#styxx anaxkolasi. / int. / octavia blake. / headstrongblake

[myhiraeth]

@headstrongblake sent: GRAB / STYXX AND O Styxxtavia - Specialsverse

Long legs carry her swiftly to the door, but his longer ones catch up quickly, an equally long arm reaching out to encircle her wrist with strong, unyielding fingers. “Octavia, stop.” 

She tried to yank her arm out of his grip. Her enhanced strength would have slingshotted a normal person into a wall. Styxx however remained unfazed, jolting slightly with the force of her tug but his feet remained planted. let GO. 

“No. Not until you calm down.” Her eyes are wild and he’s not surprised. None of the recruits are built to be lab rats- it’s part of the reason they were chosen to be here at all. He knows she wonders- all of the recruits do- why he and Nick and Isidora and the other tributes seem to not be alarmed by the the four walls of the cage they find themselves in. Pretty cages, with outdoor space and calming-colored walls and an ever-full lunchroom…. but cages all the same. The several layers of doors to the outside world don’t open unless you have the right retinal to scan, which none of them do. 

He knows Fox figured out the code that goes with the scanning process months ago, even before they had started getting augmented in small ways- better endurance, stronger muscles, better hearing and eyesight. 

They- those in charge- left their nerve endings in tact though, left the kids' bones brittle and fragile. Styxx (and he’s sure Nick and Isa) have heard horror stories, they know that those in charge will wait until the last second to change how much pain the young adults can take. 

They need to be able to inflict pain to keep them in line. 

Fox found the code, but for lack of plucking out someone’s eye, they had no way to use it. Not that that little piece of logic seemed able to stop Octavia as she struggled to get the last few paces to start beating on the door in an attempt to force it open. He knew it wouldn’t work- whoever built this prison knew the types of monsters they’d be creating in it- they wouldn’t leave vulnerabilites. “You are going to get yourself in trouble, do you hear me?” he hissed. “This isn’t like out there- here trouble isnt a slap on the wrist, its them digging into your head and your memories and figuring out what is going to break you apart the most. And then they do it.” He’s still holding her wrist, tightly enough that she’ll have a bruise for a few days, in the shape of his fingers. 

But better bruised by him than broken by them. 

I am getting the fuck OUT of here. 

He pulled her toward him, close enough that he could lower his voice, close enough that she was practically against his chest and his lips were almost touching her hair. He’s sure they have cameras or mics or something hidden in every crevice of every room and he doesn’t want them hearing. “You will. But you have to be patient, Octavia the Younger. You won’t get out by banging on doors. You get out by playing their rules, letting them sharpen you into a weapon, and letting them walk you right out the door. If you want to get out of here without being in a body bag, that is your only option, do you understand me?” He lets her go and she falls a step back away from him.

Tears brimmed over her lashes, longing to be back with her brother. they’re never going to let us leave, styxx. 

“They will.” There’s nothing but confidence in his tone and it seems to bolster her slightly. “When they’re satisfied.” He pins her with a look. “So show them your teeth, but don’t bite. Point your rage at whatever target they tell you. Play the game, and they’ll willingly let you out.” He doesn’t use the word ‘free’. It’s deliberate. They won’t be free, just out. Of course, if rumors are to be believed, Octavia would have the option to leave, to go off on her own and leave the others, but it will be so much harder for her then, once they’re interconnected, her and whatever unit she ends up in. 

He prays it’s his. She may die anywhere else. 

Her shoulders slump with resignation, and she nods, defeated. He feels his own muscles relaxing the slightest, not enough for a camera to notice. He’s about to speak when she glances up and before his eyes can follow hers, a thin, lithe figure drops from the ceiling at Styxx’s side, warm brown eyes looking to Octavia in disappointment and trust. 

so no escape then? Fox asks. 

Octavia shakes her head, looking to Styxx with the same trust Fox has in her. not yet. biding our time, i guess. 

Fox makes a show of sighing, then shrugs. fine. then i’m hungry. 

“We haven’t missed lunch yet, I’m sure Nicklas and Louis are waiting for you both.” The three turn to move further back into the facility, a large tanned hand on each girl’s back as though to herd them the way of safety. 

[myhiraeth]

not like you knew...

