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elegantmadness · 1 year

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Damned (a Fallen Hero fic)

Fandom: Fallen Hero: Rebirth + Retribution (an IF on Hosted Games)

Summary: Heartbreak was never really gone, only hiding away deep in the bowels of Sidestep's mind. Until they're no longer hiding. In the aftermath of Heartbreak's second attack, Sidestep makes the decision to stop them once and for all. It's only too bad that doing so will kill Sidestep too. Ortega is none too pleased when Sidestep asks him to help kill them.

Characters: M!Ortega, Lady Argent, Herald, Steel, Gender Neutral!Sidestep, Heartbreak

Pairing(s): Ortega/Sidestep, Argent/Sidestep, Herald/Sidestep (poly basically)

Rating: M for heavy topics such as suicide and euthanasia. Lots of angst and tragedy. Sidestep death. No happy ending.

Word Count: 4k. Please also note the present tense and second person to keep in line with the immersive, IF feel.

AO3 Link

The first sign of life is the pressure: the build-up of static humming dangerously in the air.

…seeking an end

Or is it a beginning?

Maybe it doesn’t even matter anymore.

Your eyes flutter open, but instead of a blinding light, there is only a soft darkness: gentle enough to settle like a cloak shielding you from the elements.

The tension in the air builds again, mounting and growing into a crescendo that never quite explodes.

You can’t help the instinctive tense of your shoulders, but this place is wrong; there are no white lab coats, no beeping of machines or whirring of saws slicing through flesh, no stagnant air of misery that you’ve long since associated with the Farm.

Pain pounds behind your eyes, a familiar sensation heralding the beginning of a particularly excruciating migraine, but as your eyes begin to adjust to the lack of light, you notice the figures in the room.

The glint of Argent’s skin catches your eyes first, though her expression is as unreadable as Chen’s who stands with his arms crossed, his armor exchanged for civvies. The tension in both their forms is unmistakable, and they pointedly avoid your gaze when you let it linger on them a few seconds too long. Herald is actively watching you, his smile brittle at the corners and his eyes a little sunken; has he not been sleeping?

Ortega looks the worst of the bunch, in all honesty. His eyes are bloodshot, and though his hands are shaking, you have a sneaking suspicion it’s from something other than his epilepsy. It occurs to you slowly, though: that their thoughts are not readily accessible, and you can feel your eyes widen. Something has been attached to the middle of your forehead, and you have a feeling it’s connected to why your telepathy has abruptly been cut off.

It’s a strange feeling, really, different from the dampeners which feel akin to a blanket attempting to smother the embers of your ability before they can catch into flames. Everything is muted somehow, far away, even more so than usual; nothing feel’s especially real, save perhaps for the pounding still rocking through your temples. Is that the cause? It wouldn’t be a surprise.

“Where…?” Your voice breaks, hoarse and raw, broken, and something flickers in your line of vision that is decidedly not the room around you. Bodies, prone and broken and grotesque in their unnatural poses litter the path before you; the blood on your hands is still warm, slick, and it takes several moments to realize that the blood is not from your victims: it is from you. It drips from your nostrils and pools at either side of your lips, the metallic taste all too familiar from your hero days. Someone, or some thing, must have hurt you, though, because your palms are broken and bleeding too.

Defensive wounds?

“Don’t make me do this!” It’s Argent, seething and growling as she hovers defensively in front of an unconscious Charge and Herald. You can feel her colony of nanovores at the edge of your consciousness, so delightfully, wonderfully volatile, and your mouth shifts into a manic smile as you yank and tug until Argent cries out, her hands reaching for her head as she undoubtedly tries to regain control.

“This isn’t you! Take control!”

You had wondered where Steel had gotten to, though he freezes when you turn your gaze to him, his dampeners beginning to strain from the onslaught of your telepathy. It hadn’t helped him the first time; it certainly won’t help him now, especially not with his former savior unable to assist him.

“Isn’t me?” Your voice is a mockery of Sidestep, hauntingly familiar as it teases Chen. “You never knew me.” Chen’s lips quaver, your telepathic assault finally breaching his dampeners; he didn’t die last time, perhaps now it’s time to fix such an egregious mistake…

You never see the blow coming, but Argent practically howls as she connects, the nanovores seething with the need for something like revenge, though their so-called thoughts are too instinctive to employ the concept.

You gasp when you come back to yourself, and it’s no real surprise when Ortega all-but-runs to you, the terror and urgency in his gaze making you flinch. He winces to see it and stops before he makes contact, though he kneels down and lands a soft hand on your thigh, the electric current a familiar feeling as it crackles along your skin. No doubt it’s unintentional, but the touch makes you gasp despite yourself.

“You all right?” Ortega’s the one who finally dares to break the silence, and you fix him with an angry look, your eyes flashing and narrowing down at him. He doesn’t even flinch away from it; he’s far too used to it, the bastard.

“How could I possibly be ‘all right’?” Your words don’t carry nearly the amount of bite you want them to, your tone dragging into something far more resembling guilt as your shoulders quake and you force back a sob. “What happened?”

You can’t look at Ortega anymore, not when you need the bare facts of it all. He’s way too good at avoiding these types of direct questions, or of sugarcoating the circumstances where you’re involved.

Herald flinches at the question, and Chen exchanges a look with Argent before stepping closer while still giving you and Ortega a wide berth.

“Heartbreak.”

The single word is enough to instill within you an understanding, and you flinch as something loud echoes inside your mind: not words as such, but a chain being rattled. The jail bars of your mind and the dampener on your forehead being shaken angrily. They’re outraged at the gall of being caged again, and you wince as the pain becomes almost too much, your consciousness beginning to fade.

You don’t even remember when your hands reach for the sides of your head, but when the pain finally, blissfully begins to lessen, you notice how Ortega’s hands cover your own, his eyes glassy though he’s shed no tears. Yet.

You don’t even dare to parse the pleading look Ortega gives you, the affection and desperation that bleed into the terror of the situation. For once you’re glad your telepathy’s dampened, even if you never could read Ortega’s mind. “You sure you want me to let go?”

It’s a pitiful attempt at flirting, though you can’t quite hide the tired twitch of your mouth before you nod and his warm, static-y hands fall back to his sides.

“Why didn’t you tell us?” Argent demands, crossing the room and glaring down at you, though it startles you a little to see more than simple anger in her expression. There’s concern there too.

“Hey, Angie! Come on. Let’s take it easy, all right? This is hard on all of us,” Ortega tries to hold her at bay, though it’s an interference she is not even slightly willing to entertain. Her nostrils flare, and she balls one of her hands into a fist as she tenses in preparation to move past him.

