~Left 2 Love~ OC!Hunter X Reader Final

Author Notes:
-Woo! Chapter 4! This is going to be the final, so I hoped you all enjoyed it ^^ The ending was kind of cliché xD
Disclaimer: I do NOT own Left 4 Dead or the games’ characters! I ONLY own the plot!
--

For the remainder of the day, I grew used to the sight of infected heads being blown into nothing but a red mist. It seemed these four really favored the shotguns in these situations, while I preferred any gun I could find.

We had covered several miles in a modicum of hours. I was generally surprised at how little infected individuals were stumbling through the streets, tumbling over debris and, at times, air. I later learned that the four I was accompanying had traveled the same area that I had previously and had rid of the tedious infected. Good for me, I suppose.

Through our journey through the town, we encountered other infected that I had never seen before. Zoey informed me of the Boomer, the Witch, and the one called a Tank. Apparently the Witch and the Tanks were rare, so I have yet to see what they look like. However, I was told that it would be best if we don’t see them.

As we rounded a corner and found a highway, I couldn’t help but feel as if I was being watched. It was familiar to the time when I was being pursued by a Smoker. But there was an odd…haunting feeling that was much more chilling than simply being followed. It was being followed by something dangerous. I focused my attention behind me, listening for anything that could hint to what was following me. All I needed was a sound, even if barely audible.

“_____-“

“GAH!”

“Shh!”

I swiftly turned on my heel, looking at the scowling man behind me. “Francis! Don’t scare me like that,” I hissed.

“I wouldn’t have to if you’d watch where you’re going,” he pointed ahead of me, motioning to the missing sewer grate I nearly stepped into. He shook his head, walking around me towards Louis who lay a few yards ahead, mumbling something along the lines of “at least she didn’t have the bar”. My eyes looked down into the manhole that lay only a few feet ahead of me. I was so caught up that I hadn’t been paying attention; I could have died.

It was beginning to get dark when we made it through most of the highway, finally making it to the other side of the town. It was much like the other side, but with more infected and more destruction. Vehicles were upturned, the doors having been twisted and ripped off. There were also several chunks of debris scattered around at spontaneous locations throughout the highway, like something had taken parts of the road and flung them into the air.

“There’s a safe house ahead,” Bill pointed out as he gestured towards the painting on the road. It showed a house with a plus mark through it, as well as an arrow that pointed towards the upcoming throng of small houses.

By the time we reached the first house, the signs of the safe room were everywhere. Feeling confident that I had bashed in a decent amount of zombie brains, I decided that I would take the lead in finding the safe haven. Zoey gave me a knowing grin as she walked behind me. I felt great, like I could take on the world at this point. Anything life wanted to throw at me was nothing but child play right now.

Well, anything but the mutated Hulk around the corner. As I turned, I came face-to-face with the biggest hunk of muscle I had ever seen; he stood at least six foot tall, and had to weigh more than three cars of pure muscle. As his blank eyes caught sight of my - now trembling - form, he released a loud, deep wail of frustration. With that, I quickly turned on my heel and ran as fast I could, leaving the other four in the dust.

I could hear the thing screaming in a gurgled voice, the ground shaking as it charged me. Behind me the four called out in unison, “TANK!” Really? I didn’t seem to notice one following right at my heels as I ran for my life, Captain Obvious!

They shot at its back, but the thing seemed indestructible and impervious to the bullets. My limbs were pumping with adrenaline as I picked up speed, nearly dropping my gun. Then, I saw my escape: one of the largest trees I’ve ever seen. I continued my sprint towards the tree, knowing that if I could get into the higher branches, this big lug of anger issues wouldn’t be able to reach me if he tried to climb it. I wasn’t in the mood for a throttling by this Tank.

When I grew near, I made one critical mistake as I attempted to save my life: I dropped my gun in favor of both of my hands, jumping up onto the trunk and quickly making my way skyward. My hands and face were getting scraped by the small branches, but I could care less. I used my legs to push myself higher, my arms pulling me up and then beginning the sequence over again. I suddenly felt the tree tremble, and I looked down to see the large mass wrapping his stubby fingers around the wood, only to have it snap under his weight. Every branch he grasped broke like a toothpick. I was tempted to stick my tongue out, but I didn’t want to jinx my life.

The Tank finally gave up the climbing routine, knowing he wouldn’t be able to rip the large oak from the ground, and began to pace around the base. I finally took the time to inspect him, realizing how much he resembled a gorilla by the way he walked on his hands and made heavy breathing sounds. It was amusing, especially since I was safe for the most part. For a moment, I looked out from the direction I came from, looking for my comrades, and found a tidal wave of infected were traveling in one direction. Francis must have hit a car.

I looked back down and I couldn’t help but chuckle as the prodigious Tank began to grow more and more annoyed by the second, occasionally releasing grunts of anger.

“That’s what you get for being all brawns and no brain!” I cooed with a grin as the Tank growled loudly at me. He couldn’t get me; I had nothing to worry about. Until, he buried his fingers in the hard ground, pulling up a huge chunk of Earth. My (color) eyes widened tenfold as he raised it above his head, getting ready to throw it.

When the clump left his oversized hands, I put my arms in front of my face to shield my eyes from the debris; but in doing so, I lost my grip on the branch and slipped. I wasn’t very high in the air, but the Tank had ripped off all other branches, so I was sent directly to the ground on the other side of the tree. I landed on my back, the air being ripped from my lungs as pain shot through my body like lightning. I gasped for air, needing to replenish the oxygen that was forced out.

