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ceo-of-sloppy-women · 18 days ago

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No grave can hold my body down; I'll crawl home to her

Chapter 12

Or read it on ao3

Cw: zombies, near-death experiences, emotionally constipated butch woman

Chapter 13

A loud pounding at the door rips you violently from your slumber. Heavy footfalls sound through the house as Sevika marches down and argues with whoever’s at the door. She’s not calling for you, though – so you roll back over and burrow yourself deeper in the sheets. You’ve almost fallen back to sleep when someone throws open your door, and you realize, much to your horror, you might actually have to get up at this ungodly hour.

“Come on, toots, get up: we’ve got work,” Sevika’s grouchy voice rings through your mind as she throws open the curtains in your room. A sliver of moonlight sheds into the room and right onto your sleeping face, making you groan as if it were the brightest sunlight.

“Fuckin’ Hells, it isn’t even morning yet!” you whine, rolling over and taking the covers with you in the vain hope she’ll leave you alone.

“Up,” Sevika grunts, shaking your shoulder with the force of a woman who wants whatever this is over and done with.

“Ugh, fine! If you tell me why the fuck you’re waking me up before dawn can even flash its ass-crack,” you grumble, already rolling over to reach blindly for your pack.

“Vander wants us to go to Piltover. Apparently, we’re missing some key supplies. Paper, ink, rubber – mostly stuff for your printing press – and any medical supplies we can scrounge up. Got a list of the rest of it, it’s long, so get up, you can sleep on the ride over there.” Sevika tosses something on you and you blink blearily at the pile of clothes in your lap. “Wear those. Yours are gross – the smell alone will attract infected.”

“How long have you been up?” you ask, staring down at one of Sevika’s shirts. Her clothes. She has given you her clothes to wear. Without waiting for an answer, you strip off your sleep shirt and toss it into a heap on the floor. Your sleep-deprived brain intentionally flashes Sevika your tits (lower inhibitions and all that) as you fumble in the rickety dresser for your sports bra. When she doesn’t answer, you cock your head at her, too tired to be embarrassed as she stands there staring at you, eyes wide, pupils blown with an expression that bordered on both starvation and frustration.

Noticing you’re staring at her, Sevika merely grunts and trudges out of the room. You hear her heavy footfalls on the stairs leading down to the foyer.

Tossing the weird interaction to the side, you finish getting dressed, grab your pack and meet her downstairs. She says nothing to you – not even a “let’s go” as she marches out of the house and down the street. You follow behind her quietly, twiddling your thumbs as she buys breakfast to-go from the diner that’s stays open overnight for those working the nightshift. A black coffee for herself, two breakfast burritos, and your drink of choice. It is way better than any before-dawn breakfast has any right to be. Sevika doesn’t slow her pace, forcing you to eat and speedwalk at the same time to keep up with her. You don’t dare break the silence by asking her to slow down, worried that you’ve somehow upset her with your little strip tease. Thankfully, she has to stop for them to bring your horses out, so you’re able to scarf your breakfast burrito down in record time (which definitely isn’t good for your digestion, but that’s neither here nor there).

As you lift your foot to slide it into King’s stirrup, Sevika finally speaks up: “Oh, just come here, would ya? You look like you’re barely able to keep your eyes open. Can’t ride a horse like that.”

You blink owlishly at her, putting your foot back on solid ground and shuffle to her side. She holds out her hand, so you take it (because what are you going to do, argue with her and piss her off more?). With a solid grip on your hand, she pulls you up onto the back of Duchess, pressing your hand to her waist. You hesitantly rest your hands around her waist, wrapping them together more than her, not wanting to overstep boundaries even if she is letting you ride with her.

“I ain’t gonna bite ya,” Sevika sighs, resting her hand over top of yours to press them against her stomach. “Go back to sleep. It’s a long ride out.”

Despite her generosity, her clipped sentences put you ill at ease. You can only hope she’s just grumpy because of how early it is as you tentatively rest your head on her shoulder.

“Thank you,” you whisper softly against her neck. She shudders against you.

“Don’t mention it, princess,” Sevika grunts, nudging Duchess forward. With a swift whistle, King trots behind her, saddlebags loaded with your gear.

The gentle rock of Duchess’ trotting lulls you into a sense of peace as you melt further into Sevika. She leans back against you, a solid, steady presence holding you to herself as best she can while also steering Duchess. You watch the trail roll by, tree after tree, pulling you back down to sleep. Despite the obvious danger of the open road, you place your trust fully in this woman you have accidentally fallen in love with. Love. Huh. When did you start loving her, rather than a passing affection?

Does it matter?

You smile against the back of her neck, slipping under into sleep.

Piltover is overgrown – the same veins that had been growing out of the weather station climb up buildings, strangling architecture. You stare up at them in awe and horror, keeping an eye out for any infected as Sevika guides you through the streets. Duchess and King were left at the edge of the city, grazing happily in the grass – it isn’t worth it to bring them in the city and risk one of them breaking a leg or getting bitten. Skyscrapers tower over you, the pillars of progress that once stood testament to the feats of man, now crumbling echoes of legacy. You’d never been to Piltover – you had seen pictures and videos, but the stars had never aligned for you to witness the city in its glory days. Then, when you finally might have had a shot to visit, the world had spiralled into insanity. Part of your ancient reptilian brain itches to have seen the lights on – watch each building sparkle in the night sky as the light pollution sucks the life out of the world, choking what little semblance of nature is left with smog. Now, only the body of shimmer clings to the lifeless husks of progress. The veins sparkle on the buildings in the late morning sun, purple against grey, mixed with the green of life – office plants choking their way through the windows of skyscrapers.

“It’s… beautiful,” you whisper, knowing your awe should be eradicated in the face of shimmer infection. Yet, you can’t stop yourself – Sevika’s beauty did not fade from her developed immunity. Why shouldn’t this be beautiful, too, in its own strange, fucked up way?

“Better than what it was,” Sevika shrugs, eyes tracing familiar streets as you walk past the corpse of a gas station. “Keep an eye out, this place is infested with the infected. Nasty ones: belchers and goners, mostly.”

“Right, yeah, I’m watching,” you swallow thickly, hands gripping your rifle.

Sevika nods her head, turning down the next street. Scavenging isn’t new to either of you – together, you avoid the places most likely to harbour infected, checking buildings picked clean to see what others missed and venturing into the cavernous abyss of unlit megastructures that once made up the city of progress. It is entirely uneventful (much to your relief and disappointment). You find various amounts of the supplies on the list, with medical supplies being the scarcest, shoving your bags full of everything you could possibly carry. After years of taking on what you need, obsessively keeping your pack light enough to run, you delight in picking up everything of interest and squireling it away. King can carry far more than you have ever possibly dreamed of hoarding, without putting either of your lives at risk should you have to outrun infected.

“You know, I thought this was going more interesting,” you mutter, kicking a can across the pavement of a broken parking lot.

“I’ve been here enough times to know how to keep us safe. Besides, we’re only on the outskirts – we’d need more gear if we were to go any deeper than this. There are hordes the size of Zaun in there,” Sevika explains, her top half buried under the hood of an abandoned car. “Why, you want to get bit? Can tell you it ain’t fun, sweetheart.”

“I just thought this would be more interesting, is all,” you shrug, leaning against the side of the car to avoid looking as if you’re staring at her ass. Which you totally aren’t – hugged by old jeans, broken into the shape of her hips, a crumpled carton of cigarettes in her back pocket that only pulls the denim tauter. Okay. Fine. You’re definitely looking at her ass; you’re no better than a man.

“Sorry to disappoint you,” Sevika chuckles, pulling free whatever part she was scrounging up. You’re not familiar enough with cars to know the specific parts, but you’re best guess is a sparkplug. She pockets it a moment later, so even if you knew more, you wouldn’t get a proper enough look to recognize it. “Ready to keep going?”

“Lead the way,” you say, pushing off the car and readjusting the grip on your rifle.

Sevika burrows her way through three more buildings, your backpacks starting to weigh both of you down, gradually making you walk behind her. At first, you’re too concerned with infected jumping out at you to pay attention to her. Until an odd sense of security washes over you in the middle of an abandoned toy store, Sevika shoving various science kits and other toys into her bag for Isha. You’re following behind her, picking up a few things of your own that the kid might like (and grabbing every ball of yarn you come across) when you notice it: Sevika’s limping.

“Hey, you doing okay?” you ask immediately, sidling up to her as she stares at the LEGO sets.

“Yeah… why?” she grunts, barely paying attention to you.

“You’re limping,” you state outright. No sense in beating around the bush about it – especially not in the thick of danger. “You want to start heading back to the horses and let them send another team to finish the job?”

“No, I’m fine,” Sevika snarls, her face scrunching in disgust as she scowls at her leg.

“But –“

The glare she shoots you has you clamping your jaw shut hard enough your teeth clack against each other. You hold your hands up in surrender, doing your utmost to bury the pity in your eyes. She turns around and keeps going, limping more as if her leg is genuinely aching now that she’s paying attention to it. Or, as if she’d been trying to hide it from you. You swallow thickly, trying to come up with an excuse to get her to leave early – any excuse will do, really; if she wants to act like a child about it, you can do the same. It doesn’t even have to be a good excuse, just convincing enough for her to turn around (unfortunately, “my feet hurt” probably won’t fly with her). Sevika’s pain also puts you more on edge, your head whipping around at every little sound. This would be the absolute worst possible time for the two of you to stumble upon infected – you’re not sure you could take on the size of a horde that gunfire would attract, even with Sevika’s help.

Unfortunately, the dreaded inevitable has a way of finding you at the most inopportune moments. It comes in the form of paint cans clattering in the back of a hardware and craft store the closest the two of you have gotten to the heart of the city all day. Standing in the yarn aisle, you freeze, staring at the back of the shop in horror. Your heart hammers in your chest, yarn clutched in your arms, as you see a humanoid shape lumber and stumble its way around the back of the shop. Trying desperately not to breath, you shove the yarn into your back, glancing constantly towards the back of the shop. It has yet to lift its head, but you know the moment it does, all Hell will break loose. Infected had a disconcerting way of showing up in droves if you encountered even a solitary one. Sevika is one aisle over, frozen just as you were, holding the last of the supplies that Greyson had needed for the printing press – ink. Red ink. Your stomach churns as you stare at the jar in her hand, reminded only of blood.