“I… didn’t know,” you admit, your hands sliding between your thighs as you lower your gaze. Some telepath, not even able to realize when you’re being controlled by another, even stronger telepath. Have they been inside your head ever since the original Heartbreak incident? Or did the Farm scoop them up too and somehow fuse the pair of you together the second time? You’re not sure which option is less appealing.

Argent, meanwhile, has fallen silent, and Ortega catches her gaze before he shakes his head and drops his hand from her wrist.

“It’s all right.” Herald’s optimism is normally contagious – why else would you have ever agreed to train him? – but even as he settles on the cot next to you and takes your hand, you know he’s wrong. Nothing about this situation, about you, is right, and you’re starting to believe it never will be again. Maybe it never was in the first place. You’ve been fighting and fighting for so long, and what has it gotten you? Pain. Misery. Isolation.

“We’ll think of something,” Herald continues as though his blind optimism is helpful or wanted, though you inhale sharply before retracting your hand. You can see Herald frown in your periphery, and under normal circumstances you’d apologize.

But not now.

“I think we all know that’s not true,” you tell him evenly, forcing yourself to your feet and regretting it instantly. The world begins to move and sway – is this another dream? – but before you can fall Ortega’s there, his warm arms wrapping around you. You don’t miss the way Herald has sprung to his feet, or how Argent tenses when she sees you’re about to fall; hell, even Chen starts and takes a step forward. How long have they cared? You can’t remember, but for once you welcome the warmth. It’s a far cry from ostracizing yourself in a base somewhere, but Ortega’s chest is solid, and he seems disinclined to let you go now that he’s finally, finally gotten you in his arms.

That’s probably why the realization hurts so much. You can’t keep doing this. You can’t keep hurting them, hurting yourself, and now… Heartbreak. For them to so expertly subvert you there can be only one explanation. They’ve woven themselves throughout your mind, sunk their barbed tendrils into every neural pathway and telepathic link until they are merely a shadow that is primed to take control whenever your own wavers, and eventually, whenever they desire.

Once more, you are merely a puppet. No autonomy. No humanity. Scarcely even a thing. Certainly not a person.

At the very least, though, you can make sure Heartbreak hurts no one else ever again.

“What are you saying?” It’s Chen who speaks this time, no-nonsense and matter of fact, but the lines of his face this time are not tense with frustration or even anger. There’s concern there, naked in the light of his eyes, but deep down, he knows what needs to be done. He doesn’t flinch away from his duty, however distasteful; you hated that about him before, but now… well, it makes things easier. Making it easy is all you really can do now.

“You know what I’m saying, Chen. Don’t be coy.”

He winces, actually winces and staggers back a step as though you’ve struck a blow, but the others are no better. Ortega’s hold on you tightens, though you can’t bring yourself to look at him, not now. Not yet.

“You can’t be serious! There has to be a way!” Herald’s optimism has morphed into sheer, unadulterated panic, his eyes wide and disbelieving even as you shake your head at him, your lips tugging into a watery smile.

“There’s not,” you tell him simply, and you can tell he has to stop himself from arguing about it further, his lips trembling as tears stream from his eyes. You were his hero, his enemy, his trainer, and now… now you’ll be his martyr.

Argent is deep in thought, her jaw tight before she fixes you with a look. “What about the nanovores? Or the regenerator? Aren’t there other telepaths we could consult?” Her words are clipped and emotionless, as though she’s forcibly keeping her own feelings at bay, and your heart twinges to see it. She’s so strong, but you’ve never seen her so vulnerable before. And it’s because of you.

“And how many people are you going to let die because I can’t keep in control?” you return sharply, hating how she flinches but knowing it’s necessary. Not all problems have solutions, and you aren’t willing to wait around for the Farm to pick up on you or Heartbreak, not again.

“You know as well as I do that you have trouble with the nanovores even on good days, and it’s not like it’s a physical wound. I don’t think this is something they could fix, same with the regenerator. As for other telepaths…” Your thoughts trail off. No other telepath is trustworthy, and there isn’t time to find one anyway. She knows it even if she doesn’t want to admit you’re right.

Argent eventually huffs angrily, her arms crossing over her chest as she turns away from you, though she doesn’t slip away. Does she feel bad for arguing with you so late in the game, on the eve of your demise? It’s almost enough to make you want to apologize.

Your hands slide to Ortega’s chest as you push off gently, but even with the minimal space now between you he refuses to let you leave his embrace entirely. His smile warms you in ways you never imagined, even if it’s taut at the corners and his eyes, like Herald’s, are brimming with tears.

“Don’t you remember?” he asks rhetorically, a strangled chuckle never fully making it off his tongue. “I said I’d always try to save you, even when you said I couldn’t.” The tremors in his hands are getting worse, and you can’t help lifting a hand to his jaw, pressure beginning to build behind your own eyes.

“You can’t save me,” you murmur softly, fingertips idly brushing the salt-and-pepper bangs that have fallen in front of his eyes. “You never could,” you add a moment later, shaking your head as tears begin to slide down your cheeks. “I was damned before I ever met you.” It’s getting harder to breathe, though you at least manage a smile at him, even when his own becomes engulfed by a tight frown as his eyes squeeze shut. There’s no hiding his tears now, and the oddest urge to apologize comes to you as he drags you closer.

“I can’t do it,” he admits brokenly, his teeth raking over his bottom lip as he looks you full in the face. “I can’t lose you again.” You don’t see the kiss coming at all, but it sears you, brands you, as though he hasn’t already gouged his name into your heart. As though you haven’t known already for years that Ricardo Ortega is the man you love, the man who has held your heart and soul in his hands with a gentleness you’ve never before known.

You’ll always be grateful for his unconditional acceptance.

All the emotions must rouse Heartbreak, because the moment the kiss comes to an end searing pain takes its place and you gasp for breath, the fire threatening to burn you from the inside out. Sparks erupt from Ortega’s fingertips as they press too-gently against your forehead and brush the device there, presumably pumping more power into the device still on your forehead, and for the moment, it makes the pain stop.

“We don’t have much time.” Chen frowns, and you nod breathlessly.

“Thank you, Chen. For everything. Take care of them for me, will you?” Your request catches him off guard – or perhaps it’s the act of thanking him – but either way he stares at you as though he’s never seen you before.

“I will,” he promises solemnly, taking a breath before glancing over at Ortega who seems to understand his tacit request. Ortega’s arms pull away before Chen’s take their place, the embrace unexpected even as you tentatively return it a moment later. You never expected to befriend him, but now you wish you’d done so sooner. “Apologize to Spoon for me, will you? I promised him a walk and some treats.”

He frowns as he releases you, his emotionless mask flickering at the mention of his greyhound, though you don’t wait for him to step back before sliding a fond kiss to the middle of his scarred brow. The affectionate gesture makes his jaw tremor, and his eyes blink far too quickly as he turns away. No doubt he wants to hide how deeply this is affecting him, though you never would’ve guessed losing you would have so profound an effect on him.

