becomehero | Week 6: Execution

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execution

Week 6: Execution

week 6:

execution

Sunday morning starts off quietly enough, almost peaceful after the events of the past few days. Today, the alarm on everyone's phone starts at 12 PM, with a reminder of the execution to take place at 1 PM at the stadium. Unlike the Saturday notifications, however, this is the only reminder you get. It appears that attendance is not mandatory this time.

Well. Not for all of you, anyway. One of you feels a compulsion to head to the stadium, heading straight inside and following the staff to ready themselves for what's to come. All others who arrive at the stadium, hero or civilian, are led to spectator seating.

As the clock strikes 1 PM, Will walks into the arena. On the opposite end of the field, Nico steps out to greet them. As long as they both live, neither will able to leave the area, nor will any outsiders be able to enter.

You don't have to watch, of course. That's your choice. But with the event being broadcast all over the city, it may be hard to avoid. In-person or across town, everywhere is buzzing with gossip of the newly discovered villain about to face justice. Regardless of where you go or whether you choose to watch, the only thing to do now is wait.

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[ it happens before he can register it. he's trying to sweep the acid off with his bare hands (stupid, but whatever) and his hands burn and sizzle for only a moment before he sees the glowing golden light and the familiar hymn reaches his ears.

and he immediately tries to back away as his injuries start to stitch themselves closed. the acid and blood drip off of his form to the ground and the wounds on his torso and the tear in his neck and the marks on his arms start to scar back over. ]

Will, stop. Stop! [ he doesn't get far enough because will's got him in a grip by the shoulders, and even the hole in his lip seems to have closed up. ] Why did you heal me!?

You cannot expect me to see you get doused in acid and have all your old wounds start to open up and not do anything about it!

[he knows, logically, that it is a bad idea.

but will has never been able to turn away from people who are in pain. that goes doubly so when it's nico who's in pain.]

We just - we just have to find a way out of this.

I don't care, you idiot! [ this is probably not the time to be calling will an idiot but ahhhhhhhhh. ] I would have been fine and we could've figured out something when we both got out of here. And now...

[ well. they both know that, logically, it was a bad idea. he's known since the beginning of all of this.

"I need to tell you something about the healing power I have here and you need to promise not to freak out about it."

"You know I can take on whatever you're throwing at me."

he's been there through all of it. all of the times will's healed everyone and had to work through the backlash of his power. all of the times he'd been afraid of his own power, worried he'll lose control and take it too far. all of the times he'd been worried he would hurt nico specifically because nico refused to abandon him when it was obvious how much will was struggling. and now...it seems as though this place is determined to make all of those fears try to breach the surface. ]

If we move fast, we can still grab the flag and end this and get out of here before it happens. Okay? I've got you, we're not...this isn't going to happen this way. [ he's already trying to get to his feet and grab his sword again. ]

All that acid was not fine!

[wow. he's going to die here and nico is calling him an idiot. he sees how it is.

(except, no. he is still clinging to the thin, stubborn hope that if they can just get ahold of that flag, they'll be okay. he knows that isn't how it's worked so far. he just can't bear to actually give up.)

if it were someone else in here, maybe he could bring himself to fight.

now, though - will feels himself start to tighten his grip on nico's shoulders and forces himself to let go, his hands still trembling. he picks up the bow and the arrow he'd dropped, but stashes the arrow in the front pocket of his hoodie - for lack of a quiver, it will have to do.

and they have to get moving. he holds out one hand to nico - he won't be able to shoot his bow with one of his hands occupied, which may kind of be the point - and nods in the direction of the flag.]

...let's go. Let's make this quick, we can - we can do this. We'll just watch out for any more of those things.

Gods, whatever. [ stop bitching at your doctor, even if will probably knows him well enough to know he is grateful and also worried out of his mind now. but it's fine. it'll be fine. the arena's...not that big. probably. if they work fast, they can get the flag, finish the "fight" and get out.

