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lemon-russ · 5 months ago

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So I've been writing a Cato x OC thing that was just a dumb thing I was having fun with, and decided to share with the class. I will note this is the result of listening to a lot of olde timey emo pop punk and wanting to make an OC that is not perfect. Or good. She's a train wreck. Also this is 40k. And prob not incredibly lore accurate in places but I got excited about hive cities and tried.

Anyway big ol warning on this that it is not supposed to be smut (but I can't control the winds if it works it works) and is 100% just me listening to angsty music and wanting to write someone in shitty situations. So going to be a bit more on serious and bleaker side. Also, Yes the OC is the same one from wolf mother but slightly altered, I am lazy and like this one. Idk why I feel I need to defend myself for pretty clean grimdark fanfic when I normally write tropey smut but here we are lol

Thanks @squishyowl for the dividers! Taglist: @sleepyfan-blog @undeaddream @scriberye

Letting People Down Is My Thing (Ch. 1)

|ch.1| Next> Ao3

Song: Just One Yesterday - Fall Out Boy (a lot of this is going to be heavy on old FOB I'm not sorry)

Cato x Fem OC

CW: Drugs, Alcohol, PTSD/ Trauma, General dourness (will have others as it goes please check CW every time!)

Summary: Ex-Imperial Guard captain Wren Vaille gets a summons to meet with Guilliman out of the blue.

Word count: 2,451

Wren trudged through the cluttered, cramped roads of the hive city. She lit up something- she wasn’t entirely sure what but it was in her pocket- and took a drag, shoving her hands in her pockets and shuffling around the rowdy denizens of the street.

Whatever it was, it took the edge off her anxious mind for a minute. She let out a long smokey breath and found her way to a tiny door in an alley, unable to fully open without hitting the building next to it. She squeezed in, pulling it closed hard behind her. It didnt fully close, but nothing in the hive city of the outer palace worked right anyways. She scootched around her neighbor, in her usual place sitting on the floor and blocking the tiny hall.

“Can I get a drag of that?” The old woman croaked as Wren stepped over her. She rolled her eyes, “Don't you have your own?” She grumbled, scooting to her door and entering the passcode on the datapad next to it.

“Still could use a drag.” The old woman mumbled, but pulled something out of her own pocket to smoke anyways. Wren sighed and hipchecked her door to get it open.

She kicked it closed and rearmed the locks, clicking on the light to her tiny, windowless home. Her bed was shoved to the wall, blocked in by her food cabinet. What once was a closet now served as a small bathroom, and took up the area at the foot of the bed, jutting out in a small square. The little free space outside of that had a small table and a rickety chair.

All things considered, a pretty nice place for living in the outer palace hive city. Benefits of a good military savings and some greased palms.

She ashed her mystery roll in a broken cup on the table, smothering it for later. She crawled on her bed and kicked back, grabbing a packet of soylen viridian and tearing it open with her teeth. She ate the goop, squeezing it out of the pouch, and dug her newest acquirement out of her ratty coat pocket- a paperback book on bionics repair. She settled back, kicking her bionic leg up on the counter while she started reading.

The light flickered, and she groaned. Power outages were common in this part of the city. Surely enough, her little lightbulb flickered off. She sighed and pulled a lighter out to light her way to the switch and turn it off- she'd get charged for the power connection even when it went out if she left the connection on.

She flicked her lighter closed, laying back on her bed and sighing, staring at the black ceiling. The only light came from the small glowing indicators on her whirring leg. The blinking green illuminated her little hovel dimly, just enough to make out the shapes of her garbage packed shelves.

In the hall, there was a noise from the old woman. “Watch where you're goin!” She grumbled at someone.

“Don't sit in the hall in the dark then-” the stranger’s voice snapped back before they knocked on Wren's door.

She frowned, freezing, hoping they would go away if she seemed like she wasn’t home.

“Wren Vaille?” They said, knocking more. “Message for Wren Vaille.”

She grimaced. On one hand, this was a pretty common scam, get someone to open their door and rob them. On the other hand, she was curious.

