sunchime | [ DEMON HUNTER DRIFT AU: PART II (SFW) ]

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[ DEMON HUNTER DRIFT AU: PART II (SFW) ]

DEMON HUNTER DRIFT AU: PART II
Part I (extremely NSFW) (it's very gross) (I'm sorry about everything)
Part II (NSFW post)

IT'S BACK, BABY

Imagine, if you will, that Drift is not a robot, but a gratuitously tropey half-demon hunter roaming around Boston killing demons in order to atone for his as a, well, killer for the demons. For all intents and purposes you can just assume this takes place in the same universe as Buffy (or something like it) for the sake of using a conveniently existing lore that I already really like. Maybe with an extra side of Kabbalah. whatever

HERE ARE SOME FACTS ABOUT DEMON HUNTER AU DRIFT:

Drift is half-demon on his father's side. He never really knew his dad, idk he like fucked off or got slayed at some point when Drift was young and he was mostly raised by his mother, who died of cancer when he was a teenager. It was real sad and Drift had no money and got pretty promptly kicked out of his mom's apartment shortly after her death. This made Drift a TRAGIC TEEN ORPHAN who was homeless on the streets for a while, and given his ~UNIQUE HALF-DEMON AURA~ it wasn't really very long before he fell in with a bad crowd. A demon crowd
Tragic teen orphan Drift got into drugs, specifically orihalcon, a potent substance derived from the refined blood of certain types of demons, because regular human drugs don't quite cut it for him. He was pretty knee-deep in the local demon community, partly because he didn't fit in anywhere else, partly because some of them knew his dad.
Drift spent a while as a homeless addict, barely scraping by, until he was recruited by Megatron, a powerful demon lord who saw much more potential in Drift and his untamed demon powers. He offered Drift a place in his ranks even though he was half-human, and helped him hone his terrifyingly natural talent for violence. For a while Drift mostly did it to feed his habit, but he began to enjoy the rush of violence and of releasing his DEMON SIDE way more than the drugs and eventually got clean.
He also inherited this sweet demon sword from his dad that Megatron apparently had handy. It is powered by his DEMON SIDE
Eventually though Drift's taste for violence got a little out of control and after pissing off some of his superiors for wildly disobeying orders in favor of MORE VIOLENCE, he fucked off and went into hiding. It was at this time that he met a witch named Wing from a smug hippie witch cult based in San Francisco. Wing offered him sanctuary and to teach him to better control his demon side by being ~~more in tune with the spirits~~. Drift took the sanctuary because he had nowhere else to hide, but wound up begrudgingly coming around to Wing's way of seeing things, at least enough to grow to care about him. Unfortunately for the both of them Drift's UNIQUE HALF-DEMON AURA led Megatron's forces right to the Wing's door and he got horribly murdered. Drift managed to get away but he was so tragically torn by the untimely death of his spiritual sensei that he swore off working for Megatron and decided to USE HIS POWERS FOR GOOD
Since then he's discarded the name Megatron gave him and returned to Boston as the newly-reformed demon hunter Drift. He lives in a tiny, shitty apartment in Southie and fights demons by moonlight in order to help people out and atone for his murder-filled past. He has fully embraced his former mentor's spirituality with a level of enthusiasm that, tbh, should probably be worrying. He believes (or hopes, at least) that what Wing taught him will not only help him keep his demon side in check (he is pretty much always concerned he will LOSE CONTROL), but also lead to his eventual redemption. Unfortunately Drift is still learning how exactly to have real faith in something because he is the world's biggest faker
He is Jewish because I know what I like and oh boy does he ever dabble in Kabbalah and a lot of other magical spirituality bullshit that mostly drives other people up the wall
Being half-demon has a lot of perks, SUCH AS: super strength/reflexes/stamina, accelerated healing, and being able to jump way higher than any human. He's obviously not as powerful as a full-blooded demon, but plenty powerful enough to be able to take them head on. He's also really good at fighting shit. Drift's swordsmanship is pretty solid, having been trained in Megatron's demon army, but also he has studied very seriously from a lot of kung fu and action films
He literally owns fourteen swords

PREVIOUSLY ON DEMON HUNTER DRIFT AU:

Rodimus is this AU's equivalent of the Slayer, and Ultra Magnus is her Watcher. She and Drift are best buds who also make out a lot. Ultra Magnus STRONGLY DISAPPROVES of Rodimus spending time with someone with Drift's substantial murder past but Rodimus believes wholeheartedly in Drift's turning a new leaf.
Perceptor (Percy) is a talented witch and physicist who also serves as Drift's go-to for information about demon lore and magic. They go back a long, long ways, and is one of a handful of people Drift trusts implicitly.
Dealer was, predictably, Drift's orihalcon dealer when he was living on the streets. There were some bad (good) (bad) times that Drift would really love to never talk about, and Dealer loves to hold over his head.
Ratchet is a trauma surgeon whose family was killed by demons around the time Deadlock was active. After patching up Drift a couple of times, they fell into an undefined sort-of relationship that nearly came to an end when Ratchet found out just who Drift used to be. After taking some time and talking to just about everyone else Drift knows, Ratchet decided he still wanted to know Drift as he is now, though things between them are still uncertain.