(they won't, they won't, they won't. but neither of them are good at giving up.)

he grabs will's hand, lacing their fingers together knowing exactly why will's purposefully doing this and he begins to pull him forward. ]

If we don't pop them it should be fine. And the good thing is nothing else is coming out of those things. I would call that a plus. [ he sidesteps a small pool of lava as he navigates them forward. ] ...just stay focused. Pay attention to me. Think about getting out of here.

Yeah. It's better than - better than it could be.

[he swallows hard, his grip on nico's hand growing tighter as they pick their way across the field. he finds his gaze lingering on the lava pool that nico sidesteps as he pulls him along. his gaze lingers on it for a moment too long, his expression blank. he gives a small tug to nico's hand -

and then he snaps out of it with a gasp, turning away from it and following him where he leads.

no. no, he will not push his boyfriend into a pool of lava. no.]

Once we're out of here... [focus. focus. on what's waiting for them outside of this arena. on nico himself.] ...once we're out of here, we'll...

[...what will they do once they're out?

suddenly, it's so hard for will to remember.

his grip tightens around the handle of the bow he's holding.]

[ the thing is he knows he should grant will mercy. he should probably hurry this up for everyone watching. he should just run his sword through his boyfriend, quick and painless and effective and call it the end. william andrew solace is dead.

that would work if nico wasn't so fucking selfish and didn't want to try and actually hold onto someone, for once. that would work if he didn't so desperately want to not be responsible for the death of someone he loves, for once.

he feels the vicegrip on his hand and he knows will's struggling to keep it together. it means he's walking a little faster, pulling him along and letting his jaw work so that he can bear the pain in his hand. focus. that's all they have to do. ]

We'll...go to the beach. Or we'll go back to the park. Space to get it out, and then back to the dorm. [ to their left, another acid bubble bursts and he pulls will closer out of its line of fire. ahead, a sharp branch dangles a little too low for comfort. the path ahead begins to grow a little more narrow. ] Listen to my voice, Will. Focus on what I'm saying. Tell me what we're going to do once we're out of here.

[that sharp branch is way too low for comfort.

will's gaze flicks between nico and the branch. it drops to their hands - to how he's holding onto nico's hand just this side of too tightly. and then it looks back up to the branch again.

he adjusts his hold on the bow and slides it so that it's caught in the crook of his elbow, then reaches up to grab the branch. it's in their way. he wrenches it down, snapping it from the tree so that it clears a path, and as his hold on it tightens painfully, the bark cutting into his skin - he's able to loosen his hold on nico's hand.

he can do this. can't he? it's just like before. he worked out so much of the backlash on thursday night. every other time, he'd managed not to hurt people.

he doesn't have to do this. he doesn't have to hurt nico. he won't hurt nico. he can't, he - ]

...we're going to go to the beach or the park, like you said. Get this out of my system, and then - back to the dorm. [he closes his eyes, trying to picture it. back to the dorm with nico - somewhere safe and peaceful.] It's been a long weekend, we can just - we can take a nap. No bars between us this time.

[his grip tightens further on the tree branch, and it cracks, splintering the wood. he drops it, his fingers clenching, and once he doesn't have anything to grasp onto - his hold on nico's hand starts to tighten again.

...

he's not in control of this. he knows that. it hurts, but he grips his wrist with his hand and yanks it back, out of nico's.]

I - Nico, just... [he swallows hard.] Run, okay? Put some distance between us for now. I'll... I need to get some of this out. I'll follow you, so, lead me - lead me to the flag, okay? We can still grab it together. W-we can still get out of here.

[ every move is watched with all of the alertness in the world. he keeps an eye on will's expression, where his hands go, what he might be planning to do. he lets him break the branch and watches as it crumbles and snaps in will's grip. he's kind of glad that's not his hand, but...whatever. broken bones can be fixed. he doesn't have an ability to fix someone dead here, so he'll take his chances.

he nods because yes. they're going to go get it out of will's system, then they're going back to the dorm, just them, just to sleep it off and try again in a few hours. maybe meet with their friends. try to prepare for the new week.

this time he grimaces with the grip on his hand, but soon enough will lets go. he snaps his gaze back to will's face, hearing the words and his eyes widen a little as he thinks of something else.

