Chapter Text
Amy loved the rain. Who didn't? It was so relaxing to hear the rain drops patter the ground and fill the air with the fresh smell of water as it washed everything away. And she loved to be all curled up in warmth, snuggling her best friend as she listened to the gentle song of rain. Her source of warmth and comfort during these times was perfect for these sorts of situations: He was a giant, and his name was Mark.
Mark loved the rain too, for all the same reasons as his smaller but precious companion. Whenever they couldn't stargaze, he loved curling up at the back of their cave and snuggling her, with the both of them laying in a comfortable quietness as they listened together to nature's beautiful song. He was big and strong with powerful muscles and a frightening size, but Amy knew with all her heart that Mark was the sweetest and kindest person she had ever met. His soft raven hair was fluffy and incredibly worthy of petting, and his smooth tan skin shone from his time in the sunlight. Stubble stuck out along his jawline, and he wore a simple black shirt with old blue jeans stained by age. He didn't have any shoes, but he didn't seem to mind since he often washed them to keep up appearances.
But Amy's favorite part were his eyes. At a distance, they appeared to be a simple brown, but when one could get as close as Amy often did, she could stare into those deep and reflective eyes and see more than just plain brown. They were, initially, a warm and gentle brown, but gold softly ringed his pupils, and the edges of the irises faded to a black border. She couldn't count the time she'd lost gazing deep into those eyes, studying every fleck of color and tracing her own reflection in them. The coolest thing was seeing them change color; such as whenever Mark was sad, they would lose their luster and fade to a blander palette, almost monochromic; or, whenever he was angry or territorial, the gold would harden into an almost red tint, and his pupils would constrict into feline slits. That saying about the eyes being windows to the soul? Yes, Amy found it to be very true for her. His eyes were like a moodlet ring. She had plenty of other hints to tell her how Mark was feeling, but on a rainy day like this it was sometimes hard.
Why? Simple. Because he was sound asleep.
Amy opened her eyes and could hear that it was still raining despite her nice nap. She yawned and stretched a little, tilting her head to catch a glimpse of the forest outside. The mouth of the cave was dripping with water, and even though it was only the afternoon the forest was devoid of bright light. The leaves jingled in the storm, and branches shuddered under the dive-bombing droplets. There wasn't any wind to chill the air today, making it wet and humid with only a slight nippiness.
She lolled her head even more to look up at her friend and protector. He was sound asleep with both arms resting over his chest and embracing her gently. He was incredibly warm, and his arms were comforting. His huge, calloused hands that respected fragility were resting over her, and her head was resting right over his heart. Mark was mostly slouched on his back, but his head and shoulder were kinda squished against the curved side of the rock wall, which slanted Amy's world just a small bit. She was curled up safely in his arms, and she could feel his powerful heartbeat booming softly under her head. His pulse was soothing, as were the gentle rises and falls of his broad chest. She could even hear the gentle gurgles of his system as his stomach worked on the remainder of lunch, a delightful feast of berries which Amy too was still full from.
She sighed softly and let her head rest down again, and she closed her eyes to listen to the familiar noises for a little bit longer. She felt at peace, like nothing was wrong and everything was perfect... but she knew that wasn't completely true. A pang of sadness made her heart squeeze as Amy remembered the hardships that had brought them together. She'd been so afraid, and he so alone. It was hard to imagine that, only a month or two ago, they hadn't even known each other...
It all started when mankind's reign was eradicated. Evolution had run off the rails, and suddenly everything was more dangerous than men, including an AI android that had declared war on its creators and mankind. Cities were wiped out, electricity dead, fun and reasons to smile... all gone. Superpredators jumped to the top of the food chain, and humans suddenly found themselves near the very bottom. Their numbers dwindled rapidly out of the billions and then millions as the earth itself reverted to a past time where the wild ruled the world. And, by some chance, Amy found herself one of the lucky survivors. She knew it was never skill, that whatever god or overseeing forces that existed were taking pity on her for some unexplainable reason. Maybe they knew she would come across Mark and become best friends with a giant. Maybe they thought it wasn't her time to die yet.
Or maybe they just wanted to "lmao" at her pathetic efforts to prolong the inevitability of death.
