Hi everyone. Thank you to everyone who has favourite and followed this story. Thank you also soo much fiercetiger333 for all your lovely reviews =) I'm glad you enjoyed the last chapter ^_^ Have a nice day/night wherever you are. Warning: Story contains boyxboy, swearing, scenes of violence and will have it's ratings turned up in the next couple of chapters.
The air was heavy and my ears pained by the constant lines of fire as the bullets zoomed past my head. My teeth were gritted tightly and my eyes were studiously watching how The Betrayed were nearing closer and closer to the box. Their lens covered eyes sparkled crimson as the glowing red locked onto me and Thomas. "Son of a bitch." I hissed quietly, crying out in pain as one of the spikes zoomed past my shoulder cutting deeply into the skin.
Thomas who seemed lost in this hell zone seemed nothing short of certain as two guns were tossed our way, I smirked as we both caught them and turned together, pulling hard on the trigger and releasing a new wave of bullets on one of the beasts which had tried leaping at us, now the thing went flying to the winds howling in pain as I took a sharper aim. "Go for the eyes! It won't kill them but it will stun them for long enough!"
"As you say captain." He called back above the bullet storm.
He was too calm. He was way too focused right now. Any one else, at least from the stories I have heard, never acted like this upon awakening. None of them were still this well trained.
Who the hell is he. My thoughts nagged as I kept my hood covering my face.
"Potato nose!" I bellowed out, "Start falling back! Get moving!"
"Seriously!?" Gally called, but obeyed the order as I heard shouts called out to the other kids. All of them shouted back angrily at him refusing to leave without their captain, but I just repeated my order as me and Thomas were edging ourselves back away from the box. I could hear Jonathan screaming for me to come along, the poor little kid. Loyal above everything else, a quality which would take him far, or get him killed out here.
"Thomas get your shucking arse up and start backing away!" I barked, firing only single bullets now to try and preserve as much ammo as possible. I could already feel the cartridge getting ready to empty itself, then god knows what would happen. I was fast but I was still weak. My body was still adapting, the kiss of the wicked hadn't left me without it's own hold backs.
My hand shot to my chest as a sharp pang of pain bellowed out with my heartbeat, the air rushed out of my lungs and for a long moment I found myself struggling to regain it. "Oh no you don't!" I fired off to the side from one of the beasts at it tried to creep around us. "Head for the building!" I shouted, pointing to where they had attacked Jonathan earlier. I could see cracks forming in the walls just where they had smashed through the foundations. The metal structure inside was groaning loudly and I paused for a moment, thinking it through in my head. We have no other choice.
I slowly turned my gaze over to Thomas who was deep in focus firing bullets at the creatures. "I need you to trust me." I say quietly, just enough so that he can hear me. I turn over and look at him and see he is regarding me, looking me over. Studying me. Evaluating how much my word is worth maybe? I don't know. Either way, It was my job now to get him back alive and that was not going to happen if we stayed here.
"What have you planned?" Thomas asked.
"A suicide mission." I grinned.
I turned and darted inside the entry way of the building, bounding directly for the stairs, taking Thomas' hand in mine for a long moment before hearing the first crash. "And." I smirked, "The dog trainer is in!"
The gun became lighter in my hand as I span on the tip of my right foot, feeling the metal of it change and become stronger as the shaped morphed. What the hell? I thought in my head, but my body reacted by itself as my bow, 'Crudele' was now there in my hand with a red tipped arrow drew back as I saw the first beasts barging into the walls, coming in through the only possible entrance now.
With a soft exhale of breath I felt the string free from my tight grasp.
The arrow sailed soundlessly through the air, past a few of the beasts who I guessed had similar reflexes to me by now.
In the slow and long stretching seconds which the arrow launched, all of them barely had a chance to turn their gaze to look at the arrow.
Before the tip hit the last pillar support and it exploding.
"Bulls eye."