You rest your hand on her shoulder, not wanting to speak and alert the infected. Her gaze whips up to you – wild, violent and terrified – you both know grabbing the ink will make enough noise to alert the infected. It makes your stomach churn.

She grabs an armful of ink, the glass containers clinking against each other as she shoves them into her bag. An inevitable snarl erupts from the back of the store and shakes you to your core, twisting in your guts – the starving sound of insatiable hunger: Goners. Sevika’s head whips up as she shucks her bag over her shoulders and looks you dead in the eyes: “Run.”

Hesitation isn’t an option. You spin on your heel, racing towards the exit, with Sevika’s heavy footfalls right behind you. The purple veins that line the streets pulsate, lighting up as you race desperately toward the edge of the city. You don’t even need the wave of infected to crash out of a local supermarket to know that it knows you are here now. It knows where you are. It always has, yet, in that moment, you can only remember the weather station and what you found beneath in the bunker. Sickly horror engulfs you as your surviving mind puts two and two together: it’s a hivemind. The pulsing veins of life that curl around buildings spread out like signal amplifiers – the undulating mass wrapped around the air ducts, beating like a heart – inorganic potential rendered organic and starving. Suddenly, you don’t want to know where the purple veins come from (nor what they’re made of).

The sheer shock of horror jolts through your system, propelling you faster through the street. So much so that you nearly skid and slip around a corner, Sevika still on your heels when you whip your head around to look. Your heart thunders in your chest as you fire off a poorly aimed (yet successful) shot into the chest of a stumbler in your way. It falls to the ground, allowing the two of you to rush past it. Two more infected around the next corner; two more dead bodies. Over and over again, blood begins to splatter your shirt as you hear the thunderous roar of the wave chasing after you. Fear convulses in your chest as adrenaline narrows your focus. You have go – you have to get through this; if you just make it back to the horses, you’ll make it back to Zaun. You just have to make it back to the horses.

Until a roar of pain thunders in your ears, and you whip around to see Sevika ten feet behind you, shotgun smoking as broken concrete digs into her ass. You race back toward her without a second thought, reloading your gun with shaking hands. Your ears ring as the horde of infected race your approach, what was once a deafening roar stilling to a soundless void. Only the pounding of your heart thunders in your ears. Shot after shot after shot rings out through the streets like hail during a storm. Sevika grabs your leg – she’s shouting something at you, trying to shove you back, but your heels dig into the pavement as you widen your stance behind her.

“GO! Leave me to this; I’ll be fine!” she’s trying to shove her back at you, but you hold your gaze firmly level with the oncoming wave.

A shrill screech echoes through the street as one of the ascended (as Singed had affectionately named them) crashes through the shop window of a nearby building. Its uncanny face piercing fear through your spine, as its limbs bend unnaturally, propelling its body into the front of the horde.

“I’m not leaving you! Get up!” you bark back at her, cocking your rifle for another shot.

“You’re a fucking idiot!” she roars at you, scrambling something out of her side pouch. The pin drops to the ground next to her.

The emergency grenade goes flying into the horde as you pick them off – it explodes, picking off quite a few of them as the ascended explodes in a haze of purple. You follow the grenade swiftly with one of your own as Sevika resigns herself to letting you cover her ass while she drags herself up. Three infected get too close, and you nearly swallow your own tongue out of fear. Once she’s standing, the two of you mow back the infected just enough to give you time to spin around and keep running. Giving her no time to argue, you sling her arm over your shoulder and start running, forcing her to accept your help rather than offering it. If she wants to argue about it, she can argue back at the horses!

You race past the same shops and back through the parking lot, the can you’d kicked is crushed under the weight of a belcher that gets too close to your heels. Sevika’s knife is embedded in its forehead. Thankfully, she has other knives, pulling one out of her thigh holster as the two of you continue to run. You can feel her weight growing heavier on your shoulder as the horde only grows closer behind you. Using every last ounce of adrenaline left in your body, you pull the two of you towards the edge of the city, one hand wrapped around the grenade in your pouch, just in case. If you are to die here, you will die clean and pretty, having been swaddled in the warmth of community one final time.

Thankfully, there’s a break in the wave in the form of a narrow street, which allows you and Sevika time to stumble into a clear street. Despite the lack of danger you continue running, legs screaming in agony for you to stop. The hill where you left the horses is just over the bridge, smattered with derelict cars. A sharp whistle from next to you calls Duchess and King over the hill to the end of the bridge as you help Sevika weave through the narrow passages of abandoned cars. Infected are scrambling at the end you came from, trying to get over cars and chase after you, but their uncoordinated patterns bog them down as you stumble out in front of the horses. Sevika slings herself into Duchess’ saddle, you follow suit into King’s, and the two of you take off racing toward Zaun (taking the long way just to be sure you don’t lead any infected back).

The jingle of supplies in saddle bags follows you down newly acquainted trails as you agonize over how best to breach the necessary conversation with Sevika. Worry broils in your gut as you watch her flinch at even the lightest jostle of her leg. Yet, she is firmly ignoring you, eyes piercing the forest line ahead, white-knuckling Duchess’ reigns.

#fanfic: no grave...#sevika #sevika x reader #sevika x you #sevika x y/n #sevika x oc #arcane #arcane fanfic #ao3 link #post apocalyptic #zombie apocalypse #zombie apocolypse au

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samtheplatypus · 5 months ago

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Posting this before I forget (again)

I made this over a month ago lol XD

Fr my memory is awful

Anyway

Zombie apocalypse AU I guess (I'll never draw it again)

Could have drawn a bandage over Julian's eye, did not occured to me until later

#the arcana julian #the arcane game #the arcana au #zombie apocalypse au #julian x mc #digital artist #digital art #artist on tumblr

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weirdocat83 · 1 month ago

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I still find it incredibly funny that zombie apocalypse AUs got a lot better after quarantine because now we know exactly how people react to a deadly virus going around.

#fanfic #zombie apocolypse au #slightly related #SHOCKED that there aren’t more zombie apocalypse AUs for Arcane #it is legit written into canon #someone should absolutely write that #time to brainrot over that

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kirammanswifey · 23 days ago

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arcane characters in a zombie apocalypse x fem reader (AU)

characters: viktor, jinx, vi, caitlyn, jayce, ekko, silco, mel and sevika.

writer's note: i’ve always wanted to do a dynamic like this, i’m a total zombie fan and i loved how the settings turned out. i’m literally speechless! the post-apocalyptic vibe is on point, and i can’t wait to see how the next parts unfold. this project has mad potential, guys i swear! every new twist has me hooked, and i can’t stop thinking about what’s coming next. it’s definitely got everything to be epic! as you already know request are open ;)

Viktor

The night was thick and cold, the air heavy with the echoes of a world crumbling to pieces. The streets, once bustling with life, were now engulfed in an unsettling silence, broken only by the crunch of debris under your boots. The zombie apocalypse had taken more than words could express. As you moved forward, hunger and thirst became your constant companions, but so was the hope of finding a refuge, a temporary respite amid the chaos.

It was then that you heard it. A soft, ethereal melody, floating in the air like a whisper, like a lament. You stopped, the sound calling to you like a siren, a promise of something human, something real, in a world that seemed to have lost all connection to the soul. Following the trail of the music, you arrived at a semi-collapsed building, an old concert hall. The doors were ajar, and the sound of the piano echoed through the walls, a melancholic tune speaking of losses and longings.

Entering cautiously, your eyes adjusted to the dimness, and there, in the center of the room, was him. Viktor, his slender figure bent over the piano, his long, skillful fingers gliding across the keys with a precision almost mechanical. He didn’t stop when you entered, his eyes closed, lost in a world of his own.

"Are you real or a ghost?" His voice, when he finally spoke, was soft, barely a whisper over the music. He didn’t wait for a reply, his fingers never faltering.

"I’m real... I think," you responded, stepping closer with light steps, as if afraid to break the spell he had created. "Your music... it’s beautiful. But why play for the dead?"

He opened his eyes, his gaze tired, marked by a pain you recognized immediately. "The living don’t listen. They don’t understand. The dead... they make a better audience."

It wasn’t the answer you expected, but you didn’t question it either. There was something in his voice, in the way he said it, that made you feel that this man, this stranger, carried a pain like your own. You sat at a respectful distance, not wanting to interrupt more than necessary.

"Not all the living are deaf to pain," you said softly, your eyes fixed on his hands still playing. "I understand. I’ve lost as much as you, maybe more."

For the first time, his hands stopped, and the silence filled the room. Viktor looked up at you, as if he were truly seeing you for the first time. "Why are you here?"

"I was looking for water, shelter... but now I think I was looking for something else. Something that would remind me there’s still beauty in this broken world."

There was a moment of silence, tense but full of possibility. Then, he nodded, as if accepting your presence. "The water’s in the room behind. You can stay, if you want. But don’t talk too much."

You chuckled softly, a sound you hadn’t made in weeks. "Deal."

Thus began your relationship, silent at first, sharing space with few words. Viktor played, and you listened, finding comfort in each note. Slowly, the walls he had built started to crumble. He would tell you small things, fragments of his life before the apocalypse, the people he had lost. And you shared your own stories, your own scars.

One night, after an especially sad piece, Viktor stopped playing and looked at you directly. "You remind me of someone I used to know. Someone who made me feel like I wasn’t alone."

"And now you’re not," you responded softly, taking his hand in yours, a simple gesture but one full of meaning. "You don’t have to face this alone, Viktor. No one should."

The touch was a catalyst, a spark that ignited something within him. Viktor nodded, his eyes shining with something more than pain for the first time in a long time. "Maybe... maybe you can teach me how to live again."

"And you can teach me to find peace in music," you said, your words sincere, your heart open.

It was the beginning of something deeper, a bond forged not only in shared pain but in the hope of healing together. Every night, Viktor played, not just for the dead, but for you, and in each note, you both found a path to redemption.

Jinx

The roar of gunshots and screams tore through the air, interrupting the unsettling silence of the night. You approached cautiously, your heart racing in your chest, driven by curiosity and the instinct to survive. The sounds came from a narrow alley, a trap of shadows and death.

