Black Knight

      The lighter shift in topic has him smirk. “What, are you afraid I’m going to suddenly pick you up and carry you to places?” He teases, a bit forced due to the need to feel better about this stupid situation, somehow find something remotely positive among the pile of crap they’re in right now. 

Being this close didn’t bother him as much in this body. Rather than think about it, Liu leaned in closer in hopes of it having the opposite effect on the one in his body. “Sorry, but I can’t see any wrinkles. I can tell you’re ecstatic over being so handsome. Too bad it’s temporary, and you’ll have to go back to this soon.”

      It is sadly not enough to face an enemy whose power is way beyond his management– a punch would definitely break his hand if he tried fighting a Pariah– but Liu’s fast reflexes and capabilities make up for Hibiki’s uselessness. Gritting his teeth, he tries to hold back from breathing quickly and let any hint of panic break through his cool character. They can survive this, too.

Although focused intently on every aspect of their surroundings, he cut away his attention long enough to glance back at Hibiki. “Are you all right?” he asked with a level voice. His eyes went back to scanning the area for signs of any approaching enemies. “I should be enough protection for the two of us. But if you’re injured, they’re not like the usual ‘zombie’. You won’t turn into one of them.”

It was harder to keep quiet every second. O’Brien wanted to scold him for not calling the cops like a normal person, but it’s not like he would’ve followed his own advice. He always took things into his own hands too, and he didn’t have the energy to say something unnecessary that they’d both know is bullshit.

      It’s petty and irrational, yet he can’t stop these stupid feelings bubbling inside him.

      “So I take it she was just a one-night stand.” The wording leaves a bitter taste in his mouth. “I’m impressed, old man. I never thought for a second you needed that kind of company.” An idea makes room in his head, and somehow his own pettiness pushes him to form the words in spite of himself, accompanying them with a smirk of his own.

“If this was a video game, we’d have gone way past a reasonable budget by now. Most games don’t even make it past 72 hours of game time, let alone 5 years. If anything this is more like an anime or a reality tv show. We’d call it: Gintoki’s adventures on tumblr.”

No one would watch that kind of thing.

“I don’t live in this neighborhood, I don’t know where to go for help,” O’Brien said. “You got me into this so you have to fix it.” O’Brien wouldn’t take anything else as an answer.

He kept his gaze ahead after that. “He stabbed someone else before you. I tried preventing anything else.” Clearly, that hadn’t worked---but at least he dealt with one Silent infectee before he got to attack or infect anyone else. Speaking of, Liu supposed he should keep an eye on this man just in case.

      A hand sneaks into his hair, and he nearly startles before realizing his partner is the one who got the idea of suddenly making that move. Dark eyes dart to meet the other man’s gaze with confusion and a bit of flustering wonder, although the heat over his cheeks delays to deliver once the insult reaches his ears. “At least yours looks stupider,” he retorts childishly, not above resuming the back-and-forth banter. Except it seems their brief moment is being interrupted by the very reason why Liu agreed too come along.

Spotting the drinks station, Liu shifted his trajectory to meet it. “Might as well get something to drink. A glass of champagne or something.” He shifted his gaze to Hibiki. “I don’t think they ID here unless you look ten, so your choice whether you try to get something or not.” 

      “I don’t know,” he mutters, ignoring the previous comment, and trying to keep anxiety at arm’s distance. Being reminded of his past mistakes was the very last thing he needed right now, and all because he made an off-handed reply. He glares at the ground instead of Liu.

Following that very calm explanation of death, he stood and casually walked closer to where Hibiki, in his body, sat. Liu leaned on the armrest and peered at him. “I’m so much smaller than you like this. It’s annoying.” 

[ Σ ]—— “Hey, old man. Don’t you think there’s something off about the house today? It feels like something, or someone had been here without our knowledge.” He may not exactly intend to speak in plurals, suspicion rising with each gaze he exchanges with Liu.

Misato dismissively waved at him as he left, not too sad to see him leave so quickly. It was clear enough that the person she wound up with wasn’t the clingy type – all the better for her. No worries about emotional vulnerability. Just stupid sex and it was over.

Once she had the bare minimum of clothes on not to be exposing anything, she stumbled down the stairs with all the grace of a bag of rocks. She wasn’t too worried about making a good impression, either. Still not full making use of her eyes, she yawned again, heading in the general direction of what she assumed as the food area.

By the time Misato showed up, he already had his hands washed, sleeves rolled up, and had a container of rice flour sitting on the counter (but nothing else with it). He glanced back at her when she spoke, and although he looked vaguely annoyed, the specifics gave him something to work with. “I can make what I need when other options aren’t available,” he explained as he filled the counter with an assortment of other things: a cutting board, a knife, several eggs, a mixing bowl... “Street vendors are more common in some places than others.”

