Fandom The Firefly and The Rattler { The Last of Us 1x1 with icedthemoon }

[icedthemoon]

Seth Levinson
Former Firefly | 22 | Current location ;; California

As much as he tried to push thoughts of a past life and a man who didn’t even make any sense out of his head, all he could think about was just that. He wanted it all back so much. He had a reason. He had a true purpose. He did everything that he could to get where he was, and now, it felt like none of that mattered. He was drowning in a sea of his own confusion and desperation. If he was not careful, this was going to cost him his life. As he worked, he moved slowly towards the fence. He planned a route so that he could get back there without it being too suspicious. The problem was that he kept looking around to find Gaige. He was not even clocking where any of the other guards were. All he cared about was finding that one. Could he really tell him? What if Lev was right? What if he really wasn’t who Levi thought he was? What if he was lost? This was what they did, right? When they were lost in the darkness, they had to look for the light. He looked at the fence. That could have been the light for all of them. He turned away and continued working that way. He couldn’t risk it. Not even for hope. Finally, he was close. They were all pretty close. He could only hope that this was going to work.​

 

[EquineGurl23]

Gaige Hannon
Former Firefly now Rattler | 24 | Current location ;; California

Gaige watched as both the woman and kid pair started to move closer to the fence, and he also noticed that Levi was headed that way too. There was something in him that was telling him that he should just look the other way. That they didn't deserve to be here anymore than he did. He knew she was a Firefly too, they'd taken a pendant off her as well. It was only when Abby took off with Lev behind her that another guard, Connor, shouted. "Gaige. Go!" Gaige, unfortunately, was the fastest of the guards and usually the one sent to grab the runners. He took off after Abby and Lev, though his eyes were on Levi, wondering if he was going to run too.​

 

[icedthemoon]

Seth Levinson
Former Firefly | 22 | Current location ;; California

Many years ago, he did something like this with FEDRA. He wasn’t a slave. He wasn’t a captive. He wasn’t even really being held against his will. It felt like it, though. It felt like he was as oppressed as the rest of them. He ran then too. He ran like he life depended on it, and in that moment, when those men started to realize what was going on, it did. The second Abby started to move, he thought he would start moving. He thought that he would not even hesitate like he hadn’t all those years ago. But he did. He looked at Gaige, heard that call from someone else, and he didn’t run. Not immediately. It took him a solid several seconds to start going. He beat his feet down as hard and fast as he could towards the weak point of the fence. Getting to the other side would not guarantee his freedom but would give them ground to move somewhere that might. He was so close. His eyes moved to Gaige’s fast movements, and a part of him was disappointed. That man really was another one of them. All those thoughts and doubts were useless. If it came to it, he would fight for his freedom. Even against Gaige.​

 

[EquineGurl23]

Gaige Hannon
Former Firefly now Rattler | 24 | Current location ;; California

Gaige had actually hesitated for a moment. He’d stopped thinking as he watched Levi turn and run too. Then he was running, his feet bounding the ground as he did. He was quick, light on his feet as he moved. He couldn’t believe that Levi was running, but then again, he’d considered himself more than once. Gaige caught up quickly, snagging Lev and Abby, and handed them off to Josiah to hold for now. He turned and took off after Levi, leaping off the dirt and aiming for his back to tackle him into the ground. “That was a stupid move.” Gaige growled in his ear as he tried to pin him down. “Pillars must be better than working.”​

 

[icedthemoon]

Seth Levinson
Former Firefly | 22 | Current location ;; California

Here he comes. Levi knew it. He knew that Gaige was going to come after him too. He knew it, because there was no way that this guy was going to really be the good that Lev seemed to think was still in there. There was no good here. Gaige grabbed Lev and Abby, and Levi hissed a curse under his breath. This was going very poorly. He raced to the fence, but somehow Gaige was already gaining on him. He wasn’t going to make it. And he didn’t. He didn’t make it. He heard those footsteps before he felt the tackle. How could he have been so rash? He told them it was a bad plan. Hands and body crushed behind him, and he lost his footing. He fell. The body weight of someone eating well and fully hydrated was too much for him to fight like that. He glared out beside him with the words. He couldn’t let this be how fell apart. “No,” he hissed. “Anything is better than being your slave.” He pulled one arm out from being held and rammed his elbow as hard as he could into his attacker. He would not go without a fight. He tried to scramble away. If he could, maybe he could kick enough that he could stop him momentarily. Maybe he could run. Maybe.​

 

[EquineGurl23]

