eye of the storm {h/m vs f/l vs i | day 5}

Her mouth moved like she was trying to speak, but words failed her and instantly I felt my grip tighten on her as the panic begun to surge. Her body was still rigid beneath my hands and I hated not knowing what to do. I hated not being able to do anything but hold her as the tremors began to fade, and I instantly noticed the moment the rigidness began to slip away because her body began to soften under my touch.

My breath escapes my lips in a sigh of relief and it takes every bit of my self control not to pull her into my chest and hold her tight when words finally slip passed her lips, filling the space between us. I just need some air, she croaks but she doesn't try to free herself from my grip so I don't let go, not ready to fully let go of the desire to wrap her tightly in my arms- which terrified me because I knew that I was no longer just in risk of just walking through the dangerous territory of feelings and friendship and something deeper... I was diving fucking head first in with no escape route. I was so fucked. Readjusting my hold, I allow my grip to loosens becoming aware of just how tightly I was gripping her arms before fully letting go and tearing my gaze away from hers.

I was in so much damned trouble.

Hauling herself to her feet she peels off her jacket, commanding me to distract her and for the briefest and most irrational moment I thought she meant she wanted me to distract her in ways that had my blood boiling and my teeth running across my lower lip as my eyes slowly roamed over her body and my lips pulling back into a lopsided grin. Who cared that my stomach screamed in pain, that my body was broken, and that I was covered in blood- but then "I deserve a story."

She glances over her shoulder patting the spot next to her and I force my face to go blank, hoping to hide any evidence of my wild inappropriate thoughts. Clearing my throat loudly before I take a couple deep breathes and throw myself down on the spot next to her. I roll onto my back and watch the sky churning wildly above us through the gaps in the roof.

"A story?" I muse as my fingers ideally play with the buttons of my jacket before my eyes slide over to her, watching as she stared out into the dark forrest. Her cheeks were pink, the tip of her nose a couple shades darker. It was cute, and my smile softens again and I feel the heavy gaze of Mouse on me as he once again watches me watch her and when I glance at him the word creep is so clear in his dark gaze. I scowl at him before looking away.

"What do you want to know? How my father thinks of me as a colossal disappointment? Or how my mother has that special sort of favouritism that results in her always giving my younger brother the bigger slice of cake. Or do you want to know about Wren?" Golden boy Wren. My fingers dig through my jacket pocket and I fish out the lemon drop vape he had given me back in the justice building. I press it into my lips, inhaling deeply as the taste of sweet and bitter and tart fills my mouth. "I think you would have liked Wren though. He's a pice of shit most of the time, but pretty much everyone who meets him loves him. He's effortlessly charming in a way that used to gave my teeth grinding."

I pause, fingers tightening on the vape. "He's also effortlessly talented at every fucking thing that he does and never fails to rub it in." And then I'm telling her about all the times my younger brother had bested me, each time it had not been because he desired to be the best after years and years of hard work, but because he simply knew that he could. And I tell her how I strongly believed he did it because he got off on the idea of being better than me at every damned thing.

When I was finished I was silent for a moment as I waited for the familiar wave of jealously to consume me every time I thought of Wren. Only it didn't and I realised for the first time since leaving Five behind that it hadn't from the moment I had begun to slip off the masks, the iron shackles that had had me me trapped and bound. And it felt damned good.

I look over and there is a small smile dancing of Felicity's lips as her trembling fingers fiddle with a package on her lap. When she fails to open it on her third shot I push myself into a seated position and gently pry her fingers away plucking it from her and opening it easily, dumping the tablets into her hands. She looks at the tablets and tries to speak but her words at caught up in the chattering of her teeth and instantly I am pulling her to her feet and wrapping her jacket around her shoulders as I guide her arms into the sleeves. "You're going to freeze to death if you don't put this on," I grumble, as I smooth the material over her arms, running my hands up them a few times in am attempt to warm her. Or that would have been my excuse because the reality was I couldn't help myself.

