If I don't get any hate mail I'm rioting.
War is the king of "don't ask won't tell" but as soon at its mentioned he's super blunt "hell yeah".
That should give you an idea of what is to come.
Also! ! I posted that bonus/deleted chap I mentioned in the last chapter.
Have a great weekend! !
You're still exhausted when you force yourself awake, although that's more because the desert is cold as all get out than anything else. War is oddly quiet while you repack everything, eyes narrowed. He appears to be thinking pretty hard about something, but fuck if you know what it is.
Hopefully it's something like "What a great Advisor I have" but you know that's... Very unlikely. If you had to guess you'd say its this quest in general that's plaguing him. Goodness knows there's a lot to worry about, especially with his advisor unable to be completely forthcoming with the details.
As for yourself, you're mostly just wondering if its appropriate to hug him. I mean, I could never see him again, you reason. But that particular train of thought is one you don't want to consider, with Samael's "happy ending" ringing in your ears.
You distract yourself by making faces at War until he cracks a smile and asks how long you plan on loitering.
"Loitering," You repeat, rolling your eyes. "I'll have you know making a Horseman smile is very important business."
He snorts and pointedly summons Ruin.
"Fine, fine." You hum, greeting the horse in the same fashion you did yesterday (well, maybe just 'earlier today', because you seriously doubt you slept a full eight hours), and War seems just as perplexed as before.
He helps you up afterwards, once again keeping one arm around your waist.
Your own arm hovers over his for a second, internally debating the risks of such a motion. You don't want to come across as overbearing and have him pull away again, but... You also really want to be closer to him. This careful toeing the line of friendship and 'acquaintances' just ain't cuttin it.
Don't be a coward. You tell yourself, laying your hand over top of his. You'd like to say you managed to make it seem like the most natural thing in the world, but your nerves get the best of you. It's careful and cautious, very obviously planned.
Frick, frick, frick, too risky! You panic when War doesn't react, wondering if taking it back is an option. You figure that would be even more awkward though.
Thankfully, War puts you out of your misery in the form of pulling you closer.
Oh.
You press your lips together to keep from smiling like a total lovesick fool, although you're certain War can feel how you suddenly relax into him. So this is okay, you think, adding 'hand touches' to the list of things War is down for. You think hand holding is a definite no, both because he's got huge hands and that would make quickly defending yourselves harder than it should be.
Plus, it would probably make you into a puddle of goo. Being so warm all the time can't be healthy.
You consider the rest of your options while Ruin brings you farther and farther into Silitha's territory, the spiderwebs starting after another ten-ish minutes of running. War doesn't seem as intimidated as yourself, but when you cower against him, he responds by reminding you, "She doesn't kill the interesting ones."
You let out a shaky laugh, "Are you saying you're interested in me?"
The double meaning in that question registers a half second after its out, but you can't find it in yourself to retract that statement. If he does say no you can always act flustered and claim that's not what I meant, I am sorry.
...you're almost upset by how easily lying comes to you after spending so much time with the aggressively blunt Horsemen.
"Wa-" You begin, trying to salvage this conversation.
"I am." He says it so matter-of-fact.
...Frick.
You bite down on your bottom lip until you taste copper to keep yourself from making any super fucking embarrassing noises, already repeating I am in your head.
He's interested.
War just said he's interested in me.
You don't know what to do with this information. Twist around and kiss him? Continue quietly reveling in this fact? Start planning how to explain to this to his siblings?
Maybe we should focus on not dying, another voice interrupts, your eyes zeroing in on something on the crags.
There isn't much time between then and another, very heavy something slide tackling you off the horse.
Great fucking time there, Silitha.
Your first instinct is to try and claw it off, followed shortly by yelling, "War!"
Too large fangs sink into your shoulder and you go limp near instantly.
You very briefly wonder if its actual venom or simply specialized magic, but then you hear the Watcher yelling at War to get up and fight and all you can think is War, War, War, come on, it'll be okay...
Hopefully, at least.