You turn away from Chen to give him the privacy he seems to require, your eyes landing on Herald whose tears have finally stopped. His face is red and blotchy – a far cry from the camera-ready hero smiling his sunny smile, and you grasp his hands with as soft a smile as you can muster. “You’re so strong, Danny. You really are. Keep up the training, all right? Keep practicing. You’ve already got the good person thing down.”

He chokes back a hiccup and tries to smile, and you fully expect the smothering hug when it comes. You hold him close, petting the soft strands of golden hair at the nape of his neck while whispering soothing sounds against his ear, but eventually, you pull back, his tear-filled eyes pinning you in place. He’s always found strength in you, in your relentless drive and desire to protect others even when you’d chosen a side opposite of his own, but now… now that strength is a weakness. You almost feel impelled to apologize to him for ripping it away, but before your mouth can even begin to form the words his eyes are lidded and his lips are soft and oh-so-delicate against your own.

The kiss is salty, heartbroken, and grows with increasing desperation as he struggles not to sob against your mouth. Your fingers reach out to graze over his temple, his golden hair brushing over your skin as he finally pulls back with a shaky swallow. His expression is a little stronger now, no doubt trying to be brave for you and the others, and you offer him as good a smile as you can muster before rounding on Argent, anger beginning to seep into the cracks of your despair.

“You find the bastards who did this, Xi. You track them down and slaughter them until there’s nothing left of the Farm.” Her expression is shocked when she turns to look at you, though it abruptly darkens before she nods decisively.

“You can count on that.” Her tone is vicious, but even then, there’s something breakable about it, as though dismantling the Farm without you is meaningless. Or, maybe, it’s the idea of robbing you of your just rewards for enduring all the bullshit that sets her off.

“For fuck’s sake! ” she finally snarls, grabbing you by the front of your shirt and dragging you close enough to kiss before smashing your lips together. It’s harsh and unyielding just like Argent herself, but there’s a depth of emotion there she can better convey than through words alone. It lingers warm and metallic against your mouth, more comforting than off-putting, and by the time she rears back she’s sucking in lungfuls of air through grit teeth, her eyes narrowing at you.

“You weren’t supposed to die. Not now, not like this,” she hisses as she retracts her hand. Chen levels a comforting hand on her shoulder a moment later, and you’re not sure whether that’s more of a surprise than the fact that Argent lets it stay there. There’s something decidedly defeated about her stance, in the slump of her shoulders and the ever-moving line of her mouth that doesn’t seem to know whether to snarl or cry or scream.

“Sorry it couldn’t be you,” you can’t keep the quip inside, and while it makes Argent’s lips twitch, she’s too upset to smile. You can’t help noticing one of her hands reaching out for Herald, though; the blond allows himself to be tugged closer until he’s buried his forehead in her silver collarbones, his strong arms wrapped around her slim waist. Is that a glint of silver at the back of Herald’s head? The sight makes you start to think that, at the very least, the team will survive without you so long as they have each other.

At least until you turn back to Ortega.

“Dios mío,” Ortega curses when your eyes return to him, his own red and his voice hoarse as he welcomes you back into his arms. You’ve never had a home or a family, not a real one, but Ortega has always been both. How can you possibly tell him how much he means to you? How hard this is? You don’t make this decision lightly.

“I want it to be you,” you tell him as flatly as you can, though judging from the narrowing of his eyes and the parting of his lips, he’s going to need a little more than that to understand.

Shit.

It wasn’t supposed to be this hard to get the words out. You swallow, steeling your nerves as best you can.

“I want you to kill me, Ortega.”

His eyes widen impossibly before they abruptly darken with anger, fury, outrage the likes of which you don’t think you’ve ever seen. And honestly, that’s something of an accomplishment. Your heart skips a beat despite yourself.

“Are you fucking kidding me?! ” You’ve heard him say it so many times in Spanish you don’t even need to try and translate it into English, though you can only watch as his hands grip your upper arms, the fury and pain digging jagged lines into his face.

“No? I thought we all realized that was the idea,” you answer glibly, though that was clearly the wrong thing to say. His eyes darken even further, the corners of his eyes wetting with tears again.

“This is your life we’re talking about!” he explodes at you, the pain in his words making you wince away as something twinges uncomfortably in your chest.

“I… I can’t do that!” he finally screeches, the tingling of his current against your skin a testament to his control, and how very easily you seem to undermine it.

“Ricardo. Please.” The use of his given name gets his attention, and he silently pleads with you to change your mind as you stare into his eyes. “It has to be you. I… I can’t do it myself.” Your words are so soft you wonder if he can even hear you. Maybe you could have long ago. Maybe it’s selfish to ask… No. There’s no maybe about it. It’s beyond selfish, but it’s entirely possible that if you try it alone, Heartbreak will thwart your attempts.

“You want me to kill the love of my life?” he asks, tortured and broken and no doubt wishing to god this were all a nightmare. “To watch you die again? To know I failed again?” His shaking has gotten progressively worse, and you flounder for words before someone finds them for you.

“You didn’t fail,” Chen tells him sternly, an arm rounding Ortega’s shoulder and holding tightly. One of Argent’s arms slides around your back in what you can only assume is some comforting gesture, and even Herald manages a half-smile at Ortega, though the expression is undeniably tinged with helplessness as his arms round Ortega’s waist and your own.

“We’ll be here, Ricardo. You won’t be alone,” Herald tries to offer comfort, though as Ortega’s forehead settles on yours, you know he’s far too gone to accept it.

“I love you, Ricardo. Always have. Always wi–” The word chokes from you mouth as Ortega tugs Herald away from you and gives Argent a warning look before lightning arcs through you: burning out the core of your hollow existence. Unfortunately for him, Heartbreak is not simply going to sit back and allow themself to be slain without a struggle.

“Mierda.”

Ortega’s voice hearkens your consciousness back to the fore, though the pain of having so much electricity coursing through you unnaturally has taken its toll. You can feel the burns, can feel the irregular pulsing of your heart and the uncomfortable way your lungs seem to spasm with each breath.

“Do it,” you rasp, reaching for his forearms and gripping them tightly.

“I love you,” he whispers, daring one, final look at you before the electricity crackles and singes down his arms and into your own. You can feel Heartbreak struggle, can feel the vehemence, but the pain of being electrocuted saps whatever strength you both possess readily. Your body drops a handful of heartbeats later, and Ortega drops with you, his torturous wails never ceasing as he gathers your limp body into his arms and the others gather around him, trying vainly to offer comfort just as readily as they try to take it from each other.

