Work Text:
Rufus is going to kill Bobby once he rescues him, going and getting himself caught by a high-level crossroads demon. As much as he trusts that Bobby will be okay, he hates knowing that Bobby is trapped with the enemy without him; he hates not having the certainty. He checks his shotgun loaded with rock salt with spare rounds, and stalks to the abandoned warehouse where he tracked the demon down.
Knowing better than to go through the front door, Rufus scales the industrial soil pipe that has an open window next to it. Bobby owes him a bottle of Johnnie Walker for this, Rufus thinks as he slips in through the window with a quiet thud. With his shotgun raised, Rufus searches the warehouse.
It's not until he hears Bobby’s pained shout that he can find him. Before thinking anything through, he takes off running in the direction of Bobby’s shout heart beating wildly. Following the pained shouts, he quickly finds Bobby, but the sight makes him freeze in his tracks. His heart leaps to his throat, stopping any sound from coming out.
Bobby was being hung by his clavicle bones with meat hooks, his toes barely touching the ground. His head lolls downwards every so often, but he forces it back up. His jeans were ripped off above the knees, with fresh burns on the back of his knees.
Even after all of Rufus’ years of hunting, like the last four generations of his family, he hadn’t seen a sight like this... well, he had, but none had rocked him in such a way as this one had.
“You hunters are so… solitary… it makes my job so much easier, you know?” A raspy voice speaks.
Bobby doesn’t respond.
Rufus can just about see the demon, who was in the body of a dark blonde man with a crooked nose and lean build, clad in red leather. “I honestly don’t understand why you hunters keep trying to stop me. I'm just doing my job, as King of the Crossroads.” The demon sneers as he picks up the iron fire poker that's been resting on an oil drum, which is ablaze.
The demon goes to stab Bobby, and without a second thought, Rufus raises his shotgun and shoots the demon in the head. Making him hiss and whip round, eyes crimson red with rage. “Another hunter!”
“Surprise punk,” Rufus snaps, shooting the demon again and rapidly reloading.
“Do you know who I am? I’m Mephistopheles, you-”
Without letting the demon finish, Rufus yells out an exosim, dispelling the demon before he can actually do something, causing the vessel to collapse.
Rufus runs to Bobby, unhooking the chains from the hook, letting Bobby drop slightly before catching him, causing Bobby to yelp.
“Well, it wouldn’t hurt if you weren’t so reckless.” Rufus snaps out of concern more than frustration.
Instead of his usual sarcastic comeback, Bobby rests his head on Rufus’s shoulder, which sends another bout of fear from Rufus. “It's going to be okay, we’re going to the hospital.”
Rufus doesn’t know if he's reassuring Bobby or himself.