you still had a long night ahead of you.

“It’s the snake,” Harry said, causing your gaze to snap over to him, Ron and Hermione looking down at him as he sat with his back to the wall. “She’s the last one, it’s the last horcrux.”

You felt your heart skip a beat at his words, finally knowing the last horcrux, finally the end was in sight but you knew she wouldn’t be easy to destroy, the other horcruxes had been spread out buut Nagini, you knew Voldemort kept her close at all times and even if you managed to kill her there was still Voldemort.

“Look inside him, Harry.” Ron said, kneeling down next to his friend and you made your way over to them too, sitting next to Harry and taking his hand in yours, giving it a gentle squeeze as you shoved your own emotions down. Harry was exhausted, he was a boy thrust into a new world that had already decided his fate for him before he was born. You needed to be brave for him now and forced a smile onto your face, watching as he relaxed slightly and listened to Ron. “Find out where he is. If we find him, we find the snake. Then we’re one step closer to ending this.”

Harry closed his eyes, his face contorting in pain as he winced and you hated that you could do nothing to help him, nothing to make any of this easier. You could only sit there, shooting a scared glance to Ron who nodded at you, all of you desperate for this night to end.

You felt Harry tense beside you, breathing heavily as he watched whatever Voldemort was doing, trying to figure out where he was. He finally let out a shuddering breath, sounding scared as his eyes fluttered open. The three of you waited as he collected himself, taking a deep breath before he turned to you, seeking comfort from you as he squeezed your hand almost desperately. You forced yourself to smile again and watched as he nodded at you, swallowing against the lump in throat.

“I know where he is.” He told you all and you were all quick to stand, Harry not letting go of your hand until you were running down stairs that led to the court yard and you both needed to fire spell after spell against the death eaters. You went to round the corner but Harry grabbed your arm and pulled you into his chest, holding you close as a green curse shot past you causing you to let out a scared gasp, looking up at him with wide eyes that showed your fear clearly.

“Thank you,” You breathed out and he couldn’t help but smile down at you.

“Don’t mention it.” He said, watching as Ron dealt with the death eater before you all rounded the corner together, Harry kept you behind him and seconds later he grabbed your hand as you froze, staring up at the giant in horror and if not for Harry pulling you along you would have been crushed under the quidditch post it held.

You all made your way past it, somehow, freezing again as you saw the werewolf, Greyback your mind supplied, feasting on Lavender Brown. A silent sob wracked your body as you turned away just as Hermione shot a spell at the wolf and you all ran forward again, making your way down to the boat house.

You all made your way through the building as silently as you could, hiding as you watched Voldemort and Professor Snape talk alone in the room and from your position, still behind Harry, you could see Nagini slithering across the floor.

You watched as Voldemort circled Snape, hand reaching out to grip Harry’s jacket as you listened to the conversation, stomach twisting as you realised where the conversation was heading and sure Snape had never been your favourite person, had done a lot of questionable things over the years but nobody deserved the punishments Voldemort deemed fit.

Harry glanced away from the scene in front of him, turned towards you and pulled you closer to him. He wrapped his arms around you, holding you against him and he could feel your fingers digging into his jacket even tighter, not looking away from Snape or Voldemort. Harry rested his head against yours as he turned back too.

You watched Snape’s face, eyes falling shut as he too realised what was happening and jumped as you heard a tearing sound before you saw Snape’s body fall to the ground. Harry jumped too but managed to cover your mouth with his hand just as you gasped in horror, pressing you further against him to conceal the noise.

You heard the hissed words from Voldemort and despite not understanding them you still flinched. Harry, however, understood the order to kill completely and flinched himself but he wasn’t able to look away as Nagini continued to lunge for the man, holding you against his chest and not letting you pull away.

He waited until Voldemort disappeared from the room before he squeezed you tightly in his arms, almost as if he was reassuring himself that you were still alive, before he placed a lingering kiss to your forehead and shifted you so Hermione held you instead.

You all entered the room, you, Ron and Hermonie staying near the door as Harry knelt next to Snape, collecting his tears before you all froze. You watched as Hermonie crouched on the floor, covering her ears to try and block the noise out, Ron and Harry gripped the walls to stay upright as the room seemed to tremble and you winced, tilting your head as the voice seemed to consume every inch of you.

