Ronan the Accuser / Reader
A loud crash, flash of light followed by a shock wave that threw you to the ground and finally a thick, black cloud of smoke. You had been on your traditional evening walk when you had seen a bright, fast moving object in the sky, getting closer and closer by every second. Then it had flown right above your head and finally crashed behind a thick wall of trees, only less than hundred meters from you. You kept down for a moment until it got silent again, a peaceful evening of late summer that had been disturbed by the accident.
You got up as soon as your legs and arms had started to respond to your orders again and then ran through the small forest and faced a shocking, yet quite puzzling and intriguing view; a weird looking airplane aflame and a large person, clothed in armor, hanging partially out from the vehicle's doorway. You assessed the risks and threats quickly and decided that you had to try to save this person, whoever he was. It was your duty as a citizen and a matter of principle as a human being.
Oh man, the guy was heavy! Even turning him from laying on his stomach to lay on his back was a struggle and it made you instantly regret your decision to take a break from your gym routine; a set of extra strong muscles would have been useful right now! When you finally managed to turn the man to lay on his back, you instantly noticed that this man had blue skin and his face was partially covered with black paint. You stepped back and cursed as you tried to decide if you should just leave him or not but then, after cursing aloud and going through your options many times, you grabbed the man's arm and started to pull him out from the wreckage.
- A little help would be nice, you blue piece of shit! you shouted and groaned, to which he reacted by opening his eyes and glaring at you with rage. He was just about to get up but the expression of anger was instantly replaced by sheer pain as soon as he shifted his body. The man had gotten seriously injured and couldn't move, however if he didn't get out from burning wreckage soon, he would die for sure. Therefore you kept pulling him and this time he helped you by pushing himself with his legs as much as he possibly could.
You dragged the man to a safe distance, or well, it really wasn’t the safest of distances but it was the best you could do for now and collapsed to the ground to rest. The man had semi-passed out from pain at some point, perhaps soon after falling down from the wreckage and having a metal bar shoved deeper into his side, right under the left ribs, as the result of the impact. The man had gasped but he had not made any other sounds, which was pretty impressive considering that the metal bar had penetrated his armor as well as his flesh quite deep. You didn’t know for sure because you obviously had not measured the bar or anything but you were able to imagine it all too well, almost well enough to make you feel nauseous.
The man was dragging a huge weapon that looked like a sledgehammer and despite his state of unconsciousness the blue man was still holding onto it. You had tried several times to release the hammer from the man’s firm grip to make your job a little easier, the man was heavy enough in his armor as he was, but the reality was that even barely awake the man was too strong and if he had decided not to let go of his precious weapon, you wouldn’t be able to do anything about it. So it meant that you had no other choice than to pull the man, the armor as well as his heavy sledgehammer further away from the burning vehicle… until you were completely exhausted and had no other choice than to rest for a bit.
You lay on the ground for a moment listening to the sound of fire crackling and waiting for the spaceship blow up but for your surprise it didn’t; the fire just burned out and then there was silence. You had been panting when you had fallen to the ground but now your breathing had returned to normal and you didn't feel an urge to throw up anymore. You pushed yourself up and focused your attention back on the man who was laying on the ground on his back, eyes closed and barely breathing. Was he dead? He looked... dead due to the fact that his chest didn't move at all; it didn't rise and fall like it should have... although you were not completely sure how alien bodies worked.
Yes, it was obvious that the man was not from Earth but at this point nothing didn't really surprised you anymore, considering that just few years ago you had seen news clips from New York where an alien army had tried to take over the Earth or something, led by a God from Asgard. Nothing had been the same after that since everybody had been forced to accept the fact that we were not alone in this universe; there were forces beyond human comprehension and races of "people" that looked nothing like people here did. You had never come across an alien yourself, it was very rare since the aliens had not managed to take over our precious blue planet but you were somewhat adjusted to the idea that this sight had neither shocked you nor rendered you unable to take action.