You wake up slowly, the haze reminding of you when you first "arrived" here, even before Strife came to your rescue. Your thoughts feel blurry, everything blending into each other in a chaotic mess no matter how hard you try to focus.
It takes you much longer than it should to remember where you are, and why your claws make a weird noise when you ball them into fists. Webs, you remind yourself.
Opening your eyes only reveals grey stripes criss crossed over your face. You tilt your head to no avail, and trashing only makes more webs stick to you (which is a horrifying experience when your venom'd up a fucking wall).
Eventually you will yourself to go back to sleep, hoping that will get the rest of the venom's effects to fade.
It's doesn't.
You wake up to the Watcher's hissing, and you're so happy you could kiss it.
"Dog," It says, peeling some of the webbing from your little cocoon. The sudden light makes you whimper, and its eyes narrow in what you hope is worry rather than annoyance. "Get over here and help your Advisor." It snaps, more forcefully this time.
"How?" War's voice sounds farther away than it should, lower than it should, actually.
Oh, fuck me. You think dismally, unwilling to look down and confirm your suspicions.
There's a pause, in which Watcher keeps trying to free you and War is presumably trying to think of a way to get you down.
It would be a lie to say you didn't half expect the cross blade, but you still pout in annoyance. The Watcher is quick to yell too, and that is a surprise. You're not sure to be pleased by it defending you, or offended that its yelling at War like that.
It takes only two hits for the webs binding you to fall away. You squeeze your eyes shut and concentrate. The light is easier this time, wrapping around you in a protective bubble.
A bubble that wraps around War too, when you land gracelessly in his arms, princess style. You simply stare at each other for a moment, War appearing concerned while you're overjoyed.
(Later, you'll rationalize that the Horseman-level venom is what had you so emotional, but its debatable at best)
"Are you okay?" He finally asks.
You throw both arms around his neck and cry, "War." You can't manage much else, tears already overflowing as you press your face into the crook of his neck. Trying to speak just ends in stuttered first syllables between sobs, so you give up.
War, on the other hand, struggles to reassure you with, "It's fine, you are safe. We knew she wouldn't kill you, and I will kill her shortly. There is no need for tears."
"You're dreadful at this." Watcher says. For all its 'helpful' advice, it doesn't seem keen on helping War out at the moment.
You don't really want it to though, so you suppose that's a good thing. It takes you a few minutes to pull yourself together enough to lift your head and tell War, "I'm sorry I led us into a trap."
He tries to stifle his laughter, giving up when you add, "And also for getting tears on your hood." His laugh makes you smile as you wipe the last of your tears away.
"I trust you." He says, shaking his head. "Although I would appreciate a warning."
"For the tears or potential traps?" You ask. "Because the former could be prevented by villains taking into consideration the fact we should not be separated. I am a delicate human who needs constant Horseman protection." You nod determinedly, as if its an order.
War smiles and your heart just about stops. "I agree." He says, moving to set you back on solid ground.
"With...?" You raise your eyebrows questioningly as he hands you Fate, the halberd humming agreeably to be back with its owner. You're tempted to kiss it, but then you remember all the halberd has been through and decide to keep that until after its been thoroughly cleaned.
War has already begun to explore again when he answers, "We should not be separated."
You make no attempts to try and hide your wide grin, nor the blush you can feel hot on your cheeks. Two in one day, it almost seems too good.
Well, actually, you don't know for sure how long you were out cold. For all you know it's been a week. You are rather hungry. And cold. That one can be easily explained by the whole "left outside with only a webbed cocoon for warmth" thing though.
"Yeah." You agree, too happy to be perturbed even when spiders begin crawling out of the woodwork and a demon literally crawls out of hell just to greet you. War does what he's known for while you munch on a granola bar and complain about how much your spider bite hurts. Only one demon gets close enough for you to justify killing it yourself, and your halberd buzzes excitedly.
Once they're all dead, of course, War demands to see your shoulder, and you allow him to fret over you with minimal bickering on both sides. He wraps the wound with the utmost care, and if not for the Watcher loudly demanding you get on with it (and kill Silitha), you're certain you would've tried something not-as-professional.
