Chapter Text
Up ahead, Scarlett saw a split in the road. One went straight, across a bridge, and the other turned sharp to the right, leading down a street with more cars piled up. Bridges were cramped, with lots of infected, but the other way looked mostly clear. A Viral that saw Crane shrieked and jumped up, clambering over the building in terror. Scarlett felt envious that it wasn’t too weighed down to climb, even though she knew Crane was a much better climber even when she didn't have this weight, so it didn’t matter anyway.
He really was toying with her, wasn't he? Did he enjoy the chase? Did he enjoy her fear?
Tears swelled in her eyes from the thought, while her heavy, already exhausted footfalls echoed in her ears as old shoe rubber hit cracked pavement. Then she ended up shaving some of that rubber off just as she turned abruptly to the right, after having tried to make it appear that she was going straight.
Though she realized that neither of them were going as fast as she imagined, Scarlett had hoped that maybe he'd slip or falter from the sudden redirection. He was heavier after all, so it might take longer for him to turn than it did for her.
That ended up not being true.
She heard claws scrape against concrete for all but a second before he corrected himself. Then he leapt, soaring over her like a panther in a jungle. She let out a pitiful, frightful squeal while skidding to a stop, just as Crane landed upon a car in front of her, the heavy impact crushing the roof in with frightening ease, and for the first time since the supply crate incident, she saw him.
He remained crouched on the roof of the car, eyes piercing through her with a scowl of... Not anger, not quite. It was like a neighbor of anger... Frustration?
Frustration could still kill, so that brought her no comfort. Instead, she saw his eyes, not just how one was human, and the other glowed bright red like a hungry Volatile. But no, she saw how they were bloodshot and tearing up, red and irritated from the harsh light that was so suddenly thrust at them. It looked painful, and guilt clenched around her lungs. He was only trying to help, she should have talked to him about it, not attacked him.
She considered talking to him now, to apologize and try to make peace. But before she could, Crane snarled, bearing a flash of white teeth as one massive arm raised up, claws curled and posed to strike. It was slow, deliberate, she knew that he could have easily struck so fast that she would have no time to react. The fact that she did meant something else.
Keep running, but not this way.
She accepted the message, or at least she hoped that was the message, as she whirled around again and ran towards the bridge, listening as Crane gave chase once more. Not as fast as he could be, not because he was injured, but because he was purposely keeping pace with her. She still wasn't sure why, and she figured it probably wasn't too good of a thing. It just meant this torment was dragging out even longer, the torment of what he would do once he decided to catch her.
Sweat soaked her from head to toe, her spine ached like she was seconds away from her whole body collapsing under her as she clambered over cars, feeling heavy dents sink in behind her as Crane then crushed the same car under them both. Hot breath wafted over the top of her head, and she imagined his jaws opening right above her, preparing to snap her head clean off.
That didn't happen though. She kept running, Crane kept chasing, and then she yelped as he let out a truly vicious snarl, followed by wicked claws swinging out to decapitate a Biter that didn't move away from her fast enough for his apparent liking.
That easily could have been her, all he had to do was let his arm keep swinging, instead of stopping short at the Biter. She felt a surge of adrenaline from this, just as she was starting to falter. It was enough to keep her going, even if she could have sworn she now felt something important tear in her shoulders.
Not Kyle's claws ripping into her, but her too-heavy backpack pulling on her frail body so much that her muscles were starting to tear apart from the weight and physical strain of running at the same time. A harsh reminder that Crane was right, she could not carry ‘all of that shit’. His voice echoed in her mind, strangely casual, like he was just a fellow runner trying to prevent her from doing something foolish and hurting herself.
Fearful and pained tears streamed down her face, mixing with sweat and grime. She needed this to stop, she needed it to stop right now-
They made it across the bridge to another split in the road. One left, one right, she had no clue which way to choose, or if it even mattered. Scarlett almost stopped running, freezing in place instead from the inability to make a choice and exhaustion pulling her down a darker mental path.
Then the choice was made for her.
Scarlett yelped in fright, surprise, and a little bit of pain as something large pinched at her arm. Bizarrely like a bite that was just soft enough to not break skin, but still hurt. Sticky dampness was left in its wake, and as she jolted from it then dashed left, the realization hit her.
Crane had nipped her like a dog herding sheep. She glanced at her arm to see the imprint of flat teeth that almost engulfed her entire bicep, the size more akin to a horse rather than a man. But it didn't break skin, it didn't even hurt that much, it was more like a weird pinch than the crushing bite that could have shattered her arm if he applied just a bit more pressure.
Which raised another question, why did he want her to go this way? Was it a trap, or a dead end that he was leading her into? It certainly started to look like it as she neared a fence blocking the way. Something she'd have to climb over if she had any hope of going anywhere but right into him. Perhaps literally.
A growl rumbled with agitation behind her when she dared to slow even a little bit, and she knew that she only had one choice. She had to climb.
With a cry, Scarlett jumped up with all of her might, which wasn’t very high but she couldn’t complain. Her fingers then clenched into the mesh of the fence, before she tried to haul herself up. She had two problems though. Problems that had always been the case, and facing them now made the truth burn.
Scarlett couldn't climb, not with this weight on her. She tried to pull herself higher, but she didn't have the upper body strength to haul herself up and over the fence. All she could do was cling there like a helpless cat stuck in a tree, left with only the option to go down but not wanting to, or being unable to.
