Scar, Friend or Foe p.II

Disclaimer: I do not own AvP nor do I attempt to make any profit from the writing of this fanfic.


-o-o-o-


Scar looked dumbfounded at the slender Ooman now in his arms.


What was he supposed to do now?


This wasn’t where he had originally intended for them to go. Scar had a feeling the wardrobe maker wouldn’t be too happy to have an Ooman make an appearance only to bleed all over the merchandise.


So on the way to their original destination, Scar had decided to make a pit stop in this room instead.


“Rave!” Scar barked loudly, head whipping around the room. This was, after all, the big Yautja’s quarters; but the big Yautja himself was nowhere to be seen.


“Where is he…?” The Blooded Warrior clicked low in frustration.


Amber eyes finally resting on the brown-skinned female in his hold, the Predator sighed aloud. He was really not looking forward to this. After her outburst in the medical ward, Scar had resorted to tending to her previous wounds himself. Though doing so was in no way related to her threat about gonads and such. As if Scar would even let her close enough to even ATTEMPT something of the sort.


He had just been too tired to try and find another group of healers to attend to her. And he had needed to go to his room to get rid of his armor. So it had been an obvious choice to appoint himself with the task. Of course, putting the gel had been really tricky, seeing as how it could have either worked with her Ooman physiology or… killed her.


Carrying her over to Rave’s bed, Scar put Lex carefully down before grabbing some of the bigger Yautja’s med supplies. Still grumbling about the other Predator not being there, Scar slammed the items down on the table a little harder than necessary. The brownish-yellow Predator cursed himself as he whipped his head to look over the Ooman. After a moment’s reassurance that she was still out of it, Scar opened the kit softly and dabbed a wet, sponge-like tool over her worst wound. The shoulder.


Lex groaned slightly, her brow furrowing as she turned her head slightly away. Scar couldn’t help holding his breath at that, wondering if she would wake. But after a few stretched moments, he realized she wouldn’t. At least, not yet.


Taking out a small precision blade, the Yautja made quick work of her shirt, cutting around the immediate area of her shoulder wound. The wetness from the sponge did its work, liquefying the crusted blood and allowing him to slowly peel the cut-out cloth for easy access to the torn flesh below. The crimson, shredded sinew glared angrily up at him, as if it knew what he was about to do next.


Tossing the bloodied cloth aside, Scar prepared the healing mixture by grinding and churning some grey powder with a burnt sienna-colored solution in a small bowl. When the two substances met, an instant hissing was released as a small wisp of smoke trailed into the air. The resulting, bubbling substance was a startling blue once the smoke had cleared, and Scar nodded with satisfaction. The right proportions had been used and the healing mixture would be very potent.


Which also meant it would be terribly painful.


But it was necessary. Especially since he had seen the wristblades nick her bones. The gooey paste should act as an agent to mend those bones and torn muscles, helping the girl recover; and hopefully it would be a speedy one, seeing as how the list of challengers had not dwindled much.


He clicked with worry. He had mixed a weaker paste earlier to form a thin layer underneath the bandages around her upper midsection, attempting to heal any bruised tissue or fractured ribs. It had been difficult, what with the Ooman clothing in the way. He had had to push it up to just below her breasts in order to smooth on the paste and wrap the bindings. She had barely stayed unconscious for that treatment, crying out from the pain.


Amber eyes scanned her anxiously. How would she respond to this stronger mixture?


Flexing his mandibles cautiously, the Yautja approached the bed, a large scoop of the healing goop in his upturned palm. He had an organic wrap in his other hand, planning on just applying the mixture and slapping on the wrap before she knew what hit her. But for some odd reason, a knot of worry settled in his stomach.


Snorting at himself, Scar simply shook his head and stepped forwards, one hand pressing cautiously against the middle of her chest. The wrap was dropped unceremoniously on the bed, right above her shoulder, ready for a quick retrieval. Tracing her Ooman face with his gaze once more, the Blooded Warrior turned his amber orbs back towards the wound. He expelled a breath slowly.


With one smooth motion, he spread the gel, making sure it filled in all the gashes and holes. Grabbing the wrap with that same hand, he pressed it lightly over the goop, hearing it slurp as it basically suctioned on, edges sealing around the wound and on her skin. Simultaneously, he placed pressure on the hand on her torso, knowing what would come next.


In no time at all, the Ooman’s eyes shot open, her mouth parted as she let out a pain-filled scream of agony.


-o-o-o-


Lex awoke to fire burning through her nerves, her skin so hot she felt like she was melting. A blind echo of pain rushed out in waves from her shoulder, her arm numb as if it had been ripped off.