“You have fought valiantly but in vain,” the voice hissed out, “I do not wish this. Every drop of magical blood spilled is a terrible waste. I therefore command my forces to retreat. In their absence, dispose of your dead with dignity. Treat your injured.”

You made your way over to Harry who pulled you against him again, leaning heavily against the wall as he frowned at Voldermort’s words.

“Harry Potter, I speak directly to you.” He said, causing you to tilt your gaze up to Harry who was already looking down at you. “On this night you have allowed your friends to die for you rather than face me. There is no greater dishonour. Join me in the Forbidden Forest and confront your fate. Should you do so I give you my word that no other life will be lost on this night. You have one hour. If, at the end of that time, you have not given yourself up, then I shall punish every last man, woman and child who tries to conceal you from me.”

You were already shaking your head up at Harry before Voldemort had even finished speaking, Harry looking down at you, suddenly looking like he was carrying the weight of the world and he was about to collapse under the pressure.

“You’re not going.” You told Harry shakily and Harry leaned down to press his forehead against you before glancing down at the flask of memories in his hand.

“Come on.” He says to you all, not saying anything else as he makes his way out of the room, you under his arm and Ron and Hermonie following close behind as you make your way back up to the courtyard, looking around and feeling chills at the emptiness.

Ron pushed the doors to the castle open, the four of you glancing around at all the injured people who were being healed as you made your way over to the Great Hall. You watched Ron pause in the doorway, eyes locked on the group of redheads before they zeroed in on Fred who lay motionless on the floor.

You felt your jaw drop, a huff of disbelief escaping you as you stepped closer to the group, tears welling up in your eyes as you stared down at Fred, expecting him to open his eyes at any second, wanting it to just be a terribly, horrible joke.

You felt like hours had passed before you finally turned away from Fred’s body, seeking out Harry, your stomach dropping when you saw he wasn’t there. Your eyes darted around the room, hoping he just needed a moment to himself but you knew that wasn’t the case. Harry hated everything about this war, a war he hadn’t volunteered for, a war that was forced upon him as a child, a war where he would take the burden of every death that occured. You knew he would do anything to stop it, even if it meant giving his life.

“No,” You said as you turned from the room but Hermione stopped you, her hand reaching over Ginny to grab your arm.

“Y/N,” She began causing everyone to look over at you, tears falling uncontrollably down your face as you shook your head.

“Let go of me.” You said, surprised by how dangerously calm your tone was. “I’m not losing him, I’ll kill Voldemort myself.”

Hermione’s lips twitched upwards into a smile but it didn’t meet her eyes as she stepped around Ginny and over to you but before she could speak you cut her off.

“I’m going.” You told her, pulling your arm out of her hold and turning to leave the room, storming out of the room and stumbling down the stairs with every intention of walking into the Forbidden Forest, no matter what was to come.

“Y/N!” You heard Ron calling, running forward and stopping you with his hands on your shoulders, Hermione coming up behind him, all of you missing Harry who stood at the top of the stairs, taking a moment to just watch you all, listening to what was being said. “He’ll kill you.”

“Let him try.” You said and Harry hated the coldness in your tone, hated that you had been dragged right into the middle of the war even though he knew you’d curse him for even thinking that, knew you wouldn’t let him blame himself but how could he not?

“Harry,” Hermione gasped as he heard footsteps, darting around to see Harry walking down the stairs. Your own head snapped around and you choked out a gasp as you pulled away from Ron and ran up the stairs into Harry’s arms.

“I thought you’d gone to him.” You cried against his chest and Harry felt his throat close up, he couldn’t speak. He buried his face in your hair, holding you close and savouring the feeling, memorising everything about the way you felt in his arms and he fought against the tears that pricked his eyes.

“Where’ve you been?” Hermione asked worriedly as Ron turned to face him with concern clear across his face.

“Yeah, we thought you’d gone to the forest-” Ron began but Harry cut him off.

“I’m going there now.” He told you all and you pulled away from him straight away, glaring up at him though the effect was ruined by the steady stream of tears as both you and Ron protested.

“You’re not going!” You snapped just as Ron told him he couldn’t.

“I have too,” He said, looking into your eyes but you just shook your head, not hearing him out. You couldn’t lose him, you just couldn’t. “It’s meant to be.”

“Rubbish!” Ron exclaimed as you sniffed.

“Harry please,” You begged with him and he hated seeing you like this, he wanted nothing more than for this to be over, to take you far away from here but he knew that was impossible, he knew that even after this he probably would never see you again.

