Work Text:
Another unsuccessful round.
John had struggled to catch any remaining survivors, something that would’ve been easier a while ago. His body was just in so much unbearable pain, yet there was a nagging within his mind that made him keep going. His head pounded, his legs ached, yet he couldn’t find himself stopping. As much pain as he was in, he felt the need to keep pushing onward.
John could only produce low groaning noises with each step he took, his internals felt as if they were soon to give up on him. His spine was on display, and the cold air that constantly hit the bone and exposed flesh around it only furthered his pain. Christ, the flesh decaying around his spinal area was rather disgusting to view, it would make one take pity on the state he was in. The worst part of it, he couldn’t even manage to form a coherent sentence, his speech reduced into simple noises. He felt trapped within his own body from this code, simply reduced into being its vessel. A bloodthirsty freak of nature if one will.
He heaved, his chest beginning to feel tight as he struggled to breathe properly. His throat gurgled with more sludge the code inside of him produced— additionally another reason behind his nonsensical speech patterns. John had found himself finally needing to stop, no matter how loud the voice inside of him was, he couldn’t keep going on any further. From all of this useless walking, he didn’t even know where he was at. The surroundings were dark, and it appeared all the same as the land stretched on. John had found his body starting to give out anyway as he neared the tree, supporting itself against it, everything slowly giving out. John had finally fallen limp as he laid there, his better arm clutching his side in a weak attempt for comfort while he continued to gasp for air.
Then there was Jane.
She held onto whatever bit of hope that was left that she would find her husband. Ever since the day he disappeared without a trace, Jane had been destined to reunite with her beloved again. There was an ache in her heart that drove her to keep searching, even if it seemed to be pointless. Her determination ruled over any negative feelings that dared to stop her. She held tightly her lantern as she continued to walk through what seemed to be an endless stretch of trees and grass.
The area was dark, and Jane cherished the small light source she held. She had heard about the killers that loomed around, and surely this land was perfect for them to strike her down. Normally, anybody would have turned around from that reasoning alone, not Jane though. It was impressive what love could make a person do. She didn’t even know how long she was walking for, or how long her searching went on. Hell, Jane didn’t even know if that would be the same man she once knew. One could only pray her love remained unharmed from his time gone.
One could only imagine, to better be rephrased.
Jane wasn’t stupid, she knew something wasn’t going to be right with John once she found him. He’s been gone for who knew how long, which would clearly reflect on him. Yet, Jane found it easier to believe John was the same figure as before he went missing. The thought of him remaining the same was comforting, as the saying went, ignorance is bliss. Even if he wouldn’t be the same, she’ll accept him with open arms. Afterall, that’s how the vows in weddings go, till death do them part. She was reminded of that each glance she took at her hand, a smile upon her face seeing the ring that shined there.
For now, she just needed to keep going. She could enjoy the embrace of her husband when the time came. Everything she did was for him, and hopefully John knew that she never gave up on him. She patched up many wounds, nearly faced death and surely lost a bit of her sanity- all for him. She’d be damned if she gave up now.
And so Jane continued to walk, her lantern illuminating the small distance around her. She had the feeling doom would reach her soon, assumably the gut feeling anyone would receive from walking in such a place. Then, the feeling of someone being near was there too, something that both interested and concerned Jane. Sure, she was in the middle of what was thought to be a forest at night, but to expect someone there was a completely different story. A few thoughts ran through her head about this new feeling, the majority being worse-case scenarios. After struggling for survival so this long, was that really wrong to think? Of course not, Jane was fighting for her life out here.
She just had to keep going. It'll all be worth it in the end, she had to keep reminding herself.
John, her beloved, she couldn't turn away now. John, if he was listening to her silent pleas he would know she would be there soon. John, if he only knew.
Jane felt her boots getting heavier against the ground she walked on, each step more difficult than the rest. She panicked, trying to quicken her pace to get herself out of whatever she walked on, yet she couldn't. Jane degraded herself mentally, how could she not notice the ground with the lantern in her hand? She couldnt be caught like this, she was an easy target for whatever lurked out her, such a foolish mistake. Jane had shone the lantern down at her feet, watching as whatever she was caught in flash faint binary code. Upon closer inspection, it appeared to be some kind of goop, disgusting, thick goop that made Jane cringe. She couldn't help but take pity on whatever could produce that kind of stuff.
Especially after hearing an odd series of noises, all of which sounded of nothing like happiness. Jane froze in her tracks, it sounded like a pained animal rather than someone actively trying to kill her. That was strange though, Jane had the feeling of another person- never an animal. This had placed her at an ultimatum, yes, she could go follow the noise and see what was out there, or she could keep walking into nothingness until the sun rose. As much as she tried to convince herself it was the lack of sleep she got driving her mad, it was useless. Her aid was needed to whatever was out there that didn't allow for her to stand around and pretend it wasn't happening. Even if she was on a search, she knew the best option was to stop anyway, continuing in such a state wouldn't do her or John any good. Jane took a breath as she mentally prepared herself to follow whatever was there.