She sighed, scooting over the bed and feeling her way the couple steps to the door. “From who?” She called.

“It's got the Imperial seal- I'm not ‘sposed to open it. Gotta get your signature too.”

She groaned. “Fine. Don't try anything though.” She grumbled, fumbling her hand over a small shelf and taking the knife she had there. She held it in the non visible hand and opened her door.

The messenger looked tired and bored. He carried a small lamp for light, likely used to working in blackouts. He handed her a thick, wax sealed envelope. Her brow raised, and she took it and signed off on his paper.

“’Sposed to tell you you got a transport ticket in there for tomorrow. Someone wants to see you in the inner palace.” he adds, turning to leave.

She frowned and looked at the letter. She closed the door and flicked her lighter open again to read it. Sure enough, it had an imperial seal- specifically, and Ultramarines seal.

She grimaced and cracked the wax.

His lord Guilliman, Lord Reagent, requests your audience while his visits the inner imperial city. Enclosed are instructions and passage tickets for the meeting. Please pack for an extended stay away.

She reread it a few times, then inspected the tickets and passport papers. They seemed real. But why was the primarch of the Ultramarines reaching out to an Ex-Guard captain?

She let out a sigh, head falling back. She felt her way to the table and relit the mystery roll, the dim glow of the embers dancing in the dark of her powerless apartment.

She just got settled here, and now she was pretty sure whatever she was getting called for was going to mean her place would be considered abandoned and reassigned. She flopped back on her bed, what she was pretty sure now was an obscura laced lho-stick hanging from her mouth, and tossed the papers on the counter. Every time she started to settle in, something had to come rattle her cage again.

____________________________________

The next morning she wore her old Guard pack, stuffed full of what little she cared about that was also not illegal to own. The rest of her belongings, the things too illicit and cubersome, were packed away in her little hidey-hole safe she had in the back of an abandoned factory building. She'd found the small lockable room spelunking collapsed hive one day, and now used it as storage.

She waited at the station for the rail transport, taking a quick swig from her small flask to fight off the hangover of whatever she was smoking yesterday. She read over the papers again. Everything checked out. She was to take the rail to a landing pad, where a thunderhawk would fly her to wherever it was Guilliman wanted to meet her at.

What it didn’t include was why.

She assumed nothing good. Rather, nothing good for her. She wasn't in trouble, they'd have simply arrested her. But she was in trouble, as in, they were going to put her in the way of trouble, or they wouldn’t be going through all this.

The rail ride was crowded and bumpy, but she made it to the ship bay in one piece.

As she approached, a few serfs in ultramarine clothes greeted her, checking her papers and ushering her onto the ship.

She settled into a seat in the cargo area, strapping herself in well. Last time she'd been in one of these had been a little too eventful, but she doubted ‘scared of flying’ would count as a reason to blow off a primarch.

She ran a hand through her short hair nervously, sneaking another sip from her flask. A nearby serf gave her a judging look and Wren returned it with a what are you looking at scowl, making the serf huff and turn away. Wren took another swig just to annoy the serf.

The turbulence of the thunderhawk taking off was thankfully dulled enough by her drink that she could focus on other things and not panic while they flew.

When they landed again, now in a part of the Imperial palace where the sky was visible and there was still gold on the walls, she walked quickly out of the ship on shaky legs, heading to a banister and leaning over it while taking deep breaths. She lit up a lho-stick and took a few deep pulls, letting her head fall back as she tried to relax the shaking.

The serfs gave her looks as they went about unpacking the thunderhawk. Wren didn't care. She hated flying.

“Wren?” A familiar voice broke her from her trance, and she whirled around.

She dropped her lho-stick, color draining from her face. “…Cato.” She rasped, swallowing with a suddenly dry throat. She stood a bit straighter, hands finding her pockets nervously. “It's been… a while.” She says, clearing her throat.

He looked at her in shock, eyeing her up and down with a look of mixed surprise and disgust.

“What the hell happened to you?” He asked.

