middleofsomewhere | Deep Dweller: Start

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Deep Dweller: Start

After the dreams some of the voidtreckers report on day Four of Grasshopper those that have been on the train for a little while will be expecting what comes the next day. Their SCA's glow with the colour of the void and a holographic image will appear.

Preparations and Arrival

As promised the dressing carriage is opened for optional extras. There are flight suits, similar to those they wore into space but without the helmets. There are instead hard hats and some basic climbing gear as well as bags to put supplies in. There are even a few red tents if any of those planning on tackling red's mission want to grab one, they hold six people in two inner compartments and are relatively easy to put up and take down.

They have a few hours of preparation before the announcement comes. Soon approaching system #789327772. Planet Terra. Drop order: Orange, Red, Blue, Purple. Orange to doors. Leaving the void in ten, nine, eight, seven, six, five, four, three, two, one. A sharp jerk, a judder and the view from the window changes from the void to dark cloudy skies and very red sand.

They land smoothly, and indeed it seems they have landed on train tracks. A few moments later they pull up outside a huge metal and glass building.

Orange Team

Arrival

Jumping down from the train they will find themselves outside large metal gates. Noticable is the spotlights that shine even in the day time, reflecting oddly off the red sand. It is hot and dry outside, a slight breeze sending red dust rolling around their feet.

The gates aren't locked. There is no lock though they will notice devices that are probably security cameras. The doors are glass and inside is light and airy. They enter into a large lobby, a large circular desk in the centre and a glass walled waiting room to the side.

It is empty. No people at all. All the lights are on. Time to explore.

Exploration

Going up two floors and down five the lab is large and full of all manner of interesting things. Scientific equipment, monitoring stations measuring chemical levels in the air, temperature, water levels. Where to even start is a good question. The lights remain on, which might be annoying at night.

Red Team

Arrivals

Red team to doors. The train continues travelling along the train tracks, looking out the windows they will see endless rolling red sand. Factories rising up from the ground, dotted across the landscape. As the train gets close the air outside seems hazier, through the fumes. They may even see in the distance, strange silver floating orbs.

Eventually it pulls up at a station. Just a raised block really, but easy enough for red team to disembark.

The land stretches out around them. Train tracks criss cross the surface but apart from that there don't seem to be any boundaries. No fences, roads or sign posts.

It won't take them long to find the first orbs, strange silvery spheres and seem almost liquid, until they are not.

Night Time

It grows dark quickly after sunset here, which might take them by surprise. Taking them more by surprise however may be the scraping, scuttling noises in the dark. Skittering close. There is no light out here on the surface, they are far away from the research facility that Orange found themselves in.

If anyone manages to catch a glimpse they will see grey, long limmbed creatures. They shy away from light but anyone in the dark is likely to be attacked. They fight with claws and teeth.

When the sun rises they are gone.

Blue Team

Arrival

Blue team to doors. The train continues across the landscape, passing more orbs, just floating there silently. It stops at the entrance of a cave.

The cave slopes downwards into darkness and soon turns into small tunnels. They don't need to go far when they meet the first ground of Gry. A group of young Gry, practising with spears in an wider section of cave.

Despite being very surprised at the sudden visitors no weapons are pointed at the voidtreckers, instead they are met with curiosity. They are soon led further into the tunnels and soon come to the living areas.

The Gry lead simple lives but they are all pretty fascinated to see their visitors and will allow them to look around their home and answer any questions they have.

Night Time

Most of the Gry sleep in a large communal sleeping area and the Voidtreckers are welcome to join them, though the Gry won't be insulted if they choose to seek out a more private area.

If the Voidtreckers awake in fear in the night, after strange dreams they will find they are not alone. Many of the Gry have awoken too and will reassure the Voidtreckers, tell them it is an honour to communicate with The Burrower.

Purple

Arrival

Purple team to doors. The train continues on the tracks and soon enters a tunnel itself. It's a bit of a bumpy trip, this train was clearly not made for warren systems but after some uneasy twists and turns they pull to a stop.

They are at a train station, not that it's easy to see because it is pitch black. But it is clear there are people around, some looking very confused at the very odd train.

Once the last of those going on the mission leave the train it speeds off into the darkness.

The Terran's are large and tower over most of the voidtreckers but they are friendly enough, if a little confused, once it is explained that they are here to help. They will be led over towards the collapsed section of city.