Outcries of yelps screamed through the air as many were sent flying and disorientated, but didn't stop in their stampede into the building which now groaned and swayed ever so slightly. "MOVE!" I screamed, turning back to Thomas and ignoring the pain in my heart as I poured on the speed up the steps.
A crazy smile split along my face, hidden by the shadows as I managed to catch up with Thomas, just falling a bit behind his speed. "This is your plan?!" He shouted. "You're crazy!"
"Which is why I've lived this long!" I snapped back at him then frowned slightly. "You're really fast!" I studied the way that he seemed so completely professional at this... like he himself spent a long time running.
The longer I was looking at this kid, the more I was finding my judgement of him being questioned...
Even if he was a pretty face.
The ground began to become looser under my feet as I felt the whole building beginning to tilt forward. We took sharp corners around each bit of the staircase, having to rebound ourselves off the wall at certain points, the beasts bellow us were already beginning to catch back up with us, bouncing off the shattering windows and copying our footsteps. They're getting smarter! My thoughts screamed out, my heart was racing and going wild with pain.
I had that they would chase after us! That had been the essential part of the plan! But I hadn't planned that they be able to do half the stuff that they could do! I didn't know that they could adapt and learn so quickly! They were strong, fast and built for stamina. I just hadn't planned they would be able to recover so quickly had I been able to stun them like that!
They're going to kill us! I finally admitted in my thoughts as I stared at one getting ahead of the others, barely within pouncing distance of me and we were still four or five flights of stairs from reaching the top of the building, even after our head start! No, they will kill me. I can keep them busy long enough for him to keep running and going. He should make it out in time if the rest of my plan is right!
I reached for a arrow out of the quiver which was now strapped across the back of my armour. If I'm going to die, I'm at least taking one of you bastards with me.
Run.
I nearly tripped over my own feet at that point as the whisper in my head echoed out with a pained pleading. It was so soft but urgent, it was like someone was shouting into the middle of a gale force storm. The sound was lost so easily but it fought to stay and come back strong. Please! Bloody run! For the love of god, just bloody run!
My eyes widened fractionally as the voice began to sound familiar. If I could hear it a bit more carefully then... no what the hell was I on about? It must have been a trick! It must have been my mind making up stuff! That must be it.
I snarled quietly and gripped my bow tighter but still poured on the speed till I was just behind Thomas. He was barely breaking a sweat, but I knew this was my max out limit speed. I was fast but only when I was masked by stealth and had one of my plans set with complete certainty! I could still feel the blood pouring down by my calf where a rogue javelin had sliced my skin open, the pain was disorientating but my senses were keeping my alive as they were in overdrive.
I guess Thomas must have seen I was struggling as he shouted for my attention, kept calling out to try and encourage me, but I was still slowing down. "Don't you dare!" Thomas shouted as he saw that more and more distance was being created between us. The Betrayed were just barely missing being able to pounce on me now. "I lost a friend not to long ago, he was the best thing in my life. I will not lose another! I've lost too much already!" He shouted. "Now, RUN!" He screamed.
My eyes widened and my heart screamed in pain, I let out a gasp felling the building finally falling forward.
Now. Now is the moment!
"Thomas, jump!"
I launched myself forward, pressing my feet against the wall and into a crouch, like I would do when I was doing laps back and forth in the waterfall pool. But instead of using my full my moment, I used my whole strength to grab Thomas as I launched us backwards out of the roof exit.
A extended claw reached out to rip me open, the glint of it's claws coming to a rest just above my chest as I was spinning through the air wildly, my momentum from both the falling of the building and my own launch having made me lost control, but pushing Thomas away with the last of my strength, sent me spinning head over heel through the air without control while the other boy went flying away in toward what ever else was waiting for us outside.
But there was still one thing left to do.
"Chew on this bone, pup." I snarl as finally the beast saw me when I had righted myself for a few seconds, my body tensed and my eyes narrowed.
The glowing sensors of it's eyes brightened like it was widened it's eyes.
