becomehero | Week 6: Execution

Entry tags:

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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[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.]

[ yeah he's still here bitch. and absolutely unresponsive, passed out and still bruised with half an arrow in his chest. but it's fine. he's completely unaware will's alive so that'll be a fun surprise later. ]

[god he can't even heal right now! his first aid kit is probably back at the police station or something! this is the worst!!

wait does he have to go back to jail now.

well okay looks at the other tag. there is a remedy bottle next to him. his eyes zero in on the arrow, and he moves immediately to pull it free before carefully making sure nico swallows the remedy without choking on it despite being unconscious.

he watches anxiously until the wound starts to heal over.]

Edited 2023-11-05 22:28 (UTC)

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resumed - 2023-11-05 22:33 (UTC) - Expand

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stunwhistle - 2023-11-05 22:48 (UTC) - Expand

- Will!

[ temenos is slow compared to 95% of the people rushing down the stairs, but he pushes through the (very small remaining living) crowd now that he's got whatever he was digging out of his bag with a move, move.

once he gets to the two of them, he drops down to his knees and puts a remedy down next to nico for will to use on nico first. and then, urgently: Look at me. Will, look at me.

[well. will barely seems to notice anything other than nico and the remedy at first, but once he's made sure nico gets that in him, he does seem to hear temenos calling to him.

slowly, he looks over.]

...Temenos? [his voice is a little raspy.] I'm... am I alive?

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inquired - 2023-11-05 22:32 (UTC) - Expand

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stunwhistle - 2023-11-05 22:38 (UTC) - Expand

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inquired - 2023-11-05 22:43 (UTC) - Expand

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tongshi - 2023-11-05 22:48 (UTC) - Expand

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stunwhistle - 2023-11-05 22:53 (UTC) - Expand

[sorry here she comes fuckin sliding in on her knees to just. hug both of them. hi.]

[it is hug time.

will is still crying but he is also clinging on tightly.]

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sharkgirl - 2023-11-05 22:36 (UTC) - Expand

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stunwhistle - 2023-11-05 22:49 (UTC) - Expand

[ will and nico are in group hug jail now, do you really think people will let him go? ]

[group hug jail is real...

will is going to hold on tight. he's also shaking a little? he cannot believe he's actually alive. what the fuck.]

[ group hug jail is real as fuck because holy shit she's been dying insane all execution... but also making sure nico will be taken care of from his fuckin passed out state and poor will post his... unfryening. ]

[HE IS NOT CRISPY ANYMORE, THANK YOU TEMENOS.

he's holding onto nico tightly while he's passed out.]

How is this happening...? I thought...