I could feel the Tank walking around the tree; his footsteps were not light and graceful. As I turned on my side to move my head, I saw it approaching me slowly. It even looked like the Tank was smirking. I couldn’t believe this. I was going to die; there was nothing else this Tank would do to me. From what I had been told, their cycle was to find a survivor in the most intimidating way possible, rip them to shreds and dance on their internal organs, and then repeat it all over again. And now I was going to become part of the vicious cycle.

I closed my eyes, waiting for my brains to be destroyed with a flick of his wrist; however, it was much worse. As I did so, I suddenly heard the gurgled growling of a Hunter from the other direction, and it was close. Great, just great. Now I not only had to endure the wrath of the Tank, but I was going to become confetti by a Hunter. What a day.

But what the Hunter did was nothing less of utterly shocking. I heard the cry, feeling déjà vu all over my body, and heard the sound of ripping flesh. I quickly opened my eyes to see the Hunter on the side of the Tank, tearing at his throat with its enormous claws. But, it wasn’t just any Hunter. They were wearing an incredibly bright blue jacket with strange square designs on the left side of the front.

My heart sank as I realized it was Devin. He was right in front of me, trying to kill the Tank. The blood was gushing everywhere, the sounds of a Tank screaming in pain and Devin yipping as he hurled chunk after chunk of mutated flesh into the air. It was almost touching, except it was two mutated creatures trying to kill each other. The Tank would try to grab onto Devin, to get a good grip on him, but he would simply move to another spot where the Tank couldn’t reach, never ending his onslaught on the Tank’s neck.

Just as I was about to push myself into a standing position, I heard the long, anguished cry of the Tank as its lifeless body fell to its knees, falling forward and nearly landing on me. I jumped in surprise as the head landed next to my knees. I then forgot the Tank, and I immediately looked around for Devin. As expected, he crawled from around the Tank, making his was straight towards me. My feelings were so mixed, like the fear of what he’s become and excitement of him being there were thrown into a blender and put on a high setting.

“Devin?” my voice cracked as I asked cautiously, unsure if he could understand me. I could feel the familiar burning sensation in my nose as he seemed to release a low rumble from within his chest, crawling closer until he was within arm’s reach. I slowly sat up, using my hands to keep my balanced as I lie on my side, my upper half raised into the air. It was nerve-racking; I expected him to either attack or run away. But, he did neither.

I stiffened as his hooded head moved closer to me, his curly blonde hair swaying and tickling my nose as he leaned in. My cheeks grew heated as he began to sniff the area around my nose, moving up to place his nose against the side of my head as he inspected my hair. Goosebumps appeared on every inch of my skin as his hot breath swept against my scalp.

As he pulled back, I watched as his bloodied mouth twisted into a toothy grin, a deep, husky purr vibrating from his chest.  This was it; I was going to be Hunter food. He leaned in again, his mouth opening as a putrid stench was freed, and I closed my eyes and prepared for the worst –again.

And then something wet slid across my cheek, traveling down my jaw. I opened my eyes to see his shaggy blonde hair moving south, his tongue traveling down to my neck. Was he getting a taste of his meal? Or was it supposed to be endearing? I wasn’t sure, but I was really curious as to find out what exactly it was.

I soon realized what it was when he used his hands to push me onto my back, his mouth soon attaching itself to my neck in playful bites. A giggle tore through my throat at the strange feeling, like a puppy playing. Devin immediately pulled away, a pleased look on his face. I couldn’t see his eyes, only the dried blood that cascaded down his cheeks, but I could feel a sudden change in the atmosphere. He wasn’t going to hurt me; he actually saved me from the Tank. Maybe he just needed to make sure I was okay. Maybe he was the strange feeling that someone was following me. If he was, it would explain so much. And now here he was, and I couldn’t feel happier.

“_____! Get away from it!” I heard Bill’s voice call from only a few yards away. Instantly, Devin’s once happy attitude turned violent as his purring turned into a veracious growling, his sharpened teeth barred. I was about to stand when he suddenly crawled over me, putting his hands and feet on either side of me, his head near mine. He was protecting me again.

“Don’t shoot him!” I quickly exclaimed, raising my hands into the air as I looked back at the group through my upside down world. “He’s not going to hurt anyone.”

“He’s still a Hunter! He’d kill us all just for the fun of it,” Francis screamed back at me, anger in his voice.

“He killed that Tank before it could kill me,” I quickly refuted, allowing them a pause to see the Tank with the bleeding jugular. “Devin wouldn’t do anything to hurt me, I promise,” I continued. There was no way any of them were going to take him away from me, no matter what he became. He meant too much to me, more than just comfort, and he even saved my life. And to top it off, he was protecting me, the very opposite of what the others were claiming.

Bill lowered his gun, gazing at the Tank. “Is that so?” he quietly asked himself, humming in thought as his eyes turned back to Devin as his growling gradually began to quiet.

~

In the end, the team allowed Devin to join the crowd. However, they always made him and I take the lead, to make sure that he was around only me. He still couldn’t trust the others, so they kept a safe distance. I knew the risks of bringing him along, but I couldn’t think of leaving him behind either. We all agreed that if at any time Devin decided to attack, he was getting a bullet through his head. But that just seemed to make me feel better, because no one was ever going to have to pull that trigger on him.

And besides, if I left him behind, he would find me. If we were ever separated, it was only brief. He was always by my side, watching over me and protecting me as his “mate”. I was his, and he was mine. And I knew in the back of my mind, it was time to turn the page on our old history, and begin a new chapter in the new world.