WARNINGS: Cursing
Word Count: 3391
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The first step in this new nightmare of yours was to get dressed. As far as you could see, you were buck naked under this patient gown you had tied around your body.
You needed to pull yourself together! Now wasn't the time to wallow in...was this self pity? Did you deserve to feel this way for some reason? Maybe this was karma for the way everything unfolded all those years ago; like your actions were finally coming back to bite you in the ass.
Seemed reasonable enough.
You were quick to wipe the stains off of your cheeks, though your breathing was still a bit ragged. The remnants of your tears still resided in how red and swollen your eyes had become, though time would be sure to fix that. Your hands absentmindedly found themselves inside the bag, rummaging through the different sets of clothing that laid idle for who knows how long. It smelled...clean.
Well, what else were you expecting?
The clothes were black: a jumpsuit; a full face mask, combat boots, and hefty gloves with the knuckles cut out.
[You can come up with a design for this. I'm not very creative in that sense.]
It looked very similar to the outfits the intruders had worn in their pillage of Silva Pharmaceuticals; something that left you unnerved to no end. Did these have to be the clothes you were being forced to wear? Was this your new uniform for these ungodly games?
You threw them on regardless of what you were feeling. If this was all you had to do, then so be it. That in no way meant you wanted anything to do with these games. You'd rather do anything else than do what you were doing right now — what you were thrown into against your fucking will. How could this get any worse?
The mask was a tight fit, yet at the same time...it fit rather smug-like. The mask was metallic; robotic, almost. A strap would decorate the backside, allowing it to stick to the back of your head rather nicely. Your fingers felt around the mask: the nose, the mouth, the eyes...it felt cool under your feathery touch. It was unique, and definitely really weird.
Your fingers brushed against a button on the side, and without even realizing, you pressed down on that button. The sound of soft, metallic wiring would fill your ears as the mask enveloped your [H/L], [H/C], covering your entire head.
Odd, yet comfortable.
The suit was completely yours to the making now. This was your battle suit, not that you knew that just yet. There was still much to the process that you actually had to proceed through, and whether or not you were ready for that wasn't up to you.
As you slipped into your combat boots, a knock at the door would slip you right out of your thoughts. "Ey, [Y/N]! Am I good to come in now?" It was Ajay's voice.
"Yeah! Just...slipping on these damn boots..."
Your eyes would widen under your mask. There must have been some kind of voice changer underneath, because the second you used your voice, you could hardly recognize yourself. Your voice sounded as if you were a robot. Why the hell-? Couldn't you just come up with your own costume??
Ajay opened the sliding door, and walked over to where you sat. "Thatsa nice look on you!" She'd snicker your way, earning a scowl of protest. It's not like she could see the death stare that resided in your expression- "Why the hell am I here, Ajay?" You'd seethe between your teeth, standing up to meet her height. Your hands would clench into fists at your sides, your blood boiling as you turned your head to face the window.
The medic stood still for a few moments, her expression dropping as she, too, turned her head to face the window. "I can't say I know." She'd say simply, patting her little floating robo partner. "The old man broughtcha here after the word got out about Silva's company. I dunno why he chose you."
That...wasn't comforting at all.
You only sighed, the metallic luster thick in your voice as you brought a hand up to press that button once again. Your face would be freed, though the mask remained tight around your head. "Well what am I supposed to do now? This-" You slumped a bit in your spot as you brought your arms around your middle. A self hug, maybe? Just...Some sort of comfort. "This is the last thing I ever wanted to do, Ajay. I hate these games, I hate the violence, I hate the blood- I'm not meant for this crazy bullshit!"
Your sanity was slowly dwindling as the situation you were put in continued to dwell on your mind. Everyone was going to see you. Everyone was going to know who you were. Everyone was going to be watching, and you had no say in the matter.
Ajay had walked up beside you as you became lost in your thoughts, and she gently rested a hand on your shoulder. Being completely caught off guard, you jolted a bit at the contact, though didn't shy away.
"The old man scouts people who catch his eye. Ya musta done something to get his curiosity flowin'." She'd try to reassure you, though...nothing she could say would help you calm down.
"So he found me, took me away from my home, and now he's forcing me to participate in a massacre game for millions of people's enjoyment? Am I supposed to feel honored?" You'd growl, unable to find that patience to calm down. Ajay didn't say anything. She willingly joined the games- she had no idea why you were here, but as long as she was still breathing, she'd help you get accustomed.
"Why don't I show ya to ya room?"
...You had a room?
Saying nothing, Ajay would make her way for the door, and you'd follow in toe besides her little robo medic pal.
...
The walk was long and dense. Not a word was spoken between the two of you. Even if she tried to say something, you were completely engulfed in your thoughts by this point. Your gaze was set on your feet, watching each step you took with an unusual amount of focus. Someone was trying to meddle with your life, and they were winning. Were you some sort of pawn? Did they want to mess with you like this? How long would you be here?
"We're here."
Those two, simple words would snap you right out of your trance. Your head whipped back up, meeting with a simple door; one that looked the same as the one in the medbay. "This is it?" You'd repeat to her, and with a small smile adorning her features, she pressed a button off to the side of the door, and the metal moved off into the wall.
