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Fandom Tale of Two Survivors { The Last of Us 1x1 with icedthemoon }

Nathaniel Matthews
Former Firefly| 21 | Current location ;; Washington

Nate was not proud of everything tang he did. There were plenty of choices he made that he would never want to make again and did not want to continue to make in the future. When he looked back on it, those choices stemmed back to some sort of passion or need. Today, he chose to speak as though he approved of this way of life. He did not know much about the WLF, and he was not sure if he would ever lean much, but he knew that if they were going to immediately take away and probably hurt or kill some one for being a part of a group at one time, then he did not agree. He thought of Kaleb as Kim led him to the apartments. He thought of his anger towards him for once being part of FEDRA. He thought of how wrong he had been to judge Kaleb so unjustly. He wondered what they would do to him here if they had known. Maybe they would have lied. He had enough tags for it. He could have temporarily remade himself. Or maybe they could have gotten away at the beginning, saved Alex, and left.

He was not ready for the apartments. He was not ready for what he saw when he was there. He had to bite back the shock and fear when he saw what they were doing to these people. He ignored the dry blood on the floor. He turned away from the broken faces. All he could think was that his Alex was somewhere in one of these. “Who holds all the keys to the cages and chains?” He asked almost unaware that he was ruining his own attempt at manipulation. “I want to make sure I have them close in case something goes awry.”
 
Alexander Brennan
Former Seraphite | 19 | Current location ;; Washington

Kim looked at Nate as they entered the apartments. “You won’t need Isaac, he’s the only one who has the keys. Your manipulator will be chained up so no need to worry.” She told him as she looked at one of the guards. “Bring cell 405 down to the interrogation room.” She said, leading Nate then down the hall and into a room. The room was bare except for a chair, and a hook on the ceiling. Dried blood was under the hook and a table nearby held different size knives and other tools. “These tools are at your disposal and I’ll be here along with the guard to make sure nothing happens.” As Kim was talking, the door opened up again.

Alex had lost track of the time, it felt like forever that he’d been there, but in reality it wasn’t that long. He was littered with cuts, blood covered his once clean clothes, and he was exhausted. The guard came in, unchained him from the cell and led him down the hall. He pushed open the door, and shoved Alex in. Alex stumbled from the force as he was pushed into the room and the chains were hooked to the ceiling. His wrists and arms were held above his head because of the hook. His eyes held a broken look to them as he noticed Nate. A little smile tugged at his mouth before it vanished. “Go ahead Nathaniel. Use these tools, make this Scar pay for his manipulation of you.”
 
Nathaniel Matthews
Former Firefly| 21 | Current location ;; Washington

What exactly was this room that he was looking at? An interrogation room? It was the most horrific thing Nate had ever seen in his entire life. They hung people here to torture them. That’s exactly what this was. These were his Fireflies? No way. Absolutely no way. His people would never. Right? Some of them might. He could think of several who would have loved to do this to a FEDRA officer. But not his mama. Not his brothers. Not Kyle or Orion or Sarah. This wasn’t at all what he expected to find when he got here. How could this be the place he was meant to find? How could his family have died for this?

When they brought Alex, his entire body shuttered, but he played it off as though he were excited in anticipation. Or perhaps like he was that kind of upset. And he was. He was upset. But not like the kind of upset he normally was. He liked peace. He liked to find a cordial way to go about things. But that was his Alex strung up and looking like some sort of sick plaything for these people who killed and tortured for fun. Kim seemed so kind. so helpful. This guard did not. Who was he to judge based on looks? It was in that moment as Alex just barely smiled at him that Nate realized how much he hated the people in this room with him. The people who would do this to his beautiful Alex just because he had some scars on his face. At least all he did to Kaleb was get angry.