Whatever the reason, Amy managed to find company to travel with for a while. They were the friendly sort, kind enough to let her stick around, share food and necessary supplied or whatnot. It was nice, and she made pretty good friends with them, until the day that set the dominoes in motion. She could still remember it with pristine detail: She had been sitting by the fireplace when one of the guys, an Irish bloke called Seán or Jack- Amy could never figure out which was correct, because Signe for some reason always called him Seán instead of the other name that literally everyone else used- had walked over to her while sharpening the end of an arrow.
"Hey Amy!" He called. She looked up as he asked, "Tyler and I are going hunting. We're gonna teach Signe how to hunt, ya wanna come with us?"
"Oh, uh, sure." She got up and wiped her hands nervously. Jack seemed to read her mind and flashed her a confident grin.
"Don't worry, we'll be back before long. There's gonna be a rainstorm soon, so we're just gunna get a little practice in for ye two." Amy nodded gratefully and followed him across their temporary camp. Signe and Tyler were already waiting at the edge, chatting with Ethan.
"Don't worry!" Ethan said rather proudly as they walked up, "No spoopy bandits gonna sneak up on us while you're gone!"
"That's the spirit," Tyler said halfheartedly. Amy smiled and waved hi to the optimistic young man, who grinned and waved back.
"Well don't be gone too long! It's gonna rain soon, but hopefully you catch something for dinner." And then he bounded off to go and check on the others. Tyler exhaled and turned to Jack.
"Got everything?" Jack nodded. "Good, then let's head out and hopefully beat that storm." The men led the way, while Amy gladly walked alongside Signe.
"I hope this won't be too hard," Signe told Amy. Amy shrugged.
"I don't think I could ever kill an animal, even if my life depended on it," she mused.
"Me too, but Seán said we have to do what we can to get by. It's horrible and sad, but that's how life is."
"I think I'll stick with tracking and medical emergencies." Amy grimaced. "Give me a broken shin any day." Signe giggled, and then they continued on in silence. Insects and birds buzzed and chirped cheerfully in the trees, and the leaves rustled pleasantly in a warm breeze. Signe caught up with Jack and chatted quietly for a bit, leaving Amy alone with her thoughts as she looked around. It's so peaceful. She took a deep breath and caught a whiff of rain on the wind. It's hard to believe we have to worry about death every second when the world is so beautiful now. She lifted her chin and saw the lovely sky stretched above the leafy canopy. Clouds were brewing in the air, but it looked so clean and painted, like a picture too good to be true.
"Amy!" She snapped out of her thoughts and stumbled as Tyler yanked her behind a tree. She was about to ask why he had whispered her name when he clamped his hand over her mouth, and then she understood. She stayed silent as the cautious male peered past, and she caught a glimpse of Jack protectively holding Signe behind another tree.
The birds had stopped chirping as footsteps slowly rumbled the ground. They all held their breaths as they heard the shuffling being sniff the air and growl. Her pulse pounded in her head as she stayed deathly still, fearing that the giant might overhear her heartbeat. They all listened, waited, as they heard the soft breaths of lungs bigger than they, the suspicious sniffing that set any human's hair on end, and the soft growling of a humanistic beast. Seconds dragged on by what felt like minutes, hours, adrenaline coursing through their veins as they all waited, not daring to even breathe. Then, finally, after what seemed like a lifetime, the footsteps shuffled on, and they gradually faded. It wasn't until the birds started chirping again that they finally remembered to breathe.
"Coast's clear," Tyler murmured. He checked one more time and turned to Jack. "I thought you said there weren't any giants in this area?"
"There weren't." Jack shivered. "Maybe we outta turn back and go before they find us."
"We just need to be careful." He looked back at Amy. "Are you okay?" Amy nodded, feeling a wave of relief.
"I'm sorry," she apologized.
"Don't be." Tyler unhooked his bow and resumed walking. Amy gave the ground a flustered glance and followed, feeling guilty that she had let her attention slip. She caught a sympathetic glance from Jack and heard him mutter, "Do ya really need to be so harsh, Tyler? Yer not the only one adjusting."