“What is it, Harry? What do you know?” Hermione asked him before you could say anything else and you looked at Harry questioningly.

“There’s a reason I can... hear them -- the Horcruxes.I think I’ve known for a while.” He said, glancing from Hermione, to Ron and finally settling his gaze on you. “I think we all knew.”

Harry watched as your eyes fell shut before you took a deep breath.

“Okay,” You said with a nod, “let’s go then.”

You made your way down the stairs, missing the looks the trio shot between them. Despite everything though Harry couldn’t help but smile as he watched you, shoulders pushed back, head held high, determined to do this.

“Y/N,” He said, jogging down to you and stopping you, wiping the tears only for them to be replaced instantly. “You can’t come.”

“You go, I go.” You told him, your voice shaking as you watched him shake his head.

“You can’t come,” He repeated and felt his heart ache as you sobbed before he pulled you into a tight hug.

“Please don’t do this.” You begged him, the words muffled against his chest but he heard them clearly. “Please don’t go.”

“Hey,” He said, taking a deep breath before he pulled away from you despite everything telling him not to, telling him to hold you tightly and not let go. “Everything’s going to be ok.”

You shook your head at his words, sobbing as you pleaded with him silently.

“You don’t have to do this alone.” You told him, watching as his forced smile quivered.

“Yes I do,” He told you softly and your eyes fell shut, desperately trying to hold back more tears but they just kept falling. Harry knew what he had to do, it was the only way to make sure everyone was safe, to make sure you were safe.

He reached his hand up to cup your cheek, brushing at the tears before he pulled you close and brought your lips together. The kiss was messy and desperate, both of you trying to convey what couldn’t be spoken, words that there wasn't enough time for because somebody had decided long ago how Harry’s future would turn out and heroes hardly ever got a happy ending.

“I love you, Y/N/N.” He whispered as he pulled back, resting his forehead against yours, hating the sob that left your lips as you nodded against him, scrunching your eyes shut.

“Harry,” You choked out but then he felt a small shake of your head, barely there but he felt it, “I love you too.”

Harry leaned in, pressing one last kiss against your lips, savouring the moment before he forced himself to pull away, turning to Ron and Hermione and pulling them both into a tight hug.

“Kill the snake,” He whispered to them, feeling them nod against him, “Kill the snake and then it’s just him. Then it will be over.”

With those words Harry turned and walked away, the three of you watching as he went. When he disappeared you let yourself crumble, falling to your knees as sobs wracked your body and there was a pain in your chest words couldn’t describe.

All you could do now was wait.

You were sitting on the stairs finally all cried out and feeling numb to your core as you watched people move around you but didn’t register much, not until you heard Ginny speak.

“Who's that Hagrid’s carrying?” It was an innocent question but it had your stomach dropping and you felt your blood run cold as your head snapped up before you stood from your seat as people flooded out of the castle.

You ignored them all as you took two steps forward before silently gasping as you knew exactly who Hagrid was carrying and felt your knees buckle but somehow managed to stay upright as you looked towards Harry’s lifeless body.

“Harry Potter,” Voldemort announced, glee in his tone and you felt your blood switch from cold to boiling hot as anger bubbled in your veins, “is dead!”

Seamus was closest to you and he noticed you move half a second too late, his fingers skimming your arm as you lunged forward, wand raised as you shot a curse towards Voldemort who easily reflected it.

Voldemort didn’t even get a chance to retaliate, Bellatrix sending a curse that stung your entire body and forced you onto your knees and you couldn’t do anything but slump down, tears you thought had long since ran out coming back with full force seeming to echo around the courtyard.

“Idiot girl,” Voldemort snarled at you before he continued his speech, “Harry Potter is dead!” He called out again and you felt your fists clench as his side laughed, Bellatrix’s cackle sending a shiver down your spine.

You listened as Neville stood up to Voldemort and couldn’t help but feel anger towards him at his words.

“It doesn’t matter that Harry is gone,” His words had you standing on shaky legs, your wand gripped tightly in your hand as Ron grabbed your other arm, holding you in place. “People die everyday. Friends. Family. Yes, we lost Harry tonight. But he’s still with us and so is Fred and Remus and Tonks and... all of them. They didn’t die in vain but you will.”

