Deunk

“ Mates, I swear I saw them here.” Steven prattles about in a circle for a few good seconds before stopping, his back facing the other two.” After getting you two to help me check out that hole I found, I took a stroll here. Played with the fish.” He looks over his shoulder sheepishly.” Then I saw them leave. Swear it.”

Marc juts his hip out.” How long ago was that? Me and Jake were in that room for- what?” He looks over at the capped alter.” An hour?”

“ Sí. No es largo en absoluto.”

Steven frowns, and then his wrinkles grow even deeper when Jake knocks one of his round goldfish into another. As if they were pin balls.

“ Quit that…and I don’t know. Fifteen? Thirty minutes ago? Not that long.” Marc gives him a disapproving frown and Steven pockets his hands.” I don’t care if you don’t believe me- but I saw them. And I’m gonna go find them.” He takes a step away from their triangle but stops short. Marc’s hand firmly gripping his shoulder.

“ Hey, who said we didn’t believe you?” Steven gives Marc a pointed look, making the later cringe.” Ok, yeah. I’m a bit skeptical- your piss poor eyesight isn’t that reliable.”

Jake comes up on Steven’s other side.” ¿Recuerdas cuando creíste ver una ardilla? ¿Pero era una rata?”

Steven fights back a smile and rolls his eyes.” I think that had more to do with the fact that New York rats look more like mutated cats— but I get it.” He pats both men on the back and then gently pushes them forwards.

“ Though, to settle my nerves, how about we just…check things out? Ok?” Steven looks between them both, and when he finds no sign of disagreement, a smile fills his face.

“ Great. Let’s go!”

-

Marc is still skeptical. Being the only one to have a…semi-coherent conversation with their mysterious fourth person, he could already tell that there was more to them than peanut butter sandwiches and middle eastern languages. Possibly things that Marc doesn’t want to dig into…or to deal with.

Like, at all.

“ I’ve checked around down here before, but didn’t find much.” Steven pauses and then his face dims.” What are we going to once we find them? Are, are going to…”

Marc keeps walking even as Steven trails off. His stiff posture the only thing keeping his head from falling with how heavy it was filled with thoughts.

“ Let’s not get ahead of ourselves. We need to find them before we do anything else first.”

“ ¿De acuerdo? ¿Entonces qué, los atamos y nos lo pensamos?” Jake comments, dragging his hand across the wall as they walk.” ¿Encerrarlos?”

“ That’s absurd, Jake!” Steven stops fiddling with his hands and turns back around.” Even to joke about…They probably wouldn’t appreciate you fantasizing about tying them up.”

Jake squints.”No estoy fantaseando…”

“ Well, it sure sounded like-“

Marc groans.” Hey, hey guys? Yeah. Let’s shut up, ok?” He throws them a thumbs up, his pace slowing as the shadows at the end of the hall start to shift to a point.

“ Arguing won’t make the situation better either. So let’s just…check this out and leave. Ok?”

Jake grumbles something under his breath, but both Marc and Steven choose to ignore it.

Like mature men. Well, mature enough.

“ Looks like this place keeps on going.”

They’ve never walked all the way down the hall before. Usually it looks like a dead end but, today, the whiteness has shifted to a soft grey. The color now able to prominently show the actual shadows that normally stick out and blend with the wall.

“ There’s a bend…” Steven says slowly, his head cocked.” I never noticed that before…just thought it was a dead end. Has it always been here?” He skips a step to come shoulder to shoulder with Marc.

“ You think this is where they’ve been hiding off to all this time?”

Marc nods.” I was thinking the same buddy…” He points at the corner and looks over his shoulder at Jake.

“ We must’ve missed it the last time.”

“ Sí.” Jake agrees.” Nunca lo había visto así en mi vida.”

Marc signals for the other two to stop once they reach the corner. He tentatively inches his head out and looks both ways. It’s incredibly tedious, idiotic, that Jake walks right pass him and down the hall.

“ Estás siendo tonto, amigo mío. Nuestro pequeño invitado no nos hará daño.” Jake walks backwards while he says this, his cheeky grin mocking Marc with a wiggle of his mustache.” No hay que tener miedo.”

Steven, patiently waiting beside Marc, pats him on the shoulder.” Don’t worry, mate. I’m sure everything will be ok.”

The two walk out from behind the wall- not without a low grumble from Marc- to catch up with Jake.

