⚠️ 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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"Operative Anderson. You have been given ample time and leniency to prove your dedication and loyalty to our cause. Despite this, you have chosen to ignore your orders with dissident intent—compromising your mission and our security. From this moment forward, your membership in the Unbound Explorers Coalition is hereby revoked."
Spec raises an eyebrow, but says nothing. He just crosses his arms, looking at the direction of the noise with mild amusement.
"All of your assets have been frozen and repossessed—including your residence. Do not bother to pack your things. A cleaning squad will be arriving at your residence shortly. We have no tolerance for failure, let alone disobedience. We will now commence the immediate deactivation of yourself and Person-of-Interest Alexander Black."
The speaker shuts off, leaving only the hum of the electric lights to fill the thickening silence.
"You've got to be fucking kidding me. They were in my apartment this whole time? I thought I was just losing it earlier… that means—"
Thoughts begin racing through Alexis's head, and he leans against the wall.
"Immediate deactivation? How… why… I need to get out of here."
"You've really gone and fucked this up, haven't you?" Spec chides, glancing down at Alexis from over the top of his phone.
"H-How can you be so aloof at a time like this? Did we hear totally different messages?"
Spec shrugs. "I just don't really see how this is my problem."
As if on cue, a soft click and hiss rings out through the small apartment. Through the door to Alexis's bedroom, a scarlet billowing smoke can be seen creeping out from the overhead vent.
"What the hell is th—"
Alexis barely even has time to finish his sentence before he feels himself being violently dragged back by the shirt collar. "OW! Hey, wh—"
"Rixa Gas." Spec replies in a low tone. "If you don't know what that is, maybe you weren't in as deep as I thought. Doesn't mean I forgive you, though."
"Gee, thanks." Alexis says dryly, pulling himself up. "So what's the big deal about it? Besides being an evil red gas, of course."
"Oh, nothing much. Just melts you into a pile of sentient flesh. Wretchification in under 60 seconds guaranteed~!" Spec waves his hands dramatically for emphasis.
"…oh."
"Yeah. Your guys created this stuff SPECIFICALLY for use on other humans, so tell me again about your—" Spec cuts himself off abruptly. "We can argue politics later. Can't have a sPiRitEd dEbaTe iN tHe MarKetPlaCE of iDEAs if we're dead." he finishes in a high pitched whiny voice.
Alexis doesn't respond, he just inches his way back from the creeping death in front of him.
"Can we blow it away?"
Spec shakes his head. "It's not that simple. Besides, you know deep down that your friends at the Unbound Eggheads Coalition are just going to keep pumping this shit until the whole room is full."
Alexis ignores Spec's comment, making one of his own. "You seem awfully calm for someone about to die. Planning on ditching me again?"
"I never planned on it in the first place" Spec growls through gritted teeth. "But don't tempt me." He snaps his fingers, a ripped piece of paper appearing in his hand. Alexis can make out what looks to be a heavily smudged signature.
"Personal autograph from none other than the Lady-in-white herself. Never leave home without it."
Alexis doesn't feel very relieved. Being in level 906 was the last thing he wanted right now—outside of dying of course. Spec had likely already told Blanche and Tom something about his exploits—as non-confrontational as Blanche seems, there had to be a limit to her kindness… especially after all the vile actions he chose to commit. He turns back towards his bedroom one last time, sighing as Alexis realizes that it's going to be a long time before he's sleeping anywhere but the floor.
"Can you hurry up? I'm starting to get anxious—"
Alexis looks back towards Spec, watching him repeatedly swipe his finger across the slip of paper.
"Spec."
Alexis cautiously approaches him, eventually putting his hand on Spec's shoulder and spinning him around.
"SPEC!"
"…it. It won't work—" Spec replies in a flat tone. He gives Alexis a neutral look, trying everything he can to mask his pained expression.
Alexis grabs his hand, forcing Spec to look him in the eyes.
