I am a Sucker [For you.]
I just need somebody to make sure he is all right, someone to know, to check subtly without getting anyone alarmed or making things worse. I don’t think just anyone can.”
“That`s a bold statement. Many would have your head for it.”
Shadow arched an eyebrow, giving a smile that wasn’t a smile. “I don’t care, Espio. I could care less if it is politically incorrect or if it hurts somebody`s sensibilities, It doesn’t make it any less true. I think you know it”
“Whoever thought that letting you be one of ours spokespersons would be a good idea really needs their head checked.”
“Maybe so. But I know I’m right, so what is there for me to be afraid of, uh? If a direct approach or a subtle one doesn’t make any progress then what other option there truly is? Because I can’t see other one. Do I have to let him self-destruct right in front of us? I pass. I can’t let that happen. And if I can’t be that person, I need to know there is someone in the known, looking out for him. i… want to…to not distrust you, to, to believe you can be that person I can’t be anymore.”
“Very well. Just. Stop. Im starting to get stomach sick. Ahh, I do admit you have a bit of sense. Just a bit, though, don’t rub it.”
“So you will help?”
“Will you let me drink my tea in peace if I say no? of course I will. ”He took a sip, and grimaced. It was long gone cold. “Sonic is also my friend, you know?”
“I do.” Shadow finally relaxed completely on his chair, tension bleeding out so obviously Espio couldn’t help but sigh.
“You are into something problematic, aren’t you?”
The sad stare he got answered everything.
Espio breathed in deeply and slowly, staring into his cup before draining it entirety, snorting to himself at the text at the bottom of the cup. He left it aside, reaching up to offer a hand to Shadow. “You know that you can count on me when you need it, Shadow. Anytime. I care for my friends.”
The ebony took it, softly pressing his forehead into it. He didn’t say or do anything else, and neither did Espio. They stood in silence, letting it speak for them.
``I don’t think your promise will held out when shit hits the fan`` Shadow thought, swallowing. ``But hell if I don’t wish to lie to myself, and believe you will be there.``
Espio took his hand back, and was about to say something when the unexpected appearance of a cat startled him into almost biting his tongue.
The feline jumped in from the window, sashaying its way inside calmly enough to envy.
“You also should be going to sleep, you know?” The dark hero squinted. “Its late, and, if a single cat is enough to get you in this state, maybe the better would be for you to go rest, Espio.”
“…Are you…Uh. You do remember you picked one of the highest, advantageous point’s available, right?”
“…and your point is?”
“…It shouldn’t be possible for a simple cat to just casually jump here. I would know, I checked that!”
“Well, but. Uh. Maybe you missed something?”
“Are you doubting me?”
“oh no, nothing like that. I just.” He shrugged, again, dragging a hand through his face. He was too tired to be eloquent. “She has come by many times already, look, she even has a spot and water and shit. I am used to seeing her here, so, If you say it is hard and high, then how comes she gets here so casually, as you say, every other night? Maybe…I don’t know. there`s a way. Maybe she just grew here, and knows this place a tad better?”
“…It’s a cat.”
“Well yes, I noticed but. Maybe she’s smart. Who knows.”
“Again. It’s a cat.”
“Weren’t you the one who said he wasn’t going to underestimate his enemies?”
“I am so not having this conversation with you.” He glared at the cat as if she had personally scratched his socks to tatters before leaving, and just once he was entirely sure Espio was gone, he pulled out his recently hidden folder.
Where he could swear his notes about the review of the watchtowers of the north once sat, now only one word repeated itself like some broken chant. ``Coming`` was wrote over and over, mockingly, almost, in nothing more than his own handwriting, something that he had no recollection of ever doing.
Where was his work?
He had spent hours and hours on that!
He glared at the paper for a while, until his eyes and head stung, until the entire world was tilting off its axis as black spots appeared on his vision, confusing him, rendering him almost blind.
The paper crinkled between his fingers, being roughly slammed down into the desk.
He stifled, forcefully, a pained grunt, huffed breaths being the only sound in the office for a while.
The cat looked on, curiously.
Closing and rubbing his eyes proved of being of no help, as he could see the floor starting to sink in the farthest corner, right where it meet with the wall, giving under the pressure, under its burden, bending at impossible angles just like him, just like them, and leaving him almost weightless in that chair he knew he was sitting in, but couldn’t feel anymore.
He was floating.
At least, that was what it felt like.
He was floating in a room slowly consumed by the dark spots, once small and insignificant …now similar to the way a black hole worked, sucking in all light and everything that stood on their way, growing and growing in size, getting closer, making their slow way to him to consume him too.