#fallen hero #fallen hero rebirth #fallen hero retribution #ricardo ortega #sidestep #lady argent #herald #steel #wei chen #daniel sullivan #fallen hero spoilers #my writing #charge #heartbreak #fh retribution #fh ortega #fh spoilers #chargestep #argentstep

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thelonelyshore-if · 2 months

Note

Who would the ROs for your IF romance from another IF?

Don't mind me immediately forgetting every single IF I've ever played.

Beck- Farah from Wayhaven. They love a sense of humor.

Croft- Hmmmm...Roe from Blood Moon, perhaps? Or Dr. Mortum from FH!!

Jay- I could see them being a biiiiig Ortega Fallen Hero fan.

Perri- Javi from Royal Affairs or M from Wayhaven c:

Ravi- Horizon from The Passenger.

Yasmin- Farro from Blood Moon or Lady Argent from FH.

#asks #interactive fiction

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mortumslab · 2 months

Text

Remembering to be Human - Chapter 3

Finally, this chapter is done. It was tough to write. Good news, I have 6 more ready. I've never been more happy to procrastinate studying.

(TW: blood, swearing) (Major spoilers for FH: Retribution.) (Please go read Malin Ryden's amazing series if you haven't already.)

And a link to Chapter 2:

Several things happen at once. All in quick succession.

Julia squeaks - really cute, in hindsight - and nearly falls from her chair.

Steel arms himself; he’s in his medium-weight armor. The same as your last interaction at Carter’s mansion.

Lady Argent grows a two-foot sword from her right arm - still as perplexed about that one as you were on the bridge.

Danny floats above the table looking murderous. You did teach him to fight. You might regret that in a few moments.

Blaze heats up. He wasn’t supposed to be here, but you suppose his presence makes sense considering he saved your life - though you’re not sure why.

And Sentinel begins to whip up a frenzy from the air. Cold. Strong. You didn’t know he was in town.

“Would everyone please relax?” You try to keep the growing panic from your voice. The modulator pulling extra shifts.

Danny comes for you first. He’s angry and reckless. Argent even looks a bit impressed by the kid’s initiative. No, not a kid. This is a hero. This is an ally. You dodge him, but make him perceive you a little further over, near the snack table. Where there’s a soft couch. He lands with a soft “whumph.” Steel aims at you once more - slightly distracted by Herald’s brazen response.

“Why are you here, Heartbreak?”

“To share secrets.” Here we go.

You reach up, slowly, to your helmet. They don’t know it, but your eyes are trained on Sentinel. Why is he here? You never warranted another alpha-boosted hero. What does he know?

The helmet hisses, not for the first time tonight. And probably not for the last. A lot of truths. You’re going to need a long rest tonight.

“Arya…” It’s Argent’s voice. She sounds surprised, hurt, and excited. A lot of vulnerability for the invulnerable woman.

“Hi.” Shitty opener. Your grand reveal. “We have a lot to talk about. And I have a lot to share. And I have a lot to answer for.” You add the last bit because you see Danny out of the corner of your eye.

“We don’t negotiate with villains.” Daniel growls. He’s coming towards you; the others appear to wake from their stupor, and Sentinel, the closest to him, reaches out. You shake your head and let Danny approach. He swings, and you let him, though you saw his intentions moments before.

“Fuck!” You splutter out blood. Flecks splatter the table. Your nose is probably broken, great. You deserve worse.

He grabs you by the scruff of your neck and knees you in the ribs; though you can’t feel it, you let out a gasp. Then your head meets the table. Violently.

“Fight back, you fucking coward!” He’s right to be mad. You embarrassed him. Broke him. Hurt him. Then trained him.

Hands grab Danny and pull him away from you. You can sense the betrayal. The pain. And you sense regret. He can’t believe he just hurt you. He doesn’t understand why you wouldn’t fight back. You won’t hurt him again. For you, it isn’t about the Rangers. It’s not about the heroes. Or the villains. It’s about those pulling the strings. You won’t be puppeteered anymore.

Deciding no one else is going to make an attack on you, Julia surges towards you. The soothing buzz is a welcoming sensation. She has worry written all over her face.

“I’m fine, really.” You lie. You’re not. Herald hits hard. Really hard. “I’ll be okay till after we talk.”

Steel is looking at you with an odd expression. Is it nervousness? Fear? It’s abnormal for him to look like this. He’s not used to these emotions. You don’t dare invade the thoughts of anyone here tonight. Tensions are high.

Blaze is standing next to him. A brand of familiarity in his proximity to Steel. Argent is standing by herself, her eyes trained on yours and a small smile curling her vicious mouth.

“So, I am Heartbreak.” This was obvious. But the silence needed to be broken. All eyes are on you. Show time. You take a deep, cleansing breath. This is going to be a difficult sell.

“I cannot make up for the pain I’ve caused everyone in this room. The hurt I’ve put you all through. It was never my intention. And I want to make it clear that if I ever lose myself as I did… like I did at the gala, I need your promise you will summarily put me in the ground.” You say it with such finality that the heroes look a little worried. Villains don’t admit to wrongdoing. And they certainly don’t ask to be killed. You know these heroes don’t like to kill. They would much rather apprehend you. Imprison you. Never again.

“Arya, you don’t mean that…” Julia is worried. That’s in character. She’s the only one you know couldn’t do it if it came to it. She cares too much. You don’t deserve her.

“I do. But that’s not why we’re here.” You look at the faces in the room. They were each your friends, your allies. “Let me explain myself. Then you can decide whether or not to kill me.” You don’t say arrest. Either they kill you, or you escape. There is no capture.

“Why would we kill you?” Steel sounds hesitant. “We can always hold you for questioning.”

“No,” your voice is firm. A sudden anger contorts your face. “I will not be brought into captivity again. Never again.” He didn’t say captivity, but you know what capture leads to.

Neither Sentinel nor Blaze have spoken yet. They look both uncomfortable and confused. Los Diabolos villains don’t act this way. Neither Arya nor Heartrbeak are ones for truth. But if you’re going to be successful in your plans, you need to have allies. And, for better or for worse, these are the strongest people in Los Diabolos.

“I’m going to explain this all, but I need those of you here to know that once you hear what I have to say, they’ll be after you as well. All of you.” You look around the room. Judging reactions. “So if you want no part of me or my plans, leave now.” No one moves.

“Who could be after us? We’re Rangers.” Argent speaks again. She hasn’t stopped looking at you. Respect? It’s unsettling you.

“Wait. I think I know what this is about. Or at least part of it.” Chen looks tired. Suddenly, he looks his age. He leaves the room without any explanation. Odd. Steel should not know anything about this. You have kept your identity as a Re-Gene hidden for years. Your identity as Heartbreak has remained a secret up until today. The reactions of everyone in the room confirm as much. And you know your VIS entry is full of unknowns.