The anger left you as you managed a smile over in Neville’s direction, trying to figure out the moment that scared kid in first year had turned into a man that had the courage to stand up to Lord Voldemort himself. Your eyes widened as he withdrew the Sword of Gryffindor from the sorting hat before you saw movement from the corner of your eye turning just in time to see Harry roll out of Hagrid’s arms causing you to let out a sob of relief before Ron pulled you back as spells started flying around the courtyard.

“Potter!” You and Ron turned to see Draco tossing Harry a wand, his wand.

“Well done, Malfoy!” Ron yelled before looking over to you with a grimace. “I can’t believe I just said that.”

You couldn’t help but watch as Harry grabbed the wand with those seeker reflexes of his and without missing a beat turned to fire spell after spell on Voldermort.

Just as a stone wall exploded, Harry manages to make his way over to you and Ron, Neville not too far away. You let your hand touch Harry’s arm despite how much you wanted to throw your arms around him you knew it’d have to wait.

“We’ve got to kill the snake!” Harry told you both urgently, all three of you missing as Neville looked from the sword over to the snake before he was thrown back with a curse from Voldemort himself as he tried to do what Harry needed.

Ron grabbed your hand, nodding at Harry as he pulled you back into the castle, holding you tight despite your attempt to break free and stay with Harry as Voldemort led his army into Hogwarts.

“C’mon,” He yelled at you and you winced as you heard part of the castle crumble, desperately looking around but lost Harry easily. “Find the snake.” He said to you and you nodded as you dodged a curse.

You watched frozen in place as the snake turned on you and Ron, watching it rise to its full height, hissing at the two of you before you huffed out a breath as it darted past you, the three of you shooting each other confused glances but followed it down, letting it lead you back to the courtyard, Ron pulling you and Hermoine down, his arms wrapped around you both as the snake lunged for you only to be stopped by Neville.

You panted for breath as you stared at Neville in amazement before your head snapped over to Harry just in time to see him and Voldemort fire spells at the same time. Harry’s red spell meeting Voldermort’s green one as they battled against each other and you could do nothing but stare, holding your breath as you waited for something.

You watched in shock as Voldemort’s wand was ripped from his hand as it flew over to Harry before Voldemort screamed as he died before your eyes and you couldn’t stop the shuddering sobbed that spread throughout your whole body as you realised it was over.

Harry had won.

Happy, overwhelmingly happy tears ran down your face as you ran across the courtyard into Harry’s arms. Harry easily caught you and laughed disbelievingly into your shoulder as he nuzzled into you, still in shock.

“You did it!” You exclaimed, pulling back and smashing your lips against his in a messy and heated kiss, hands tangling in messy hair as he dug his fingers into your waist. “You won!”

“It’s over.” He told you, sounding as breathless as you felt.

“It’s over.” You confirmed and smiled as he leaned down to kiss you again this time it was softer, his fingers spreading across your waist instead of digging in and your grip on his hair loosened so you were caressing the dark locks.

Harry pulled away and rested his forehead against yours and you couldn’t help but smile at the disbelief written across his face.

“It’s over.” You repeated once more watching as he sagged against you, the weight of the world finally falling from his shoulders.

Harry took your hand in his leading you back towards the ruined castle, it was a strange feeling walking through the Great Hall, seeing all the injured people. You felt Harry squeeze your hand as Ron and Hermione rounded the corner, their hands tangled together and you all grinned at each other before walking out of the castle and onto the bridge.

You listened as Harry explained just why the wand didn’t answer to Voldemort and watched as Ron put the pieces together.

“You possess the Elder Wand?” You asked, laughing in disbelief because of course Harry Potter possessed all three of the Deathly Hallows. Harry grinned over at you knowing exactly what you were thinking. “Of course you have the most powerful wand in the world.” The two of you laughing with each other for the first time in a long time.

It felt good.

“What are you going to do with it?” Hermione asked and you looked at him with wide eyes as he snapped it in half before your eyes softened and you smiled over at him, wrapping your arms around his waist and laying your head against his back.

“It’s finally over.” You whispered the words, only meant for him and he smiled over his shoulder at you, his eyes soft as he did because he really didn’t think he’d get another second with you and he didn’t intend to waste any time he had been given.

The weight of the world was off his shoulders, he’d played his part and somehow he had made it out alive with his best friends at his side and you next to him the whole time, even if it meant you were willing to march to certain death.

