Chapter Text
Piano, the one instrument Elliot Witt was surprisingly good at. It had taken quite a bit of time for him to properly learn it; but now the man played almost every day. Not to mention the amount of money it raked in at the Paradise Lounge each night he performed. It wasn’t like the bar was doing badly, nor did it lack entertainment. But his mother loved these songs, and there was plenty of compliments that came with his singing; meaning Elliot was more than happy to perform.
His fingers glided over the keys. His voice deep and smooth with practice, and a spotlight to tie the look together.
Tonight though, playing felt different. He could find each key, get that vibration in his voice. But none of it was enough to drown out his thoughts-
“Really mate? Ya startin’ another song this late?”
A voice interrupted his song, and caused Elliot to break away from the piano. His bar had closed hours ago, but all throughout closing and cleaning he had found himself returning to the piano. And now the illusion of performing had disappeared, much to his dismay.
“Oh shove it Ramya, you know you love my voice~”
There was a wink that accompanied the teasing, which only prompted a disgusted look from her.
“Careful Witt, ya head get any bigger and I’ll have to shoot it during the next game-“
She laughed, walking over and taking a seat near him. Elliot chuckled as well, but it wasn’t as sincere this time. And at the mention of the Apex Games, he seemed to look away from her. His eyesight followed the reflections on the piano. Led lights outside shone in colorful splotches on the black paint, and there was a quiet drum of rain outside his bar.
Ramya frowned when he turned away, teasing attitude fading as she studied him.
“Elliot-“
He sighed at the way she said his name. It was a worried tone, the same one she took whenever she found him still in bed hours and hours after his alarm went off. Hair messy and clothes unchanged, it was hard to bother on days he didn’t have to run the bar or attend a game.
She knew, of course she knew. Elliot had been terrible at hiding it ever since the mechanic had moved in. But he was also thankful, because she had treated him with kindness nonetheless. They were like a family now, and it had made some of the worse days easier for the man.
“Why don’t ya play one more eh? Then we’ll go to bed-“
The words cut through the silence, and the embarrassment at his behavior he felt seemed to wash away a bit. It always made Elliot feel better to play, and to know she actually wanted to hear something was even better.
Taking a deep breath, he began to play a slower song. It was not one he got to perform often, definitely not one meant to entertain a busy bar.
There were few words, the music doing most of the talking. But as the words did come, Ramya was quick to join in. Their voices duetted together well, and it made the man smile.
Suddenly he forgot how empty the bar was now. The displaced chairs now had guests, the air was no longer as cold and glasses clinked together as MRVNs carried them here and there.
The hush in the room was not from the lack of guests, but from the sheer awe of their performance. And that warm spotlight was beating down on him, admittedly blinding him a bit; but it was worth looking good on the stage.
He took a deep breath once the music resumed the lead. It felt better this time, not as heavy as before. He hated how difficult it got to breathe some days-
Before he knew it, the song had closed out. The cold seeped back into the room and his little fantasy melted away.
Though he didn’t have time to mourn, as Ramya was already standing to shoo him off to bed.
“Sleep, Elliot! We got a game to bloody win tomorrow!”
She gave a small smile and a cheer, which the man did his best to match as she walked off to her room.
He appreciated her efforts. Even if they teased each other quite a bit, and fought just as much; it was clear the pair still cared for each other. There were others that cared too of course- his mother, Renee, and-
Elliot sighed and stood, beginning to walk towards his room. He was feeling a mix of emotions at the thought of a certain legend. They made his head spin and his heart feel full. They were an amazing beacon of light. They were kind and smart and strong, and really cool-
And they could not ever, ever find out that Elliot lived like this-
His door swung open, revealing the dark and dirty room. It was nothing like his room on the syndicate ship-
That was chaotic, covered in posters and letters and trophies. This was just… dirty.
He sighed, stepping over a few piles of clothing. There had been a lamp on the bedside table, but the bulb had gone out and there wasn’t much point in replacing it.
Tomorrow maybe, he would pick up the clothing. Move the items that took over his bed or organize the notebooks and papers that covered his desk.
The empty cups had to stay though, he thought sarcastically. They were practically decoration now!
Failing to laugh at his own joke, Elliot simply turned and laid down into bed. He had half a mind to go and brush his teeth, but the man didn’t move, staring straight ahead.