To rip him apart piece by piece, stretching him until his joints and muscles snapped out of place, and his limbs and bones were teared from his torso as they pulled in different directions, fighting for his every bit, finishing him quicker than what he could attempt to heal.
He just knew that was what they wanted, that was their ultimate goal.
They were whispering to him, talking about their greed and insatiable hunger, eternal void.
Fuck.
He couldn’t move.
Shadow groaned loudly, uncaring, numb to this particular if not familiar motion, hit by a sudden but all the same debilitating nausea that wouldn’t let him feel his legs.
It stung.
Everything.
Another groan, a loud crack and jostle, and then pin and needles were working up and down his arms and back, painfully incrusting themselves, sinking deep into his tissue and reaching his bone marrow, gloating at the first taste of blood, at getting to him first and being oh so useful Locking him in position, melting, sizzling and singeing his skin and fur, snaking to his shoulders, and neck, and finally head, biting him hungrily all the while no matter how much he growled, how much he fought to squirm, shake, or hiss. They had only one objective.
Something was wrong.
Maybe everything?
The tables were crumbling, his books were falling to the ground, the room was dimming and dimming as darkness took over. Hell.
Even the tapestry that hung behind him was starting to swirl over itself, the contents twisting into a spiral he could not make sense of.
Shadow curled over himself, or tried to, fighting to make his body obey him as he pressed his hands into his ears, mouth open in a pained scream he could not hear. It was too much.
The sizzling of the dark spots, the whispering voices behind him, the humming of his own complaining body, and the beats of his heart, the creaking of the room that was starting to crumble too, falling apart with dry hits or splintering wood.
With everything as it was, it can probably be forgiven it took him a while to realize the words twisting within the spiral.
Blood was steadily dripping into his shoulders, but it was okay.
Shadow could take pain.
He didn’t have to worry about sound anymore, so it was worth it.
Was it truly?
He didn’t know.
He just wanted it all to stop.
“Aren’t you tired?”
…He kind of was.
Is it of life?
Do you call this life?
Colored words, repeating themselves over and over like madness creeping in, vomiting out of the tapestry Shadow used to love, taking the darkened room under their control, filing everything that remained like macabre pointillism.
His breath stuttered, but he couldn’t move at all.
the binding held strong, holding him put and there was someone coming in.
``Aren’t you tired? `` was read on the wall.
``Don’t you want to rest? `` was crawling after him.
``Arent you in pain?`` made home in his desk.
On his screen, the videotape of the security reel turned off one by one without him doing something, and the presence behind his chair kept getting closer.
The remaining operative screen showed the Word Document he had been working on, the letters dancing away as they reorganized themselves but he could hardly pay attention.
“Isn’t it late?” Said a chipped, distorted voice, almost as if coming from underwater.
Maybe it was…
For you?
Or for him?
``Why don’t you close your eyes?``
``Why don’t you relax?``
`` I will keep guard for you…``
“Go the fuck to sleep.”
The being jerked his chair aside, roughly pressing against his throat.
Shadow tried to kick, but his legs had been withered long ago.
He chocked, blood tricking down his cheeks and ears, unfocused eyes bulging out.
His neck snapped.
His body slumped, unsupported.
Shadow almost fell to the ground, blinking and standing startled in the middle of his office, Watchtower of the North`s reports In hand.
That’s… probably one of the reasons he doesn’t sleep.
His ears were ringing, his breath was unsteady.
It hurt.
It was too much.
There was no one in the room with him.
He was alone. He…
Shadow growled.
“Too much caffeine is bad for your health, they say, uh… Either that, or you are truly a dewdropper at work.” He gave the lilac flowers at his side a narrowed stare.
Lilac flowers:… I am being wrongly accused, sir.
Shadow sighed, rubbing his aching eyes with a hand. He picked up the highlighter he needed before going back to his desk, convinced he probably stood up to search for it.
As he passed, he didn’t forgot to flicker Janik`s forehead, a scowled ``slacker-off`` passing his lips.
He sipped his lukewarm coffee, making sure everything was working the way it is supposed to, silently checking everybody around.
The cat meowed like a greeting, sitting obediently in the middle of his office, staring unblinkingly at him.
His hand, without much thought, added a loopy elegant cursive “Infinite” to the page in front of him.
It was entirely filled with that one name.
He had a folder with pages of similar destiny.
The cat nuzzled his legs, sticky like always after a particular bad dream, like she knew something had happened and tried to comfort him.
As he pet her, he almost could have swore he saw her grin by his peripheral vision.
He promised himself. Tomorrow he´ll sleep.
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