_

Contrary to what Steven and Marc might think, Jake is actually the most concerned about the whole…fourth person problem.

Sure, his first impression of them was…little. It was his idea to tie them up with the ankle bracelet- something he had to argue with Marc about for longer then necessary- but the intention was only to catch them in a trap. To see if they carelessly left a footprint in the sand, or forgot to put the bracelet back on.

It was not to, uh, make a fool out of them.

Even if it was hilarious…

Though, having time to think back on it while he’s waltzing through an undiscovered portion of their mind, Jake does feel kinda bad. He can just barley remember the way their face wrinkled into something so unlike any of them. An expression so vulnerable and guilty. As if they were going to apologize for tripping…well, that might be Jake’s first idea.

But when he and Steven got yelled at he certainly didn’t think there was anything vulnerable about them then.

It was like a switch was flipped. One second they were nothing, just a fragment of themselves, but then their personality bursted out for a second. Only a second.

And Jake could feel everything.

Their sadness, guilt, fear. It was like being pulled out to sea by a strong wave. Leaving him dizzy and partially winded. He was caught off guard by it, it was a rarity that Marc or Steven could over power him during arguments but…they just did it.

Just like that.

Jake doesn’t remember much about what happened after. Steven less so as the powerful wave wiped him flat on his ass. But, from what Marc recapped, it was mainly…sad. Like, extremely sad.

“ What’re you thinking about?” Marc snaps Jake out of his thoughts, pulling him closer with an arm over his shoulder.” Been awfully quiet.”

Steven wedges himself on Jake’s other side. He gives a cautious smile and walks on as if nothing is a-miss.

“ What do you think we’ll find? More fish, another hospital?”

Marc snorts.” Not very clever when is comes to decoration, aren’t we?” He pulls away from their semi-hug and hides his hands in his pockets.” We should spruce it up a bit…add some…something.”

Jake raises a brow.” Like what?” His thick accent is a bit strained. He rarely speaks English and, when he does, it’s still a hit or miss.” ¿Flores? ¿Cachorros?”

“ Like a bed and furniture. Smart ass.” Marc rolls his eyes.” Though, maybe some more color wouldn’t be that bad. We just need…to…”

Steven gasps.“ Oh my.” And that’s when the room expands into something…new.

Stacks of pillows sway. Theres piles of toys- broken and new- sitting it sporadic piles. The floor is a warbled mess of colors that don’t complement each other.

And, in the center of it all, is a half finished Lego Star Wars set. The box and instructions sitting beside it.

Jake takes a few steps ahead of the other two. His mouth open in astonishment as eyes wide as he drinks in the room.

“Es... es tan,” He walks up to one of the pillow stacks and gently pushes it. There’s a second where he braces for them to fall, but the pillows only sway dangerously until they’re stable again. And it breaks a smile out on Jake’s face.

“ ¡Es ridículo!” A laugh bursts from his throat. He turns around and gestures for Marc and Steven to travel deeper into the room.

“ It’s like a child’s room!” Jake looks back up at the pillows and then to the toy piles. Full of books, stuffed animals missing ears, trains without wheels and…so much more. “ ¡Esto es divertidísimo!”

“ Um, Jake?” Steven cautiously takes a step inside.” I don’t think you should be joking around. This place…feels, weird.”

“ Yeah.” Marc agrees, still a bit flabbergasted.” It’s like…deja vu. Isn’t it?”

“ Exactly that.” Steven steps further into the room, and Marc follows.

“ But why?”

Marc thinks he had the answer on the tip of his tongue, but it was immediately forgotten as the ground started to rumble.

_

“ Marc? Steven! You’re gonna be ok, Jake.”

A round of stinging vile rips through you. Your stomach caves in and forces you to arch your back as- what feels like acid- bursts from between your lips. You gag around the contents trying to breath, but that only chokes you and shoots more vile up your throat.

Layla’s hand is- annoyingly- rubbing circle’s onto your back. Whoever was in the bed with her before wasn’t wearing a shirt and the constant, repetitive motions are making your skin burn.

“ You’re ok, Marc.” She brushes a few curls out of your face and abruptly pulls back when you go to vomit again. She waits a few beats and then her hand returns to your hairline. “ Just let it all out— you’ll feel better.”

“ st’p…” You feverishly try to push her way, a miserable embarrassment flushing your body the more she coos in your ear.” Leave me ‘lone…’m fine.”