He had to restrain from the urge to physically flinch at the words. He had known, and he'd still brought her into this situation. Acheron had always hated him, since they were kids and he was shipped off to the states while Styxx was pre-pre enlisted for military service.

Styxx didn't blame him for the hate, necessarily. He knew how Ash saw him, knew how Ash in some small bitter corner of his heart, envied him. Why wouldn't he? He never saw the bleeding, the bruises, the yelling, the degradation. He saw only the stoic military teen, cleaned up and dressed up as the perfect heir to their father's legacy. Saw only the successful military man that lead units and gained a reputation that was hard earned.

He didn't see the cracks in the armor, the breaking of bones, of mind, of spirit.

So of course he hated his "golden" brother. He was never allowed close enough to see the gold was spray paint and duct tape.

"I did." He says shortly. He stops, reaching out to stop her too, to make her look at him directly. "I did know he would react that way. I do know the types of people he surrounds himself with. All five of them, they've been his friends for a long time." His eyes are apologetic, but his tone is even. "So I did bring you in knowing the risk, I was just selfish in not telling you because I didn't want to separate. And I'm sorry for that, Octavia."

"You've nothing to thank me for. I put you at risk, of course I would protect you. I hope you would expect nothing less..."

styxx & octavia. | zombie apocalypse universe.

his sad attempt at a smile causes a sharp pang in her heart, an instant desire to somehow change it like when her brother would come home worn out and exhausted from life before he left for the army. “hey styxx…don’t sweat it, i’m fine, you see?” she offered, stopping momentarily to lift her hands to open her unzipped jacket further, showing off her unharmed self with nothing more than some dirt from the scuffle. “besides, it’s not like you knew your brother was going to be a complete ass, or that the riftraft travelling with him were maniacs…” her words trailed off only briefly, lifting her brow as she looks toward styxx. “unless he’s always been that way…”

octavia left her words hanging for a moment, wondering if this were one of those chances that styxx might give her a little insight into his world before everything dissolved into anarchy and chaos. “i’m glad you’re okay too,” she admitted, eyes reflecting the respect she holds for the man who stepped in to assist in her survival when he could have easily left her alone in the art gallery like she demanded him to.

guilt and the residual fear from meeting styxx’s brother war together inside her, but she forces her fear down just like her mother would have expected. emerald hues fell from his features as she spoke, “i didn’t mean for you to have to do that…you know, it’s one thing with those dead walkers, but, um, thanks for protecting me i’m just…sorry that you had to.”

[myhiraeth]

@headstrongblake sent: ❝ i should fucking stab you. ❞ / nicklas @ octavia but in front of styxx cause o took foxie on a run when he was napping cause idk maybe he's sick, zombie

“ Nick, stop, you should be resting- ” Fox has slipped in front of him, between him and Octavia despite Styxx’s presence, her words less because of the threat in his and more concerned that he was going to make himself more sick by being so worked up. 

I’d like to see you try it, Williams. Octavia’s retort was less concerned and more challenging, and though Fox threw her a ‘please don’t’ look, she had only opened her mouth to try to diffuse Nick before Styxx was speaking, having strode over on ridiculously long legs to stand in the space between Octavia and Nick, looking between the both of them. 

“ Enough, both of you. ”  He looks to Nicklas first.   “ Fox is an adult, she made the choice to go out. Supply needs don’t stop just because you’re sick, and everyone still needs to contribute. You threaten someone in the group again, and you’ll be out. ” 

“ Styxx- ” Fox had barely begun her protest before he turned cutting blue eyes on her. 

“ In-fighting is a quick way to die, Fox. Nick’s smart enough to know that. As for you, ”  He turns that sharp gaze to Octavia.   “ You know Nick’s protective over Fox- same way Louis is with you. You know better than to vanish with her while he’s ill. That said, you, ” and then it was Fox’s turn.   “ Need to figure out how to balance being part of a couple versus being part of a group. You and Nick need to figure out what you’re both comfortable doing and contribute that. If you leaving alone is going to make him uneasy, it’s your responsibility to figure out how to accommodate that. ” 

He glances between the three of them.   “ Everyone clear? I’m tired of the in-fighting. You all need to figure out this animosity. ” 

Fox’s hand was still against Nick’s chest, paused in it’s pleading for him to calm down, and despite the electricity in the air, she shrank against him a little. Contrition in the face of Styxx’s accusation of her contribution to the tension between Nick and Octavia had stopped her from even denying that she and Nick were a couple. All she could do was nod and whisper once more to Nick that he should be resting. 