There, you saw her for the first time.

Jinx, a whirlwind of bright colors and madness, fired with brutal precision, her eyes overflowing with an intensity that froze your blood. Her laughter was a cry of defiance, but also a disguised plea for help. Around her, the bodies of zombies fell, but it didn’t seem like she was fighting just them. There were others, humans, equally dead or dying.

"Come on! Is that all you’ve got?" she shouted, her blue braids spinning as her machine gun spat fire. There was a twisted joy in her voice, but also something deeper, something broken.

For a moment, you hesitated. This girl, this wild creature, was she someone you could help, or someone you should flee from? But something in her eyes, in the chaos of her mind reflected in her gaze, drew you in.

"Enough!" You found yourself shouting, your own words surprising you. "They're already dead!"

Jinx turned sharply toward you, her eyes narrowing, assessing you as if you were the next enemy. "And who are you? The savior of the day?" Her smile was a mix of mockery and distrust.

"No, just... someone who doesn’t want to see more unnecessary deaths," you said, raising your hands in a peace gesture. "You’ve already taken care of them."

For a moment, there was silence. Jinx lowered her weapon, though her fingers stayed tense on the trigger. "Maybe, but there’s always more. There will always be more."

"That doesn’t mean you have to fight alone," you dared to say, moving a little closer. "No need to be a war machine all the time."

She laughed, a dry and bitter sound. "And who are you to tell me what to be? The world is chaos, and I... fit perfectly in it."

"I don’t doubt it," you admitted, your voice soft but firm. "But even chaos needs a moment of calm."

Jinx stared at you, as if searching for something in your eyes, something she hadn’t found in a long time. "You’re strange, you know that? Not many come close when they see what I’m capable of."

"I’m not like the others," you simply said. "And I don’t think you are either."

For the first time, Jinx seemed to relax, lowering her weapon completely. "Maybe you’re not. What’s your name, strange one?"

You told her your name, and she repeated it, as if testing the sound on her lips. "So, are you going to follow me then, or are you just here to preach?"

"I could follow you, if you’ll let me."

She smiled, this time more genuinely. "Well then, strange one. Let’s see how much you can handle."

And that’s how your relationship with Jinx began, a whirlwind of emotions and danger. It wasn’t easy; she was unpredictable, her moods shifting like the wind, and her inner demons always lurking. But there were also moments of genuine connection, of vulnerability she only showed to you.

Over time, Jinx began to trust you more than she ever thought possible. You were the only one who could calm the storm inside her, even though sometimes she dragged you along with her. There were nights when she clung to you, whispering her fears and nightmares, and you were there to hold her.

"You’re always going to remind me that I’m not alone, right?" she asked one night, her big eyes full of a mix of hope and fear.

"Always," you reassured her, gently caressing her face. "As long as you let me stay by your side."

Jinx smiled, a smile that, though still broken, was starting to heal. "Then stay, strange one. Stay with me in this chaos."

And you did. Because, despite everything, the chaos with Jinx was where you started to feel like you belonged.

The night was dark, barely lit by the fire consuming the camp around you. The screams and mess were deafening, each second a reminder of how fragile life had become in this new world. You were trapped, surrounded by the bandits who had attacked, their cruel laughter and weapons gleaming under the light of the flames.

"What do we have here?" one of them mocked, stepping closer with a depraved smile. "Another victim of this rotten world."

You were exhausted, too weak to resist, but before they could harm you, a roar echoed through the camp. Shadows moved swiftly, and in the blink of an eye, the bandits were on the ground, neutralized by a figure who moved like lightning.

"Get out of here, or the next blow won’t be so merciful," said a firm, deep voice belonging to the woman standing in front of you. She was tall, muscular, with an aura of authority that left you speechless. Her short dark-red hair, along with the visible scars on her fists, made her unmistakable.

It was Vi, the leader of a resistance group. You had heard of her, a legend among the survivors, someone who never left anyone behind. But in person, she was even more imposing.

"Are you okay?" she asked, without wasting time, her eyes scanning your body for injuries.

"Yes... thank you," you managed to say, your voice trembling slightly. "I thought I was... done for."

"Almost," Vi said, with a slight smile that barely touched her lips. "But not while I'm on guard."

She helped you stand, her grip firm but surprisingly gentle. "Let's go, we can't stay here."

As you moved forward with her group, you noticed Vi stayed close, always vigilant. Her presence was comforting, despite her distant attitude. There was something in her eyes that made you think she had suffered too, that her strength didn't come without a cost.

Days passed, and although Vi was reserved, you noticed small moments when her facade would crumble. A lost look at the horizon, a sigh when she thought no one was listening. You couldn't help but feel curious, a need to understand her, to reach the heart of the woman who had saved your life.

"Why do you do this?" you asked one night, when the others were asleep. You were sitting by the fire, and she was on the perimeter, always alert.

"Do what?" she responded, not looking at you directly.

"Lead, protect people like me," you said, your voice soft but firm. "You could just worry about yourself, but you don’t."

Vi sighed, finally sitting next to you. "Because if I don't, who will? The world has already lost too many good people."

"And you’ve lost too, haven’t you?" you ventured, noticing how her eyes darkened at your words.

"We’ve all lost," she murmured, looking away. "But not everyone has the luxury of letting that destroy us."

"But that doesn’t mean you have to face it alone," you said, gently touching her arm. "Sometimes, sharing the weight makes it easier to bear."

Vi looked at you, surprised by your boldness, but she didn't pull away her arm. "I’m not used to sharing," she admitted, her voice almost a whisper. "I’ve always thought showing weakness is dangerous."

"It’s not weakness, Vi," you reassured, holding her gaze. "It’s humanity."

There was silence, one that seemed endless, but eventually, Vi nodded, as if your words had broken something inside her. "Maybe you're right," she said with a faint smile. "Maybe."

From that moment on, your relationship with Vi began to change. She remained the strong, distant warrior, but privately, with you, she began to lower her guard. She confided in you her fears, her memories of the past, and you were there to listen, to support her. In return, Vi became your protector, but also someone who trusted you to be her emotional anchor.

"Thank you for not giving up on me," she said one night, her voice filled with contained emotion.

"I’ll always be here for you, Vi," you replied, gently taking her hand. "Because you give me strength too."

And so, in the madness of thus new world, you both found a reason to keep fighting, together.

Caitlyn

The air smelled of decay and disinfectant. Every step you took echoed through the underground hallways of the shelter, a maze of steel and concrete that promised safety but hid dark secrets. You were injured, exhausted, and desperate for medical help. The last zombie ambush had left your group in ruins, and you had barely escaped with your life.

Following the signs toward the medical room, you stumbled until you reached a door slightly ajar, from which murmurs and the soft hum of machinery emanated. Pushing the door open, your eyes met a sight that froze you in place.

Caitlyn, a woman with a serene and elegant appearance, was standing in front of an operating table. On it lay an immobilized zombie, still half alive, groaning under the cold lights of the lab. Caitlyn seemed absorbed, meticulously recording her observations as if it were a regular patient, not a monstrous creature.

"What... what are you doing?" Your voice came out broken, almost a whisper, but loud enough for Caitlyn to glance up, her blue eyes meeting yours. There was something in them, a mixture of weariness and determination that unsettled you.

"I'm looking for answers," she said, her tone soft but firm. "If we don't understand the disease, we won't be able to stop it."

"But... experimenting on them like this?" you gestured to the zombie in horror. "This... this isn't right."

"Not right?" Caitlyn set aside her instruments and approached you with a calmness that contrasted with the situation. "What would you do then? Let humanity go extinct while we cling to our morality?"

Her words left you breathless. There was a brutal truth in what she said, but also a line you felt shouldn't be crossed. "I don't know, but this... this doesn't seem like the answer."

"I need time," Caitlyn sighed, her gaze softening slightly. "And understanding. I'm not proud of what I'm doing, but someone has to do it."

Although your initial instinct was to flee from the scene, something in Caitlyn's vulnerability made you stay. "I need help," you finally said, pointing to the wound on your arm. "I was attacked, and I barely managed to escape."

"Come," Caitlyn said, pointing to a cleaner cot on the other side of the room. "Let me help you."

As she tended to you, the silence between you two became heavy, laden with unspoken thoughts. Caitlyn worked with precision, her face showing a mix of concentration and exhaustion.

"Do you always do this alone?" you asked, trying to break the ice, your eyes fixed on hers as she stitched your wound.

"Yes," she replied without looking up. "Most people don't understand what it takes to survive in this world. They prefer to judge from afar."

"I'm not judging you," you clarified, though part of you still struggled with what you had seen. "But... maybe you need to remember why you're doing this. Not just to stop the virus, but to save what's left of us."

Caitlyn paused, her hands still holding the needle. She looked at you with an intensity that made you shiver. "And you? Why do you fight to survive?"

"Because I believe there's still something worth fighting for," you answered honestly. "And because I think if we forget that, we become them."

There was a long silence before Caitlyn resumed working on your wound, but this time her touch was softer, almost as if she were reconsidering her own actions.

From that day on, a fragile connection began to form between the two of you. Caitlyn remained the distant scientist, but in your conversations, you saw glimpses of the woman she once was—someone who had lost as much as you but still fought to find a purpose. You became her constant reminder that science and humanity were not mutually exclusive.

"Thank you for staying," she said one night, when the experiments had ceased and the shelter was calm. "Sometimes, even I need to remember there's something beyond these walls."

"There's always something more, Caitlyn," you smiled, touching her hand gently. "And you deserve it too."

And so, amidst the darkness, feelings began to emerge that neither of them had expected, a bond that promised not only a cure for the world but also for their broken souls.

Jayce

The ruined city was shrouded in a deathly silence, broken only by the occasional crunch of debris beneath your feet. You had been wandering for hours, searching for supplies in an area that had been abandoned since the outbreak began. The air was heavy with dust and desperation, but your instincts guided you, as if something else was calling you.

Turning a corner, you found yourself facing a half-collapsed building, but through one of its broken windows, a faint light filtered through. Curiosity and the need to survive pushed you inside. As you crossed the threshold, the sounds of an improvised laboratory reached your ears: the hum of machines, the clinking of glass vials, and a soft murmur.