Unaware of her own guttural cries, or even her own surroundings, Lex felt an intense pressure on her chest. Unthinking, she aimed for what she instinctively knew to be the weakest part on the appendage. It buckled easily and the Ooman female jumped up from whatever she had been laying on, body still curling and twitching with agony.


A loud roar caught her attention and she whipped her head up in time to see a blurred figure stomping over to her. Crouching defensively, trying to sift through the searing pain, she was able to block the first strike. It had been an arm.


But the second attack went through her defenses.


Oddly enough, all the other arm did was snake around her back and pull her hard into the other’s body. She writhed around, trying to free herself. But the first arm came back to hook around her torso as well, pinning her own arms down as it drew her closer.


Another growl, closer this time. She could barely piece together the word that was said.


Yanking her head up, she narrowed glaring eyes at the form before her, the pain still creating a thick haze she couldn’t see past. Drawing back her lips, she let out a feral snarl, pain and anguish driving her towards the only place she had left: anger.


The form before her stilled.


Lex just kept twisting, trying to get free.


-o-o-o-


Scar was caught off guard when she had hit right on the inside of his elbow to get him to release her from the bed.


Seeing her scramble to stand, eyes glazed over, topped his irritation with worry. Giving a short bark to catch her attention, he bounded forward to draw her in and immobilize her, not taking notice when she blocked one of his arms. He had to make sure she couldn’t further irritate her wounds before she got her senses back.


“Hold still.” He growled, wrapping both arms around her.


This seems to have caught her attention, and she snapped her head up to glare at him, snarling.


Scar froze at that. Why the little minx…


She had some fight to her. And for some strange reason, Scar found he was a little attracted to that.


But he didn’t have time for this.


Each time she struggled, the bandage would flop a little bit more out of place. Not to mention he knew the previous challenges produced more damages elsewhere to her fragile Ooman body as well. Holding her tighter, he gave a soft growl, trying to think what else he could do.

-o-FLASHBACK-o-


"Are you... will you leave me again?"

Scar's response was immediate. And though it was still softly spoken, it was filled with an unshakable conviction and a light growl.

(Never.)

A joy-filled tear traveled down her cheek as her arms, which had been dangling lifelessly before, wrapped around his broad torso, her fingertips barely meeting at the small of his back.

Heartened by the fact that she was embracing him back and that she was... just... ALIVE, Scar could only pull her closer to him, never wanting to let go.

His voice ringed with a hardened belief as he promised her softly, (Never again.)

-o-FLASHBACK-o-


Scar trilled softly at that memory; of when he had gone back for her on the Ooman ship vessel, the Piper Maru. She had been under the belief that she had been left behind, when he had merely placed her where she would receive the best life-saving care at the time. She had lost a lot of blood. And while the Yautja did have substitutes for building back what organic tissue or bone is lost, they did not have the amount of freshly maintained Ooman blood Lex had required. Not to mention the genetic intricacies that were interwoven with the procedure; considering her soft meat biology.


In his musings, Scar almost missed that the Ooman had quieted in his arms by a fraction. What had he done?


-o-FLASHBACK-o-


At first, nothing happened.


Subtly changing his tactic, Scar pressed his mandibles against her hair as he purred a little louder, “…Lex…”


That got her attention.


-o-FLASHBACK-o-


Perhaps…


His hold on her tightened as she began struggling a little more earnestly. Cutting back a warning growl that had begun rumbling in his chest, he paused a little.


Leaning his head a little closer, he began purring.


Being that close reminded him of that particular, earthy scent she possessed. Blinking, he realized that his close proximity with her all the time had kind of numbed him to that strange taste. Did he actually… like it?


“Lex…” He trailed off, purring.


Pressing her closer to him, he nuzzled his mandibles in her curly locks, immersing himself in the Ooman’s scent. Even the feel of the soft hair was… enjoyable.


He had been so distracted that he didn’t catch when she had stopped struggling altogether.


As a matter of fact, she was actually staring up at him now, her brown eyes very coherent.


“Scar…?” Her voice trailed off, questioning.


With a puzzling sense of disappointment, he pulled back from her, stopping the purring altogether. For a brief moment, he thought he had seen the same feeling flitting through her eyes, but in the next instant it was gone.


Suddenly in a sour mood, frustrated with the very fact that he did not know why, Scar grumbled and headed to the bed to clean up the mess he had left.


-o-o-o-


Lex frowned as the behemoth stalked away, his temperament worse for wear. What had she done?


SHE wasn’t the one who had done… whatever it was Scar had done that had made her endure moments of intense agony. SHE wasn’t the one who had nearly squeezed the other do death. And she was definitely not the one… who…


Lex paused in her ranting thoughts as her gaze drifted over to her bandaged shoulder. NEWLY bandaged.


Well… crap.


‘I guess I should thank the big lummox,’ She sighed as she thought this to herself. So much for cussing him out and whatnot.


