Why would you ruin the trust you spent so long building?
(From: NMT Evil Angel au)
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Everyone notices several people are ghosts during the next round.
It's not too many, and considering that it's a map that everyone usually has trouble on, you can even just say that it was a coincidence.
But considering what Angel had said...
Well, Mick was a bit suspicious.
"Angel!" Mick calls out as everyone catches their breath in the little spot at the end of the map. It's nice that there's always that little spot that The Corruption can't reach.
Angel turns to look at him with an unreadable expression. It seems almost sad, but also... distant?
"Angel-" Mick stops in front of Angel. He stares at her for a bit before speaking.
"So, uh- you... you did save people this round, right?"
"Yes? Why wouldn't I?" Angel looks at him with a judgmental expression, and Mick would be lying if he said he didn't feel nervous in that moment.
"Well, there's just a few more people as ghosts this round, and- well, people told me about what you said earlier, so I was just..." Mick trails off and doesn't finish his sentence, instead staring at Angel's hand as it twitches almost uncontrollably. 'That's... probably not good', Mick thinks to himself.
"Ah, so you automatically assume that I have left others behind?" Angel says as she turns to face Mick more head on. Mick rapidly waves his hands in the air.
"Oh, no no, that's not what I was implying!" Angel raises an eyebrow.
"Then, dear friend, what was it you were implying?"
"I... uh..." Mick stutters.
Angel takes a step closer to him, and Mick flinches back slightly. Angel seems shocked at this, and just as pity grows on her face and it seems like she's about to apologize, the round ends, and everyone gets sent back to the 'lobby'.
Mick sighs and quickly gets up, half walking, half running back to his room. Everyone gets dropped into the lobby in the same area, it wouldn't take too long for Angel to find him in the small crowd, and, quite frankly, he doesn't want to interact with her right now.
Whether it's because he feels guilty or because he's worried about what she'll do and say, he's not quite sure.
Maybe it's both.
The garage-like door to his room is already open, and he quickly slips inside before grabbing the bottom and dragging it down. He leaves a small crack open at the bottom like he usually does, just in case someone might need to get into his room quickly and doesn't have time to knock and wait for him to open it.
Mick slides his hand down his face and rubs his eyes.
How has he made such a mess of things...
He never meant to hurt Angel this much. Yes, he should've checked that she actually could save herself before automatically assuming things, but cut him some slack! This place is bad enough that it can mess with anyone's nerves, he just... He wanted to prioritize the people who he knew had trouble going through the rounds. Angel was always there at the end with everyone, checking to make sure the people who made it out were okay, always with a smile on her face.
This... This isn't the Angel Mick knows.
A knock on Mick's door startles him out of his thoughts.
Well, at least whoever is there was polite enough to knock. The amount of times he got spooked from someone just entering his room without knocking even though they were perfectly capable of doing it was honestly ridiculous.
Mick fixes his glasses that had started to slip off of his face and calls out, "Come in!"
A very particular red gloved hand slips under the door and quickly lifts it up with extreme strength.
Sir Patrick's armor clinks together as he lowers the door to the ground again, this time much slower. He also leaves a small crack open at the bottom-- while he doesn't do that with his own door, he knows Mick likes it like that.
"Oh, hello, Patrick. What is it?"
Sir Patrick pats Mick on the shoulder, a sign of friendship he's been extra fond of giving out lately.
"Hello, Mick. I simply wanted to see how you were doing."
Mick chuckles a bit. "That's it? Ah, well, I'm doing alright."
Mick can't see Sir Patrick's expression, but he can tell it's one of judgment.
"You know, you're not the best at lies." Sir Patrick speaks with a completely flat tone.
Mick sighs, and he lets the smile he tried to put on his face fall. "I... yeah, I've just been thinking about Angel lately and... well, the misinformation I spread about her. I never meant to lie about her, I never wanted to hurt her in the way I did, I genuinely thought she could save herself! But... in trying to help others out I just ended up hurting her..."
Sir Patrick nods along as Mick speaks, and once Mick is finished talking, Sir Patrick hums in thought. "Well, what you did was wrong. I will say that." Mick's shoulders tense and his head droops, but Sir Patrick is quick to continue.
"However, I am quite sure that Angel will understand. She's not unreasonable, and she's always desired to save others, more so than even you or I. If you explain to her that you simply wanted to help the ones that could not help themselves, I'm sure you will be forgiven."
Mick looks up at Sir Patrick, and smiles lightly. "Thanks, Patrick. I really do appreciate it." The small smile Mick has falls off of his face quickly.
"But... I don't really know how I would talk to her. She's rightfully upset with me, and I've never... seen her like this. It feels weird, she's usually so calm and compassionate, but I guess I just horribly messed up."
