#*games

Chapter 1 The First Thread

CLINK

Sounds of fluorescent lights flickered on in a white colored room, an indication that it was morning. 

A soft groan echoed the room, a set of blue eyes slowly fluttered open. 

“Ugh” a man groaned, rubbing his eyes gently and slowly sitting up from the bed he was laying on. 

“Good morning Sam” a robotic voice spoke to him. “You have several delivery requests that need your attention.” 

“Yeah, yeah, I'm going” Sam yawned loudly, standing up from his bed and approaching the shower. 

Stripping himself of his clothing, he tossed them aside and entered, the glass doors closing behind him. Flipping the hot water switch, the hot water instantly dripped down his body. Sam's body was covered in bruises and handprints, a strange sight that people would question; well people that lived in America years ago. Now, people wouldn’t think twice. 

“Ugh” Sam groaned again, finishing the last part of rinsing his hair and turned around to exit his shower. The air began to blast within the shower, drying him instantly. 

Once that finished, he stepped outside again and pulled on a set of new clothing that he grabbed from his drawers. The older clothes, he shoved into a metallic basket, where it was sent to be washed, dried, and refolded. 

“Hey Lou” Sam flashed a smile, approaching his BB who was attached to his synchronization incubator.  

“Ooo” Lou cooed cutely, pulling his small thumb out of his mouth to greet Sam. 

“Heh, we got another big day ahead, you ready?” Sam tilted his head slightly, before he grabbed his bridge's uniform to put on. 

Within seconds, he was dressed, already heading out of his private room and out into the distribution area of Mountain Knot City. 

“Let’s see what we got” Sam mumbled to himself as he tightened the straps to his bookbag. “Huh, delivery to the doctor again….alright.”

“Order assigned” the robotic voice spoke aloud when Sam accepted the order and pulled the boxes onto his bookbag. 

“Let’s get a move on then.”

Within a few minutes, Sam hiked up the bridge that another porter had built and approached the Doctor’s bunker. 

“Hello Sam” His holographic figure appeared in the distance, waving him down.

Sam gave a slight nod in his direction and walked past his image, heading to the delivery terminal. Once he handed over the necessary items, the Doctor’s holographic image appeared in front of him.

“Thanks for making the trip Sam” The Doctor smiled as he turned around to check the cargo. “Wow, perfect condition, I don’t know how you do it.”

Sam nodded appreciatively as the order was completed. 

“New orders available, check the delivery terminal” The robotic voice spoke aloud. 

“Ooo” Lou cooed cutely, Sam’s Odradek began to pulse orange, an indication that a BT was possibly around.

“What the hell? Lou, that can’t be right, BT’s don’t typically roam around here?” Sam questioned curiously, but his small face smooshed against the glass, wanting him to go closer to the signal.

“Alright…I’m trusting you….but I hope you aren’t leading me into a trap” Sam sighed, exiting the Doctor’s bunker and proceeding higher up the snowy mountain. 

“Jesus, I wish they laid down a damn road for me to walk on” he groaned, climbing up a rock and then appearing in a grassy clearing. “What?”

“Ooo ooo!” Lou cooed louder, wanting Sam to approach the clearing.

Sam shook his head in suspicion but approached the clearing and then he noticed a dark figure, covered in BT fluid, limping in the distance.

“What the?” 

“Argh…” you groaned in pain, limping in the freezing cold of this treacherous mountain. Slowly, you lifted your head to view a man in the far distance, just staring. 

Sam was going to approach, but paused in his steps when he noticed BTs surrounding you, dozens of them in fact. Their umbilical cords hung from the air like mourning ribbons. Grotesque shapes twitching, swaying, drifting inches from your body. One even passed through your shoulder, right through you, and you didn’t react in the slightest bit. 

“Hello?” You called to the man, wiping the black fluid that littered your face and body. “Ugh, what the hell did I walk through?” you groaned in annoyance, swatting at the air. 