It's maw was still wide open in mid bite to try and get me which just made it easier.
Letting the arrow fly from my bow I watched it sail clear, praying with all of my might that this time my bow didn't fail me.
But the arrow flew true into the creatures mouth and I managed to catch the first few sparks and signs of a fire forming in it's gut before I had to shield my face, when the building came completely crashing down and the creature imploded.
My leg missed being caught by the building by a hairs length and even though I was still spinning wildly, by some mad luck i only watched as the claws scratched angrily down the front of my armour.
Before both the beasts inside the building and the tall mass of steel, bricks and glass went plummeting down and erupted in an explosion erupted from my arrow, sending a array of metal spikes flying everywhere as the creature was splattered to the four winds.
A roar of wails went up and angry paws smashed through the first layers of brick but not through the burning mesh of steel girders which were now their prison.
I smiled to myself slightly the more that my eyes were closing. My head lolled back and my arms fell limp by my side, the only feeling left was my grip around my bow and my stomach and heart in my throat as I felt myself drop quickly, falling faster and faster. I couldn't see how far I was from hitting the ground, how high up had the building been? How fast had we run?
But did it really even matter any more?
My vision went fuzzy and my breath escaped me again. I was still hurtling through the air and down towards what ever was beneath me. I couldn't make sense of it no more, my eyes were too heavy and my heart screamed agony. I was hurtling through the air with no idea any longer of what was left around me. But, I had saved them at least, the others. They were safe from the hoards for now.
They would be back by the coast by now, and the Betrayed wouldn't be getting out of that burning metal prison of the collapsed building for a few days.
I did it Newt. I thought gently, though even that action seemed to give me a headache now. I saved them-
"I GOT YOU!"
The feeling of free falling ended with a sharp burst as I felt a pair of arms encircle around me, I blinked just in time to see Thomas skid back slightly through the gravel after having caught me. He had a stern but broad smile across his face as he looked down at me. "It worked." He said incredulously. His brow was dripping sweat slightly, probably from how fast we had run up the building staircase and then the leap itself.
We seemed to have landed on a nearby rooftop, it was a lot more sturdier than the other building, at least we could take a minute or two to regain ourselves.
Thomas however just started laughing and smiled down at me. "Your plan. It actually worked."
"Fox." I said, holding up my hand. "Captain of the Beta squad, long range shooter and specializes in Traps and stealth attacks." I grinned slightly, but Thomas rose an eyebrow.
"I see that much." He chuckled then fixed me once again with those serious eyes. "So you planned the building collapsing on them, I get that much. But here's one question? How did you know that we'd get out of there in time and actually find somewhere safe to land should we have actually done so."
I paused for a moment and then watched as his jaw dropped open. "I knew it. You're insane." He scowled.
"And yet here you are alive." I muttered, patting his back as I staggered to my feet, limping slightly on my damaged leg. "You're welcome." I growled before heading back in the direction we had come from, shouldering my bags as I did so and not looking over my shoulder when I already knew he would come following me.
Mission complete.
-Break change to Thomas' POV-
"Captain!" A voice screamed as they washed up on the beach of the island.
Thomas looked over to see a small boy with a limp struggle in an attempt of a run over to Fox who hugged the boy tightly.
The strange boy who had saved Thomas' life was still hidden, if not by his armour which had melted away the moment they had crossed into the water, but now by a large white shirt with just as big of an hood. Underneath the boy's torso was covered by a wrapping of bandages which were almost like a vest, most of the bandages were stained red, which instantly came to the smaller boy's attention. "F-Fox!" He trembled.
But the older boy only crouched and whispered comforting words.
Thomas however was still hypnotized by the various spreading brands across the boy's limbs. The outside and along the length of his fore arm, from what he could see; along his torso as well. Even the places where Thomas had seen his calf had been cut. Where ever the lines of the deeply tanned lines were, the skin was undisturbed, seemingly like it hadn't even been cut at all, while on the edge where the boy's peachy tone of skin was, it was still welling blood.