Gaige Hannon
Former Firefly now Rattler | 24 | Current location ;; California

He blinked as he heard those hissed out words, and groaned low at them. The elbow hit his chest and he snagged at it with his hand. “Enough. You’re done.” He said. He had to admire this man’s fight, but Gaige was well fed and hydrated. This was not a battle easily won. Gaige was pushed off for a moment but by this time two other guards were there in front of Levi. “Stop resisting.” One, Desmond, said in a growled tone and the other reached for Levi’s arms so Gaige could stand up. Gaige glared at the others. “This one is mine. I’ll put him on the pillar myself. As for those two, someone else can put them up.” He said, as the guard moved to hoist Levi to his feet so Gaige could grab him.​

 

[icedthemoon]

Seth Levinson
Former Firefly | 22 | Current location ;; California

Before he lost, he knew that he would. He could feel it before he even tried. He should have waited. He should have let the other two go and found another way. There was bound to be a better plan. It didn’t matter. There were too many on him now. They had all three of them, and he could only imagine what that would mean. He glared at anything and everything as they pulled him up. He tried to resist. It was futile, and he knew it, but he tried anyway. He thrashed even though it didn’t mean anything. He was effectively captured, and he wasn’t strong enough to get out. Levi turned his entire hatred to Gaige. “Is this fun for you?” he snapped. “Do you get off on doing this to people?” He jerked his shoulders as hard as he could into an attempt to get out of another guard’s hold so that he could move closer to Gaige. He wanted to be right up on him to glare at this man. He wanted him to feel the heat of his fury. “Maybe you are nothing but a snake.”​

 

[EquineGurl23]

Gaige Hannon
Former Firefly now Rattler | 24 | Current location ;; California

Gaige glared at Levi as he saw his fury turn on him. He could feel it through the snapped words and in the glare that was turned on him. Gaige grabbed his arms in a vice grip and lowered his mouth to Levi's ear. "Shut up. You don't know me or my story. This is just who I am now." His voice was rough, tight as he pulled his head away. "Now, let's get moving." He said, turning and leading Levi towards the beach. Towards an empty pillar where he'd put Levi to be battered by the elements, the birds and whatever else comes around. As he led Levi, they were on their own. "Why would you try and escape? You should know it's futile."​

 

[icedthemoon]

Seth Levinson
Former Firefly | 22 | Current location ;; California

Gaige didn’t scare him. He might have before, but Levi saw him now. He saw those insecurities and those questions. I don’t know. None of the rest of those rattlers were going to give him answers like that. I don’t know. He growled in protest. There was nothing else that he could do. Nothing but walk. He couldn’t get away. He was too tired anyway. This was the end for him. He should have let himself get so carried away. No, he didn’t know this guy, and that was the point. He was so disappointed, so hurt, that he thought maybe he was getting to know him. Not that he wanted that. He didn’t. He didn’t want anything. He looked anywhere else except the man who guided him to his slow death. Maybe he would pass out and never wake up. That would be a merciful way to deal with the rest of this. “Wouldn’t you? Even if you knew it was a slim chance? Wouldn’t you want your life back?” He grimaced and shook his head. “Oh right. No. You’d just join the people who think this is how you treat others. Like you didn’t fight to free people like us before.” He scoffed and shook his head again, unable to contain the disgust.​

 

[EquineGurl23]

Gaige Hannon
Former Firefly now Rattler | 24 | Current location ;; California

As Gaige led him to the pillars, he listened to him. Would he? Would he really go to the pillars. Clearly not since he was still there and working for them. His answer was clear in that case wasn’t it? Before he could say a word, Levi finished and he sighed roughly. “Give me your name and I’ll give you back your pendant. You can have it while you’re out here.” Gaige said, changing the subject away from himself again. He had fought to free people, he’d been sent to Denver for a few weeks with Devin, came back home with the news of his death. It was heartbreaking to see Cameron’s reaction when he told him. And one of just a few things in his life that made him this way. His parents were transferred to Salt Lake. They were part of the massacre there. As he heard the disgust in Levi’s voice, he sighed roughly. “You don’t know my past.” He replied, as they came to the pillars and he tied rope around Levi’s wrists to hoist him up and onto the pillar.​

 

[icedthemoon]

Seth Levinson
Former Firefly | 22 | Current location ;; California

Levi was getting really tired of this back and forth between hard slaver who would shove you up on a pillar to watch you waste away to the elements and almost decent slaver who answered things with I don’t know and handed over a dog tag to explain something. He glared at Gaige as he prepared to do to him exactly what they did to anyone else who valued their own life. How could he have thought for even a moment that Lev was right? How could he have looked at this man and thought that maybe they had some sort of strange break through? They could never understand each other, because Levi was a person. Gaige was a real-life monster. “Why?” he snapped as his wrists were tied. “Why would I give you the satisfaction of taking that from me too?” There was no hiding his hate for him. Absolutely no way that he could hide it. “To have your slimy hands all over it? No. I would rather you not tarnish us as much as you already have.”​

