FOTD: Cachinnate
Author: Regret
Rating: PG
Story: Arkadian
Challenge: FOTD: Cachinnate
Word Count: 550
Summary: If Arkadiy ever expected a fair fight from Havoc, he'd be sorely disappointed.
Notes: My brain is still MIA, which is a bit... frustrating. Let's see if I can kickstart it. Side note: had to check the word count online - Works is telling me 3,000. I think this is a side effect of running Window set to a Japanese locale. :)
It was three interminable days, dragged out like a dying breath. Three days in the dark, unable to stretch, barely able to turn over; three days to lay in contorted positions, where everything ached but his legs. Only when it felt like his stomach tried to move up to the roof of his crate, when his heart lagged two seconds behind the rest of him, did he realise they were passing back through the atmosphere and down toward planetfall.
He thought he was prepared for the blast of light, but it still made him squint and flinch back.
“Weren’t you expecting to see me?” Just out of eyeshot, half a silhouette against the white, Havoc was no doubt smirking.
Arkadiy said nothing, not trusting his voice to betray his anger. Not wanting to feed Havoc’s enjoyment.
The silence carried on for just long enough to be uncomfortable. Arkadiy could imagine the other man’s unseen expression and suspected he might suffer for it. Finally, quietly, Havoc muttered, “get out then.”
That the whole side panel slid upwards was unexpected, but made sense. He slid from it awkwardly, the loading bay floor rough against his skin, and was halfway through the motions of standing when a stabbing pain jolted through his spine. Abruptly, his feet went numb and his legs gave out, depositing him heavily on the floor.
The laughter echoed around the bay with an edge sharp enough to cut someone, louder and far longer than he’d have liked. “You really thought I’d let you move around?” Havoc managed to choke out, doubled over with mirth. “You really thought I’d give you a chance at a fair fight?”
Arkadiy stared down at the floor bare inches from his face and grit his teeth. Fool me once, fool me twice. Even when Havoc’s booted foot flicked out and caught him in the ribs he swallowed the groan and instead turned up impassive blue eyes at his captor.
Wrong response. He glared, swinging his foot again for good measure. When his quarry didn’t respond his foot came back a third time, before settling back on the ground in sudden nonchalance. “That’s just no fun, ’Kadiy,” he murmured, smiling lopsidedly in a way that reminded the soldier suddenly, horribly, of Havoc’s brother. “Still, maybe later you’ll want to talk to me.”
A single gesture and another man appeared by Havoc’s side. They couldn’t have looked less alike: Havoc’s smile and vivid purple eyes a sharp contrast to the matted and tangled brown hair and unsmiling face, sullen brown stare fixed on Arkadiy. “What?” The voice was rough, almost rusted.
“Can you put him somewhere more… More comfortable?” If he noticed the stranger’s tone, he paid it no heed. “Somewhere shit like him deserves to be.” Even as the man grabbed Arkadiy by the arms, dragging him upright in a display of unexpected and terrifying strength Havoc turned away, casually dismissing both men. “I’ll deal with him later.”
Refusing to let himself give in, to shout and scream and rant at the man’s departing back, Arkadiy bit his lip hard enough to make it bleed and allowed his senseless legs to be dragged wherever the stranger took them.
Rating: PG
Story: Arkadian
Challenge: FOTD: Cachinnate
Word Count: 550
Summary: If Arkadiy ever expected a fair fight from Havoc, he'd be sorely disappointed.
Notes: My brain is still MIA, which is a bit... frustrating. Let's see if I can kickstart it. Side note: had to check the word count online - Works is telling me 3,000. I think this is a side effect of running Window set to a Japanese locale. :)
It was three interminable days, dragged out like a dying breath. Three days in the dark, unable to stretch, barely able to turn over; three days to lay in contorted positions, where everything ached but his legs. Only when it felt like his stomach tried to move up to the roof of his crate, when his heart lagged two seconds behind the rest of him, did he realise they were passing back through the atmosphere and down toward planetfall.
He thought he was prepared for the blast of light, but it still made him squint and flinch back.
“Weren’t you expecting to see me?” Just out of eyeshot, half a silhouette against the white, Havoc was no doubt smirking.
Arkadiy said nothing, not trusting his voice to betray his anger. Not wanting to feed Havoc’s enjoyment.
The silence carried on for just long enough to be uncomfortable. Arkadiy could imagine the other man’s unseen expression and suspected he might suffer for it. Finally, quietly, Havoc muttered, “get out then.”
That the whole side panel slid upwards was unexpected, but made sense. He slid from it awkwardly, the loading bay floor rough against his skin, and was halfway through the motions of standing when a stabbing pain jolted through his spine. Abruptly, his feet went numb and his legs gave out, depositing him heavily on the floor.
The laughter echoed around the bay with an edge sharp enough to cut someone, louder and far longer than he’d have liked. “You really thought I’d let you move around?” Havoc managed to choke out, doubled over with mirth. “You really thought I’d give you a chance at a fair fight?”
Arkadiy stared down at the floor bare inches from his face and grit his teeth. Fool me once, fool me twice. Even when Havoc’s booted foot flicked out and caught him in the ribs he swallowed the groan and instead turned up impassive blue eyes at his captor.
Wrong response. He glared, swinging his foot again for good measure. When his quarry didn’t respond his foot came back a third time, before settling back on the ground in sudden nonchalance. “That’s just no fun, ’Kadiy,” he murmured, smiling lopsidedly in a way that reminded the soldier suddenly, horribly, of Havoc’s brother. “Still, maybe later you’ll want to talk to me.”
A single gesture and another man appeared by Havoc’s side. They couldn’t have looked less alike: Havoc’s smile and vivid purple eyes a sharp contrast to the matted and tangled brown hair and unsmiling face, sullen brown stare fixed on Arkadiy. “What?” The voice was rough, almost rusted.
“Can you put him somewhere more… More comfortable?” If he noticed the stranger’s tone, he paid it no heed. “Somewhere shit like him deserves to be.” Even as the man grabbed Arkadiy by the arms, dragging him upright in a display of unexpected and terrifying strength Havoc turned away, casually dismissing both men. “I’ll deal with him later.”
Refusing to let himself give in, to shout and scream and rant at the man’s departing back, Arkadiy bit his lip hard enough to make it bleed and allowed his senseless legs to be dragged wherever the stranger took them.