"Listen. It's fine. That was just plan A, right? We've still got time to think of something else."
Spec sighs, slightly nodding as he pulls away. "You're right. I shouldn't be wasting the little time we've got left. Any ideas?" He inquires hopefully.
"As a matter of fact, yes. You pulling that paper jogged my memory a bit. Blanche's signatures can come in any sort of book, right? Well, I've got the equivalent of a small library in my study…maybe we can find something in there."
"You have a study?"
Alexis sighs. "Yknow Spec, some of us like to actually *use* our brains on the occasion. Do you even have any hobbies in the first place, or do you just spend all your time scrolling through brainrot on 'Backdoor' like an incel?"
"I—"
"Come on. Let's get the fuck out of here."
The two waste no time in sprinting out of the living room and into the hallway, keeping a close eye on the Rixa Gas quickly building up.
"Actually—hold on just a minute. I've got an idea." Spec blurts out, fishing for something in his worn sack. "We should seal that door the best we can." He produces a roll of duct tape, pulling the door closed and doing his best to cover the small opening underneath.
"Not a bad idea, especially from you." Alexis replies, unlocking the heavy wooden door leading to his personal makeshift library. The key turns with a satisfying click, and the door opens with a loud creaking noise.
"All right, let's…"
"…"
Alexis and Spec both stare in disbelief as a large cloud of Rixa Gas greets them on the other side, just short of the doorway.
"Wh—how is that…" Spec stutters, taking a step back.
Alexis sighs, quickly closing the door. "The ventilation—it's probably been completely overtaken by the gas at this point. Just because we only saw it pouring from one vent doesn't mean it wouldn't find other pathways."
"D—doesn't that m—mean…"
"Yeah. The living room has probably started filling up as well. We're stuck here."
The two are silent for a few minutes, the only sound being the soft hissing of more Rixa Gas pouring in from the vents.
"Best to get down…" Spec says quietly, watching the Rixa Gas begin to coat the ceiling with a wispy pinkish covering. The two sit on the floor next to each other, watching the tendrils of gas swirl around above them.
"Y'know, for what it's worth—" Spec starts.
"No. We're not doing this." Alexis replies, shaking his head. "I'm not going to spend my last minutes full of some sappy regret. Let's just… be with each other for a little while longer.”
A look of thinly-veiled dread washes over Spec’s face in response. “Ok.”
The silence returns as the gas continues to creep down from the ceiling. It’s gotten to the point where they’d be unable to safely stand up. Alexis closes his eyes, trying as best he can to not faint from the overwhelming stress. Just as he finds himself about to crack, he feels something brush against his wrist.
The sudden change is enough to make him open his eyes—upon which he finds Spec anxiously holding his hand.
Alexis smiles thinly, leaning against Spec’s shoulder and closing his eyes again. “It’s a bit late for this now, yknow.”
Spec says nothing, continuing to stare at the wall.
"Just go, Spec. This is my bed to sleep in, not yours."
"…"
Spec slowly pulls away from Alexis, bringing himself to his feet, taking a long look at the closed study door.
"JUST GO!"
Spec turns around to look at Alexis one last time—the two locking eyes as they have one final unspoken conversation.
"NO. Don't even think about it."
Spec sighs, turning away. "I can't just leave you to die. I'd never sleep again—not that I do anyway. Corruption… it's the worst way to go out. Do you know what it'd be like to lie awake at night, questioning if the wretch I'd killed that morning might've been you? I don't need another entity on that list."
"SPEC!"
Ignoring Alexis's pleas, Spec cracks open the door, stepping into the swirling red mist.
However, instead of his skin turning red with wretched flesh, the left side of his face begins to form white spiderweb cracks where the gas made contact. He falls back onto the ground, dropping one of Blanche’s books in front of Alexis.
"Get… get us—" Spec vomits a concerning amount of blood down onto the floor before he can finish his sentence.