You wonder how he'd react if you kissed him.
No, bad , you tell yourself shortly thereafter, shaking that thought away.
We should not be thinking about kissing War, dammit! You scold yourself. Quick, say something distracting.
"Did you already get the grabby thing? Grappling hook, or whatever you wanna call it?" You ask curiously, trying to recall where exactly that's located.
Remembering specific maps has been getting harder, honestly, but you generally know what the objectives are to 'unlock' the boss.
He looks confused, and you take that as a 'no'. "I do have the map." He adds as an afterthought.
You bark a laugh, shaking you head in mock disapproval. "War, that would've been helpful information."
He scowls, although its not nearly as intimidating as it once was. Like he's just doing it out of habit or something. You reply with a sunshiny grin as he tears open the "door" for you.
"No spider thread is that elastic." You hmph, very carefully stepping over the threshold. Ohhh, you think, recognizing this room. The tall one with the elevator puzzle thing. This'll be a cake walk with two people.
"Silitha and her... children aren't spiders." Is War's answer, pushing you farther in.
You narrow your eyes. "I... Guess? I mean, that is a fair point. They're creatures of the Abyss, according to Uriel. But they look and act like really big fuckin spiders, right?" You continue debating that between helping War with the whole puzzle (and as it turns out, it is much easier to do with two people, although your arms are really sore from just the first one).
War keeps the... Whatever the fuck those things are off you while you scale the wall demonic growth, only for you to come face to face with a bomb.
Fuck.
You throw your light shield up as quick as possible, although the blast still sends you flying backwards. Your head cracks against the wood flooring and you see stars.
Ouch.
What the fuck, dude? That wasn't very nice. You think dazedly. As if the bomb needs to know how rude that was. It takes you second to realize that might be proof enough you've got some kind of head injury.
Of course your light can get you out of an explosion with nary a scratch, but not protect you from a fucking hard wood floor.
It takes you a minute to remember what you're doing, and then you take notice of War calling your name.
Shit, how do I word again? Your mouth doesn't seem to want to work properly, and all that comes out is confused gibberish. You think you're trying to reassure him you're okay, but god knows what you're actually saying.
Head wounds are a fun time.
The Watcher is the first to reach you, its eyes narrowed irritably as it takes in your position sprawled across the floor. "Well, at least you're alive." It says.
You pull a face in reply, throwing an arm over your eyes. You don't wanna deal with this right now.
That is, until War is very anxiously asking if you're okay and wow, you have never heard him so worried. You squint up at him curiously, "War."
He falls silent, lips pulled back into grimace.
"I'm dizzy as fuck, but I'm fine." The words sound mushy even to your own ears, but War visibly relaxes. "Sorry I forgot about the trap thing." You add, trying to sit up. You manage to get up on your elbows before everything gets blurry, but War is there to keep you from falling back again.
"There is no need to apologize." He sounds angry now, but you're too preoccupied to dissect that.
"Can... Can we rest before the next room?" You ask slowly.
War nods, pulling you into his lap. "Rest."
Well.
Okay?
You drag off your backpack while getting comfy, briefly struggling with the zipper before grabbing pain killers and dry swallowing them. You know it's bad for your throat but you don't even want to try opening a water bottle right now.
War remains quiet while you do that, and a glance up reveals he's glaring at the wall.
"It wasn't your fault." You say slowly.
War's gaze flickers back to you, eyes narrowing. "I should've gone first. Or been with you."
"War." You deadpan. "It's no ones fault, except maybe the motherfucker who decided bombs were a nice touch."
He doesn't verbally respond, only wrapping one arm around your waist and pulling you to his chest (like a teddy bear, you snicker).
"War." You repeat.
"It... Hurts me to see you wounded. Even if you're "fine"." He says, avoiding your eyes in a very un-War-like fashion.
"That happens when you care about someone." You quip.
"I love you. It's not the same." He makes a face, as if explaining this is completely asinine. You scrunch your nose up in reply and-
Wait.
Wait one fucking second.
Did he just say I love you?