 

[EquineGurl23]

Gaige Hannon
Former Firefly now Rattler | 24 | Current location ;; California

Gaige groaned as he heard Levi’s words. He looked at him as he paused his tying. “You’re right. I’ve tarnished the Fireflies enough. That’s why I’m here.” He said as he Levi up onto the pillar and tied the rope behind it to keep him there. He walked around and looked at him. “But before you judge someone so harshly, maybe you should think that this is just about survival. I’m no good on my own out there. I can’t survive alone. So I chose darkness when my light was snuffed out.” He said, turning to walk away. “And by the way. I didn’t take anything from you. I’m just following orders like the good soldier I’ve always tried to be.”​

 

[icedthemoon]

Seth Levinson
Former Firefly | 22 | Current location ;; California

He laughed. There was no other reaction that he could do as he was hefted up onto a pillar to die. As he watched this man try to explain himself like that was any kind of excuse. He laughed, because it was stupid. It was meaningless. “Don’t pretend like survival gives you the right to take people’s lives. Not like this.” How was that ever okay? Even in this world, this was never okay. “Look around you, Gaige Hannon from San Francisco. Look at all the people you strung up here so that you could survive. Who are you to live when they don’t get to because they actually cared unlike you?” He spat the words out with all the venom he could muster. “You know what?” He laughed again. “I changed my mind.” He used every bit of the strength he had to smile like he won, because he did. “Seth Levinson. I want you to go find me wherever you keep the spoils of your torture. Find me and everyone else you threw away to survive. Maybe you can have the decency to live with that guilt.” He would not give him the satisfaction of the growl rising in his throat.​

 

[EquineGurl23]

Gaige Hannon
Former Firefly now Rattler | 24 | Current location ;; California

Gaige heard him laugh and he narrowed his eyes as he watched him. He did though, he looked around at each person he’d strung up, each person he’d sentenced to the elements to die here. He heard the venom in his voice and he heard him laugh again, before he saw the smile. His eyes narrowed as he looked at him, hearing his name. Seth. He didn’t give anymore words, didn’t speak anymore. He turned away completely and walked off. “Enjoy the weather.” Gaige said as he vanished. He headed towards the main area, and then to the fields. The day soon came to an end as he put the prisoners away. He went to the trophy room and searched through the pile of pendants, muttering under his breath as he found him. Seth. He searched further and found a spare pack, not sure if it was his or not. He tucked it into his pocket, and held the bag in his hand and headed for his room. He had a backpack that he had stuffed with everything important. He left the packs there and headed out to the pillars. He came up to Seth’s and crossed his arms, watching him. “I found you.” He said, twirling his pendent in his fingers.​

 

[icedthemoon]

Seth Levinson
Former Firefly | 22 | Current location ;; California

Again, he laughed. He laughed small at first, and by the time Gaige was too far gone to hear anymore, he was laughing like he was watching the funniest performance. It was possible that he was losing it. He was cracking under the pressure of this horrible world. He’d seen how it broke people many times already. The heat wasn’t helping. As he was abandoned out there, he could feel the heat eating away at him. With no water and food, he would be zapped of all his energy soon. Good. He didn’t want it if that meant he was going to spend any more time thinking about people like Gaige. He wanted him away from his thoughts, but that was just about impossible. He filled so much of his mind. If this was how he was going to die, then it didn’t really matter what he was thinking. The hours passed, and it was horrible. Absolutely horrible. Everything started to ache. He knew it would get worse before it could get better. He didn’t even notice Gaige until he spoke. He pulled open his eyes and stared at him. At the pendant in his hand.