She whimpered shakily, a sob escaping her as she tried again, pain shooting through both shoulders and down her bruised back, but she made no progress.
Not until she was pushed.
Scarlett yelped with fright as Crane's large hand pushed against her backpack, lifting her up and over the fence with frightening ease. It was extremely brief, but she heard claws puncture the backpack's thick fabric like it was paper, and she was incredibly grateful that he didn't touch her directly with that kind of grip. In fact, one of his claws must have pierced a can inside, because she suddenly smelled rich, sugary syrup, the kind bathed in canned peaches.
The woman found herself free falling now as she was half shoved, while she half scrambled over the fence. She didn't even try to catch her fall, and instead landed with a graceless plop upon dirt, face down, peach juice seeping from her backpack and soaking into her shirt.
That was not so great.
Scarlett groaned as she forced herself to stand, her entire body trembling from fear and exhaustion. Her adrenaline was crashing, and she knew now that the end of this chase was near, for better or for worse.
Crane huffed beside her as he landed with the grace of a predator. Then he must have reached over to her, because she felt herself rising to her feet through the help of something grabbing her pack and lifting.
"Ahhhh!" She flailed her arms a bit, accidentally smacking him in the chest, which did nothing but cause a soft exhale of what could have been amusement.
Amusement was good, at least somewhat. It wasn’t anger, frustration or hunger. All of which had a much higher chance of killing her.
However, she did decide to take advantage of the situation, and finally slipped her arms free from the backpack's straps. Syrup dripped upon her head as the pack was held above her now, while she fell back down, scrambling to her feet to run, one hand flying to her own chest to grip her bowstring. A worthless weapon for this entire outing, and it too probably now had peach juice on it.
As Scarlett stumbled towards the small building that sat on the other side of this fence, it finally hit her. This was the safehouse she made a mental note of earlier! She saw the UV light glowing overhead of the doorway leading into the old abandoned gas station, protected by the closed fence they just climbed over to keep the infected out.
Had Crane led her here on purpose, or was it just luck? She wasn't sure if she believed in luck, especially now. But she wasn't about to look a gift man in the mouth, so she hurried for the doorway, the door itself long since gone but it didn't matter, the UV light would keep the infected out.
Sweating, crying, and now sticky with canned peach syrup, Scarlett tossed her bow aside, not even looking to see where it clattered, before she chose the most unassuming corner to shove herself into, and collapsed on the spot. From this angle, she could still see the doorway, and could see if someone-specifically Crane approached or not. Though there wasn’t much reason, the little runner was broken, helpless, she couldn’t fight nor flee any longer. She was spent.
Her shoulders and back burned from muscle strain, and probably damage. Her entire body ached, her chest felt like it wanted to collapse in on itself, her arms felt too heavy to even wipe her face and a part of her almost hoped that she would just faint and wake up from this nightmare. Though the fear of not waking up at all tickled the back of her throat, and kept her awake.
So she just sat there taking in labored breaths, listening to her own heart pounding in her chest, while fearful thoughts swirling in her mind. Crane was still out there, if he somehow didn’t see where she went, he had to have been able to figure it out with just a moment’s thought. How much time did she even have, and what would he do when he finally came over to her? And more importantly, would one sad little UV bulb keep him away well enough?
Despite all that, there was some silver lining with all this. Scarlett didn't have to run anymore, she could finally rest, while feeling the pain of her mistakes sink in, and she realized that she very much damaged something in her shoulders or back, possibly both. Something didn't feel right, and Scarlett questioned whether she could even get back to the Tower like this.
The young runner also wondered what Crane was up to. He still had her backpack, he was still out there somewhere... But she didn't hear anything, it was quiet, unsettlingly so. It made her pained breathing seem absurdly loud against the silence. He had to have heard it.
She wasn't sure how many minutes ticked by, but her muscles ached with a mixture of relief and pain as the adrenaline wore off, allowing her to feel the full weight of her exertion. It really was stupid, she hurt herself pretty badly, she hurt Crane, and made a fool of herself all because she couldn't just talk to the man to figure out what he meant, what he truly intended for her while sounding so human and even almost friendly, back at supply drop.
“Why did I have to be so stupid...” Scarlett murmured under her breath, squeezing her eyes shut as a fresh wave of tears stained her cheeks. Tears of fear, shame, and of her pain, an overall fitful and emotional cocktail.
“Because you were scared.” A deep voice drifted towards her from the safehouse doorway, rumbling through the air with a mixture of gruffness and something slightly softer. Pity, maybe.
Scarlett still felt her blood turn to ice to hear him, causing a sudden spike of energy to jolt through her just enough to bring herself to flinch, then focus on the massive figure that ducked down to clear the doorframe as he entered the safehouse, having to turn his shoulders sideways a bit to even fit.
Realization hit her like a truck as she watched Crane pass under the UV light without so much as even flinching or tensing under its glow. It didn’t burn him, it didn’t even seem to irritate him. There was a small part of her that wanted to feel comfort in the fact that Crane was human enough for it to not hurt, but most of her was just horrified to understand that, if he truly wanted to attack someone, UV lights wouldn’t stop him.