“Scar…” She started to say, taking a step forward.


The big Yautja had just whipped his head around to pin her with a glare when the door spiraled open.


As the even bigger, brownish-green Predator stepped in, Scar’s anger redirected itself effectively, “Rave, where the HELL were you?”


Blinking at the unexplained hostility, Rave halted in his tracks before exploding, “YOU demand that of ME while you SMEAR her filthy Ooman blood all over MY room?!”


Lex’s gaze snapped over to the big Young Blood’s to demand, “WHAT about my blood?”


Rave didn’t even spare her a glance as Scar shouted back at Rave, “Yes, this is YOUR room where YOU are supposed to be.”


“You’re starting to act like a child-bearer.” Rave snarled, “What? Couldn’t handle the puny Ooman yourself?”


“Are you questioning my manhood?” Scar snarled back, mandibles flared in challenge.


“Only ever since your were born.” Rave growled low, fists clenching and unclenching in anticipation. Rarely did they ever battle anymore. And despite numerous fights the bigger Yautja would get into, none had matched the skill and prowess the smaller fighter displayed.


Scar’s eyes narrowed, chest heaving in for a battle cry.


But before anything else could be done, the slender figure of the brown Ooman stepped in between them, palms facing each Yautja. Perhaps in a peaceful gesture...?


“Hold, the fuck, on.” Lex bit out harshly.


Perhaps not.


Scar gave out a low growl.


Rave sagged slightly, sensing his fun being spoiled as he asked in defeat, “What?”


“I have been through enough fighting in one day to stand around for one more-” Lex started to say.


The big brute interrupted her to say, “Then leave.”


The heated glare she sent Rave was enough to quiet him, though he did heave out a huge sigh, before she continued, “-ESPECIALLY when its over something as pointless as your inflated egos.”


“Why do you get to have all the fun…” Rave grumbled.


“Would YOU like to be the Ooman?” Lex ground out slowly.


“Pass.” Rave sighed, staring dejectedly off into a wall.


“And YOU…” Having deflated the building conflict between the two, Lex turned her attention towards the silent one. Scar tensed, preparing for more shouting or even an insult or two. What he did not expect was what came from her lips next, “Thank you. For the bandage.”


Uncomfortable with the sincerity he found in her voice, Scar turned slightly to look away, clawed hand scratching his dreadlocks, “Let’s just get you into some decent clothes.”


Shrugging in consent, the heat still making her extremely sluggish, Lex followed as the yellowish-greenish Hunter led her out of the room.


“Oh, don’t bother…” Rave’s voice could be heard as the door spiraled shut, “Allow ME to clean up the mess YOU guys made…”

-o-o-o-

“You call THIS decent?!”


Scar clamped his big hands over his ears as the Ooman female shrieked from the next room. He forgot Oomans had a peculiar shyness with nudity, and had almost gotten into a tussle with her as he demanded she strip in front of him and the wardrobe maker.


Of course, this outcome wasn’t necessarily any better.


“Look, you either wear THAT or you wear the clothes you had to cut up.” Scar growled. Lex had found out the hard way that many of her wounds refused to detach from her Ooman fabric. But much to her credit, she hadn’t screamed. Just a pained gasp.


His comment was met with silence.


Impatient, Scar was seriously considering barging in there when her voice drifted out of the connected room.


“The netting feels weird…”


Sighing, Scar explained, “It’ll adjust the temperature relative to the comfort of your core temperature.”


“I noticed. But that doesn’t change how weird it feels.” Lex grumbled, before continuing in a slight whine, “There’s not enough clothe…”


“Deal with it.” Scar growled, ignoring the quizzical look on the wardrobe maker’s face. He had yet to figure out if it truly was a female under all that face paint and tattoos. Either way, he wasn’t interested in finding out.


His snipped words had the desired effect as the Ooman predictably stormed into the room, “Why don’t you say that to my face?”


“Gladly.” Scar retorted, whipping his head to look at her as he stood.


But he was halted in his tracks as he paused to admire her sleek form. Puny she might be, but you could tell her lithe body was wired with power and strength. The outfit even went so far as to enhance the beauty of her strength. Why she refused to wear it was a mystery to Scar. Oomans could be so strange.


“This-” Lex indicated the green outfit she was currently wearing, “- is nothing more than a bikini with a sorry excuse for a skirt.”


“Loincloth.” The Wardrobe Maker interjected.


“What?” Lex asked, brows scrunched in her frustration, “Whatever. Look, I am NOT wearing this… this… sorry excuse for clothing!”


The Wardrobe Maker made an appalled sound at his work being criticized, “I’ll have you note, making something in your size in such short notice was near impossible!”