"I'll follow you, so, lead me - lead me to the flag, okay? We can still grab it together."

“The other side, Nico! We’ll see you there. Understand? Lead them there! Promise me!”

it terrified him, knowing that this is slowly spiraling out of their control, and he hates the way he adjusts his grip on his sword. he hates it more that he's not apologetic about it. it had worked the first time, hadn't it? leading people to a door, something that would help stop yet another tragedy from ending their world. just one more quest. just one more... ]

...I told you before. We ever find ourselves in a situation where you may hurt me, I'll defend myself. [ at this, his voice starts to give out just a little, but he squares his shoulders and turns to look for a different path. ] I'm not leaving you. Don't keep me waiting.

[ and he knows will is going to follow, and it's for that reason he bolts, diverting them to a different path amongst a small cluster of trees, skeletal warriors tucked amongst the dry wood and guarding a few extra weapons they had fallen with. ]

I'll be right behind you.

[wherever nico goes, will is going to follow. that would be true even if he wasn't slowly losing his grip on himself - even if he didn't need someone to take out the urge to stab and slash and bite and break on.

(the worst part about this is it's not just the acid. it's the old injuries, too. the reminder of the hurts nico has suffered up until now - and the desire to inflict all of them right back on him again.

he can't let himself do that.)

nico bolts, and will follows after him. he's quick, and agile on his feet, and he spots the glint of a dagger in one of the skeletal warriors' hands - he leans down to snag it, his gaze locked on nico's back, and then with a gasp he turns and forces himself to stab it into a tree. no. no, he is not going to plunge a knife into nico's back. no.

he wastes a little time, standing there, his hand still wrapped around the hilt of the dagger, like he might tug it free -

but he forces himself to abandon it and takes off in pursuit of nico again. as he runs, he retakes hold of the bow, pulls out the arrow from his hoodie pocket, and takes careful aim. archery has never been his forte - not the way it is for his siblings - but he knows how to use a bow. he might not be able to hit a bullseye, but he nearly always hits somewhere on the target.

and nico is a much bigger target than just a bullseye.

he can't stop himself from firing.

but he is also able to call out a strained warning.]

Look out!

[ this is just what you do when you're born to be a demigod, destined to fight your whole life. you learn how to defend yourself, and you fight against monsters that pursue and hunt and want to eat you alive.

(even now, of course, will's not a monster. will's still perfect. will's still the one person nico holds to a high standard, the one he always thinks "i've never met anyone as kind and understanding and good as you are." will has always been too good for nico, but he thinks after all this time, maybe he's good enough for will now.)

he doesn't look back, feet and heart basically pounding in sync as he zips through the clearing and puts space between them. he jumps over a rock in his path and veers off to avoid a large root sprouting from the ground. he hears the sharp stab of a blade in the wood and kind of thinks "oh, great, he found a blade."

but the only thing that makes him aware will's even retrieved his arrow is the very faint sound of something soaring at top speeds and the call of his boyfriend to move. he whirls out of the way, quickly slamming his back into a tree trunk to avoid the arrow as it sinks solidly into the tree he'd just been in front of. okay. fuck. that was close. he doesn't move immediately, reassessing his path to make sure it's one they can take and also making sure he doesn't lose will while also making sure to try and stay out of firing range.

and because he can't help himself... (because he needs to make sure will follows. he needs to make sure he won't lose him. he needs to make sure they both get out alive.), he calls back: ]

Hah! You're losing your touch. Are you keeping up or what? [ and he takes off running again, out of the trees and more toward several pools and rivers of lava they have to navigate. ]

Edited 2023-11-05 21:04 (UTC)

[he doesn't respond to the taunt.

he runs after him, one foot in front of the other, his expression growing blanker and blanker as he does. his hands are still shaking with the violence he hasn't yet managed to inflict on him, bubbling up to the surface.

as he passes the tree he shot the arrow into, he yanks it out.

up ahead, there's the pools and rivers of lava. the flag is off in the distance, on the other side of them, but there are rocks in the middle of them - the quickest way forward is to jump from rock to rock. riskier, perhaps, but faster, and they're running out of time.

so will follows nico, taking the leap when he needs to, and as he gets close and they both make it to the far bank of one of the lava rivers - he doesn't shoot the arrow, this time.

instead, he launches himself at nico in a bid to tackle him, the arrow in one hand, arrowhead pointed down and at his chest as he attempts to knock him to the ground and stab him with the arrow in one go.]