The silence in Steel’s absence lingers for far too long. You’re analyzing everyone, subtly probing the minds around you. Argent finally breaks it. “You possessed me, then, right?” Fuck. You were hoping to avoid another round of beat-the-telepath, but you suspect it’s coming again. Deserved. Warranted.

“Yes.” Simple. “And I wish I had any other options. But I needed these.” You raise your hand and allow a few nanovores to devour the conference phone on the table. The Rat King is still beside you, and despite not being up against your head, the control over the nanovores is absolute. The phone disintegrates. You allow them to slide up your arm and onto your face. Sentinel makes a move to stop you but pauses when you’re not shrieking in pain and dissolving.

You saw it in her mind, but she had you by the throat against the wall before you could even make a sound. Argent’s grip is tight. Too tight.

“You’re using the nanovores?” Her tone is harsh. “And you invaded my mind?” Another statement, though phrased like a question. You can’t actually answer, but you suspect she knows that. You start to see spots. Darkening in the corner of your vision. It’s nice.

Then suddenly you can breathe again. Julia has her hand on Argent’s wrist. She’s giving you just the narrowest amount of room. Argent outclasses Julia in terms of strength. But Argent trusts Julia’s judgment. For now.

“Yes and yes.” And once again, you don’t fight back. She has every right to kill you, and you’re starting to wonder if you’re brave or just suicidal. The latter is probably the truth. You’ve known that for a while. Yet, Julia saves you again. She will never know how many times she’s saved you. Undeserving. Not even human.

“If you’re going to kill me,” you manage to get out, “the information I intend to share is in my helmet. The Rat King will help.” Argent’s eye twitches at that. You suppose “Rat King” is far from the strangest thing you’ve said tonight.

“Why shouldn’t I kill you now?” Argent looks like she’s going to do it. Finally. The Rangers can handle this. Probably more efficiently than you could. At least they’re allowed to kill.

“You probably should. I am a danger to everyone here.” The truth. No mystery. No bargaining.

She drops you. You slide to the ground. You’re going to feel like shit tomorrow. “Don’t go into my head without telling me.” She sounds angry, but you sense a note of respect. Great. She likes choking you. It was not the first time. And it probably won’t be the last.

Julia looks between you and Argent, reaching down and pulling you to your feet. She gives you a smile and briefly caresses your face. Wiping blood out of the corner of your mouth. She’s too loving. You don’t deserve this.

Steel finally returns. Holding a set of files. He looks at you, then at the group. Then he tosses them onto the table. They slide unceremoniously to you as you retake your seat, pretending to be unruffled by your second beating from the Rangers tonight.

The folder is open, and you see yourself. Dead. Dead and on a cold table. Your tattoos are visible for everyone to see. It looks like an autopsy. You’re still in your Sidestep suit. This was taken after Heartbreak. After your death. When she broke you.

Red. You see only red. Julia holding you back is the only thing keeping you from leaping across the table at Steel. He knew. He knew, and he didn’t save you. He knew, and he let them hurt you. Disassemble and reassemble you. The Rat King is doing his best to calm you, but it’s not enough. You’re losing control again. This is what happened at the gala. Destroy. Consume. Eliminate. Oblitera—.

“Arya! Stop!” Julia’s words cut through your rage. Your pain. You’re shaking, and now you recognize your eyes are wet.

“You knew!” You hiss at him. “You knew, and you let them keep me!”

“I’m sorry,” Chen says. He doesn’t break eye contact, but you can tell he’s sincere.

Julia sees the photos, too. She recognizes the significance. You can’t read her mind, but you know from her expression that there will be an argument.

“Arya, please stop before this escalates,” Sentinel speaks for the first time. His voice tears through you. Unlocking memories. He knew you during the Void Raid, during the Nanosurge. How dare he? How dare he stop your righteous anger? Your crusade? Your vendetta? An animalistic growl escapes your lips.

Julia’s grip on you is iron-tight. If it were just her holding you back, you might be able to get to Steel. To make him understand what was done to you. But Danny noticed your reaction, too. He was able to eliminate the space between you before you could escape Julia’s grasp.

“Arya, please.” Danny is begging. That snaps you out of it. You only ever heard begging from him once before and it still haunts you. The gala. Control yourself. These are not your enemies. Not anymore. Hopefully. Hope. Is that what it’s like to be human? Hope?

“Can somebody please explain what’s happening?” Blaze sounds like he’s worried a fight is going to break out. If no one had caught you in time, there would have been one.

“I’m a cuckoo.” You say simply. “A Re-Gene. An escapee.” Your words are staccato. “I escaped, became Sidestep. Then, the Heartbreak incident happened. The Special Directive got to me when I jumped. Took me back. Apparently took autopsy photos.” You gesture at the photos on the table. “Then they pulled me apart. Wringed me of the impressions Heartbreak left on me, then left me to die. To shut down.”

You stop for a moment, you can feel yourself breaking again. You’re suddenly aware of Julia running her hand through your hair. It’s calming. You never realized how calming human touch could be. Stop pretending you’re human. You’re not. But she is.

“But I wouldn’t shut down. I wouldn’t die. They’d created an alpha-level telepath between Heartbreak and their tinkering. And then I escaped.” This is the part you didn’t really tell Julia. “I believed you’d all forgotten me. That you’d all never cared.” You look at Steel briefly. You know he thought you dead. But that he knew you to be a Re-Gene unsettles you. He has treated you better since you returned. He felt guilty.

“Arya… I never forgot you.” Julia’s voice is soft in your ears. You believe her. But you don’t say anything.

The room is silent again. You’re on a roll, though. It's time to get it all on the table. You stalk forward and move your helmet to face the white wall behind you. Another feature you’ll need to ask Mortum about when you see her again. If you see her again. Flicking a switch on the helmet, the Heartbreak files are projected onto the wall.

“I received these files from a contact. The Heartbreak incident was just one of many experiments that I believe were conducted by GeniTech. The people who created me.” You sound slightly conspiratorial, but you know you have their attention. “The telepath had considerable powers in manipulation. Whatever she did to me allowed me to have control over others. Puppeteering.” You look at Argent, but she doesn’t seem any angrier, instead mollified by your honesty.

“I’m here because I believe that you can help me bring down those responsible and stop what they’re planning. Something is coming.” You pause, letting your words settle.

Blaze finally speaks again, “You told me that before I tackled you from the building. Is this what you meant?”

“Yes.” Simple.

“And then you let me nearly kill you. You didn’t try to save yourself.”

Why didn’t you try to save yourself? It isn’t the first time you’ve thought about letting it all go. Heartbreak forced you to sacrifice something to save yourself. You’re not human. So why would you need emotional connections? You have your plan. Your goal. You need to bring down the Farm. Yet, some days, you would rather give up. Give in. Blaze gave you that opportunity. A release.

“I saw a way out. The Directive can’t get me if I’m already dead.”