Of course it didn’t, he walked through the Tower UV lights all the time. He even had one right outside that other safehouse he made into a freaky nest. It only bothered him when someone shined a light directly into his eyes without warning, and that would hurt anyone in truth.
“Oh gods...” Scarlett breathed fearfully from this realization, peering up into his still bloodshot and glassy eyes, while his shadow cast by the UV light engulfed her with terrifying ease as he approached.
Crane’s footsteps were surprisingly soft against the smooth concrete floor of the storage room, Scarlett couldn’t decide if it was benevolent gentleness, or predatory grace that caused it though.
However, she did become vaguely aware that he was holding something, especially once he straightened up again when he cleared the doorway in full, and was now in the room with her. With the UV light behind him, it was hard to see his face, but she still had her normal flashlight. Shakily, she reached for it on her belt and clicked it on, dropping it in her lap because her arms hurt too much to lift for long. But it shined on him, just enough to see that he wasn’t snarling or growling, and what he held... surprised her.
It was a can of peaches, looking so tiny in his clawed hands, it may as well have been a little glass of vodka instead. It was an absurd sight, as well as what she noticed about the can in specific.
It must have been the one he punctured, she saw the hole in the upper half, looking like someone shot it with a gun, given how clean the puncture was. It wasn't leaking syrup anymore either, but now the lid was open, splayed apart with delicate precision... For a split second, it reminded her of how Crane had ripped open that Volatile's chest. Although this was more delicate, done with a single careful claw. Suddenly, her thoughts blurred almost as quickly as they came, no more Volatile, no more blood and broken bones... Instead, the image was like a metal flower, the can lid acting as the petals, holding droplets of sweet nectar.
She assumed that he was going to eat the contents, but he actually didn't. Instead, he walked closer, cradling the can like it was a delicate egg, his expression holding a sense of concern for her. He wasn't angry, at least not anymore, even though his eyes still looked irritated.
Scarlett's breath caught in her throat, and she leaned back against the wall as firmly as she could. But Crane didn't stop, he kept approaching, stalking towards her on unnervingly quiet feet, too big for shoes, now just calloused things with clawed toes that quietly tapped against the hard floor when he allowed it to.
Fresh tears threatened to swell up in her eyes, but she couldn't help it. His expression was unreadable, his eyes still looking painful and irritated. What did he want with her? Was he going to finally end it, so she didn't have to live with her stupidity anymore? Something told her that he actually wasn't though, his steps were too gentle, his muscles were too relaxed, he was holding himself more like how he did back at the supply crate. Frustratingly and confusingly human.
Scarlett couldn't stop the fearful whimper that escaped her as Crane crouched halfway beside, halfway in front of her, effectively cornering her although she wasn't sure if it was intentional or not. Part of her suspected that it was, possibly to keep her from trying to drag herself away or something. Which he wasn't wrong about worrying for, she even considered it as he neared. However, her shoulders ached too much to even think about lifting them. So she was stuck just leaning away from The Beast Runner, while he loomed so close she could feel his breath, not because he was being that intrusive, but because he was just so big, and she found herself far too aware of that fact.
"You should eat, you must be exhausted." Crane suddenly advised her, his voice rumbling towards her like distant thunder on the horizon.
And yet his tone was gentle and surprisingly nonthreatening... Had he forgiven her for trying to blind him?
He didn't smile, not quite, but she could see the corner of his mouth curved upwards ever so slightly. It was as if he wanted to smile, but was forcing himself not to, maybe for her sake. Scarlett felt a pang of guilt about that.
"I uh-yeah that's... That's an understatement." She admitted in a strained voice, wincing at the pain that sliced through her when she tried to lift her arm.
"You're hurt." Kyle murmured quietly, so much so that his voice almost didn't sound like words, but just a breathless growl that tried to form them.
She watched his brow furrow with sympathy towards her, and if she didn't know any better, she'd think he even had a bit of guilt in his eyes.
Scarlett allowed herself to let out a scoff, though the words she wanted to say died in her throat when she felt warm claws and leathery skin gently take hold of her arm, as if she was made of delicate silk and a single scratch would tear her in half.
The runner froze like a startled animal in headlights, eyes growing in size as she watched Crane ever so delicately place the can of peaches in her tiny hand. It was sticky with leaked syrup from the hole, but her entire back felt sticky, so she long since gave up worrying about it.
She was more worried about those giant claws as she watched them close around her hand, encouraging her shaky grip to hold the can tight enough to not drop. Her breaths came out uneven, knowing how just the smallest clench could-
"Eat. You're safe here." Crane cooed with tenderness now, or as tender as The Beast Runner could be. His words still held a growl that reverberated through the room, but it didn't sound like one belonging to a monster that wanted to rip out her spine, at least.
Scarlett finally exhaled the breath she was holding as his clawed fingers delicately patted her hand before sliding away. He didn't scratch her, he didn't even so much as nick her with a claw tip. It was all so absurdly gentle, it shouldn't have been possible, much less from a man still suffering her assault.
The runner stared down at the peaches, sitting in a shallow puddle of syrup, and only now did she notice a fork sticking out. He must have found the one in her backpack, and she wondered briefly how many shreds that thing was in now.
Her mind flip flopped between two major feelings. Acceptance and gratitude for his kindness, or fear and frustration from what happened leading up to this. The casual declaration of eating her, and the chase, one that he could have stopped before she hurt herself so badly.