[ he didn't expect a response, but the sound of will's footsteps behind him says enough. it means that will's still listening and he's blatantly ignoring that it's all predator instinct at this point. who cares? who cares. it's still will following and it's nico leading and he takes a giant leap up onto the rocks ahead, quickly bounding from boulder to boulder to avoid the lava. he's losing his speed advantage, having to take more time to balance and ensure they don't go tumbling into the lava itself, and it means will is closing in on him.

he barely jumps to clear the lava and to land on the riverbank when he feels will bodily slam into him, sending them both into the dirt. the wind's knocked out of him as he lands and there's a shriek when the arrow plunges into his chest as he swipes a clawed hand at will to get him off. his sword is in his hand, grip tight, but he pulls his knees in to try and kick him in the stomach to put distance between them. ]

[nico's claws rake over his cheek, drawing blood. that will leave scars, if they manage to make it out of here.

if. when. will wants it to be when, but the part of him that can think is buried deep right now -

although, he's drawn somewhat back to the surface when nico kicks him. the blow to the stomach knocks the wind out of him and does, in fact, put some distance between them; he hits the ground hard and scrambles up, his expression panicked.]

Shit, Nico, I'm sorry -

[he's trying to catch his breath, but as he settles a little and gets his breathing under control, his expression blanks out again. it was just a brief moment of clarity, and he surges forward to try to clear the distance between them.]

[ fuck this place.

fuck this place. fuck this place. fuck this place. fuck this place. fuck this place!

will hits the ground and he doesn't even have time to think anything about it, a shaky hand moving to snap the arrow in half. the arrowhead is still embedded in his chest but that's a consequence for later. it's all adrenaline right now, a sharp focus on completing the job and staying alive at the same time. he's almost fooled by the apology (and he knows that's will, that's all will, but he's seen this before. if the urge isn't properly taken out, he keeps going.

so. nico keeps going, too. will surges forward and nico sits up fast, blade at his neck to stop him from moving too fast before his hand bunches up in the collar of will's shirt to pull him in and kiss him. it's hard and it's bruising and it's meant to get him to snap out of it. this has also worked before, a means of distraction, and maybe it's secretly a goodbye kiss because...his hope is dwindling pretty fast. were they stupid for thinking they could do this?

there's still time, but just this once. just to bring will back even for a few moments. ]

[as ever, it is a very efficient distraction.

will's eyes don't widen in shock when nico grabs him by the collar to pull him in. his fingers do twitch, though, and for a moment it seems like he might grab for nico's neck to strangle him - but their lips meet, and nico kisses him, and there's just a moment or two of dazed static before some of the tension goes out of will's shoulders.

one of his arms wraps around nico's waist, and the other comes to rest at the back of his head, his fingers tangling into his hair.

he kisses nico back, and murmurs against his lips - ]

Love you...

[...but he does sound sort of dazed. he's teetering between here and not here, gripping the back of nico's shirt like if he just lets himself get lost in this he can stay.]

[ honestly he should consider the part where a whole audience is watching, but they can deal. they can deal because he feels will come back for a few moments, and he returns the kiss, not quite relaxing into the touch like he usually does but hyperaware of the way will's arm is around his waist. he hates that he can't stay here. he hates that this is now a trap and for a very brief, flickering moment, he thinks about the vicegrip of a serpent from weeks ago.

but he tries not to bite at his lip where it's threatening to wobble and keeps will's full attention on him, free hand gently sneaking behind him. ]

I love you. More than anything...but you knew that. You knew before I did. You can't leave me yet, okay? You promised. [ his voice breaks again, but he continues. ] You promised me we'd go home and you wouldn't leave. You have to come back.