“So what do you need from us?” Steel still looks confused. You’re not sure how to explain what’s coming. You’re not sure yourself. But you know it has to do with Heartbreak.

“I need to know if I can trust you. Trust you all. To be able to rely on you when the time comes to fight what the Farm has planned.” Last ditch effort.

You continue before anyone interrupts you, “I have the puzzle pieces. I need a few more. I know where to get them. I just need your help.” You know the final battle will come down to you. But there are many steps before then.

The room goes quiet. Everyone looks pensive. You can’t help but worry that you might have overestimated their loyalty to Sidestep. But Sidestep is dead, and you suppose their loyalty might also be gone and buried.

Blaze looks at Chen and then back at you. “I’m in. I started looking into things after our encounter. And I believe Alvarez is compromised. As are many of her aides.” That is good information to know. Alvarez is just one of many on your list.

Chen looks at you and then at the paperwork on the table. “I doubted you were really a villain. I just wish… I just wish you had been able to tell us about this before resorting to extreme measures. But I understand why. I want to help. What they did to you is right here in front of us. Not the whole picture, but enough for me to realize we’ve been lied to. About Heartbreak. About everything. I’m also in.” Marshall Steel, rebel for a cause. You never thought you’d see the day.

“You know this means they’ll come for you if it’s discovered you’ve sided with me?” You know they mean well, but this means the end of their careers if you fail. Might happen anyway. But you don’t say that. You’re not sure why you’re trying to dissuade them now. Maybe you want to fail.

“I’m in.” Argent’s eyes never left yours. She was gauging your reactions this entire time. Sizing you up. “Since your… reveal as Heartbreak, you have fought with the tenacity of someone whose life depended on it. And it seems it does. I don’t believe you’re lying to us.”

“You know I’m in.” Julia hasn’t left your side. She’s too perfect. Too kind. Too thoughtful.

“I knew you as Sidestep. I knew you as a brave and selfless hero.” Sentinel was quiet through your outbursts. He was never one for emotion. The old era of heroes, you suppose. “I have followed the progress of your villain career, and it seems as though you never strayed from the path of justice. But yet the establishment labeled you as a villain. I will check with some contacts, but I am in.”

All eyes turn towards Daniel. Yours too. He looks at you for what feels like an eternity. You know how badly you’ve hurt him. Betrayed. Destroyed. A childhood idol.

“I will help you, Arya. But only because I believe GeniTech has broken the law. Not for you.” That was more than you expected. Exactly what you deserve.

You nod. “Thank you.” Then you collapse back in the seat. Exhausted.

It’s done, then. You have allies. You never thought you would. You went through the last seven years in pain, suffering, and torment. Believing yourself to be alone. And now you have a team of some of the most powerful heroes in the FEZ. Possibly in the world. A team to take on GeniTech and whatever horrors they have planned.

“We need to establish something first.” You’re worried about this. Mostly for your own safety. “We need to act as if nothing has changed. Thankfully, tonight has given me a fair number of bruises, so it will seem as though I got my ass handed to me trying to fight the Rangers.” You smile, because you know the media will eat that up.

“So when we see you in town, we should just… hit you a little?” Argent seems to enjoy that thought a little more than is necessary.

“Yes, and I will give you a private line to communicate with me.” This way, you can still retreat to your base. “I’ll send Julia the information.”

“So what’s next.” Steel has a more dangerous look in his eyes now. He looks like he wants to make up for not saving you. Good. You need righteous anger.

“Next, we start with more information gathering. And thankfully, Hollow Ground has made herself available.” You feel Julia tense.

“What do you mean?” Julia’s voice is almost a whisper.

You pull the letter from your side pocket, giving it to her. She reads it quickly before passing it along the line.

“I’m going to go. And I’d like support.” Here comes the tricky part. “It needs to seem like your appearance is not linked to mine. So when I enter, I need you to fight me like you want to take me down. Knock me out, if you need to. Just watch the head - it’s my best weapon.”

This is going to be a tough sell. Hollow Ground is expecting you in armor. That alone feels like a trick. And making herself available to you is a risk. You haven’t done anything to get on her radar. Besides robbing Umbral, you haven’t encroached on her territory. But she’s on yours. The lines all connect to her. She may not be the one pulling the strings, but she is connected. And she needs to be brought down. For your sake and for Julia’s. For her vendetta.

#fallen hero #fallen hero retribution #fhr #sidestep

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callmebeem · 3 years

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The audacity that is me not drawing Argent til now.

#this month is fh month for me apparently #fhr #lady argent #my fh art #fallen hero

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impossible-rat-babies · 2 years

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me goofypool over steelstep :pensiveclown:

#me sobbing while holding his hand bc I love. I love chen sm ;—;#he’s got a dog like that’s like. so good #also his content ends up being super soft?? legit it gets me goofy everytime like I love one man just so so much ;—;#how much everything between him and step is miscommunication and lack of understanding how each other communicates #half of the shit the two of them get into is bc there’s like. neither of you fucks #gets how the other communicates huh?#it’s step misunderstanding his character and sure there’s parts of step’s observations that are true #and there’s so much unraveling of that and learning who he is #step seeing the softer parts and step trying to reconcile that #not to mention how many similarities there are between step and chen like. dang #if there’s someone who has the greatest potential to understand it’s like. chen and lady argent #I just. yeah I love chen sm ;—;#owen talks: fh

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babygirlortega · 3 years

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I LOVE the Ortega/Argent/Sidestep poly ship so much. Ortega was like you know what? I'm going to stop being a fuckboy. Straight and narrow for me. And then they fall in love with like the two most morally chaotical people possible and basically fight them in the Rangers' kitchen by kissing them?? You may not be on the fridge anymore but you're not going to be getting a gold star for good romantic choices anytime soon

#ricardo ortega #julia ortega #sidestep #fallen hero #fallen hero retribution #fallen hero spoilers #lady argent #fhr #fh ortega #ortega fh #idk tags #but anyway love how ortega looked at literally the two hardest people to get to know and decided yes i will be in a relationship with them #llmp #also idk if you can have any gender ortega in the romance or if it's just one like with the steel romance #but i'm tagging ricardo anyway

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disastersteps · 9 months

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argent's business gift ✌

#fhr #fallen hero #fh: lady argent #lady argent #sidestep #sidestep: anita lee #mycomics #myarts #this is if reveal to argent + innocent ending where she knew this lesbean still crush on ortega like ✌#gods i wish we could befriend herrrrrr i get that she wouldnt unless u romance her which sucks!!!#ik argent wear sunhat but i suck at drawing it so a beanie AND a shawl!!#fallen hero retribution #fallen hero rebirth

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pearl-kite · 4 years

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Idk more brush experimenting

#fallen hero: rebirth #lady argent #fhr #fh #experimenting with brushes and how well I can bs a metallic effect #I think never again #been meaning/wanting to do some portraits #really want to try Mortum or Julia next maybe #oh no I'm procrastinating school work again #except now I'm the student this feels weird #kirehn draws

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ecoamerica · 25 days

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youtube

Watch the American Climate Leadership Awards 2024 now: https://youtu.be/bWiW4Rp8vF0?feature=shared

The American Climate Leadership Awards 2024 broadcast recording is now available on ecoAmerica's YouTube channel for viewers to be inspired by active climate leaders. Watch to find out which finalist received the $50,000 grand prize! Hosted by Vanessa Hauc and featuring Bill McKibben and Katharine Hayhoe!