She wasn't sure which she was going with until the words began spilling out of her.
"T-thanks, Crane..." Scarlett murmured in a frail voice, carefully adjusting her legs to support her elbows on her thighs.
Her forearms still worked, so she was able to pick up the fork and stab a slice, before bringing it up to her face, then taking a bite. The preserved fruit was bittersweet, tasting like syrupy mistakes and foolish stubbornness. Still, it was better than the cardboard and asphalt that the halva protein bars tasted like.
While she ate, Crane stayed crouched with her, his arms resting on his knees as he watched her in a way that made her wonder if he feared that she might keel over if he looked away for just a second. Or do something incredibly unwise again, which wasn't something that she could fully blame him for worrying about.
"How bad is it?" Kyle asked, his voice a little clearer, yet hesitant, like he was afraid that asking would make the injuries more real.
Scarlett paused, a piece of peach sitting in her mouth as she debated how to answer. If she played her cards right, maybe she could get him to leave her be for the night. Then she could sleep and then try to limp back to the Tower once morning came. Or she could tell him the truth, and risk the possibility of... Tempting those protective instincts of his, the ones that wanted to devour her whole.
She decided that she would prefer the former. So she swallowed the bite, and answered.
"It's-it's fine, I just need to rest... I'll stay here until morning." Scarlett told him, but shifted with discomfort from how the lie tasted. It made the peach fully bitter, losing its sweetness.
Crane's eyes narrowed dangerously at her, and she knew instantly that he sensed the lie. Her shoulders tensed as much as the injured muscle could, and she let out a soft whimper when Kyle leaned his head closer to her, inspecting... Sniffing. She heard it, just a few breaths, but he sniffed her, before pulling back again to a comfortable distance.
"Liar." Was all he said at first, his voice coming out sterner, with a growl of disapproval. It wasn't angry, thankfully, but he didn't like it either.
Scarlett swallowed nothing, feeling tension creeping back in her body. Yet she made no attempt to justify herself, and instead waited to hear what Crane thought he discovered.
"Your muscles are almost torn, not... not quite, but pulled very badly. Any more running, any more climbing, and you'll be crippled for months." He warned her gravely, his tone softening just slightly at the end, even from the gruffness that he started with.
Scarlett was surprised to hear that, but dread settled in her heart. It'd be hard to get back to the Tower without running or climbing at all. Virals were out during the day, and they'll give chase, especially since the ones in the daylight were too fresh to fear Crane. Then, thanks to her damaging his eyes, she knows he couldn't go out in daylight for awhile, so he couldn't help her even if he wanted to
"How long to just... Stay here until I'm good to run again?" Scarlett asked, her voice coming out more strained than she realized it would, and she wiped her cheek. Fresh tears, lovely.
Crane's expression softened to something dangerously close to protective, just as he gave her a sad smile. She could tell that he was thinking about something though, something that she probably won't like to hear about.
"A week, at least. Depends on how well you heal." He told her factually, though not without regret... And she could tell there was something more he wanted to say.
She wasn't ready to ask, not right now. Scarlett had a sinking feeling that she knew what it was, and that was something she was in no capacity to deal with right now. Especially not while another question burned in her throat, and it spilled out before she could stop herself. His regret served as the perfect springboard for her to pounce on the subject.
"Why Crane? Why... Why didn't you end the chase? Why did you make me run all this way? You could have stopped it, you could have stopped me any time you wanted, we both know that.” She asked, her tone a mixture of pain and accusation, even as her heart fluttered at the potential danger she was facing as her voice faltered to something almost pathetic for the final part.
“Why did you make me keep running, thinking that if I stopped, you were going to-to-"
"Kill you?" Crane interrupted, the two words dropping like an anvil upon her chest, halting her breath instantly. She didn’t dare breathe a word further.
The look that Kyle fixed her with was different than before, and he held her gaze with a faint tightness in his jaws. It made a chill run down her spine, and whatever spirit she felt in the idea of arguing with him went straight out the window.
Thankfully it didn't last long. Crane exhaled heavily, hot breath washing over her like someone pointed a heater briefly at her face. His features softened to something akin to shame as he looked down and away from her, his claws gripping his own knees just shy of piercing his makeshift jeans.
"Because I couldn't be sure that wouldn't have happened... You saw what I did to your backpack, j-just from trying to help. It took all my will to simply... Keep the pace, and not catch you... properly." He admitted quietly, his tone was void of pride or humor or anything like that. It was just shame, like saying it brought him pain.
Hearing his voice take on that tone, even to the point of him stuttering, was so incredibly strange to her ears. It wasn’t unwelcome, it was just… unexpected.
The reality of the situation settled on her shoulders so heavily, Scarlett expected her muscles to tear right here and now. The chase had been real, or real enough. It made sense, she did the two worst things anyone could possibly do with Crane, having assaulted him and then ran. His instincts must have been incredibly hard to control after that, it all happened so suddenly, she was probably lucky to be alive, in truth.
“O-Oh.” Was all she managed in response, her voice distant and feeling strangled in her throat.
Scarlett let out a shaky breath afterwards, lifting her fork up with another peach slice just to try and let her mind process that. She thought he was either just too much of a fool to realize what he was doing, or was being a jerk. Not...