Cautiously, you ventured further into the interior until you saw a man with light brown hair, clad in a lab coat, working frantically among various homemade devices. His concentration was so intense that he didn’t notice your presence until you stepped on a loose piece of metal.

"Who's there?" His voice was firm, though tinged with a slight tension. He quickly turned, and his eyes met yours. There was something in his gaze, a mix of distrust and exhaustion.

"Sorry," you raised your hands, showing that you were unarmed. "I didn't mean to scare you. I was just looking for supplies and saw the light. I didn't know anyone was here."

Jayce narrowed his eyes, evaluating you. "This place isn't safe. What are you doing here alone?"

"Surviving," you answered honestly. "Like everyone else. But it seems like you’re doing more than just surviving." Your eyes scanned the makeshift laboratory. "What is all this?"

Jayce hesitated for a moment before speaking. "It's... an attempt to correct a mistake. I'm looking for a cure for this damn virus."

Your eyebrows rose, impressed by his confession. "A cure? Do you really think it's possible?"

"It's all I have left," he sighed, returning to his instruments. "I can't afford to doubt."

You moved closer, watching his hands as he mixed compounds and adjusted rudimentary microscopes. "Can I help? I'm not a scientist, but I have some medical knowledge. And a lot of desire to make this work."

Jayce looked at you again, this time with a spark of hope in his eyes. "Why would you want to help me? You don’t even know if this is possible."

"Because if there’s a chance, no matter how small, it's worth trying," you replied firmly. "Besides, I don't have much to lose."

A small smile crossed Jayce's lips. "Alright. But if you stay, it'll be on my terms. This isn't a game."

"Understood," you nodded, sitting down in a nearby chair. "Where do we start?"

Days turned into weeks, and what started as a simple collaboration turned into an inseparable partnership. Jayce, always focused and methodical, found in you a companion who not only shared his determination but also reminded him of the humanity behind the science.

There were nights when frustration consumed him, when the experiments failed, and hope faded like smoke. During those moments, you were there, offering him comfort in words and actions, reminding him that he wasn’t alone in his mission.

"Jayce, you can't do this alone," you told him one night, as he sank into his chair, exhausted and defeated. "You have to let someone else share that burden."

He looked up, his tired eyes meeting yours. "I don't know if I can," he admitted. "I've made mistakes before. I don’t want to drag you into my failures."

"This isn’t just your fight," you said, taking his hand in yours. "If we're going to save this world, we’ll do it together."

Jayce gently squeezed your hand, allowing a warmth he had been repressing to seep into his heart. "Thank you," he murmured. "For staying. For believing in me."

"Always," you smiled, drawing closer, your proximity a balm for his restless soul. "You’re not alone, Jayce. And you never will be as long as I’m here."

That night, something changed between you. Science and the search for a cure were no longer the only things that united you. A deeper connection had begun, a bond that grew with every challenge overcome together, with every moment of vulnerability shared.

And so, amidst the chaos and desolation, hope no longer existed solely in Jayce's test tubes but also in the love that blossomed between you both, a cure as essential as the one you were searching for for the world.

Ekko

The night fell heavily over the ruined city, the shadows stretched long between the rubble, and the distant echoes of the infected resonated through the desolate streets. You moved cautiously, your eyes scanning every corner in search of a safe place to take refuge. You had heard rumors of a nearby shelter, but getting there would be nearly impossible without help.

The sound of a metallic click and a blue flash caught your attention from a dark corner. You approached silently, your steps light on the debris. Turning the corner, you saw a young man focused on a holographic screen, his fingers moving with astonishing speed as he hacked into a control system. His white hair shimmered under the dim light, and his face was furrowed in a mix of concentration and frustration.

"Trouble with the system?" you asked, breaking the silence.

Ekko jumped, quickly spinning toward you, his hand flying to a device on his belt. "Who are you? How did you find me?" His voice was filled with distrust.

"Easy," you raised your hands in a peace gesture. "I'm just another survivor, looking for shelter. I saw the light and thought you might help me."

He squinted, scanning you quickly. "I don't need distractions. This is delicate and complicated."

"I'm good with complicated," you replied with a slight smile. "I can help, if you let me."

Ekko hesitated for a moment, his gaze darkened by distrust. But something in your expression, in the determination of your eyes, made him reconsider. "What do you know about zombie control systems?"

"Enough to know you need someone to cover your back while you work," you said, stepping closer. "Besides, it doesn’t seem like you're in a position to turn down help."

He snorted, turning his attention back to the screen. "Fine, but don’t get in my way. This is harder than it looks."

You positioned yourself beside him, watching how his fingers flew over the controls. "Are you trying to access the shelter?"

"Yeah," he muttered, his concentration returning to the task. "If I can hack this system, we could gain access to a safe place. But it's protected by layers of security that... well, they're a headache."

"Let me take a look," you leaned closer to the screen, your fingers brushing against his. "I can help with that."

The days that followed were filled with long hours of work, where you and Ekko collaborated closely, sharing technical knowledge and survival strategies. Every time he wavered under pressure, you were there to offer him a steady hand, a word of encouragement.

One night, as you worked in silence, Ekko spoke, his voice low and filled with guilt. "All of this... the virus... it's my fault."

You looked at him, surprised by his confession. "What do you mean?"

"I was part of an experiment that went wrong," he admitted, his eyes fixed on the screen. "I thought I was helping, but I only made things worse."

You stepped closer, taking his hand in yours. "Ekko, we all make mistakes. But you're doing everything you can to fix it. That's what matters."

He looked at you, his eyes reflecting a mix of vulnerability and gratitude. "You... you see something good in me, despite everything."

"Because there is," you said softly. "And I won't let you drown in guilt. We'll get through this together."

That night, as the world continued to crumble around them, a spark of hope and something deeper began to blossom between you two, a bond that would be as strong as the mission you shared.

Silco

The smell of mold and decay filled the air of the abandoned casino as you moved cautiously, your breath controlled and your senses on high alert. The echo of your footsteps resonated in the silence, broken only by the faint hum of a slot machine that, miraculously, was still working. Your goal was clear: find supplies and get out of there before the place became your tomb.

However, fate had other plans.

"What’s a fascinating creature like you doing in a place like this?" The voice came from the shadows, velvet and dangerous. Your body tensed instantly, spinning on your heels with your hand ready to reach for your weapon.

From the threshold of an old VIP room, a man emerged, his slender figure and sharp gaze striking you immediately. His elegant demeanor, despite the surroundings, and his green-blue eyes trapped you at once. You didn’t know who he was, but his presence carried a weight you couldn’t ignore.

"Looking for luck?" The man raised an eyebrow, his thin, calculating smile evident.

"I don’t believe in luck," you responded firmly, keeping your guard up. "Only in what I can take for myself."

"An interesting philosophy," he murmured, stepping closer with slow steps, his presence dominating the room. "But here, everything has a price."

"I don’t have time for games." You kept your voice steady, trying not to show the slight tremor in your fingers as he stopped a few meters away from you.

"Games?" The man’s laugh was low, almost a whisper. "There are no games, only transactions. And you, it seems, aren’t willing to lose."

"The same could be said about you," you challenged, holding his gaze. "What are you after?"

For a moment, the silence between you two stretched, heavy with tension. The man tilted his head as if deciding whether to reveal more or continue his game. Finally, he spoke, his tone serious and measured.

"The same as you," he said, his voice deep. "Survive."

"And manipulate," you added, not missing a beat.

The man laughed again, but this time, there was something different in his laugh, something you couldn’t quite decipher. "Maybe," he admitted, with a frankness that unsettled you. "But don’t we all manipulate in our own way to get what we want?"

"Not everyone sells their soul in the process," you retorted.

"Ah," he took another step closer, almost touching you. "And you, what would you be willing to do to survive?"

His words hung in the air like a challenge, and for the first time, you noticed the faint shadow of something beyond his cold facade: curiosity. This man, the manipulator, seemed genuinely interested in you, not just as a pawn in his game, but as someone who could be just like him.

"Whatever it takes," you said, not backing down. "But never at the cost of my humanity."

The man looked at you for a long moment, as if committing every word to memory. Finally, he took a step back, his lips curling into an enigmatic smile.

"Then perhaps we can find a common purpose," he offered, his tone softer, almost... inviting?

The relationship that began that night was a constant dance between power and vulnerability. Silco, accustomed to manipulating and controlling, found himself intrigued by your resistance, by your ability to see beyond his calculating facade. And you, despite your reservations, couldn’t help but feel drawn to the enigma that was Silco, to the intensity with which he challenged you and made you question your own limits.

Over time, the barriers between you both began to crumble, revealing a bond that you both had denied for a long time. Silco, the man who seemed unbreakable, showed moments of humanity that only you could see. And you, the woman who swore never to compromise her morals, found in him a reason to reconsider where survival ended and true life began.

Mel

The silence in the field was oppressive, broken only by the crunch of leaves under your boots as you approached the isolated house on the outskirts of the city. You had heard rumors about this place, of a woman who lived there, far from others, taking care of something... or someone. You needed shelter and, perhaps, answers.

The house was old but well-maintained, a sign that, despite the circumstances, whoever lived there kept up an appearance of normalcy. You approached slowly, with the distrust that had become your second nature. You knocked on the door, hoping someone would answer, or that the echo inside would confirm the place was empty.

The door creaked open, and there she was: Mel. Her beauty was ethereal, almost as if she didn’t belong to this desolate world. Her eyes, however, were another story, filled with a pain you recognized instantly.

"What are you doing here?" Her voice was soft but had an edge that made you hesitate before answering.

"I’m looking for a safe place," you said, keeping your hands visible to show you weren’t a threat. "I just need to rest for a while and move on."

Mel studied you for a moment, her eyes searching for something in your expression. "No one comes here by accident," she murmured, almost to herself. "Come in."

The inside of the house was warm, a contradiction to the cold you felt in your chest. Mel led you to the living room, where the fire flickered weakly. The house was decorated with little keepsakes, photos of better times. However, a door at the end of the hallway was locked, and your instinct told you that was where the real reason for her isolation lay.

"Why are you here, really?" Mel sat down in front of you, her hands folded in her lap, but her eyes still filled with caution.

"I didn’t want to stay in the city. There’s... there’s nothing there for me." You averted your gaze, unable to hold hers for long. "I lost my family."