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

Drift gives Ratchet a come on, really? look but seems to have the unexpected wisdom of not pushing it any further. Two against one just isn't fair. Bra'ad, tapping a pencil to his order pad, nods at Ratchet.

"You ask him, he'll just list the entire menu. Which is about what he orders every time." A gross exaggeration, but Bra'ad is still grinning. He is, apparently, one of the few demons allowed to just relentlessly give Drift shit. "We've got a special on curried lamb tonight, I make a mean pork shumai, and we've got the best moon dumplings in the city. Don't believe the ogre running China House in JP, he uses sherry instead of shao hsing wine."

This demon clearly takes his Chinese food very seriously.

"And what'll you have, stabby?" Bra'ad says to Drift, but doesn't actually wait for him to answer. "Potstickers, nime chow, chicken pad see ew, basil fried rice?"

Drift raises a hand. "And a tom yum soup."

"Tom yum soup, got it." Bra'ad scrawls it all down in illegible shorthand and then glances back at Ratchet. "Need a minute? I can grab you some drinks."

Drift gets a hell yes, really look right back but he grins up at Bra'ad, his eyes bright.

"Curry and moon dumplings and a water would be great, thanks."

"You got it, pal."

Bra'ad salutes them both with his pencil, tucks it behind his ear, and trundles off toward the kitchen, horned tail swaying behind him. Drift watches him go for only a second, discreetly rubbing his palms on the legs of his jeans. Does he usually get sweaty palms? He and Ratchet have had weirder and more awkward things happen between them than a cheap dinner, it's incredibly stupid to be a little nervous about this, and yet here he is, trying not to fidget in his chair like he's seventeen.

"So, ah -- what do you think?" Drift tries to keep the earnest note out of his voice, but the truth is, while he doesn't expect Ratchet to be impressed by this place, he is really hoping he's at least pleased. "I know it's not anything fancy, but..."

"I think I need to get Chinese more often," Ratchet says, watching after Bra'ad in a sort of pleased, open fascination that has nothing to do with the tail he apparently has. He tears his attention away and back to Drift after a moment before catching the look on his face, his eyes widening a little before his expression softens, just the slightest bit.

"Fancy's not really my thing," he says, his voice warm. "It's nice to see one of your regular places. I'm glad you brought me here."

Drift is starting to see the unwisdom in introducing Ratchet to Bra'ad, but he's sealed his fate. This is just going to be his life now.

He brightens, though, with a sightly idiotic smile that he doesn't bother trying to hide, although he still feels distinctly seventeen. "Oh, well -- good. I just figured, you know, if you wanted to keep doing this, then maybe we should try an actual date."

He doesn't really know what this means, exactly, and he feels a little stupid about having introduced Ratchet as his good friend, but up until that point he hadn't considered how exactly to quantify his relationship with Ratchet. He rubs the back of his neck and clears his throat, feeling a little awkward still but not wanting to let that stop him.

"I know it's always your place, or something else yours, and it's not like you've ever pressured me or anything, I just -- I don't know, I thought I should share something of mine, too."

He's trying, Ratchet. He's just terrible at this.

"Agreed," Ratchet says, watching Drift's face and folding his own hands on the tabletop. He hesitates for a moment, biting at the inside of his lip, before he inclines his head slightly.

"You're a private person, Drift," he says carefully. "For what I can imagine is extremely good reason. I don't mind you coming over or going to places I know, but don't mistake that for me not being curious, or not wanting to know more about you. I'm just not interested in hassling you about it." He looks down at his own hands, feeling stupid about the warmth expanding slowly in his chest but unable to help it.

"It means something to me that you brought me here. I appreciate it, and not just for the food."

"I appreciate it." Drift's never once thought Ratchet displayed any lack of interest, but there has been some handling with care between the two of them. Despite himself, a little bit of color rises to his cheeks, and that dumb smile gets a little dumber. "And I'm glad. It means something to me too. And I thought it'd be nice to talk and get to know each other when you're not stitching me up or dousing me in peroxide. Like -- you've never told me why you decided to become a doctor."

"Yeah. It is nice," Ratchet says before he frowns, looking thoughtful.

"I always wanted to. Both my parents worked in medicine but they didn't push me into it, I just--I don't know. I never really thought about it, I guess."

"You never really thought about medical school?" Drift raises an eyebrow, looking a little amused, and he smiles. "That's kind of a big undertaking. Most people do think about it. But I guess that means you're doing what you were really meant to be doing."

"I mean, I thought about what I wanted to do in medical school, but whether or not I was going... not really."

Ratchet looks at Drift curiously for a moment.

"What do you think you were meant to do then? Besides this, obviously--what did you study?"

Drift blinks, not having expected the conversation to turn around back on him so quickly. Well -- he did say he wanted to share more with Ratchet. The second question is, at least, a lot easier to answer than the first.

"Oh, uh -- I didn't."

"Didn't--what, didn't go to college?" Ratchet immediately feels like an idiot, which he tries not to let show too obviously on his face as he half-shrugs. "Well--I don't know, what was your favorite subject, then? What do you think you'd want to be doing if it wasn't..."