She shivered, and Crane seemed to take notice as his gaze swept back towards her, his expression soft, borderline tender.
“You don’t have to-shit, I mean... It’s not-it was just hard to control when it first happened. I’m alright now, I won’t hurt you.” Crane assured, and even though he struggled with his words a bit, Scarlett knew that he was being sincere.
He seemed okay, she didn’t really see any signs of him not being so. And if what he said was true, she might be stuck with him for a good week, so she kind of didn’t have a lot of options but to trust him. The thought of doing so caught a snag in her chest though as her focus drifted to the fading imprint of his teeth on her arm. That would probably bruise too.
“You bit me.” Scarlett remarked almost absentmindedly, not even fully realizing that she was saying it until it had already spilled out.
Crane blinked, then shifted to get a better look, sending more hot breath over her, reminding her of one final and very major thing that made fully trusting him... difficult.
“If I bit you, your arm would be crushed.” Kyle remarked not harshly, but a little bluntly. It was factually true, but she wished that she didn’t hear it. “I just... redirected you. I knew there was a safehouse here.”
Scarlett still felt nervous, exposed, and worst of all, she felt helpless. She hated it, and the more it sunk in, the more she hated it. The runner ate another peach before meeting Crane’s gaze again, feeling a troubled frown forming on her brow as Crane watched her with that concerned, yet somewhat hungry look. That was the next thing she’d have to ask him about, though she wasn’t looking forward to it.
“Couldn’t you have just... nudged me or something?” Scarlett asked, trying her best not to sound accusatory. It just seemed like there had to have been a better option than nipping her, for a lack of a better term.
Crane actually looked regretful for a very brief moment, but shook his head. “I’m afraid not. I was barely making sure that I didn’t... disembowel you for trying to blind me. My claws are too sharp and pointed, the risk of injury was too high. My teeth are... Well, flat enough. And it worked.”
Scarlett bit her lip to keep herself from scoffing, and did her best to not focus on his word choice there.
The Beast Runner sighed then, hanging his head for just a moment, before raising it again, peering down at her as she ate another peach.
“Look, I’m not going to bite your head off just for disliking me or my methods. I don’t expect you to like me anyway, it’s not my job. But listen, I’m sure you know that you can’t just stay here for a whole week, right?” Crane asked, his voice taking on a sterner edge. It wasn’t harsh, but she knew that what he’ll say next, she probably wasn’t going to have a lot of say in the matter, and she wasn’t going to like it either.
Scarlett also knew that he was right, he was frustratingly right, but she was painfully aware of that fact. So she nodded, if with a lace of reluctance, and listened to the brief, soft growl of approval that rumbled from him.
“Good. So you’re not staying here for a week, because I’m going to shorten it to a day.” He declared, and this time, a sliver of friendly confidence seeped back into his tone, which allowed the faint smile now tugging at the corner of his lips.
Scarlett felt conflicted as she took in the mood reflected in his eyes. His gaze was warm, protective, and confident, similar to how he was back at the supply drop. That aspect was nice, it should have been comforting, even... Except it was how he behaved when he discussed devouring her whole like it was a casual Monday stroll to the bus.
Her heart fluttered with something akin to fear, though not quite the same feeling as being chased under the threat of claws and teeth. This was more... instinctual, and stemming from what wasn’t understood, or yet to be explained.
“H-how...?” The little runner squeaked, hoping maybe he’ll at least explain something about this, something that would make it seem less terrifying and insane.
“By swallowing you. I’ll keep you for about a day, then hand you over to the doc.” Crane replied with, though his tone had the faintest edge of gentleness to its otherwise rumbling tone.
Scarlett sucked in a breath, her brain feeling like its wires got crossed from this information. The casual aspect wasn’t there this time, but he did still say it like it was a fact, as if it was going to happen whether she wanted it to or not.
On one hand, that realization caused her to tense, bringing the peach can closer to her chest, momentarily wishing she could just meld into the wall behind her and escape this madness.
However, on the other hand, Crane confirmed one very important detail. Being swallowed by him wasn’t fatal, it wasn’t permanent, it was... An arrangement of some kind. A bizarre one, to say the least, but she believed that he was telling the truth, and was sound of mind while doing it. He’s been right about everything else, even when she wished he wasn’t.
Scarlett’s heart skipped a beat as she looked at Crane, and really looked at him. This wasn’t how she had been watching him before, calculating whether he was being nice or seconds away from becoming the Tower’s worst nightmare, or whether she could trust him. This was about trying to understand what was actually going through his head.
The gaze that looked back at her wasn’t one of a deceiving or unstable predator. It was of a man, one that had seen and experienced, perhaps even done far too much, things he’d never wish to speak about. But most importantly, it was human, it was stable, he looked like a soldier standing by for duty as he waited for... something. It suddenly hit her that she wasn’t sure what he was waiting for.
The little runner blinked down at the sticky can he’d given her, and realized that she had two peaches left. It was just in time to hear Crane’s voice rumble to life again.
“Finish those first, then I’ll tuck you in.” The Beast Runner told her with surprising gentleness for what he was saying, and she watched as his clawed hand now rested over his abdomen.
It wasn’t a hungry or taunting gesture. In fact, Scarlett was certain that he didn’t even realize he was doing it, yet she saw how those claws delicately pressed against his own skin with a sense of reverence. It was as if she was already in there, and he was making it his personal mission to mend what was broken.