He walked to the tools and examined them. He picked them up, calling them by their name and just what kind of damage they could do. These were not sterilized. These could make someone incredibly sick if used incorrectly. He would know. These were the tools of his trade. He knew exactly how to use them. Holding one particularly sharp implement, he looked at Alex, and simply said, “Close your eyes, beautiful. I don’t want you to watch.” The people in the room with him could take that as a typical person who wanted revenge without wanting the real love of torture. It was hard to watch someone’s eyes when they were being hurt. That was not at all what Nate wanted. He didn’t want Alex to watch as he moved around the room like he was sizing his victim up and shoved that tool into the throat of the guard. The guard would have to go down first. He was big and could kill them easily. Nate could not play nice medic nor did he want to. He whipped around quickly, ducking down in case Kim caught on and slipped very quickly around her so that his arm was locked firmly around her neck. She seemed so sweet and yet, he knew that she was not. “Take a rest.” He pinched an area to cut off nerves and pulled his arm to cut off circulation while the other hand covered her mouth so that one she could not scream and two he could cut off the air there too. Not dead, just asleep. For now. “Now how do I get you out?”
 
Alexander Brennan
Former Seraphite | 19 | Current location ;; Washington

Alex watched as Nate went to the table of tools. All of them had been used on him more than once already. His blood had been added to the stains on the floor. His eyes widened as he watched Nate grab a tool, then he was told to close his eyes. For the first time since he met Nate, Alex felt real fear that he might hurt him. He’d heard rumors of the WLF turning people to think like them. Manipulating them. He didn’t know what had happened in the short time they’d been apart. But Alex listened and closed his eyes, then he heard a body drop, then another one. Alex’s eyes opened as he heard Nate and shook his head. “I don’t think you can. And you don’t have a lot of time. Another guard will come by to check in, and if Isaac comes soon, he’ll be in and you’ll be captured too. Don’t risk yourself for me. I’ll survive. We made it to your group, the same one that I’ve been fighting against. Is it everything you wanted?” Alex’s voice was hoarse, his words harsh but he was exhausted, hurt and a little angry that he’d even entered the city. He should’ve turned back.
 
Nathaniel Matthews
Former Firefly| 21 | Current location ;; Washington

They did not have much time, and Nate did not know enough about this to know how to break him out. This was never his expertise. This was definitely Max’s. And probably Kaleb’s. Kaleb would have known what to do. He had the experience. Or maybe the guy they talked about that Kaleb missed. He probably would have known too. But not Nate. Nate did not do thing kind of thing. He stepped up to Alex, and every ounce of how sorry he was that he brought him here poured out of him as he gasped, trying to remember how to breathe. “No,” he answered in almost a whisper. “It’s not.” He reached a hand to gently cup Alex’s cheek. “That’s you, silly. You’re everything I want, Alexander. I love you, and I will be damned if I let them take you from me again.” Standing on his tiptoes, he pressed a gently kiss to Alex’s cheek. “So another guard comes soon. Okay. They seemed sparse. I think I overheard them preparing for something big. It sounded like it was happening tonight. Only Isaac has the key to get you out. Maybe we can take it when they leave? But I have to get you out of here for now. At least I can get you down from there.”

He paused at the sound outside the door. The other guard? Maybe. “Close your eyes, my monkey man. This is not the me I want you to have to see.” He kissed his cheek again and moved to the door. He opened it, scanning quickly and seeing only one other person near. “Help! He’s already gotten two of them! I thought this place was supposed to be secure!” The man rushed over, grumbling questions of confusion. Nate slipped out of the door as though he were afraid of what was in just as the man when in. And then he slit his throat. He was creating a body pile. He shoved the man just a little further in so that he could close the door. “Okay, that’s one problem down. I watched them put you here. I can probably get you down again.” It was as easy as moving backwards, right? So he began at reversing the process. It was going to take him a moment though.
 
Alexander Brennan
Former Seraphite | 19 | Current location ;; Washington

Alex heard the gasp as he looked at Nate. His eyes watered as he heard him. The hand that cupped his cheek was comforting and Alex leaned into it. He heard Nate’s words and his heart fluttered. The kiss to his cheek made him smile tiredly. “Maybe we can, but please be careful. I love you Nathaniel and I need to you be careful.” Alex told him as there wasn’t much to do. While they’d been talking, the rain had started outside, drizzling and a forewarning of the storm to come. Alex heard Nate tell him to close his eyes and he did. A yell, a body dropped and then he opened his eyes again. Alex looked up at the hook and then at Nate. “Put your knee right by my foot, I might be able to push myself up enough and at least unhook myself.”
 