“Sorry, it’s not your clothes, it’s me.” Lex said shortly, waving at the yellowish-green Yautja warrior, “I was just trying talk to crab face over there.”


Scar bristled at her last words. Stalking over to the smaller warrior, he growled harshly, inches from her face, “DEAL with it.”


The rumbled seriousness of his voice caught her attention. Though she couldn’t help the anger that rose in the simple fact that Scar sounded like he was ordering her around. He didn’t have to say it, but she could read in his eyes the threat that she either wore that or nothing at all.


Fuming, she bit her tongue and said harshly, “FINE.”


Scar blinked, surprised that she was so… accommodating. It seemed the more she hung around them, the more she was adopting the Yautja warrior ways. Gruffly exhaling, he nodded his head once before turning to the Wardrobe Maker, “My thanks for your haste.”


“Of course, anything for Newly Blooded Warriors.” The Yautja with the painted face replied, bowing repectfully. The Maker then turned to Lex, saying in a slightly excited voice, “I have never had to make such unique measurements before. Stop by later and I may have more for you.”


Biting back her gut reaction of saying ‘not a chance in hell’, Lex merely nodded and smiled, “My thanks as well.”


When she turned to Scar, she caught him glancing at her with a strange look in his eye. But then it was gone the moment he realized she was looking back. She frowned as he turned and walked away, wondering what that was about. However, she was quickly distracted as she looked back down at her outfit. She was much too modest to pull this kind of thing off back on Earth. Hell, she was too modest to pull this outfit off here. Noticing that the Wardrobe Maker was watching her, she plastered a fake smile on her face.


“C’mon.” Scar said impatiently in the doorway, “Let’s go to the mess hall before Rave eats all the food there.”


Jogging up to the other warrior –which was much easier due to the thermal netting- Lex walked past him, “All right. Don’t get your panties in a wad.”


She nearly toppled over, but managed to merely stumble a few steps, as Scar slugged her on the arm. He growled, but she just grinned.

-o-o-o-

Lex didn’t know how to take the different reactions she was getting. Seeing as how everyone was either indifferent or eager to kill her before, she could only blame what was happening now on her new outfit.


Basically, while the amount of challenges reduced drastically, the new advances were increasing. Unfortunately, while it was less physically challenging, it was no less exhausting.


“Sorry. Not interested.” Lex edged around the robust, orange Yautja. After the numerous, and previous, offers she had already she was just too tired to care.


“I am Honored Warrior.” He clicked, confusion weaving into his tone, as though he could not comprehend her answer.


Lex raised her brow, before smiling and slapping him on the chest, “Good for you.”


She tried to step around him once more, but he blocked her path. Lex looked back up at towering Yautja with growing concern. It was obvious he would not take rejection as well as the dozens of others who had asked. Of course, she had to give a couple of them a knock on the head, or a broken limb or two –usually the offending hand- but then again, none of then were Honored Warriors.


“Are you insulting a warrior of my status?” He demanded, growling.


“I am merely telling you my response, I have no say in how you take it.” Lex replied slowly, knowing she was treading in deep water. The build of this Yautja was similar to others, as in that it was very large. But the way he carried himself spoke volumes about whether or not she should take him seriously. Despite all of this, Lex knew she couldn’t back down. She couldn’t be seen as weak. On this ship, in this culture… the weak were torn apart. So she continued, “Are you disrespecting my answer?”


They just stood there, minutes ticking by, staring the other down.


Scar must’ve circled back when he realized she wasn’t following, for he was suddenly beside both of them, arms crossed over his chest, “Is there a problem, Dalantu?”


“Are all Newly Blooded Warriors losing track of mannerisms?” Dalantu growled, dreadlocks whipping as he glared at the yellowish-greenish Yautja.


“*Honored* Warrior Dalantu…” Scar corrected himself, eyes narrowing.


If the air wasn’t tense before, it practically crackled with the electric intensity now.


Dalantu seemed to measure the Blooded Warrior, before asking in a low and serious tone, “Do you speak for her?”


Scar’s amber eyes narrowed even more. He switched his gaze to Lex’s confused brown, before returning to Dalantu’s orange orbs. He clicked in irritation, but otherwise said nothing.


The Honored Warrior growled, stepping closer to the other warrior as he repeated, “Do you…?”


Scar turned once more to look at Lex. She got chills from it this time, unsure of what it was within the depths of that gaze. Something was not being said, something that neither of them could acknowledge. Lex wasn’t sure what, exactly, Dalantu’s question meant. But Scar’s reaction made her reassess its importance.


The Blooded Warrior finally turned his gaze away, looking at neither Lex nor Dalantu as he replied sullenly, “No…”

-o-o-o-

Hmm, that only took a while to get out. Sorry guys, didn’t realize I hadn’t posted this yet.