He turned around, cupping your cheek in his hand and brushed his thumb across your cheekbone, glad to see there were no tears. He leaned down, not rushing, there was no need to rush any more, and pressed his lips to yours.

It was probably the softest kiss the two of you had shared, slow and romantic, not rushed for time, not needing to get across words that neither of you dared speak out into the world. Just the two of you together with all the time in the world.

Harry intended to make the most of every moment he had with you.

___________

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Broken Chains

My heart’s an endless winter filled with rage I’m looking forward to forgetting yesterday - Cold [Five Finger Death Punch] Febuwhump Day 26: Recovery | Fandom: Overwatch (Pre-Fall) | Angela / Gabriel

AO3 | FF.net | Works

Angela was nearly certain it had been a week since that horrible day that they had ‘tried something different.’ She had stopped tracking the days, stopped counting the times they hurt her, tried to forget how they were hurting her. If only she could forget how they were hurting her. That second day - the second time they had used the table, had used her - she had fought, struggled, anything to escape. It had been laughably - they had actually laughed - easy for them to chain her down. Angela would have bruises, and some of her half-healed lashes had burst open, but it hadn’t stopped them for even a moment. Instead, it had just made everything far more painful. The speaker had expressed his disappointment - as if she had spilled juice on his favorite shirt rather than fight to escape their torture - that they hadn’t captured any of it on video. The next time, they had whipped her bloody and raw - and she had hoped, prayed, that they would stop there, that it had been enough. Of course, they hadn’t; instead, they had pressed her bloody and torn back to the table before hurting her further. It was then that Angela had stopped counting the days, had started actively seeking her death. She tried to force them to hurt her more, to push too far and break something fragile within her that couldn’t be put back together. When the others - the ones who didn’t expressly hurt her, but were the ones that cleaned her wounds and fed her - came to her, she had tried to avoid eating. Starvation was a slow killer, she knew, but at least it would kill her - free her - eventually. Not that they had allowed her even that choice. Overwatch - Jack, Gabriel - hadn’t capitulated, hadn’t even given her captors an inch. Not one person released, not one agent removed from the required bases, nothing. The speaker had taken great pleasure in informing her of that as they prepared for the next round of pain and horror. Angela had known they wouldn’t, had known they couldn’t, and yet now, almost a month later - or was it longer? - she wished they would compromise just once. Surely she had done enough - given enough - for that? Instead, her captors increased the pressure on her friends - the friends that had left her here, had watched what had been done to her and had abandoned her anyway - by slowly destroying her entire being.