The moment the smaller boy caught Thomas staring, the kid cast him a foul glare. "Eyes back in your head private, before I gouge them out!"
"Joathan." Fox scolded quietly. "It's okay. He saved my life."
Jonathan however still didn't seem too pleased by the fact that Thomas had been looking at the older boy. Thomas could see the adoration and awe painted in Jonathan's eyes as the smaller boy looked back at Fox. The way that he looked at the boy... it was almost like Jonathan-
"Now, I need to get back to the med nest and get my leg checked out. You know what Blondie is like whenever I get hurt, he won't be happy unless he checks it himself and gives me the all clear."
"Y-Yes sir." Jonathan frowned slightly and Thomas sighed internally.
After all, he knew what it was like to be in love with someone.
"Potato nose carried on ahead to give news back to the other hunters. Most of the others took off back to their nests in the trees."
"Can you get the rest of these back to the camp. I trust you above all the others, I know you will do it." Fox must have beamed at him, because Thomas watched Fox turn almost pink with a blush and nod eagerly after Fox rustled his hair affectionately. Jonathan quickly gathered the others of the Omega squad together and began heading into the dense forest of trees.
Then for the first time, Fox lowered his hood and turned to look at Thomas face on making the brunette catch his breath.
Fox's hair- it wasn't like normal hair! Well it was but- his hair was-
"Stared a bit harder, you might actually be able to not offend me." Fox muttered before turning around and limping away up the path.
HIS HAIR IS BLOOD RED AND SNOW WHITE! Thomas' thoughts shouted.
Fox pulled his hood back up but it was too late, like the image of Fox's beautiful branded face was permanently imprinted on his mind; his warm and cold hair, cut short at the sides and back, but a fringe of wild spikes at the front. The way that the lines of deeply tanned skin, like those across his body were circled around his eyes and led down around the back of his neck to his spine, chest and the rest of his body. The way that they were like whiskers across his cheek. He was quite beautiful!
But those eyes which looked like they were dripping blood one second and then burning like an open fire the next... they were so cold. So empty, so full of pain. They reminded Thomas of something which he longed to forget.
"Listen... I'm sorry! I didn't mean to offend you-"
"Keep on walking straight for two miles or so! If that means you walk into a few trees! Then so be it!" Fox barked angrily, glaring over his shoulder with crimson eyes, as he shirt billowed out behind him on a breeze revealing his slender and thin form beneath, clad still in blood dripping bandages.
Thomas just sighed and ran a hand through his still soaked hair. "What the hell have I gotten myself into?" He muttered, beginning the long walk through the heavy forest.
Maybe it was because he was so tired, maybe it was because the last hour or so was finally catching up with his body, but he found himself moving unusually slow along the worn down paths through the dirt, following the footprints which had set off this way.
He was more so surprised when out of the trees stepped Jonathan, almost like a ghost as he frowned and looked over Thomas disapprovingly with a deep loathing. His eyes burned with hatred, strong and defiant, protective certainly of Fox, but there being something else there as well as the boy looked like he wanted to do nothing more at that point but punch Thomas square in the jaw. His sapphire eyes were harsh and unforgiving, and his pale cheeks were red with growing indignation. "Captain sent me to make sure that you got to camp safely. He didn't want you to get eaten or anything."
Jonathan looked him up and down. "But then again, even the most starving creatures here have some taste." He turned on the spot and began heading down the path leaving Thomas to stare on with his jaw slightly dropped in surprise by the boy.
"I get the feeling you really don't like me." He said, making Jonathan snap his head around sharply to give a cold glare.
"Gee? What gave that away!"
Thomas fell silent for a moment, noting the way the boy was still casting him that loathing look, both incredulous and despising, like he couldn't imagine any reason why his captain would want to help him. But Thomas found himself silently determined to at least get a straight answer why. "Any reason why?" He asked gently, watching the way that Jonathan scoffed but didn't look back at him this time.
