Trying something new…
TF2 mercs with a reader experiencing a panic attack. Gender neutral.
This has Engie, Medic, and Scout, cuz I love those three especially. Not sure if I can do requests, but I could try.
Notes: I’ve never had the pleasure of actually playing the game because my technology is very limited (one day…), but I love the characters. If my writing for the mechanics is wack, that’s why.
I also know it would be hard to have a panic disorder and be a mercenary, but I feel like it could still happen sometimes. They’re still human.
Warnings: descriptions of panic attacks and other mental health ailments that may be associated with them, including dissociation, hyperventilation, insomnia, and hallucinations.
Engineer:
-You had been forced into a corner. Inching closer and closer to respawn by the second.
-How many more hits could you take? You weren’t sure. But you didn’t want to go through that again…it had happened so many times…maybe you truly were losing your touch.
-The breath hitched in your throat, and tears threatened to spill down your face. Please…please just leave me alone…!
-A voice crooned from just behind him. The sadistic grin was wiped off your attacker’s face as he received a bright bolt of light to the back of his head, slumping over with a thud.
- “That’s just about enough a’ that, son.” Engineer, with the Short Circuit still smoking, looked down at you. “Ah…” Even with his eyes covered by his goggles, you could see the pleased smirk drop immediately as he retracted the weapon.
-Maybe it was the visible concern, maybe it was the fact that you didn’t have to be in fight or flight anymore, but the dam broke. You couldn’t breathe, every attempt at getting air came out in sharp gasps, audibly sobbing.
-“C’mere, darlin’…how bad did he getcha… Whoa—”
-You clamped your arms around him when he went to help you up, holding for dear life as your face quickly became slick with tears. “T-too close…I, I almost…oh my gosh…”
-Engie went rigid for a moment, clearly not expecting the sudden grasp, not knowing what to do.
-Machines, those he knew how to fix. But to find one of his closest teammates broken down crying in his arms, shaking like a leaf… how could he fix that? Could he…? Surely, surely he could. He would. That was his job!
-Slowly, warmly, two strong arms wrapped around you, stroking your shoulder with his thumb.
-“Now, now, honey…don’t you cry, I got ‘em for ya. And if anyone lays another finger on ya, they’re gettin’ a wrench to the dome, hear me?” You nodded quick, curling your head into his shoulder.
-“Let’s get you outta here, we’ll find the doc together, patch you up. Up ya go…”
-Assuming you didn’t start walking by yourself, he did his best to smoothly transfer you out of the embrace and into a close carry.
-You still struggled to catch your breath, and as he picked his pace up, you rested your head against his chest.
-Feeling his voice reverberate, you heard him humming the song he’d been softly singing the other night. The same one you had fallen asleep to. Trying to soothe you, in his own sort of way.
Medic
-Burning. Burning all over. That’s all you remember. You’d dropped your guard…there was just a Pyro and a Scout left, and you’d ended up completely burned.
-As you were brought back, you found that you couldn’t stand.
-Medic hurried up to you as you dropped to your knees, MediGun in hand. “Ah, wunderbar (wonderful)! I have saved a charge just for you, let’s go finish—oh. (Y/N), was ist los (what’s the matter)???”
-You grasped at your arms, your legs, you swore you could still feel the flames licking at you. Your breathing sped up, feeling your heart pounding in your ears.
-Medic may have had his license revoked, but he still knew exactly what this was.
-As you tried to get up and listen to what he had been telling you to do, he immediately stood in front of you. “Nein, I cannot in good conscience let you go back out right now. Bitte (please), (Y/N), sit down.”
-Plunking yourself right back down on the floor, you fought hard against the tightness that was forming in your throat. “That…that freaking sucked…”
-“I know that it did.” Out of the corner of your eye, you saw him moving to put an arm around your shoulder, giving you a moment to back away if you needed to.
-He seemed surprised when you instead leaned against him, trying your best to keep yourself together.
-“Oh! …ah, Liebe, that is not one you recover from quickly. Sit still…it’s okay.”
-The doctor reached over and softly ruffled your hair, his touch surprisingly gentle. A few tears escaped your eyes, but you were beginning to catch your breath again.
-“I know I was a bit strict, but…sending you out like this could easily get you killed again…and we do not want that.”
-Medic stared daggers towards the direction of the scent of smoke. How dare they set you ablaze. He’d make sure to take them out in pieces…
-The thought of bloodshed nearly drove him to his feet, almost hungry for it, but as he looked at you, he dropped his shoulders. We can get revenge later. They need me right now.