The room was spacious enough for 2 people. Then again...there was no bathroom, no kitchen; just a bed, a tv, and a desk. Pretty simple for a legend.
Oh god.
You were an Apex Legend now. The thought left you feeling queasy.
"It ain't much, but most of ya time is spent with the others, or on the field. I'll let ya get settled in." With that, she'd scuttle you into your room, and shut the door behind her.
And once more, you were alone.
You took in your new space. Your new home, more like. The bed was small, though you figured it would due for the time being. The room itself was actually very nice. Shelved decorated the walls, and on those shelves were various chemicals, chemistry equipment...why was all of this here? Did they know what you excelled at?
What kind of question was that, of course they knew. Whoever "they" was. You'd finally walk further into your room, running your hand along the wall as you turned your head to examine every detail you could find. One window, numerous shelves, a whole lot of chemicals; one bed, one desk, a bag with spare clothing, and one wardrobe. It was a small space. And it was all you needed.
A soft rumbling would interrupt your thoughts, as well as a soft alarm that would echo through the halls of the ship.
This signifies the return of the legends participating in today's battle, though this was still unknown to you. Rather than going to see the ruckus, you flopped onto your bed and stayed put. You weren't making that mistake again. The same mistake that got you here in the first place.
Even if you were going to get worried about the soft alarm, it was quick to go silent. Maybe a protocol sorta thing? Whatever the case may have been, you were absolutely exhausted. A long, stressful day had left you completely sleep deprived, despite the fact that you slept for 3 days. Well...not really sleeping, but the point stands.
In one swift motion, you hopped into your new bed, and closed your eyes. It was going to be a long few weeks ahead of you, that was for sure.
...
"[Y/N]!"
You stirred in your sleep, your hearing still fuzzy.
"[Y/N], ya gotta get up!"
Your eyes slowly peered open, and with a deep, sleepy breath, you found yourself sitting up in your place, rubbing your eyes in the process.
To your right was, once again, Ajay. She wore a small smile on her face, one that seemed to be natural for her. "Getcha self dressed. I'm gonna give ya a tour."
You squinted your eyes at her. "Can't I just go like this?" You were still in your battle uniform, which you honestly weren't bothered by anymore. It became more comfortable the longer you wore it. Or maybe you were just too tired to feel how tight it really was-
Regardless, Ajay shrugged her shoulders. "I thought ya'd wanna be more comfortable. Hurry up, ya lazy bones!" With that, she'd practically drag you out of your bed, and up to your feet. A groan of tired frustration would leave your lips as you dragged your feet behind you.
"So can anyone just come into my room then?" You'd ask, following her out of your room, and into the long hallway where the legends' rooms resided. Ajay would turn her head back to look at you, her eyebrow quirked, and a grin etched into her lips.
"Ya didn't lock ya door."
Oh right. Those existed.
The two of you walked for what seemed like forever, before entering a larger room; much larger than the rooms the legends were given. A larger television set would reside here, as well as a few couches that nearly circled around a glass coffee table. Windows would also circle this room, giving the wide space a beautiful glow of open atmosphere, and natural sunlight.
You gawked at the size of the room, before your eyes landed on...a group of people.
And not just any people; some of the Apex legends themselves.
"Heyooo! This must be the rookie we've been hearing about, right?" One man spoke up, all of their eyes on you, and yours on theirs. Ajay would nudge your arm a bit, raising her brows as she edged you closer to the group of...strangers?
"We don't bite, sweetheart! Well...I might, just not too hard." The man spoke again, a shit eating grin on his face as he sent a wink your way. Ajay would walk over to him and slap his shoulder. "What'd I tell ya about that kinda talk, Elliot??" She would scold him, watching as he rubbed his shoulder like a sad puppy.
He'd walk over to you regardless, and you had to admit, he was really good looking. Elliot passed you a toothy grin, extending his hand out for you to shake. "I was just messin' around, kiddo! The name's Mirage, Elliot for short. I promise I'm not actually going to bite you." You only nodded your head, shaking his hand with a sheepish smile.
"[Y/N]." You'd say simply, earning another grin from the taller male. "A woman of few words? I like this one." He'd wink at you again, before hopping over to the couch.
You've seen him on the set a number of times. If you could recall correctly, he could make holographic copies of himself to "bamboozle" his targets. It was handy sometimes. A really cool trick for someone like him.
You then met a number of others; Wraith, Nathalie, Gibby, as you like to call him, Pathfinder, Bloodhound, and...Revenant.
He was terrifying, to say the least.
You felt your heart sink a bit as you continued to chat with your new teammates. Where was Octavio? Did he know you were here? You'd occasionally glance around the corner as you spoke with everyone. Maybe he'd show up soon? It was you kept hoping for, and you continued to hope until the time was up.
As the sun said its final goodbye's and dipped beneath the horizon, everyone slowly yet surely retired to their chambers for the night. You had a pretty good layout of the place, now, and you knew the way back to your room pretty well.
