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hsoteamerisolWarning for mild gore, and my first attempt at anything horror-ish ever. :/
(*has been edited to include 1 picture, may add another later if i can finish it*)
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You know the humans blame all the trolls who came over. You know they think this disease is entirely Alternia's fault. You know there's a really good chance they're right. And that scares you. Because what if it’s your fault? What if it was one of you who brought this with you unknowingly?
You promised yourself, well, and the others too, that you wouldn't be the cause of any harm to anyone ever again. That promise was the only way you were getting off Alternia at all- the place was going to shit and you all knew it. It had become an uncivilized war-ridden planet. Not that Earth wasn't, but at least humans were a lot easier to deal with.
Ha. Yeah. Wrong. So very wrong. What they don't have in strength, they have in numbers. And apparently they don't even need much intelligence to be a horrifying threat to everyone.
The fear that grips your bloodpusher as you peer through the crack in the door is proof of that.
You try and calm your breathing, knowing you're going to have to brave the hall at some point to get to the floors below. The lights flicker outside, but the power remains on.
You try not to wonder how long before they just blow the city up to save themselves the hassle of this sickness spreading any further.
The humans call it a sickness. You prefer to think of it as a curse, because none of this feels real to you. You like to tell yourself that this is all some elaborate horrorterror, or you're on the set of a movie, and it works a bit. You don't really think all of its happening around you for a moment. Not until his hands are cautiously pressing to your lower back.
"Ith it clear yet?"
His voice is so tired in your ear. So tired and pained and downright terrified. You shake your head, but realize he can't see you a moment later, so you turn to him. You take his face in your hands, smoothing your fingers over his temples. The cloth that covers his eyes gets in your way but you have a feeling he appreciates the gesture anyways as you whisper a 'not quite' into his burnt ear.
"I have motht of the thtuff packed." He limply waves an arm towards the table behind him. His backpack is there, open but looking rather full. Yours is next to it with only half the amount in it. You change that a moment later, as quietly as you can. You move all that isn't medical supplies into your bag, making his load as light as possible. He bumps your hip with his own- he knows what you're doing. Stupid fuck, trying to take all the weight. You're almost certain he thinks himself a burden. And he might be right, but by this point you don't give a fuck. You're not about to lose him too. You both already lost her.
Part of you knows that you should have valued him this much before everything went to shit. You're reasonably sure the other part is still too fucking stubborn to admit out loud that you care for him at all.
"Do y'know the way?"
"I've got it memorithed."
And you trust that he does. He wouldn't lie to you. Not now.
"Just for clarification?" You're jittery and he knows that. He knows you so fucking well and the reason is what keeps you able to smile. Because he can at least say it, even if you can't. Not yet. You’ll find a time to tell him, just not yet.
"Down the hall, down two thetth of thtairth, out, left, at the end of the hall therth another thet of thtairth, thix thetth, turn right, and run out the front door."
You let out the breath you've been holding. Just hearing it come from his mouth makes you feel a smidgen better. Knowing that he knows the way despite being unable to see, that if you fuck up he can correct you just like he's always tried to. You shoulder your backpack and he shoulders his- he's going to have a hard enough time running already, he didn't need the extra weight.
Being as silent as possible on your way over, you take one last look through the crack of light between the door to Fef's old apartment and the wall. It looks clear but you can only see straight ahead down the hall, not to the left. You tighten the straps on your backpack, check that your shoes are tied, and smooth your bloody, ruined t-shirt and scarf. Your hands meet Sollux's at your hips where his thumbs rub soothing circles into your skin, trying to keep you from freaking the fuck out. It’s kind of a losing battle when there's half decaying humans hungering for your flesh just outside.
"Ready?" He asks, taking a step back to give you room, but clutching your left hand rather tightly in his own. You nod and he sets his jaw like he knows you did, like he can still see you and he's not possibly blind for whatever amount of time the two of you have left to live.
"Better keep up with me, lowblood."
He grins, an old familiar thing you used to hate but now adore so very much, and you throw open the door.
Your first steps out you feel like you're just as sightless as Sollux is thanks to the shitty iridescent lighting overhead- leave it to humans to make contained light as bright as the fucking sun itself. You stumble and blink into the hallway, freezing in place when your vision finally focuses.
"Thit."
The horrendous noise that wrenches itself from the creature to your left makes you want to vomit right there. Something of a wet, sloppy scream gurgles out from its gaping face hole as it steps in your direction.
"ERIDAN, RUN YOU THTUPID FUCK." Sollux gives your back a push and you nearly trip, but it works. You run, pulling him behind you and you don't fucking stop when you peek back to see that a second one has joined it from around the corner.
You crash into the emergency exit door, throwing it open and pulling Sollux inside after you. You think to shut the door when the wailing noise from the hall alerts you of what's coming. The metal slams but the window is splattered with acidic bile, hurled from the mouth of one of your pursuers. It fizzles in front of you, eating away at the glass and metal. Your stomach lurches with the memories that rush forward.
The screams for help that you couldn't answer as it ate away her life.
The pained yowl as droplets scorched his face.
"Down two thetth of thtairth," It’s his voice that brings you back, gets your feet moving again. He's right behind you, hand holding tight to yours. You take the stairs two at a time and you wonder if maybe he always has, just for his stupid duality obsession. You hope you get to ask him later.
