Nemesis
First thing I wrote about (I think) about Martin and @haru_karoto's PiB insert!
their dynamic is well.. quite.. as the title suggests... not too grant 👌
Content Warnings: Blood, thinking about murder... a lot.. a fluffy nice fox being abused (again Haru nothing against you. I'm sorry.)
More context:
Martin and Haru first met in a Pub, meeting very casually, Martin of course casually striking up conversations and kind of ended up with Haru being left in the conversation.
After a while Martin noticed his timid behaviour and started to tease like he usually would in hope underneath he could find something more interesting, Haru would only give the same over apologetic answers which slowly drove Martin wild, it quickly noticed how empty and steeped in self pity Haru seemed, someone kind outwardly but with deep rooted problems. it immediately struck Martin the wrong way, being the type Martin hated the most, reminding it too much of... him.
He got out his weapon and threatened to kill him, easy, with smirks and laughter he made fun of how the fox only squirmed in fear, no want to live, no fight, no strive in him, the perfect kind for Martin to take their head on the spot.
Somehow Haru got lucky an managed to get away.
A long while later we continue....
...
A drop of blood landed on a muddy root of a tree.
Martin's dark paw reached up from holding itself up over the ground, wiping away the rest of the blood from its snout before it continued to drip. He sniffs and continues to raise his bruised body up, the cuffs of his shirt sullied and full of mud.
Another normal day it seemed.
It sighs and looks across the field in front of it as if he hadn’t just been mauled by a chimaera.
Unknown to Martin, Haru had been out to travel over a field with Muerte, once again they had stopped as Muerte saw another plant, a flower of some kind, that spoke to him. Without noticing it the wolf had gone on talking about the flower and explained to the small fox that this was a poisonous plant and curiously Haru listened on, ears pointed directly at him. Muerte seemed slightly embarrassed as he went on a little too long, but Haru didn’t mind, he never had a problem with listening to Muerte’s stories, fun facts or anything he said. Both looked like they had fun being out and about together
But in the distance, they were watched.
Every single hair on its tiny body stood up straight feeling like needles pricking into its skin, its eyes began to burn as he stared unblinking at the sight in front of him. For the moment he felt as if time had purposefully slowed down to make sure he saw what he saw. His throat felt as if those hairs had dug through his neck closing it off, his heart suddenly pounding against his chest with the power of 10 horses.
His arms felt weak, soft even, as if he lost all power and he sank to the ground, eyes unmoving from Haru in the distance. It felt as if life itself was making a mockery out of him specifically, as if every turn he took, every try that he had, all of it to just point at him and laugh, telling him, no, spearing into him the single lesson in life.
“What is the point, why bother and try, you’ll end up right here anyways.”
Right here, down in the dirt. Beaten up, bruised, dismissed and laughed at.
He grit his teeth so hard it almost broke teeth, his paw punching into the stony ground it broke skin.
No.
His eyes swelled but fast blinks stopped the tears from forming.
No way in hell is this tiny fucker gonna get him down like this.
If looks could kill, Haru would have been taken by that stupid wolf’s sickle in a heartbeat, but they didn’t and fiercely Martin watched that sick twisted wolf join hands with that fox as they walked on. A sight making his stomach turn with a heat that felt like a thousand suns buried deep inside.
To watch someone like Haru, someone like the one that had made his life a living hell, someone that destroyed all his self worth and threw him down the dumps, someone so useless and only spreading utter depression wherever they go.
To see someone like that…
Someone like that with… him… that way…
Another punch to the ground left more blood in the dirt and more than just an imprint. The sheer amount of anger bubbling in him, the intense feeling of just wanting to rip someone to shreds.
He couldn’t take it.
Why him…
Why him, why him, why him, why him why him…
It felt like the whole world turned against him once more, everyone was out to get him, everyone was out to make his life miserable, it all was the same over and over again, so why would it matter if he picked up his sword?
Why would it matter if he ran towards them, why would it matter if his sword clashed with Death’s sickle once more as he protected that stupid face of the fox.
Why would it matter?
Hot burning tears streamed down its cheeks as it stared Haru right into his shocked face. Death was certainly pushed back by the sheer force of the tiny creature yet, as always, it had no chance and was immediately struck to the ground with a single swipe.
Death looked down on him, ready to keep fighting, talking some sheer nonsense that couldn't reach Martin in its current state.
Another blade was drawn and Death in turn drew his other sickle, clearly seeing that it was no use talking, positioning Haru further behind him, as if to tell Martin to not touch him.
Another feeling of a spike ramming right through his guts, he grit his teeth again before he looked back up, right into the eyes of the one who was always the one to judge him and oh did he judge him again. Martin was met by a concerned look on the wolf's face, as if to pity it.