The legends weren't terrible people- far from it, as far as you could tell. This sport was a gnarly one, and it left you wondering why they'd bother joining such a violent trend. You'd have to remember to get those stories at a later time. Right now, all you wanted to do was pass out.
...
Saying your final goodbyes, you, as well, returned to your room. It was an afternoon well spent, you'd say. Pathfinder was over-the-top friendly, something you appreciated, Bloodhound was mysterious, something that left you wanting to hear more, Elliot was hilarious, though also a flirtations bastard. He got you to fumble over your words a few times, you'd give him that.
Never again, though.
And Revenant? He was a psychopath. Whether he was alive or not, you never wanted to get on that robot's bad side.
Closing your door behind you, you changed into some more comfortable clothes, and flopped onto your back. You haven't seen Octavio yet. He didn't even show up. Yet again, you didn't meet everyone today, so maybe you'd finally see him tomorrow? You weren't about to go searching for his door just to see him again.
That'd be weird, right?
The sound of frantic knocking would fill your ears, and once it started, it didn't stop. You felt your irritation slowly start to rise, and as you got to your feet, you'd stand there for a few moments.
More knocking.
Why the hell were they still knocking??
You ran a hand through your hair and shuffled over to the door. Right about now, you didn't care how well you knew these people; you were ready to slap whoever was making such a damned ruckus at your door.
Your finger landed on the button besides the metallic sliding doors, and the barrier between you and the mystery annoyance was no more. However, that mystery wasn't a mystery at all.
Your eyes widened at the sight before you, and as if the days from your past had returned to you, your stomach filled with unruly butterflies.
With his mask on, and his goggles covering his eyes, there was the famous Octavio Silva. Your childhood friend. He still had his arm up, almost as if he wasn't expecting you to open the door so suddenly. Had he not heard you walk up to the door??
There was silence for a few moments. Moments that felt like years in your head. You could only stare up at him, and he found himself doing the same. You couldn't see his expression, but he could clearly see yours. The conflict laced in your eyes. The way your mouth hung gently, completely taken aback by his sudden reappearance. The first time you've seen each other in three years. It was definitely a shock to both of you.
Lowering his arm, Octavio would clear his throat a bit.
"Che told me you'd be here." He started off rubbing his neck a bit uneasily as he turned his head off to the side a bit. "I wasn't sure if you'd want to see me today, ya know..." He did a little circular motion with his hand before continuing.
"Then I thought maybe she was punking me or something, 'cause we both know how much you hate the games. Yet..." He turned back to look at you. "Here you are."
You said nothing, your mind void of any sort of logical thought. If smoke could come out of someone's ears, that's exactly what would be happening to you right now. Say something...say anything!!
"Yeah..." That's all you could manage.
Octavio would scratch at his head for a bit, the awkwardness of the situation crashing on the both of you like concrete. And you? You only continued to stare.
There was a strong urge to hug the man before you. After all, you were the one who ended things on a terrible note, and here he was again, like magic. What should you do? What could you do?? Octane let out a heavy, almost defeated sounding sigh, letting his hand fall heavily by his side.
"Lo siento, this was a bad idea..." He'd mumble as he fidgeted in his place. He had been standing there way too long, and his nerves were starting to kick up again. "I'll see you around, bien?" With that, he'd turn around and begin to make his exit.
Oh hell no.
You managed to grab his wrist before he got very far, and before he could even turn around to question anything, you yoinked him into the tightest embrace you could manage.
Even after all this time, he still smells amazing-
Octavio was quick to return the gesture, pressing his cheek against the top of your head as the two of you held each other. "I missed you." You'd mumble into his chest, and you could hear him chuckle above you. "I missed you too, chica."
You had no idea how long you stood there. Obviously it was too long, because the second you felt Octane's leg begin to bounce, you knew his antsy nature was starting to get the best of him. With a small roll of your eyes, you'd smile up at him, and nudge him out the door. "I'd say it's about time we take a walk. We haven't done that in a little while, and you obviously still can't handle standing in one place for more than 3 seconds." You'd tease him with a grin, and he only pretended to act shocked. This smartass.
"Sheesh, even after all these years, you can still read me like a book. Estoy impresionado!" He'd cackle at you, suddenly taking off ahead of you at a speed you couldn't even keep up with.
"Octavio! Wait up dude!" You'd laugh up to him, trying your best to keep up with his pace. He turned his head back to you, and as if he was trying to show off, he began to run backwards.
"This isn't even my fastest! First one to the lounge is a huevo podrido!"
"I don't even know what that means! Wait the hell up!"
Your laughter would echo through the halls of the large ship while the two of you continued to goof around. It was if nothing between the two of you had changed.
Like all those years couldn't keep you two apart. It made you happy; and it filled the hole in your heart. All this time, you constantly worried about what would happen if the two of you saw each other again. This was one of the very last events you expected to happen. But you know what?
This wasn't terrible. Not terrible at all. Maybe the games would start looking up after this. You could only hope.
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A/N:
I totally rushed this chapter, despite what the word count might say. Sorry if it's sloppy or doesn't make sense!