#laura g | Explore Tumblr posts and blogs

tthevoic3s · 8 days ago

Text

From Blood Births Life and Death - Chapter 11

Promised

Word count: 3,026

MASTERPOST

“Woah dude, you look awful.”

Levi’s voice interrupted Andrew’s flow of thoughts, breaking the peaceful silence of the library as he appeared at the entrance, leaning on the doorframe.

Andrew’s head snapped up, and he raised an eyebrow, shooting his brother a glare.

“Thanks for the reminder.” he muttered, voice dripping with sarcasm.

In fact, it wasn’t like after that night Andrew looked the best. He had dark circles under his eyes, and his hair was still messy and disheveled, some strands loosely tied behind and some falling on his forehead. He looked anything but a person who had some proper rest, and his brother took the chance to remind him.

Levi brought his hands up in sign of mock surrender, shrugging lightly.

“Relax, I was just saying,” he replied, his usual grin spread across his face accompanied by a teasing tone in his voice. But then, he took a better view of his brother’s face, his expression shifted.

Andrew stiffened. His hand instinctively shot to the small wound on his left cheek, wincing as he tried to clean the blood away but only smudging it further. He felt a surge of nervousness as he remembered about the small injury.

“Hey, what’s that on your face? Are you… bleeding?”

“It’s… nothing. I’ll be right back,” he said, his tone clipped, and before Levi could even think of another question, he got up from his chair and darted towards the small restroom in the rear of the library. He shut the door behind him, taking a deep breath.

For how much he tried not to overthink it the night before, it didn’t solve much. He just delayed it to the ‘tomorrow’ he wanted to get alive to.

He grabbed a small cloth and started cleaning up the wound as he looked at the mirror.

He twitched again as he brushed it against the freshly torn skin, his eyes snapping close for a second to recoil from the pain, hissing through clenched teeth.

It wasn’t that bad, yet it still stung.

Maybe it was not only the cut.

Everything that happened that night.

The soldier, the shot, the insults, everything.

When he finished, he stayed still, looking at his reflection in the mirror. The cut was something new, like a new accessory. He wasn’t used to see it on his face, but normally a small scar wouldn’t have been a big deal for him. Yet, this one was almost odd to look at on his reflection. He leaned closer, his hands resting on the sink below. He tilted his head slightly, his gaze locked on his own eyes, searching for... what? Redemption? Clarity? He wasn’t sure.

It shouldn’t bother me this much. It’s just a cut. But deep down, he knew it wasn’t the scar itself that disturbed him. It was what it represented. It was like he had a weird perception of himself after what happened. Which was, by all chances, crazy. He felt like he was going crazy. Something that anyone could picture as a minor inconvenience was having that effect on him. He was sure as hell it was only his mind amplifying the matter, like it always used to do. Nobody would have cared about humans, given the fact that they shouldn’t have interacted in the first place. It was just him making it a big deal.

Or at least, he tried to convince himself of such.

Now that he knew Maya wasn’t in trouble, he tried to reassure himself by believing that he wouldn’t have got involved in that human affair again, but still, too many thoughts were lingering in his mind and had no intention to fly away any time soon. Still, the soldier’s terrified gaze stayed impressed in his mind like a vivid picture, and her shouted insults rang in his ears. Having scared her that much made him feel awful. Maybe it was that that came with the scar. What he saw in the mirror was not a new perception he had of himself, but the one she had had. And not only the soldier, maybe. Even Maya, maybe humans in general, with the sole fact that they couldn’t interact with his kind. What did it even mean? It wasn’t like he - or anybody he knew - was dangerous, after all. So being stared at with that kind of pure terror made him not only feel weird, but also doubled his questions.

The soldier’s fear didn’t feel just like an insult; it was casting a reflection of a side of him he didn’t recognize, and didn’t want to acknowledge, no matter if it was true or only the fruit of that soldier’s - or humans’ - ideas.

And I had promised myself I would have stopped overthinking about it.

He cursed under his breath as he stepped away from the mirror, adjusting his shirt collar as to make himself more presentable again.

“Hey, are you okay?” Levi’s voice rang out again, his expression worried. Andrew turned towards the door and nodded, a small smile on his lips trying to hide the nervousness beneath.

“You… don’t come here frequently,” Andrew began, as they made their way to the main hall.

“Well, light day at the market I guess.” Levi replied, leaning on the counter in the centre of the room.

“Thought I’d take the opportunity to pay my favorite little brother a visit.” He said with a smirk, playfully ruffling his already messy hair. Andrew smiled, though it didn’t really reach his eyes.

“No need to thank me anyways,” Levi continued, “Do you ever get out of here? Some fresh air should help you, you know?” He prompted, raising an eyebrow as he scanned Andrew’s figure.

“Help me with what, precisely?” He asked, raising an eyebrow as he shot him a glare.

“I mean, look at you. You look like you haven’t slept in ages. Feeling stressed lately?”