There is a lot of activity. People digging at rubble, others using their sheer size and strength to hold up beams. There is an array of rescue equipment and a group of official-looking Terran's holding large devices that are comparable to a tablet-computer and discussing solutions.

There is plenty to do to help, smaller rubble to clear, injured people to tend to. Worried Terran's to calm and reassure. Those brave enough can volunteer to use their smaller size to help get supplies through to those trapped and those with any scientific know how, great strength or magic can put their skills to good use.

Rest Time

Throughout the day people are rescued and other parts of the tunnels stabilised. There is more work to be done but the Terran's seem to be working in shifts and they will encourage their surprise allies to rest as well. They will offer to host them.

They live in large groups and will happily invite the voidtreckers into their homes. They will be curious about the voidtreckers but will also answer questions. Telling them about the strange storm and the collapse of the tunnels. They are urged to sleep early and the next day it will be back to work.

(OOC: Information is here)

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Since the push isn't actually hard, it also doesn't really push Inigo back. It does for a moment, just slightly, but it's like he's glued to Gerome's side right now. Especially when he's giving him pushes he doesn't entirely seem to mean anyway, judging by the lack of force in it!

Though the question is a little harder to deal with. Not because Inigo doesn't know the answer, though. He knows he just feels happy because Gerome is here with him. Because that feels nice and familiar. Trying to help out people all day until they're too tired to do anything more - even though things are a lot more peaceful here than back home. Having Gerome around makes it feel special.

But he's pretty sure Gerome will get all weird about it again if he says that.. so he doesn't.

Instead he does the next most intelligent thing, which is clearly fully lying down on the bed as well and wrapping his arms around Gerome's nearby arm to cling to it.

"Why, am I not allowed to look happy?" His expression still hasn't changed.

Was it strange or just strangely telling that Gerome didn't react much to Inigo grabbing onto his arm like that?

Since his arrival on the train, Inigo had doing a lot of that kind of thing. He had gone from a mildly tactile annoyance to a near constant presence at his side. Gerome had gotten used to such things now and knew pulling away would not help and would only mean he would have to suffer those large eyes looking at him and... it was just easier to let Inigo cling.

If he just ignored it happening he could avoid getting flustered every time it happened.

"..."

Inigo said some very strange things. Had he said that? Gerome was very certain those had not been his words at all. He seemed to be happy to be tired and that was confusing to Gerome.

"... You... are allowed." Inigo not being happy would be a strange thing. If. of course, it was honest.

Hey, Inigo not saying strange things out of the blue would also be a strange thing! So at least he seems to be his regular self right about now.

.. Or, well, he's his regular self who is currently very busy getting comfortable on the bed while still clinging to Gerome's arm. He's not sure if he expected the total lack of resistance, but Inigo finds it rather nice all the same. He wonders if he could actually sleep like this without Gerome getting exasperated with him? He already knows due to his naps with Bucky that he vastly prefers sleeping close to someone else. It just feels nice and safe.

So he can't help but try to push his luck just a little bit here.

"Am I also allowed to stay here like this then tonight?"

He's smiling, but at least it does seem to be mostly just happy still rather than cheeky. He's not doing it to tease Gerome, honest! It's just a genuine desire!

He should have been prepared for a question like that, but it still took him by surprise and he had to turn his head to look at Inigo to make sure he wasn't being mocked. But all he saw was a smile. A smile that reached blue eyes, and that strange mark hidden within one. He looked... happy. Why was he so happy? Gerome just didn't understand it. But he did understand that he didn't want to be the cause of his unhappiness.

"... Do what you will." It was as much as an agreement as Gerome was going to allow. Actually coming out and saying yes was far too easy, and far too embarrassing. He turned his head back, his cheeks warming slightly anyway.

That's enough agreement for Inigo, at least. He doesn't need to hear anything more than that. Just this kind of permission coming from Gerome is more than expected, so of course he'll gladly latch onto it! Quite literally, since he's still holding Gerome's arm...

Not to mention that Gerome at least gets the dignity of Inigo not seeing what kind of face he's making, considering Gerome's head is turned away and all. That, and Inigo is far too busy happily getting comfortable while clinging like this.

"Then I definitely will. This is what I want. I can't imagine a way to sleep more comfortably."