"Out, left," He narrates your hurried steps, out of breath but still speaking as clearly as he can for you. This hallway is empty and you're almost more afraid, just because now there's the uncertainty of what is possibly quiet and waiting for you. The only sounds that remain are your footfalls and harsh breathing.
"End of the hall therth another thet of thtairth, thix thetth." You get there and are sure to close the door behind him before starting down. One. You feel yourself speeding up- Two- going on an adrenaline high because your legs should be hurting by now. Three. Sollux must be the same because he – Four - should be on the ground, what with his lack of exercise – Five - his entire life leading up to this.
Six.
You almost fall into the door that leads to the front entrance way, but you skid to a halt seconds before contact. You can see some hunched over figures in the lobby. Fuck.
There's at least six visible through the tiny window in the door and you know while you could maybe make it past one or two, six or more will be a real problem. Especially if any of them are quicker moving or the spitting kind. Sollux's breath is shaky behind you, his backpack hanging to one side due to his limp shoulders.
"They're out there, aren't they?" He pants at you, taking his hand from yours to adjust the blindfold that's begun slipping down his face. You bat away his fingers and undo the soft fabric of what used to be one of Fef's shirts. The two of you sag to the floor and you lean him against the wall before pressing a kiss to his forehead.
The skin from under the blindfold is not a pretty sight. There's already scarring showing, and his eyes seem to be permanently watery and sore. You've never wanted to see his blue and red mismatched eyes as badly as you do now, but you're not even sure they're still under his lids. If there’s any chance of saving Sollux's sight, you have to get halfway across town before the next day. You need to get out of the city, and get hold of an Alternian-trained medical officer. For now you refold the piece of shirt in your hands and tie it behind his head, making sure not to tug at his shaggy, unstyled hair. Yours likely looks just as terrible, but it doesn’t matter.
He touches his forehead to yours, sighing heavily. You’ve got a moment to breathe in this stairwell at least. A moment to figure out what the fuck you’re going to do to get out from this new location.
His lips against yours stop your train of thought. It’s nice, that he knows you need a distraction. Takes your hand again, giving a soft squeeze to nudge you into responding. It’s all so drawn out, nibbling softly on each other’s lips, gentle kisses with no lust involved. There’ll be time for that if you get out of this mess. When, not if, his sureness seems to say. You may lead him when it comes to walking and running, but he’s leading this. So smooth, controlled and relaxed as the two of you continue to kiss. Sollux pushes his other hand into your hair, fluffing and petting your ungelled mess. Its sends a tingly feeling down your spine, numbing you. He’s so fucking good at that.
Things like this ease both of your nerves. You’ve kissed this way enough times in the last two weeks to know it’s a method that works very well. Even as you pull away and release his hand, you can feel yourself calming down, ear fins warm and gills fluttering beneath your stained shirt. You want more, but he’s cleared your head a bit now. You can kiss him more once you’re homefree.
There’s a quiet clinking noise way above you, so far away its almost inaudible. Sollux makes a face, head tilting up as if he were trying to see what was making it. There’s no groaning, no stumbling steps… Your curiosity peeked, you stand and take a step back, eyes searching the sets of stairs that spiral upwards. The rhythmic click click click continues and you finally spot a head of blonde hair. There’s a girl actually walking, not dragging herself, about 8 floors up. You know humans are dangerous, all of them able to be infected, but this one isn’t a drooling mess yet. If she’s trapped in here, you’re not about to leave her.
“Hey! Are you alright!?” You keep your voice quiet, but hopefully loud enough to reach her. It does, and she jumps a bit, seeming rather startled. Then you notice what was making the clicking sound. Her nails, long and blood red, have been dragging against the spindles along the stairs railing.
When she looks down at you, eyes black and hallowed, you can only swallow the noise that wants to come out of your mouth. It wouldn’t have been heard for the shriek that she lets loose a second after.
“I take it we’re making a run for the doorth!” Sollux is on his feet in an instant, snatching your hand and tugging you to the door. You groan as you hear the living horrorterror start down the stairs, much louder now that she’s aware of you. You nearly wrench the door off its hinges, pulling your mustardblood after you and running as fast as you can across the lobby.
The stumbling creatures around you look up- shit there’s got to be at least a dozen, and they all start after the two of you. But the time you get to the doors, you’ve spotted some in the street outside.
“There’s more.” You warn, dragging Sollux into your section of the revolving door. “We’re gunna have an awful time in the street.” He nods but the second you’re outside in the stale city air, he stops and steps in front of you.
"Hang onto me and don't let go."
You begin to ask him why but he whips around and grabs onto your arm.
"I mean it, ED. Don't fucking let go." Arms around his middle, a hum starts up, then the crackles. A quick glance the tiniest amount upwards tells you it’s his psionics between his horns. He hasn’t used them since losing his sight because he can’t control where they go if he can’t see where he’s aiming.
You suppose he doesn’t need to aim anywhere besides not the two of you. He’s so warm in front of you, standing in the street with his arms outstretched on either side of him and hands glowing. You press your lips to the back of his neck, damp with sweat and sharp with power. You don’t have to look to know he’s grinning like a maniac just before he lets loose and levels the block in a blast of red and blue.
((and now to go comment on everyone else's entries~))