-“Liebe, listen. Don’t work so hard, alright? It’s no good for your heart… There will be hell to pay for that…for now though...stay here. And I’ll stay too, if it helps. I just healed everyone, I think they’ll be good.”
-You glanced up at him. “Are you comfortable like this?” He rolled his eyes wearily, but chuckled.
-“Me? I’m just fine.”
Scout
-The enemy Spy had been absolutely unrelenting for the last few days. Nowhere was safe. Nowhere at all.
-You were so anxious about going back to that the next day that it was even beginning to mess with your sleep. You swear you saw shadows moving, eyes in the dark…the lack of sleep only made it worse.
-Every encounter with that menace ran through your mind, playing on repeat as you stared at the ceiling. Finally, you decided to give up on sleep and go back downstairs.
-Upon seeing a shadow standing in the darkness, you couldn’t help but stumble backwards with a gasp, fumbling for a weapon that wasn’t anywhere near you.
-“Whoa! Hey pal, whatcha doin’ up right now?”
-The voice was clearly that of the Scout…or maybe that was what he wanted you to think.
-Unable to catch your breath, you ended up with your back to a wall, hands up in front of you in a panic. You saw Scout through your fingers—and quickly-accumulating tears at the corners of your vision. He looked…worried. Extremely so.
-Scout was confused, not atypical for him. But why were they so afraid? He hadn’t been too loud, had he? “…(Y/N)…it’s me, Scout. Jeremy. Ya…ya don’t gotta be scared. I’m sorry…didn’t mean ta scare ya.”
-Your hands visibly shook as you looked at him, desperately searching for some sign that could tell you if this was real or fake. “…you’re the real one…?”
-Oh. They were scared about the Spy…that scared? He’d noticed they’d been acting way different.
-“It’s the real me, (Y/N). Ain’t no freakin’ Spy gettin’ in here with me around. I’d never lie to ya, so please…”
-Somehow this did the trick. You fell apart, crying into your hands, which were cold and clammy at this point, ashamed of your own fear. “I’m sorry! …I’m sorry…”
-“Hey…it’s okay, I gotcha…” Scout knelt down in front of them, holding his empty hands out. Maybe if they see I’m not armed, it’ll help?
-You felt a gentle tap on your knee. Pulling one hand back, you found Scout holding his own out to you. “C’mere a sec.”
-Taking his hand, his fingers carefully intertwined with yours. You could feel the roughness around his palm from the constant grip on his bat.
-His eyes were bright, even in the dark. “That Spy? He’s a wuss, ya hear me? All talk. And next time we go up against him, we’re gonna send him back to his base pissin’ himself and cryin’ for his ma, cuz nobody messes with us, right?”
-You couldn’t help but crack a smile as he tried to rally you, in the carefree cocky way he always did. “Y-yeah…that’s right.”
-“You know it! We’ll win, we always do! And if he gets anywhere near you, I’ll whack his friggin’ lights out, so don’t you worry, doll! Not out there…and not here.”
-With this, he pulled you in by the hand and wrapped his arms around you, giving you a firm pat on the back. “You know I’d never let anybody hurt ya, right?”
-“Y-yeah…thank you. Sorry I got so scared.”
“Don’t gotta apologize for nothin’. He’s a creep, I don’t blame ya. But that’s all he is.”
-Your eyelids were now growing heavy, and a quiet yawn interrupted the conversation.
-“Sleep, (Y/N). I’m right here. Ain’t nothin’ gonna touch ya with me here.”
219 notes
·
View notes
Hey may I ask for a affogato x reader?
Like the reader had taken them in during their wandering after being banished or maybe met y/n while still part of the cookies of darkness...aaaand decides to ditch em for y/n and allowed them to live with them rent free because they like the company and maybe they are oblivious and overly sweet...like any attempts to manipulate them just FLIES over their head and they are just always super kind? And maybe......as a little extra:
y/n was an ex-watcher who related to being banished...and their crime? Acts of kindness and trying to help some of the cookies get stronger......like not even really breaking any laws, just wasting time and resources in dark cacao's eyes(for example not stealing food to feed the poor but doing something like teaching the poor how to hunt so they can hunt their own food or some acts of kindness dark cacao would view as wasting time)
Oh and I forgot to mention...what y/n is now post banishment:
ex watcher with crazy fighting skills....now someone who does stuff with yarn, either makes it or sews it into toys and blankets...can already imagine affogato looking around to try to find a certain yarn he wishes for y/n to use...and somehow stumbles upon their old watcher weapons that y/n had kept incase they ever needed to do self defense (I.e. a burglar breaking in to steal money or something) and affogato asks about it and y/n just casually mentions how they were banished for their kindness...not even turning to look at affogato, just continuing to crochet...
and when affogato makes a fuss about that (if he does)...that they shouldn't have been banished over such thing...y/n is just like "hey, it's alright! I'm making a good living out here! So it's ok! I have food on the table, a roof over my head, soft yarn, and now you....so I'm ok! No need to get upset over little ol'me being banished!"
