Nightshift 23: Stairs outside F Block

[part1of3]

[From here!]Ashton hadn't struggled much with carrying all 130 pounds of Axel until he had to run with him in his arms - who knew how many stitches he was ripping apart just by doing it. He had to be careful with the frail man, but if the two men who'd just walked out of the other staircase noticed Axel in his arms... it was probably the redhead's

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[bond_off_lame]

Luckily for them both the doctor had done a good job with the stitches, so even after all the tossing they managed to stay in place. The same thing couldn't be said for the rest of Axel, however, feeling terribly nauseous by the time Ashton stopped to catch his breath. He listened to his roommate's pants before lifting his hand up to wipe the sweat off the brunet's brow. It was only right to answer, right?

"... Mom and... Dad..." The Nobody answered somewhat reluctantly, not really in the state of mind to explain everything. A lousy summary would have to do for now. "Tan with... white is... our leader... Mom." It was hard having to talk this, wincing every time his chest raise and fell to breathe.

"Guy with... blue... second in... command..."

He tiredly rested his head on Ashton's shoulder once more.

"I and... VII."

[part1of3]

Oh, Axel. You're trying so hard. Ashton smiled down at Axel as the other man wiped the sweat from his brow, though he knew he wouldn't be able to see it. Axel just seemed to need care right now. Even though as far as Ashton knew, the man was still completely heartless - emotionless.. Ashton could have enough for the both of them. And Axel could absorb what he could

[bond_off_lame]

Axel was relieved to know that their pace slowed considerably, taking the time to enjoy it all like a midnight stroll. When was he ever going to find himself in a situation like this again? At that moment Ashton's gentle words would suffice, the redhead smiling despite himself before he let his body relax in his roommate's arms. Never mind the fact that he was still in considerable pain, but it was a detail easily overlooked.

"If I could... I would..." He murmured in reply, glancing down the stairs with half-lidded eyes. Yet, just like all the other attempts he was jolted awake by Ashton's next question, making a small noise in protest before continuing.

"Feel for... yourself..." It was hard to guide Ashton's hand over his chest since both were currently occupied, hoping that the latter's night vision kicked in enough to see him press his own hand over his chest. He repeated the same action several times before letting his arm fall.

[part1of3]

Ashton was silent for a long moment.

Step.

Step.

"They gave you.. a heart."

His eyes were slowly but surely adjusting to the complete darkness, though, and walking became easier. His arms were starting to ache, though, and he held on to Axel a little tighter as he walked. So the man had a heart now.. he had feelings. Ashton wasn't fully aware of the ramifications of all of this yet.. for now, he was still hopped up with the adrenaline of escape.

But all the same.. he was happy. He himself rather liked being able to feel (he did it all the time, actually) ..but people got weird about that sort of thing. People.. they got attached to having (or lacking) things that made them different. Like hearts. Like dragons.

So he didn't say anything more as they finally descended to the bottom of the stairs, pulled open the door just as carefully as he did before, and stepped out into the hallway.

They were almost home free now.

[To here!]

[divineglutton]

((From here. ))

Snake had been looking up at the sky as he roared for 'Manah'; as Amaterasu had the distinct impression that 'Manah' was no god worth mentioning, it made sense in the goddess's mind to head to the stairs immediately.

In her hand was the half-baked prophet Waka, and the goddess was tempted that, had she not something more important to do, to stop and scold him. She had never threatened a human! Not in all of her centuries of life had she encouraged fighting one! And Waka had drawn Pillow Talk, when the other man had been unarmed, all over a slight too insignificant to mention...

...though, after the initial rush of divine anger, Amaterasu felt a slight smile appearing on her face as she hurried on. Issun had been quick to draw Denkomaru over all slights- imagined or real. In that particular, it seemed like artist and prophet were in one accord. Hah, and they constantly wished to tell her what to do...

[godsgift2man]

As a centuries-old prophet, tao master, and supremely fashionable celestial being, Waka had a whole list of sputtered objections - all of which he gave voice to, largely in fluent and distinctly aggravated French - to the indignity of being hauled around like a fish on a line. And Amaterasu was considerably stronger than her delicate beauty suggested.

Still, however, she couldn't drag him up stairs, so once they reached the stairwell she was forced to release him. He'd dismissed Pillow Talk somewhere along the way - entirely aside from the fact that he was apparently not going to need it for the moment, that strange feeling of being drained had only been intensifying, and Waka was smart enough to take a hint as blunt as that; it had felt a bit like being in a cursed zone - and he unceremoniously held his flute between his teeth as he made a point of brushing himself off. "That," he announced with all the dignity he could muster and once he'd removed the flute from his mouth, "was entirely uncalled for."

[divineglutton]

So Waka protested, but Amaterasu knew better.

"I agree, it was unnecessary. There's someone who needs our help, and you were willing to start a fight with a human?" Amaterasu put her hands on her hips, and one could easily imagine her ears flattening against her skull as she growled. "Especially when he was only being rude?"

With that she turned to begin heading up the stairs, unaware that she was going further away from the man's friend. But she wasn't about to slow down when she was obviously needed; besides, if she went then Waka would either follow or fall behind. In either case, it was doubtful that he could try to voice his reasons for drawing Pillow Talk. Which, however good they might have been, did not change the fact that she was disappointed with what he had done.

[godsgift2man]

"Rude to a goddess," Waka felt obliged to point out, not about to give up this point so easily - and more stung by Amaterasu's disapproval than he would care to admit. "After you had offered your assistance, and he had rejected it as though that itself was an insult