Nathaniel Matthews
Former Firefly| 21 | Current location ;; Washington

Nate did not have any other ideas, so he did as Alex suggested. He put his knee under Alex’s foot, ready to steady himself and be his support so that he could get himself out. This had to work otherwise Nate was about to go grab a chair and jump. He was significantly smaller than the guards in these places. He never knew that his small stature was going to be a problem. This would never have been a problem with Carlos. He could have scooped him right out. Then again, with four of them, they may not have ever been in this situation to begin with. They could have gotten away and turned around. They could have gone anywhere else. That was the plan now. They were going to go anywhere else. “You be careful. And when you unhook yourself, I will be right here to catch you.” He readied his arms to do just that. They would likely fall, because he was not nearly as strong as Alex or Kaleb either, but he would cushion it. “I’m so sorry I brought you back here. I am so sorry they did this to you.”
 
Alexander Brennan
Former Seraphite | 19 | Current location ;; Washington

Alex felt the knee under his foot, and looked at Nate. He was too tired and sore to really smile, but his eyes lit a little. “Okay.” Alex said, until he heard the rest of Nate’s words. “Don’t do that. I walked right in this city with you. Some part of me hoped that they’d see me with you and I’d be okay. But that didn’t happen. Don’t blame yourself my love, it’s not your fault.” Alex told him, and then he pushed off Nate’s knee, the chain slipped up and off the hook from the momentum. And then gravity kicked in and he fell down, landing in Nate’s arms and sending them both to the floor. Alex rolled immediately to the side once he hit the ground so he didn’t hurt Nate. Though standing would be difficult, and walking. His entire body was sore and weak just because of the multiple cuts and bruises and the body trying to heal itself. “Well. Now what my Medicine Man?”
 
Nathaniel Matthews
Former Firefly| 21 | Current location ;; Washington

Nate was ready for the fall, but he was not ready for Alex to roll to the side. How could he do that when he already hurt so much? He was still trying to take the pain for both of them. Nate gathered him into his arms and gently pulled him closer. He wanted to feel Alex there. They were not apart long, but it was still too long. It was still too far. Way too far. This was not their five feet maximum distance. This was so much worse, and he would never let this happen again. “I should have known better than to just walk in like that. I should have thought more about what you said. I should have taken more precautions.” He buried his head in Alex’s hair, giving them this one moment before they got up again. “I should never have brought you here. They hurt you because of me. Everyone died for this. I did this to so many of our people.” Carefully, knowing how exhausted Alex must be from every injury Nate could not help but look at every time, Nate readjusted himself so that he was facing Alex. “Don’t you dare take the blame for what I did. This was my mission. I insisted on looking for this even when I didn’t know what I was doing. I was grasping at the remnants of hope. This is not my hope. You are my hope.” As gently as he could managed, he pressed a kiss to Alex’s lips. “And now,” he said as he pulled away, “I am going to get you out of here. But first we have to get you to stand. And then I think you may be stuck in some of these bindings until I can steal the key.” He began to stand so the he could help him stand as well.
 
Alexander Brennan
Former Seraphite | 19 | Current location ;; Washington

Alex had rolled to the side, but then felt Nate gather him in his arms, and he was pulled closer to him. Alex shifted painfully onto his side and curled into Nate's chest. They had been apart too long, too far apart. Way more than five feet. Alex felt Nate's head buried in his hair. "It's not your fault. Don't blame yourself either. Everyone knew the risks of traveling, of crossing the country." He said as he felt Nate readjust. Alex lifted his head up to look at him, his cheeks flushing red at the comment. Smiling into the kiss, he watched Nate pull away. Alex nodded, moving from Nate's side and he waited, hand as out stretched as it could be with the bindings for help in standing up. Then they could decide what to do from there.
 
Nathaniel Matthews
Former Firefly| 21 | Current location ;; Washington

Nothing could not stop him from blaming himself for this, because it was his fault. Would not. So many people died for a mission that he insisted on. With Max and Ben, that was all three of them, but he was the one who pushed it. Ben said that they didn’t have to find their people. Their people were gone. Max told him that it would be great, but maybe this was a chance for them to find something else. They didn’t really like the way that some of the Fireflies conducted their business. They could find something else that would make a difference. Nate couldn’t let it go. This was his home. This was his family. He could never accept that they were all dead. He could never accept that everything they worked for was just over because one man wanted to kill all of them over some little girl.

