SCP-049 x Reader - Untouchable

Chapter 14

   Only there had I felt more uncomfortable. Staring up at him, gazing into his eyes through the rims of his mask offset me. This place is hell. This place is nothing but trauma. I—

   Arms engulfed me. My breathing was partially obstructed as my face had been pressed up against him. Warmth coursed into me, allowed a sense of comfort to flood in after it. I was taken aback by it at first, yet it hadn't taken me long to melt into his hold. It was a hesitated action, but I had raised my own hands. They ended up on is back.

   His hold was well and gentle, granting reassurance to my state in a silent manner. It was of much contrast compared to how I clung to him.

   "I'm supposed to be dead," I managed out, though it was muffled.

   His own tone was soft, and he took his time with each word. "No, you're not."

   The faint smell of leather entered my nose, further grounding me. "But I-I've come so close so many times. It'll just..." I trailed off.

   "Quiet, now," he hushed me. "No need."

   I sniffled, my body beginning to relax. I said I wasn't going to cry anymore. Obeying his words, I put focus on the situation. I was crying, and 049 had embraced me. It was abnormal to me; of him. Yet it was good, and I knew I needed it. I've got him, and he had me. He was being sympathetic, and that I knew.

   By then, the breaths that came out of me had normalised. No more tears fell, and my heart was at peace.

   I'll keep going anyway. I can't die. I'm supposed to be dead! But I won't be. Living with the hell of this place and the guilt is punishment enough.

   No more crying. Enough is enough.

   "All I do is cry anymore," I muttered. I hadn't needed anybody to try and deny it.

   The embrace he had on me briefly tightened. Something about it was caring.

   "Such times are hard for you, I'm sure. You're prone to react this way to trauma, correct?"

   I took in a deep inhale. "Yeah, but... I shouldn't be."

   "Do as you must," was all I received.

   And that, I intended to do.

   Some time passed. Didn't know how long, I just had known that it had. Neither of us knew how much farther there was to go, or what the unknown held for us. A few more times, I had to prevent him from getting caught from his 'pestilence-frenzies.' We had also passed by another storage unit, but we didn't know the code to it, so we had to give it up.

   Back from when I had cried, and he held me, the calm exterior was back. I couldn't die.

   049's bullet wound had healed at that point, and so his bandages were removed. His shoulder looked unscathed, save for his fabric being burdened by the blood-stains. Still found it a little freaky how the wear was a skin of his.

   A loud pair of dings sounded, which had caused me to tense a little from it taking me off-guard. It was cringe-worthy in quality still. "SCP-173 has been successfully re-contained," boomed the monotone voice. Then there was a static-level click, and the intercom was gone.

   "Well, how unfortunate," 049 commented from in front of me. Not that he sounded upset about it.

   I let my gaze fall to the floor, remembering the spray-painted statue. Damn. I wanted to talk about how I had hoped to get him out somehow too in thanks for all he's done for me, but: "That's why you're lucky to have me. You would've be caught chasing those people a long time ago." Cold.