[myhiraeth]

@headstrongblake ∗ 95﹕ sender  cradles  receiver’s  face / styxxtavia [ king arthur au ]

He’s sat on the back of Troian, the first of the lot this year to be picked up. His dad couldn’t be prouder, his mother and sister couldn’t get him out the door fast enough and who even knew where Acheron was these days- certainly not a soldier. He’d been packed and ready to go, hair freshly shorn, bruises from his latest training session hidden beneath the armor his mentor had had custom made for him as a going-away present. He’d been stoic when the soldiers come to take him, giving stilted goodbyes to his parents and Ryssa. 

This girl, younger then him, more hot-blooded than him, she didn’t want to leave. She kept asking about a name- bellamy - and when she wasn’t given answers started to run. Two soldiers lunged after her, and despite how desperately she clutched her mother’s arm, her mother knew the endgame here and pried her panicking daughter’s fingers from her arm and turned her back on her, leaving the girl in the hands of the Roman officers. 

Realizing she was on her own, she went from escape to fight and lashed out at the two officers in a desperate rage. Styxx slid off his horse, holding a hand to the officer that ordered him back on Troian and stalked toward the girl and the officers who were practically dragging the girl. She caught one between his armor and was rewarded with a gloved backhand to her face, sending her sprawling to the ground with a yelp. 

He ran the last few feet to get between the soldiers and the girl. “ Stop! ” he commands, almost surprised when the soldiers actually fall back a step. He crouches next to the girl who’s holding a hand to her face with a blank look. “ Hey, it’s gonna be okay, all right? ” he can’t tell if she can hear him and from experience, he knows her ears might still be ringing and she may not be able to. She slowly lowers her hand to reveal the wide cut across her cheek from the glove, and he keeps talking. “ You have to come, though. ” She starts skittering back, shaking her head, the anger coming back into her eyes despite the tears rolling down her cheeks. 

She jumps to her feet but there’s a soldier already behind her that shoves her forward. It’s only thanks to quick instincts that Styxx too pops back to his feet in time to catch her, holding another hand out to the soldier. “ Give her a second! ” He snaps, his other hand tight and protective on her. He bends down a littler and cradles her face in his hands. “ We’re going to leave now, okay? You’re going to come with us and I’m going to keep you safe, I promise. Your only other option is to keep fighting and potentially get killed. ” He leans in as though he’s kissing her forehead to hide his next words. “ They’ll teach you to fight. Let them teach you how to fight back and make it count. ” 

He leans back, ushering her with him, leading her back to the horses and stops at the roan stallion stomping impatiently next to Troian. “ Here. ” He links his fingers to give her a step up, waiting to see if she’ll accept.  

[myhiraeth]

@headstrongblake  sent: “ no! no, don’t come any closer… i got bit. “ / o @ dealers choice of lou, styxx, or mbege YOU GOT ALL THREE BITCH, with a bonus NickFox

“Octavia?!” Fox’s panicked shout alerted the boys that something was wrong, and it was only lightning quick instincts that made Louis reach to wrap his fingers too tightly around the thinner girl’s arm as Octavia raised both hers in a surrender gesture, revealing the blood dripping from her hand down her arm. Fox struggled against him, trying to get to their girl. 

Panic and fear flooded his head and he looked to Styxx in a panic. “Styxx do something!” He can’t lose her. 

Before he’d even finished his plea, Mbege had grabbed the blade he’d been sharpening and tossed it to Styxx who strode right up to Octavia and grabbed her infected hand, yanking it straight and bringing the blade slicing right through her forearm, cutting clean through bone, the only one of the group who had the strength to do so in a single blow. 

Louis practically threw Fox at Nicklas, pushing her toward the other so she couldn’t see as Mbege appeared at Octavia’s side and he and Styxx tightly wrapped the bleeding appendage. Louis ran toward them as Octavia’s eyes began to flutter shut, pupils rolling back into her head jut before her body gave in to the shock and she started to fall, right into Louis’ arms. 