Her own stomach twisted a little at the realization that she was the broken thing. The painful ache in her back and shoulders couldn’t be denied though, even though she still was yet to understand how being swallowed would quicken the mending process. However, she also still had two peaches left, so she had time to ask.
Scarlett hesitated, but she slowly relaxed herself just enough so that her shoulders weren’t so wound up with tension. Crane’s sharp eyes caught this, and he tilted his head subtly, if a bit quicker than was human.
“You’re not scared anymore.” Crane observed, his voice flowing out of his lips like gravel, except with rounded edges this time. It was followed by an inquisitive growl, rumbling deep and low in his throat.
The contrast from when he noticed her being scared in the safehouse was not lost on her.
Instinctively, she shrunk under his gaze a little, but it was more so out of something akin to shyness than true fear. The growl wasn’t aggressive by any means, she realized this, and also considered how she would have shrugged at him then if it wouldn’t have hurt too much to do so. She still diverted her focus though, looking back down in the can of preserved fruit. It wasn’t bitter anymore, she wasn’t quite sure when that happened, but she noticed it now. The taste was just... comforting and sweet now.
“I don’t have a lot of options, Crane.” Scarlett reasoned before she ate one of the two remaining peaches, her emerald green eyes drifting back up to his.
“No, you don’t.” He reasoned, not cruelly, but just confirming a fact. “You won’t mind it though, not once you get settled.”
Him saying that should have frustrated her, especially given the faint smile that tugged at the corner of his mouth. But his words weren’t smug, they were actually reassuring in a strange way. Perhaps it was because of the more personal approach to it, rather than just telling her it’d be fine.
Scarlett stabbed the final peach slice, but hesitated in eating it. Did she think Crane would snatch her up the second she finished it? Probably not, but it still had a sense of finality to it... She shifted enough to become aware of the stickiness still clinging to her back, and she realized the absurdity of it all. She briefly wondered if Crane liked peaches.
"So uh... Can you explain how eating me is supposed to shorten my recovery time?" She asked him while holding the peach just a little ways under her nose, unable to help the skeptical tone in her voice from the absurdity of it. "Am I supposed to believe that not only does your stomach not digest runners, it also heals us too?"
A small part of her scolded herself for the sass in her tone, but it sounded insane! Just one of those things was enough to make anyone skeptical, but both? If she believed Crane to be the lying type, she'd assume he was making up fairytales. But given the situation and everything that happened tonight, Scarlett believed that whatever his answer was going to be, it was somehow going to be the truth.
In response, Crane slowly allowed himself to grin, big teeth and all this time. She couldn't stop the instinctual flutter of nerves in her chest at the sight, although it wasn't as bad as it could have been. His teeth were surprisingly clean for something that ate Volatiles, and the look in his eyes, the unnatural heterochromia that he was now stuck with, still held a warm feeling about them. The Tower Runners.
“Despite the stories, I haven’t actually hurt any runners, you know. It’s not my fault you lot enjoy your scary fairytales around the barrel fires.” Crane remarked not with disapproval, but something like warmth masked under a casual, almost dismissive tone.
Before she could respond, he continued speaking.
"And it's not magic, kid, I'll tell you that straight up. My stomach doesn't... Heal. But the warmth and shape of it, it will be like the best bed you've ever laid on, and the... " She watched him as he trailed off and gestured slowly with his hands in the air, like... Gentle squeezing motions, akin to how someone would knead bread dough. "-That, whatever that is. Look, I'm not a doctor, but I'm told it helps stimulate the natural healing process, expediting it. So I'm not healing you, I'm encouraging yourself to. You won't be entirely fine in a day, but you'll be fine enough that you won't have to be bed ridden." Crane explained, and she took note of the exhale he let out after, despite his small, casual shrug. It was as if he was a little nervous about explaining it to her, or to anyone.
The answer itself sounded legit enough. She didn't sense any bullshit or jokes, his words came out raw, sincere, if a little awkward. She couldn't imagine he even talked about it much, and if he did, then it probably didn't usually go well. It probably wouldn't have gone over well with her if he tried to explain this back at the first safehouse. Now it was... Different, though she wasn't quite sure of the exact tipping point.
"I see... Well, I admit that sounds like a fantasy, but... " She trailed off, shifting again before she ate the final peach, only a part of her realizing that it was the last one as she considered how she was going to finish her words.
Crane didn't pounce, not right away. He just quirked a brow at her, the one above his red Volatile eye, and waited for her to finish. Thankfully, not just to swallow, but to finish her thought process.
"I guess what I mean is... You don't seem to be the lying type. Not really, not about this. So, as absurd as it sounds... I believe you, because the alternative is even less believable." She explained, and for the first time, Scarlett mustered a timid, but friendly smile to The Beast Runner. “Like you said, you’re not a monster.”
It took Crane a second to process what she said, it wasn’t hard to imagine that most runners probably didn’t even talk to him all that much. However, once her words sunk in properly, and he saw her face, the noise that came from him was equal parts disturbing and endearing. That look of adoration came back, she saw it in his smile and in his eyes, and this time, his chest rumbled with something that was almost a growl, yet more like... purring, as absurd as the thought was.