[A note before we get into the thread – I’d really prefer if you checked with me before replying to this one! Thank you!]

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Misato yawned and rolled onto her side to look at the clock, wherever it was. She wasn’t sure what time it was, or whose place she was at, but it was a bed of some sort. Unfortunately for whoever it was that she wound up with, she hogged all the blankets over the night, making some sort of cocoon with them.

“Mghhmm… hey, wake up. Make me some food, okay? I don’t cook or anything, so, you need to do it.”

She nudged her partner, whoever it was, her voice still laden with sleep. As for whether they regretted bringing her home or not, she didn’t care. All she really cared about at the moment was getting some food in her stomach and stealing some of their drinks.

The young woman (Misato?) nudged his hip as if he was still fast asleep beside her. “I’m awake,” Liu said simply, glancing around for her request. He spotted the tangle of fabric as he slid out of bed, gathering some of his own clothes before jumping to assist her. Once one of the buttons of his shirt was buttoned, he leaned over, picked up the bra, and tossed it underhand onto the bed beside her. “There.” He didn’t sound particularly agitated, but his tone suggested detachment as usual. Of course, that might not last all that long.

“Are you serious?” O’Brien asked. “That’s all you have to say? I just got stabbed because of you!”

“Fine. Come with me.” At a natural quick pace, Liu started walking back toward the main street. He just left the target there, completely unconcerned with whatever happened to the man next. When he woke up, his expected Silent should no longer be there, reducing his chances of being a danger to someone. How exactly he would get to a hospital himself was beyond Liu’s sympathy.

      He’s somehow thankful for the close ranged combat because he doesn’t have to get dragged around by the handcuffs. They can take care of things on the spot. “I’ll handle this guy,” he signals to Liu after seeing his opponent recover from the punch. The counter strike doesn’t delay coming, and Hibiki narrowly dodges it with a harsh move of his head. A sting of pain caused by the remains of his headache rushes through his throbbing brain, and a hiss escapes his lips, but he endures it.

      Hibiki avoids another swing at his stomach, before realizing the man is now holding a knife and attempting to slash at him. Another swing causes a cut on the sleeve of his trenchcoat, but fortunately it only brushes his skin. Survival instinct kicks in as he quickly raises a leg and manages to kick the weapon out of the thug’s hand. He takes advantage of the split second surprise to charge a punch into the man’s gut, and then hammer him with the same fist over the back of his neck, a strike that is meant to knock out. It connects, and one more enemy joins the floor at their feet.

The fight ended with the three thugs on the ground. Though the second man to face his mental attack didn’t seem completely knocked out, he was unable to move much. Liu left him and charged for the door. It didn’t budge when pushed, so he stepped back to deliver another rough kick. It swung outward just after his foot met the wood.

A dark night sky waited past the door frame. Liu hurried out, dragging Hibiki along if necessary. His breath crystallized in the cold air, but at least it wasn’t the dusty stale air from inside. “Must’ve been an emergency exit,” he muttered. He hadn’t heard an alarm go off, but he expected a group of thugs to disable it. 

      Talking means wasting breath and throat drying, but he’d rather face that than spend this aimless journey in silence. If they can’t find anything to talk about at all, he might as well keep complaining. He turns his head to Liu as another bat stupidly flies into them and, just like the other half dozen before it, drops to the ground with few spasms. Lovely.

      “I would like to change sectors if we didn’t get lost into this one in the first place.” It’s pitch black, and at times foggy, but mostly dark like a badly lit cave full of bats. The stink is not the usual coming from a place fllled with pollution, and it didn’t make him realize they ended up in Sector Two until they were already deep into the mess. “It would be great if we found the station, but for that there should be more light– and actually someone we could ask for directions, preferably.” He rambles on and on, not surprised if the old man ends up not listening.

      His feet are aching, and his costume’s weight is starting to affect him uncomfortably, but he’s forced to set those feelings aside the moment a faint noise that he doesn’t recognize as anything related to bats reaches his ears. Hibiki quickly scoots closer to Liu, despite their tentacles getting in the way, and touches his arm to get his attention. Thankfully, jellyfishes don’t sting each other when they’re in groups which is relieving when you can’t have anyone else touch you. Even just the two of them are enough.

He had already stopped in his tracks, but now he moved slightly in front of Hibiki. On reflex, he was trying to guard his “partner”. That thought occurred to him, but he didn’t have time to scowl over it. This was an opportunity, either to get assistance or strike first. “Hey,” he called out to grab their attention. The women were still moving in his and Hibiki’s direction, but paused at the sound of his voice. He was calm but characteristically suspicious. 

“Do you know where the station is? Or the nearest road out. That’s what we’re looking for.” 

The shorter woman appeared to size them up before answering. “No. We’re just as lost as you. But maybe we can look together?” Her smile caught the light, simultaneously disarming and disquieting.