The tension in the room thickened, and for a moment, Mel seemed to wrestle internally. Finally, she sighed and offered you a cup of tea. "I’ve lost things too... important things."

The conversation halted, but in that silence, something began to form. An unspoken understanding between two broken people in the same world.

Days passed, and during that time, you noticed that Mel would disappear for hours, always returning with a distant expression. You didn’t want to press, but curiosity, mixed with concern, was a potent combination.

Finally, one night, when the moon was high, you got up and followed Mel. You found her in that locked room, the door slightly ajar now. Inside, you saw a child... or what was left of one. His skin was pale, his eyes hollow, but he still moved, still responded to Mel.

"He shouldn’t be here," Mel whispered, noticing your presence. "But I can’t let him go. He’s all I have left."

"I don’t judge him," you said, moving closer slowly. "I just wanted to understand."

"Understand what?" Mel turned to you, her eyes filled with tears. "How can a mother hold on to something that’s no longer her child? How can I live with this lie?"

"Because you love," you answered, your voice soft, almost a whisper. "And love isn’t always logical."

That was the moment everything changed. Mel began to open up more, sharing not only her pain but also her hopes, her fears. And in those moments, you became someone special to her, someone who didn’t judge her, who saw her as a woman fighting to keep a spark of her humanity alive.

The relationship between the two of you grew amidst the ruin, with each day bringing you closer, with each confession building a bridge of trust and understanding. In a world where everything was lost, you had found something new in each other: a reason to keep going.

Sevika

The sound of gunshots echoed through the ruins, blending with the screams and chaos around you. You were running, your feet frantic on the gray ground, the air thick with the dust rising from the collapsed structures. Your refuge had been attacked, and just as you found yourself trapped, a shadow intervened between you and the danger.

The woman who rescued you was unlike the others. Her presence was imposing, an echo of strength and determination. Her face was marked by scars, not only physical but emotional as well. Desperation was palpable in her eyes, but also a kind of warm darkness, as if she had long since given up on the light. You didn't say anything when her firm hands lifted you and dragged you to a safer place. The warmth of her body, the tension in her posture, all spoke of a heavy past, battles fought long before the one you'd just faced.

"Are you okay?" Sevika's voice was deep, sharp, but there was something in her tone that, though distant, made you feel like you weren't alone.

"Yes," you responded, though the fear still gripped your chest. "Thank you."

"It's nothing. Not the first time I've done this." Her intense gaze scanned the area before settling back on you. "Why do you keep fighting? There's no hope here."

Your eyes met, and for a moment, the world around you faded away. The question she asked, so simple and direct, struck a deep chord. Sevika wasn't expecting an answer, but in that moment, you felt the need to share the truth.

"Because I believe there's still something worth fighting for," you said, each word full of conviction. "People can be better, even in a broken world."

Sevika looked at you for a long moment, as if your words were a puzzle she was trying to solve. For a brief instant, her disbelief showed, and a bitter smile formed on her lips.

"That's what sets us apart, you see? I don't believe in those people anymore. Humanity is lost. There's no redemption."

Her words were like a dagger thrown without remorse, but something in her tone suggested that, perhaps deep down, she still wanted to believe it. She wanted it as much as you did.

Time passed, and although at first her presence was a kind of protective shadow, your own faith in the good of people began to penetrate the hardness of Sevika. Day by day, you realized that beneath that layer of disillusionment, there was something more. When the battle finally ended and the calm seemed to settle in the camp you'd managed to find shelter in, Sevika began to share fragments of herself. Her gaze was no longer as cold when she looked at you; she even let out a low laugh when, with your unwavering optimism, you insisted that the world could still have a chance.

"You’re going to end up killing me with all this hope," she joked one day, as you walked through the ruins of what once had been a vibrant city.

"I’d do it gladly," you replied, smiling. "If it meant you’d ever see that there’s more to this world than just survival."

And it was in those small interactions, in that resistance to disillusionment, where something more began to grow between you. Sevika started to depend on you, though she never said it aloud. Perhaps she didn’t understand how, but she felt that your presence was the only reminder of something she had lost long ago: the belief that even the most broken could find purpose, a path.

One night, after a long day, you sat next to her, watching the fallen stars that adorned the sky. The softness of the moonlight illuminated her face, and for a moment, you could see something beyond the woman hardened by life. She, who had never shown vulnerability, slowly turned toward you, her voice barely a whisper.

"I don’t understand why you follow me, I don’t understand why you haven’t walked away. What I do... what I am... isn’t something someone like you should stay for."

Your hand touched hers, without thinking. "Because I believe in you, Sevika. And I don’t care what you’ve done, what you’ve lost. The only thing that matters to me is what you choose to do now."

There was a long silence, but not an uncomfortable one. Sevika didn’t answer right away, but something in her expression changed. Somewhere inside, she began to accept what she hadn’t been able to believe before: that maybe, just maybe, humanity wasn’t as lost as she thought. And perhaps, just perhaps, there was something in her worth saving.

From that moment, the barriers between you began to crumble, though Sevika would never stop being who she was. She was a woman who had lost much, but also someone capable of changing, even if only in small doses. And you, with your unshakable faith, continued to be her refuge, her contradiction, the reminder that maybe hope hadn’t entirely disappeared after all.

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nhaaauyen · 6 months ago

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⋆ ˚｡ ⋆୨ The Ghost of You ୧⋆ ˚｡ ⋆

"This thou perceiv'st, which makes thy love more strong // To love that well which thou must leave ere long." -William Shakespeare (Sonnet 73)

PART I: HEAVEN KNOWS

zombie apocalypse sevika x reader au!: sevika was the super soldier; a killing machine driven solely by survival. you were nomadic, constantly searching for something in whatever was left of the world—till you met her.

series masterpost: part II // part III // part IV // part V

wc: 4.7k cw: guns, brief descriptions of violence author's note: ty @mirconreadzztuff22 for being my arcane encyclopedia!! This is gonna be a seven part series so buckle up!!!

You blink awake, the world slowly coming into focus as a cacophony of muffled sounds pierces your slumber. Squinting one eye open, you’re able to see shadowy figures dragging your companions away, their struggles futile against the intruders' iron grips. Your heart races, but instinct kicks in. You remain still, feigning sleep, as footsteps approach.

Someone looms over you - in the dim light filtering through the drugstore's grimy windows, you catch a glimpse of her scarred face and steely gaze. As she reaches for you, adrenaline surges through your veins. In a flash, you slam into her, catching her off guard.

For a split second, you had the upper hand - but it's short-lived. The woman recovers with lightning speed, her combat skills levels way above yours. She easily corners you against the cold, dusty shelves, her knife finding its way to your throat. The blade's edge kisses your skin, a thin line of warmth trickling down your neck.

"Move any further, and I can end this now." she growls, her breath hot against your ear.

You raise your hands in surrender, and she roughly drags you to join the others. You're thrust into the main area, forced to your knees alongside Vander, Vi, Caitlyn, and Powder. The scene before you is horrifying - Through the front window, you see a horde of walkers slamming against the glass. Their decaying faces press against the surface, leaving smears of rot and congealed blood.

At the fore stood the woman who captured you, her gang forming a menacing circle around your group. You noted how tall and muscular she was, her dark skin gleaming with a thin sheen of sweat in the dim light. A red shawl draped over her left side, obscuring her arm and shoulder. Her short, styled hair framed a face set in stern lines, but her eyes, they sparkled with something dangerous, almost predatory.

The woman’s gaze swept over your group, lingering on each face before settling on yours. "Looks like we've got ourselves some lost lambs," she drawled, her voice a low, smoky rasp.

You felt Vi tense beside you, her fists clenching. On your other side, Caitlyn's fingers twitched near her now empty holster. Powder, uncharacteristically quiet, had her gaze fixed on the panels with the undead clawing their bloody fingers at.

The air crackled with tension as Vander spoke. "We're just passing through, we don’t mean to cause any trouble."

"Do you know whose territory you're in?" she demands, her voice cutting through the moans of the undead outside.

"No… but we weren’t going to settle here, let us go and we’ll get out of your hair."

The woman's laugh is harsh and devoid of humor. "I don't care," she sneers. Her eyes scan the ransacked shelves of the drugstore. "What I care about is where the remaining medications are. Hand them over."

Your throat tightens. You know exactly where they are – hidden in your pack. "I have them."

Her gaze locks on you. "Hand them over."

"Why should I?"

In an instant, she's in your face, so close you can see the flecks of amber in her dark eyes. Her scarred lip curls into a snarl. "Because you don't want to know what happens if you don't."

Your mind races, torn between protecting your group's precious resources and avoiding the wrath of this formidable woman and her gang. Would she really let you go if you acquiesced?

The tense standoff is suddenly interrupted by a burst of static. One of the woman's group members fumbles with a radio clipped to their belt. A male voice crackles through, urgent and clear.

"Sevika, the store's surrounded now. Get out before dark hits. Over."

The tall woman - Sevika, you now know - snatches the radio. "Copy that," she replies tersely, her eyes never leaving your group.

With a sharp whistle, her group springs into action. They wordlessly pack supplies, secure weapons, and prepare for evacuation. The efficiency is impressive, and you can't help but admire their coordination even when you had two of them keep their guns trained on your group.

“What about us?"

Sevika's lip curls in amusement. "What about you?"

"Are you going to let us go?" Vander presses, his voice steady despite the circumstances.

"Sure," Sevika drawls, then points directly at you. "After she gives me the meds."

"What? How the hell are we going to get out of here ourselves?" Vi protested.

Sevika's response is cold and indifferent. "If you want to get out that bad, do it yourself."

You watch Vander's mind work, always strategizing. "You have a base, it’s obviously well-supplied based on the amount of weapons and people you have. Take us with you, we can fight and help."

Sevika scoffs. "Now, why would I do that? You're lucky enough I'm letting you go alive."

Someone in her group chimes in with a smirk, "If they can get out alive." Snickers ripple through the gang, and your stomach turns at their callousness.

As Sevika's group continues packing, she allows your group to stand. You seize the moment, stepping forward. "I've got EMT training. I know how to use the medications I took."

Sevika dismisses you with a wave. "No thanks. We've already got a doctor."

"More help wouldn't hurt."