"I saw what happened back in the village. You almost got my captain killed. We have enough trouble being the omega squad. That means we're the bottom of the food chain. We were sent out to find you with the expectation and hope that we wouldn't come back alive, well at least not many of us, if not just captain Fox."
Now Jonathan turned with a glare as his red hair whipped about in the breeze. "And you nearly get my captain killed!"
"It was his plan!" Thomas defended himself, finding it was strange arguing with such a young boy, and surprised by the fact that he actually found himself offended by the accusation.
He staggered slightly, more out of surprise than anything else after Jonathan had finally punched him and now held his fist, yelping in pain and cursing loudly. "What the hell?" Thomas frowned rubbing his jaw.
"Those kids that you saw out there today?" Jonathan barked, his eyes wild with anger. "Each of us was sure that today we were going out there to meet our deaths. We were all sent out there with no training, expected to bring you back alive. Either way we looked at it, we all thought we were going to die. If we turned and went back to the island, then we would have been court marshaled... but Fox." Jonathan paused staring off into the trees, a pink colour dusting his cheeks. "He took me off into the forest a week or so ago to train with him. I saw his skill, how he could use a bow! How he could set a trap. But above all else he taught us to have faith in him, he had faith in us and out there today, we should have all died! But he fought with his life and soul!"
Jonathan was shouting now, watching how Thomas had turned his gaze away, unable to hold the other kid's look. "He knew that there was only chance of one death happening during any of his plans, his own. It was the only death he would allow to happen. He wouldn't dare lose one of us. He made a vow and we made ours to stand by him."
Jonathan paused for breath, seething angrily, his eyes narrowed as they stood outside the large creek bordering the camp. "I watched you inside that building, I saw him ready himself to sacrifice his life for you! For you!" Jonathan was livid, spitting the words almost. "Someone he barely had met! And then after everything he did, everything he did to save your pathetic ass! You insult him and then stare at him like he's some freak!"
"Listen I was just a bit shocked is all-"
"Screw you." Jonathan barked, turning to leave.
"But I also understand what it is, how painful that must have been for you."
Jonathan paused for a moment, turning a scolding glare onto Thomas making him fall into an awkward silence. "Yeah. I thought." Jonathan growled before marching away, leaving Thomas stood by himself at the edge of camp, unsure what to do or where to go.
-Break-
"N-Newt!" Fox cried out, gritting his teeth together tightly.
"Just hold on in there a bit longer okay?" Newt whispered gently, stroking his fingers across Fox's cheek.
"I-It hurts!"
"It will settle, I promise." Newt kept his voice a soft whisper. "Just a bit longer. You're doing so well"
"I'm not sure I can-"
"For me." The blonde purred before Fox cried out again. "Careful, you don't want me getting it everywhere-"
"Hey what the hell are you two doing?!" Gally exclaimed as he peeked his head inside the tree hut.
Fox was laid back on Newt bed with his leg raised, Newt had a fresh pair of bandages in his hand and was tightening a hold of the bandages around Fox's calf. The red and white haired boy had a scowl of anger painted onto his face as Newt was sat to the side still cleaning out a lot of the deep cuts which the boy had got on his mission. He had a salve spread across his fingers to deal with some of the burns from the building fire.
Fox glared at Gally, sitting up, his shorts and shirt were still wet from the swim over, but both boys were fully dressed. Newt had a happy yet fond smile across his face and Fox looked ready to commit bloody murder. "U-Uh nothing." Gally blushed, now shuffling his feet awkwardly. "I uh- I just- Never mind, see you at dinner!" He quickly left, leaving both boys to look at each other with a raised eyebrow.
"What do you think that was about?" Fox frowned.
"It's Gally." Newt laughed, tying the bandages in a bow and watching Fox blush, though Newt didn't mention anything, he knew that the other like to look nice. "I learnt a long time ago not to question half the things Gally does." Newt grinned, placing a kiss over the bandages and then turning his attention back to Fox as he passionately took the other boy's mouth and writhed their tongues together.
