Chapter Text
“Oh, don’t worry , dearie blue.” Mama waves a lazy hand before she settles it into the kid’s afro. He makes a face. “Just an eensy-weensy precaution, you know.”
“You’ve got him in neon ,” Leo hisses. He slips his arm behind him, wraps his hand around the leather cover of a katana. Amid the sudden rabble around him, he stalks forward, setting the point between the two soft brown eyes now staring directly into his.
A moment later, a thin metal rod catches the end of his blade and yanks it upwards. The other man crosses between the two of them, rolling his eyes as he sweeps Leo’s katana to the side. He completely ignores the infected behind him - overconfident idiot.
“Good god, were you not briefed?” He drawls. “Brat’s our precious cargo. Don’t nick him, I want full payment.”
“He’s infected .”
“Muzzled and bound.”
“And dangerous .” He tilts his head at Leo, a bored look on his face.
“I thought you were supposed to be some grand assassin. You lose your balls the moment there’s one G involved? He’s not even turned.”
“Yet,” he hisses. “I’m not interested in waiting until he has .”
“Calm down, bluey dearest,” Mama sighs. “I wouldn’t bring something capable of hurting me into my personal rooms.” There’s a soft smack noise, and the taller man makes an irritated noise before stepping out from in front of the infected kid, though he keeps his staff held out nearby. He’s still staring at Leo with those big eyes. He makes a soft, disbelieving noise as Mama sets one elegant hand on the kid’s head. She begins to fiddle with his afro, wrapping one of his curls around her finger before releasing it and beginning to do it all over again. His face scrunches with distaste.
“The only infected who doesn’t pose a threat is a dead infected,” he hisses.
“Or an immune infected,” Mama says cheerfully. Her hand suddenly hooks into the infected hair, yanking the boy’s head back. He squawks as she leans over him, tugging the jumpsuit down to expose what Leo knows to be an infected wound.
“I know what a bite looks like, thanks.”
“Not this one, dearie.” She taps his chest with one of her unusually long nails. The infected kid shudders slightly, and Mama yanks at his hair again. “ Look , dear. It’s not a typical bite.”
When Leo doesn’t move, the other man heaves a sigh. “Look, Mama. I don’t mean to undermine your decisions, but do you really think someone so afraid of an infected midget is capable -”
“I didn’t survive the initial outbreak to get infected by some improperly-restrained kid,” Leo snaps. He’s rewarded with an icy glare.
“Neither did I. I designed those restraints myself. They’re military-grade. Pre-infection military grade,” he adds after a moment. “There’s four layers of resistant material in the muzzle, and it works as a reverse gas mask. If he is exhaling any spores, they’re trapped inside of between the second and third layers -”
“Shit, I get it,” Leo mutters. “You can shut up now.” He instantly stiffens, straightening up. He’s not nearly as tall as Leo.
Ha. Take that, short stuff.
“You -”
“Boys,” Mama snaps. “Quit squabbling like children. I’m paying you to work with each other.”
“First, I don’t work with other people. Second, I haven’t accepted this proposition, or agreed -”
“If you don’t take this deal, I will turn you over to FEDRA,” Mama interrupts, an edge to her voice. It’s the only reason Leo doesn’t interrupt her again, instead going quiet and staring at her as she finally accepts that Leo won’t be looking at the bite. “You won’t leave my hotel, and I will reveal your identity to them. I’m sure that many of those soldiers would be interested to learn that the assassin who’s been causing such problems for them is right under their noses, hmm?”
Right. Only option.
He forces a smile through gritted teeth.
“Mama. Could I speak to you in private , please?”
“Anything that you would like to say to me can be said in front of your new partner, I’m sure,” Mama says sweetly, and isn’t that just perfect .
“Sylvia.” The false, syrupy sweet smile on her face drops.
“Yes, Redeye?”
“I am retired . Even if I wasn’t, I don’t work with other people. And I don’t work with infected .”
“Mmm.” Mama taps her lip thoughtfully. “Perhaps, since I won’t be giving you a choice, you could consider this a new experience, mmm?” She leans forward, tapping the top of the infected’s head. He makes another grumpy face up at Leo as Mama pulls his head back slightly. “He’s a special infected.”
“Still infected.”
“Not truly.” She taps between his eyes. “He’s immune, Redeye.”
He snorts. Christ. That’s what’s happening - she’s lost her goddamn mind.
“No, he’s not.”
“He is. He was bitten two weeks ago, but he’s still completely cognizant.”
“Right. So. If he was immune somehow, why do you have him muzzled?”
“My insistence,” the other man says. Leo glances at him, eyes narrowing.
“And who the hell are you?”
“Hephaestus.”
“Hepha who ?”
“Hephaestus,” he repeats. “Heh-fa-”
“Oh god. I’m not saying that every time I need your attention. I’ll just call you ass.”
“If you call me that, I’ll -”
“As entertaining as it is to watch you squabble, I have instructions to give the two of you,” Mama interrupts. “Instructions that will be important if either of you wants to get paid.”
“Get him outside the city, don’t get him infected again?” Leo guesses. Mama nods.