Sorry if this is too much for one requests lol...just had the idea of a y/n who was an ex watcher who now just crochet with yarn taking in affogato and thought it sounded interesting and fun...
A Fish in a Barrel (Affogato Cookie)
Cacao being wack with the banish hammer. I went crazy on this one, it’s a full on story! Hope you like it!
Affogato hurried within the snow, horror clasping his being as he dared not look back. His plans were perfect, he should’ve had the kingdom easy! Cacao being alive REALLY put an end to his plans as he retreated within the cold tundra, not knowing where he’s going, just as long as it wasn’t the Cacao Kingdom, it would be ugly if he ever showed his face there again…
Affogato was tired and the raging cold wasn’t doing him any favors. He grew more sleepy and cold as he collapsed into the snow, his vision growing dim. Before he lost consciousness, he swore he heard the sound of footsteps approaching and the feeling of being lift up before everything went black….
Affogato came to, but instead of the freezing cold and heavy breeze, he was in a bed. He got up and noticed his staff next to the bedside as he picked up, the door opened to reveal a cookie with a warm smile and winter coat on.
You greeted him as you asked if he was okay? Please, take this hot chocolate to warm up.
Affogato would likely try to already Butter you up as he takes the cup. This was such a lovely cabin you have, what was a cookie as generous as you living alone here?
He’s taken aback when your response was that you rather enjoy the solitude here, it brings you peace and a sense of calmness, your words unaffected by Affogato’s attempt at charming you. However, that smile of yours was instead affecting HIM, he tried to look the other way as he felt his cheeks grow warm.
But no matter! He knows he will have you wrapped around his nonexistent thumb soon
Throughout Affogato’s time in your cabin, the cookie would try every which way to make you fall under his spell.
He would praise you for everything you did! You cooked dinner? why it looked really delicious! You came home with lumber? You were such a hard-working and strong cookie that others should look up to!
He would even get physical with some of praise, he’d hug you if you had a tiring day and massage your shoulders as he whispered praises into your nonexistent ear. This will surely have you entranced by him!
However, it seemed none of these attempts would work as you were still the warm and considerate cookie you always were, did you even acknowledge what he was doing or saying?!
In actuality, Affogato was the one being entranced by your kindness and generosity. You gave him so much without expecting anything in return. You gave him a place to stay, you made him food, you shared with him parts of your past, you were emotionally close to him then he realized.
It was at that point that Affogato decides that…perhaps it was time to turn a new leaf. If you were so nice to him and didn’t hold anything he’s done to you against him, then it was only fair that he started to treat you with warmth in return. Needless to say, this would change him quick.
He was incredibly attached to you, the cookie had lost everything and having you around just made him gravitate towards you.
He would wait near the door for your arrival when you left for lumber, greeting you kindly as you arrived. You would embrace one another as Affogato held onto you tight, he waited for a long while, so please let him hug you to his heart’s content.
If you were ever feeling down, Affogato was there with his praising to cheer you up. No longer was it for manipulation tactics, but to see the smile on your face return. It looked wonderful on you~
Affogato really felt like he knew almost everything there was about you, or at least, he thought he did…
You were knitting a sweater and needed a new ball of yarn that was in your room and asked if Affogato could quickly grab it for you, he very much obliged as he hurried into your room and spotted it on your bed. However, as he reached for it, the sun outside made something glimmer from within your closet, it caught his eye.
As much as he didn’t want to invade your privacy, especially after how much the two of you bonded over the months, curiosity got the best of him as he approached the closet and gently slid open the door as he gazed at what was in your closet.
Weapons. Not just any sort of weapons, these were Watcher weapons. Bow and arrow, a glaive, swords, and a sturdy wooden shield. Despite the hideaway method Affogato found them in, they looked to be recently maintained and clean. Affogato’s eyes widen at the realization of who you likely once were…
Affogato returned with the ball of yarn as you requested, but with that look of contemplation, you asked him what was up.
