Fated (Bloodhound x Eve (OC))

Frustration

"I cannot decide what is best for you — only you can choose your path. No matter the outcome, I will stand beside you proudly."

-x-

Eve clenched her jaw in frustration, her Flatline emitting a hollow click as the last bullet left her magazine. Horizon was in her sights, one shot left to down her in her weakened state. All Eve needed to do was swap guns and the kill would be hers. She reached for her Volt, but the second before she could draw the weapon, the sound of a Rampage burst close to her left. Her ears rang from the proximity and she ground her teeth together when she realized what was happening.

Gunner.

Gunner shot a single bullet, downing Horizon, swooping in after Eve had done most of the damage. This was the second kill he had taken from her today, from an enemy she was one or two hits from taking out.

"Hey!" Eve cried as he finished Horizon off with a heavy crack to the skull with the butt of his gun.

Gunner ignored her call out and bent to rummage through the woman's death box, stuffing stacks of heavy and light ammo into his bag. Eve quickly knelt down to recuperate some of her lost ammo — she'd used her last clip of heavy to deplete Horizon's shield and health. She almost screamed in frustration when Gunner grabbed the last stack before she could, physically blocking her from taking it.

For some reason, he had been placed on her team. She'd only played a match or two with him very early on in her time here, and it seemed like an odd choice for them to be together now. Maybe the matchups were truly random, but Eve doubted it. There was no way the Apex panel would leave their viewership and ratings completely to chance. But this was a cruel joke, a scenario she hadn't planned for and hadn't run the numbers for.

Eve took a deep breath. Maybe he hadn't intentionally stolen her kills. Maybe he didn't know that she had literally tracked and cornered Horizon, repeatedly damaged her until the woman had used up all her syringes and shield cells, then did 190 damage until she was almost downed. Maybe Gunner didn't know that if he got that last bullet in her to down her that he would get the kill. Maybe he didn't realize how selfish it was to take all the ammo this late in the game. That was a lot of 'maybes' but Eve hoped it was pure ignorance on his part.

Because if he did know...

"Hey," Eve tried again more calmly as he steadily walked towards the next ring without waiting for her. "I'm not sure if you realized it, but it's usually seen as kind of...bad etiquette to come in for the killing shot when someone else did the rest of the damage and was about to finish the enemy."

He didn't acknowledge her at all, but kept walking, his back to her. She cleared her throat. He had to have heard her.

"And-and you took all the ammo. I know you have three guns, but it's usually nice to leave a little for your teammates, especially after a fight like that," she explained.

Gunner kept walking forward, completely ignoring her. There was no way he hadn't heard her.

Eve jogged forward and gripped his thick bicep to get his attention. It flexed under her small hand and he jerked his arm out of her grasp. She stumbled a little from the force of the movement, her anger flaring. She bolted around the front of him and put her hands on her hips, rising to her full height, still much tinier than the man before her. Eve did her best to appear as stern as possible.

"Gunner," she started, trying her best to sound commanding. "We have to play as a team. It's just you and me now. I know we're—"

"I don't think you do know." The man finally stopped, towering over her. It was impossible to see his eyes from behind his aviator sunglasses, but he tilted his head down to look at her, stocky shoulders squared. "Etiquette? This is a battle. Where's the etiquette in filling enemies with lead?"