She frowned. “What do you mean? I had a bomb dropped on me.“ she retorted, bristling a bit.

He snapped his mouth closed, frowning in return. “You know I didn't mean that. I was there for that part. I mean-” he gestured up and down at her. “This. You look like you lost half your weight.” He grimaced. “And you reek of smoke and booze.”

She scowled back at him. “Gee, great to see you too.” She grumbled.

Cato rolled his eyes. “Please, don't pretend you don't know you look insane. What happened to your hair?”

She frowned, running her hand through her short hair. “Ok, now youre just being mean. I thought this was a good look.” She huffed, shaking out her hair as it fell over her eyes a bit.

He sighed. “Lets get you into clothes that don’t stink of… whatever you've been doing. And a shower, before we meet with Guilliman.”

_________________________

She was left to go change and shower in the communal showers for serfs, and is given a new uniform to wear. She would have asked why a retired captain is getting a uniform, but she understood what was happening here. Though the uniform did not have any of the patches or badges that would indicate a rank, so at least they didn't outright want to force her to be a captain again. It did seem however, she was being brought back to the Imperial Guard in at least some manner.

She toweled her hair, and dressed, then awkwardly met Cato back in the hall.

He eyed her over, grimacing. “I'd say better, but somehow you look worse in nice clothes. The contrast, I think.”

She scowled. “Can you lay off? I don't look that bad, you just haven't seen me in a few years.” She huffed.

He started leading her down the hall. “Okay, but a couple years doesn't account for looking like an obscura addled zombie.” He said.

Wren groaned. “Glad to see you're as pleasant as ever. What am I here for anyways? And why did the send you? Surely they know our, you know, history.” She grumbled.

Cato huffed. “Guilliman's been looking for someone good with strategy and diplomacy. There's a few planets we're in a stalemate with. We want their workforce to maintain the farms and mines, and they're being difficult, but not so bad that we want to just go in and raze it.” He explained.

She stopped, mouth twisting and brow scrunching in confusion. “Wait, what? Then what the hell am I doing here?”

He stopped and turned back to her with a tight frown. “You're here, because I reccomend you.”

Her brow shot to her hairline. “Why? I'm not a diplomat, and, well, I don't think we were on… get each other jobs terms?”

He kept his composure. “Because I know you're good at de-escalating fights like you were in the Guard, and I knew you probably had nothing else going on.” He said, turning to walk again.

She frowned and jogged a bit to keep up with his long strides. “You don't know that- I have a ton going on. You're actually really interrupting my routine-” she protests, and almost runs into his back as he stops dead.

He turns back to her, looking unamused. “Uh huh. You have a flourishing carreer in the lower cities then?”

She pursed her lips. “Maybe I do, you don't know.”

He sighed, and reached his hand to her waist, slipping between the buttons of her jacket.

“H-hey-!” She startled, but he slipped his hand further under her jacket of her uniform and returned it with her flask dangling between his finger and thumb.

“I think I can guess what you do all day, Vaille.” He said tiredly, tossing the container in a waste chute.

“HEY-!” She squeaked, scrambling for the chute. It was too late, her amasec was already probably a half mile down the hivecity trash network.

Cato sighed. “Please, have a little dignity Wren. Scrambling after booze like a starved rat.” He chided, making her huff and blush, stomping back to him.

“You can't just throw out my shit!” She snapped. He rolled his eyes.

“And you're not supposed to have alcohol or drugs inside the palace proper.” He said dryly, looking at her with disappointment. “Seriously, what happened to you? Even after your recovery you weren't like… this.” He said bitterly.

Her scowl faltered and she had to look away from his face. “You're being an ass and over exaggerating, like you always do.” She mumbled. She tried to sound stern, but it was hard when she felt the heat climbing her cheeks.

Sure it'd been a rough year. And last year was rough too. But she had plans, she was getting back on her feet. She'd cut back already, and was out doing things in the day now. She was doing just fine- thriving for lower hivecity standards, even.