SETH
LEVINSON
000546

“Did you?” His voice was already hoarse. He thought about his tag. What it said. 500s. Las Vegas. Anyone who knew about the hundreds of infected there knew why he wasn’t there anymore. Hadn’t been for a while. He didn’t even get to be a Firefly that long. He closed his eyes and didn’t look at the man anymore. ​

 

[EquineGurl23]

Gaige Hannon
Former Firefly now Rattler | 24 | Current location ;; California

Las Vegas. Of course he was from Vegas. Because what is Gaige’s luck that he found someone who came from the same city he was born in. “I did. I didn’t think you’d be from Vegas too.” He said, as he pulled a bottle of water from his pocket. He uncapped it and stepped closer, reaching up and pushed the bottle to his mouth. “I’m sorry. You’re right. But it’s hard to find the light when I’ve been stuck in the darkness for years. Now drink up. It’s going to take me a few days but you’re getting out of here with me.” He said. Maybe it was the fact that Levi was from Vegas, maybe it was him finally being fed up with how this group worked or maybe there was something about Levi that called to the light that was hidden deep inside Gaige.​

 

[icedthemoon]

Seth Levinson
Former Firefly | 22 | Current location ;; California

Too. As in Gaige was also from Vegas? It was almost too ironic. What a cruel way for the world to turn. No wonder so many people lost their faith in something better. No wonder the Fireflies died away. Disbanded. Were literally murdered. Quit. Became slavers. No wonder. His eyes snapped open, and he flailed away from Gaige as best he could, knocking into the water as he tried to push it away. “What are you playing at?” he demanded. “Talking about how we’re both from Vegas. I saw yours, remember? That wasn’t Vegas. And with all the honest answers and faraway looks. What is this? A way to keep me alive a little longer? You’ve got to love it, watching people be fooled by this.” He didn’t even glare, because they were beyond the point of basic anger. This was maddening. This was crazy. This Gaige guy was playing him so hard, and he kept sort of falling for it. Now he was talking this game about getting them both out? Now Levi was right? What was this? This was so much worse than being a slave. At least if that were his only problem, he would know what to expect. “Why don’t you go back to your comfy mansion and let me die with what little dignity I have left?”​

 

[EquineGurl23]

Gaige Hannon
Former Firefly now Rattler | 24 | Current location ;; California

Gaige growled low as he saw Levi flail away, his hand wavered enough to spill some of the water. “Will you stop! I’m not playing at anything. And you’re right, my pendant was given to me in San Francisco. I was taken out of Vegas, where I was born, by my parents on orders to go to San Francisco at 14. I started and completed my soldier training there.” He said, his eyes holding nothing by the truth. “I’m not playing you, I’m not fooling you. If the other guards hadn’t seen you run, I would’ve let you go. Because you’re right. No one deserves this kind of life.” Gaige replied, as he tried again with the water. “Comfy mansion? I have a twin bed in a small room in the basement. If you would just listen to me, I’ll get us both out.” He said as he brought the half full water bottle to his mouth again. “Drink this. Please.”​

 

[icedthemoon]

Seth Levinson
Former Firefly | 22 | Current location ;; California

No! His mind was screaming it, though his words did not come. The anger that he did not have earlier was back in full force. It didn’t matter what Gaige told him. He would not let himself be sucked in by this again. “I. Don’t. Want. Your. Water.” He spat each word as clearly and concisely as he could manage so that Gaige could really get it. “I don’t believe you at all.” He jerked his head away again. “Are you gonna cut them down too?” He gestured with his head as forcefully as he could while he still had the energy to do so. Most of these people were dead. Not all of them. He was sure that Abby and Lev were alive on one of these. “Ooh, we can all get out of here together and have a big party.” He coughed a laugh that ended in a growl as he looked away. “One big, everyone dies party.”​

 

[EquineGurl23]

Gaige Hannon
Former Firefly now Rattler | 24 | Current location ;; California

This was not going to any kind of plan that Gaige had set. Okay. If Levi wanted to play that game then fine. It was now the dead of night, the moonlight shone down on the water. The waves were rippling gently. “I can’t cut them down. I could get away with cutting you down but that’s it.” He said but he heard that laugh that ended in a growl. Gaige knew he wasn’t going to get anywhere with Levi. Not now. So he turned away. “If you really were a Firefly, you clearly weren’t the greatest. Can’t even see when someone is lost in the darkness and can’t find any light.” He said, his voice loud enough to be heard before he turned and walked away, back to the room he had. That night he stuffed the spare pack full of things. Fresh clothes, water, food, medical supplies, and a pistol. He laid down on his bed, twirling his pendant as he fell asleep.​

 

[icedthemoon]