He had plenty of blood on his hands.
Max and Ben.
Kaleb and Carlos.
Alex.
Blood still dried on tools that should have been used to heal people.

He took Alex’s hand and stood, keeping it even after he moved. It was awkward, and he was going to have to let go soon, but he was going to keep him as close as possible while he still could. “If I tell you not to look while we are out there, would you listen to me?” It seemed dangerous and risky to close your eyes when fending for you life, but he thought he would ask. He hated this part of himself. The part who was trained and capable of swift murder. “Maybe you shouldn’t. We need to find your pack too. Maybe Isaac has that as well. I just don’t know how to get you there.” He opened the door and poked his head out of the room. No one. He stepped over the dead bodies and outside. “They really must be preparing for something big.” He was just about to leave when he had a thought. He bent down and picked up the guard’s weapon. “Can you defend yourself with those on?” He asked handing the weapon to him.
 
Alexander Brennan
Former Seraphite | 19 | Current location ;; Washington

Alex was grateful for the help but he was a little out of balance for a few moments. He kept himself as close to Nate as he could, the chains on his wrists making his arms dangle uncomfortably. "Probably not." He replied, he may not have looked when he was hung up, but he had to now. "I think I heard they have a room with the things they find from us. It's um at the top floor of this building I think." Alex said, trying to remember what the escaped ones had said. He followed Nate towards the door, managing to stay on his feet as he stepped over the body. Alex took the weapon, gauged it and nodded. "I'll do my best." He said, turning to face the hallway.
 
Nathaniel Matthews
Former Firefly| 21 | Current location ;; Washington

As they moved out in to the hall, he acknowledged the information with a nod. Top floor. They could do that. It would not be the first time that they had to find their way up flights of stairs when they were in less than perfect conditions. Of course, they often had a Carlos to carry them, but they could manage. They managed before them. They managed. “Five feet.” Not a question. “Unless in battle and we can’t help it. And I will move as slow as you need,” he added to as he gestured to how he stayed close. “You use me whenever.” Then he looked in the hallway and clamped his mouth shut, because this place was horrible. It was not like the way that places were overtaken by the infection. This was so much worse. Cages everywhere. Blood everywhere. And he wanted to be part of these people.
 
Alexander Brennan
Former Seraphite | 19 | Current location ;; Washington

Alex could walk, slowly and with a slight limp in his walk. "Five feet." Alex agreed, as he looked at the cages. "There's an elevator here. I've heard them use it before. We can take that up to the top floor." He said, before his heart stopped and restarted. He knew so many of these men and women. Seen them as he grew up, fought beside them. And many of them were skin and bones. Many of them looked so broken, and then he froze at one cage. An older man was in there, one that had been taken before Alex had left. "Grant.." Alex whispered, moving towards the cage door, pulling at the bars. The man inside looked up and his eyes widened. "Alexander.." His voice was scratchy from disuse and Alex swallowed hard. He looked so beat up and it hurt. "I'm sorry." Alex whispered, not sure how he could help. There wasn't anything he could do and he knew that, deep down. But it hurt to walk away again. It was easier to leave when he couldn't see his mentor. When Grant was gone, he didn't have to think about what he would think of Alex leaving. Alex had to tear himself from the cage, but it was so hard.
 
Nathaniel Matthews
Former Firefly| 21 | Current location ;; Washington

It hurt to walk away from each of these cages, and he could only imagine how hard it must have been for Alex who actually knew them. It would have been like Nate walking through cages full of the people he knew as he grew up. That would have been devastating. It was already bad. He didn’t know how to get them out. If he could find the key to unlock Alex, they could come back and unlock everyone else potentially? Surely someone had the key to these cages. Or they could find something to bash the cages open with. He moved with Alex as he moved to the cage. This was not just someone Alex knew. This was someone important. Someone who broke Alex to see here. Nate put an arm around Alex as they moved towards this elevator, a working one apparently, and breathed out deeply. “We can come back. We can save them.” Because Nate always believed that in every situation. “We can save your people.” He moved to the elevator and stepped inside, unsure exactly how this would work. He had never been in one before. “If we can get you out of these and wait until everyone is gone to wherever they are tonight, we could free these people. Whoever can be freed.” He closed his eyes and considered what he had. “I can fix them.” If he only had more. “You should have seen where they live, Alex. It is truly amazing. They must have more medical supplies. We could raid it? There are so many people, I don’t know how but we could do it? And then I could help them. I could save someone.” He was desperate to right his own wrongs. Even if what he suggested was going to be far too much for just the two of them.
 
