Protective Locus

*Story involves Agent Texas and Locus, along with an unidentified Man. Scene takes place at a Bar and the Base. **(This is part of the Locus X Texas Ship)***

**Tex:** \*Tex pushes open the door to a bar not too far from base, and pauses to look around inside\*

**Locus:** \*Standing behind her\* You know, you're not a very good door...

**Tex:** Oh fuck off. I was making sure there weren't any UNSC assholes here. \*she walks in fully, shouldering past a few people to get to a table near the main bar where she can keep an eye on the entrances\*

**Locus:** \*slowly follows behind, eyeballing everyone on the room and checking behind him constantly\* You sure do pick lovely places...

**Tex:** Hey- you wanted to go somewhere. This is where I get most of my intel. So for me, this is two birds with one stone. I get a drink and info, and I got you a place to go. So stop whining. \*she says the last part with a joking tone\*

**Locus:** \*mimics quietly\* so stop whining... Pssh..  \*walks past her\* I'm going out back for a min, helmet is acting up..

**Tex:** \*she squints at him for mimicking her but nods\* Alright.

**Locus:** \*disappears through the crowd\*

**Tex:** \*as she watches him leave, she sits down and almost instantly feels like she's being watched. She looks up and glances around at the other people in the room, trying to find the pair of eyes pointed in her direction\*

**Man:** \*Man several tables looks away hastily to avoid eye contact and fakes a conversation of getting more drinks to let himself get up\*

**Tex:** \*not noticing anyone, she shrugs and casually throws a hand up to signal the bartender, who sends a waiter over\* Surprise me on the drink, but make it strong. Nothing mixed. \*the waited nods and walks away to get her a drink, and she pulls up her recent training stats on her HUD to look over while she waits\*

**Man:** \*the man slips over to the waiter, who is now returning with her drink and hands him something, and proceeds to take the drink from the waiter. As he heads towards her he slips something in it, and sits down next to her\* I believe this is your's miss... \*slides the drink over to her\*

**Tex:** \*she grabs the glass\* Thank you. \*as she swirls the drink around in the glass, she eyes the man curiously\* I dont think I know you. Do you work here?

**Man:** Yes I do actually. Worked here for several months now. \*small smirk\* I guess I just don't stick out to the cute girls do I?

**Tex:** Ha, Guess not. Maybe you should ask one who gives a shit enough to look at you- \*she mutters the last sentence, rolling her eyes beneath her helmet before taking it off\*

**Man:** \*raises an eyebrow at her\* Maybe I like the ones who play hard to get.

**Tex:** Hard to get and impossible to interest are two VERY different things, bud.

**Man:** If that's what you think sweetheart. I feel like I can charm you around.

**Tex:** I am highly inclined to doubt that theory. \*she takes a look at him before slightly raising an eyebrow and shaking her head, taking a drink\* And don't call me sweetheart.

**Man:** \*smiles heavily\* That won't be the only thing I call you tonight..

**Tex:** You're probably right. Among other names you may think you'll call me, "bitch" and "murderer" will most likely come up.

**Locus:** \*deactivates camo behind Tex and takes her drink from her\* Make yourself sick now... \*his voice is colder than ever before\*

**Tex:** \*she jumps slightly and looks at him\* Jesus christ, Locus- what?

**Locus:** \*Looks directly at the man\* You... \*slams the glass on the table shattering it and grabbing him by the collar of his shirt\* Tex, I said make yourself sick. There's something in your drink...  \*bar quiets down\*

**Tex:** \*she tenses, looking around as people stare\* Easy Locus.. People are watching.. \*she stands from her chair and goes to reach for his arm but stumbles, grabbing the table so she doesnt fall and she blinks\* Fuck.

**Locus:** \*looks at her quickly and back at the man\* Well now you fucked up sir. \*looks at her\* Stay still and try not to do anything.. Besides throwing up like I told you... \*Focuses back on the man\* As for you... \*holds him in the air with one hand while reaching for a stool with the other, grasping it firmly by one of the legs and picking it up\* We get to play a game...