“Just- lets get this over with so Guilliman can ask if you've lost your mind and I can go home.” She mumbled, continuing down the hall.

Cato sighed and rubbed the bridge of his nose. “Right. I'm sure I'll have a lot to explain for after for wasting his time. Emperor forbid I assumed you could hold it together for 3 years…” he replied tiredly as he followed.

#wh40k #warhammer 40k #wh40k fanfic #my work #cato sicarius #Cato sicarius x OC #Cato sicarius x F!OC #letting people down is my thing fic

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lemon-russ · 5 months ago

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Hozier has invaded my brain and compelled my worms to write more angst, but now it has a complete storyline set out at least :,) I will return to lighter things next, keep it balanced a little.

Thanks @squishyowl for the dividers! Taglist: @sleepyfan-blog @undeaddream @scriberye

Letting People Down Is My Thing (Ch.2)

<Prev| Next> Ao3

Song: West Coast Smoker -Fall Out Boy

Cato x Fem OC

CW: Drugs, Alcohol, Alcoholism, PTSD/ Trauma, General dourness (will have others as it goes please check CW every time!)

Summary: Wren gets a job. She does not want it but it's hard to refuse a primarch.

Word count: 2,198

“So… Captain Vaille,” Guilliman said from behind a desk he comendeered for the meeting.

She cleared her throat. “I'm not a Captain anymore, sir. Retired.”

Guilliman knit his brow and nodded. “Right. Ms. Vaille, Cato tells me your time in the guard was pretty decorated? And you were able to talk down some lords?” he continued.

She smiled nervously, “yeah, A couple of times. But those were more about, intimidation, I think. and being on planets not very resistant to the Imperium.” She said as she fidgeted her feet. She was suddenly self conscious about her looks, thinking of how Cato said he looks out of place in nice clothes now.

Guilliman nodded a bit. “You've been out of service for a while. Do you feel you are still capable of these duties? There may be combat.” He said seriously.

She frowned. “I suppose? I can talk to them, and probably can still handle a fight.”

Guilliman sat back in his chair, hands folded as he thought. “Captain Sicarius shared the reports of your career. I was impressed. And to be honest, we are running out of options. The Impirum is on my back about wrapping this up.” He sighed and looked at Cato. “Captain Sicarius, do you still endorse Ms. Vaille to lead this?”

Cato hesitated, looking at Wren a long moment. She frowned a bit as his gaze bore into her.

“…Yes. Yes, I still believe Ms. Vaille is a capable Captain, given the opportunity.” He said at last.

She tried not to grimace. She was hoping he'd change his mind and send her home, but it seemed he still wanted to cause her some amount of trouble.

Guilliman nodded. “That's all I need. I will give you some Guardsman to bring along, and Captain Sicarius will join you with the second company. I'll leave the details to you both. Attempt a peaceful resolution, but do not leave without the planets under out control.” He said, turning back to his paperwork.

“Of course, Lord Guilliman.” Cato nodded, turning on his heel and leaving without a glance to Wren. She took a second to process but scrambled after him.

In the hall, she jogged to catch up to him. He kept his gaze ahead. “We leave in 6 hours. I expect you to behave like the respectable Captain Guilliman Thinks you are.”

She furrowed her brow. “Why did you agree if you don’t think I can behave?”

“Because I think you can. I’ll just be making sure of it.” He said, glancing down at her with a small frown. “Three years is a long time for mortals, but I should hope not so long that you completely obliterated the Captain Vaille I knew. She’s in there, and I need her to get off her drunken ass and do her job.”

Wren snapped her mouth shut, staring ahead at the floor tiles instead. Cato kept his gaze on her. “Well? Can I count on Captain Vaille? Or should I expect I’ll be wrangling Wren, the hivecity wreck?” He said in a low voice.

She pressed her mouth into a line, not looking back up at him. “I’ll be fine. I’ll get this stupid thing you dragged me into done, and I won’t embarrass you like I always have.” She mumbled bitterly.

Cato looked surprised a little at her dig, then scowled. “Yet here you are, trying to start fights. Leave our past where it belongs. Work with me as a professional and we’ll be done a lot sooner.”