“She’ll be okay, as long as she didn’t wait too long to tell us.” Styxx said stoically, tightening the bandage even more before tying it off. “We’ll keep an eye on her but best we restrain her until we know for sure.” 

“She’s fine.” Louis snapped. To his annoyance, Styxx barely looked up at him and for the brief moment he did, his blue gaze was filled with pity. 

“We’ll see.” He glanced to Mbege, who was eyeing Octavia’s missing hand as his own unconsciously rubbed at the fading scars on his own neck. “John,” the silent man refocused on Styxx, “-we still have those ropes?” Mbege nodded, and despite his protests, Louis could only watch as the other two men secured Octavia to a post. Nicklas was gone, probably outside with Fox, and Louis settled as close as Styxx would allow as he waited for O to wake up. 

[myhiraeth]

"Just a rhetorical question, no need to get so defensive, Octavia the Younger." He teases. She's right though, and he doesn't push the matter. Betrayal is difficult to swallow, and it didn't help that betrayal could really only come from someone you trusted. She'd trusted this organization with her mind, body, and soul, and now she was the prey she'd so eagerly gone after when she was on their good side.

It's never easy realizing you're expendable to someone you've devoted your existence to.

"You don't owe me anything, Octavia." He says softly, staying on the line for no other reason than to reassure her that she's not alone. "It's what friends do."

"Besides," he adds in a lighter tone, "One could argue your discovery of your morals and subsequent assassination attempt are somewhat my fault, so I suppose I'm the one that owes you."

It's not long before he reaches the library- she doesn't know it but he lives relatively close to the building simply because he likes having access to it. "I'm here. Where are you?"

styxx & octavia | assassin & mercenary universe

octavia groaned from the pain and the annoyance that came with desperately asking for styxx's help. "you're not actually giving me a lecture right now, give me more than ten seconds to process what the hells happening," she breathed, head tilting back against the bookshelf.

since the day he met her, poking his nose into her missions from the beginning he's alluded to her organization being a fault. that it would only blow back on her in some form or another, but damn, standing here waiting for styxx to help her navigate to some safety so she could get her bearings was almost more than she could handle. they were supposed to be her people. had been for years. she'd cut so many pieces of herself out for them, so many parts of her life gone for their sake and now? what was she left with?

gritting her teeth together, octavia glanced up and down the aisle, watching for any passerby as she mumbled a quiet "mhm," in response. a shaky breath of relief comes forth because while she won't admit it, there's fear needling in her bones and if styxx had said no to coming? if he simply had not answered? octavia shuddered at the thought. "you get me outta here and i'll owe you one."

[myhiraeth]

@headstrongblake sent: 13﹕ sender  takes  a  [ picture / video ]  of  receiver . / styxxtavia  immortal

He hears the click and the telltale mechanical ‘swoosh’ of a polaroid camera producing a picture, and doesn’t glance up, though he does smile down at his drawing.    “ What are you doing? ”

‘ you said you had resting asshole face- here’s proof that’s not true. ’   She sounded all too proud of herself as she gently waved the picture until it developed. Once it had a few seconds to show itself, she looked at the picture, her smile growing as she rose from her spot and crossed over to join him on the other queen bed of their temporary home, plopping herself right next to him and holding out the picture for him to see. He was looking down at his lap, at the drawing pad he keeps close, head bent over in concentration as he sketches, a faint smile playing at the edges of his lips.

He should appreciate the gesture, should appreciate that when she looks at him all she sees is a smile, and enjoyment, that she enjoys him to the point she wants him to appreciate himself in his calm moments.

But all he sees are scars, tracing around his cheekbones and across his nose, peeking out from under his neckline and his short sleeves both. All he sees is his almost ( but not quite ) hidden right hand and it’s mangled fingers that don’t work quite right. He doesn’t see the serenity in his expression that she does, he doesn’t see beauty, or tranquility.

All he sees his a face that mirrors his brother’s, and reminders of a past he’ll never be able to rid himself of. He forces his voice to be softer than it wants to be.    “ It’s nice. But you know you’ll need to destroy it. ”

‘ What?! ’ 

“ Photographs are dangerous to keep around. What if you leave it somewhere, someone finds it, a hundred years from now we find ourselves back here and someone recognizes me in the picture, looking the exact same so many years later? ”    Also he just wants it gone so he doesn’t have to look at it.