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incorrectfallenheroquotes · 4 years

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#ortega #ricardo ortega #fallen hero #fh #fhr #rebirth #retribution #wei chen #steel #marshal steel #lady argent #argent #angie #angela #art #fanart #brooklyn 99 #incorrect quotes

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antisocialxconstruct · 4 years

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If I don’t get overly emotional about Shiloh and Argent at least once a month I’ll die.

1.3k, nothing explicit but pretty plainly implied work unsafeness. Uhhh, CW for vague references to past abuse, brief dissociation

-//-

"You're taking this too seriously."

You ease back, and while by now you're accustomed to the plushness of Argent's couch, less inclined to think of it as suffocating, you still idly wish it wasn’t the place you settled down for this. But you hadn't been able to secure an invitation to her bedroom. "Not yet," she had insisted, and you could hardly fault her for that, because you've both been working through your fair share of unexpected not yets in this relationship.

You're about to confront one of your own, after all.

"It is serious," Argent replies softly, lowering herself onto the couch beside you. Close. Close enough to reach out, run her hand up the bare skin of your forearm. You still tense at the reminder of how little there is standing between you and her right now, and when the tips of her fingers slip experimentally past your elbow, under the rolled up hem of your sleeve, your breath catches in your throat. She must be able to read your discomfort (it can't be that hard) because she withdraws a second later, hesitates for a breath before offering, "just say the word at any point and I'll stop."

You don't quite manage to keep from rolling your eyes but you do bite your tongue before saying something you'll regret. It's not her fault, you know that. It's not her fault that you resent feeling vulnerable almost more than you resent being vulnerable. She's doing the right thing, giving you an out. Giving you the option to say no. Somehow that hasn’t stopped being novel.

Instead, what you say is "it's fine. Just uh… just give me a second if I freak out."

Argent nods, flashes you a knowing smile as she shifts her weight. Moves in even closer. The weight of her legs against yours as she settles into your lap is grounding, in a way, fixing you there in the moment, in your own skin, in a way that's hard to ignore.

In a way you didn’t really want, maybe.

So maybe it’s not a surprise when you feel Argent’s hands slide over your stomach, slowly bunching your shirt up to expose your midriff, and your mind does its usual frantic ricochet between compliance and resistance. Your hand stutters just shy of grabbing hers, intent on fending her off but knowing that’s wrong, that’s disobedience. Instead you raise it to halfheartedly cover your face, trying to stifle a laugh.

This is stupid. It’s stupid that this scares you, that you’re so eager to face death and bodily harm on a regular basis and yet the thought of your own bare skin sends you into a panic.

Argent leans in, sneaks past the barrier of your hand to place a kiss on your cheek. But instead of pulling back again she whispers, “you know, for someone who’s so proud of how well they can lie to people, that’s a pretty obvious tell.”

You blink as you let your hand fall away, mind shorting out for a second as you try to process the comment while Argent splays her fingers out to trace over the curves of your hips. Teasing. Letting you know she’s still there. But she doesn’t go any higher. Not yet.

“What?” you manage to get out, on the tail end of a shaky exhale.

That’s when Argent does lean back, just enough to meet your gaze with a sharp twinkle in her own. “You laugh when you’re nervous.”

“I. I do not.” The denial is perhaps slightly undermined by the nervous chuckle that accompanies it. Outwardly, Argent only responds with a grin. Her thoughts are entirely another matter. “It’s- no oh my god fuck off,” you groan, only catching the jingle of Argent’s laughter peripherally as you bury your face in both hands.

“I didn’t say anything!”

“You’re thinking it. It’s not cute oh my fucking god.”

“Oh no, of course not,” Argent purrs, freeing one hand to gently uncover your face, coax you into a proper kiss. “I would never accuse Anathema, terror of Los Diablos, of being cute.”

“I would really rather you killed me first,” you breathe, but you still thread your fingers through her hair and deepen the kiss, welcoming the distraction. The gentle warmth of her lips stands in contrast to the cool fingertips wandering across your ribs, to the subtle temperature shift of air over exposed skin.

To the cold anxiety creeping up your spine.

And then suddenly you feel... distant. Separated from what’s happening, like it’s all just… over there. Off to the left. It’s a strange but not unfamiliar sensation, it used to make things easier. Easier to let yourself be dressed up, touched up, painted and posed, when it wasn’t really you. Easier to be treated like property, when you could remember that you simply occupied a body that didn’t belong to you.

And that isn’t really you, is it? Not your skin, not your body.

That’s not you, sitting there. Letting yourself be undressed. Unprotected.

Vulnerable.

That was never really you.

Then Argent is tugging your shirt up over your shoulders and you have to break off the kiss, and you snap back into place with a ragged breath and a fleeting sense of revulsion that fades before you can be certain what triggered it. Not this, surely not this, you won’t let them claw their way up out of your memories to poison this too. Argent catches your eye, something passes wordlessly between you as you decide then and there that this is okay, that you are letting this happen, that you…

That you trust her.

There’s no elegant way to get a tee shirt off over your head. For a heartbeat your world is nothing but light diffused through cotton, the briefest stab of unease before your arms come free. Argent’s hands drift down again, slow and exploratory before she sneaks her fingers under the elastic of your sports bra next, the corners of her lips quirking up into a dangerous little smile. That you pull off yourself, savoring a deep, uncompressed breath before reality fully catches up with you.

This is you. Shirt off. Chest bare. For someone else.

Your next breath leaves you in a sputtering laugh but you choke it back because now you’re self-conscious about that. Argent still pauses, eases off with a quick “what’s wrong?”

“Nothing,” you reply quickly, because you can feel her uncertainty, her fear that she overstepped, pushed too far. “It’s just- shit, uh-” Suddenly you don’t know what to do with your hands anymore. You rub your eyes, grasp at nothing for a second. “I mean you- you know. Obviously. You already knew. It’s just there’s a difference between, intellectually-”

“Oh.” Argent places one clawed finger on your collarbone, draws a line down between your breasts and grins when you react with a shuddering sigh. It’s still jarring, sometimes, how quickly she picks up on the things you don’t voice. “Did you think it would be a problem?”