You stared at the face of this big, tall stranger. His skin was blue but it was not evenly blue; there were some golden spots here and there as well as few darker spots but these details were only visible when one was close enough to see them and you had a feeling that no one got this close to the man normally. He had long dark eyelashes and impressive, but not bushy, eyebrows, a straight nose and manly, very nicely shaped lips. There were some dark blue veins running on his cheeks... however his face was partially covered with paint that looked like tar. This man left you in awe, mesmerized... a bit scared too. His armor was black, made of metal and leather, you suspected. There was some red paint on the chest-plate of the armor and a hood covered the man's head. You were certain that he was a warrior of some kind... or a leader... or perhaps he was a dangerous enemy and you had put yourself into a great danger by saving his life.
Although you did not know if his life had been saved; as far as you knew the man was not breathing, or perhaps you just couldn't see the movements of his chest because of the armor. You hesitated, trying to decide what the hell you were supposed to do in this situation, and after a moment you slowly placed your two fingers on his neck to feel if he had a pulse. His skin was warm and surprisingly soft, it was something that you had not expected it to be because you had expected his skin to feel hard and cold and inhuman... but against all odds, he felt... familiar... he felt human-like. You encouraged your mind and pressed your fingers against his skin more firmly, hoping that you would find the pulse which would prove it to you that the man was indeed alive. You moved your fingers few times, getting more and more nervous since there was nothing... yet you desperately tried to locate the right spot... he suddenly opened his eyes and glared at you angrily.
You got startled, jumped a little and removed your hand from his neck as you backed away from the man. He had purple eyes that looked right into your soul and for the first time you were truly scared... yet a strange kind of attraction remained, like you had been a moth drawn into a flame. He man coughed as he tried to speak to you in a foreign language, his voice deep and assertive, threatening even, so you raised your hands up as a signal that you had no weapons on you and had no intention of hurting him. The man sat up, clearly in pain when he moved but he did not whimper or cry, oh no, he just swallowed the agony and stood up, now towering over you as you still sat on the ground. He pointed his war-hammer at you and tilted his head.
- Look, man, I want no trouble. you said and slowly stood up. The man sharpened his eyes as he stared at you. "You're... hurt" you stated cautiously and then added with a shaky tone "Perhaps I should call the ambulance." You took the phone out from your pocket and just as you were about to call the emergency services, the man spoke to you again with the same threatening tone. He glared at your phone like it had been a possible weapon and you immediately put it back into your pocket. This calmed the stranger down a little and he lowered his massive battle hammer. He pressed few buttons on the wrist of his armor and then focused his attention to you again.
- You... he said and paused.
- My name is (Y/N). you said hesitantly and stepped backwards as an automated reaction.
- Do I look like I cared, you lowly, pathetic human! the man said and looked at you like your worth was less than nothing.
- Right. you mumbled and folded your arms involuntarily, hoping that it would create an invisible shield in front of you. "So... can I go?" you asked cautiously. The man looked at you with shock and surprise but said nothing. "I mean, there isn't much I can do since you do not want me to call help" you continued, your voice shaky and barely audible.
- Speak up! the man commanded.
- I said... you said and inhaled slowly. You were scared but the attitude of the man was getting on your nerves, really pissing you off actually, because in your opinion he was being very unfair. After all, you had saved his life and done nothing to insult him... except called him a blue piece of shit, which he had not understood since his translator -device had not been turned on at the time. You did not know this, of course, but you had a feeling that he had not appreciated your tone. Anyway, you did not deserve his hostile attitude. "I might as well just go" you mumbled and then added "Unless you'll let me call for help".
- No! the man stated.
- There is nothing I can do for you! you exclaimed and sighed.
- Take me home. I cannot be seen. the man demanded and felt his side, just around the metal bar.
- Are you... you said and paused. "...A criminal?" you asked with a shaky, barely audible tone.
- No! the man scoffed and then continued by stating "But due to certain unfortunate events, I am an outlaw now."
- Isn't that like... the same thing? you blurted and your statement was met with a shocked expression. "Sorry" you mumbled.
There was no point arguing with the man; if he had decided that he would come to your place, he would. If you objected, you would most likely be punished somehow, killed perhaps, so therefore you did the only reasonable thing and made a silent "Come on" gesture and started slowly walking out from the forest towards your home. It was getting late and the weather forecast had promised strong winds and occasional showers for the night. The winds had already picked up and the sky had turned murky, which was enough to prove the forecasts right; it was going to rain soon. You and the blue man walked slowly without saying anything, the only sound in the darkness being his heavy steps and the war-hammer dragging across the streets, echoing very ominously.