Her demeanor changes as she takes it back from his fingers. She withdraws back into herself and he curses himself for dampening her joy. He feels bad, he does… but not enough to override the rationale of not keeping evidence of their immortality around, not enough to override the discomfort and self-hatred he feels just looking at the picture. ‘ fine. i’ll get rid of it. ’

“ Thank you. ”   They fall into silence for a while until her voice, softer than usual.

‘ I just wanted to show you what other people see. ’ 

He knows. The problem is he can only see what he sees. And what he sees is violence, trauma, and tragedy etched into the skin of a former prince-general and current nobody, doomed to walk the earth against his will for the foreseeable eternity, carrying the baggage of his past like a weighted robe.

- three days later -

She hadn’t much been talking to him the last few days and he had to admit he wasn’t a fan. So he’d been working on his latest drawing for her after she’d tossed the polaroid pointedly in the trash, promising in an equally pointed way to set the little bin on fire before they left for ventures unknown. They’ll be leaving in the next day or two- she got a lead supposedly on an immortal who undid their immortality and he doesn’t have it in him to argue this again with her while she’s already piqued with him.

So instead he simply finishes the drawing and crosses to where she’s crossed legged on her bed, studying a dozen different books she refused to let him buy for her and instead stole from various libraries and dropped the sheath of paper on her pages and waited as she stared at it.

Her picture, brought to life painstakingly and painfully, as his own pencils traced the parts of himself he hated by his own hand, on an old, ivory colored sheet of linen paper that he preferred for the way it held and bled colors. She looks up at him in surprise. ‘ what’s- how? ’

He’d rescued the picture she seemed so much to like from the trash can, knowing she’d refuse to acknowledge it until she lit the match, and recreated it for her.    “ A compromise. ”   He says, his tone caught somewhere between ordering and conciliatory.    “ Photographs are bad to keep around- they’re too definitive-, but a drawing well… we can try to claim coincidence for a drawing in couple dozen years. ”   She looks back down at the drawing and his lips quirk up into a smirk.    “ So can we stop with the silent treatment already? ”

[myhiraeth]

@headstrongblake​ gets a desperate lil foxie 

We’ll consider it. The risks are too great.  Those places also store blood, and are crawling with undead.  What you’re suggesting is in direct conflict with what Nick asked of us. 

She suggested she go in alone, through the rafters. In and out. If she could find schematics and figure out where the antibiotics would be before even going in, she could be in and out in fifteen minutes flat. She’d done way more dangerous jobs on shorter timelines. No security cameras, no infrared, no laser grids, no gun- just some zombies who can’t jump high enough to reach her in the air vents. But still Styxx wasn’t convinced, and would only say he’d consider the idea to go to a lab. But she was desperate. 

“Styxx, please, he’s getting worse- we’ve been here for two weeks and he hasn’t improved at all. I know you don’t want to stay here forever, we might not even be able to-”

The motel has been safe so far.

“But it won’t stay that way, we all know that!” She rushes the space between them as he turns to leave, grasping his hand in hers. “Styxx please, I-” He stops her with a raised hand, disentangling her fingers from around his wrist. It’s not a ‘no’, Fox. But we have to plan. 

What if Nick didn’t have time to wait for a better plan? 

Styxx left and Fox turns to Octavia, pleading tears threatening to fall. “Octavia, please, I’m begging, can you talk to him? I can’t- if something happens to Nick I don’t know what I’ll do, I see how you and Louis are together, you have to know how I feel, right, please?” 

[myhiraeth]

@headstrongblake​ sent: “you bound us to people who hate us. who hate you.” / styxx meme tag || accepting 

He sighed, finishing wrapping the bandage around his forearm. It was a deep cut, undoubtedly going to be infected by the time the night was over, but though he'll wish it would fall off or kill him- it won't. So there was no point in thinking about it beyond not wanting to bleed too much on his clothes. I bound you to no one, Octavia the Younger. You of your own free will decided it was a bright idea to continue following me around and do correct me if I'm wrong but I recall telling you on several occasions why that was a completely terrible idea, did I not?" He glanced to where she was scowling down at her swollen ankle and the angry red handprints around her arms from being restrained by those with preternatural strength who often failed to realize even immortals could bruise. 