Affogato gave it to you straight and asked if you were once a Watcher!
With how he asked that question so dramatically, he was flustered to see you simply laugh…before casually telling him that, yes! You were once a Watcher for the Dark Cacao Kingdom! The 8th Watcher in fact!
“W-what?! You were a Watcher?! To tell me so bluntly like that! What were you doing here in this cabin! Didn’t Watchers have a duty to the kingdom?! Why hold onto all these…weapons?”
The weapons? They were for in case some wise cookie thinking they could break into this cabin and get away with it. You were still in tune with your Watcher training, you can pretty much whoop the absolute crumbs out of any manic that barged in here.
As for the other questions, well, simple! You were banished from the kingdom.
Affogato would be flabbergasted! Has that stubborn old fool been that empty headed to have let you go?! He didn’t really care if other cookies were banished, like that wretched First Watcher…..but a cookie like you?! What did YOU do to warrant banishment?!
Well….
——————————————————————
This feeling of worry didn’t leave you as you approached the throne room, the call to see His Majesty, Dark Cacao Cookie, had a different feeling this time. You just had this feeling in your gut that this wouldn’t be good…but at the same time, considering your actions for a while, you also knew that this was a long time coming.
“I worry for you, Y/N Cookie. Our King may have misunderstood your intentions, if you could allow me to help explain this-“
No no, it was okay, Caramel Arrow. You…knew this would happen eventually.
The First Watcher, Caramel Arrow Cookie, was both your comrade in arms and close friend. So when the news that Dark Cacao requested your presence at the throne room, a feeling of dread had also came over her. Her minding was wandering, what exactly had you done that warranted your presence there? Unless this what about…
You were before your King as you kneel down to show your respect. Your fellow cookies watched with anticipation and brooding as they too wondered why the king had called you to the throne room…
“Y/N Cookie, do you know why you have been called?”
If this is about your….reoccurring absences from the kingdom, then yes, you knew why you were here…
“Not just that, but our fellow cookies have spotted them going in and out of the pantries at around the same time rations have been reported missing! This is no coincidence!”
Before you can even utter a single word, Caramel Arrow already jumped at the accusation, her irritation showing.
“Those were their own share of the rations and theirs to share! I’ve seen them done it before, they make sure to never take anymore then their allotted portion! There is no truth that Y/N Cookie has committed thievery!”
“Oh really? Then what about their absences from the Kingdom? Aren’t Watchers always suppose to be on duty?”
This time you were able to answer that one! That was your own personal time that you’ve dedicated to make sure the villages were safe and secure, you also took the time to train them up too so they’re aren’t defenseless in case of bandits or fortuna forbid, a snow lion! You couldn’t leave them out to dry if they hungry, so you’ve done what you could during your break times to help them train to fend for themselves…
“Are you accusing our King from not doing enough? Are you really enabling this cookie to do as they please with the King’s time and resources?”
“Stop twisting their words! Y/N Cookie would never do anything to go against our king and the kingdom!”
“It’s pretty obvious that Y/N Cookie only proves to be a detriment to the kingdom! If stealing from our King and wasting his time trying to wrangle them back into the kingdom is what he should expect from them, then they are to be banished from the citadel! Your decision, my Liege!”
Dark Cacao pondered for a minute, the throne room was in heavy silence before he spoke.
“I have reached my decision. Y/N Cookie, you need not return here. The passion you have to protect cookies all around is insurmountable, these walls only serve to hold you back…”
——————————————————————
You finished the tale as you continued knitting, though you had a more solemn look to your eyes….
You had left the citadel shortly after your banishment, many of your fellow comrades raised objections at the verdict. There was no way that a cookie, the 8th Watcher no less, would do such things like waste of resources and thievery!
Caramel Arrow…she took it the hardest. You recall holding her right as you were about to leave. The guards at the gate could only watch as Caramel Arrow held you close and tightly, only you being able to hear her silent crying.
You promised her that you’ll be safe, continuing to help cookies. She’ll never forget you, she took inspiration of your good deeds and aim to do the same by helping out the nearby villages and provide them aid…it was an honor to fight alongside you…
You waved her farewell as the kingdom got further and further away until the falling snow obscured it from your vision…
….
Affogato was livid. What were his disciples thinking?! Oh he was going to turn them into CRUMBS when he sees them again….
Affogato went into a fit as he ranted about how Cacao was a big fool, a cookie that did nothing but give to others, and he would just throw you away…
However, before he could get more riled up, you stopped knitting and stood up as you placed a hand on his shoulder..