Andrew stiffened at the question. For the first time, he felt like he wanted to open up and explain what was troubling him. Which, again, was crazy. He never told anyone about his problems, not even as a kid. He just learnt to solve them by himself, but now there wasn’t much to solve, or anything he could do anyways. Just wait and see. Despite that, the only thing he wanted to do was to spill the tea. Maybe telling Levi could have helped him for once, but he couldn’t risk it. He didn’t know what was going on, and he couldn’t afford to drag other people into that mess. He didn’t know if Levi would even believe him. And he made a promise, after all.

“Yeah, a bit.” Andrew replied curtly. “You know, work… but everything’s fine, I guess. Nothing’s new.”

Levi crossed his arms over his chest, his head tilting in suspicion.

“You know one thing, little brother?” He started, his voice etched with curiosity. “Since you were a kid, you’ve always been a terrible liar. I’m not even going to ask you how you got that scratch on your face. I’ll save you the fatigue of making something up.”

Andrew’s gaze dropped to the ground, and he bit his lip in frustration.

“Really, it’s fine, Levi.” He replied, his tone dropping low and embarrassed.

Levi never deserved being lied to, he was his brother. It wasn’t fair, but he couldn’t do otherwise.

Levi, in all response, just shrugged and walked over to him.

“Well, if you say so… but if something’s off, you know you can tell me, right?”

Andrew nodded, looking at him in the eyes, a faint smile on his lips. Despite how different they were from each other, Levi tried to bear with Andrew’s excessively reserved attitude ever since they were kids. And, even if he didn’t show it, Andrew appreciated that.

—

At least, Andrew wasn’t the one who felt shaken by the recent incident, if we call it this way.

Now far and hidden from the village, Sadie Howard’s hands kept shaking endlessly as she clutched the neatly folded report of the mission, her polished boots clinking on the metal floor of the base as she made her way to the meeting room. The mission was over, and the General demanded to have a report, as it was obvious to be. What wasn’t obvious was the actual turnout of said mission, and Sadie was the one to know it best. Rather, she was the only one that knew, and could afford, to know it.

Even breathing was difficult, and her best efforts were given to maintain an air of composure when she had to explain - or rather, to lie about - what happened that night.

They couldn’t know she failed. She could not fail. She could not fail.

She had been repeating the same thing over and over, over and over, like a broken record, but it didn’t help her at all. If not, it just made her feel even more detached from reality. The sounds and the voices of the people around her were muffled, muted by the background noise of her thoughts swirling in her mind restlessly.

She gripped the sides of the folder tighter, as to anchor herself a bit, and quickened her pace.

She had worked on the report the whole night, locked herself in the office, with her tears spilling on the computer keyboard. Every detail she had written was carefully chosen to omit the truth of her encounter with Andrew—the panic, the insults, the way she had stumbled through the confrontation and left with more questions than answers. She told herself she had done it to avoid repercussions, to follow protocol. But deep down, she knew there was another reason, one she couldn’t quite admit to herself.

Her usually perfect nails were ruined by constant biting, and she dug them deep into the skin of her palm, almost scratching herself.

They couldn’t know.

It had to be a secret.

Even he had promised, after all. And if he kept that promise, nothing would have changed. Not whatever plans Higgs was working on, not her reputation, not her. Not her.

It had been only an accident, a misstep along the way, nothing irreparable — at least she hoped.

It didn’t define her as a soldier, as a person, as a part of something bigger. It didn’t change her duties, her successes. Her only failure couldn’t outshine her uncountable successes. But, maybe, the fact that bothered her was that it was her only failure. And she couldn’t shake the sensation off. Sadie could almost still feel the weight of his gaze piercing through her body, as if it could shake her from the core.

She took a deep breath and closed her eyes, forcing herself to relax as she reached the hall which preceded the main meeting room.

Not now, Sadie. Concentrate.

She finally pushed the heavy metal door open, straightening her posture as she strode inside.

“Ah, Junior, here you are,” - Higgs’ voice greeted her first, dripping with something close to irony - “Safe and sound.”

Yeah, safe and sound.

Sadie glanced around the meeting room, her eyes scanning figure to figure. Higgs’ broad frame was leaning on the edge of the table, while some soldiers from one of the research units were listening quietly from the side of the room.

She knew them. Erickson unit, they were the best in their field. Friedrich Strauss himself had chosen them, after all. They gave her a condescending glance, some of them directly glared at her. No one wanted to give her concrete attention, but their stares and glance exchanges spoke more than words.

At the end of the table, standing before the large electronic whiteboard’s screen, there was her. Nobody less than Dr. Laura Howard herself, her mother. She met her daughter’s gaze with the same cold, unyielding eyes she always looked at her with since Sadie was a child.

Laura didn’t talk, didn’t greet her, just glanced at her, her eyebrows furrowing, as her daughter made her way inside the meeting room.

“We were right about to start,” Scott continued, now walking towards Laura after snatching the folder from Sadie’s arms.

He ran his fingers through the written papers, his eyes quickly sweeping from one side of the sheet to the other.

“So,” he glanced up to Sadie, raising an eyebrow. “The documents have been found inside the target’s house, but they don’t seem to prove any kind of involvement from him…” he summarised quickly, his tone questioning.

Sadie nodded firmly, trying to maintain her composure, despite the cold sweat dripping on her back.

