middlefinger | IC Inbox for Penance

[ the demonic guards that have sworn fealty to barbas snarl at the mention of lucifer.

they're back to charging toward them — wynonna, specifically. she's the one they want. she's the one that killed two of their own, their corpses on the ground as a scathing reminder. this cannot and will not go unpunished, and the point of no return is now: they lunge at her.

elena steps forward with the intention of blocking one of them, and she's backhanded across the face for her efforts. it clocks her head entirely to the side, a dull pain blasting through her. pain that jars and rattles her very teeth, stumbling her back against the wall. ]

[ jon had been looking for waverly after watching someone else involved in the rebellion be dragged off by barbas' demons. he's worried the same will happen to her, and he means to protect her if he can. he is already on high alert, worried he is once again too late, as he rounds the corner in the hallway to see demons coming down upon wynonna and elena, to see one demon backhand elena so hard she falls back against the wall. how dare they touch her.

rage surges through him, an incomprehensible noise like a growl is torn from his mouth at the sight- no thoughts of the idiocy of fighting back or how little power he has in hell. there's only the knowing she's in pain. he sees only red, needs the demons to hurt like she has been as he rushes forward, drawing longclaw out and diving it into the demon that backhanded her and then out of that one and into one going after wynonna (only able to do so because he's caught them by surprise) with his jaw locked, teeth bared, much like a wolf, protecting its pack. ]

(wynonna has trained with jon before -- it's another thing to see how ruthless he is in battle. it's good though. they need to be as ruthless as the other side has been. it's been playing along that's been the mistake, not this. or at least that's how it feels in this moment. another one tries to make it ways towards elena and she takes the shot. it's only a matter of time until her cockiness, her rage, backfires, but right now? it feels good.

and then more demons come and she tries to keep up but one manages to knock her to the ground, knocking the wind out of her. she thinks she might have heard a rib crack.

fuck)

Edited 2021-02-21 03:43 (UTC)

[ jon's arrival inspires sheer relief, short-lived as it is and followed so soon after by distress. it means he's now in the line of fire, too. it means there really is no turning back and they have to give this all they've got, no matter where it leads them: if she's going down, she's going down fighting.

and she's always known it, elena. she's always known not all the bench pressing and weight training in the world will be enough for her. she doesn't have a werewolf's strength, or a vampire's speed, or a demon's claws. but she's quick on her feet, and she's stubborn and vicious. she leaps onto a demon's back before it can advance on jon and wynonna, surprising her long enough to tackle her to the ground. when the growling demon rolls them over to pin her to the floor and wrap its hands around her neck, elena grasps with urgency the dagger jon gave her, and uses it to stabs her on the side.

elena uses her as a shield for the second incoming demon. there's no time to think, she just does. ]

Edited 2021-02-21 04:26 (UTC)

[ jon lets out a relieved noise as peacemaker goes off preventing another demon from getting to elena. wynonna's quick and efficient with the gun based on how many demons she's taken out already, and it's impressive, and then he's quick to slide longclaw through the demon that has knocked wynonna down, using the strength of it to shove the demon away from her. he turns back to see elena dealing with a demon of her own that she attacked, using her ferocity and the dagger he gave her to take them on with the strength of a survivor, a fighter.

but they're overwhelmed quick by the power and number of demons. they're all human. that has always been true. it is more true than ever in hell where the rest have superpowers, and they're fighting tooth and nail to simply try to protect one another, but can barely make a difference.

he rushes back towards elena to try to help her as the next demon comes, but another comes from the side, shoving him back against the wall with the snap of his head on to the wall. he tries to push back, but the demon is strong and jon shoves his foot into the demon's ankle hard to get the moment to pull longclaw back up, shoving it into the side of it even as another demon grabs his arm with a sickening crack. ]

Edited 2021-02-21 04:30 (UTC)

(wynonna is in pain as she gets back up, but she still does it, she gets back up. because that's what she does. especially when she's pulled her people into her fight. and elena and jon are part of her people here. it's felt so lonely lately she's almost forgotten, as much as things are changing, they still have one another and that's not nothing. it's everything.

she's reloading peacemaker but she's not quick enough to stop the demon who breaks jon's arm, but she kills it all the same, before then jabbing her elbow backwards to try to create space between one that's snuck up on her. )

Not going to lie, I thought I could take a couple out and scare them enough they'd take me to Barbas. My bad.

[ her knee to a groin. her forehead to a nose. a stake right in the ribs. elena knows she's playing on defense and doing so on borrowed time. the sound of the sickening crunch of broken bones lifts her head up in that direction, heart in her throat as she sees it: jon's arm break, and wynonna killing the culprit.

it distracts her long enough she gets kicked back, the impact landing her some feet away from her team. she drags herself up, somehow, despite every bone in her body protesting it. her bloodied hand tightens on the grip of her dagger. ]

Hindsight. [ elena sounds breathless. ] We've all been there.