Sir Patrick barks out a laugh that makes Mick flinch back in surprise, and Sir Patrick pats his shoulder again.
"You truly did, my friend! But Angel is not a horrible person, she will understand. Just go and talk to her." Mick awkwardly swats Sir Patrick's hand off of his shoulder, and sighs.
"Alright, fine, I'll go. But if she beats me up I'm blaming you."
Sir Patrick chuckles and starts shoving Mick towards his door, to which Mick tries to stop him but to no avail. "Yes yes, now go!"
Sir Patrick lifts up Mick's door, and practically shoves him out into the hall. "Wh- Patrick, I didn't mean right now!"
Sir Patrick lowers the door behind him and continues to push Mick into the direction of Angel's room.
"Well I did, and I know you, Mick, you'll procrastinate on doing it until we finally get out of here!" Mick groans in frustration and pushes his hand against Sir Patrick's helmet, to which Sir Patrick has to stop moving Mick forward.
"Alright, alright, I can walk myself."
Sir Patrick pats Mick on the shoulder again and pushes Mick forward just a little more. "Go get her, solider."
Mick sighs and continues walking to Angel's room by himself.
As he walks, he thinks about what he can say.
I mean... what could he say?
'I'm sorry for lying and assuming you could save yourself while I let you die?' That's the truth, but it obviously doesnt sound very nice to just say it like that.
Just beg for forgiveness maybe? Eh, maybe beg is a strong word... ask for forgiveness sounds better.
But even then... will Angel really just be willing to forgive him? She seems really upset, even more upset than that one time when only three people made it out of a round alive, or that time she crashed one of the cars on Skyline Circuit.
This was a side of Angel Mick had never seen before, and honestly, he was a bit scared.
Angel is one of the kindest people here, her being this upset meant that Mick had royally screwed up.
Which, yes, he had, but that doesn't mean it's any less frightening!
Mick stops in front of Angel's door.
Usually there's a gentle light coming out of a crack from under the door-- Angel likes to do the same thing that Mick does, with leaving a small crack open under the door for people to easily open-- but the door is fully shut, and the usual quiet humming that Angel does to calm herself down after a round can't be heard either.
Mick almost thinks that she's not in her room, and is about to turn away, before he hears a bit of shuffling from inside.
Mick raises his hand to knock on the door, but hesitates.
Even with all the time he spent thinking of what to say, he still hasn't decided.
Thankfully, he doesn't have to knock, as the door is pulled open before he even finishes his thought.
Angel is standing there, using both hands to open the door, something that Mick hadn't ever seen her doing before, with her hair disheveled and her expression looking very unhappy.
"What." Is all Angel says to Mick, and he stands there awkwardly for a few seconds, expecting her to say more. When he realizes she isn't going to, he clears his throat and speaks up.
"Hi, Angel, uh... how are you doing?"
Angel looks at him with a quizzical expression. "Fine."
Mick nods slowly, thinking about what next to say. It was quite strange hearing Angel reply with such short answers.
Mick looks at Angel's shaking hands that are still holding onto the door. "Would you... like me to check your hands for you?"
Angel raises an eyebrow at Mick, and it's only now that Mick realizes how strained her breathing sounds. "Why do you desire to check my hands...?"
Mick rubs the back of his neck awkwardly. "Well, they seem to be damaged in some way... perhaps nerve damage? I would just... like to see if they're okay." He pauses for a bit before adding on, "I would like to see if you're okay."
Angel's breath hitches, and she looks back into her room for a few seconds before sighing and letting go of the bottom of her door. She doesn't speak, but she gestures for Mick to come in while she walks into the room herself. Mick complies and follows her in.
The light is actually shut off, so Mick reaches to turn it on. Angel quickly grabs his wrist and stops him.
"Uh, Angel? It's too dark in here, I won't be able to see with the light turned off." Mick tries to gently explain. Angel just responds with a huff and removes her hand from Mick's wrist.
"One moment." Angel says as she walks away from Mick. Mick can hear some shuffling, sounding like Angel is putting something under her bed?
"Alright, you may turn it on now." Mick flicks on the light, and sees Angel sitting on her bed, her leaving a little spot for Mick to sit next to her.
Mick sits down, and he puts his hand out, waiting for Angel to give him her arm.
Angel sighs, but she puts her arm in Mick's hand. Mick gently takes Angel's glove off, and inspects her hand.
It looks... well, not good. The hand is still twitching and shaking, and it looks charred and burnt.
Mick hums and gently presses onto Angel's palm, to which Angel hisses in pain and quickly takes her hand away.
