forum Traitors Never Win // Closed// O/O

Started October 08, 2020 by @gracehustle

tune

Nym slept soundly for who knew how long, not a dream to disturb her. Until the peace was broken by a dream, though it was one she didn't mind.

A young woman sat on the edge of a tiny bed in an equally as tiny room, a scowl on her face as she stared at the ground. She didn't look up, hearing a sigh as someone walked into her room.

"Nym, you have to be more careful," A male voice said, disappointment and frustration lacing his words. He walked to the bed, crouching infront of the auburn haired woman with a frown. She had a clear black eye, and it was swollen to the point where she didn't seem to be able to see out of it. "Who did you fight this time?"

"Jennins. He deserved it though," She replied in a defensive grumble, "He was trying to get me to…you know…" Her scowl returned and she finally met the male's eyes, "I said no. He called me a bitch. I threw the first punch. I'll be fine Matthew."

Matthew sighed, shaking his head as he chuckled, a tiny, new smile on his face, "I should've guessed." He stood, sighing one more as he sat next to her on the tiny bed, pushing her shoulder, "Move over, killer, your little butt doesn't need the entire bed. Now, tell me what happened after that."

She scowled again, though it faded away as she scooted over, the smallest hint of a smile on her face, "Shut up you twat." The man faked a look of hurt and she chuckled, gently leaning her head on his shoulder. "If you want to know, he looked much worse. He's lucky the commander walked around the corner, otherwise he would've faced worse."

Matthew laughed and bumped her once more, a soft smile on his face, "He's lucky you got sent here for the night. Who knows what would happen to him if you were out of time out."

She shoved him again, earning another laugh as she started to tell him what happened, a soft smile on her face, balancing out the black eye as she relished in a rare moment of happiness in training.

"I told you, Han. The only thing distancing you from the rest of those bastards was that uniform of yours."

Confused, Rael looked around. Where is he? His breath hitched when gazing down at the prison uniform he had on. He tried to run towards the colonel, but only fell after feeling an intense sharp of pain in his left knee.

The silence broke with the click of a handgun. Sounds of the colonel's footsteps got closer to him, but he wasn't able to move away. He tried to yet till feeling the bleak gun against his forehead. His eyes slowly trailed up and met the other's.

Rael opened his eyes, then swiftly sat up. He could feel his heart racing as he gradually began to wake up. Something was pushing down on his chest causing him to pant. While he still could feel his limbs, he felt frozen for a couple of moments.

An odd feeling overcame as he took a glimpse around the room, taking in everything. The heat, the soft blankets under him, his watch, Nym holding his arm… He quietly scoffed to himself. Oh gods above, how foolish he is to think that he can sleep well for just one night.

The room was quiet. All he could hear were his heart beating and Nym's breathing. Slowly, he turned his wrist to check the time. Five-thirty. "I am not there, it won't ever happen," He mumbled to himself, in hopes of calming himself. "Everything is fine."

Gently, he rested his head against hers. Rael caressed Nym's cheek as he focused on his breathing for a couple of moments. Gradually he let his eyes close and then went back to sleeping.

(Ok, it's not my best work, but here's a timeskip :) )

TIMESKIP: Morning
Nym slept soundly all night, for the first time in a long time, and she didn't wake up until surprisingly late either. Or at least, surprisingly late for her.

Yawning softly, Nym shoved her face further against the pillow she was resting her head against, gently stirring awake. She was chasing sleep, desperate for even a few more minutes of blissful peace before she would have to face the day.

Slowly though, she came to terms with the fact that she was now awake, though she didn't open her eyes. Instead, she just laid there, warm and comfortable just where she was. Her mind sluggishly pieced together where she was, and who she was with, until she remembered last night, and how she had quite rudely, fallen asleep against Rael after sitting next to him for mere minutes.

Nym pried her eyes open as she woke up further, looking around and noticing that she was still sleeping next to Rael, holding his arm like a bear and holding his hand as well. Making the smallest of movements, she hesitantly curled up further against him, telling herself it was only so she could clearly see the time on the clock next to him. Seven-fifteen, almost an hour after she usually woke up.

On and off, he kept waking up then going back to sleep. It was like clockwork. His eyes would open just a tiny bit before he eventually would shut them again then repeat. Normally he'd be up around five-thirty or so.

Eventually he let himself wake up. He really should've been up since the last time he woke up, although he might have needed the extra sleep. Slowly, but surely, his eyes opened as the sleepiness feeling was wearing off. Looking over at Nym, he smiled.