Jane dragged her boots out the goop, finally. Her poor boots had been through so much, she wondered if John would be so kind as to getting her a new pair later on. A silly thought really, but it was comforting enough to imagine the same relationship as prior. Jane shook her head, clearing any sappy thoughts from her mind, that she could enjoy when she finally stopped. In the meantime, Jane kept track of the constant pained noises and goop that seemed to form a trail. Strange again at how convenient everything appeared to be for her, Jane took it as a sign to be on guard for now. Jane considered herself a brave person after everything she experienced, but this was rightfully terrifying.
Jane squinted once she gotten close enough to make an outline of a slumped figure. It looked near death, struggling to breathe as it just abnormally laid there. Jane had shivered, the sight of it burning into her mind, she really didn't want to go take a closer look at whatever that was. Sure, death wasn't a new concept to her, but it wasn't something she’d like to continuously see. Those poor survivors barely hanging onto life after each round, hearing their pleas and begs of the sweet death- Jane had to snap out of it. She was beginning to spiral, to start to give into the brief despair that fogged her thoughts upon seeing the silhouette. They needed her help, Jane had to give it.
She dragged herself forward, shoving the voice that screamed at her to turn away deep down inside of her. That voice that told her what she wasn't going to enjoy what- or rather who- was laid out for her. The closer she got, the louder that voice had gotten, evolving into a screaming tone to tell her to back away, to turn around, anything but continue forward. Yet she kept shoving that voice farther and farther away.
Yet maybe she should have listened when the lantern had finally illuminated the figure that was slumped down.
Jane had frozen in pure terror for once, horrified at the sight she was greeted with. This wasn't how it was supposed to be at all.
It was clear her search was over, as there laid John. Jane knew he wouldn't exactly be the same, yet this– this was the last thing she would have expected to see. That was the trail of sludge her husband produced, that was the animalistic noises her husband produced, this was all of the man she loved. Jane's breath became more frantic as for once, she didn't know what to do. She couldn't do anything, even if she tried, she felt stuck there, helplessly watching.
That was John.
Gurgling up this black goop, rotted flesh, and arm that fitted his body too big. John only let out groans and whines of pain, sounds Jane could never forget. John, his arm that spread this black substance that slowly ate away at his skin, half of his face with similar decay- Jane wanted it to stop. She prayed this was one cruel joke as she watched the inhumane way his chest had risen and fallen with each struggling breath. He must have been suffering like this for so long, her husband, in so much pain. Jane could only feel her heart growing heavy with each moment that passed by. Each slow and agonizing moment John went through.
“John..?”
Jane managed to speak, her voice shaky. She still couldn't comprehend what had happened to her beloved.
“I'm here, please– just hold on a little longer.”
She practically pleaded, seeing John nearing death as soon as she found him. Jane had to do whatever she could to keep him alive.
John, he just laid there, his eyes trailing across the woman that stood there.
She was gorgeous, and her voice was music to his ears; it was the siren's song that he had found himself yearning for. Unsure of how she knew his name, but John felt a bit comforted by her presence. He smiled weakly, overpowering his constant coughing and hurling. The pain he was going through was nothing compared to the beauty that was before him. A familiar face he couldn't quite place, no matter how hard he had tried, strangely enough.
Jane found herself walking closer, the urge to try to patch John the best she could do. Though it was hard to ignore the look of love she received, something she missed for so long. As much as she wanted to go and embrace John, Jane knew it would be best to keep her distance. Johns state clearly wasn't the best, and it certainly looked contagious with how some of that goop stuck to her boot. She crouched down at a decent distance from John, placing her lantern in between them. Jane searched through her pockets to see what she had stored to help.
And of course, nothing to entirely help him.
Jane pulled out a small roll of bandage, yet with one look at John's wounds and it was clear that was useless. She sighed defeatedly, swearing she brought more supplies with her. Well, if that was all she did have, she would find a minor area of damage to repair. Jane would bring John to get better help from the others in the morning when there was a better source of light rather than a lantern.
Jane cautiously held John's less infected arm, beginning to unravel the bandage. Between hearing John wince at the slightest movement and having to hold his arm in place, Jane was losing patience. As much as she knew John wasn't in the best state, the least he could have done was accept the help she was giving. Taking a much needed breath, Jane found getting annoyed wouldn't do any of them good, the best option would be to constantly reassure him. Even if she wanted to get this over with, patience was a virtue.