“The capitol building. There’s a group there ready to bring him to a lab, where they’ll use him to develop a vaccine.”
“A vaccine,” Leo mutters. He shakes his head. A vaccine , jesus. This is a delayed reaction, not immunity. Whatever idiot tries to take that muzzle off is going to be infected within a minute, and anybody with them will probably be gone in less than a week. They’ll be down doctors that they need , just because they’re disillusioned enough to think there’s some kind of cure. Mama taps the infected’s forehead again.
“All I need you to do, bluey dear, is accompany Hephaestus and your precious cargo to the capitol building. After that, you’re free to return to the city and take your reward.”
“Which is?”
“Ten ration cards, four shotguns and eight clips. 2 revolvers, as well.”
“...and a 12 pack of canned food. Full 16 ounces. And supplies for this mission.”
“Deal,” Mama says.
Which is far too simple. Mama never gives in that quick, especially not when Leo insists on her supplying him. Either she really believes, or…
He frowns at her before Hephaestus suddenly claps.
“Great. He can go and stock up then.” Leo glances at him, forehead creasing.
“Aren’t you going to stock up too?” What kind of idiot is this, thinking he’s simply ready for a mission out to who fucking knows where?
“Already done.” Hephaestus shrugs. “Stocked up once I accepted the mission.”
“Mmm,” Leo says flatly. He sounds way too goddamn cocky. Leo didn’t know what the fucking mission was, and he got marched up here the moment it was introduced to him after being abducted on his way home. He didn’t exactly have the time to stock up.
After a moment, he slides his katana back into the sheathe, staring at the infected kid. Mama’s dropped his head, and he’s returned to staring at Leo with those giant eyes.
Fucking weirdo.
Hephaestus does end up following Leo to the storage room, infected in tow. Leo figured they’d end up having to drag the kid, but after Hephaestus got him upright, he toddled eagerly towards Leo, half-waddling with the restraints. He’d quickly backed up, switching the safety of his shotgun on impulsively before pointing the barrel at the kid’s head. His sharp stop had almost made him topple over, and Hephaestus had grabbed the back of his jumpsuit, yanking him upright.
His hand stayed there as some of Mama’s grunts escorted them to the storage room, and is still there now as Leo finishes loading a pack, even as the shorter man pokes absently around the shelves around him.
“First thing we need to do is get out of the QZ,” Leo mutters, mostly to himself. “We’ll need to use the back alleys, maybe try the subway tunnels. Shit, need flashlight batteries. If FEDRA sees us, we’re fucked. Got an infected, bringing the infected to the Fireflies , got sixty illegal things on me -”
“Do you always talk to yourself?” Hephaestus asks. He glances behind him, finding the other two just a few feet away. The infected is currently wrestling with his binds, squishing himself backward into the shelf as he attempts to grab something off of it. Rather than try to stop him, Hephaestus - the idiot - is watching him struggle, clearly amused. He wiggles his ass between the shelves for less than a second before he squawks into the muzzle and topples over onto the floor.
Which Hephaestus lets him do.
Dumbass.
“Do you always let a little infected child try to grab a gun?”
“His hands are tied together,” Hephaestus sighs. “Even if he somehow managed to get a gun from the other side of the shelf, he can’t do anything with it.” He watches the kid wiggle for a moment, then leans down and pulls him up onto his feet again. “If we tie his hands in front, he could carry a pack with food.”
“We are not untying him. This shouldn’t take more than four days there and back.”
“Neither of us are coming back,” Hephaestus mutters. “You might not need the food, but both of us will.”
“Well, then you can untie him and all that. I’m not risking him biting me.”
“Oh my banana pancakes, he’s not going to bite you . He can’t. I designed that muzzle myself. There’s a bar in his mouth and separators between his teeth. The rest of the muzzle is shaped around his jaw, so he couldn’t bite it if he tried. And like I said earlier, it’s half a gas mask in case he somehow exhales any spores.”
“You know what’s most interesting about that?” Before Hephaestus can respond, Leo turns around and gives him a harsh smile. “I didn’t ask.”
“Oh, fuck you.”
“You’re really not my type,” Leo snarks. “Too short.”
“Hey - I am perfectly average for my height, you prick!”
“Wouldn’t be so sure about that if I were you,” Leo mutters. He tucks a flashlight battery pack into his bag. After a moment, Hephaestus leaves him to it, instead going off to presumably search for a backpack he’s going to try to wrestle onto the kid.
Dumbass.
He shakes his head, turning to his pack again. It’s mostly full, but he continues to wiggle the various items he’s pushed into it in an attempt to make more space. Even if he doesn’t use it all on this mission, Leo will gladly pretend this is all necessary so he can take it from Mama. Especially since he can’t imagine he’ll be staying after this mission - if Mama’s so desperate that she’s willing to threaten to turn Leo into FEDRA, he’s definitely not safe here anymore. He might not even return after they’ve run this kid to the capitol building. Everything he doesn’t want to leave behind he has on him. (Or, more accurately, hidden on the hilt of his sword.)
There’s a soft tap tap tap from his side. He glances over, narrowing his eyes at the sight of the infected creeping over to him.
