⚠️ Content Warnings ⤴
Info
Content Warnings
- Language
- Implied and alluded to sexual content
- Themes of toxic codependency and trauma
Thank you to BlueSignet, Singularity, and
ReyDay for crit, and to
CutTheBirch for fixing my dogshit CSS once again.
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"Stupid. So fucking stupid."
Alexis kicks a rock across the street as he makes his way back to his apartment. "I had him RIGHT THERE in the room with me—why didn't I ask about leaving? All I had to say was 'I quit,' and I'd be off the hook right now!"
Fresh rays of morning sunlight beat down from above as Alexis drags himself forward through the muggy summer air. Level 11 wasn't known for frequent weather changes, but it still mostly followed the seasonal patterns one might find on Earth. It almost made things feel normal. While most welcomed this familiarity, the more… cynical ones found themselves wishing the City that Never Sleeps would be more in line with some of its chaotic cousins.
"Man, I hate this weather. As if the heat of the summer wasn't bad enough, you also have to deal with icy humidity in the early hours. Some people are atheists because they say they lack evidence for a God. But personally, I don't think an almighty BENEVOLENT entity would conceptualize something THIS irritating. Let alone MAKE IT."
"…"
"Fuck, I'm starting to sound like Spec."
"I should really try to call him. Or just… something. Even if he doesn't pick up, it'll at least give closure…"
Alexis feels his mind start to wander, taking him back to the events of the early morning. Waking up. The phone call… "Jerks. Couldn't they have given me at least a full week to adjust? They knew what I was going through…"
"…"
"'They knew what I was going through.'"
"How? The reason they called me was due to my lack of communication—so how would they…"
Alexis feels an icy chill creep up his spine—enough to momentarily numb the sweltering heat beating down from the sky.
"Did they… no. They wouldn't. Spec HAS to be mistaken—this is clearly just a misunderstanding. Maybe the U.E.C. isn't what I thought they were, but they'd never go THAT far and infringe on privacy like that."
"…"
"but they did just hire me to…"
Alexis's face flushes as he opens the door to his building, stumbling his way down the hall towards his room.
"I'm going to throw up. I'm sick. I-"
He pauses in front of his apartment door. Something isn't right.
"Why is this open?"
A surge of fear runs down his spine, momentarily snapping him back to attention. He knew that he locked the door behind him when he left. The landlord wasn't supposed to come for another week, anyway.
Alexis takes a deep breath, slipping himself through the slight crack in the door as he tries to make his way towards the kitchen—perhaps he could grab a knife or something.
"There you are. Took you long enough—"
Alexis nearly screams as he hears Spec call out from around the corner. He slams the door shut, mind beginning to swirl with irritated thoughts.
"What the hell are you doing in my house?!"
"Whoa whoa, calm down. I'm not here for a fight. You said you wanted to talk, remember?" Spec replies. He's lying on the couch with his legs hanging lazily over the side.
Alexis squints his eyes shut, pinching the bridge of his nose. "It's fine. It's fine. I just—I wasn't expecting you to be here. How did you even get in h—actually don't answer that. Stupid question." Alexis looks Spec over as he enters his living room. He looks like he just got out of bed—he's only wearing a black t-shirt and shorts with a pair of white slippers.
"Did you noclip straight here after waking up?"
"Yeah. Why?" Spec returns as if it were the most obvious thing in the world. "I got your phone call, but I fell asleep before I was able to motivate myself to get out of my beanbag chair…"
"My…phone call?"
Spec narrows his eyes before swinging his legs back over the couch, sitting himself upright.
"The fuck do you mean 'mY pHoNe CaLl?'" he says in a mocking tone. "Is your memory seriously that bad? Maybe the 'I'm actually from the 70's' part of your facade had some truth to it, you dementia-ass…"
"Ha ha. We can hash this out in a minute—but seriously, what phone call? The last time I sent you anything was when I texted you…" Alexis's voice trails off as the two exchange an entire unspoken argument through facial expressions.
Spec clicks his tongue. "Fine. Here—I'll play it back." He taps the voicemail button, and a voice that sounds like Alexis starts laying apologies on thick.
Alexis's face slowly begins to lose color as he starts making connections in his head.
"Spec, that… that isn't me. I—"
Before he can even finish his sentence, the sound of a deadbolt automatically locking his door rings throughout the apartment.
Spec raises an eyebrow in confusion—just as metal shutters slam down over all of the windows to the apartment.
"Cool little trap you've got here. So, which is it Alexis? Did you lure me here to fuck, or fight?"
Spec's expression slowly turns uneasy as he begins to process the look Alexis is giving him.
"This… I didn't even…"
Before Alexis can get another word out, an unseen loudspeaker crackles to life.