"She needs to learn to be more careful, otherwise she'll slow us down. Or worse, gets us all killed." Amy felt a stab of guilt. "When we wind up in a human stew, then you can ask me again," Tyler finished sharply, not looking back. Jack sighed and begrudgingly said no more. Amy rubbed her arm and studied the leaves at their feet. I'm such a nuisance. Her eyes watered a little. Why did I agree to come? I can't hunt, all I can do is heal, not kill. What use is that here, if I don't have the heart to even catch my own supper?
"It's okay Amy." Amy blinked and saw Signe smiling at her. "It helps to try to keep your eyes on the horizon when you're daydreaming," she offered, "I do it all the time."
"U-uh, thanks." They finally made it to an abandoned park that was their choice hunting grounds for the day. Tyler passed his bow to Signe and led her on, while Jack paused and turned to Amy.
"Here." He dug through his pocket before fishing out a small but very useful pocket knife. "In case any creepy crawlies try to hug ya." Amy's eyes widened.
"What? Me? I-I-"
"Don't say nuthin, just take it." He pushed it in her hand, and she managed not to drop it.
"Th-thanks." Jack nodded and turned to the others as Tyler examined Signe's form.
"Hold your arm a little more straight. Tuck your elbow in, and remember your breathing. Good, good. Now pull back just a little bit more, try to keep from shaking..." Amy turned the pocket knife over and examined it. She peered at the surface and saw her tired reflection squinting back at her. What am I good for? She wondered. Tyler's such a great leader, Ethan always lifts everyone's spirits, Jack's such a jack of all trades, and even Signe can do more things than me. What's my point, my contribution to the group? I'm the only healer they've got, but I'm such a klutz. She heard a woosh as an arrow suddenly cut through the air, and Amy flinched as a squirrel let out a squeal before flopping onto the ground lifeless.
"That's how you shoot." Tyler lowered the bow and handed it back to Signe. "Now you try on the other one. If you miss, that's okay. It takes a lot of experience."
"Shouldn't we start with unmoving targets?" Jack asked.
"We don't really have the materials to set that up," Tyler reminded him, "Besides, if she's successful then we'll be having a good supper tonight. Now come on Signe, just give it a try. Remember your breathing, good..." Amy sighed and was looking at the knife again when a drop suddenly dripped on the cool metal. She looked up and felt another hit her cheek, and her eyes got round.
"It's raining!" And then the heavens opened up and progressively unleashed a growing torrent of rain. Signe yelped and ducked behind Tyler, who blocked some of the rain as the wind began to pick up.
"Come on!" Jack was already running for the squirrel. Tyler nudged Signe in the right direction as they began to run. Amy was about to do the same when she realized she could feel tremors in the earth. And they weren't from the rain.
"JACK!!!" She shouted over the wind. Jack was turning around to give her a confused glance when a massive hand suddenly slammed beside him. A girlish yelp jumped his lips, and he dropped the squirrel and bolted toward Amy. Amy could only stagger back a couple of steps as she took in the immense silhouette. She could make out a red pair of glowing eyes as the hand felt the ground before picking up the limp body of the dead squirrel. She felt her stomach lurch as she watched it open its mouth and pop the tiny animal in with a single gulp.
"Amy come on!" Jack grabbed her hand and spun her in the right direction. As she stumbled after Jack, she felt a chill colder than the rain shoot down her spine as those hungry eyes turned on her. The ground began to shake again as the giant got up and followed after them.
"Jack!" Amy cried. Jack glanced over his shoulder and paled.
"Keep going!" It was hard to see in the deluge where they were going. Amy tried to shield her eyes to see better, but then her foot snagged on a gnarly root, and she suddenly hurled down and got a faceful of mud. She screamed in surprise, and Jack skidded in the mud as he turned to try and help her up.
"No, don't!" She yelled, "Run!" Jack hesitated, with both fear and guilt brimming in his eyes. "Go!!" She shouted. He finally turned away and ran into the foggy storm, and was swallowed up by the trees. Amy panted for a couple of seconds before she sat up and tried to move. She immediately cried out in pain. The root was wrapped around her ankle, making her foot twist at an unnatural angle. She frantically tugged at the stubborn tendril, feeling her breath get quicker as the booming thuds came closer.
"Come on, come on, come on!" Her voice came out winded and panicky as she yanked on the root. Then she remembered Jack's knife and fumbled to get it out. Just as she managed to get the blade to slide open, a shadow fell over her small muddy figure. She froze and went completely still. Her fight or flight instinct screamed at her as thunder rumbled overhead, but she was helpless to do neither as a warm breath suddenly washed over her.