Was it possible for them to get any closer? At this point they might as well be on top of each other. He bit down on the corners of his lips in order to keep himself from laughing. If it was strange enough say, he kind of likes what they're doing; it's cute. On another note, it has to be impossible for him to be so captivated so quickly.

Rael carefully rested his head against hers. Even though he probably shouldn't be doing anything like this, he cannot help it. His head hurts from keeping it against the headboard, that's all. No other particular reason.

"I can't remember the last time anyone has ever held my arm like that," He whispered, then turned to let out a yawn. "Did you sleep well?"

Nym hummed softly when she heard him talk, or more accurately, felt the rumble of his chest as he spoke. Sleepily, she nodded, though didn't attempt to move farther than that.

Something told her that she should be moving, to get away from him before she fell back asleep against him. She refused to though. It was more than comfortable here. A growl of hunger from her stomach demanded her to move and get food, but she just sighed quietly and ignored it, asking quietly, "How did you sleep?"

The moment was slowly fading as she woke up, much to her dissappointment, but at least she was still laying here. Against the very person she should be extremely far away from. They would have to leave soon before they lost any more of their precious headstart from whoever chased them, and the worry only registered slightly in her mind.

He knows he shouldn't be thinking much about it, but he couldn't help getting over how mellifluous her hum sounded. "Great," He spoke in a whispering tone. Slowly, he reached over with his other hand, then gently patted Nym's head.

The sleepy feeling still lingered, although he was becoming more aware of his surroundings and let his thoughts run around in his mind. Rael tried to stretch his right arm only to end up wincing once he began to feel sore.

At first, he just nodded in response to her question, still trying to recover from the brief sharpness of pain. Images from the dream he had flashed in his mind, yet he forced his gaze to flicker down at Nym. "I slept better than I did in years," He lightly chuckled. "I am happy you slept well too."

Turning his head, he looked over his shoulder to check the time. Just a few minutes passed by, yet that meant the time they had to get ready was flying by too. Every moment counts for them. He should get started so they get closer to the border.

"How about I get up and get ready for the day, and you can relax for a few more moments?" Rael suggested. "I think I packed some snacks you could have. It's going to be a long ride."

(IM SO SORRY IVE BEEN GONE FOR SO LONG AND IM EVEN MORE SORRY THIS IS SO SHORT AAAAAAHHHHHHHH IM SORRY)
She hummed, happy that he slept good, and happier even that she had slept soundly too. "I would like that…but I should get up," Nym added, yawning and finally, slowly pulling away from him, sitting up on the bed, "I can't let you do all the work, you are hurt after all."

Usually, Nym looked put together and wide awake, but in the moments after sitting up, it was clear she wasn't quite as put together in the moment. Her hair was a mess, tangled and wild, and there was still sleep in her eyes. Even her clothes were more wrinkled than before, as she had just slept in them. She looked human in the moment, less like a murdering spy.

(Oh no it's all good! Welcome back and I appreciate the response. :D )

Once Nym had gotten up, he went over to his end and stood up. His hand was placed on the right side of his abdomen. It still ached, possibly more than it did yesterday, but he did nothing about it except shaking his head and letting out a sigh.

Rael turned to look at her, a gentle smile swept across his face. His eyes scanned her, taking in each detail that laid right before him. With his head tilted to left, he just simply stood there for a moment. He could feel his cheeks warming up a little, but he did not mind it at all.

"I will be fine," He reassured, finally saying something after a while. "A few bruises will not get in my way. I cannot let that bastard have the final win in end anyhow."

Lifting up his shirt, he gazed down at the bruises. They were still a bright red, but he could tell that they were gradually getting darker. Using his other hand, he lightly touched one of them. Suddenly, he pulled his hand away, let his shirt down, and winced a little.

After mumbling a curse, he said, "Don't worry, my Bella. Everything will be fine in the end." Then he pulled the duffle bag onto the bed and opened it. "If you're awake now, should we get to work? Or do you need a moment or two?"

Nym rubbed the sleep out of her eyes before she turned to look at Rael, feeling ever so embarrassed as she found him staring at her. A soft blush covered her face as she took her time to briefly study him as well. Following his hand, she watched as he tugged up his shirt, revealing the nasty bruises.

"I know it'll be fine in the end, it has to be," She finally spoke again, standing up before shaking her head, "I'll come help in just a second, if you can manage. First I want to see if this place has a brush, maybe a spare toothbrush… something to make me feel more human."

