Of Scales and wings and Things that Go Bump (in the night)
Title: Of scales and wings and things that go Bump (in the night)
Chapter 6 / (?)
Fandom: Losers
Genre: AU
Rating: PG 13 - R
Word Count: roughly 1327
Disclaimer: I do not own the movie or Comics The Losers or characters within. I do not make money from writing or posting this fic.
Adult content via referenced gore, but no vivid descriptions. Conversations that will squick tender hearts.
mmm. the usual, emocezi is my brain/ beta for this project. I Wuv her. :3
Chapter 6
There was perverse, pure pleasure in the slaughter of man. In seeing blood splatter and the scent of death and so much meat around him. A forked tongue licked at scale-rough lips, as piercing eyes challenged the last men in his way to do something, anything. They’d seen him, seen his true nature, and they wouldn’t survive this. He couldn’t permit it. But he waited to see if they fought, or ran. Chasing humans brought pleasure too, but all too brief, as they were so much slower than he was, limited even on two legs and still wearing clothes. Cougar grinned, a flashing of sharp teeth at the men who’d uncovered his sniper nest. A rifle snapped up and a heavy round cracked against his chest, driving the breath from his lungs even as he lunged forward. His hand grabbed the weapon, swinging it with force at the man frozen in shock, breaking his jaw and skull as his claws reached for the one who dared shoot him. He casually tossed the weapon to the side as his hand clenched around the human’s throat, not crushing, not yet.
The man in his hand swore, breathlessly as he tried to struggle. It was satisfying, deep inside, when prey realized that they were dead and still fought back. Cougar scented the air, testing the breeze for his teammates and other outsiders. Jensen and Pooch he could smell, on the far side of the ridge, heading his way. Clay and Roque would be behind, waiting. He had time, and no other threats were present. A dry tongue lapped at his lips and he dropped the human, watching with elation as he crumpled on the ground, wheezing. In the time it took for the man to try and gain some semblance of reasonable breath in his body, Cougar the human was gone, replaced with a snarling, hungry, pissed dragon. The armour over his chest had been nicked and dented. It was a quick snap of a paw for the man’s head to crack, and Yaotl lowered his head, teeth sinking into soft pale flesh. He’d been slipping from Cougar’s control more these days, ever since that other dragon had come to play. Or Cougar was being more lenient. They were careful, always careful, but Yaotl was determined to get a better understanding of this current place. Not the nest scattered with bodies, but this human world that had hidden another dragon with such ease. He lifted a blood-soaked muzzle to the air, scenting for the human-disguised dragon. Lips lifted above the sharp fangs, and scales rustled softly as he slipped away, the body coming back to human in time for Jensen and Pooch to cross the ridge. Pooch cringed at the mess, but descended slowly, digging through his pack for lighter fluid. Jensen stared, unnerved, at the crimson stain on Cougar’s face. By the time the obviously beast-torn bodies had been piled and torched, Jensen had started to finally help, but he was giving Cougar a wide berth. The man had wiped his face clean and re-donned the Hat, but he knew he had another chat coming with the hacker.
******
“I saw the man you were snacking on.” Jensen’s voice filtered through the quiet corner where Cougar was putting his rifle back together after a most thorough cleaning. Cougar didn’t even glance up from his task; he’ll finish in a minute and he can hear Jensen’s hesitance and displeasure without having to see it on his face.
“He wouldn’t have been allowed to live.” Cougar’s slick accent rolled over the words as he gave a last smoothing wipe of a cloth to the stock, setting aside his rifle.
“Then kill him. You could have shot him, slit his throat, clawed him open. Broken his neck. Any number of things, and it’s just a part of the job. But damnit, Cougs. You ate him.”
“It was just a taste.” Cougar finally looking up, offering cold blank eyes. True mocha, human eyes, but the blankness in them reminded Jensen he wasn’t dealing with a human. Cougar was a dragon, far older and bound to have some.. unique tastes. It still wasn’t happy making. “It’s still risky as hell. And no matter what I am otherwise, I’m still human, too. It’s disturbing.”
“It is what I am.”
“I’m not.. It’s just…ARG!” Jensen folded his arms over his chest, trying and failing at mock- aggression. They both know it’s pure frustration, so Cougar doesn’t even react. Visibly. The dragon in his head is rolling and hissing at him, though. “I’m not going to ask you to change. If the rest of the team deals with it, so will I. Just… try to warn me next time? I’d rather not see that again.”
“Cobarde.” Coward.
The word was blank, devoid of emotion and inflection. But Cougar glared from below the rim of his hat, gauntlet thrown and waiting. The rush of pressure was burning back up Jensen’s spine, and he turned away before he can do something stupid. But he gripped the doorjamb, pausing, claws digging into the fragile whitewall.
“Humans don’t taste like chicken, do they, Cougar?”
“No. They taste better.”
Jensen bolted, the thought churning through his gut and threatening to dump it inside out. He managed to make it to the bathroom, momentarily dry heaving over the toilet before he realized he wasn’t actually going to puke. His head spun with the thoughts and desire, though. He sat at the edge of the shower a moment, collecting himself and fervently denying that he may be hiding.
“The first couple times are hard. Eventually you learn to just not look.” Pooch stood in the doorway, sympathy on his face. He may have been the one to pull out the bottle of lighter fluid, but he’d had that feeling before this op went on. He’d taken to carrying at least a little with him for those moments. “Never stop and wonder if the wound was made by claws or teeth. Especially if he’s got blood on his face.”
“He ate a human.” Jensen scraped his hands against each other, not looking up. “I’d understand, after the nightmares, tearing someone up. Battle haze, even. But that wasn’t even… You could tell he was in control. I could tell he was in control. You’re human, Pooch. How can you deal with it? And now what, are there any more surprises waiting for me?” he snorted, bitter and humorless.
“Like the fact you're growing scales?” Jensen looked up sharply. He hadn't felt anything odd, but Pooch was gesturing at his face, then trailing a finger down the side of his own face. Jensen felt along the mirrored line, feeling the faint rise of scales on his skin, trailing from his eye toward his cheek. They faded as he rubbed along them, not even formed enough to flake free. He peeked at himself in the mirror- the dusky sand color was just starting to blend out into his normal skin tone. Weird. He hadn't done that in response to stress.. ever? “I'm gonna go. I’ll uh.. catch you later.” Jensen refocused his attention in the mirror as Pooch beat a hasty retreat, only for the doorway to be filled with Cougar. They stood there, staring at each other via the mirror as silent seconds ticked by. Shortly before the growing urge to turn and punch Cougar could peak, the sniper offered a small smirk.
“When your curiosity finally gets to you, ask. I’ll show you how to hunt.”
A vehement snarl exploded from Jensen, and Cougar was gone before the hacker could reach him. A trickling growl filled the air as Jensen glared at the empty hall. Cougar's words mocked him, dancing in his mind like a bad promise.
He was not going to start eating people.
Period.