They often forgot immortals could die under the right circumstances too, until someone came along to remind them to keep their hands to themselves. He'd left the handful of Dark Hunters alive out of respect for Acheron and the fact that Styxx wasn't entirely sure what happened to souless Dark Hunters when they died, but if they were smart they'd pass on the message to his brother that whatever his issue with Styxx- it didn't involve Octavia and the next time someone bruised her, they'd lose limbs for it.

[myhiraeth]

"Attempts at survival are never stupid." He says flatly, sliding the whetstone across his blade. He's one of the few allowed full-fledged blades, one of the few the Romans actually trust with weapons because he's one of only a handful of boys and girls that have been trained for this, bred for this. The Romans know they aren't going to turn on the Empire.

They're less sure of forced conscripts like Octavia. Louis. Nicklas. John. Those kids with the potential for violence but no training and no loyalty.

Children like Styxx, Berach, Erastos, Isidora- they've been bred from ages too young to be too loyal to the Empire. So they're given exceptions, both to recognize their families' loyalties and to sow dissent between them and the other children.

Styxx isn't the only one of them to recognize this, and nurture relationships in spite of it. Someday, they'll be in charge of their own units, and they'll need to be able to earn loyalty of their own.

"Sometimes they are ill thought out. Reckless. Short-sighted. But wanting your own survival and that of your children is never stupid." He glanced up at the younger girl. "Your brother and mother did what they thought necessary for you to live. And now, you need to as well."

Having said his serious piece, he does allow his tone to lighten somewhat. "But myself and soldiers... what an introduction to the world, I imagine." He smirks and looks back down at his task.

[ TALK ] for our muses to have a deep conversation -styxxtavia / @myhiraeth

" i know...it was pretty stupid, us thinking we could beat the system somehow. " octavia lifted her shoulders, fingers fiddling with the frayed pieces of the worn blanket. " i was born just after they opened conscription to all children...guess my mom didn't believe i'd survive it. " that, or she feared what might become of her daughter in a world that offered women very little, but viciously tried to take everything.

" you know...you're the first person i had ever talked to... " eyes lift from the blanket, moving towards styxx's gaze, similar to hers in a way that he looked like nothing more than a boy. except his eyes were tired already, carrying a weight she imagined he's taken all his life. maybe that's why she'd trusted him so quickly, despite the way she's been raised to trust none. he reminds her of bellamy which draws her close, even if some days his reminder hurt more than others. " 'sides from my mom and brother. " octavia adds, head leaning back against the cold stone wall. " you and the soldiers...you lot were my first experience with people... "

[myhiraeth]

“Don’t touch it, please! It hurts.” / styxx

meme tag || accepting 

"I can touch it now, or I can touch it later after it's gotten infected and you're begging me to cut it off you, choice is yours."

[myhiraeth]

@headstrongblake​ sent: ’ If you want to leave, you can. I’ll remember you, though. ’ / styxx

He glanced behind her, down the street that would lead her to one of the supernatural hotspots. She’d find other immortals there, others like her, others that were better at befriending people and watching out for them. All he’d bring is a target on her back. After a second he looked back to her, a barely-there smile on his lips, tinged with sad resignation. 

“I know you will.” He remembered every moment spent with his own mentor. Every training session with Galen, every strike and joke and laugh and talk they shared. “You never forget the person that taught you. But if you trust me, trust this: they’ll be better suited for you. You can’t spend your life alone Octavia, and if you stay with me, that’s all you’ll know. They’ve no interest in me and frankly I’ve no interest in them.” He took a step forward and tilted her chin up from where she’d stubbornly looked down to the ground. “You’re a fighter, Octavia The Younger. And you won’t find the fight you want following me around.”  

[myhiraeth]

@headstrongblake​ asked: 🍻+ have you ever considered running away / octavia/ Styxx

“I have.” If one didn’t know him, they’d never suspect he’d drunk a little too much tonight. “Both considered it and tried to actually do it.” He was quiet for quite some time after that, tilting the cup one way then the next almost thoughtlessly. But as thoughtless as the motion may seem, not a single drop fell from the brim of the cup. “My wife paid for that mistake with her life, and took with her the life of our unborn child.” Not long after, he lost his sister, her child, his father and his brother all in the same fell swoop that took him. 