The noise reverberated through the small room and seeped into her bones. It should have frightened her, a man shouldn’t be making a noise like that. And yet, Scarlett just found herself letting out a soft, girly little laugh instead. That seemed to actually make Kyle notice the noise he was making, given how he blinked, and then rested a hand on his vibrating chest.
“Well that’s new... Are you laughing at me? I can’t-shit, I can’t stop it!” Crane admitted with a lace of confusion, though he didn’t actually sound upset, given how his smile widened subtly, even if embarrassment was taking hold.
“You’re purring!” Scarlett cooed with mischief, pouncing at the chance to tease him back after all the scaring he’s done to her all night.
Crane snorted, and the puff of hot breath didn’t make her heart jolt this time. She just giggled at him instead as she placed the empty peach can aside, finding herself no longer worried about the claws that sliced through metal to open it for her.
The Beast Runner growled in response to that giggle, upper lip curled in a snarl as his eyes narrowed. Any earlier and it would have been terrifying, but with the purring still erupting from his chest, and the softness still held in his eyes, Scarlett didn’t feel any fear. She wasn’t sure if it was crazy not to, but something finally pushed her over the edge. The edge that told her Crane wasn’t truly someone to fear, not like she had been, that is. Which was very good, considering what he did next.
Crane’s half-hearted snarl suddenly turned into a mischievous grin, and Scarlett was hit with realization when she felt herself being very gently lifted up from her corner. His hands easily circled around her waist with just enough strength to feel stable, but not painful, even as his claws rested against her soft sides. Only briefly did she feel a spike of fear at the knowledge of how easy it’d be for those claws to do terrible damage if he just curled his fingers a bit more.
“Perhaps I am, because I’m about to have a peach-flavored little runner for an early breakfast~” He rumbled with a deep chuckle that sounded like it was meant to come off as malicious, but didn't.
The implication did still make Scarlett squeak, and that fear crept back a little bit, instinctual but mild as she rested her hands on his wrists, not pushing, just... Steadying herself as she watched The Beast Runner lick his lips at her, making that fleshy, slimy muscle noise again.
Scarlett was also reminded that indeed her back was becoming a bit sticky and uncomfortable because of the peach syrup. She supposed that he was about to fix that for her, and was more than happy to, judging by the pleased growl that escaped him.
The young runner let out a sheepish laugh as Crane moved to stand, but stopped, looking up to realize that the roof would barely accommodate him. Not an issue if he planned to swallow her head first, but she quickly discovered that feet first was the method he was going for. Thus, he stayed crouched while lifting her up instead, and the absurdity of looking down at him helped distract her from the aching pain in her back. It didn't like being not supported, but luckily, it wouldn't take too long for it to be so.
“You’re such a… such a…” Scarlett began, trying to find some scraps of gusto, but she didn’t really have it in her to call him a jerk or an asshole anymore. She tried to think of something just a little softer.
“A what? C’mon now, I haven’t eaten all night, so you don’t really have much time you know.” He inquired with an edge of teasing hunger.
To prove his point, The Beast Runner’s stomach chose then to let out a deep, guttural rumble from those muscular depths. This time was a little softer than before though, as if his body subconsciously remembered what happened last time and tried to sound even more gentle. Ultimately it worked, because to her ears, the sound was… nice, almost friendly, if a stomach could be friendly.
The implication of that and his words should have been frightening, and on the surface, it did make her instinctual nerves jolt a bit. But the truth of it was… strangely comforting, and her thoughts drifted back to the Volatile he killed. He didn’t eat it, because he had planned to devour her instead, and didn’t want her stuck sharing the space with viscera. It was mildly unsettling that he had planned it from the start, but she knew the true intentions behind it were benign.
“You’re a dork, that’s what!” Scarlett finally retorted with, squirming slightly in his hands in which she felt his fingers flex in a way that kept his claws safely from puncturing her. It wasn’t panicked squirming though, not really. It was mostly a leftover motion from lingering anxiousness, and this was proved when she sheepishly laughed after speaking.
Benevolent or not, what was about to happen was still bizarre, and her nerves were still a little uncertain. She tried to ignore them though.
Scarlett instead watched Crane soften his expression from her light insult, just a little, even as that mischievous glint still caused him to smirk while he drew in a deep breath.
“Most would have harsher words for me. But in that case, I promise to be gentle, delicious little runner. So, down you go~!” He declared in a tone that wasn’t at all convincing to be actually scary, but that’s okay, she didn’t really want it to be genuinely scary.
Especially given what came next, as Crane’s jaws yawned open below her with a mischievous ‘ahhh’ noise echoing up from his throat.
The sight laid before her was surreal. She wasn't entirely sure what to expect, but with her flashlight still on her belt, it shone right down the man's gullet. Scarlett moved one hand to turn it off, mostly because she was afraid that what she might see could throw her into a fearful fit. But she paused short, and found herself staring at the soft, velvety looking tunnel softly expanded and then contracted with his breathing below her.
It was... Almost disturbing, given how the flesh rippled and was covered in thick, clear slime. She could tell his body was already preparing to swallow her, due to the way the muscles flexed as her feet neared. It looked like something bordering on anticipation.