---

Angela barely slept anymore; her nightmares, always present even before her chains, had somehow begun eclipsing her real-life torture. Instead, too tired to remain alert and too terrified to sleep, she slumped against her chains in a half-conscious state. The doorknob rattled, drawing her from her haze and into wide-eyed terror. They had already come for her today, had already hurt her - hadn’t they? It had to be the other ones, the ones that kept her alive only to be broken further. It had to be. The door opened and she inhaled sharply, unsure if she should be relieved or terrified. Genji, the man she had saved from certain death not even a year ago - or had it been? - stood framed within the doorway. She blinked, unsure if she was hallucinating, but he was still there. It didn’t make sense. If she were hallucinating, surely she would have imagined someone more appropriate - Gabriel or Jack, or even Cassidy - but Genji? But for him to be real made just as little sense. He hated her, hated what she had done to save him, and had made that no secret. That he would appear before her now, when she was at her most vulnerable, was no comfort at all. He said something, but she couldn’t hear it over her rapid breathing and pounding heartbeat. After a long moment - was she supposed to respond? - Genji shut the door, locked it, and quickly closed the distance between them to crouch before her. Trembling, Angela shrank back as far as her chains allowed, which wasn’t far at all, as he reached out. “Don’t—” Her eyes squeezed shut as she cringed away, expecting the worst because that’s what this room was. Because Genji would never save her, not after what she had done to him. Surely he was only here to add to her misery. “I am not here to harm you, Dr. Ziegler.” His voice was harsh, making it hard to believe the words. Not when he had locked the door; not when she was at his mercy, naked and chained and bleeding. After a long silence, he sighed, and then she flinched as his cold, metal hand touched her left wrist. He drew back for just a moment, and then he was fiddling with the manacle again. It took far longer than she had become accustomed to, but he eventually opened it. Before her arm could fall lifelessly to her side, his hand - this one warm and made of flesh - was there again to lower it carefully to her lap. Then she was hanging by her right arm in a way that should hurt - did hurt, but she had been through worse, so what did it matter? Instead, she peered up at him cautiously, confusion and despair warring with the beginnings of hope. As he was working on her right wrist, a piercing wail broke the silence between them. Angela jumped, eyes wide as she searched for the source. Genji cursed, her movements having knocked his hands away and forced him to start again. Before he could get very far, the doorknob began twisting and rattling. Instantly, Genji was on his feet. As she hung there, he drew the short sword at his waist and put himself between her and the door. The speaker burst through, a gun in hand, but drew up short when his eyes landed on Genji. “Who the hell are you?” Angela shook, ducking her head as she looked away from the men before her. She’d only heard that tone a handful of times - it never meant anything good for her. Genji remained silent, with nothing but the alarms to provide an answer. “I suppose it doesn’t really matter, does it?” The speaker said acerbically, and then there was a gunshot - loud and echoing - that had her head whipping up so fast that she swung slightly. Genji was still between the two of them, but he was now closer to the speaker than before. With quick, precise movements that Angela could barely follow, Genji disarmed the speaker and had him unconscious on the ground. All she could do was stare at the growing red stain on the speaker’s shoulder. Angela hadn’t realized Genji had returned to her side until his hand touched her wrist again - and she flinched so hard that she would have completely fallen over if not for the manacle. Her eyes tore away from the speaker to find Genji, who had pulled back and had his hands held before him carefully. “I did not mean to scare you, doctor.” Genji’s hands turned, the gesture suddenly changing from one of surrender to one of supplication. “Will you let me remove the chains?” Angela’s eyes darted back towards the speaker - how was he the one with a bullet wound? - before returning to Genji. Hesitantly, she nodded. Quickly, Genji began working at the cuff; she couldn’t help but allow herself to stare at the speaker again. After everything he had done to her, she had thought she would feel some sort of relief to see him hurt - or killed, though Angela could tell he was still alive at the moment. She just felt empty. “Hold on,” Genji murmured, drawing her attention only briefly. Then, he was catching her weight as she collapsed on herself. Angela couldn’t help the broken whimper or her flinching at his touch. As soon as she was steady, he released his hold on her. Angela watched him, trembling, as he moved towards the door once more. When had the door closed? It didn’t matter because he was yanking the door open, and for a moment, Angela was terrified that he was going to just leave her here. For all that she knew he hated her, he had at least removed some of her chains - had, somehow, shot the speaker without a gun. Before she could squeak out something desperate, a second man shoved past Genji and into the room. As he drew closer, Angela couldn’t settle on one emotion. Hope: that she was finally going to escape this room - and not through death? Anger: that they had taken so long, that so much had been taken from her? Shame: that, surely, Gabriel knew - had seen - what had happened to her. “God, Angela,” Gabriel exhaled, dropping to one knee before her. “G-Gabe—?” Angela choked out, one hand rising of its own volition. Before she could pull back, Gabriel caught it with his own - warm and real. She gasped, shuddering with tension and emotion, and clung to his hand like a lifeline. “It’s me, cariño,” he murmured, voice far kinder than this room deserved. “We’re getting you out.” With his free hand, Gabriel pulled out some cloth - seemingly from thin air, but he had to have a pack that she hadn’t noticed - to drape carefully over her shoulders, the movement made awkward as he could only use one hand. “I know, I’m sorry,” Gabriel murmured as she flinched. After a moment, her free hand rose to clutch the cloth closed around her chest, despite how it dragged at the wounds on her back. Cold fingers brushed her ankle, causing her to jump with a terrified noise. “It’s just Genji, Angela,” Gabriel soothed, his thumb rubbing against the back of her hand. “You’re safe now.” Her wide-eyes found Genji, who had come to crouch behind her to unlock the chains there. The ninja had stopped again, hands hovering as he waited her out. “Sorry,” she whispered, ducking her head as her fingers tugged the cloth even tighter around herself. Angela should have known it was him - his hand, if nothing else, should have given him away - but she couldn’t help herself. “Sor— Angela, you don’t have anything to apologize for,” Gabriel insisted, incredulous. “I’m the one who should be sorry.” Angela twitched at the reminder that she had been abandoned here for so long. “I am sorry, Angela - God, there aren’t words for how sorry I am.” He sighed, and even though she wasn’t looking at him, she knew he was running one hand over his head. “Not that it means a damn bit of good.” Silence descended, broken only by her shallow breaths and the soft clank of the metal chains. Gabriel clearly didn’t know what to say - or do, based on how he was hovering around her. Angela was so raw - in more ways than one - that she didn’t trust herself to say anything, so she just kept her eyes focused on her lap as she clutched at his hand and the cloth around her. “Done.” The chains were gone from her ankles. Despite their absence, Angela made no move to change her position, to get any kind of respite from the kneeling position she had spent so much time in, or to draw closer to Gabriel. “Secure the door,” Gabriel ordered the ninja. Angela watched Genji move away from the corner of her eyes; shuriken were in one hand as he slipped into the hallway. “Angela,” Gabriel hesitated before sighing. “I have to pick you up now, cariño.” Before she could protest, Gabriel scooped her off the ground and rose. Angela whimpered and shuddered as his arms brushed against her broken and battered skin, her whole body shaking in his hold. He remained still, murmuring soft words that she didn’t really hear - but there was no time for him to delay for longer than a moment or two. Gabriel was still murmuring as they followed after Genji. When they drew closer to the speaker - Angela had forgotten he was in the room with them - Gabriel slowed. Angela pressed against his chest, trying to put distance between herself and her tormentor, as she stared at the bloody man. “Cassidy,” Gabriel growled as they stepped into the hall; Angela was unsurprised to see the cowboy guarding the door, considering the other two that were here. They were a team, after all. “Get in there and grab that bastard, will you?” Angela tensed - she knew, from horrible experience, precisely what they were going to do to that man - but remained silent. It wasn’t like she couldn’t say he deserved it; not even she was that kindhearted. Instead, she pressed her cheek against Gabriel’s body armor and let him carry her out of hell.