[the urge is there, to squeeze him until he breaks, to - to hurt him. there are so many ways that will could hurt nico right now, and he knows it.

he doesn't want to. the urge bubbles up within him, but he doesn't want to, and his eyes fill with tears. it's half from knowing from the words nico is saying that they're coming close to the end of this - the you have to come back making it clear he's not going to make it out of this alive - and half from the strain of not fighting him.]

I promise. [his voice breaks.] I'll come back. I promise, Nico, we're - we're going to make it home together.

Good. [ there's another soft, gentler kiss. an apology...? ]

...but you've gotta catch me first.

[ without warning, his free hand comes forward and he thwaps will with a femur that was just barely in reach, just enough to knock him back and loosen his hold on nico. he scrambles to his feet and grabs his sword, charging straight ahead through another rocky, narrow path. it's narrow enough that they can't run side by side. will's forced to follow, and the distance is long and the path threatens to crumble with each step, but at the end...there. there's the lake and the tree and the flag and they're almost there, he just has to get them there and win to bring them out of this alive.

he knows will is behind him. he doesn't have to look. he just knows, and he hopes will can hold on long enough to just follow. ]

[well. yeah. that works.

his hold on him loosens, and will hits the ground, dazed, before sitting up.

his expression is blank again. he surges back to his feet, chasing after nico on the narrow path, and is so focused on keeping pace with him, his gaze locked on nico's back, that he isn't watching where his feet are.

they're almost there when his foot comes down just wrong on one of the rocks, and his ankle twists, and he falls straight into the lake with a splash and a yelp.]

[ you know what. he doesn't have time. he knows will is losing his mind and he knows there's only so much time left and he knows will knows how to swim. he can stay in the lake. he puts some distance between them and he's almost to the tree before he remembers, again, they're all being watched. they're blatantly disregarding the rules and he knows will's thread of control is snapping entirely.

he won't let them watch this. the people at home don't need to see his boyfriend suffering like this, they don't deserve to see them actually triumph, they don't deserve will solace. he stays at the edge of the lake and he turns, eyes sharp and focused and he seems to be concentrating.

above...thunder booms and sharp crackles of lightning appear. there's the scent of electricity in the air, and nico's hands move, focused and determined to take out the screens, the cameras, everything publicly putting them on blast. fuck this place.

but that's the thing about electricity...it can't always be contained. a bolt of lightning crashes down on a large screen...and another right into the lake before he can stop it. the water ripples and there's a snap as the bolt hits, and his eyes widen and he screams. ]

Will!

[ fuckfuckfuckfuck. ]

[yeah there's no coming back from that.

will solace is dead.]

[ yeah that's. fair. he's watching the lake sizzle and he stumbles forward, almost as if he's about to dive in but...

...he just...

...no...

after everything...

...not like this.

he stops, staring at the water and he hears the faint buzzing of the lingering bolt before his eyes roll up into the back of his head and he collapses at the side of the lake. there's no coming back now, is there? ]

THE DAY IS SAVED

[ As the lightning crackles and Will's body sinks into the water, the barriers go down. With the electricity slowly fading from the lake, Nico is free to exit the stadium anytime he chooses (when he awakens, that is), as are any other onlookers.

A few moments later, something flies out of the lake to land roughly at the edge of the water. Is that a body? That must have hurt, because...

Will Solace is alive.

The hero Dr. Sunshine lives to see another day. ]

[he's

alive? he's. alive somehow. he just kind of lies there at the side of the lake, not realizing what the fuck just happened. is this where the dead end up? do they just have a lake wherever the dead are? that doesn't seem right.

he sits up slowly, wincing a little because he's still kind of crispy and his face hurts and -

oh.

there's nico.

wait.

what?

he scrambles over to him and finds his boyfriend completely passed out. he also finds that he is completely tapped out on healing power, and as he looks around in terror, it becomes obvious that they're still in the arena. that settles him a little - nico didn't die? but how am i still here? - before he sees that the barrier is down and there's still a crowd and...

he just

tugs nico's unconscious form up into his arms, holds onto him tightly, and cries.]

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