'Attachment' AU (MATT)

part 1

A Few Hours Ago

The rain poured mercilessly, sizzling as it hit the scorched ground and dissolving anything it touched. The acrid scent of melting foliage filled the air, but Ike barely noticed. His thick, heat-resistant fur kept him protected from the corrosive downpour as he trudged through the dead forest, his ears twitching at every distant hiss of disintegrating wood.

He needed to get back to the base—the makeshift tree-like shack he had built for himself and Soar. It wasn’t much, but it was tall enough for her and sturdy enough to withstand the brutal storms that plagued the land.

Soar never liked accepting help. She had always been too independent, too focued on others' issues. But Ike didn’t care. He was going to prove to her that relying on someone else wasn’t a weakness. That she didn’t have to handle everything on her own.

That’s why he was out here in the first place.

Earlier that day, while wandering through the ruins of the old sentry towers, he had stumbled upon something big—a blueprint detailing the construction of a portal. A way out. He had practically jumped out of his fur when he saw it, knowing Soar would want to see it. She never let herself hope for an escape, but maybe—just maybe—this time would be different.

With that thought in mind, Ike grinned as he spotted the tall structure in the distance, its massive branches woven together like a fortress. The acid rain continued to eat away at the dying land, but he didn’t care. He bolted forward, eager to find the blueprint and bring it back to Soar.

Bursting through the entrance, he shook off the droplets clinging to his fur, sending a fine mist of acidic steam into the air. His sharp eyes darted around, searching through the piles of scavenged goods and supplies they had gathered over the years.

"Aha! Got it!" Ike cheered, rolling up the thick, slightly singed blueprint and hugging it to his damp chest. Soar is gonna love this.

He turned around to leave—

—and froze.

His triumphant grin faltered instantly as his gaze locked onto the massive figure standing in the entrance.

A towering presence loomed over him, blocking the only exit.

Broad shoulders, darkened battle-worn armor, and piercing, predatory eyes that glowed with barely contained fury. A god—a tyrant—radiating raw, oppressive power. His aura alone was suffocating, like standing too close to a wildfire that threatened to consume everything in its path.

The Tyrant of the Underworld.

The God of War.

Ike’s ears flattened against his skull, his pupils shrinking to pinpricks.

A scream tore from his throat.

"—AAAAHHHH!!!"

Panic surged through him as he spun on his heels, bolting toward the back of the shack. But before he could take more than a few steps, something clamped around his ankle—hard.

"Oh, no, no, no!" Ike screeched, claws scraping desperately against the wooden floor as he was yanked backward. His grip tightened around the blueprint, cradling it against his chest like it was his last lifeline.

The god effortlessly lifted him off the ground with one hand, holding him up by his ankle as if he weighed nothing more than a feather. Ike dangled upside down, flailing helplessly.

"Rat," the warlord’s deep, guttural voice rumbled, filled with contempt. "What is this place?"

Ike gulped. His heart pounded so hard he swore it was about to leap out of his chest.

"U-Um…" He stammered, struggling to keep his voice steady as he clutched the blueprint tighter. "This is the continent of Noxocan… a place where demons and angels go to die."

The warlord’s grip suddenly loosened, and Ike yelped as he was unceremoniously dropped onto the hard, damp ground with a heavy thud.

"What?" The god’s tone was sharp, his expression shifting to one of disbelief and irritation.

Ike winced, rubbing the back of his head as he scrambled to his feet. He shook himself off, sending a few stray particles of dirt and ash flying from his fur.

"Y-Yeah," Ike said hesitantly, eyeing the warlord cautiously. "Mostly demons drop down here. Some angels, too, if Heaven decides they don’t belong there anymore."

The god’s eyes narrowed, his massive arms crossing over his chest. "How do I leave this acid-filled continent?"

Ike froze.

He had been dreading that question.

His ears drooped slightly as he rubbed the back of his neck, avoiding the warlord’s gaze. "Ooooh… yeah, about that…" He gave a nervous chuckle. "That’s the worst part. You… kinda can’t leave. One of the only ways to get out is to, uh… die."

Silence.

A dangerous silence.

Ike saw the shift in the god’s expression—the slight twitch of his eye, the subtle way his hands clenched into fists.

Oh. Oh, this guy was mad mad.

A storm of rage crackled around the god’s form, his entire body tensing with barely contained fury. The realization that he was trapped in a land of decay, stripped of his former power and unable to return to his conquest—it was like pouring oil onto an already blazing inferno.

Destiny had cheated him.

He had been poised to rule both realms. To crush his enemies, to seize every ounce of power he had ever desired. And yet, here he was.

Stuck.

Ike took a cautious step back, his tail twitching as he prepared for the inevitable explosion of wrath.

"Um…" he started, voice barely above a whisper.

Then, with a nervous chuckle, he grinned up at the furious warlord.

"Welcome to Noxocan?"