She rolled her eyes. “You’re the one calling me a wreck.” She grumbled.

“Yes, because thats what you are, currently.” He retorted, turning his gaze back to the corridor. “I haven’t said a thing about our relationship beyond work. Try and return the Courtesy, Captain.” He said with an edge in his tone.

She huffed. “I will try, Captain.” She said in a mirrored annoyance.

___________________________

Wren met with her lended retinue of Guardsmen and outlined them on their situation and her plans. After she dismissed them to go prepare for the journey, she noticed a couple sitting on crates at the back of the hangar, chatting and sneaking sips out of concealed bottles.

Her hand slipped into her coat to find her flask, then she swore when she remembered Cato had tossed it. She bit her lip, hesitating, then headed towards the Guardsmen. The men looked up and went pale, hiding their bottles when she approached.

“Ah- Captain. Can we help you?” The younger of the pair said with a casual smile.

She darted her eyes to and from the bottles, raising a brow at him. He frowned, shifting uncomfortably.

“Have the rules on alcohol changed since I was last on duty?” She asked, giving him an admonishing look.

The young man swallowed hard. “N-No, Ma’am. Sorry, Ma’am.” He said, his friend shrinking back nervously.

She nodded, and held out her hand. “I’m not a hardass, but you’re not subtle. Don’t let me catch you like this again.” She scolded as they nervously handed her the bottles.

“Of course, Ma’am, I-It won’t happen again.” The older stuttered as they both stood and saluted. She nodded her head sharply to the barracks and they scrambled off to get ready.

Wren smirked to herself, looking around to check the coast was clear before taking a sip of the amasec herself. “Amatures.” She chuckled as she pulled an empty flask from her coat and filled it. She was glad Cato only grabbed the full one, annoying as it was to have half the capacity. But she knew she could always shakedown rookies to fill them at least. Some things never change in the guard.

She finished off what in the bottles didn’t fit in the flask and tossed them into a shoot, then headed off to the thunderhawk that would bring them to the ship. The amasec took some of her anxious edge off about the flight, but it was still there. She watched as the Guardsmen packed their things and settled in for the short flight, her stomach twisting a bit at the impending flight. Two flights in one day was a lot, she was still rattled from the first.

Wren sighed and lit a lho-stick from her coat, one of the few things they were allowed to indulge in.

“Ready to go, Captain.” The pilot reported, snapping her out of zoning out. She nodded, picking up her pack and joining her men in the thunderhawk. She sat and strapped in tight, closing her eyes and focusing on breathing. She drew some looks from the men but didn’t care. She focused on thinking she was anywhere else as the ship lifted off.

__________________________

The thunderhawk ported in the cruiser they were given for the assignment. As soon as the ramp lowered and doors opened, Wren bolted off it and found the nearest trash receptacle to vomit into. The Guardsmen and serfs gave her looks as they got off, and she shot a scowl at the ones who met her eyes, making them startle and have the decency to look embarrassed, scurrying off to their quarters.

She lit another lho-stick with shaking hands and took a few deep breaths to compose herself. She straightened herself up and set off to wash her face and mouth before reconvening with Cato.

“You somehow look more like shit.” He said dryly when she found him again on the bridge. She scowled, knowing she was still pale and rattled, but he didn’t have to point it out.

“Rough flight.” She snapped quietly. Cato’s expression softened a bit and he looked away and back at the scurrying workers of the bridge.

“Ah. Right.” He mumbled awkwardly. “Is everything settled? How long until we can warp?” He asks the ships Captain quickly.

The Captain rolled her eyes at him. “I will let you know, Captain Sicarius. We have calculations to make still.”

Cato huffed, heading off the bridge. “Tell me when you finish, I’d like to be done with this whole thing.” He called back in annoyance as he left through the giant doors.

The Ship Captain, Captain Brealian, watched him go tiredly. “He’s always so impatient.” She chuckled to Wren.