That's when it hit her that Crane was built for this. He didn't have fangs, but his throat and jaws were all just a little too big, not to a grotesque degree, but with his increased size, that meant one thing for small skinny little runners. Which was most of Brecken's crew, being small helped you be fast, after all.
And unlike Crane, they were living off of scraps. He was apparently living off of Volatile flesh.
Despite that factor, his breath actually didn't smell awful. It was hot, almost drowsy-inducing, but otherwise smelled fairly like... Peaches. He must have eaten some himself after all, which made sense, given the skillful display of him opening the can. He must have done it many times before, now that he had can openers for fingernails.
Crane was still purring when he lowered her down into his throat, and while she'd never admit it to him, the noise was actually... Soothing, especially as it drew closer. She could feel the vibrations against her legs as she watched them become enveloped in soft, yet powerful flesh. The muscles that rippled and gently pulled her down could have easily crushed the life out of anything he pleased, but his body was being gentle, as if it wasn't even difficult for him to be careful.
With just a single gulp, Scarlett found herself sinking up to her waist. His hands have since let go to delicately hold her shoulders instead to help keep her stable. Scarlett tensed from this at first, expecting pain, and there was a small ache made worse until he adjusted his thumb. After that, it was just... Supportive, her spine didn't have to hold itself up after being strained so much.
Scarlett exhaled and found her arms just awkwardly resting on his shoulders in return, fingers curling around one of the shreds that remained of his poor coat. Maybe they could get Sarah to mend that... Although she's always been more afraid of Crane than even Scarlett was, not that she could blame her, having a wee child that didn't fear hardly anything. Scarlett had hope that, assuming she did survive this, and she was currently fully expecting to now, then she could help enlighten those at the Tower who need to understand most that Crane was still a friend of theirs. He was someone to respect, not fear.
But that was for the future. For now, Scarlett watched as Crane closed his eyes finally, and she took in just how relaxed and content he appeared. Even as her torso began to slide into his mouth, and then she soon felt his tongue gently lapping against her back.
She let out a girly squeak and leaned away from it at first, even though that did no good. She didn't really have anywhere to go except deeper in, but she was treated to a deep, content growl rumbling through her entire body like a soothing earthquake.
For a second, she thought it was because Crane liked her taste that much, which would have been more than a little alarming. But then she remembered the peach syrup, her shirt was glazed in it, and only now was it finally getting cleaned off. Even if it meant being soaked in saliva in turn, though she wasn't escaping that either way, considering what was happening.
Thus Scarlett relaxed, and only let out a small girly giggle at the sheer gentleness of his tongue. He was especially careful about the forming bruises and almost torn muscle near her spine, which was a relief. In fact, she actually suspected that his tongue was even cradling her back once it reached a little higher, towards her shoulder blades. Between that, the rippling of his esophagus that she was sliding deeper into, and the rumbling purring reverberating through her body, Scarlett realized something fascinating.
Not only was this soothing, it actually felt relieving of her pains. She could barely feel the worst of them now, and the warmth made it a little difficult to not just halfway doze off. She suspected that feeling would only get worse once she was fully within his stomach. She just hoped it wasn't too cramped, that was her biggest concern now.
Another swallow came, soft and careful. They always were, but this one was especially so, and she could feel it in the muscles that very tenderly squeezed around her torso, her shoulders and head entering his jaws next. Her flashlight was somewhere deep inside of him now, so it was dark again save for the distant illumination of the UV light near the doorway. Between that and her vision becoming framed by big, yet still surprisingly human teeth and the bumpy textured roof of his mouth, she closed her eyes too, and just raised her arms above her head because she wasn't sure what else to do with them as Crane swallowed her down deeper.
It was almost suffocating, she felt like it should have been when his esophagus enveloped her head and everything below. Yet there was just enough space given to allow her to breathe small, shallow breaths between the undulations. If she was panicking, it might be a different story, though she imagined he would have hoovered her down faster in such an event as well. As it stood, he was being very slow and careful, treating her like she was made of already cracked glass. She supposed it wasn't too inaccurate, overall, and she certainly wasn't going to complain.
The last thing Scarlett felt outside was Crane's mouth delicately closing around her wrists. There were no teeth, just chapped lips, and a warm, wet tongue giving a few laps at her sticky fingers from the peaches. His tongue was actually ridiculously soft, although it was big, too big, even for someone of his size. It had to be a part of the mutation.
As she found herself all but fully enveloped within gentle, yet powerful flesh, Scarlett discovered that the rippling motions, alongside the rumbling purring that hadn't stopped since it started, was actually rather soothing against the damage her body endured from reckless decisions. Somehow his body knew to be extremely careful with her, as if he could instinctively sense it. For all she knew, maybe he could, considering how he sniffed it out earlier.
After her fingers were clean, Crane slurped her hands up and swallowed a final time, sending Scarlett fully down into his belly. She felt the faint feeling of suction as this happened, before the entire outside world was sealed away and she found herself spilling the rest of the way down through a relaxed ring of tighter muscle. Something that sealed firmly shut after she delicately pulled her hands free from its embrace.
Scarlett let out a quiet squeak of something like embarrassment from the whole ordeal while she curled up in the small fleshy chamber. Or at least it was small for a whole person to curl up inside of. For stomachs, it was actually quite big to contain an entire person whole, and comfortably to boot. She didn’t feel cramped or crushed, it was just snug, almost perfectly so.