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

[maxxximumeffort]

[croaks, Wade's fury and fear and outright thirst for death getting flooded out and balanced with Wire's emotions. let it all just bleed out and together]

You're a good dad, you dumb fucknut. Best she could ask for in this shithole.

[fiberoptic]

[In a low, loving grumble,]

And you deserve to be alive. And happy.

[maxxximumeffort]

[sobs] You're so fucking gay.

[fiberoptic]

[Nate's voice cracks into a hoarse, weak laugh.]

Says the idiot who's constantly at half-chub.

[maxxximumeffort]

Can you not bring that up right now? There's no X-rated content allowed on the main drag and the line gets real blurry if we start talking about how hard my dick is. This is a safe space for us to get literally skullfucked, not make sweet supportive love to each other. Also, could you maybe threaten to skullfuck me in bed?

[fiberoptic]

[A throaty rumble against Wade's ear,]

Only if I get to tie you up next time.

[maxxximumeffort]

You double-dealing fucksickle. Fine. I guess if you're gonna entertain whatever the fuck just awakened in me, I'll coddle your fatherlord schtick. Out of the generosity of my heart.

[fiberoptic]

I knew I loved you for a reason.

[The self-loathing on Nathan's end was ebbing away, thanks to nothing but the warm feeling he got being around Wade. He made him smile. And laugh. And feel better about his fuckery so some of that was being shared back at him.]

[maxxximumeffort]

Ah, shit.

[just fucking floods the connection with relief and a greedy emotion like a quenched thirst. He loves that sensation Nate puts through the connection, He wants it so bad, he needs it. He needs Nate. He loves him he loves him he loves him]

I love you so much. Fuck I love you. I love this power. Like an IV of you being fucking mine directly into my bloodstream.

[fiberoptic]

[That pure, unadulterated Need was almost enough to make him dizzy - he grounds himself with another kiss, lips mumbling against Wade's,]

You're stuck with me. So don't you dare think you're too fucked up to love.

[maxxximumeffort]

[Wade groans, and Nate can kind of feel the way he tries to smother the surge of fear with his tongue on Nate's tongue. He sucks on his lip and lets it pop back.]

... I need you to do something for me.

[fiberoptic]

[He has a feeling he won't like this, but. Nate pulls his face away to regard him more seriously.]

What is it?

[maxxximumeffort]

[Nnnnngggh this is a bad idea fear doubt NEED NEED]

I haven't taken any memories since I got back the finale. I... I gotta remember what the fuck happened to me.

[he squeezes his hand.]

I can't stay scared that I'll just, transform into someone that'll drag everyone I love through that shit with me. I gotta fucking face it, I can't just keep having the same character arc, this isn't the CW.

[fiberoptic]

[Solemnly, Nate nods.]

You want me t'be there?

[Because he will. If that's what you need him to do.]

[maxxximumeffort]

Yeah. Yeah, I - - I can do it if you're there.

[fiberoptic]

Of course I'll fuckin' be there.

Just say the word. Whenever you want to bite that bullet. Hell, we can do it together.

[maxxximumeffort]

[puts both his hands on Nathan's cheeks.]

Right the fuck now.

[fiberoptic]

[His face cracked into a smirk]

'Double Down' really does suit you.

[maxxximumeffort]

[starts messing around in ALL HIS POUCHES]

Duh. I got the expensive type that doesn't broadcast like a goddamn holiday special. It came in a lil' bonbon, so I put my tongue on it and got a flash and I know it's got it in there. Just haven't eaten it yet.

[fiberoptic]

[God bless these pouches]

Just a goddamn turd pellet of all your bad shit, huh.

[Braces himself since the bond's still going, hands clapsed firm around Wade's face]

Well? Bottoms up, beautiful.

[maxxximumeffort]

You sure you wanna stay connected? You just gotta be here.

[fiberoptic]

In for a penny, in for the whole metric fuckton, right?

Nothing you've got is gonna scare me off.

[maxxximumeffort]

. . . [takes in a loud, shaky breath.

and eats the candy, and slowly chews it.

and chews... i mean... it's a good chocolate. wow. that tastes amazing. Is that grand mariner? hints of lavender and salt? It really fills the whole mouth, smells fantastic --]

[maxxximumeffort]

[And then he remembers Ajax.

The connection between them wavers, and Nathan can feel Wade experiencing a little shock, like the sudden spike of uncertainty of thinking a stranger is in your home.

And then the shock increases because someone was definitely in his home. Lit it on fire, broke everything to pieces, beat him and fucked him and numbed him and cut him open while he was awake and he was helpless, helpless, helpless. It went on so long, and Ajax loved every second of doing it. Ajax was going to keep him until he died, and he wouldn't let him die for a very long time. And the worst part the worst of it is Wade almost gave up. He knew he would stop fighting. Ajax crawled into every fiber of his being and he couldn't stop it, this would be his whole life and he'd learn to love it.

The panicky relief of knowing he managed to goad Ajax into ending it, and that's how he survived, violently mutating to survive death forever, snaps the horror like a wire, except that wire is still a taut pinprick as Wade starts to shudder violently in Nate's hands.]

[fiberoptic]

Wade? Wade!!

[If a sharp shake isn't enough to snap him back to reality, Nate pulls him up from the ground and wraps him in his arms, trying to quell the shivering.]

Hey. Come back t'me. Come on...