There was a plain wall, with stains and cracks along it. At the top was a window of depressing stature that hardly allowed the light in. Of course the sunlight did come in at certain times of day, but it was barely enough to warm the room. He hated this wall, he truly did. No matter how many posters and pictures he covered it with; no matter how many times he painted it or had hit it in frustration, it never changed. Same stupid wall, same stupid window. Same stupid thing every day-
He laid still, arms and legs feeling like dead weight. His mind wandered though, now imagining the face of the gorgeous hunter. He had seen them with only their goggles and respirator on once or twice, and that was more than enough to get his heart racing. He could imagine what an evening with them might be like. Cooking together, maybe sitting together on a soft couch. He was sure they had some kind of fireplace at their cabin. Bloodhound had mentioned it a few times. They could sit in front of its warmth, finding company in each other. The world would be quiet, his mind wouldn’t be filled with the sound of the city outside-
Elliot shifted, kicking a bag on the end of his bed by accident. The reminder of where he was caused the illusion to melt away some, and his chest constricted at the thought of losing the world he had built in his mind.
Tugging his legs to his chest and pulling his blanket over him, Elliot closed his eyes and returned to the daydream he was having.
He would be better there, a clean start. A new place, far away from his worries. He would leave this room, that wall, behind.
He still ran the bar, still visited his city, but he had passed on most of the duties to the manager these days.
He would come home to the cabin after a long day of being the best legend out there, and him and Bloodhound would enjoy the food they had prepared together ahead of time. He would pet Artur and enjoy the warmth of the fire, even sing for the hunter as the day ended.
Elliot could practically feel the warmth of the fire as he sang a song he had learned just for the hunter. He felt the floors beneath him and heard as the bird sang along.
Maybe now that they were out of the city, he could even get a dog!
One that would walk along on their hikes and lay at their feet during the night.
They were coming up behind him, wrapping their arms around his waist.
“Elliot“
He murmured softly, his own hand resting on top of theirs. Gently he grabbed them, bringing their hand up so he could kiss it.
“Yes?”
“Elliot-“
He turned back, arms wrapping around their waist. His forehead resting against theirs. Now the warmth of the fire washed over his back, but it was nothing in comparison to the way he felt holding them. They would go out on a hike tomorrow, a way to destress from the games-
“Elliot!”
He turned, face scrunching in distain as Bloodhound’s voice grew louder, and began to sound like someone else-
The warmth of the fire was fading away, and he could feel something poking his arm, what was next to him?
Only now did he register the pounding on his door, and reluctantly Elliot opened his eyes.
The small window in the room let the light filter in, and what had been poking his arm had been the digital tablet left laying on his bed. Groggily, he attempted to shout that he was awake. Though that came out as more of an incoherent noise than words.
Apparently it was good enough for Ramya,
as she gave him one final reminder of the game they had today before leaving.
All Elliot could be bothered to do was grab at the tablet and start it up. The battery flashed a warning that it was low, though it was enough for him to browse social media for a moment. A couple hundred likes, a story Octavio had posted. Plenty of comments-
“Mirage is so hot, I’m practically on my knees”
Gross-
“He really shouldn’t be allowed to compete anymore. He’s such an underwhelming legend these days. Stick to the bar big man-“
Ouch, okay. Maybe they had a point though. People liked his drinks, but not his playing it seemed.
“He’s totally dating Wraith! They’re like the perfect couple!”
He snorted at that, swiping away the application. Him and Renee? God no, she was like a sister; just like Ramya. Not to mention she was already dating Natalie, though no one outside of the legends knew that yet.
With the last bit of battery, Elliot checked over his calendar. It was officially the last day of summer, and the last big game before the off season. He dreaded this, despite how much he enjoyed the fall season. No games meant money would be a little tighter, and his days would be spent cleaning the bar and doing nothing. At least the game gave him an excuse to get up and move around.
Slowly he prepared for the day. Finally brushing his teeth to get rid of the bitter taste in his mouth, gathering the last clean jumpsuit he had and looking around for his phone.
Before long he was dressed up and walking out into the small kitchen behind the bar. Ramya was already cooking out there, preparing a breakfast that could feed quite a few more than just themselves.
“What are you doing with that much food?” Elliot mumbled, making a b-line for the fridge. He grabbed the drink shaker from the fridge and took a drink. The sharp taste of pre-workout and fruit hit his tongue.