Her patience wearing thin, Sevika snaps, "I'm not picking up strays, especially ones so easy to put down."

You step closer, your face inches from hers despite the notable height difference between you two. "We were easy to capture because we were sleeping. That's a coward's move."

One of Sevika's people moves to intervene, but she halts them with a raised hand. Her eyes lock with yours, and to your surprise, her scowl turns into a smirk.

"Okay," she says, her voice low and challenging. "Prove to me right now that you can survive. However many survive, we'll take them in. But anyone left behind, I'm not coming back for. You're responsible for this."

Vander nods grimly. "Fine with us."

The moans of the undead grow louder outside. While Sevika's group finishes their preparations, your group hurries to gather what few possessions you have.

Vi angrily stuffs clothes into her backpack. "This is bullshit," she hisses. "We can take 'em. I say we fight our way out."

Caitlyn shakes her head. "That's suicide, Vi. They outnumber and outgun us."

You kneel beside Powder, helping her gather her collection of odds and ends - Her hands shake slightly as she works.

"It'll be okay, Powder," you whisper, giving her a reassuring smile. "We'll stick together, just like always."

Powder's eyes dart nervously between you and the others. "But what if they separate us? What if-"

"Shh," you soothe, squeezing her shoulder gently. "We won't let that happen."

Vander's deep voice cuts through the murmurs. "Enough," he says firmly but quietly. "I know none of us like this, but we're out of options. We can't keep running forever."

Vi whirls on him, eyes flashing. "So we're just gonna roll over and let them take us? After everything we've been through?"

Caitlyn places a calming hand on Vi's arm. "Vander's right, Vi. We're exhausted, low on supplies. This might be our only chance at something better."

You stand up, looking around at your makeshift family. "Maybe this is an opportunity. We don't know what their community is like but it could be a chance for a real home."

Vi scoffs, but there's a flicker of hope in her eyes that she quickly tries to hide. "Yeah, right. And I'm sure they invited us out of the kindness of their hearts."

Vander steps into the middle of the group, his duffle bag slung over his shoulder. "Listen to me," he says. "I don't trust them any more than you do. But right now, we need to play along. Stay alert, watch each other's backs, and be ready for anything. We're stronger together, remember that."

There's a moment of silence as his words sink in. Then, one by one, you all nod in agreement.

As you finish packing, you catch Sevika watching you, that same unreadable expression on her face.

"Alright, time's up," Sevika calls out. "Let's move."

The moans of the undead grew louder outside, time was running out. With one last look at each other, your group falls in line behind Sevika's squad.

Sevika's group snap into formation, they move with a fluid precision that speaks of countless drills and shared experiences. Sevika stands at the center, her scarred face set in grim determination as she outlines the plan to her team. You edge closer, straining to hear every word.

"Listen up," Sevika's voice cuts through the air. "Dustin, you're the distraction. When I give the signal, toss the radio into the parking lot. That should draw most of the horde away."

"Margot, Ran, Renni take position at the rear, pick off any stragglers that get too close. Conserve ammo, make every shot count. Finn, you’ll lead - make sure everyone is accounted for, then go, don’t wait for us."

"The rest of you, we're on supply duty. Grab everything you can carry, and prioritize non-perishables." Sevika's eyes sweep over her team, then land on your group. "I'll be keeping an eye on our new 'friends'."

As the plan springs into action, adrenaline courses through your veins. You dash to your pickup truck, sliding into the driver's seat. Powder hops in beside you, her eyes wild with excitement. In the rearview mirror, you see Caitlyn and Vi taking up defensive positions in the truck bed, their guns at the ready. Vander moves with surprising agility for his size, efficiently loading supplies.

You hear hard rock playing from the blaring radio that Dustin hurls into the parking lot. The walkers' heads swivel towards the noise, their groans intensifying as they shamble after it.

Gunshots crack the air as Sevika's shooters pick off the walkers that didn't fall for the distraction. You grip the steering wheel tighter, ready to peel out at a moment's notice.

Sevika appears at your window. "Ready to prove your worth?" she challenges, eyebrow raised.

You’re about to respond when a voice from above steals your attention.

"Sevika!"

All heads turn to the roof. A kid stands there, panic evident on his face. Sevika's eyes widened in disbelief.

"What the fuck? They forgot Ekko?" she snarls, livid at the oversight.

The momentary distraction costs you. Walkers, drawn by the commotion, shamble towards your truck. Only one corner of the store remains clear, but it's too far for Ekko to reach safely.

Your mind races, and adrenaline sharpens your focus. "I know how to drift," you blurt out. "If you guys can clear as many walkers as possible near that open corner, I can whip the car close enough for him to jump down."

Sevika eyes you skeptically. "You have an interesting set of skills… you’re confident you can get us close enough?"

"I can do it in my sleep. So, are we doing this?" you ask.

She nods curtly. "Fine. But don't get tempted to fling me out of the car."

"I wouldn't dream of it."

Sevika barks orders into her radio, relaying the plan to Ekko. The air fills with gunfire as both groups focus on clearing a path. You rev the engine, calculating angles and timing in your head.

"Hold on!" you shout, then slam the accelerator.

The truck lurches forward, tires screeching. You weave through the thinning walkers horde, your heart pounding in your ears. As you approach the corner, you crank the wheel hard, initiating a perfect drift. The world blurs around you as the truck slides sideways, stopping just beneath Ekko's position.

"Now!" Sevika roars.

Ekko leaps, landing with a thud in the truck bed. You don't wait for confirmation, immediately spinning the wheel to face the exit. In the passenger seat, Powder whoops with glee, while gunfire erupts from behind as Caitlyn and Vi pick off any pursuing undead.

A sharp tap on your window startles you from your laser focus on the road. You roll it down, coming face to face with Sevika's intense gaze.

"Need some directions?" she asks, a hint of amusement in her voice.

Heat rushes to your cheeks as you realize you've been blindly following the road away from the store. "Uh, yeah. That'd be great," you manage, trying to mask your embarrassment.

As you follow Sevika's directions, a sight on the horizon makes your jaw drop. A gated community looms in the distance, its high walls painted with the word “Zaun” on it represent safety you haven't seen in years. Suddenly, the organized efficiency of Sevika's group makes perfect sense. This is nothing like the ramshackle shelters you've cobbled together over the years.

The convoy of trucks comes to a halt in front of the gates. You expect them to open, but Sevika raises her fist. Your brow furrows in confusion, but before you can ask, she's out of the truck, moving with predatory grace toward the other vehicles.

She stops at one truck, yanking the door open with such force you're surprised it doesn't come off its hinges. In one fluid motion, she drags out the man who was supposed to be in charge in her absence earlier, Finn, and slams him against the side of the vehicle.

"You coward," Sevika snarls, her voice dripping with contempt. "You're a disgrace to this group."

You're transfixed by the sheer intensity of her anger, the way she towers over Finn despite not being much taller. Then you see it - movement in your peripheral vision. A walker, stumbling closer to Sevika's unprotected back. Your heart leaps into your throat, panic flooding your system.

"Sevika!" you try to shout, but it comes out as a strangled whisper. Ekko's grip on your arm tightens, holding you back.

"Don't." he warns, but you barely hear him roaring in your ears.

Your mind races, unable to comprehend why no one is reacting. The walkers are mere feet away now. You struggle against Ekko's grasp, every fiber of your being screaming to do something, anything.

The walkers' rotting hands reach out, inches from Sevika's shoulder. Time seems to slow down. You're about to break free, to hell with the consequences, when-

CRACK!

The walkers crumples, a clean hole through its skull. The bullet whistled so close to Sevika you swear it must have grazed her.

But Sevika doesn't even flinch.

"You're pathetic," she spits, her eyes boring into the man.

And suddenly, it clicks. The walker was never going to be a threat, but Finn was going to let the walker get her. That decision was a huge fucking mistake.

Before she let go, he leaned in to whisper something imperceptible but it had enough effect that she practically threw him onto the ground in response.

The gates begin to open, and as Sevika strides back to your truck, you can't help but feel a mix of admiration and fear. The woman before you was no ordinary one, she was willing to put her life on the line to protect her people and weed out the weak links.

Sevika slid back into the seat next to you, her eyes meeting yours. You feel exposed, like she can see right through you. There's a challenge there, a silent question: Do you know what you’re getting into?

You swallow hard, gripping the steering wheel tighter.

As you drive through the gate, you couldn’t conceal your awe. The scene before you is like stepping into a different world - one untouched by the horrors of the apocalypse you've grown accustomed to.

Neat rows of houses line well-maintained streets. Lush gardens and small farms dot the landscape, bursting with life and color. People - actual living, breathing people - stroll along sidewalks, chatting and going about their day as if the world outside these walls hasn't ended.

You count maybe 15-20 houses in total, but the sheer number of people you see is staggering. There are more living souls in this one community than you've encountered in years of scavenging and surviving.

Sevika directs you to a parking spot, and as you're climbing out of the truck, a woman approaches. She's tall and dressed in a neat uniform, with short-cropped gray hair and a face etched with the kind of hardness that comes from years of survival. Her sharp eyes remind you of a hawk's.

"How much longer were you gonna keep talking before you let me shoot?" she asks Sevika, a hint of amusement in her gruff voice.

"As long as it takes to make my point, Grayson." Then, gesturing to your group, she adds, "I picked up some strays today. Oh, and a spot just opened on my team, by the way. If anyone in your group wants to switch sides..."

"Enough of stealing my patrol, Vika." For the first time, you see Sevika truly laugh. You notice her tooth gap, she looks almost carefree.

“Well, looks like you survived,” Sevika says, turning to your group.

“You could say that with a bit more enthusiasm next time.”

There’s a ghost of a smile on her lips at your quip. “It’s your turn to uphold your end of the bargain now.” She puts out her hand.

You retrieve the bag you stuffed under the seat, it rattles with the pills as you hand it over. Without even a goodbye or thank you, she turns to leave, and you watch as her group immediately follows suit.

Grayson gives you a once-over, then nods. "Alright, let's give you the grand tour."

The houses were luxurious and belonged to a class you never knew. Some have solar panels on the roofs, explaining the electricity you can see being used. There's a central square with what looks like a communal dining area. The smell of cooking food makes your mouth water - real, fresh food, not the canned goods and stale rations you're used to.