[ thing is, now that all three of them are clustered further together, so the demons left can gain ground on them. elena could take a step back, but there's only a wall behind them. ]

[ even with his arm broken, he doesn't stop fighting, lifting longclaw with his good arm to dive the haphazardly slide the heavy blade into another demon, slicing into the side of him as blood spurts out, covering jon further with it. another demon manages to knock longclaw from his grip. he plants his feet into the ground like a caged animal, distantly he's aware they're outnumbered, out maneuvered. not so distantly, he's aware that elena and wynonna are being boxed and cornered in, and he can't do anything about it.

they'll be hurt. they'll be killed. and he will fight with every last breath he has, every last drop of blood he can spill to stop it.

he doesn't hear what they say out loud through the pounding rage in his head. a snarl leaves him as he uses what strength he has to rush forward, shoving himself into the demons between them to try to get to elena, lashing out with both fists, using his body as a weapon in the absence of his blade. ]

(it seems like a tight spot, to say the least. jon has lost his sword and wynonna is down to her last few bullets. there's too many of them, and only the three of them. something akin to guilt churns in her stomach. she hadn't meant to endanger her friends.

but she takes the last couple of shots and when she runs out? well she tries hitting a few of the demons back by pistol-whipping them. and kicking at them. it's not as effective, but the way their skin sizzles as peacemaker makes contact with it at least makes some of them back up a little.

but just when shit seems to be getting dire....another group of demons appear, some of them the ones jon and elena helped, some of them ones wynonna has befriended. they seem to be insisting they can take care of the three of them)

The culprits await punishment. Barbas needs you. We'll make sure these three pay.

[ elena recognizes some of these demons: they're among the incubi and succubi she and jon defended from the veiled order. they took a risk, and she's tried to see the good in these demons, because she can do nothing else. it's stupid, maybe, that she feels the sting of that choice now as they look at them with menace.

the reminder of those who tried to free lucifer and lilith seems to persuade most of the guards. elena can feel the shift in all save one. she stretches out her hand to reach for what she can, which turns out to be the sleeve of wynonna's jacket, meaning to pull wynonna along with her.

and jon — she stares with rounded eyes as jon pummels the demon with a single fist, with a rage she's never seen in him before. ]

Jon. [ her voice is an urgent and aching whisper as she tries to reach for him, too. ] Jon, he's dead.

[ it's not the first time jon has lost himself in rage, become something primal in his need for violence. but it is the first time since coming to hell that he has. in the midst of his fist slamming down into the demon's face, he hears elena's voice, saying his name. jon hears her, and he stops mid-throwing his whole body into this punch- his fist is frozen in the air. she's alive (even through the rage, tears nearly sting his eyes in sheer relief). he lifts his head to look as if he can't believe it- he looks to see elena and then wynonna. they're both alive.

he doesn't know how it's possible, but it is.

there's blood and pain set into their features, and they can't stay here. they need to- need to get out of here. he stills completely, standing up slow, shaky as he glances down at the body at his feet, swallowing a bit uneasily. there's still something like a snarl in his features like some part of him wants more blood.

then he walks over to elena and wynonna, staying close. they'll leave together. ]

Edited 2021-02-21 06:24 (UTC)

[ each of them are hauled up by the arm and dragged away before the demon guards can say too much else about it. elena can hear the barbas loyalists cuss as she's pushed roughly forward, but sees nothing else. she doesn't let herself think of the punishment that awaits when her body is already in so much pain. she doesn't let herself think of what those guards will do when they find the others. for her own sanity, she can't. ]

You don't understand, I need to check his arm, please —

[ unceremoniously, an incubi flings a door open and tosses her into a darkened room along with wynonna and jon.

once the door is closed, their countenance... shifts. they almost look awkward, uncertain, if a bit reluctant. ]

This'll be more convincing if you stay fucking put.

Edited 2021-02-21 06:42 (UTC)

(the pain from where she cracked her rib is especially painful as she's tossed inside, and she can't help but cry out a little in response. )

For how long?

(jon broke his fucking arm. elena's not in good shape either. the idea of just staying put chafes her, to say the least.)

[ jon just managed to grab and sheath longclaw as they're being dragged backward. he stays close to elena and wynonna with his jaw still locked. the pure adrenaline and rage still flowing through him means he doesn't notice the pain as much. they're tossed in a room, and he's worried about the punishment they'll find there, especially because his control is hanging on by a thin thread as it is. he's shaking, covered in blood, gritting his teeth with a shade of violence in his eyes.

he can't stand by and watch while anyone harms-

but the answer is surprising. it seems no torture is in store for them after all. ]

A day at least so it seems like we tortured you like they like to. You killed some of them. They won't be happy with anything else. If they see you out and about after all that, you'll really get it.