“Being a good samaritan and bringin some extra food. You know how some of them are, forget to eat and all, the plonkers-“
She finished with the final omelette, much to Elliot’s dismay. The now empty carton of eggs was thrown away, and his good containers used to pack away the food.
God she was lucky she paid rent-
“Plus it’s the last game for a few months! Some breakfast from their favorite legend couldn’t hurt eh?”
Elliot only rolled his eyes, grabbing the container and fork she had set out for him.
“Long as you replace my food, you do whatever you want, chef-“
He smiled at the glare she gave him, and began eating. It was quite good, Ramya was certainly a good cook. Better than he was with certain things as well, though Elliot would never admit that.
They ate for a short while before packing up and heading out. Mirage had climbed into his car (one that was automated, considering his general lack of driving skills) and watched in the mirror as Ramya loaded her minigun into the back. A blanket was pulled over it, and she quickly made her way to the front.
Once she was settled, he typed in the location of the nearest syndicate building. And as the car started up, Mirage put on his sunglasses and hit the radio.
Some random station played music for a short while, which he happily sang along to. Each was a generic pop song, but it wasn’t hard to enjoy the upbeat melody.
Though soon the songs faded away, and the radio announcer began to talk.
“Good morning folks! It’s a perfect day in Solace City, and today is the day of the last Apex Game being hosted this season! Yet another season is coming to a close, and our favorite legends will be taking a much earned vacation until winter! Make sure to get your bets in on who will win this season’s championship, and take home the title of a true legend!”
At this, Mirage frowned. The happy demeanor he had quickly faded, and his hands gripped the steering wheel; despite the fact he was still not driving.
Even through the sunglasses, Ramya could tell that his features had darkened. She was quick to shut off the radio, turning in the seat to face him slightly.
“Elliot? You’re still-“
He nodded, gripping the wheel harder. There wasn’t much hiding it anymore, and she didn’t deserve any lashing out.
“You’ll still have me! And the bar! And… it’s the bar, isn’t it-“
He let his his head fall forward against the wheel and sighed heavily. This was not what he needed before the last match of the season. He waited for another remark from her, but there was none. He didn’t mind however, not wanting to think about the impending emptiness of the fall season.
Elliot didn’t bother looking up until the car slowed to a stop. It beeped at him that they had arrived at their destination, and only then did he put his head up.
There in front of him was a large white building, the Apex logo on the side. He huffed at the paparazzi in the front, they always managed to crowd the entrance.
“Ready?” He asked, looking to Ramya. She nodded and stepped out. Immediately the attention of the photographers snapped to her as she retrieved the mini gun from the back. Of course they loved her, she carried around a big gun and had an attitude that newspapers ate up.
Elliot had to sit in the car for a moment longer, deciding the sunglasses could stay on for a good look.
He grabbed his bag from the back and stepped out, allowing the car to drive off to his parking space. It was a miracle how those things could drive themselves these days.
The flash of photos went from blinding Ramya to him instead, and the trickster gave them a million dollar smile. In a way, the crowd still excited him, all of this did. The Apex Games itself wasn’t the problem, but rather the fact that soon it was ending. And he would have to spend 3 months without seeing his friends and getting out like this regularly. Elliot supposed he could do all of those things himself, but he knew he wouldn’t. No matter how badly he wanted things to change, it would be too difficult.
By the time he had gotten out of his head, Elliot was inside already. The lobby was empty except for reporters. That meant his friends were likely waiting in a more private area. Ramya was just ahead of him, hauling along shiela and the bag that contained the extra food.
She sometimes brought extra food here and there, and most legends would split it among their own small groups to enjoy. It made him smile, the way she cared for the others. The sense of family he found in the group was comforting, and made going about day by day much easier.
“Elliot!” Renee called out, catching the man’s attention once he had entered the docking bay. He couldn’t help but smile at the sound of her voice, and quickly pulled his glasses off.
“Hey! Was starting to think you weren’t coming!”
She rolled her eyes at his comment, considering he had arrived later than her. In fact, she and a few others had spent the night in this building, ensuring they had the most time possible to train before the match.
“You ready to get your ass kicked?” She shot back playfully, and Elliot only elbowed her and scoffed.
“Please! As if! You’re so going down. You won’t stand a chance out there!”