“She’s not connected…” Sam breathed slowly. 

This is when Lou pressed both tiny hands against the glass, letting out another high, joyful coo, shaking gently in excitement. 

“You want me to go to her?” Sam asked, eyes wide in shock.

Lou bounced inside his pod, hoping that Sam would approach you.

“There’s BT’s everywhere Lou, we can’t approach her” Sam shook his head, slowly backing away.

“Ahh….leave me alone, demonios!” you shouted, causing a rippling effect around you, the dozen of BT’s that surrounded you, shrieked in pain, as they slowly dissipated into chiral matter that went into the air. {English translation: Demons}

Sam froze mid-step, eyes widening when he saw your voice cut through the mist like a lightning strike. His breath caught in his throat. He’d seen grenades do that. He’d seen the anti-BT weaponry do it. But this….this was you. 

“Huh?” he muttered in complete and utter shock. 

When the BT’s disappeared, his Odradek stopped twitching, an indication that it was safe to approach you.

“Are you okay?” Sam said softly, approaching you slowly, the snow around you both picking up in strength, his hood automatically going over his head. 

“W-Where the hell am I?” You questioned, finally approaching him and noticed an orange pod at his chest. “Is that a baby?” you asked cautiously, thick brows furrowing behind your fogged lenses. {Reader’s note: the glasses are optional, but I will keep it in the writing, but you can ignore if you want :3 }

“Kinda. His name is Lou. He helps me see the dead” He nodded towards you. “Though apparently…..you don’t need one.” 

“Oh…” you nodded, wrapping your arms around yourself, the chilling air sending chills down your spine. 

“As for where you are, you're near Mountain Knot City.”

“I’ve never heard of it. I…I live in New York City….I…I was in my apartment….making dinner for myself….and-” You gulped, your body beginning to tremble in fear. “My apartment floor sucked me into a pool of black tar….that suffocated me….until I appeared here…on this cold fucking mountain.” 

“I’m so scared…” you whimpered, tears beginning to drip from your eyes. 

For the first time in his life, the man who never touched and never trusted, suddenly felt an ache to protect you. 

“C’mon,” he said. “Let’s get you out of this mess and cleaned up.”

You hesitated at first, feeling worried about trusting this random stranger, but slowly gave in and followed him.

In no time, Sam had brought you to his private room back in Mountain Knot City’s distribution center. 

“This looks like….a hospital crossed with a prison cell” you muttered. 

“Yeah,” Sam replied. “Cozy, huh?” 

After slipping out of his Bridge’s uniform, he moved to his dresser and opened it. “You can use the shower,” he said, pulling a towel from the drawer and setting it aside. “Water’s hot. Take your time.”

You hesitated by the door to the small enclosed bathroom, peeking in, still shaking a little.

“Thanks,” you said softly, then paused. “But….what should I wear after?”

Sam turned around and grabbed a folded black shirt and a pair of sweatpants, well-worn, clean, a little too big for you, but soft and warm.

“You can wear these,” he said, holding them out without looking at you. “They’re mine.” 

“Oh…um…okay,” you smiled, hugging them to your chest. “You sure?” 

“Yeah,” he replied, his back already turned. “I won’t peek. Promise.”

You nodded happily, your heart warming in a place that had felt frozen since you woke up in this nightmare world. Looking back once more to make sure he wasn’t looking, you stripped yourself of your tar covered clothing and stepped into the small enclosed shower. 

As the sound of running water filled the space, Sam sat down on his cot, Lou’s pod resting on the adjacent table. Inside the pod, Lou spun, eyes locked on the bathroom door.

Sam looked down, “You like her?” he muttered. 

Lou cooed. Not just the usual chirp of approval. This was….joyful. Safe. Familiar.

“She calms you down faster than I can,” Sam said quietly. “Like you’ve met her before….”.

Lou pressed a tiny hand against the glass, babbling.