You reassure him that it was fine! That was a long while ago since you’ve left the kingdom, you’ve…learned to grow past the feelings of betrayal, the anguish, the pain…and learned that you could still do what you did best, lend a helping hand to cookies in need…
Exactly like you did with Affogato…
You have grown comfortable with your new life, you have this cozy new home, you have the warm fire, you had food on the table from hunting, life was good for you..
“But…would you want to go back? To that fool of a cookie?”
Please don’t insult Dark Cacao. He banished you, but you still held great respect for him. However, if you were honest, he was right. You were much better off on your own where you could do things in your own time and in your own way with nothing holding you back!
Now here was a question for Affogato, was he gonna run off now that he knew you were once a Watcher?
“And why would I do that? You’re not getting rid of me that easily~”
——————————————————————
You and Affogato Cookie have been living together ever since! This cabin of yours was so cozy, he should’ve left that dull kingdom a long time ago!
He’s incredibly clingy to you, if you left the canon to go aid a village in need, he would tag along with you. If the villagers ever expressed their thanks physically with hugs and handshakes, he would glare intensely at them until they leave. He would slide himself to your side, holding onto your arm.
You’re all he has left, so it only makes sense that he gets lonely when you leave the cabin, he’s all over you when you come home. Let him hug you, you cannot escape his grasp!
Still maintains his impolite tone to other cookies, it changes with you as he greets you with genuine smiles and gestures. It’s a pretty noticiable comparison.
He didn’t care what others had to say about him, he had you, that’s all that matters~
If you were working too hard, he WILL drag you to the bed to cuddle.
Won’t hesitate to put curses on cookies he deemed TOO close to you. No cookie deserved to be at your side besides him!
He witnessed your remarkable fighting skills, you whooped a whole gang of bandits single-handedly! You handled a snow lion on your own! You weren’t called a Watcher for nothing! Remind Affogato to never get on your bad side!
Seeing you aid the villagers with food and even provide them training on what to do and how to hunt for their own meals, Affogato only chuckled to himself. Dark Cacao was truly a fool to let you go….
And now, he had you all to himself! He would say he’s sorry to the potential future cookies he curses, but that would be a lie~ You only deserve the best, and that was what Affogato is~
…….
…….
…….
——————————————————————
The sound of steps echo into the room as a cookie walks in, saluting to another cookie within the room as he gazed out a window.
“Have you succeeded in locating them?”
“Forgive me, my King, but I am still unable to locate Y/N Cookie….”
Dark Cacao Cookie only sighed in lament as he continued to gaze outside the window, his eyes staring out into the snow and wilderness.
“However, there were villages that I witnessed…forging for their food and training amongst themselves, the technique, the steps being taken…they say that the Cookie of the Ridge had aided them”
“Without a doubt, it’s Y/N Cookie. I recognize this anywhere.”
“Y/N Cookie, you continue to hold cookies in your arms despite no one holding you in theirs…your banishment remains one of my many failings….”
“I won’t give up, my King. For your sake, for my own, and for everyone else’s. I swear that once I find them, I’ll bring them home…”
“See to it that you will, apologies are long overdue. I can only hope that their generosity will allow them to forgive us for my foolishness…”
“My king, you were misinformed…you wouldn’t have banished them if you were told how things actually were, the treachery and venom of those snakes only clouded your judgement…”
“Then it is only fitting that Y/N Cookie is to be received a grand welcome back into the kingdom. Please, do find them…”
“At once, my king!”
Caramel Arrow Cookie did a bow before leaving the room, hearing the solemn sigh of Dark Cacao be heard as her expression falls. She was instructed to go find you, but she had to make one stop first…
Your old quarters, it was left exactly how it was when you left. Despite banishment, Dark Cacao at the very least didn’t make any plans for your room to be changed in any way.
Caramel came into the room and sat down on your old bed, gazing to a shelf across from her, directly at a painting…of you and her. It was the time when you became the 8th Watcher, she was proud of you that day…joyous that she got to fight alongside you..it only made the current situation more hard for her.
“You never change, Y/N Cookie…but I wouldn’t want you to….”
“I long for the day that I’ll see you again, to see that warm smile of yours that I’ve grown attached to…”
“To fight alongside you once more…”
“I will do my best to find you, Y/N Cookie….”
“And once I do, I’m bringing you home…and I’m never letting you go…”
Caramel giggled on that last part as she stood up and hurried out of the room, filled with a newfound determination to find you, her dearest friend…
706 notes
·
View notes