She ignores you, of course. Her slender arms wrap themselves around your waist, her curly hair tickling the back of your neck as she tries to hoist you up.

“ Come on,” She grunts and readjusts her grip.” Work with me, Habibi. You’ll feel better once you’re clean.”

She gives you another tug and the motion is enough for your tired legs to exert the last of their energy. You’re standing within minutes and, through a haze of muffled whispers and a damp cloth, you’re back in bed.

Layla’s facing you this time. Her soft face torturing you as she plays with the curls of you hair.” Feeling better?” She moves her hand down your face- the feeling twists your stomach enough for you to want to throw up again- and rests her thumb on your cheek.

“ Do you want to talk about it?”

Against your better judgment, you hold Layla’s hand within your own.” I don’t-“ you cough and try again. Marc’s accent was always a challenge for you, but it can be pretty convincing at times…especially after puking your guts out.” I’m sorry you had to see that…I usually-“

Layla hushes you, her full lips curving into a soft smile.” Don’t apologize, Marc…I understand.” She leans forwards and kissing your forehead. Something that feels utterly wrong…but nice.

“ We don’t have to talk about it.”

You hesitantly nod. A terrifying fear taking hold of you as the built up guilt of what has transpired starts to weigh on you.

“ Burada olamam…” You release Layla’s hand, your whisper bringing with it an accent that was…evidently not Marc’s

Layla’s face pinches, your heart freezes.

“ Marc?” She reaches to take your hand and you- again- pull away.

“ Özür dilerim, burada olmamalıydım…” You feel a switch coming, your chest rising and falling in an approaching panic attack.

“ Çok özür dilerim..”

Layla sits up. She grabs both of your wrists and gives you a small shake.

“ Marc? Marc! What are you…”

Her voice fades into nothing.

_

“ -arc! Marc!” Something quick slaps his face. Leaving behind a sting that shocks Marc into springing up from the bed.

“ What the hell is going on?” He widely looks around, searching for a threat, but the only other person in the room besides himself is Layla.

Layla…and her red palm.” What’s going on?” She sits up from the bed to meet Marc where he is standing.” You’re freaking me out.”

Marc squints.” What…what are you talking about.” He looks into the apartment, dark and messy from the days activities, and then back to Layla.” I just woke up? Who were you talking to?”

Layla pulls her lips in a such a way that Marc feels like he should feel offended.

“ You! I was talking to you!” She stands up from the bed and cups Marc’s face.” You had a nightmare, right? I cleaned you up, got some water and…and…” The more she talks the more her confusion contorts into realization.

“ You were asleep?”

Marc carefully moves her hand off his face, nodding.” Asleep. I was with Jake and Steven. None of us were awake…”

Layla deflates.” oh.” She looks up at Marc, her eyes blowing wide.” Oh.”

Marc nods.” Yeah…We, we found someone else.”

“ And you didn’t think to tell me?” Layla asks.” What if, what if they were dangerous?”

“ Was Jake dangerous when you first met him?” Marc counter reacts, now pacing around the apartment.” You can’t just make assumptions.”

Layla shakes her head.” You can’t just assume I’d be ok with being left alone with a random person, Marc!” Layla brushes back her hair, stress aging her face.” When the hell were you gonna tell me about this?”

“ I don’t know!” He rubs a hand over his face, no doubt his wrinkles deepening as a combination of stress and anxiety buzz beneath his skin.” This is new for all of us, too. We, we haven’t even had a full conversation with them!”

“ How is that possible?” Layla sits down on the bed, defeated.” What are you going to do?”

“ Don’t know.” Marc admits.” They know my name, that’s about all we know about them…That and they like peanut butter sandwiches with pickles.” Marc smiles quickly but it’s gone in an instant.

“ We’re still trying to figure everything out.”

Layla nods to herself, her eyes apparent she’s thinking deeply.

“ So…do you think Khonshu would help? You are his avatars, and I’m sure that dumb bird wouldn’t mind having a fourth.”

Marc grimaces.” He’s the last person I want to talk to right now. How about Taweret?” He points at Layla from across the apartment.” Do you think she could help? Anyway at all?”

Layla thinks for a moment.” I…I don’t know, but it wouldn’t hurt to ask.”

“ Good.” Marc breaths, his shoulder dropping.” That’s something…now,” He stalks back over to the bed, kisses Layla’s hairline, and then picks up a handful of clothes on his way to the bathroom.

“ Let me and try and get a hold of Steven and Jake.”