“No? I don’t know. I didn’t…” You didn’t really think that far ahead. It takes you another moment to figure out what it is you’re even worried about. “I don’t want you to… think of me… differently?”

Argent studies you for a moment. Normally that kind of hesitation would have sent you into another anxious spiral, but there’s something in her expression that doesn’t read at all like uncertainty. Something playful. “This doesn’t change anything,” she says at length, pressing her body against yours as she hooks her arms around your shoulders. You’re certain she’s going in for another kiss, before she stops just short, breath warm against your skin as she says, “I still think you’re an ass.”

And you let yourself laugh then, echoing the smirk she flashes you. “Well that’s all I could really ask for.”

#fallen hero #fhr #fallen hero: retribution #argentstep #lady argent #shiloh becerra #fic #mine #uuhhhh...... do I even have a n s f w tag.......#probably not lmao #anyway this is something that's been sitting in the back of my mind for a while but I was never sure what to do with it #I may still be deep in star war hell but if anything the bad bad romance writing is just making me more wistful for FH lmao #rom fiction

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fooltofancy · 4 years

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please angie he decanted that way and there’s nothing he can do about it.

#no i will NOT frame images efficiently #you can't make me #can't make me draw legs either #nor color properly #fallen hero #fh #herald #lady argent #martin basri #vindraws #sketchbook nonsense #meanwhile rhys #whacks his head on the elevator door chasing argent down the hall

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nullvoidface · 4 years

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This is what i imagine was going through Argents head with my sidestep i won’t lie

#fallen hero #fallen hero rebirth #fallen hero spoilers #fh spoilers #ask to tag!#lady argent #sidestep #oc: clancy reyes

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vegetalass · 5 years

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Interlinked - Scene i.

talking about babies unlocks my sharingan

long time no see Fallen Hero!!

not to be a mooch and an idiot but I read @saturnstep‘s post about the FHR cast with babies and i wanted to write some of my own!!

actually thats totally a lie bc i had a bunch of babie fics drafted up but i was totally inspired by them to finish one up and post it

although my headcanons on the characters are totally different and my own ideas *weeps*

anyways credit to them

hopefully i can finish the other 4 i have planned!!

as u can see i made up a bunch of farm trivia,..... and made sidestep NOT a mess... but whatever im chilling

link to my ao3 HERE

Warning: contains Fallen Hero: Retribution spoilers.

FH:R belongs to @fallenhero-rebirth

Lady Argent/gn!Reader - 910 words

Lady Argent sits stiffly, the baby in her arms held under his armpits like a China doll a child got for Christmas and doesn’t want. Bright red curls spring from his pale head and he giggles, reaching out for lengths of Argent’s silver hair to play with despite her absolutely apparent frown.

You’re watching from your place by the door, Argent pouting in distaste before she swoops to the side in an attempt to dodge the baby’s second attempt at going straight for her nose. She must look unreal to him. Like one of those old, military cartoons they made before the Earthquakes.

While she has never been one to seem pleased to see you, she notices you before the baby does, her face displaying a combination of both relief and impatience at your arrival before you even manage to say hello.

“Oh, thank God,” she mutters while jumping at you, before practically shoving the small boy into your arms, who luckily finds himself content enough to begin giggling again at the movement, albeit disappointed at your lack of long hair. You’re surprised about the fact that Argent trusts you enough to hold a baby, but not shocked by her response.

As you rest the child against your side, checking to make sure he seems comfortable after the short and jolting trip, you turn to Argent with an expression of mocking disapproval.

“What?” Her eyebrows crinkle together as she crosses her arms, cocks her hip, and stares at you, now holding the baby under his bottom like they taught you in a Rangers first aid class a long, long time ago.

You easily drop the frown and chuckle softly, the baby bouncing with your laugh, smiling at the both of you as if you aren’t the physical embodiments of dangerous weapons with attitude issues.

“Don’t like kids, Argent?” You ask, despite having your eyes trained solely on the baby as you coo in delight at his happy expression.

Argent rolls her eyes at both the sight and your question and glares, but shakes her head in response anyway.

“I just…” she begins, sucking in a breath through her teeth, “I used to love babies.”

You nod at her, the pursed expression that was on her face now distant, her eyes cold and empty as she finishes, “And now, I don’t.”

Though you don’t intend on creeping into her mind, the image of a small girl holding a China babydoll assaults you, before it morphs into a picture of who you recognize as Argent screaming: half silver, half hairless, and all tears and blood in a forever-mirrored pool that surrounds her naked body as she cries.

You are briefly reminded of what it’s like to be born, at least, what you can remember of it, and you can practically taste the pills in the back of your throat. However, the illusion doesn’t last, as the real Argent coughs and breaks your concentration on whatever memory you had been caught in.

Though her eyebrows are squeezed together, it only takes a second for her expression to return to normal before she sticks her lip out at you when she realizes that you’re staring, “What about you, Sidestep?”

As if on cue, the baby in your arms interrupts in a squeal, one of his perfect hands latching onto the collar of your shirt and pulling. Though Argent doesn’t mention the stretched sleeve, and you assume she doesn’t mind getting another look at your tattoos, suddenly, she hesitates, her voice small and curious, “Can you even… have kids?”

You glance at her, before you shake your head slowly, distracted by the blabbering boy who is now more interested by the straps of your undershirt than by the faded skin and glowing tattoos themselves. To think that you, a Cuckoo, would ever get to hold a baby.

You think of the nurses back at the farm. The lucky Re-Genes with long hair and soft skin who, despite being created blue, live pampered lives in big houses and walk and talk as though they were born to be someone’s actual parents. Gentle hands given to monstrous beings, sweet voices in place of AI. Their expertise labor is sold to the rich, eastern states and international families who can’t be bothered to care for their children with their own bodies and resources.

However, these Re-Genes live short lives, slaughtered for parts once their assigned children grow up and they get sent back to the Farm; but you’ve seen the way they work; the way that they hold each other, and you know what it’s like to know them through the way that they have held you.

And Argent is no different: despite her foul mouth and short temper, she is someone who now knows a lot about you. Though you’re still surprised you’re not dead by her hands, you no longer have to wonder why she asked for your help with taking care of a baby.

Though she continues to glower at you, it’s only when you realize that the baby is reaching out for her now, instead, that you allow yourself to release a shaky breath of laughter when you finally do pass him back to her waiting arms.

Even if Argent insists she dislikes babies, it’s only when her lips dip into the tiniest smile you’ve ever seen that you realize you can see the reflection of your face in her tired, silver eyes.

#fallen hero #fallen hero rebirth #fallen hero: rebirth #fallen hero spoilers #lady argent #anyways peace sign #i miss fh #hopefully this doesnt suck

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