Offering a barely-there smile to him, she slowly made her way to the bathroom, flicking on the light. She cursed as the bathroom lit up brightly, blinking to try to recover from essentially blinding herself.

Rael rummaged through the duffle bag, making sure that they had everything needed. Biting the inside of his cheek, he looked through before glimpsing up at Nym. Seeing as she was staring at him, his eyes lit up. He sighed lightly, looking into her eyes.

"You don't feel human already?" He asked. "I bet you look more human now than you did months ago." Not saying anything else, he just nodded in response. When she walked over into the bathroom, his attention went back to the bag. He took out the first aid kit then laid it on the bed. Hearing her curse, he chuckled and shook his head.

Setting aside the kit, he pulled out a comb. It was probably one he always kept just in case his hair would get messy, but maybe it would be helpful. Strolling over to the bathroom, he knocked on the side of the door. He held out the comb and said, "Here."

Shielding her eyes with her hands, she tried her best to check how bad she looked in the mirror. Her hair was a mess, but she had definitely looked worse. There wasn't any blood at least, and she didn't have any visible bruises, both were things she was happy about.

"Hm?" Nym looked away from her reflection as she heard Rael knock on the doorframe, reaching out to take the comb. "Thank you, I'll be out in a few minutes to help." She glanced up at him as she grabbed the comb, a small but thankful smile appearing on her face. It was brief, but she hoped it showed her appreciation more than she could say.

Turning back to the mirror, she started to comb through her hair. She started at the ends of her hair and worked her way up, mumbling threats at any tangles that she couldn't get out immediately.

He nodded then walked back over to the bed. Again, he pulled up his shirt to look at the bruises. Mumbling a few curses, he shook his head. It has only been a day since he got hurt and they escaped, he still couldn't believe it. All he wants now is to just get to the border, that's all they have to do, along with not getting caught. Sounds easier said than done, but he believes they will do it.

Rael sat the bag down and pushed the first aid kit aside. With his hands on his hips, he thought about what he needed to do before they got on the road. Some things were in the car, but he doesn't really need to worry about them. His eyes lingered around the room before they settled on the framed picture. Staring at it, his brows rose as he tilted his head to the side.

"Oh spirits," He mumbled to himself, rubbing his eyes. Another yawned left his lips. Turning around, he fell back onto the bed and stared up at the ceiling.

Nym sighed in relief when she finally finished brushing out her hair, admiring just how long it had gotten in her time in this country. Months and months of time here, and she hadn't bothered cutting her hair, letting it grow past her shoulder blades, longer than it usually was. She made a mental note to remember to cut it soon, but for the time, she simply started braiding it back, taking her time to make sure each plait was even and tight.

"So," She started as she finally stepped out of the bathroom, twirling the comb in her hands while she walked to the bed, "How far do we have to go today? Any ideas on how many people now know that we're fugitives?"

Setting the comb down beside Rael, she turned and surveyed the room, making a mental check of what they had to bring to the car and roughly how long they could risk staying here before they needed to leave.

As he laid there, his mind drifted off into thought. Rael wondered what really would happen when they get there. It bothered him when he could not imagine possible outcomes, not even one. A sigh left his lips as he glanced over at Nym.

Reaching into the bag, he pulled out a small notebook which included the itinerary. Rael opened it up and quickly skimmed it. After looking at it, he held it over so Nym could take a look at it. "We should be covering more distance today compared to yesterday," He replied. "We'll continue on 78 before using the exit towards Sein. Once we're an hour out from Sein, we should be done for the day."

For a moment, he paused to answer the next question. Gradually, he had sat up while using his right hand to helping him. He bit the inside of his lip as he pondered. "Well, there are only two possibilities I see," He sighed. "Either only a handful of government officials know or most people in this country know. Guess we will have to figure it out ourselves."

Taking the notebook from Rael, Nym glanced over what he had written. It was definitely a longer haul, but that meant they would hopefully be getting farther ahead of whoever was chasing them. Sein was much closer to the border than where they were, and that was all that mattered to her.

"Either way, I don't really want to find out." She hummed in reply, handing the itinerary back over, "I suppose you're starting the driving today? Unless you want me to take the first part?"