"Oh- Angel, I'm sorry, did that hurt?"
Angel doesn't look up from looking at her hand as she shakily says, "Yes..."
Mick sighs before gently tapping her shoulder. Angel looks at him with some sort of anger in her eyes that Mick isn't sure why its there. "Can I please see your hand again?"
Angel shakes her head and reaches for her glove. Mick stops her by putting a hand on it. "Angel, I need to inspect your hand more. I couldn't tell what was wrong with it."
Angel glares at him. "There is nothing wrong with me! And if there truly were, it would be none other than your fault!"
Mick blinks at Angel's sudden anger and stands up, taking Angel's glove with him. "I never said there was something wrong with you, I said there was something wrong with your hand!"
Angel stands up as well, and tries to grab her glove, to which Mick takes a step back and holds Angel's glove out of her reach. "My hand is connected to me, isn't it? Just what are you trying to say, doctor?"
Mick's patience cracks. "What is up with you?! I just want to help you, why are you acting like I have a personal vendetta against you?!" Angel tries to grab her glove again, but Mick pushes her back, only fueling Angel's anger.
"Why would such a thing matter to the likes of you?! Just give me back what is mine and leave!"
Mick takes a step back, but with no intention of actually leaving the room. "I'm not going to do that, Angel! I'm worried about you, I came to see you because I wanted to make things right, and you're getting mad at me for no reason! Not to mention whatever thing it is you're hiding that made you not want me to turn on the light!"
"What does any of that matter?! You will give me back my glove or I swear I will-" "You will what!? You're not even explaining why you're mad with me! You have no reason to be!" Mick realizes all too late that he shouldn't have been trying to argue with Angel, as Angel suddenly tackles him, knocking both of them to the floor as Angel still tries to reach for her glove.
Mick, although dazed, still manages to hold Angel's glove just out of reach, much to Angel's frustration. "Just talk to me, Angel! Please!" Angel glares down at him with a rage that actually scares Mick.
"And why exactly would I ever talk to a filthy traitor like you!?" Mick barely has time to respond before Angel punches him.
Mick instantly drops Angel's glove, and Angel quickly scrambles off of him to grab it. Mick turns over slightly and grabs his now in pain nose, while also checking to make sure his glasses arent broken.
Angel stands up as she is finally able to put on her glove, and she hesitates before reaching out a hand to help Mick up. Mick stares at it for a few seconds before glaring at its owner and pushing himself up with the floor.
When Mick gets a better view of Angel's face, he can see that it does look quite guilty.
"Mick I... I'm sorry. My anger got the better of me and I-" Mick quickly cuts her off.
"Don't you start that bullcrap with me. Just-" Mick fixes his (thankfully not broken) glasses. "Why are you acting like this? What could I have possibly done?"
Angel's guilty expression leaves just as quickly as it arrived, and she instead glares at Mick. "You know exactly what you've done, Doctor."
Mick winces. Okay, yeah, fair... I guess he does know...
"Alright, fine, but that still doesn't excuse your behavior! I mean, you just tackled me!" Angel continues to glare at him without saying anything, and Mick realizes that the normal warm glow coming from the gem on her dress is missing.
And sure enough, when Mick looks, the gem itself is missing.
"Angel, what happened to the gem on your-" "Get out." Angel seems to realize that Mick notices, and she quickly cuts off his sentence.
Mick seems stunned from the sudden coldness in Angel's tone, and sputters out a, "What?"
Angel grabs Mick's wrist with a surprising amount of force for someone with probable nerve damage, and looks at him with more anger than Mick has ever seen on her face. "Get. Out." Angel repeats.
She yanks Mick closer to the door, and practically throws him out. Mick is barely able to catch himself.
"Angel, wait-" Mick starts before Angel violently slams shut her door, leaving a very stunned, confused, and upset Mick outside.
Sir Patrick comes running up, and is about to ask how it went, before he sees the bloody nose that Mick himself didn't even realize he has.
Sir Patrick doesn't say anything as he gently takes hold of Mick's arm, and leads him back to Mick's room.
He pulls the door about two thirds down before turning to Mick, looking at his condition, and grabbing one of the various medkits strewn about the room.
Sir Patrick doesn't have to do much for a bloody nose, so he simply gives Mick a little wad of tissue for Mick to stop the bleeding with.
Sir Patrick nods in triumph, pleased about the work he has done, and is about to leave Mick alone to think before Mick stops him.
"Patrick..?" Sir Patrick stops right in his tracks.
"Yes, Doctor Mick?"
Mick pauses before looking at Sir Patrick with the first tears in his eyes he's shed since he first got here.
"I'm not sure who Angel is anymore..."