Mmm. He’s barefoot, Leo realizes, forehead scrunching. That will slow them down considerably.
Unless they get him shoes, which Leo doesn’t want to do.
He continues creeping over as if Leo hasn’t noticed him. When he gets too close, Leo makes a soft noise of warning. He slows down, staring at him with those huge eyes.
“Stay over there.” The infected makes a grumpy expression, twisting his head around. It’s freakishly reminiscent of a Clicker having just noticed you - Leo stifles a cringe, but settles one hand on one of his blades anyway. “I don’t care if everyone else thinks you’re a harmless little rascal, I don’t want you near me.” He churrs, continuing to swing his head around. Leo steps slightly to the side, turning so the kid is more in his line of sight.
He seals the backpack, then starts to swing it up onto his back before he hesitates.
Infected or not, everything Leo knows is telling him to reduce the risk of damaging your feet. You can’t exactly outrun a horde on your hands and knees.
Shit.
He sighs, yanks the pack up onto his back before he points at the kid.
“You need shoes. C’mon.” The kid’s face brightens, and he toddles excitedly after Leo as he steps out of the aisle he’s been working in. He keeps himself at an angle, making sure he can still see the kid as he tumbles clumsily around the corner. Leo catches him with his cane, pushing him back up. He tips his head to the side.
“That way.”
Not at all put off by his brusque tone, the kid just marches down the aisles, head swinging to the side to look down each row. The movement keeps making Leo wince - he moves way, way too much like a Clicker. When he spots the shoes, the kid instantly hurries towards them, looking more excited about the prospect of getting shoes than Leo is. He bends over, using his head to poke through the options. After a moment, he seems to find a set he likes, considering that he begins to aggressively nod at a set of boots.
Leo stares at him for a moment, considering if he’s truly about to help an infected kid try some shoes on.
Well, the alternative is to take off the kid's restraints.
“Sit.” The kid does so, kicking his feet out in front of him. He grabs the set of shoes the kid had been pleased with and drops them down in front of him, eyeing his bare feet. They’re covered in scrapes and bruises, like he’s been barefoot for a while. Shit, it’s a miracle he hasn’t been bitten before , especially if he’s been barefoot this whole time.
Shit.
“I’m gonna grab you some socks,” Leo mutters. The kid doesn’t acknowledge him, instead beginning to kick his feet idly and sway side to side.
Again: fuckin’ weirdo.
He leaves the kid alone on the floor, instead beginning the search for socks. He can hardly walk - Leo doubts that he’ll somehow be able to figure out how to stand up, let alone grab some kind of weapon. When he catches a glance of Hephaestus, poking at a row of backpacks, he turns down the same way mostly on impulse. He was right to do it, though - there’s a small section of socks thrown in alongside the rest of the stuff shoved into the shelves here. It’s not as organized as the rest of the storage room, which is laid out neatly.
Ignoring Hephaestus and his question (“Hey, asshole, where’d you leave the kid?”) he lifts up a couple pairs of socks and heads back to the infected. Behind him, Hephaestus makes a grumbly noise and follows him.
He’s plopped right where Leo left him, still wiggling his feet idly. When he looks up and sees Leo, he pouts - and his face instantly brightens once he sees Hephaestus behind him.
Damn.
Good, the kid can get attached to Hephaestus. That’ll be funny to watch, and then if he wants anything, he’ll bother Hephaestus for it instead of Leo. Bite him first.
He plops down in front of the kid with a grunt, grabbing the shoes and slapping them down in front of him.
“Gimme your feet, little shit.” He does so cheerfully, looking delighted with this turn of events. Leo unwraps a pair of socks, rolling one up as Hephaestus drops his bag behind them.
“You just left him here?”
“It’s not like he was going to walk anywhere,” Leo mutters. He spreads the sock open and yanks it up the kid’s foot. He jolts a little, and Leo tenses, eyes snapping up to his face. The kid doesn’t say a word - obviously, since apparently he can’t - but his face looks a little pinched. Leo’s following another impulse as he proceeds more carefully, considering the kid more thoughtfully.
“You don’t know that. He’s immune. We have no idea what he could do. He’s a scientific marvel.”
“He’s a kid , Mr. Let The Scientific Marvel Try And Grab A Gun. Gimme your other foot.” He does, and Leo repeats the process. “He’s not gonna wreck the whole building if we let him sit alone for two minutes.”
“First, it was completely out of his reach, and second , we have no way to know -”
“Alright, Einstein, how do you propose his ‘immunity’ is linked to his ability to destroy a building?”
“He could be stronger,” Hephaestus insists stubbornly. “More resistant -”
“Have you looked at him? Dude, no way he’s ‘more resistant’.” Leo nods his head at the kid’s feet. “You’re insane.”
“I - you’re the one who’s terrified of one infected even though he’s completely restrained.”
“For something I know he can do if you made a single mistake in his binds.”
“I don’t make mistakes,” Hephaestus seethes, and Leo has nothing to say to that. There’s nothing you can say to that except to shake your head. Everyone makes mistakes, and the people who are stupid enough to think they don’t are the ones who will have the worst fuck ups.