---

“—ob, Jack - one job,” an angry voice growled, somewhere near her. “You’re acting like I meant for this to happen,” another voice snapped back. Before she could realize it was just Jack and Gabriel, arguing like they so often did since Ana’s death, she was pressed against the back of the bed. Her feet dug into the mattress, and her legs shook as she tried to make herself as small as possible. Wide-eyed, she stared at Jack and Gabriel - who were staring right back, their argument completely derailed now that she was awake. “I—” Angela licked her lips nervously, her eyes darting between the two men. She had half-convinced herself that her rescue had been a dream and that, when she finally awoke, she’d still be in chains. Angela still didn’t entirely believe that she wouldn’t. “You’re home, Angela,” Jack told her gently, when it was obvious that she didn’t actually have anything to say. Angela let her legs relax some - just enough to stop the shaking - and moved to wrap her arms around herself. The movement was stymied by the IV in her arm; Angela frowned and forced herself not to rip it out. She was cognizant enough to realize that she was in no position to be making medical decisions for herself. Now that she wasn’t blindly trying to escape, she realized that her back - her whole body - wasn’t in agony. Nothing hurt - at least, nothing physical. Her heartbeat was announced by an EKG machine, revealing her stress to the two men. “You’re safe,” he continued, clearly trying to fill the silence. Angela tensed, her eyes dropping to stare at her knees. She wasn't sure whether to scream or cry, to be angry or relieved, so she remained silent. “Ang—” Jack started, filling the silence again. “Jack.” Gabriel’s voice cut off whatever the blonde man was going to say to Angela’s relief. “Could you give us some space?” There was no trace of the antagonism that was usually present when he spoke to Jack; instead, Gabriel just sounded tired. “Please?” Angela hunched her shoulders, curling into herself some as she felt Jack’s eyes on her. After another tense silence - shorter this time - Jack sighed. “Alright. If you need anything, call me.” Angela was sure he was speaking to her, and she bit back her response. She had needed him weeks ago; now, he was far too late. After a pause - Jack clearly had expected some sort of answer - he quietly left the hospital room, the door closing softly behind him. Angela looked up at the sound, staring hard at the door. It was just a door, one she had probably seen a thousand times - and yet, she found herself struggling for breath. Her heart began to pound, her fingers curling in the sheets that covered her. “Angela?” Gabriel’s voice pulled her attention to the right, away from the dreadful door. “How can I help?” He was leaning forward, hands on his knees as he watched her. Her body hummed with tension as her eyes darted back to the door, unable to keep her eyes away for long. “The door?” His voice offered no judgment. She found herself nodding, a quick, jerky motion. “Alright.” Gabriel rose and crossed the small room to open the door. As soon as she could see the hallway, her shoulders relaxed. Once it was fully opened and he was moving back inside, she felt like she could breathe again. “Thank you,” Angela whispered as he sat in the chair closest to her bed. “You don’t have to thank me, Angela,” he replied, voice low. “I haven’t done anything to deserve it.” The derision in his voice was almost enough to pull her from her own malaise, to distract her from her own roiling emotions - but not quite. Because Angela couldn’t find it in herself to disagree with him, she remained silent as she turned her gaze back to the open door. Silence descended once more. “Do you want me to leave?” Gabriel asked some time later, when her heartbeat slowed and her muscles had loosened. Eyes wide, her eyes flew towards him; he was carefully not looking at her, but she could see the tension in his jaw and fisted hands. “No,” the word spilled out quickly, desperately. Even though she had been silent, incapable of finding words, Angela didn’t want to be by herself. She had spent far too many hours - long, painful hours - alone. “Please,” Angela continued, as if he had already begun walking out of the door, “don’t leave me.” “Alright,” the tension was gone as he turned his gaze on her once more. “I won’t go anywhere, Angela,” Gabriel assured her. Angela knew that wasn’t, strictly, true - he was the Commander of Blackwatch, after all. He would have to leave her eventually; his duty would force him to, just as it had forced them to leave her in that room. But for the moment, it was enough.