Holding John's arm, Jane rubbed her thumb against it in a hopefully soothing manner, the feeling of his skin made her want to sob. John had an odd skin texture, both soft and rough at once– if that did make any sense. Jane tried to not let the texture bother her as she still tried to console John, getting him comfortable enough for his arm to remain still. Jane hummed a tune that was familiar to them both as she worked.
John let himself wind down as the pretty lady did her work, his eyes never leaving her hands. Her touch was gentle, an easy one that wasn't a one of malice and rather one of a healer. John let out content noises, with the occasional grunt of pain that was only reasonable in his condition. Underneath all of the infection, it had felt as his arm was mangled, the nerves under it were so sensitive and vulnerable. Yet again, that pain was pushed away as the beauty did her thing.
Jane took it as a good sign John had begun to calm down, restarting her bandage work. Each wrap placed with care, it reminded Jane of past experiences with John. This was nothing more than after a long day and John would come home, falling into her arms for comfort. That was easier to put it that way than knowing the suffrage that went on, to picture foolish scenarios to not fall into such despair. Jane had continued to wrap John's arm, soothing him with each whine he made. A long process, yes, but it was something Jane felt pleased in doing. She was pleased in knowing that it was her that brought her husband comfort, doing whatever she could to alleviate his pain.
Jane tore off the excess bandage once she figured his arm would be fine until given the correct help needed. She was no longer shy to get closer to John, unafraid of his sludge and whatever else leaked from him. Jane scooted closer to him, placing her hands onto his cheek as she examined his face. Half of his face was damaged, the exhaustion in his eyes, his weak smile, all of it was too much for Jane to fully handle. She wanted to do nothing more than to kiss it better, to make John understand that he didn't have to suffer alone anymore.
John did what anyone would do, get closer to the pretty lady that held him, nuzzling himself into her hands. Yet, Jane was lost in thought about all of the ways she wanted to help, she didn't notice the actions of John. The drool-goop coming from his mouth got onto Jane as he kept rubbing his head into her hands, both aware of this happening yet none pulled away. Jane finally heard the noises of pain die out into a noise to be described similarly to purring coming out of John. Something new from him that Jane enjoyed listening to as she rubbed his cheeks to get more noises out of him. John was like a big animal, the growling, the purring and the way he was overall, animalistic.
Which was not something Jane would like to be reminded of at the moment. She didn't enjoy the idea that whatever was on her husband made him act so inhumane, it ran a shiver down her spine if anything. For now, Jane tried to remove that away from her mind, petting John as he continued to purr and lean into the touch.
“John, what will I do with you?”
Jane started, mostly talking out loud as she realized John couldn't really speak. No speaking meant no actual conversation to happen.
“I missed you, you drove me insane. Now, seeing you here is so surreal, seeing you like this– it– I seriously am grateful you are still alive. I’d thought I would've never see you again.”
Jane moved her hands lower, wrapping them around John's sides for a tight embrace. She didn't care much about the sludge that stained her jacket, she missed John so badly. Now that he was here, it was too much to handle, especially in this state. It hurt to truly understand how much John had been messed up, it made Jane for once start crying. It hurt to see this, it was even worse knowing John wouldn't be the same man he was before, that there was nothing Jane could truly do to fix him. Jane held John closer, if that was even possible, as she continued to quietly cry, her chest quickly rising and falling with each shaky breath she took.
“I missed you so, so much.. I've been looking for so long. They– I, nobody knew if they would see you again. I swear, in the morning I'll get you the proper care you need.”
Jane spoke inbetween pants, both trying to reassure John and stabilize herself. She was rather rambling than actually speaking.
“Just hold on a little longer, please, make it to morning with me.”
John sensed the pain the woman crying on him felt, though as unsure why she was so persistent to help. He picked up his bandaged arm, bringing it to her back and rubbed it to ease her crying. Reciprocating the earlier comfort she had brought him, he didn't like seeing someone so beautiful cry. Unfortunately, it wasn't like he could do much with his body, so he found himself humming the tune the lady had hummed earlier. Even if he wanted to simply die from the pain, he found the willpower to make it for her. She sounded so pained, John would do anything to see her smiling again, she was too pretty to cry.
It was just Jane and John, reunited.
Just the two of them, again, as it always was.
It was just John and the pretty lady that held him.
The one he wanted to return the comfort to, the one that was so, so familiar yet he could never put his finger on it.
He loved the saving grace that gave him another shot at life.
John, he closed his eyes, mindlessly rubbing her back. A deep admiration that grew in his chest at her bravery, He listened to all of her rambling, and found it endearing how she went through such a hassle to find him for whatever reason. He grew love for her, both on her beauty and her traits, how caring and gentle she was, down to her bravery.
John could hold it out until morning for her, he just had to. If he could do anything, so that be it. He would make it for his love.