Alexander Brennan
Former Seraphite | 19 | Current location ;; Washington

Alex felt the arm around him and he turned his head for a moment to hide his face and breathed in. Breathed out. "Okay." Alex whispered once, turned his head back and looked at Grant. "Okay." More resolve this time. While he didn't like how his people were, they did not deserve this. Alex knew they'd fought for peace before, but it was hard to think about. Each truce was broken as quickly as it happened. As they got into the elevator. "The stadium.. I've heard about it. Though I don't know how well it will go if we raid it, it's just the two of us. But we can try." Alex looked around and pressed the highest number button. And then the thing whirred, clunked and moved. It threw Alex off balance, not that he was incredibly balanced at the moment anyway, and he fell down onto his back with a grunt. He sighed, pushing himself into a sitting position as the elevator brought them up to the top floor.
 
Nathaniel Matthews
Former Firefly| 21 | Current location ;; Washington

He knew that the elevator had to move. He had seen the inner workings of the shafts plenty of times. He climbed them, jumped down them, and fallen too many times to count. He twisted an ankle being too cocky when jumping down an elevator shaft when he was much younger. He knew that they moved. That did not mean that he was prepared to move. It was shocking, and when Alex fell, he stumbled a little. As much as Nate wanted to immediately drop to the floor with him, he didn’t, because he was not sure what they were going to find when they made it to that top floor. As the door slid open, he kept the tool he had on hand. It was smaller, lighter, and built for doing exactly what he used it for. He scanned the area, and there was a person a couple of feet away. He began to turn around, asking, “Who’s the-“ But Nate was already at his throat, gripping him in just the right places to keep him still. “Is this where you keep all of the prisoner’s items?” “Who are-“ He tightened his grip, keeping the tool too close for anyone’s comfort on his neck. “Answer my question. You don’t want to die today.” The man fumbled a little, trying to get out of Nate’s grip, but each time he did, Nate pinched a little more around him, making the man’s body started to collapse in ways Nate tried not to think about. “Yeah, yeah, in that room. That’s where Isaac keeps it all. Who’re y-“ He didn’t make it that far before Nate slit his throat too. For just a moment, his face was hard and rigid. Almost angry. Then he turned back to Alex and smiled. “Okay.” He reached down to help him up.
 
Alexander Brennan
Former Seraphite | 19 | Current location ;; Washington

Alex watched as the doors opened, he saw the person there, heard them and then his eyes widened. He saw Nate hold him, the tool tight to his neck. Alex just watched the scene in front of him, it was a side of Nate he’d never really seen before. He’d never seen that hardness or rigidity in his face. And then the smile as Nate walked over to him. He accepted the hand and stood up, a little off balance but he nodded. Alex walked out of the elevator and to the door. He went to open it and it was locked. “Don’t happen to have another knife to open it would you?” Alex asked.
 
Nathaniel Matthews
Former Firefly| 21 | Current location ;; Washington

It had been a long time since he had to open a locked door. Or at least it felt like that. A few days? A week at most? He was not sure if he was handling the time well anymore. He shoved it down with the fact that he was yet again just killing people. His mama would have been proud. Don’t leave a mess you have to fix later. It was what Alex told him, too, right? They could not let people live when they could so easily come back to get them. Like the hunters. Hunters and torturers. People who kept other people in cages. He nodded, and pulled his pack off to sift through for the knife he had before. It had also been a while since he had to use it. He pushed the bag back on and moved to the door, shoving the knife in and jimmying it until the door popped open. “Got it. Let’s see what we can find in here, yeah?” He moved forward to the room. No people. Good. But plenty of things about. This was certainly a used room.
 