Sam narrowed his eyes, thoughts spiraling. She walks through BTs untouched…doesn’t even show up on the Odradek. Wakes up in the middle of nowhere. Speaks to the dead like they listen. And now Lou’s clinging to her like she’s his mother…. .

“Who the hell are you?” Sam whispered, turning his gaze towards the shower. 

Soon enough, the shower turned off. You slowly stepped out, now wrapped in his oversized shirt and sweats, the sleeves falling over your hands, the waistband tied tightly with a drawstring. Your cheeks were flushed, still damp from the steam, glasses fogged again. You looked smaller somehow. Softer. But still trying to act like everything was somewhat fine.

Sam stood slowly. But Lou, giggled, reaching for you. 

You blinked softly, letting out a soft giggle, “He really likes me, huh?” 

Sam just nodded. “Yeah. He does.”

“Hey…little guy?” you awkwardly spoke, lifting his pod up to take a look at him.

“Ooo!” Lou cooed louder, pressing his cheek against the glass. 

Sam only watched. Studying. Listening. Wondering what was Lou’s fascination with you?

“Hehe” you giggled louder, pressing your nose to the pod and making cute faces towards him. “Oh before I forget-” you set the pod down onto the table and turned towards Sam.

“I wanted to thank you, for helping me, and allowing me to shower in your home” you smiled, approaching him and extending your hand for him to shake. 

Sam’s eyes flicked to your hand, lingering for only a second before he took a subtle step back. “Don’t mention it,” he muttered, voice low and flat. His hands stayed buried deep in his pockets, the faintest tightening in his jaw betraying his discomfort. 

“Hmm” you hummed softly, pulling your hand to your side, understanding that he seemed to be adamant about touching others. “Uh, is it okay if I can sleep on your bed?”

“Yeah,” Sam nodded, gesturing towards his cot. 

You hesitated at first, biting your lips as you stared at the sterile mattress. “What about you? Where will you sleep?” 

He glanced down at the floor casually. “Don’t worry about it. I’ll be fine here.” 

“On the floor?” you gasped, feeling kind of bad that you took his nice, comfortable bed and now he had to sleep on the floor. “Wait, is it too much to ask if you could….you know…lay next to me…close by…?” “Instead of the floor?” you questioned, sitting down on the bed and waiting for his response. 

Sam froze mid-step. For a long beat, he didn’t turn around, but there was the faintest shift of his shoulders. Turning around to face you, he looked at you, really looked, and for a moment, something in his expression softened. But it was gone just as quickly, replaced by the usual steel.

“You know I’m not-” he stopped, rubbing a hand over the back of his neck, eyes flicking anywhere but the bed. “I don’t do….that.” 

“Oh….I’m sorry….I hope I didn’t make you uncomfortable” your gaze dropped, feeling ashamed for even thinking of such a request. 

When your gaze dropped, he hated how it made his chest tighten. He exhaled slowly, a quiet sound, almost a sigh. “I’ll stay in the room,” he said at last, his voice low and steady. “Not….beside you. But you’ll know I’m here.”

He moved to the glass wall opposite of his bed, sliding down until he sat on the floor, one knee up, arms resting loosely over it, and settled there like a sentry. 

“Okay, thank you” you smiled kindly, grabbing one of his pillows, laying it next to you, and then resting your head on it. A deep sigh escaped your lips as you looked across the room at Sam, noticing how his bare arms were covered in hand prints, bruises, and cuts. What did this man go through to be covered in all those marks? 

Another sigh escaped your lips, your eyes becoming heavy with sleep. “Oh…I-I never asked…what’s your name?” you murmured, the words dissolving into a drowsy giggle. 

Sam’s eyes cracked open at the sound of your voice. For a moment, he didn’t answer, just watched you in the dim light, the fragile curve of your smile before exhaustion claimed you again.

“...Sam,” he said finally, the word clipped and measured, as if too much warmth might draw him closer than he dared. 

“Mmm….goodnight, Sam,” you hummed, already drifting.