Don't move. Don't look. Amy closed her eyes and held deathly still. The air around her jumped quite a few degrees as she felt the giant sniff her. She couldn't stop trembling as it moved closer, exhaling a powerful breath that emanated the smell of fructose. Her grip on the knife tightened. In the back of her mind, she knew she shouldn't have, but she couldn't help but let fear override her actions.
The next few seconds was a flash of action. She remembered swinging and hearing the giant roar as it jumped back, and she opened her eyes to see the looming figure clawing at its nose as it whined in pain. She gasped in horror at what she had done and tried to get up, but the root cruelly reminded her that she was stuck and not going anywhere. She cried in pain once more and fell to her hands and knees, up to her wrists in muddy water. Amy whimpered as she felt a sob swell up in her chest. I'm done for! Her lip curled back. You idiot, now it's gonna be mad and make your death even more miserable! Stupid, stupid, stupid...! She wasn't even aware that she had started crying, but before long she was bawling as she contemplated her miserable life. It went on for a while, self-pitying her stupidity and cursing herself, until she slowly realized that she still wasn't dead yet. She looked up, and was shocked by what she was met with.
The eyes were no longer a fierce red, but in fact a forlorn silvery brown. The giant had stopped trying to get the tiny knife that was embedded in the tip of his nose out, and was now gazing at Amy with some sort of emotion. She felt her crying falter as her confusion heightened. Why isn't it attacking me? I should be dead by now. She watched as it tilted its head and blinked curiously. Anger bubbled in her stomach.
"What are you waiting for!?" She snapped, "Just end it already!" A flicker of surprise crossed the giant's eyes. Amy felt her anger vanish as fear overtook her once more, and she started crying again. She looked away from the giant, unable to bear staring death in the face any longer as she covered her eyes and shook with sobs. The rain continued to pour, soaking her in freezing water and mud, but she could barely feel the cold.
Then the air heated up again, and Amy froze as she felt something rub up against her back. She turned around sharply to see that the giant had leaned down and started nuzzling her, rubbing his cheek against her. Amy felt her breath hitch, not understanding. Was it performing some sort of pre-consumption routine? Did it not like its food covered in mud? Amy's mind ran through all kinds of awful ideas before she finally came to the uncertain conclusion that the giant was trying to comfort her. But that was impossible! ... right?
The giant suddenly shifted and moved back. Amy felt her breath catch in her throat again as the giant leaned over her and blocked the rain with his back, shielding her from the deluge. He was still on all fours, but now he sat back on his haunches and squared his shoulders to still cover her. His hands were planted firmly in the mud on either side of her. Amy sat there, dumbfounded under the hunching arch of the giant's spine. The healer couldn't believe what she was seeing, and her brain struggled to think up a rational explanation for why the giant hadn't killed her yet. At first, she denied the truth, but as the giant tilted his head to look at her upside down, Amy realized with a jolt that there was no aggression in his eyes. They were a soft brown now, kind and curious like a puppy's as he cocked his head and rumbled quietly.
The young woman looked down at the root wrapped around her foot and tugged on it. It still didn't give away, and Amy was about to give up any hopes of escaping when one of the giant's hands suddenly swooped down beside her. She flinched back as it came far too close for comfort, but then all it did was pick up the annoying tendril and easily snap it in half. Just like that, the root went limp and loosened its vicious grip. She was free. Amy stared at her foot for a few seconds and then rubbed her ankle. Her foot still throbbed with pain, but she could at least move it now. She sat up and slowly turned over, well aware of the giant's penetrating gaze as she slowly got up. She winced when applying pressure on her injury and staggered, missing the spike of alarm that flashed in those huge eyes.
"Ow!" Amy whimpered. She wobbled, trying to keep upright in the muck when two huge fingers and a massive thumb suddenly snaked around her waist and gently tightened. She froze for a second, and then she started panicking when the giant lifted his hand and pulled her up off her feet. "No!" She yelped. "No, no! Let me go!" Unsurprisingly, he ignored her pleas. He got up and wrapped her in a massive fist, holding his spare hand over her like a roof, and started striding off into the forest.