Battlefield (Zombie and Pigeon) [18+]

[Kotorichan]

Thie froze when he realized what had happened. He had gotten angry over nothing, again, and now his ally was suffering. All because Thie couldn't control his emotions at all. A low growl escaped his throat, rage building again. This time it was directed at himself.

 

He quickly forced it down and rushed out to find his partner. Once he reached the other male he turned back into his normal form, stripping off his jackets to wrap both Ramiel and the prisoner together. Thie's body had no natural warmth, so he couldn't keep the man warm himself. He quickly lifted the two up in his arms and took off running towards the nearest base.

[Zombie_In_A_Box]

Ramiel's body shuddered when it was picked up. Finally. The man's eyes slid closed soon after, his body going completely motionless. He had to get his strength back. His pulse slowed down, breathing turning slower as well. For someone who didn't know how his body worked might appear as if he was close to death, while in reality it was the complete opposite. By the time Thie had carried him to the base, he'd recovered enough energy to wake up. His recovery rate was incredibly fast, if it was only exhaustion.

 

Ramiel's eyes opened slowly, his body shifting to slip out of Thie's arms. He turned to his partner, his lips pursing into a frown. "I'm glad you decided to get me as well. I was beginning to think you only worked alone." He spoke quietly, although his words were harsh. This couldn't happen again. It would just get him too close to death. The man breathed out, his eyes closing as the headache made itself known again. "I need to rest." He muttered out quietly, turning away to head to find a comfortable spot to sleep in. Although he'd recovered some energy, it wasn't as much as he would have liked to. Another half an hour or so and he would be able to go again.

[Kotorichan]

The prisoner had been taken by other agents the moment Thie walked in, so he was free to turn his attention to his partner. "Wait, Ramiel." It was hard for him to do this kind of thing, he knew it was better if he just distanced himself from the other. He always hurt those around him. Even if he didn't want to...

"I... I'm sorry, I know I fucked up." The words felt wrong coming out of his mouth. He should just let Ramiel hate him, it'd be much safer for him. "So just, sorry."

[Zombie_In_A_Box]

Ramiel's eyes closed slowly when his name was called out, but he waited. The man turned to face his partner again after the apology, the dark circles under his eyes apparent. "Next time, don't run away to fight by yourself. We're strongest when we're together." He spoke before turning around, walking away. He could feel that Thie was genuinely sorry, and as long as he tried to improve himself, he could forgive him. The man found a quiet corner with an armchair for himself, curling up on it before drifting away once more. This time he kept some consciousness, just to make himself aware of any danger that could present itself.

[Kotorichan]

Next time... There could be a next time? Just those words gave Thie a flicker of hope that he would be forgiven. No, there shouldn't be a next time. He couldn't guarantee that anything would change if they went on another mission. He should never work with anyone. He would just hurt people.

 

Despite his hesitance Thie found himself in the cafeteria, ordering a warm meal to go. Food could help Ramiel recover faster. He got everything in a bag and headed in the direction he had seen Ramiel go.

[Zombie_In_A_Box]

Ramiel's face was peaceful when he slept. When he was asleep, the man looked almost innocent, like a child. Combined with his small frame, he couldn't have looked older than sixteen, even though that wasn't the case anymore. His eyes slowly fluttered open when he felt Thie getting closer. He curled up into a slightly tighter ball on the armchair, placing his chin on his knees as he observed his partner approaching him.

 

"Do you need something?" He asked quietly, hints of sleep still obvious in his voice. As he didn't feel like he was in danger, Ramiel could allow himself to drop most of his defenses. His eyes were still focused only on Thie, although he didn't attempt to read his mind. The other was far too unstable for him to try that again.

[Kotorichan]

"I thought you might want something to eat." Thie held up the bag from the cafeteria. "Do you want help getting to your quarters? This probably isn't a very comfortable place to sleep... Not that I would know" He trailed off with a frown. His nerves didn't work well enough to know how comfortable it would be to sleep in a chair like that.

 

"I can carry you to your room, it's my fault you're so exhausted isn't it?" The weight of guilt really was more than he could handle.

[Zombie_In_A_Box]

Ramiel found bits of confusion and suspicion growing in him as Thie presented the food to him. However, by the time he finished talking, both those feelings were gone. "I'm very comfortable here." He replied shortly, but extended his hand to reach for the food. He wouldn't refuse that.

 

"It is your fault I'm this exhausted. Like I said before, we have to work together for best effect. Meaning you don't run away from me until we discuss the plan." The man explained calmly, snuggling into the armchair comfortably before pulling out the food. He glanced up at his partner, offering a small smile - an infrequent expression on his face. "Thank you for the food. Do you need something else?"

[Kotorichan]

Thie handed over the food, a bit disappointed that he couldn't do anything more to help. "No... That's it. I hope you feel better soon." He pushed his hands into his pockets and walked away, going back to his quarters. He flopped down on his bed, shutting his eyes tightly. He had no idea if he would end up working with Ramiel again, they had completed their mission so clearly their team-up hadn't been a failure... And there had been fewer complications than Thie's missions usually had. But the organisation could be a bit unpredictable at times.