Looking over at him, she started looking around the room, checking what they had left to bring back to the car. Her eyes locked on the picture after a moment and she sighed. She didn't want to take the picture out of it's frame, but it would save them space in the car, and be easier to carry. Either way, she knew it was Rael's choice, seeing as it was a picture of his family, even if she was the one that had brought it with without his input.

Getting the itinerary back, he mumbled a thank you. He held it up to his face, glossing over the details again then shoved it in his pocket. Might as well have it on him for the rest of the trip. If anything were to happen, he will either give it to Nym or just destroy it somehow. Yet getting caught was not in front of his mind for he believed that thinking about it too much will make it a reality.

He nodded. "I'll drive out to the midpoint, and then we will go from there. We might get there around noon at best. You can drive the other half if you want or I can."

Rael sat up on the bed by using his elbows to get up, and although he kept feeling pain again from the bruises, he simply just bit down on his bottom lip. Looking up at Nym, his eyes followed over in the direction she was staring at: the picture. All this time he hasn't said anything about it. He still wonders why she even brought it with them. Eventually they will have to take the photo out and fold it. A long sigh left his lips as he looked at his mother then at his younger sister in the photo. He chuckled as he glanced away, blinking rapidly for a moment. "Funny how that boy never imagined what would happen in twenty-three years. Before it was taken, he fussed about how his half-brother can reach the ceiling and he cannot. Then said half-brother promised that he will help him touch the ceiling if he sat down with his mom and sister to take the photo."

Without saying much else, he stood from the bed. Gently, he placed his hand on her shoulder so that he wouldn't bump into her. Letting his hand drop, he turned around and opened up the first aid kit.

Nym's eyes didn't leave the picture as he spoke, and she could almost imagine what he said happening before the picture. Rael seemed…at ease in the picture. Young, yes, and hyper in a way that all children were, but it suited him. She hoped that he still held that look at times, it really did suit him, being at ease.

"Did the boy's half brother help him touch the ceiling?" She asked quietly after a moment, "I should probably have asked if you wanted me to bring the picture with…It wasn't something I exactly thought through."

Even if she had good intentions behind bringing the picture with, it could've easily been a mistake if Rael was as sensitive about family as she was. Rael's hand on her shoulder pulled her from her worry though, and she snapped into reality, glancing at him as he passed by. Shaking her head, she turned to a new topic, "Anyway, I can start packing things into the car, if you want. That way we can get out of here soon. And hopefully get something to eat."

No matter how difficult talking about it would be, Rael was not able to hold back a smile as he stared at the picture. A soft chuckle left his throat following with a long sigh. While doing his best to recall the memory, he bit the inside of his cheek. He rested his hands on his hips as his foot slightly tapped against the floor. Another small laugh came from him as he nodded. "He did, but he instantly regretted keeping his promise, because the little boy made him do it again three more times," He recounted, softly smiling.

Walking over to the picture, he went back over to the bed. There was no way the photo could be kept in the frame from now on; it'd be a waste of space, and he worried that somehow it could get them in trouble. His eyes flickered over towards Nym, giving her a reassuring look, before staring back at the picture. "It is okay, there is no need to be worried or anything," He said, while taking apart the frame. Carefully, he removed the photo then folded it. "I do not think I will be able to keep this on me. You cannot bring pictures to hell, and I do not think these prisons will not let me anyways. It would be nice to hang them up in a safe and warm home though."

Another long drawn exhale left through his lips as he tucked the folded photo in his jacket. "Okay. Let's get out of here while we still can." He patted her on the shoulder before picking up the pieces of the frame and throwing it away. Next, he took the other things that laid around the room then sat them on the bed. The bag with the first aid kit was moved towards the pillows. Reaching into his one pocket, he pulled out the keys and placed them near Nym. "You can start getting ready. I need a moment to look at these bruises."

(I…I'm quite sorry for this being so late…)

Nym wished she could promise that he would have a chance to hang it up in a safe home when they got to the border, but truthfully, she couldn't promise that. There was no guarantee that they would make it there, that Rael would be allowed into the country, or even that there would be somewhere safe to put the picture. But she hoped there would be. And she hoped that Rael would be the one that could hand it up somewhere safe from the war.

Clearing the thoughts from her head, she nodded, watching him lay everything on the bed. "Take as long as you need, I'll get everything into the car." She scooped up the keys and glanced at him, making eye contact before turning back to her task and grabbing the start of the items. It wouldn't take long to get everything into the car, considering there was so little to pack in, but she hoped it would allow Rael enough time to check over his bruises before they had to get going again.