**Tex:** I'm gonna go outside... Dont.. Dont kill him while I'm gone. \*she holds a hand to her head, stumbling to an exit a few feet away, she stands right outside, holding the wall\* Mother fucker.. \*a few moments later, she stands up straight, wiping her mouth with a disgusted look as she had just made herself sick as she was instructed. Still dizzy, she continues to use the wall to steady herself and walks back in\*

**Locus:** \*watches her walk out\* No promises. \*Looks at the man\* Now it's my turn. \*throws the man into the table right behind Locus. Then he turns and slams the stool over the mans legs obliterating the bones and rendering them useless. The man screams out in pain but is cut off as Locus slams his foot into his ribcage knocking the air out silencing the man. Then he picks up a broken piece of stool and stabs him in his arm, ironically the one that put the drug in Tex's drink. Locus stops as he see's Tex come back inside.\* I'm not done with you...

**Tex:** \*she looks down at the man and back at Locus, then back down at the man with anger in her eyes\* Serves you right.

**Locus:** \*looks at her\* You should sit. \*his voice still cold, but when addressing her seems to be caring as well\*

**Tex:** \*she nods slowly and another person pushes a stool towards him silently, too busy watching to say anything. As she sits down, she looks at the scene before her, taking it in fully with a mixture of anger and shock\*

**Locus:** \*turns back to the man\* Now... I have a punishment for you. \*pulls his knife out and crouched down towards the mans face, forcing open the mans mouth and jaggedly cutting out the mans tongue. The man is struggling viscously against Locus, but to no avail. He continues cutting out his tongue. Once it's lose Locus pulls it out and stabs it to the floor\* Now About you flirting with her... Not happening anymore. \*stands up and slams his foot into the mans crotch\* That's not going to be used anymore... \*slowly turns and examines the man\* Ah... \*leans back over the mans head and gouged out his eyes with his hands\* No more... Looking at her... \*after destroying the mans eyes he wipes his hands on the mans clothes and stands back up, looking at the pathetic whimpering man who's barely conscious\*

**Tex:** \*she quickly stands and grabs her gun as someone seems to rush to stop Locus\* Leave him be. \*the person stops in his tracks and holds his hands up in surrender as a few others leave the bar in a hurry but others stay to watch. Tex puts her gun back in its place and sits back down, holding her head\*

**Locus:** \*Looks at her\* Are you ok?

**Tex:** I'm fine. We need to go before shit goes downhill..

**Locus:** \*walks over to the bar and grabs a few bottles\* In a minute. \*pours the contents of the bottles on the man and looks at him\* Hope it was worth it. \*pulls a lighter out, lights it and drops it on the man, setting him ablaze. Locus turns and walks back towards Tex\* Now we can go. Are you able to walk? Or should I carry you?

**Tex:** \*she stares at the man and then looks at Locus, shocked\* I think I got it. \*she stands from her chair one last time and heads towards the exit, the crowd parting to get out of their way\*

**Locus:** \*he grabs her helmet with one hand and hurries towards her, following her out the door, grabbing her hand with his other free one\*

**Tex:** Fuck, I didn't realize I had left my helmet..

**Locus:** I got it, it's all good.

**Tex:** Thank you. \*she blinks a few times at the change of lighting and thinks for a moment\* Hopefully nobody reports you..

**Locus:** \*shrugs\* I'll say he was a target. Bullshit coverup story.

**Tex:** I'll have Zeta create a fake mission report on him and put it in the system when we get back then. Make it look real.

**Locus:** Thanks. Are you good? \*asked with concern in his voice\*

**Tex:** Dizzy, But I'm fine.. Everythings kinda fuzzy.

**Locus:** \*squeezes her hand\* You sure?

**Tex:** \*she nods\* Would've been a lot worse if you hadn't stepped in, so yeah I'm sure.

**Locus:** Alright. Where are you sleeping tonight? Cause we don't need you falling in the hallway.

**Tex:** Hallway sounds comfortable though- \*she has a slight sarcastic tone\*

**Locus:** True... Wherever you want.

**Tex:** I'd say my room but I'm not ready for a Zeta lecture.

**Locus:** Mine again?

**Tex:** Sure.

**Locus:** Alright. \*escorts her to his room and let's her climb into the bed first\* No funny business. \*removes armor pieces quickly, and climbs into bed, laying next to her\*

**Tex:** \*she rolls her eyes and yawns\* fucking hell that was eventful.. \*As she starts to drift into sleep, her eyes close and she slightly relaxes\*

**Locus:** \*leans over and kisses her forehead and holds one of her hands as he starts to fall asleep, positioning himself as if he was protecting her\*