You pass by a building that Grayson identifies as the infirmary. Through the window, you can see shelves stocked with medical supplies. It's more medicine in one place than you've seen since the world fell apart. You notice guard towers strategically placed along the walls - despite the idyllic appearance, it's clear this place is well-defended.

"I've got a meeting to attend but Ekko here will take care of you, though I do hope that we will meet again - my patrol squad is always looking for new members." With that, Grayson strides away, leaving you all trying to take in the scenery.

"Come on, let's get you settled in! Sky will get you guys all sorted out." Ekko waved at your group to follow.

He leads you through the streets, and you can't help but marvel at the sense of normalcy. People are going about their daily lives, talking, and laughing. It's like stepping into a memory of the world before.

"Welcome!" Sky says, her voice gentle with a hint of anxiety at the sight of your group - soot ridden and blood stained clothes weren’t the most friendly image. "We got a spare house. It’s not huge, but it should accommodate all of you comfortably."

She hands Vander a set of keys and a small map. Then, with a delicate clearing of her throat, she adds, "If I may suggest... There are showers in your new home. I think you'll find them... refreshing after your journey."

Vi snorts at the polite understatement, while Caitlyn looks slightly embarrassed.

Sky continues, "Once you've had a chance to clean up, Ekko can show you to the pantry. We'll make sure you have enough food to get started."

You can hardly believe what you're hearing. Showers? Fresh food? It seems too good to be true.

As if reading your thoughts, Sky's expression softens. "I know this must be overwhelming. Take your time to settle in. It must be hard adjusting to how it is here, but this place didn’t happen overnight. Everyone here has a part in maintaining things the way it is. "

Ekko nods, gesturing towards the door. "Ready to see your new digs?"

As you follow him out, you exchange glances with your companions. There's hope in their eyes, but also caution. This place seems like a dream come true, but you all knew that nothing was ever permanent.

The moment you step into your new house, chaos erupts. Bags fly everywhere as you all rush to claim spaces. Vi tosses her pack onto a bed, while Caitlyn more carefully sets hers down. You and Powder are a whirlwind of motion, exploring every nook and cranny.

Tears prick your eyes as the reality sinks in. A real home, after so long.

"I call the couch!" Powder shouts, leaping onto it.

Vi raises an eyebrow. "You can have the bed, you know."

"Nope! This is perfect," Powder grins, bouncing slightly.

You all burst into laughter, the sound foreign but welcome after so much hardship. As the laughter dies down, you realize just how hungry you are. Powder’s stomach growls loudly, causing another round of giggles.

"I think that's our cue to hit the pantry," Vi says, standing up and stretching. "Come on, let's see what they've got around here."

At the pantry, you're shoveling food into your mouth, barely pausing to breathe. "I know this is canned, but why is it so good?" you mumble around a mouthful.

Ekko chuckles. "We have fresh fish, vegetables, and fruit too."

Your eyes widen in disbelief just as Sky walks in, Sevika close behind.

"Oh perfect, we were looking for you guys!" Sky says warmly.

Sevika's eyes scan your group. "I see you're settling in already. We’ve got jobs for you."

She starts assigning roles, Vander and Vi in food gathering. Then she turns to you, Caitlyn, and Powder. "You three will be working here in the pantry."

"What? Even after all those 'interesting skills' you said I had?" The words are out before you can stop them, tinged with disbelief and a hint of anger.

"This is a serious job. Making sure everyone gets the right rations is important. Preventing theft, too." Her tone is cocky, almost challenging.

Fury bubbles in your chest. After everything you've been through, all the skills you've developed to survive, you're being relegated to... food inventory? You want to argue, to prove your worth, but the words stick in your throat. You're acutely aware of how precarious your position is here.

Beside you, Caitlyn looks equally stunned. She's an incredible shot, her skills were wasted on this task. But like you, she remains silent.

"Understood," you manage to say, the word tasting bitter. You exchange a glance with Caitlyn, seeing the same resolve in her eyes.

The days blend into one another as you settle into a routine at Zaun. It's surreal, to be able to think beyond mere survival. Conversations here with others touch on memories, hopes, dreams - luxuries you'd almost forgotten existed.

You're lost in thought, mentally cataloging the supplies, when a familiar voice cuts through your concentration.

"Looks like our newest recruits are really getting into the swing of things."

You turn to see Sevika leaning against the doorframe. Her presence fills the small space, making the pantry feel even more cramped than usual.

"Don't you have something more important to do?" you mutter, trying to hide your annoyance. "Like, I don't know, running this whole place?"

Sevika chuckles, pushing off the doorframe and sauntering into the pantry. "Multitasking, sweetheart. I can keep an eye on you and run this place at the same time."

You roll your eyes, returning to your task. But Sevika doesn't leave. Instead, she picks up a can, tossing it from hand to hand.

"You know," she drawls, "when I brought you in, I thought you might be more... useful. Didn't peg you for the grocery store clerk type."

Her words sting more than you'd like to admit, and it was also enraging - how dare she act like it wasn’t her fault you were assigned here in the first place?

"We can't all be badass scavengers," you retort, reaching for a high shelf. Before you can grab it, Sevika's arm extends past yours, easily plucking the item you were struggling to reach.

"Here," she says, handing it to you. Your fingers brush as you take it, and you're struck by the calloused warmth of her hand. You mutter a reluctant thanks, hyper-aware of her proximity.

From the corner of your eye, you notice Caitlyn watching your interaction intently from across the room. Her gaze flicks between you and Sevika, a mix of curiosity and concern in her eyes.

Sevika notices too. She turns to Caitlyn with a raised eyebrow, the casualness in her voice from earlier gone. "Something on your mind?"

Caitlyn quickly averts her gaze, busying herself with her task.

As you reach for another box, Sevika beats you to it, effortlessly lifting the heavy container.

"How do you even have time for this?" you blurt out, frustration and confusion coloring your voice.

Sevika sets the box down, her eyes meeting yours. "I don’t."

The moment stretches between you, fraught with tension. Sevika's typical scowl returns, and she turns to leave. "Try not to burn the place down with your expert can-stacking skills," she throws over her shoulder as she exits.

These encounters with Sevika were becoming more frequent, each one leaving you more uncertain than the last. But the random checkups made sense - you don't trust her, and neither does she.

The pantry job was a way to keep your group in check but it coincidentally became a test of patience as well. Powder flits in and out, her time increasingly spent with Ekko. While part of you was frustrated by her lack of help, a larger part was glad she actually got to enjoy her childhood.

The breaking point comes during an argument with a burly man demanding extra rations.

"Sorry, but rules are rules," you say, trying to keep your voice level. "Take it up with Sevika if you have an issue."

His face reddens. "Screw that, I'll go straight to Silco!"

The name hangs in the air, the mysterious leader of Zaun you've yet to meet. You knew Sevika's role as his right hand, but Silco himself remains an enigma, spoken of in hushed tones.

As the man storms off, you lock eyes with Caitlyn. Without a word, you both know - it's time for a change.

You find Grayson at the tennis courts, an incongruous sight that still makes you do a double-take. She's lounging in a weathered lawn chair, a beer in hand, watching a lackluster game between two residents.

The sun beats down on the cracked concrete court, weeds pushing through the fading lines.

Grayson spots you approaching, her eyes narrowing slightly as she takes a long swig of her beer. "To what do I owe the pleasure?"

You can smell the alcohol on her breath as you draw closer, noting the slight flush on her cheeks. Despite her relaxed posture, there's a sharpness to her gaze that tells you she's far from incapacitated.

"We need to talk," you say. "About our roles here."

"What about them?"

Caitlyn steps forward, her posture straight and confident. "I want to join your patrol team."

You nod, adding, "And I want to join Sevika's scavenging group."

Grayson snorts. "If you want to join Sevika's group, why come to me? Why not ask her yourself?"

You feel your cheeks heat up as the memory resurfaces. "I did..."

Sevika stands before you, arms crossed, that infuriating smirk on her face. You've just finished explaining your request to join her team.

She laughs, the sound both mocking and somehow enticing. "If you can beat me in sparring once, sure." Her eyes rake over you. "But we both know that's not happening anytime soon, pantry girl."

"I need you to train me," you tell Grayson, determination in your voice. "Make me a better fighter. All I did was drive and fix wounds, but I know I can do more."

Grayson's eyes narrow. "How do I know I won't be wasting my time helping you two?"

Before you can respond, Caitlyn moves. In a blink, she's drawn Grayson's pistol from its holster and fired at a beer bottle perched on a table at the end of the court, shattering the bottle.

"Because we have the skills to prove it," Caitlyn says coolly, handing the gun back.

For a moment, there's silence. Then Grayson's face splits into a grin. "Alright, I'm convinced." She stands, stretching. "But today's my day off. I'll see you two at the west watchtower tomorrow morning."

Her expression turns serious. "If you're late, don't bother asking again. Do we have a deal?"

You and Caitlyn share a look.

“Deal.”

#arcane sevika #sevika #sevika imagine #arcane #sevika x reader #sevika x you #grayson arcane #wlw fanfic #zombie apocolypse au #sevika x female reader

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ughigottaheadache · 2 months ago

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Meljayvik nation, how do we feel about a modern mid-apocalypse zombie/virus au?

Featuring:

Jayce stared out at the dark night outside their camp, with how little it was it’d be easy to up and leave at the first sign of trouble. They’d hoped to make it to the air strip before nightfall, but with Viktor’s condition and Mel’s wrist, Jayce was afraid the only way that would be possible is if he left them.

And he wouldn’t do that, couldn’t even fathom it.

Best case scenario, they make it to the private air strip and at the very least the fences keep them safe, early tomorrow.

A small whimper came from behind him, so he glanced, shifting the rifle so he could get a better view. Viktor had undone the dressings on Mel’s wrist, gently treating the cuts that had occurred when it got caught in a trampling, not long ago.

“Are you sure it’s not compartment?” Was hissed between her teeth, her soft face wincing as Viktor, as gingerly as he could, applied disinfectant to her wounds.

“I still suspect it’s only one broken bone, which we should be able to set straight when we finally get to a hospital.”

The unsaid, pessimistic, ‘if we ever got to a hospital’ hangs between them.

What do we think? Throuple against the apocalypse?