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Alexander Brennan
Former Seraphite | 19 | Current location ;; Washington

Alex nodded, moving so that Nate could unlock the door. Once it popped free, he smiled. “Yeah, let’s see what we can find.”Alex said, moving into the room. He looked around before he smiled, finding his pack. The bow and arrow right beside it. And fresh arrows from another, that stung. “Um. Hey Nate? Could you.. would you be able to hang onto my stuff? It’s hard to have it when I’m… you know..” Alex said, gesturing to his bound together hands. Thanks to this stupid chain.
 
Nathaniel Matthews
Former Firefly| 21 | Current location ;; Washington

The room had a couple of other things scattered around. He moved to the desk and sifted through several of the notes. Lists of names he did not understand. Places? They were gathering a lot of supplies for some sort of… raid? He was not sure where, especially because his search cut short when Alex called his attention. “Oh, yeah, of course.” That was silly of him not to consider carrying everything with the chains still. He moved away from the desk and picked up Alex’s pack. He dropped a strap of his pack and shoved one of the other. “I could really use a Carlos pack mule right about now.” The bow was a little more awkward. He tried to replicated what Alex would normally do. “Um, am I doing this right?” He asked as he moved to Alex.
 
Alexander Brennan
Former Seraphite | 19 | Current location ;; Washington

Alex chuckled at the comment, shaking his head. "Would definitely be a little more helpful." He said, smiling a little. Then he smiled wider seeing him try and put the bow on. "You're close , but no. Put the string over your chest so the curve of the bow goes with your back. Um." Alex tried to help, as he lifted his hands the best he could to help Nate readjust it on him. "That should be fine for now. Oh, right arrows." Alex walked back and grabbed the extra arrows before he noticed something that confused him. Was that.. his sisters? He reached and grabbed the straps of a smaller pack, that was achingly familiar. A faded red medical cross on the front flap of the pack. No.. Was she here? Was Juliet here in this place? She'd never survive here. Alex stumbled back and ended up falling onto his butt, holding the pack in his shaking hands.
 
Nathaniel Matthews
Former Firefly| 21 | Current location ;; Washington

Nate readjusted the bow in a way that he hoped was how Alex described. He thought after having spent so much time with him and watching him so intently with how fascinated he was with Alex that he would know how to do this. He appreciated Alex’s attempt at helping. He was so good even when he was tortured. He followed him to where the other arrows were. Something was wrong. Alex was not reacting how he thought he should. Did he know this pack? “Alex?” As he fell, Nate dropped too. He reached for those shaking hands and held them tight in his own. “Baby what’s wrong?” A million things were wrong, but this was new. This was something he did not understand, and he needed to. What changed?
 
Alexander Brennan
Former Seraphite | 19 | Current location ;; Washington

Alex heard Nate, but he was focused on the pack in his hands. He could feel Nate's hands take his own shaking ones, and he swallowed hard. "T- This pack.. it's m- my sister's.. She found it on a trip to the m- mainland one day. She fell in love with it because of the cross, because she was training to be a medic. I- if this is h- here. She's either here or.." Alex felt tears burn down his face, the salt stinging the cuts as the tears dripped onto his arms. Was it his fault? Did he leave and she went with another group instead of his? Alex dropped the pack like it burned him and turned to Nate beside him, burying into his side. His fault.. It had to be. He left after all.
 
Nathaniel Matthews
Former Firefly| 21 | Current location ;; Washington

Sister. This was not just some person from the group. This was someone he knew well. This was his sister. His Max and Ben. Nate dropped the packs from his arms and captured Alex in his arms and his chest and anywhere that he could pull them together. They took his sister. Why would they take someone who was training to be a medic. There was no way she did anything to them that would ever warrant this kind of treatment. Of course, Alex did nothing but walk into the city beside Nate. He literally did nothing to them. “I am so sorry. I am so so sorry.” He rubbed Alex’s back, stroked his hair, held him close. What else could he do? How could he fix this? “We’re going to find her. We are going to take those things off of you, and then we are going to find your sister. If she is in this place being held somewhere, we are going to find her. And Grant. And everyone else.” He bit back the anger he tried never to let take him, but his words were clipped by the end. “They do not get to do this to you.”
 

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