Wren looked up from her vacant staring a little surprised at the casualness. She chuckled a little. “He does have a reputation for that.” She added.

Brealian smiled, “The more you work with him, the more you see he’s really just a petulant child under all the glory and honors and rank.” She said with another small chuckle.

Wren quirked a brow. “Oh? You, uh, work together a lot…?” She said, trying to sound casual. She didn’t love the strange feeling clawing in her belly at the Ship Captains casual attitude towards Cato. Not that it was any of her business- or that she cared for that matter. He could do what he wants. Emperor knows she had partners after him…

“Oh, all the time.” Brealian laughed lightly, and Wren’s stomach squeezed. “He’s constantly running around, so we’re on a pseudo retainer for the second company. We work with others still but we are usually with the Second.” She says with a smile.

Wren gave a tight smile. “You must get sick of dealing with Cat-” she cleared her throat, “-Captain Sicarius, then. He uh, seems like a real pain in the ass.” She forced a chuckle.

Brealian full laughed at that, “Oh, he is a huge pain in the ass. But, he’s not so bad. I think he’s a bit of a softie deep down, just doesn’t know how to handle himself.” She said with a chuckled and fond smile.

Wren was glad she threw up already because her stomach definitely was thinking she should try again. She swallowed and chuckled back. “Oh, yeah, probably…” she said, glancing at the chronometer on the wall. “Oh- Throne, I gotta get back to it- Good to meet you, Captain Brealian-” she said quickly.

“Please, Call me Tressa.” Brealian said sweetly, holding a hand out.

Wren forced a smile and shook her hand. “Wren.”

Brealian Smiled wide. “A pleasure, Wren. I’ll let you be off then.” She said kindly, and Wren smiled back before scurrying off the bridge.

Why does she have to be nice? Wren groaned internally. No, no, she was overreacting, there was no reason to think anything was going on between Brealian and Cato anyways. And she shouldn’t care in the first place. Of course Cato would go meet new people- it’d been three years. She’d had a revolving door of partners in that time.

She frowned and caught her breath for a minute, leaning against the metal panels of the corridor walls. It wasn’t the same, though, she thought. All of her partners were shallow distractions. Not frequent co-workers who say sweet things about her to strangers. She grimaced and felt her stomach lurch again.

Fuck. She took a quick sip of her flask and tried to breathe slowly. This whole thing was a shitshow. She’d gotten over Cato years ago, but then he had to force her to come play diplomat for him and now all the old aches were boiling up again. Did he enjoy torturing her? Maybe that was his grand sadistic plan, watch her squirm and have to make small talk with Sweet, put together Tressa. She groaned and took a longer drink from her flask.

“Didn’t I specifically ask you to behave? where did you get that anyways.” Cato’s voice snapped her from her wallowing. She scrambled up off the wall, hiding her flask and steeling her expression.

“Where did you come from?” She snapped awkwardly. A flimsy attempt to divert the topic and Cato did not take the bait. He glowered at her.

“Didn’t I toss that? Oh throne- did you have two? Or are you smuggling a whole bar in there?” He said, grimacing in annoyance.

She scowled up at him, trying to will the color from her cheeks. “Can you leave me be for ten minutes? You know every Guardsman on this ship has amasec on them.” She grumbled, pulling her flask back for another drink just to bother him this time.

Bother him it did, and he looked at her in disgust. “Seriously, Wren? How bad is this? You can’t handle a half a day?”

She huffed. “Don’t call me Wren. We’re not on a first name basis anymore.” She grumbled, eyes dropping to the floor.

He furrowed his brow an gave a tight frown. “Stop trying to change the subject.”

“Stop thinking you get a say in how I live my life.” She retorted, pushing past him and continuing down the hall.

He groaned. “You can't avoid this forever, Captain Vaille.” He called after her tiredly.

She flipped him off behind her as she turned the corner to find her quarters.

#wh40k #warhammer 40k #my work #wh40k fanfic #cato sicarius #letting people down is my thing fic #cato sicarius x oc #Cato sicarius x f!oc

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