Finally you were home. You went in, took off your shoes and walked a bit further to give some space to the stranger. The man followed your lead and removed his shoes as well as the hood that had covered his head. Now you finally saw his face properly, although there was still that black paint covering his handsome features. He was bald and clean shaved, not even an afternoon-stubble, almost like he had been made of blue marble, stoic and assertive, his physique flawless and muscular... or that was what you imagined. The man walked further into your home and when he was in your living room, he looked around with an expression that was both curious and disgusted. Yes, you had a small apartment, just one bedroom, living room with a kitchen in one corner and a bathroom, but you liked your place and therefore look on his face was a direct insult towards you. Your place was not big and fancy but it was very functional and cozy… and most importantly, it was a home. The man noticed the subtle change in your mood and grabbed his weapon again. He pointed it at you and took a slow, shamelessly belittling look from your head to toes.
- I have no use for you anymore. he stated and tilted his head as he continued. “Give me one good reason why I shouldn’t just kill you” he said and kept staring at you with his weapon ready to fire, or whatever a massive war-hammer did. You gasped and took a step backwards while scolding yourself for bringing the stranger, clearly a dangerous murderer, into your home. “What was I thinking!?” you thought silently and tried to come up with valid reasons why you should live. You were pretty sure that “because I like living” wasn’t going to cut it.
- As I thought. You have no purpose. the man said and added “Say your last words, human!” Then you finally got it.
- You will not survive without me! you exclaimed and when the man rolled his eyes and scoffed, you continued with as confident voice as you could. “Yeah, uhm… You do not know how this world works” you stated and perfected your posture to seem more assertive. You wanted the stranger to think that you were in control when actually, this all was getting too much and you basically just wanted to wake up from this terrible nightmare.
- That is the most ridiculous thing I have ever heard. the man said and then stated “Your naivety insults me.”
- Well, the way I see it… you said and paused, cleared your throat and then continued. “…Your spaceship is broken, you are injured… no money and no friends… no allies…” you listed and added “…No means to survive.” The man scoffed and then you continued explaining with a calm, firm (ish) tone “Then again, I have an apartment… money… and…” you said and stopped when you didn’t know what to say.
- Yes? the man asked.
- I have a home and money. you stated and then went on describing how the man would probably go on just fine until it was time to pay rent or bills and then suddenly he would find himself in trouble. You said that sure he could sell your jewelry online but “…Wait, do you know how to use Internet?” you asked and then pointed out that if he indeed was an outlaw, he couldn’t go out because no one on Earth is… “…Well, blue” you stated and shrugged your shoulders. You went on and on, talking a lot and quite fast due to your state of nervousness and explaining how people would post videos and pictures of him on social media if he went out and got seen in public, and how, due to the recent events, the Avengers would be tagged on the posts most likely, “…Hashtag blue tall guy seen in (Your hometown), hashtag Avengers help…” you said and continued explaining that the super heroes would find him easily. You continued talking until the man gestured you to shut up.
- So, as you see. I am very useful to keep around. you said and hoped that you had managed to convince the man, who was, by the way, still pointing the huge war-hammer at you.
- I do need a slave. the man said and put the weapon away. You sighed from relief and thanked the mighty powers that your world was so different from his. You were hoping that all this talk about debit and credit cards, selling thing online, the Avengers… would make the man dizzy and overwhelmed so then he would see how valuable you were for his survival in the modern jungle.
- I am not a slave, though. you blurted. The statement made the man glare at you in shock. How dared you!
- You are exactly what I tell you to be! the man shouted and soon there was a loud sound of three thumps as the neighbor was banging the wall, demanding you and your guest to be silent. You gestured to the man that he had to keep his voice down and waited for him to explode. He fortunately, and surprisingly, didn’t.
Suddenly the man wrapped his both hands tightly around the metal bar and started to pull it out, the sight making you feel nauseous and dizzy, but the man did not even wince. Oh no, he took the pain like a champion, pulling the bar slowly out… but it was stuck. There was blue liquid gushing out from the wound and you immediately got few towels to press the wound with. Yes, clean water, towels and some antiseptic liquid. You did not have anything else to tie this wound with so it had to do. Besides, you had offered to call help but the man had refused it. You knew that the metal bar had to be pulled out otherwise the man wouldn't get the armor off, and if he was unable to get undressed, you wouldn't be able to clean the wound.