The pain of the anger bubbled out of him and turned into a yell of agony as he struck with his swords again, a relentless attack against that damned wolf, who was still protecting that damned fox no matter how much Martin tried. The wolf now struggled to defend against him, slowly losing his patience. His patience, eh? Martin directed another attack point blank against the side of the sickle, spinning once before he drove between the legs of the wolf, leaving the sickle stuck in the ground.
As he managed to get the fox into view it could see a nervous determination in Haru’s face. Determined to fight with Death, huh? By his side?! As Haru took a step forward and Martin reached out towards him, its vision blurred. After another blink it realised it was stuck underneath the extended sickle of the wolf.
A moment of silence as both of the canines breath hung in the air.
Tentative words of the fox asking if the other was alright, the wolf only nodded in turn, his only words were directed at the small creature underneath his weapon, trapped and still fuming with anger. Not taking its eyes off that bright fur of the fox he curses him, cursing and swearing that it will make his life a living hell, it promises that on its life.
Why did he deserve this happiness, why did he get everything, why would he who only wished to die suddenly get whatever goodness he wished in life and Martin on the other hand was yet again pressed into the dirt, with nobody caring for it, nobody on its side, as always the dumb creature deserving of nothing but hatred.
Life was cruel.
Life was unfair.
So why not lose another?
This continues later,,, much much later here:
Context for the in between:
After the -Nemesis- story Haru has been doing his best to get closer to the little creature, keeping his distance and helping him in situations of peril, leaving small gifts to help him survive in those moments. At times it seemed that Martin would really start to turn a leaf on him, even tolerating his existence when he knows the fox is near to help him.
One thing led to another, from a silent look over his shoulder giving direct eye contact to even another time striking up a casual conversation. Haru had peaked Martin's interest with his weird new powers, it seemed to want to know more about him and Haru seemed excited and glad that he had calmed down.
That's what it seemed like...
Friendship
“You want us to be friends?!” Martin yelped, obviously exasperated.
“Yes, I don’t want you to hate me, Martin…” The fox replied timidly, grasping onto the small box he had offered.
“Friends?!, Are you fucking stupid?!” The small creature began to yell, turning around to face him, again as mad as Haru was used from him before.
“YOU don’t get to BE my friend!, you never were and you never will. You want us to be friends?! Then why don’t you change your entire being!!”
Martin started to lash out, hitting the small box of what could have only been supplies for him out of the fox’s paws. “I don’t fucking need your PITY! I don’t need this and I certainly don’t fucking need friends!”
It stood still, as if something had snapped inside of him mid yell, its expression turned so soft all of the sudden. As Haru stared at it all rejected and confused, Martin's gaze slowly lowered to the ground. “I don’t need… friends?” Now only a soft husk of what was previously yell of pure rage came out of its throat. “I don’t… need… anyone?”
Martin turned away, something in it’s mind flashed, small flickering memories, blocked far away into the depth of his mind.
“Martin, I didn–” “jus- SHUT UP!” It immediately interrupted him, hearing his voice for even a second was too much at that moment. It seemed overwhelmed, clawing at its own head in frustration. “Why is it always you…” Filled with rage and frustration, but his voice seemed calmer. “Every goddamn time.” A certain pitch chimed in, a crack in his voice and it noticed it too, fighting against tears swelling up. “Why is it always you who brings out the fucking worst in me.”
He turns to Haru, clearly fighting back his tears as if to swallow them back down.
“I’m not supposed to be like this… I’m not supposed to be like… him… and yet you.. You managed to get it out of me.” Slow gestured so filled with every ounce of emotion all pointing the accusing finger towards Haru. "I can't stand you." Speaking through its tears it was clear as day that Martin had enough of the fox, no matter how far he kept the distance, no matter how much he tried to compensate, Martin just wouldn't allow them to be any closer. "First you are exactly like him.." as if a huge wall was built right between the two, "and then you make ME just like him?!", a wall crooked and misplaced, close to tipping over and crumbling down on both of them. "Get the fuck out before I keep you damned head as a treasure and do all kinds of things with it." Haru didn't back away, nor was he truly intimidated, he seemed… disappointed. Disappointed that this didn't work out, disappointed that exactly what he tried to be so kind about backfired in his face, disappointed at yet another failure… not at Martin, he wasn't at fault, but any ounce of that disappointment showing would only make the small creature jump him for sure. He knew that.
And so he had to leave, part his ways with whom he only tried to help.
It left a sharp sting in his heart, but probably not as much of a sting as Martin felt… whoever he was talking about… must've left too big of an impression on him, even now.