Because another person's presence this close is exactly what Inigo needs to sleep, and he knows it. And the fact that it's Gerome makes it feel extra special somehow. Maybe it's the familiarity.

And Gerome didn't know of a less comfortable way to sleep. He was not used to having someone at his side while he slept, unless that someone was Minerva, but she was very much different.

Luckily he was tired enough that having Inigo sleeping beside him probably wouldn't be too much of a bother, so long as it was just his arm he clung to and nothing else.

"... Why is that?" The words were past his lips before he could give them much thought.

"Why..?"

Inigo repeats the word rather quickly, but he isn't wondering why Gerome is asking that. Oh no, he actually sounds quite surprised himself. Like he knows for sure that this is comfortable to him, but never quite considered why exactly that was. It just.. feels natural, next to Gerome. And he's not sure why. It's not like they really ever slept this close together back home, after all. Even if it had been necessary to keep warm from the cold, surely Gerome would have snuggled up with Minerva instead...

"I.. like sleeping next to others." That part is easy to answer. That's something he knows. He's had enough naps with Bucky in this place to be certain of that fact - he'd sleep next to someone every night if he could, but alas, that's usually not the case. "But it does feel extra special to sleep here with you like this. It's as if your presence puts me at ease in a special way."

Inigo really was a flirt..! He liked to sleep with others? Just how many people had he slept with?

As quick as that thought popped into Gerome's mind it was immediately squashed, killed and tossed away. He refused to think about that. The less he thought about Inigo's exploits the happier he would be. Though Inigo's next words caused Gerome ti turn his head to look down at the others. There was disbelief in that expression of his. Pure and unadulterated. Is presence had never put anyone at ease. The idea that he could make anyone feel special in any way was laughable. Impossible.

But there was something about Inigo's tone that told him that somehow, for some unknown reason, the idiot flirt actually believed the things that were falling from his lips. And Gerome didn't know how to reply. All words had died on his own lips. Three times now he'd opened his mouth to say something and three times he had closed his lips until he was frowing, genuinely confused.

Honestly, it would have made more sense to Inigo if Gerome had given him any kind of dismissive answer. If he had just gruffly turned away and told Inigo to go to sleep already and cut it with the nonsense, that would have been very much like Gerome.

But that's not what Gerome is doing. He's just silent. And since he's turned his head, it gives Inigo a very good view of the whole thing - and a very good view of the way he opens and closes his mouth like that. It makes Inigo look a little surprised again, and he's quiet for a moment too before he just asks:

"Did I.. say something wrong?"

Why else would he be getting this odd reaction from Gerome!

"..."

Gerome needed to say something. He knew that. Call him an idiot. Kick him off the bed. Turn and tell him to go to sleep and stop being so foolish. But none of that came out of his mouth.

In the dark of the room, where he could only just see Inigo in the dim glow of the small light someone had left in the corner of the room, it felt almost like he had his mask on. It was somehow easier, and harder, to speak... Which is why, instead of calling Inigo an idiot, something else entirely left his lips.

"... I just... I don't see how." He finally uttered, still not looking at Inigo but looking straight up instead. Straight into the dark above him. He was talking to that darkness, not the man beside him. It made it so much easier that way.

Inigo quietly stares at him for a moment. He's tempted to just say that it's not something Gerome has to see - just something he has to trust the other person to feel about him.

But he knows that'd be hypocritical when Inigo has such a hard time coming to terms with anyone having an even vaguely positive opinion of him too, despite all his bravado.

So instead he slowly lets go of Gerome's arm, but only so he can lie on his back and stare up as well.

"You don't remember what things were like when we were little?"

It'd be too embarrassing to talk about with anyone else around. It's still kind of embarrassing to talk about with Gerome, since he'd rather not have the other see him as that tiny crybaby that he used to be.. But it makes illustrating his point here so much easier, so he'll bear it.

"I remember..." He remembered a scared boy. He was scared himself, but something had made him want to be stronger to protect Inigo, to give him reason to not be afraid. To not cry. Because he'd hated seeing him cry and being helpless against it. But he'd only been a kid himself. Just a few years older. What could he have done? He'd stupidly tried to keep his distance at times, but Inigo... just found him. Every time. Clinging to him. Making him want to protect him from all the worlds hurts, someone that gentle should never have had a reason to cry...

