Night 58: Stairwell by Medical Wing

[predictator]

[From here]As soon as Mikado's feet passed the threshold of the stairwell, Izaya stepped in after him. The stairs leading to the next floor were dark and quiet-perhaps that's why Mikado hadn't decided to move one way or the other before Izaya had involved himself? But the entire building was dark after lights out, so waiting at the foot of stairs

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[ofthemotions]

...There had been three collisions now. All with variable effects.

Snow had ended with Mikado on the floor. The man declaring himself as Claire, well.... That had been its own issue in itself and one that Mikado still had the remains of a headache from. And here....

Mikado had been peering in near-intently, some brief fear making his eyes stare into the dark for signs of any movement. Therefore, when a hand touched and pressed, and then propelled him into the dark, Mikado gave a very poised reaction, calm and collected and dignified.

Which is to say he may have shrieked. Just for a moment.

The boy stumbled into the stairwell, nearly tripping because whirling around, his flashlight hugged to his chest. There were a thousand possibilities here, a decent chunk of them formulated from today alone, and in the end, the truth remained as....

The man spoke easily as if nothing was wrong and Mikado stared. Was vaguely aware of his uneven breathing. "Orihara-san?" There was deja-vu in that; hadn't this happened once before here? Why was Mikado always so caught off guard? Wasn't there a way... to defend against that? Some kind of leveling or....

"I-I was just going to--" Look around? What exactly had he been going to do? Luckily or not, the intercom staticed, drawing attention. A deep voice slid angrily out from the speakers. A little... scary but did he really think people would turn in those who were helping them? If they were. Some people might, but for the majority, Mikado would continue to believe otherwise. Throwing away a chance to get out seemed more than idiotic and anyway. If there were people being heroic out there, rebelling against their own goal for what was right. Mikado was willing to have faith that others would see things the same way.

The last sentence was ominous sounding, though. He bit his lower lip slightly, brow furrowing.

[predictator]

Ah, Mikado's reaction was as delightful as always! Unfortunately the intercom had stopped him from explaining what he'd been considering, but what Aguilar had to say was more than interesting enough to make up for that. It, too, had left questions, though-which set of rogues did he mean? And what was this about a traitor? Izaya unfortunately had no information he could offer, but maybe if he headed for the chapel, he could learn a thing or two...

When the announcement ended and the intercom clicked off, he returned his attention to Mikado. Should he give the boy another push, so to speak? Or should he simply extend an offer to have a look around together, and find out whether Mikado would take it?

The former was sorely tempting, but it was the latter he decided upon. Izaya moved past Mikado in the dark stairwell to start up the steps, glancing back over his shoulder. "I was just heading up, myself," he said. Maybe it hadn't been his original plan, but that was unnecessary information. "Coming?"

[ofthemotions]

He had to keep staring. There was no better response for a moment. Izaya-san was like that--he threw Mikado off with little effort and from nowhere. But why would Mikado hesitate here? He had been looking for someone to trail along with tonight, and here was someone he more or less knew, inviting him along. And it wasn't as if Izaya was completely helpless, either.... Mikado would be safer with him than by himself. And anyway....

He was curious about what had been said. He started forward, stumbled, then half-jogged up the steps to the man. "I'm coming." There was something of a thank you in the tone, but Mikado didn't voice it. He owed the man enough.

[to here]