- Pull it out. the man demanded. It was too painful to pull out by himself, besides, he did not get a good grip from it.
- What, me? you asked with a shaky, shocked voice. Oh no, you couldn’t! It was nearly too much to watch the man pulling it out and now he was ordering you to pull it! It was even worse and therefore you would surely either throw up or pass out.
- Yes. Grab it and pull it out, human slave. the man said and grabbed the towels from your hands.
- But… I can’t. I might do more damage than good. you whimpered, begging for mercy with your eyes.
- Make yourself useful, woman! the tall, blue man shouted and glared at you, clearly getting angry at you. There was the banging –sound again; the neighbor was not happy. “I would be happy to change my mind about killing you” he stated and took a deep breath that helped him to deal with the pain.
- Oh no! That is unfair! you whimpered and took few sharp breaths as you weighed your options; option number one, help the man and live a little longer, until the next threat at least, or option number two, do not help the man and get killed instantly. The truth was that you were going through a somewhat rough patch in your life currently and despite joking sometimes about ending the misery and so on, dark humor was the best anyway, you did not really want to die this young. Therefore you chose the option which ensured that you would live to see another day… even though telling the man to screw himself seemed to be equally attractive option right now.
You grabbed the bar with your both hands and started slowly pulling it out. It was stuck so you twisted it a little, the action making the man gasp from pain and finally the bar started sliding out slowly once more. Your hands were getting slippery from the blood and it was getting increasingly difficult to get a good grip from the bar, which was making this even more difficult. You yanked, twisted and pulled the bar out, every movement causing the man groan from pain, however when you finally managed to remove the bar from the wound, you accidentally cut yourself with it as well. The man pressed a towel over the bleeding wound immediately while you just stared at the metal bar with glassy eyes.
Now the neighbor was banging your front door and ringing your doorbell in a demanding way. You recoiled from your thoughts and walked swiftly to the door. You opened it, smiled at the old man who was cursing at you and telling you that if there was any further noise today, he would call the police. You apologized and mentioned that you were just painting, hence the blue “paint” covering your hands and splashes on your shirt too, and then wished the man a goodnight when he finally calmed down and left.
You felt nauseous and… strange. You closed the door, turned around to walk back into the living room to help the man further, but then you noticed the veins on your arms turning blue, almost like something had been spreading along your veins, under your skin further from your hands to your arms and chest. You hurried into the bathroom to look at yourself in the mirror, stumbling to the man’s belongings as well as to your own furniture, almost like you had been on a verge of passing out… or… something more sinister… yes… you felt… weak… and like you had been fading… dying. You turned on the lights in the bathroom and stared at yourself with a shocked look on your face.
You looked pale and there were blue lines all over your face as well. Your eyes looked different as well; they were the same color than they had been before, only more intense and otherworldly. Your lips turned bluish and then there was a terrible pain coming from your chest and spreading everywhere into your body. Every cell in your body was dying… or changing… or perhaps both… and this excruciating pain was making it impossible to even breathe. You dropped your head and leaned down to splash some cold water on your face, but when you did, it had no impact on you. This was real and you were not going to wake up. You returned to stand up straight again and this time you saw the blue man standing behind you.
- What is this? you asked with a desperate tone. You washed your hands clean from the blue blood and saw the cuts on your palms. You realized instantly that the stranger’s blood had mixed with yours and clearly you were having a reaction to it. Perhaps this was some kind of cosmic allergy or something… or perhaps the stranger’s blood was poisonous to you, or… or… or there was a extraterrestrial infection that was now taking over your body. Whatever it was, it wasn’t good. You turned to face the stranger with panic screaming from your face and gasped “What’s happening to me?” as your feet gave in. You sought support from your bathroom appliances and then fell to the floor to lay on your stomach.
- You are dying. the man said, turned around and walked out from the bathroom. You kept gasping for air for a moment until everything went black and you lost consciousness. What a horrific mistake you had made!