For a long moment both were silent, enjoying the love and the feeling of just being by the other. "You made it back." Newt whispered, placing his hand on Fox's cheek, resting their foreheads against one another's and closing their eyes. "You actually made it back."
"Thanks for the vote of confidence." Fox teased, smiling as he lent back onto the pillow and felt Newt's arms close around him.
"Oh bloody shut up." Newt smiled, kissing him again slowly one more time then bring something out of his pocket to Fox's attention.
The red head almost blushed as brightly as his hair when his eyes locked onto the silver clasped leather collar and the wooden carved name of the boy he was in love with. He only blushed brighter when along the side of the leather collar he noticed carved into the material was: Newt's. The way that it labelled him as Newt's! Completely.
He'd be a liar if he said that it didn't get his blood pumping.
"O-Oh, wow." Fox blushed, lost for words, but Newt blushed himself, instantly worried that it was too much.
"You don't have to say anything, right yet! I understand you just got back from your mission but- I was worried that you wouldn't." He held the collar in his hand, avoiding Fox's gaze. "I've been in this position before-"
"Yes."
Newt's gaze snapped up as he looked at Fox who had a sly smile at the edge of his mouth. "Yes, a thousand times yes and then a thousand more." He whispered softly.
"Really?"
"On one condition." Fox whispered softly, leaning his neck forward.
"Anything!"
"Just remember this moment, this promise." Fox smiled, then watched as a lone tear streaked down Newt's cheek. "What's wrong?" He asked gently, pulling his arms tighter around Newt's waist as he sat up.
"I-It's just." The blonde shook his head. "I've been here before. I loved someone before. I thought that I'd lost him before I finally got to tell him that I love him, I thought that he was dead and-"
Newt paused, taking a slight breath.
"Then I never thought that I'd be able to tell Thomas-"
He stopped as he saw Fox freeze. The boy's turquoise eyes went instantly from their summer sky colour to a deep dripping crimson. "What?" Newt asked gently, frowning slightly as he recognized that this only happened when Fox was surprised or angry.
"No. It's nothing." Fox shook his head, struggling for a smile. "Just a freaky coincidence I guess."
Then he paused as something from earlier clicked in his head, something he had heard Thomas say in the hell zone.
Fox frowned and looked at Newt.
"Brunette." He said suddenly and watched confusion lace Newt's eyes.
"What?"
"Thomas." He asked, steely. "Thomas. Brunette."
Now it was Newt's turn to freeze in shock. "H-How."
"Dark eyes." Fox continued and watched as Newt nodded. "Tall."
Newt nodded.
"Strong build."
Newt Nodded.
"Great Runner."
The collar fell out of Newt's hands as he stared at Fox who now had his gaze hidden behind his hair.
Newt paused for a moment then reached out to place his hand on Fox's shoulder. "W-wait Cub-"
Fox pulled back violently from the touch and Newt finally caught a glimpse at the pure anger behind the eyes.
I just saved and brought to the camp the boy Newt used to be together with. His thoughts whispered.
Then it finally hit him. The boy that Thomas had said was so important to him in the building...
Fox remembered the words Thomas had whispered to himself when he thought the branded boy hadn't been listening.
"Cub, please, say something?" He asked quietly at first. Looking at the emptiness in Fox's gaze. "Is Thomas-"
"Grr, ah!" Fox turned suddenly grabbing his bow and notching an arrow as he half jogged out on his injured leg.
"Fox!" Newt called out.
But by the time he said: "please wait!" The boy had already fired a rope tired arrow into the stronger branch of the opposite tree and took off sailing down it, through the heavy canvas of leafs.
The collar laid on the bed, forgotten between both boys as Newt stared out the door after the boy who had vanished so quickly.
All he could do was let a tear slowly fall before he fell back onto his bed, unsure what to do.
What messed up situation had he got himself into?