[Zombie_In_A_Box]

Ramiel didn't attempt to contact Thie up until their next mission. He wasn't sure whether it was good or not, but what was intended for them would take at least a couple of weeks, possibly going up to a month. Ramiel made sure to pack as much as he could without making his backpack too heavy. He doubted that his partner would be willing to help him out with his things anyway. Although... This time, it may be unavoidable for Ramiel to ask for help. He'd need it, he was sure. His physical body was still weak, and he didn't have time to improve both his mind and body.

 

Ramiel stood by the exit of their base, with a backpack over both of his shoulders. He ended up crouching down against the wall, eyes closed as he waited for his partner to show up as well. It was still the early hours of the morning, so it was bound to be freezing out. Reaching up with his gloved hand, Ramiel pulled his scarf up to cover his nose, leaving only his eyes uncovered. While he looked rather ridiculous all bundled up like this, it was the only way he would feel warm enough to move properly. He just hoped this mission would go better than their last one.

[Kotorichan]

Thie showed up a few minutes late, he had woken up with some problems with his leg that he had to fix. Finally he jogged over to Ramiel. Thie was also bundled up in warm clothes, anything to keep his body working. "Sorry, I hope you didn't wait too long." He brushed his hair back out of his face and looked down at the boy. "Are you ready to head out? The sooner we leave the sooner we can get somewhere that's not so fucking cold..."

[Zombie_In_A_Box]

Ramiel stood up when he felt Thie approaching. He didn't mention him being late, nor did he ask about his leg. Ramiel really couldn't help it, just one glance into anyone's mind could show him a lot. "Alright, let's move." He agreed, turning to walk out. The man had never been very talkative, though that could get awkward sometimes. His partners often complained about feeling unwanted by him, though that was rarely the case. He just preferred not to communicate too much... Maybe he had to change that about himself? He quickly found another flaw in this plan. Most of the time he'd already know the answer. Was there really a point in even trying then?

[Kotorichan]

Thie nodded and followed after the other man. He didn't have much to say either. If he got too close to his partner then he'd just end up hurting him, which Thie didn't want. But he also didn't want to be hated by Ramiel. He didn't fully understand why the other's opinion mattered so much to him, but it did. His mind was in turmoil as he tried to understand his own feelings. Why couldn't he just be distant like he was with other people? For a brief moment he wondered if Ramiel could tell what he was feeling, and if Ramiel understood it.

[Zombie_In_A_Box]

"...Yes. I'm sorry. Your thoughts are very loud, I tried not to listen." Ramiel's voice was quiet, and he clearly felt ashamed and guilty for listening to Thie's thoughts. "Please forgive me. Everything else around us is silent, so whatever you think echoes around like something in a completely empty corridor. I did not mean to intrude. I'm sorry." He apologized once more, looking down at the ground, at his feet as he kept on walking. He didn't think he'd ever met anyone with such incredibly loud thoughts. Loud and messy, which attracted attention no matter how hard he tried to fight against it.

[Kotorichan]

Thie jumped at the man's words, rage immediately rising up in his chest. "You're reading my thoughts?!" He snapped, ready to attack. Before acting he managed to stop himself, focusing on the apologies and the tone of Ramiel's voice. "S-sorry..." He mumbled, looking away. "I guess there's no point in asking since you already know what I'm curious about... But how much can you see?" He asked. 'And how can I stop you from seeing too much...' He thought. He really didn't want the other seeing too much of his mind, especially not his memories. An image flashed through his mind of his love from so many centuries ago, along with the fear of Ramiel seeing too much of what had happened.

[Zombie_In_A_Box]

Ramiel's fingers squeezed around the handle of a blade he kept in his pocket as his partner snapped at him. Thankfully, he calmed down soon after. Breathing in deeply, the man looked up, staring at the horizon as he kept a steady pace of walking. "Since I'm trying not to intrude into your thoughts, I get a basic idea of what's going on. If you were to focus on one subject yourself, I would be able to see it as clearly as you." He explained, looking around with a slightly worried face. "The... The only way to protect your mind from... My kind," As he said it, Ramiel's voice seemed to gain a hint of pain, "Is to collect your own thoughts. Like I said, you can put up a sort-of shield. You focus on one thing and only that, and there's no easy access into your mind." He spoke quietly, trying to shake off the image that flashed through his mind as sharply as through Thie's. It really seemed like his partner's life hadn't been always this horrible. Was he still capable of the same love he felt now?

[Kotorichan]

'So in other words it's impossible for me to protect myself...' Thie thought to himself. Memories flashed through his mind of the centuries when he had no control over when he changed forms or what he did in those other forms. Times where he had killed people he cared about without being able to stop, waking up to see the corpses of his comrades with blood on his hands... And even the corpse of his lover. The last image sent his mind into a complete of anger, guilt, pain, and hatred. Thoughts and memories torn through his mind too quickly to be processed. For a moment his form became unstable and Thie stopped moving, his eyes wide in panic as he tried desperately to get some kind of control over himself.