#arcane #meljayvik #mel medarda #jayce talis #viktor arcane #Mel arcane #jayce arcane #I have had some concepts of this for the last two days #arcane zombie apocalypse au

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sadiecoocoo · 1 month ago

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Prompt: Make a new post with the names of all the files in your WIP folder, regardless of how non-descriptive or ridiculous. Let people send you an ask with the title that most intrigues them, and then post a little snippet or tell them something about it! And then tag as many people as you like.

Tysm for the tag @whumpedup :) (also would you Mayhaps like to be mutuals?)

I don’t have a lot of arcane WIPs since I’m trying to focus on one thing at a time, but I’ll put WIPs for some of other fandoms too that I’ve been working on recently (I’m sorry to say that many of them won’t be posted/updated for a long time [if ever] if they aren’t arcane)

Arcane

- Hazel, Sweet and Dynamic

- lab break in

Scooby Doo

- apocalypse au

Original writing

- lesbian zombie apocalypse book

Attack on Titan

- the sorrows we drown

- Stay a while

Star Wars

- the shadows are coming

- wrecker is the bestest brother

- show me something we ain’t never seen before

- a vivisection of me

Marvel

- Hawkeye whump

- home away from home

NPT: @moss-tombstone @tiffanyblewss @tenderwatches @electrikworm

#ask game #wips #my wips #arcane #tbb #scooby doo #original writing #aot #avengers earth's mightiest heroes #jlu #wip game

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sunshinesickies · 4 hours ago

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Guys I’ve had this one for weeks I’m so excited to finally share it with you all! Enjoy! 🫶

Feveruary Day 11– “You’re burning up!”— Arcane CaitVi/Violyn high school AU

Caitlyn Kiramman was never one to back down from a challenge, especially if that challenge was provided for her by her own body’s god awful timing. True to her stubborn self, the moment she woke up for school with a pounding headache, a runny nose and a throat that felt like nails every time she swallowed, she ignored every single symptom of her growing cold and made her way to school anyways.

By her second class, she could barely stand it any more, stumbling from the classroom to the bathroom, she braced herself on the sink with one hand, the other holding her handkerchief to her face as she desperately attempted to stifle an incessant fit of itchy sneezes that left her breathless. She glanced up into the mirror, wincing at her miserable looking reflection and furious at her body’s terrible timing of somehow catching whatever bug is going around right now.

Splashing some cool water on her face, she reminded herself that she had multiple tests this afternoon, ones which she’d been studying for all week. She was NOT going to miss them because of a stupid little virus.

She just had to make it through the day. With a slight cough and a final sniff, she stuffed her already damp handkerchief into her pocket, gave herself one last look in the mirror, and ventured back out into the busy halls of the high school.

With her head down, eyes averting the gaze of those in the halls who took doubles takes to look at her disheveled form, Caitlyn shuffled to her next class. Unbeknownst to her, other students were whispering about the fact that their normally immaculate and put together class president, the girl with top grades who never showed any signs of weakness, was currently walking the halls looking like she’d just come out of a zombie apocalypse or something.

Unaware of these glances and whispers, Cait’s heart almost jumped out of her throat when she rounded a corner and looked up, catching a glimpse of electric pink.

Shit.

She’d been so focused on getting through her classes without passing out that she’d forgotten the biggest obstacle. Her girlfriend. If Violet found out she was sick, Caitlyn knew she’d be furious at her for going to school like this. She could already picture Vi’s expression full of soft frustration, a deep concern hidden in her bright silvery blue eyes.

As quickly as her tired body would allow, she spun on her heels, ducked her head even further down and practically ran in the opposite direction. It wasn’t long before she stopped to catch her breath, the sudden burst of exercise sending her into a painful coughing fit which she muffled as best she could from the quiet spot under a staircase that she’d deemed a good hiding spot.

Finally gaining her composure, she slumped down against the wall, letting her back slide until she was sitting on the ground. She squeezed her eyes shut and prayed that Vi hadn’t seen her. She’d looked busy, talking and goofing around with her other friends from football so Cait hoped she didn’t see her.

The good news was that their relationship wasn’t yet known to the rest of the school, just a few close friends, meaning they already don’t spend too much time together at school. To everyone else, the smartest girl in school and the most popular athlete were no more than friends, if anything acquaintances.

So now all Caitlyn had to do was get through the day while avoiding Vi and then she could go home and collapse into her warm cozy bed. It would take a little more effort, but Cait knew Vi’s schedule by heart and where she was likely to be at any given moment.

You can do this, Kiramman. She muttered to herself as she mustered up the energy to pick herself up off the floor. Though no sooner had she finished dusting off her skirt did she hear the soft shuffle of footsteps and a familiar worried voice murmuring her name.

“Cait?” The soothing gentle rasp of her girlfriend’s one word was enough to almost shatter all her defenses as her tired blue eyes met Vi’s concerned gaze. Of course Vi had seen her. Since they weren’t public about their relationship yet, they’d become accustomed to and quite skilled at quick loving glances in the halls, fleeting moments of connections that transcend words. The second the pink haired girl had spotted the deep blue hair engraved in her memory, everything else fell away as she watched in confusion when her girlfriend fled like she’d seen a ghost.

Vi was a vision, leaning against the back of the staircase, a bit of golden sunlight streaming through a small side window, softening the harshness of the school’s fluorescent lights.

“V-vi.” Caitlyn stumbled out, quickly turning around to wipe a few exhausted tears that had trickled down her cheeks. “Wh-what are you doing here?” She tried to sound normal but of course Violet instantly recognized the congestion in her words and the weak rasp of her voice, causing a deeper sense of worry to bubble in her chest. A beat later Cait felt a firm yet gentle hand rest on her shoulder.

“Could ask you the same thing. What’s going on, cupcake?” Vi inquired although she had a pretty good guess.

The impossible tenderness to Vi’s words tugged at Cait’s heart and suddenly she wanted nothing more than to be held in the shorter girl’s strong comforting arms. But she didn’t move, her foggy brain refusing to give up a fight she’d lost the second Vi found her. She felt her girlfriend’s hand squeezing her shoulder now, prompting her to turn around. She did.

“Vi it’s no-nothing, I…I….” Caitlyn took a hurried step back, one hand bracing herself against the wall, the other frantically reaching for her handkerchief as she turned her head away from her girlfriend, an overwhelming burning sensation taking over her senses.

“HnNuhHah’shhscshhooo! Huh-hhetchshhoo! Nnhn…‘tSshhuhhoo!!” She didn’t even have the energy to try and stifle the fit, another sign, Vi noted, of Caitlyn really feeling terrible.

“Bless you, love.” Vi hummed, a little surprised by Cait’s harsh fit as she stepped closer to her girlfriend whose vibrant red nose was buried in the small soaked cloth.

She placed a hand over Caitlyn’s, gently guiding the cloth away from her flushed face before cupping her delicate pink cheek with her palm. The dark haired girl sniffled, looking at Vi’s worried frown, her own expression a mix of exhaustion, embarrassment, and fevered haziness.

Vi’s eyes widened at the amount of heat radiating against her hand. “Shit, Cait. You’re burning up.” She moved her other hand so that both were cradling her girlfriend’s face as she leaned up to kiss her burning forehead. Her soft lips lingered a moment and Caitlyn found herself leaning into Vi’s caring touch, all desire to push through the day melting away under the coolness of the other girl’s skin.

“Why’d you even come in, Cait? You’re in no shape to be anywhere but in bed.” Violet spoke as she studied her girlfriend’s appearance even further.

Caitlyn shrugged slightly, finally realizing how terrible of an idea this was, she really was in no shape to be at school. She couldn’t seem to find the words to express her previous determination, her mind clouding over as she allowed herself to lean forward. Instantly she felt Vi’s arms wrap around her, half hugging her, half holding her up.

“How ‘bout I take you home, cupcake?” She murmured softly into Cait’s ear before pressing a tender kiss to her temple. She couldn’t help but chuckle lightly when her girlfriend’s response was muffled into her shoulder. “What was that babe?” She prompted patiently, pulling back just enough to look into Caitlyn’s tired baby blue eyes.

“I-I cand’t, Vi.” She sniffed against her endlessly runny nose. “I’de got tesdts in all my classes this afternoon….I cand’t….” Just the thought of them made her eyes water with frustration.

“Hey, hey…” Vi kept one hand around her shoulder, moving her other to cup her face once more, thumb brushing a few stray tears from her cheek. “…nothings’ more important that your health. Let me take you home and take care of you. Don’t worry about the tests, I’ll take care of it.” She promised with a comforting smile, letting out a slight sigh of relief when Caitlyn nodded in agreement.

Though she didn’t know how Vi could help for the second part, her confusion was quickly resolved when Vi took out her phone, typed for a minute, then explained that her younger sister, Jinx, the school’s notorious prankster genius, had hacked the school’s computers months ago and that she just excused her from all her classes and accessed extensions on all her work and tests until she was better.

“There.” Vi pocketed her phone and gathered Cait’s bag from the floor (she rarely carried one to school herself, opting to keep everything shoved in her locker). “Ready to go home, cupcake?” She asked, the dark haired girl agreeing before she even finished her sentence.

Vi smiled, effortlessly hooking her arms under her girlfriend’s shivering body as she picked her up and cradled her to her chest. A look of surprised amusement dawned on Cait’s face, but she settled into Vi’s warm arms quickly as her strong arms held her even closer.

Caitlyn tucked her face into Vi’s chest, her eyes fluttering closed as she felt her start walking. “Thank you, darling.” She murmured against her soft shirt. “Of course, love. Now just rest, I’ve got you.” Vi hummed back and Cait’s heart swelled with gratitude for her incredible girlfriend, who looked all tough but was really a bighearted softy. Caitlyn was grateful to be one of the few people who saw this softer side of Vi.

And if any of the other students caught a glimpse of this peculiar sight, their beloved jock cradling the school’s genius in her arms as they walked out in the middle of the day, none of them dared question it, for one look at Vi’s protective glare quickly put an end to their inquiries.

#feveruary #sunshinesickies #fluff #sickfic #vi x caitlyn #caitvi sickfic #caitvi #arcane #violet arcane #caitlyn kiramman #feveruary2025 #high school au #arcane violyn

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