... He blinked and then turned his head to look at Inigo.

"... Is something making you afraid?" He asked, voice low. Gerome might have been oblivious to some things, but he did know not to shout such a thing where others might overhear them.

He shakes his head.

"Not right now." That's.. not entirely true, but he manages to say it in a convincing enough way. Mostly since Inigo is focusing on the more apparant answer to that question: there's nothing about the mission that makes him afraid.

But there are plenty of things that do scare him on a bigger scale. Like the fear that Gerome may disappear any moment, just as Yuki had. Inigo isn't too sure whether or not his heart could survive someone important to him leaving twice like that. He's only barely managing to deal with Yuki's departure by focusing so much on Gerome's presence..

Still, it's not the point he's trying to make here, so he doesn't feel as bad for lying about it.

"It's just.. that it's the same as it was back then, fear or no fear. I'm instinctively drawn to you. Like I know I will feel better as soon as I'm by your side. I know that I'm a little too old to be hiding behind you now, but just being near you is enough to make me feel that way, even now."

Instinctively drawn... What a strange way to phrase that.

Gerome was quiet for a moment, he'd turned his head again to look up to the darkness above. He supposed he had no right to argue if that was how Inigo felt, no matter how wrong it was. How could anyone be drawn to him for any reason? It seemed an impossible thing. Mainly because... why would anyone want that? He did his very best to keep people at a distance. Knowingly, deliberately pushed them away.

But then... why was he lying there with Inigo laying next to him? Why had he allowed it?

Unless something was drawing him in as well?

Maybe it was the fact he was so far from home? Inigo was the only connection to home. But... it was more than that. Even back home, Inigo had been the exception to many of his self-imposed rules. He'd always seemed to be just a few seconds too slow and always let Inigo get in under his mask. His protests had always sounded weak, even to his own ears, whenever he was dragged somewhere by the other.

He gave a small shake of his head and sighed. Thankfully the dark covered the fact that his cheeks had warmed and darkened slightly.

"I see..." Gerome cleared his throat. "I... am glad that you feel better..." being beside him.

For better or worse, Inigo seems to have no idea about everything Gerome is thinking of. He's just quietly lying next to the other, not even looking at him since they're both still looking up. Maybe Inigo is just lost in his own thoughts too for a moment, really.. Both his thoughts now and his memories of his childhood. Of Gerome back then. It's startling how sometimes it feels like so little has changed, even though everything has changed. Even though they've decided to both don their own masks.

"Thank you."

Inigo instead just simply says. Thanks for what? Thanks that Gerome would feel glad over his wellbeing? Thanks that Gerome is letting him stick so close to begin with? That despite his attempts, he's never fully pushed Inigo away?

He doesn't elaborate. Instead a yawn actually manages to end up being released from Inigo's mouth rather than held back like usually.

".. Maybe we should sleep now, huh."

Gerome slants a glance Inigo's way at the odd sound in the darkness, only to catch a hint of the yawn... and he smiles faintly. Why Inigo had tried to start up a strange conversation when he was clearly tired was beyond him. And yet, there was a hint of genuine affection when Gerome spoke next.

"Then sleep, idiot." He didn't laugh, but there was a shadow of what could have been in his words.

"Tomorrow will be just as tough as the last." So sleep was something they would both dearly need. He closed his eyes and settled himself to sleep. Trying hard to remove all unnecessary thoughts from his mind.

~~Try as you might, you can't outrun the gay thoughts, Gerome!!~~

.. It's weird. Inigo honestly doesn't think he's ever heard Gerome call him an idiot before with this.. kind of tone. It almost sounds fond, doesn't it?

He finds himself kind of liking it.

And so for once Inigo actually gives in to the need for rest for once as well. He sucks in a last deep breath before he closes his eyes, his mind drifting off into sleep very quickly, considering the exhaustion of all the work they got done today.

But there is very much a smile on his lips.

Perhaps it was tiredness of his own that allowed the hint of emotion to seep through. Gerome really didn't care at that point, as his own eyes had fallen closed.

At his side he felt when Inigo relaxed into sleep, and realised he had no more need to fight it himself. With his childhood friend clinging to his arm, Gerome finally succumbed to sleep.

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Deep Dweller: Start

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