[ elena understands the reasoning.

she really doesn't like it. she wants to keep raising hell alongside her people. but her body has other ideas, and wynonna's cracked rib and jon's broken arm keeps her in place when nothing else might have if she were on her own. and beyond that, she understands what these demons are doing now.

her voice is threadbare, worn, but sincere. ]

Thank you.

Yeah. Thanks.

(wynonna's thanks is a little more gruff, but she does mean it. it just...also feels wrong to thank demons, even if she has worked with them in the past and started befriending them here since barbas took over. maybe that's paid off.)

[ it's okay, wynonna. the demon appears to be equally uncomfortable with receiving any kind of thanks. there's a nod before they turn and leave the way they come, shutting the door behind them.

jon's still breathing heavily with his jaw locked, still looking like he might find someone, but he looks less tense once it's clear no punishment will come to them. he moves forward when the door shuts, locking it behind them. he's aware it won't keep a demon from coming through if they really want to, but it should keep any of them from accidentally stepping into find them not being punished like they're supposed to be.

he turns back toward the both of them, wincing at the sight, as he steps closer to elena to look over her, resting his good hand upon her arm. it's what finally seems to shift his focus from the urge for violence. ]

You're both hurt. [ that was... close. it's a wonder they didn't all end up- end up dead. ]

Edited 2021-02-21 08:03 (UTC)

[ elena closes her eyes and exhales shakily, focusing on drawing from the warmth of her healing.

she takes a second, just a second, to regroup, before she pushes the rest aside to level jon with a look. ]

Not as hurt as you. Sit.

[ totally whipping out her bossy voice. ]

Wynonna, go to the bed. Try to rest somewhat upright and focus on taking slow and deep breaths. I know it'll hurt, but it'll circumvent potential complications while I get to you. [ because yes, she's getting to both of them and that's that. ]

You let her boss you around like that in bed?

(she's wearing a pained but cheeky grin as she does as elena tells her, making her way to the bed. she tries to focus on her breathing and yeah -- it does hurt like a bitch, elena wasn't lying there.)

[ jon hasn't sat down yet, because he's not confident that he's the one that's the worst off. it's just an arm! wynonna has something broken inside, and he hasn't had the chance to survey elena's injuries yet. he is, however, distracted from his worry by wynonna's comment, looking over his shoulder at her and then back at elena (the movement making him wince). he does actually love that side of elena, but while not knowing modern etiquette for relationships (and never quite having an actual relationship in his own world), he's at a loss for how to respond and abruptly slightly flushed. ]

Did you two have... girl talk? [ elena told him about that term before. or are they that obvious? ]

[ elena is not blushing.

(but also, yes.) ]

Not ... yet. [ yet is probably the key word here. reserved though elena may be, she did want to update the rest of the crew on recent developments, though not quite so detailed. she's possibly realizing it's not necessary. her hands are still on her hips, though. she's waiting. ]

You guys just aren't exactly subtle, that's all.

(and wynonna tends to call it like she sees it, for better or for worse. this probably won't be the last time she cracks a joke about their sex life. sorry guys.)

Oh. [ ...he clears his throat as he's still a bit flushed, glancing at wynonna. ] Well, good. Wouldn't want it hidden.

[ jon is even more reserved, but he'd want people to know about the shift in their relationship so he's glad they can tell even before he's said it. also, he is close enough to elena to see her blushing, and it makes him smile even covered in demon blood as he is. right. she's still giving him that look even with a blush on her face. finally, he sits, hissing out a low breath. ]

Only... worry about the arm, okay?

[ elena shakes her head with a helpless sort of fondness at wynonna, before she turns back to jon. she exhales a little, sharp and sweet, a tiny smile curving on her own lips. they stare at each other, and it's totally gross, before her expression softens — though her stubbornness does not. ]

Let me be the judge of that.

[ with more caution than she is used to, body tense in its efforts to avert another wrong move, elena lowers herself down to a seated position at the edge of the bed beside him. she only needs to take one look at his shoulder, arm bent at an unnatural angle, to see what she must do, and ... it's not pretty. it's going to hurt a lot. ] I'm going to have to pull the bones back into place, or it won't heal right.

[ jon has seen many in his world through battles, through training break a bone here or there. there was no option but to set the bone back into place and create a crude splint and hope it ultimately healed okay. sometimes they had alcohol to help with some minor pain relief, but they always yelled out in pain (sometimes passed out from it). in this case, at least he knows it will ultimately heal fine thanks to elena even if it will hurt like all the seven hells when she does it. even the slightest of movement of his arm now has sharp bright pain shooting through him.

his jaw locks as he lifts his gaze to her, steeling himself for what awaits him as he lifts his arm in her direction- the rest of him tensing in preparation. ]

I trust you. [ this is wholly true. there's no doubt or hesitance in him. ] Just tell me what you need me to do. [ not that he thinks there is much he can do to help from his end. ]

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