“But, given the fact there has been no interaction,” the General continued, his tone growing colder, “We have no sure way to know if the subject is actively involved or not.”

“No, sir.” Sadie muttered, her hands clasped behind her back.

“Interesting,”

General Higgs finally closed the folder in front of him with a sharp snap, a thoughtful expression on his face. “Well, Junior,” Higgs began, “your report is clear. No interaction, documents retrieved, successful mission. But I have a question for you.”

Sadie’s throat tightened, but she forced herself to nod. “Yes, sir?”

Higgs leaned forward slightly, his elbows resting on the table.

“This Andrew,” he said, his tone dripping with disdain. “You’re telling me he has no connection to the matter at hand?”

“That’s… correct, sir,” Sadie replied, her voice as steady as she could manage. “There was no indication that he was aware of our operations or the documents in question.”

Higgs’ sharp eyes narrowed, and for a moment, the room felt even colder. “Interesting,” he repeated slowly. “Because from where I’m sitting, this guy sounds like an unnecessary variable. A young, inexperienced giant with too much curiosity for his own good, if you know what I mean.”

Sadie said nothing, her hands clenching tightly in her lap. She could feel the weight of his words pressing down on her, the implication clear.

“Even if he doesn’t know about our plans, he knows about humans, since he interacted with Maya Strauss. Therefore, he’s not just a variable,” Higgs continued, his voice growing colder. “He’s a problem. And problems need to be eliminated.”

The statement hung in the air like a death sentence - well, in a certain sense, it was a death sentence, even if not for her - and Sadie felt her breath catch. Her mind raced, but before she could think, her mouth opened, the words spilling out without permission.

“Sir, I don’t think that’s the best course of action.”

The silence that followed was deafening.

Higgs’ blue eyes locked onto hers, and for a moment, she thought she might have made a fatal mistake. The other soldiers in the room exchanged uneasy glances, but no one dared to speak. Even Laura’s eyes widened, staring at her daughter. She felt like her own world was about to collapse because of those few words she spat without thinking.

“Excuse me, Junior?” Higgs said, his tone dangerously calm.

Sadie straightened in her seat, her heart hammering in her chest. She needed to think about an excuse, or else they would know.

“Eliminating him outright could draw unnecessary attention, sir,” she corrected herself quickly. “If he truly doesn’t know anything, his disappearance might raise suspicion among his community.”

Higgs raised an eyebrow, his expression skeptical, but still willing to listen to her. “And what makes you so sure he doesn’t know anything?”

“I observed him, sir,” Sadie replied, choosing her words carefully. “That was part of the mission. His behavior was consistent with someone uninvolved. He showed no awareness of the documents or their significance.”

Higgs leaned back in his chair, his fingers steepled in front of him. “So you’re suggesting we… keep observing him instead?”

“Yes, sir,” Sadie said, trying to keep her voice calm. “If we monitor his movements, we might gain a better understanding of their society and their level of awareness. It could provide valuable intelligence for the… further plans.”

Higgs stared at her for a moment more, his eyes locked onto hers, with a suspicious expression. Then, he snorted and nodded.

“Makes sense, Junior. But let me make one thing clear. These giants are not a civilization. They’re a nuisance. They occupy land that belongs to us. They contribute nothing to this world, and they have no place in it.”

Sadie clenched her fists under the table, her nails digging into her palms. “Yes, sir,” she said quickly, trying to mask her growing unease.

“I know sir, and I… agree,” she said, her voice losing her initial firmness. “But my point is that… if we act too quickly, we risk exposing our presence. Observing him gives us the advantage. If he does know something, we’ll be able to confirm it. If he doesn’t, we’ve avoided unnecessary risk.”

Higgs stopped pacing and turned to face her, his expression unreadable. “You seem awfully invested in this, Junior,” he said slowly, his tone laced with suspicion. “Why is that?”

Sadie felt a chill run down her spine. He couldn’t know.

“I’m just following protocol, sir,” she said quickly. “Eliminating him without evidence would be reckless.”

Higgs studied her for a long moment, his gaze piercing. “And you’re certain he didn’t see you?” he asked, his voice dangerously calm - and skep.

“Yes, sir,” Sadie lied, her stomach twisting as her mind seemed to rewind the whole failed mission. She felt her heart pulsing further, and for a moment, the words seemed to get stuck in her throat.

“I was careful. I wasn’t seen.”

Higgs’ eyes narrowed, but he finally nodded. “Fine,” he said curtly. “We’ll observe him. I’ll leave this to you and the Erickson unit. - he said, gesturing towards the soldiers standing near them.

“But make no mistake, Junior—if I so much as suspect that he knows anything, I want him gone. Understood?”

“Yes, sir,” Sadie nodded, and looked at her hands clasped together in her lap, fidgeting nervously.

She had lied to Higgs. She had lied to her mother. But the worst part was that she had protected Andrew, however subtly, and she hated herself for it. She couldn’t understand how she managed to care, and, most of all, why.

#g/t #from blood births life and death #oc: andrew #oc: sadie #oc: levi #oc: scott #oc: dr laura howard #g/t ocs #g/t community #g/t art #g/t writing #gt

16 notes · View notes