One | Two | Three | Four | Five

Some of y’all have probably seen me accidentally posting prompts over here [I see you guys liking them]. I’m actually posting them on a sub-account [alternate account? I’m still new to this tumblr thing] @promptsforbrighteye. I’m always flipping through for inspiration; if you see one that catches your eye, feel free to send it my way and I’ll see what I can do.

@febuwhump prompt: "Help them!"

***

Blood splattered against Faye's bare thighs as the bounty, struggling to rise despite the piece of rebar protruding from their stomach, cried out to her desperately.

"Help... them..." The man spluttered, reaching into a pocket with an arm shaking so badly that Faye was frankly astonished he'd been able to access the contents at all.

The photograph he pressed, crumpled, into her hands as she crouched beside him was of a smiling child and a weary looking woman.

"Hey now, don't die on me yet!" Faye exclaimed. "Who are these people? What do they need help with? Hey! Hey mister!"

Shouting at the unfortunate fellow was no use of course. He had slumped back against the framework of the apartment wall that he had accidentally skewered himself on when he slipped during their fight several floors up. His eyes stared vacantly at the unforgiving slate gray sky above, a sky that threatened rain but refused to actually begin soaking the city below.

Faye closed her eyes and clenched her fists, inadvertently further crumpling the photograph before she remembered it with a swear. This was just the worst. Dead bounty, no payout. Some end-of-life plea that now she had to either figure out or forget. Forgetting would, of course, be impossible now that she had the image burned into her retinas of the people in the frame. She had no desire to be haunted by coulda woulda shoulda type regrets.

At least it might not be an impossible task to determine who these strangers were. They knew the identity of the now-dead man and what he was wanted for. They had a visual representation of folks from, likely, his immediate family or most recent decade or so of life at any rate. Ed had worked miracles with less information, frankly.

Pushing herself up, Faye sighed. She cast one last look down at the man and shook her head sadly. It was a shame how often a bounty hunt ended in tragedy. Not just because it meant she was shit outta luck for making a paycheck but... well, it was a loss that was likely avoidable. This poor schmuck could have lived for another couple of decades at least if he hadn't fouled up somewhere in life... and the truly frustrating part was how simple the mistakes could be. How easily a person could become just another bunch of dollar signs to the rest of the world.

It's not like bounties were specifically bad criminals. Well, they were typically bad at being criminals, hence the fact that they were wanted rather than escaping notoriety. But... it was just so irritating that she couldn't go bust down the doors of bribable politicians or skeevy doctors or what-have-you.

More and more lately Faye had begun to wonder if perhaps there was a career change in her future. Fuck the police, fuck the justice system, fuck the bounty system, fuck most of the systems really. Too many lives slipped through the cracks - or, more often, were forced through because the systems weren't designed to protect or assist them. It was all bullshit and Faye was goddamn tired of it.

Perhaps it was time for a clever vigilante to enter the playing field...