Seth Levinson
Former Firefly | 22 | Current location ;; California

Yes he could. He could cut them all down. Would was the question, and the answer was clearly that he would not. That had nothing to do with ability. If Gaige already wanted to make some daring escape, why would he not cut down everyone that was still alive? Levi would. Why not? Let’s save some lives before we’re done. Leave this place a little bit better than he started. Not that Levi could do anything but hang there and die. He didn’t even watch Gaige leave. He stared out at the bodies surrounding him and willed for the water to drown him. It didn’t. Hours and hours and hours passed, and the more he hung there, the worse he felt. It was like the life was draining from him. That was when he finally started to drift, though it was not a nice nap like he might have wanted. The loss of consciousness never is. When you’re lost in the darkness. Yeah. If you noticed there was no light around, think about the choices. Hm, clearly he had, and he decided to be the worst kind of person about it. This was what he was thinking as his mind started to shut down. Hours later, in the periods of consciousness he was trying to avoid, he began to rethink that. What if it wasn’t some sort of game? What if he really did want to leave? What if he really did want Levi to live? There was no proof. There was no reason. He thought in circles about it. He was going to be the driving force behind his own madness.​

 

[EquineGurl23]

Gaige Hannon
Former Firefly now Rattler | 24 | Current location ;; California

Gaige woke up that morning and did his job, his mind whirling about the man down on the pillars. He could barely get him out without being caught. The point was to not get caught wasn’t it? So why would be cut down all of them and risk getting caught. The day dragged on, his mind a storm inside as he tried to think about just what he wanted to do. He wanted to help Levi, because for some reason he was becoming Gaige’s light. He couldn’t that the second light he found get snuffed out, again. He’d lose himself if he did that. The day went by slowly, dragging on almost. Once the prisoners were in their cell, Gaige made his way to his room. He sat on the bed, both pendants in his hands. Gaige Hannon of San Francisco and Seth Levinson of Las Vegas. He wondered if he’d have met Seth if he’d stayed in Nevada instead of being taken to California. As night fell, Gaige slipped away, one pack on his back, gun strapped to it and one pack in his arms. A knife in the other as he slipped down to the beach. He needed to get to Levi before he went mad as they tended to do went left there. “Levi.” He hissed as he slipped around back to cut the rope. “I need you to be quiet. We’re leaving.”​

 

[icedthemoon]

Seth Levinson
Former Firefly | 22 | Current location ;; California

No water. No food. Only the heat of the unrelenting sun to keep him company. Oh and the occasional screams. Not everyone was dead out there. Not yet. Thankfully he couldn’t always hear the talking. Instead he could only hear his own thoughts. He did not bother screaming or yelling. He already knew how this was going to go. He couldn’t see Lev, and he wished that he could. He wanted to tell him that he was sorry that he couldn’t have gotten him out. He longed for the night. He would still be dying but at least it wouldn’t be so painful everywhere. When someone said his name, he didn’t even look up. He already imagined too much. People he used to know. People he knew now. It wasn’t even that long. It was probably because he didn’t take the water, and he didn’t eat a lot before that. He worked harder than his body could bear with the lack of sustenance when he was in the fields. He also wasn’t kind to himself in his circling thoughts. “I am quiet,” he grumbled, though he still didn’t know what was happening. “And no. I am staying on this pillar. I can’t leave. Don’t be stupid.” He opened his eyes and his vision couldn’t even see right. It might have been Gaige or he might have wanted it to be him. He must have been a glutton for punishment.​

 

[EquineGurl23]

Gaige Hannon
Former Firefly now Rattler | 24 | Current location ;; California

It didn’t usually take long before mania started in people. Mania and hallucinations. He could see that Levi couldn’t quite see him. Gaige wasted no time and cut the ties, lurching around quickly to grab Levi before he hit the ground. He cut the ties around his wrists and looked around. “Hate me all you want but I’m getting you out of here.” He said as he picked Levi up in his arms and looked around. A boat from survivors who’d come onto the beach. Perfect. They just needed to get up the coast a little bit before he could dock them and they’d be free. They’d both be free. “Shh. Keep down.” He said as he took off, packs on his back, sharing a shoulder each as he made it to the boat. He set Levi in it, then the packs and grabbed an old oar that was laying from a shipwreck, and he pushed them off, floating into the ocean where he could get them far enough out to turn the engine on.​

 

[icedthemoon]

Seth Levinson
Former Firefly | 22 | Current location ;; California

The world spun and crashed all around him until suddenly something hard was holding onto him. No crash. He felt like he might throw up except he hadn’t eaten in a while. He didn’t know time of day it was or how long it had been. He didn’t know anything other than the movement. He couldn’t tell that he was being picked up. He flopped as his body refused to listen to anything that he wanted. That wasn’t too bad since he didn’t know what he wanted. Sure he did. The sound of water’s movements reminded him. “The island.” The hard wood was nice compared to the nothing of before. “They’re all waiting for us.” His eyes stayed closed as he laid there. He didn’t want to move. Why bother? Though it didn’t really stop him from writhing wherever he was. No, the wood was also uncomfortable. Everything was uncomfortable. He wished that he could just die. ​