Of course that hadn’t lasted- Ash had revived, his god powers choosing then, rather than any of the other horrific moments in his tortured life, to appear and bring him back to life and dragging Styxx along for the ride. He wouldn’t get into the countless times he’d tried to escape from the Atlanteans, nor the hellish punishments he suffered as a result- those were nightmares the young girl didn’t need in her life. 

He took another drink, eyes distant as he stared into the fire. “Better to avoid situations you’ll need to run from, and face the ones you’re in. Running only leads to more pain.” 

[myhiraeth]

He’s not naive enough to not realize why she’s so upset about his constant interference; the same kind of company that hands down orders under threat of death keeps a running tally of your failures. Each of his successes is a failure for Octavia, another black mark in her record, another of her nine lives down. Soon she’ll run out of failures, chances, lives, whatever they want to call it, and he’ll be forced to reconcile that it’s his fault. 

But in a way, he’s already accepted that it’s his fault by continuing to interfere. Accepted that if anything happens to her as a result of her failures he’s at least partially to blame and decided to try to make peace with that to keep innocents from becoming casualties. In an ideal world, she’d come to the realization that her current position is too precarious, and figure a way out ( if there was one )- but she seems too obedient for her own good, at least when there’s a guillotine hanging over her head. 

“That you had to switch from three to five sort of makes me point for me, don’t you think?” She’s calmed, somewhat, though whether because she’s acquiescing to his interference or because she’s attempting to play him he has no idea. She almost gives in to his demand, but then turns on him with another annoyed look and it’s all he can do not to chuckle at her. The impulse fades almost immediately when she speaks. “The latter.” He says flatly. He pushes off the wall and stands at his full height to look down at her, eyes shaded with seriousness. “I followed orders once, too, Octavia. And a lot of people died. Innocent people, despite my best efforts.” His eyes narrow. “And frankly, I don’t see you putting forth your best efforts.” 

myhiraeth​: styxx

His massive frame is propped casually against a bookshelf, a dusty tome in his hands as he flips through torn pages almost idly as she yells at him. It’s not the first time a woman has yelled at him, not the first time an opponent has yelled at him- he’s all but immune to others raising their voices by now, and his, when he responds to her question, is almost comically quiet compared to hers.   “ If your toes hurt, buy some steel-toed boots. ”   His smirk gives away his amusement with her anger.

She shifts into persuasion and his smirk fades. He doesn’t move away from the bookshelf despite her demands.   “ Convince me I’m wrong, and I’ll consider stepping aside. Prove to me that this isn’t another innocent casualty in an informational war. You’ll forgive me if I don’t go off your word alone- you and the company you keep are uh, unreliably honest, at best. ”   He’s aware she could be right, but he’s also aware that those that are handed down orders under the threat of death don’t ask questions. So Octavia’s claim that the woman she’s hunting is an actual threat instead of some roundabout way to hurt someone else in power is- to him- nothing more than hearsay from a collective that makes their living off death and subterfuge.

he drives her insane. styxx is quiet and calm while she’s loud and rash. not to mention he seems to always be rooting for her opposing side. he likes her enough that he keeps coming around. that despite the many arguments and disagreements, they find some moments enjoyable. & octavia has to admit it’s nice knowing someone outside of the academy since her life has been severed from the outside world. but his kindness, or whatever the hell it is that keeps putting him on the wrong side, keeps kicking her in the ass ( more specifically, burning tallies into her back ). octavia glared his way, “ i’m glad you find this soooo funny, ” she drags out the sarcasm, rolling her eyes. 

“ me? ” her hand went to her chest, brows lifting, “ name three times i’ve ever lied to you… ” her voice trails, hesitating as she thinks back on it. “ five, name fives times. ” octavia decides on with a hint of a smirk. her head shook in frustration but also, a lightness returned to her features as she interlocked her fingers behind her head, wandering a few paces away from him. “ you do know it’s not my job to convince you of anything right? but if you must know, ” she sighed, about to give him what she’s been told when octavia stopped, halting in her steps before, “ you know actually.. ” her hands untwined, head turning over her shoulder at him. “ you don’t see me getting involved in your shit, why must you insist on invading mine? i let you have your jobs, i hardly interfere, so what is it? ” she asked, brows furrowing as she walks back towards him. “ what bothers you so much? that you’re out to save people who probably don’t need saving. ” maybe some of her targets. but not all. “ or that i am willing to follow my goddamn orders? ” she asked casually. at one point wanlida had not only helped her exact her justice, but it also gave her a purpose. a life again. something, he’s hell bent on ruining. 