He gestures to the huge sword propped delicately against the back of Drift's chair, tilting his head.

"I don't know."

It's a painfully honest answer, not just because Drift wants to be honest, but because he couldn't have given any other answer if he tried. He's thought about it from time to time -- what he'd be doing if he hadn't strayed from the path, if he hadn't wound up on the streets, if he'd somehow managed to pull himself together before Megatron had dragged him out of the gutter -- but he's never been able to answer it for himself. What he's doing now is what he's supposed to be doing, he's sure. But that doesn't mean it's what he was meant to do. On that, he's always felt lost. He lets out a half-laugh for levity, rubbing the back of his neck.

"I really don't know. I liked school when I was a kid, I guess, but I wasn't really...focused on it. For a while, I was mostly focused on just getting by. And then...you know." Deadlock. Murder. That whole thing. You know. #halfdemonthings. He shrugs. "Maybe if I'd finished high school I'd have given it more serious thought, but it wasn't a thing I ever really thought about."

"Mmm," Ratchet says, feeling more like an oblivious, privileged ass by the second, but he just looks down at his hands on the table and digests this for a moment, turning it over slowly in his head.

"If you liked school, is there a reason you haven't gone back to it? Went and tested for your GED, I mean, you won't be able to cram that sword into one of those little lockers."

Drift puffs out a laugh at that, leaning back in his chair.

"I mean...I haven't really needed it. I looked into it a little while ago, but it's kind of pricey, and it hasn't really come up since." He shrugs again, folding his hands behind his head. "I stopped going to school when I was sixteen. I do kind of wish I'd been able to finish, but I don't think getting my GED now would change much."

"Mmm, a bit," Ratchet says, eyeing Drift thoughtfully. "But if you ever decide to, y'know, get out of the violent-demon-hunting business, it might be helpful. Or wanted a steady part-time job, even."

Drift raises an eyebrow. "I think I'm pretty set in my career path for now. And I get decent enough work. A steady job might put a bit of a dent in my actual work."

Yes, he considers running around Boston and stabbing demons to be more of a job than manning a cash register at the Star Market. One of these things is spiritually rewarding and leads to self-actualization. The other bags groceries.

He is momentarily rescued from the topic at hand when Bra'ad comes by with a serving tray positively stacked with dishes. "Curry and moon dumplings for you," Bra'ad says, placing two dishes in front of Ratchet, and then two glasses of water, "and the rest of the menu for you, kid. Flag me down if you need anything, yeah?"

The small table is now completely covered in various plates of food, most of them Drift's, and he looks positively pleased at the sight of it. It has been a while. "Sure thing, Bra'ad. Thanks!"

"Your actual unpaid work," Ratchet says, but then Bra'ad is there and so is the food. Ratchet nods his thanks and starts on the dumplings, his eyes warming as he watches the genuine delight on Drift's face.

"That good, huh? Or is it comfort food?"

Drift's mouth is already full of noodles by the time the words are out of Ratchet's mouth.

"Both?" he tries, with his mouth mostly full, then thinks the better of trying to keep talking like that and washes it down with a few gulps of water. "I mean, I wouldn't keep coming here if it wasn't good, but it is kind of comfort food, I guess. I was mostly on a steady diet of takeout when I was still in school."

That has obviously not changed much.

"At least this takeout has some vegetables, so you don't manage to successfully test whether or not half-demons can drop dead from a vitamin c deficiency."

Ratchet bites into a dumpling and sighs, his eyes half-lidded for a moment before he swallows, looking deeply content.

"It is good, though."

"Hasn't happened yet," Drift points out with an obnoxiously cheerful little wave of his chopsticks. "Just because I don't cook much at home doesn't mean I never eat vegetables, Ratchet."

His smile settles, though, and he rests his chin on one hand. "Yeah? You wouldn't mind coming back here sometime? Assuming I get a second date, of course."

Ratchet rolls his eyes but his expression warms after a minute and he settles in his seat, watching Drift right back.

"Yeah. I'd like that, on both counts."

Drift positively beams at that, although it only lasts a moment before he's back to devouring the food in front of him. He's had a big day by the look of it. You burn a lot of calories killing demons, man.

"So," he says when he pauses for breath again, taking a sip from his cup, "another thing I never asked you -- where are you from? Are you local, or did you move here?"

"Local, and I never had to move. Not like there aren't enough hospitals in Boston."

Ratchet watches Drift curiously, willing to answer his questions but not quite sure if he'll have all of his own answered in return, unused to Drift wanting to open up about, well, anything that happened before they met. He takes a bite of curry.

"You seem familiar with the area enough. Have you lived here all your life?"

What they need is more of an even trade, Drift's decided. Ratchet's done so much for him, and Drift -- well, he saved Ratchet's life once, although Ratchet never seemed to think it necessary. He's coming to realize these days that he hasn't given Ratchet very much at all.

He nods, prodding at his potstickers. "Yeah, pretty much." After another moment he adds, "Mostly Southie. I lived in Dorchester for a while, too."

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