BETRAYAL AT THE HOUSE ON THE GAME TOWER - END

[idolpro]

Who: Traitors and Survivors, Exael
Where: The Game Tower, and leaving it
When: Day 25, morning-- it appears that game lasted the bulk of day 24 into the night.

[ Abruptly, the nightmare ends.

You, in the rooms you kept restarting in, awoke. Before you can even panic, before even despair, the elevator doors were open in front of you to take you downstairs again. It could be a trap, sure, but your head is quiet— those fucking ghosts are gone. You also appear to be wet like someone dumped, perhaps, a bucket of holy water on you while you were asleep. All your wounds are gone, and you have been left bereft of any physical damage from your ordeal.

Unless you choose to take some with you. Nothing prevents you from taking any of your spoils downstairs with you, if you wish it, though all revolvers will have no ammo.

On the screens as you descend back to the lobby, Exael is clapping on screen, broadcast showing her in the mansion's entrance hall. "And so close the gates to this forbidden garden, and so closes this chapter of our story! Just as—" her hologram flickers as she doesn't seem to notice, chattering still to the cameras, "so too will—" fzzt, fzzt. Static, flickering, and then back into focus, "So give them all a hand! Everyone, you've done well! You stand before us still, ready to present us all with more marvels after having survived such grisly wonders with—" "—in the balance!"

As she speaks, she doesn't notice a figure approaching behind her. He's in a slick suit with both hands in his pockets, and you've seen him before— his portrait is in the foyer. His shoes are utterly silent as he walks across the marble floor, till he's right at her back.

"Audience and actors alike, we've been blessed with—" Her hologram doesn't flicker this time, but she stops speaking. Her eyebrows furrow as she tries to figure out what's amiss, and only belatedly begins to slowly look over her shoulder.

"Exael," he says with a friendly hand on her solidifying hologram shoulder, the effect spreading beneath his touch, "We need to have a chat about your requisitions paperwork."

She tilts her head, eyes wide with a finger tapping against her cheek as she thinks, "I didn't do any!"

"Yes," he agrees, smiling with all his teeth. "I know."

The broadcast cuts. The doors open to let you leave. ]

Comments

[crossmyheartandhope]

[Okay honestly that all sounds. Almost unbelievably good.]

[Just outright weeping now, please hold.]

[liarliarliar]

It's okay now everyone is fine now...

[I mean for some meanings of fine]

Look around, really look.

[crossmyheartandhope]

[It's going to take him a little while before he can. But he finally scrubs at his eyes, hard, and actually looks.]

[liarliarliar]

Everyone is healed up now. See? There's Abi and Wire and Mori and Hiryuu..

[crossmyheartandhope]

[Yeah, okay, he's crying even harder.]

[It's kind of desperate, but also there is an undercurrent of relief. He's holding B's hands so tight it probably hurts.]

[liarliarliar]

[trying to tug hands away now]

Go to them, okay?

[crossmyheartandhope]

[Yyyyeah, the sound he makes when B tries to take his hands back is. Not a good sound.]

[It's downright pained, honestly.]

[liarliarliar]

[s-shudders]

H-Hurricane.

[u need to let go tho???]

[crossmyheartandhope]

Don't -

D-don't -

[There is definitely a pleading note to the words, but he is kind of panicking too much to make a sentence right now.]

[liarliarliar]

Look, look, let's get you to Wire....!

[crossmyheartandhope]

[Nods, a little frantic.]

[He's hyperventilating now, but he can stand the thought of B going as long as he doesn't leave Hurricane by himself when he does.]

[liarliarliar]

[will. will help you to Wire]

Deep breaths, slow it down, it's fine it's fine...

[crossmyheartandhope]

[Following him, slow and decidedly unsteady, still clinging tight.]

[Deep breaths are too much to ask, but at least he's moving??]

[liarliarliar]

It's okay, it's okay, I-I'm here, everyone is here....

[swallows hard ur hurting me boy but its fine?? this is fine??]

You'll get to go home it'll be so nice you can curl up on. Everyone you love! So nice and c-comfy!

[crossmyheartandhope]

[Every single part of that sounds amazing?]

[Like seriously every single part. He is breaking down again a little, honestly, because what even are nice things? He barely remembers.]

[liarliarliar]

Everyone will be so warm and comfortable!! So warm! And soft! And they love you so so much!

[one step another step it'll be fine this is fine]

[fiberoptic]

[OKAY IT'S OKAY Wire is here?! And understandably very worried, he's. Hesitant to touch Hurricane, the boy looks so fragile right now. Shooting a glance at B, he tries to gently place a hand on Hurricane's shoulder.]

B, what happened...?

[liarliarliar]

I have some speculation but I'm not! Sure?? Ah. He seems very in need of some. Tender love and care? That I can't provide?

[t-trying to take his hands away again]

Hey, look, your dad is here!

[crossmyheartandhope]

[Nods and sucks in another hitching breath. He's actually letting B let go this time, though it looks like it takes. Quite some effort to make himself relinquish those hands.]

[liarliarliar]

[as soon as he gets his hands away moving back several steps, clutching his chest a little]

[fiberoptic]

[He can tell B really doesn't want to be here, he can't imagine what the other kid's going through underneath that smile. So he nods at him, understanding.]

I can take it from here. Thank you, B.

[Just going to very carefully take Hurricane into his arms to carry him.]

[liarliarliar]

Sorry...

[BYE

ZOOM]

[crossmyheartandhope]

[He's shaking like a leaf; Wire can probably feel it as soon as he scoops him up into his arms.]

[The sobbing is already borderline hysterical when B gets him there, but it kicks up a notch as soon as Nathan's holding him. The good news is that he seems less panicky??]

[fiberoptic]

[He shifts his hold on Hurricane so the boy can hug his arms around Nathan's neck as much as he needed to.

He gently pats the boy on the back, murmuring in a soft baritone,]

Just let it out. I'm here... it's going to be okay.

[crossmyheartandhope]

[His hands come up, jerky and a little hesitant, to hold onto Nathan.]

[There's something almost uncertain to the gesture, like he's not sure he's allowed - or like he's not sure he quite believes this is happening.]

[He's spent a lot of time imagining something like this. He's had dreams like this, and they always ended up with him waking up back in an empty, dark place with just one window.]