“Not if I eliminate you off drop-“
His expression dropped at the terrifying idea of being eliminated first. He had wanted as much time out on the field and away from that stupid room in the Paradise Lounge as possible. He didn’t even care about winning. All Elliot wanted was the fresh air and the day with his friends; and maybe some prize money from top three at least-
Renee apparently noticed his change in expression, and her smile fell slightly. Shit, he hadn’t meant to make her upset-
But before Elliot could begin a waterfall of apologies and jokes to backtrack his idiocy, her smile returned. Softer this time, more understanding.
“Hey, don’t sweat it. You’ll get plenty of time in today’s game… I know you want all the cameras to yourself, right?”
There had been a small pause there, lightheartedness sprinkled over her words to make them easier to hear. At least she was doing her best to make it less like what seemed to be pity and more like his stuffy ego just needed a pat on the back.
The announcement speakers overhead blared rather suddenly, alerting the legends that they would be boarding the dropship. There they would spend an hour or so in their rooms as they neared World’s Edge, and soon each team would take flight.
“Ready to go, Mirage?”
He smiled at the use of his stage name, giving Renee a small nod and picking up his bag. He looked over, eyes going wide as he spotted Bloodhound. They were standing with Walter and Loba, the more chatty two seemingly dominating the conversation. His face lit up with blush, and suddenly, things seemed a little better. The worry of dying first in the games washed away at the thought of spending the day with Bloodhound. They were on his team after all, as well as Ramya. Meaning it was going to be a good day!
Elliot couldn’t stop the small grin that appeared as he spotted Ramya’s cooking being held by Walter. It seemed the other two were eyeing it, though he was clutching it possessively. Fights over her cooking were bound to break out, and Elliot made a mental note to buy extra supplies for the next time she cooked.
He savored the feeling of his smile and blush, boarding the ship with an extra bit of energy in his step. Being around this weird family of legends was like taking a miracle medicine that fixed all his problems.
It was pleasant, and even though Elliot knew it would most certainly not fix all his problems, he would enjoy the camaraderie nonetheless. Well, he would enjoy it from his room that was. At least the area was more open, so it felt less constricted than his own room.
Elliot was entering his, though paused as he saw Bloodhound doing the same.
“Hey! Hound! Wait a minute!”
They paused, looking his direction with a small tilt of their head.
God they were cute-
He jogged over, taking a second to steady himself before talking.
They had been friends for a while now, ever since Bloodhound first found shelter at his bar a good year or so ago. It had been after a particularly nasty game, and the pouring rain in Solace wasn’t helping. They had wandered in to the closed bar, and been met with a hot drink and a blanket.
From there on out, the pair had been growing closer-
“Yes, félagi?”
Mirage looked up to meet their gaze- or at least his reflection in their goggles, and realized he had been staring off into space a bit.
“Sorry I didn’t come to that practice, cleaning the bar and all-“
They nodded in understanding, though that was only partially true. The bar had gotten somewhat clean, but then he had laid down and fallen asleep-
“But you ready for today? I have a feeling we’re gonna kick ass!”
They laughed softly at his enthusiasm, nodding again in agreement. Bloodhound was usually serious and stern, but lately it seemed as if they had begun to develop a soft spot for Elliot.
“I have no doubt in your capabilities, félagi fighter. You excel in both the slatra and in being… sætur.. for the cameras-“
Mirage smiled brightly, though he was unsure of what the last word was, he hoped it was something positive. It sounded that way, and he gave Bloodhound a final smile before making his peace and departing.
The trickster found his way to the couch in his room, sitting down and looking to his trophy. He had brought it for good luck, and would be taking it down into the games today.
Pulling out his phone again, Elliot began to scroll social media. Posting a story here and there while replying to a few comments. Not something he was terribly interested in, but his management team would have his head soon if he didn’t step up his game. Or even worse, they would assign someone to be Mirage for him. He hated the idea of that, especially since his mother loved his posts.
He passed time by scrolling along his phone, and finally wandering out to find his friends. Though much to his surprise, he had found them huddled in the corner along with Bloodhound, whispering about something. Once he had come up, they immediately stopped, putting on smiles. It made Elliot suspicious, but he didn’t pay much attention to it. He was more interested in talking to them than investigating their secrets at the moment.
The hour on the dropship went by surprisingly fast, and soon he was standing next to his team; looking down on the arena below them.
The wind rushed past, and Elliot shivered in the cold.
“Ready yourselves for the slatra, may the Allfather guide you!”
Bloodhound cried out over the wind before jumping. Ramya followed, and Elliot was the last to go, taking a second to prepare himself for the game below.