Looking at her I hold out my hand eyebrow raised, "you owe me a tent for the night Felicity." She hands me the tarp and I make quick work of setting it up before I turn to her with a smug grin. I study the way Mouse moves closer to her, ready to wrap her up in his wings to keep her sheltered for the night. "Looks like someone is ready to tuck you in for the night," I muse and Mouse sends me a bland look. I ignore him. "Sleep well, Belcher-"

"Bet you won't share with me."

My grin grows, the challenge in her voice enough to have me stepping aside and opening to the tent to her. "After you, sweetheart," I say with an extravagant bow and a wide grin. "I am nothing if I am not generous," my grin widens when I see Mouse fluff out his chest in annoyance as Felicity moves to slip into the tent. "Sorry buddy, but looks like it is my body heat our pretty friend is craving tonight."

* * *

Izzy slinks through the morning light before us. We had found her tracks only a a couple hours ago and after a small, quick discussion we had decided to follow. To hunt her. Kill her. Even if we hadn't so much as said the words, we didn't need to. Felicity spots her first and she gives me a questioning look, one I answer with a grin nodding in the girls direction as I slip my blade free. Felicity doesn't hesitate, slipping her dart gun free she takes aim, her lips pulling back into a grin that should have been disturbing, but had my stomach flipping and own lips pulling back wider and damn it warm some of the ice that had begun to settle on my cheeks.

Her finger squeezes the trigger and the dart glides passed the target harmlessly and I fight back the urge to taunt her as sudden movement behind us as her dancing out of the way of a spear aimed for her back. Instantly the humour fades from my face and I am whirling, sword raised as a flash of metal glints in the morning sun. I curse as Felicity's warning bounced off the frozen tree's around us. Instantly Felicity's gaze lands on the girl who had just tried to lope my head off and the ice in her glare sent all kids of fucked up and twisted thrills through me. I grin at her, flicking my blade almost casually, "you look ridiculously cute right now, all bloodthirsty and threatening."

I force my gaze away from her, tracking the movements of the tribute who had tried to bury is spear into her back. "You take one more step towards her and I won't be responsible for my actions," I all but purr as Mouse takes up his place behind us, growling viciously as he flares his wings. "Or his."

Hal attacks with spear
1. Felicity
2. Lionel
l7alZCVQY_1-2
Lionel

spear
3171 -- 9.5 damage + 1 strength

A cry of pain follows the satisfying feeling of my blade breaking past leather and skin and muscle. I had been aiming for the place between the girls shoulder blades, but she moved to quick and my last minute attempts to save the strike had resulted in me nearly slicing off her foot. Her blood mingled with my own on the ice, hers a couple shades lighter to the crimson that leaked from the gah that had ripped open my stomach. I smile up at her as her gaze sweeps over me before returning to the girl from Six.

My eyes lock with Isodel Owens for the briefest moment, and I smirk at her, the memory of sages body crumpling beneath my blade filling the space between us. I wink. She flicks her eyes to Felicity, "hey blondie, let me at your boy for a sec." She waves her axe at Felicity in a dismissing gesture. My grin widens as I step around Marceline, my blade coated in a thin layer of her blood. Felicity retreats a little, using the woods as armour.

"I'm flattered to hear that you want me," I say to Isodel, casually swinging my sword so that the blunt end of the blade rested on my shoulder. "Or, is it that you want a repeat of yesterday? Want me to cut you down the same way I did your friend?" I tilt my head at her slightly as I bit at the inside of my lip to stop my grin from growing. "Mouthy thing she was. Useless too." I pause again searching the space behind Isodel. There had been three yesterday. Igna. "Looks like you're missing not one, but two friends. Did little miss try hard go and get herself killed when you fled into the shadows last night?" This time I don't stop my smile as it turns into something colder, wilder. "Pity, I had a bone to pick with her."

Movement from the corner of my eye catches my attention and suddenly the boy from Seven is behind Felicity, his blade aimed for her and a growl of warning escapes me to late as I launch forward. Felicity ducks out of the way, avoiding a dangerous strike to the shoulder as her forearm catches the blade knocking it to the side. I glare at Seven, "remember what I said only a few minutes ago. You touch her and I won't be responsible for my actions. You will die. You or Eight. I dont care who. But one of you will not walk away from here I can promise you that." There is a challenge in my stare as I level my blade at him, "so touch her again, I dare you."