Night 44: Sun Room

[gald_digger]

[from here]

It looked like they were the first ones in the Sun Room this night. There weren't any monsters in plain sight, which was a good sign.

Or was it? Getting held up by a monster actually sounded kind of nice, for once. If it was strong enough, it could keep Sync busy - maybe even enough to derail his plans. Of course, it would also put their lives in danger, but they were in tons of danger anyway. Whoever said "better the devil you know than the devil you don't" obviously didn't know Sync the Tempest.

So even though Anise walked into the Sun Room with soft, cautious steps like she usually would, the girl inwardly found herself praying for someone or something to intercept them.

Comments

[falseblack]

He moved as though to ignore, hands circling to smooth, to pamper the air around his brother's half-corpse. Impressions spoke briefly of first-aid, an act or two to stabilize the dying. Press against pressure points to slow the flow of blood. An Ether or two to mend the fissures and shattered vessels.

But Rubedo was too broken, too burnt, too smelling of raw and charred flesh, and Nigredo knew only of light and none of healing. This was a useless venture; there was no familiar technology, no reliable doctor to lean upon. His hand found Rubedo's, a finger sliding across the gun's trigger.

A shadow fell across his eyes, and he snapped. Head jerked and fingers flew, cross-hairs forming against the intruder, panic rising in the variant's eyes.

There was a click, the gun steady in his hand. "Leave," echoed Nigredo hoarsely, eyes neither seeing nor believing the form before him to be anything but an unfavorable factor.

Something shifted. Nigredo blinked. "Take also my brother."

[rocksthecourt]

There was something in that look that was so absolutely chilling, more so since it came from a child. It made him remember the atmosphere surrounding his first meeting with the boy, only a good deal darker. To his credit, Klavier stood his ground and maintained steady eye contact with the boy during what felt like a long silence, but whether that was due to defiant resolve or simply being too afraid to look away was difficult to say.

Both boys responded one right after the other, something cold in each of their words. For the life of him, he couldn't pinpoint which he found the most disturbing, which in turn bothered him greatly. Klavier swallowed silently, fully aware that this should have been considered a blessing. Albedo seemed like he wasn't planning to attack (for now) and was willing to let him leave. Rubedo needed dire attention and this was his chance to get at least him out of here and to a safer room. But the thought of leaving Nigredo alone again weighed on him, especially with the click of a gun he hadn't even noticed moved to the child's hand.

He moved only his eyes between the two and then down to Rubedo. He didn't like this. Not at all. It was systematic, logical, but with people involved, it simply hurt too much to do. Klavier pursed his lips and, with one last look, quickly scooped Rubedo up off the floor. He moved backward away from the two (somehow reluctant to turn his back immediately) before turning and rushing from the room completely.

[to here]

[purgatio]

Nigredo's echo was an amusement. Klavier leaving the room meant success to his original mission. Klavier leaving with Rubedo, however... Albedo seethed instantly, taking a step forward as warring instincts combined. What was left of sense inside of him understood entirely that Rubedo needed attention. And in the same breath? Rubedo was his, and the man couldn't just....

The Song rose infallibly, quick as a distraction in his mind, wrapping around him tight. Stopping patients from retreating was not part of the deal, now was it? Or stopping ones that would assist others so Albedo didn't negate on the other end of his deal--that rule, bound and ingrained into him despite his own will--no killing. But he knew. Knew more than anything. Rubedo wouldn't die. They hadn't had that fight yet, claws out and unnatural powers ablaze. And until they did, both would live. Horribly. Continue. Until it ended.

Violet had surrounded him again, rose up as Klavier make his move and left. As the door clicked shut, it died down somewhat, lacing across his skin like a lover's hand trailing. Gaze on the door, Albedo then looked at Nigredo. Baby had stopped playing the game, and after he was playing it so well, too. And then found his senses again, his seemingly emotionless mannerisms again; how drear. How boring. And Nigredo had allowed that incompetent fool of a man to take their sibling. How unwise.

Yes. How unwise. The man had left Nigredo alone with no distractions. A question rose to shoot at Nigredo, but Albedo conceded. There were things in the Institute that stalked the shadows, horrible monsters that came out at night, but none were worse than he was at the moment. None could touch what he was capable of. And Nigredo knew that. Clever, little brother. Very clever. Still protecting, in your hypocritical way. Still working against him.

But Albedo said none of that, that or the things that had already been said. Like he had noted, Nigredo had been damaged enough, and a toy wasn't fun if it was too broken. So instead, Albedo smirked, holding his hands out. "I sense our communion is done. How sad. I feel we were just beginning to know one another. But I'm... sure... there are other things that can keep us occupied, right?" He smiled. "You did come to play with me after all."

[falseblack]

Though his eyes trailed after the pair, Nigredo could not register the departure. Only an absence. A brother missing. Even fragmented as he was, the child understood he should have followed, taken after him like times before, but his legs wouldn't move. His knees collapsed. Nigredo fell against his hands--palms slipping, blood streaking--and shuddered in the resulting waves. He hadn't realized he, too, was hurt.

Pieces of his mind resounded in agreement. The violet haze fell away, and the child leaned into his forearms, head nestled against fists. An aspect of this moment felt familiar yet opposite: the witness now turned wreck. Beneath the strands of black hair, Nigredo looked up at Albedo, expression his usual vacant. And with the act, he understood perfectly. As he always did.

In the end, it didn't matter; comfort was not something he would be given.

"Play?" Nigredo repeated, one more echo for the count. Slowly, he pulled himself to a sitting position, arms cradling his midsection. The gun and the blade laid bare at his knees. "Yes," he continued without a smile. "Let's play together again."