Night 65: M11-M20 Hallway

[stellarregions]

[M16]

As wretched as he was already feeling, the taunting intercom messages did nothing to improve Gren's mood. What it did do was inspire enough anger to rouse him from the corner he'd huddled in and force him to collect his things and get moving.

He was really in no shape to be out and about. He felt shaky and lightheaded, hardly able to keep himself moving, let alone fight. But he also knew that it was his own fault, and that absolutely nothing good would come of hiding in his room waiting for his own thoughts to consume him whole. Going out wasn't going to do a damned thing for his physical condition, but it just might be enough to distract him from the chaos in his head for a little while longer. And maybe if he could find Hakkai, he might have a chance of working out just how much of this was really the fault of whatever that thing was they'd encountered the night before.

Maybe it wasn't his fault. Maybe it was just the drugs and the ghost and this place. Maybe he really wasn't losing his mind all over again.

It was the only thing he had to cling to. That, and the thought that maybe, somewhere, there was a way out of this hell. He had to try.

It took too long to get his things sorted, too long to get out the door and stop there, leaning against the wall while he tried to keep focused. No one was around, now. There was nothing but darkness and silence to welcome him.

Comments

[baniichan]

The darker hand felt heavy and warm on top of his own. Under normal circumstances, it might have just been a little comforting, but the rash on both their arms mostly served to steel Barnaby's determination. The stakes were high, and they both had too much to lose if they didn't act now.

But more importantly, the two of them were going into this together. Although Barnaby would never admit as much out loud, he was not only relieved to get some confirmation that Kotetsu didn't intend to leave him behind, but also quite pleased to learn that he was still counting on him despite his injuries. He didn't want to think about how he would have felt if Kotetsu had decided to move on without him.

Instead, Barnaby fought to keep his mouth from pulling into a smile. He busied himself with glancing over the maps. "That is true," he remarked. "I suppose it can't be helped, then." Of course, if they were headed for the x-ray room, Barnaby didn't exactly need his maps. He remembered the way from last night well enough. As he tucked the papers inside of his jacket, he glanced toward his partner. "If you'd get my flashlight, please."

[oyaji]

Wild Tiger handed his partner his own for convenience's sake and went to fetch the other from Barnaby's lockbox. "Okay, got the maps, got the flashlights, got your boots, got my mask, got magical balls! Alright! Let's go!"

Unfortunately, their departure wasn't as dramatic and powerful as his award-winning speech. He had to move behind his partner to push him, but the thing was stuck! After a moment of squabbling, the blond unlatched the wheels and they were once again in motion! ... Until he almost threw Barnaby into his roommate's bed. And then he had to pull him back, open the door, and then hold it open for him so the young man could wheel himself out.

But of course, there wasn't hardly enough room for a wheelchair and a very loyal partner to hold the door open with his person, so his foot took the brunt of a wheel as thanks. It was the worst Hero departure ever. He was so thankful for once there were no cameras on either of them.

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