[Zombie_In_A_Box]

Thie's emotions were far stronger than ones of a... Well, normal person. Ramiel flinched at the images flashing through his mind, burning into it. Gods... No wonder he was so unstable. Living a life like this was hell. Ramiel nearly cried out at the sudden avalanche of thoughts and images. Too much, too much! It took him a couple of moments to realize that Thie was in trouble. Ramiel quickly turned around, calmly placing his hands on the man's shoulders before looking into his eyes. "Please don't be scared." He whispered softly before letting himself into his partner's brain. His own mind washed over Thie's like a flood, calming everything, soothing the painful memories, helping him gain control of himself once more. "Calm down. It's okay." He whispered gently, carefully pulling out happier memories for Thie without getting too invasive. He just wanted to help.

[Kotorichan]

Thie froze as he felt his partner's presence in his mind. Usually he hated anyone interfering with his thoughts like this, but right now he just wanted the relief Ramiel was giving him. He slowly slumped forward against the other man, taking deep breaths as he tried to calm down further. "Thank you..." He murmured, his eyes slowly closing. After a few moments he straightened up, trying to push back fear as he wondered how many of those memories Ramiel had seen... And what his partner had thought of those memories.

[Zombie_In_A_Box]

A shudder ran down Ramiel's spine as his partner's body slumped against his own. He wasn't a big fan of physical contact, even just putting his hands on Thie's shoulders required some will. The moment Thie straightened up, Ramiel pulled away, pushing his hands deep into his pockets and turned away, beginning to walk again without another word. The coat was completely hiding his face, but perhaps that was for the best. He was uncomfortable, he was scared and, quite frankly, a little bit disgusted as well. It was undeniable that his partner was, well, a monster. One that killed what seemed to be his lover... If even Thie's loved ones weren't safe, Ramiel was in danger even more so.

[Kotorichan]

Thie followed after his partner, going quiet. He felt shaken from seeing those memories again, he usually tried his best to ignore them. It was frightening to know that Ramiel knew so much about him, but Thie knew nothing about his partner. Although it was somewhat fair, since he was no doubt far more dangerous than Ramiel. Anyone around him would need to know when his mood was unstable.

[Zombie_In_A_Box]

Nothing out of the ordinary happened all the way to their first campsite. It wasn't visible in plain sight - there was a bunker underground where they could spend the night without having to fear freezing to death. Ramiel stood by the entrance, looking up at his partner's face. It was already getting dark. "Could you open that?" He asked, his voice hoarse from staying quiet this long.

[Kotorichan]

Thie nodded and stepped up to the door. His body had grown stiff from the cold, but it wasn't too bad. He forced the door open, making sure not to break it. He stepped back, letting Ramiel enter the bunker before entering himself. "I have some stuff for starting a fire... I'll try to find something to burn." He had been given a lot of supplies to carry for Ramiel but he wasn't sure if his partner knew about that.

[Zombie_In_A_Box]

Ramiel stepped back a little bit to allow Thie easier access to the door. He gladly stepped in first, descending down the stairs before reaching the room itself. He took off his backpack, exhaling in relief as the weight was finally lifted off of his body. "Alright, thanks." He muttered out, occupying himself with preparing them something to sleep in. There were sleeping bags stored in the bunker, thankfully. He figured that combining them with the ones they already had would provide more warmth. The man set them down on the ground, working quietly, in a slow, but steady pace. There was no need to rush at the moment, so he could take his time. He was aware that Thie had been carrying some of his stuff as well - that was how it worked with him. He didn't have enough physical strength to carry more than twenty percent of his body weight, and even that just barely, not for long distances at all. Ramiel sat down on one of the sleeping bags, lightly rubbing his forehead as he unzipped the jacket, finding it warm enough to do so. He didn't initiate a conversation, even... It felt too tense with Thie to do so.

[Kotorichan]

Thie left his pack with Ramiel so his partner could use the supplies in it. He left the room and began to explore their base. It wasn't very large, but that was sort of a good thing. It meant less areas to defend if they got attacked. He tried to focus on his surroundings, to prevent himself from thinking about how much of his memories Ramiel got to see. How would those images look to an outsider? Would it seem better or worse than what really happened? Thie didn't know if he could ask, no matter how much he wanted to know.

He found there was still furniture in some of the rooms. An old table, some chairs, desks, even a few beds. The bedding didn't exactly look sanitary, but it couldn't get Thie sick and then he could give his own sleeping back to Ramiel. They could even make good kindling. He gathered most of the blankets and threw them over his shoulder before picking up a wooden table and carrying it all back to h is partner. He dumped it all in the middle of the room. "There's some chairs too, if you want something to sit on... They're all either just wood, metal, or all rotten..." He hesitated for a moment before trying to focus on the memories of the furniture that he had passed. If Ramiel could just see what he was thinking about then maybe he would be able to see if he wanted anything that Thie had passed.