Category:Soulmate AU
swept up amid this changing world Part 20
The world is quiet when Erich swims back to awareness: no gunfire, no shouting, no noise, just quiet-safety-peace. (Quincy wards hum in the back of his mind, protection-reassurance-warmth.) (He’s home.) (He home, he’s home, he home!) Erich takes a careful, shallow breath, braced for pain, but— it doesn’t come. Just a slight tugging at his …
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swept up amid this changing world Part 19
Erich wakes abruptly, hand going immediately to his pistol, and listens— “Morning, sir,” Degurechaff greets him as she stalks closer, her spiritual presence prickly with exhaustion-annoyance-exasperation as she comes to a stop a bare foot from his head. “I have the troops breaking camp already after a cold breakfast. Here’s yours. Major Schwarz will be …
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swept up amid this changing world Part 18
It’s nearly pitch-black under the tree by the time they’re finished eating, what little light there is barely enough to see Urahara and Alexis’ outlines, and it’s… it’s tempting to just call it a night and try to get some rest. He won’t though. Can’t. Not when he promised to make up for his earlier …
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swept up amid this changing world Part 17
They break camp shortly after true dawn. It’s later than Erich wanted, but they’re not that far behind schedule. (Not that they really have a schedule anymore.) (Or anyone expecting them at the other end of their march…) (No.) (Focus.) It feels odd to be abandoning camp the way they are, with all the tents …
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swept up amid this changing world Part 16
“Congratulations, sir,” Degurechaff announces as she slips into the tent, clearly distracted by something. “The men seem to have collectively decided that your foreign soulmate is a good man and that the entire reason I stepped in as chaperon is because I understand more of his language than you do. No one seems to have …
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swept up amid this changing world Part 15
Erich wakes to the feel of Degurechaff’s familiar-unfamiliar spiritual presence pressing down on him. He grunts and forces himself up on his elbow, squinting at her silhouette in the gloom of the tent, and mutters, “You’re projecting, Colonel.” “Sorry, sir,” she answers, voice clear-soft-judging as she shifts a step closer. She does, however, rein in …
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swept up amid this changing world Part 14
The men are in a better state than he expected, Erich finds as he leads Urahara and Alexis through the camp, checking in with NCOs as he goes. They are exhausted and tired and disillusioned but they’re also smiling at him as he and Urahara and Alexis pass, hopeful-happy-kind, like the fact that he has …
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swept up amid this changing world Part 13
Having someone — two someones — constantly at his side is… disorienting. Even his aide hadn’t been quite so glued to his side, the two of them knowing the other’s routine and content to work with — and around — the other to get their jobs done. (He… misses Beltz, for all that Degurechaff has …
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swept up amid this changing world Part 12
He wakes to agony, to too-loud noises and pulsing pain and the disorienting ripple of power-as-light across his closed eyes and— He exhales. Tries not to whine— (If he whines he makes noise and noise hurts so it will hurt and he just wants it all to stop—the noise and the pain and the light …
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swept up amid this changing world Part 11
((Warning for Erich having a pretty visceral panic attack in this one.)) “Sir, I’d like to formally register my complaint about this course of action,” Degurechaff grumbles as she steps into the tent carrying a fourth chair. She sets it down to the right of his chair and then stands behind it, her hands planted …
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swept up amid this changing world Part 10
Alexis is dealing again when Degurechaff rounds the corner and shoots him an amused look. She waves her lieutenants down before they can do more than start to rise and says, “I’m not here to break anything up, don’t mind me.” Erich sighs internally and rises to his feet, squeezing Alexis’ shoulder and shaking his …
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swept up amid this changing world Part 9
Erich tugs at the cuffs of his uniform as he ducks out of his tent and scans the camp. He promised Degurechaff that he would rest, but… there’s only so much lazing about and cuddling with Alexis he can do before he becomes restless, especially in their current situation. So… he won’t do anything official, …
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swept up amid this changing world Part 8
He drifts awake to the murmur of quiet-familiar-safe voices in his ear and a slender, calloused hand combing through his hair. Everything is warm-safe-content, from the hum of Alexis’ soulmark to the press of spiritual power all around them, and he turns his head slightly to bury his face a bit more in his pillow. …
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swept up amid this changing world Part 7
Erich seats himself at his desk, Alexis still practically glued to his side, and takes a moment to clear the paperwork away as best he can with only one hand. He’s not about to pry his other hand free, not when he’s still soaking up her presence, but it does make things… difficult. Alexis helps …
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swept up amid this changing world Part 6
They loot the camp, motions practiced and priorities already known. Intelligence, food and medical supplies, ammunition… nothing is left behind that they can use or adapt to use. Erich slings a pack full of stolen papers across his back, settles his rifle in place, and waits for his men to be done. He ignores all …
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