[myhiraeth]

@headstrongblake​ sent: 🍻 (drunk ask) + is there anything you regret / octavia/styxx

[ immortals verse ]

It sounded like a laugh, if you could overlook the pain, the sorrow, the sarcasm in it. “Being born?” He joked, the words as bitterly humorous as his laugh. “Not protecting my brother. Not saving Bethany, nor Galen. All the lives lost in war, my men and theirs… so many innocent ones on top of that. Not stabbing my uncle in the chest that first chance I got. Not-” Anything beyond that was getting into territory she didn’t need to hear, and instead he shook it off almost physically, shifting his shoulders and cracking his neck. 

“The only thing I don’t regret doing is dying. And I couldn’t even do that properly so… yeah. There’s a lot I regret.” 

[myhiraeth]

The first time he’d seen the grafitti ‘ i’m not afraid ’ he’d smiled. People were striving to be unafraid in this new world. It was an impossible task, of course, and a fruitless one in his opinion. Fear kept you alive. A lack of fear meant recklessness, negligence, thoughtlessness. Too much fear was bad of course, risked paralyzing you. It was about balance, fear was. A healthy fear that wouldn’t stop you in your tracks would insure your survival. 

But then he saw it again. And again. And he started to wonder if it were some divine sign. This latest sign came with a location, and he followed it out of sheer boredom and curiosity. An art gallery, hardly a loot-able location- which would make it a perfect hideout, no one would be breaking in to a place that had no essentials. 

But he’d barely entered when a girl suddenly appeared in front of him, welding a gun too large for her that shook ever-so-slightly in betrayal of how few times she’d shot it. But her features were set and her eyes flashed with very real threat, and he held his hands up in a peaceful gesture. Just because she hadn’t shot the gun before didn’t make her not dangerous… in fact it probably made her more so. She threatens the presence of others, but he doesn’t buy it; if there were others he doubted they’d let a young, unseasoned girl be the first line of defense to a threat… unless of course they were trying to kill her. 

“You know the mistake most people with guns make?” Curiosity and annoyance cross her features for the split second he needs. His hand darts out and snatches the gun from her, uncocking it and letting loose the magazine to let it skitter across the floor. “They get too close.” He tucks the emptied gun into the back of his waistband and smirks at her. “I’m Styxx. Now that formalities are out of the way- where are these ‘others’ you mentioned? I’d have thought they’d have shot me already?” He asks breezily. 

❝ we can help each other. and get that gun out of my face. ❞ -okay but like styxxtavia’s first meeting in zombieverse / @myhiraeth​ / ashley appears for a day

     fingers rub at the blue and green stains on her hands from days of spray painting notes around the small town. it’s not a halfway point between school and home but after a week of silence from her brother, she figured it’d be best to stop. he’d wanted her to stay at her university. except that place had become more and more dangerous in since the outbreak began. the abandoned dorm rooms and lecture halls had filled with terrified and unwilling to trust survivors. by the third week the zombies had reached the university and left a trail of dead remaining students and faculty in the halls. after that—octavia wasn’t sticking around to become one of them.       a huff left her lips as she moved away from the upstairs window, frustrated because there’s no sign of bellamy or mom and waiting made her anxious. i’m not afraid and the name of the street where the abandoned art gallery she’d been held up in at night were plastered everywhere she could think of. anywhere they might see it while they’re passing through to find her. the art gallery wasn’t ideal, but she figured it was the least likely to see much traffic. why go to an art gallery to raid for supplies? octavia left the title of a familiar book painted on the front of the gallery to alert them to where she was if they made it to the street. only they’d know what iliad meant.        the past three days had gone roughly the same until it didn’t. until a man came into the gallery and octavia wasn’t sure what to do. she made herself small and quiet until he’d been practically on top of her, then she held a gun to him,  “ don’t move, the others will kill you before you do. ”  she warned, gun cocking as she held it close to his face. although from his response, it was clear he didn’t really buy it that she was with anyone.  “ yeah right, so you can kill me, no, how about you just go back out the way you came. ”