#itsohc

Grace's Thing is information processing meaning he takes in a million different things and draws conclusions, but it's not happening in a vacuum. He's not just taking in objective facts, his personal experience is going in there as well. In this moment Grace isn't just connecting what's immediately in front of him, but everything he's seen to this point. He's picked up on the clear indoctrinated behaviours of people of Eden, the unblinding faith, the soldier-like behaviour and then you throw in his anxiety and no direct focus and his brain be spitting out whatever possible conclusions it can.

Grace strikes me as exactly the kind of guy who read up on cult activity back in college and he's picking up on some of these things but he's also hungry, scared, tired, and wants to go home so he's not quite reaching the 'cult' conclusion but he's passing close by to it. Mental manipulation is very much a tactic used by cult leaders.

But also yes this is also foreshadowing of something big that's coming. Something smudge-like that might be following around two people, slowly drawing closer and closer.

When Grace isn't focused, his brain will run with what it has, when Grace focuses, he can try and direct and influence conclusions a little bit more. Like filter through the information better for what's relevant and what's just speculation, anxiety, and just plain wrong. Like they're not mind controlled in the classic sense, but they are following direction without question. It's nuanced.

The smudge and what it indicates is what I've been talking at length with my friend and Iron Lung consultant about. I can confirm it's not the Light. It's complex and trying to get it straight in my head isn't easy some times but I promise it will be explored in depth in the future. It's also not the eel. It is something. It is incredibly formidable and the inciting incident is only a few chapters away at this point, though the impact shall reach through to probably all corners of the multiverse, and to the far ends of the story (which I'm still figuring out haha)

Yes. Both Colt and Grace look to their ability to tell if the other is still alive. The difference is Grace doesn't have to greviously injure himself to figure it out.

Colt mouthed off to someone or other, goading them into hitting him and got exactly what he wanted. He faked being passed out so he could lull people into a false sense of security letting his headbutt land out of nowhere. I'm sure it goes without saying that it wasn't supposed to hit Grace.

So Grace says "he's the reason I'm alive." and Colt is like 'shit and I'm the reason you would have died' because he still has in the back of his mind that Grace is here because of him. I mean because of Ryland but because Ryland is testing Colt so if Grace dies it's his fault, and Simon is the one who saved him. Like the guilt cuts deep but since Grace is trying to look at the cuffs, he doesn't see. Simon sees and realises there's something about this situation that Grace doesn't know and Colt hasn't told him. He has no idea either but the eyebrow raise is him asking Colt 'what? what's going on' without alerting Grace. But Colt doesn't answer.

It's important to me that they get cute brotherly moments before I start to test/bend the bond between them. Also Simon getting to see more things that cement his conclusion that they're brothers.

Simon is on edge. He knows what's going on with the others on the station and he knows they don't have time or any other plan so he's going to get done what needs doing. That's why Father trust him so much. Simon is a do-er.

Also just to point out, Simon doesn't know Colt can heal.

Simon is very strong. He's not like ridiculously strong but it's just my headcanon. He's a 'leader', he's the Butcher, he's Favoured, there's strength there which is really going to help Colt in the next chapter.

All I can offer in soothing is to remind you in chapter 18 there is a Johnny flashback. A nice one. Kind of. Johnny is nice. Circumstances around his encounter with kid!Colt, not so much.

Yep, this is definitely the start of Colt's consequences but it's also to demonstrate how kind of comfortable Colt is with pushing through the level of pain, exhaustion, and discomfort he's in. Like he so easily is like 'fuck this sucks, oh well lets keep going'. Next chapter he actually gets to a point where he's like 'i can't handle this' and is ready to give himself some slack but then something happens and he takes that option away from himself again. Or at least changes the nature of it. He goes from 'i need to rest because I feel like shit' to 'I need to rest because I still got shit to do and I can't in the state that I am'.

I can assure you the explosion is not nearby, but they're in a storage area with unsecured items and the ripple effect is a thing.

Simon doesn't know about the watch, Grace doesn't get a chance to even reach before he's thrown to the floor, and Colt...

Well you'll find out about Colt next chapter.

With little else to focus on, his mind starts to run rampant with a thousand questions he knows he doesn’t have time to get an answer to. What are these people doing? How do they know what to do and where to go when none of them are talking? How do they know what’s going on? Is this some kind of mind control? Is Simon involved? Oh god, has he unintentionally indebted himself to some strange creature who plans to use him to further his-?

Grace bites the inside of his cheek.

This is stupid. Simon isn’t some weird monster. He’s not a freak, he’s not mind controlling the people around them, and he’s definitely not using Grace for some nefarious scheme. His mind is just running wild for lack of answers, something it’s not had to do since he first started researching Astrophage.

At least this means Colt isn’t dead right now.

Grace takes a breath and tries to focus his thoughts.

They’re not mind controlled, that’s stupid; they move like soldiers. Messy and disorganised sure but clearly united in a common goal. The way they look at Simon, if Grace was to guess, he’s a figure of authority or respect. Maybe a general or something? Except Simon’s given no orders so likely he’s a figure of authority with no decisional capacity.

He glances to Simon. Something’s shifted in him since they arrived on the station. Gone is the smile, the softness, the slight glimmer of hope in his eyes. It’s like he turned into marble; cold, hard, unmoving. It occurs to Grace just how little he actually knows about this man.

Eventually they turn down one of the corridors. Even if Grace is completely lost, Simon seems to know where they’re going and what choice does Grace have but to trust him. They keep walking until the hallway opens up into some kind of storage area. Various random items and boxes haphazardly stacked, creating a chaotic mess. A man stands in the open area with a long stick-like weapon in his hands. It looks like rusted metal and clearly has weight to it as he grips and swings it at them as they approach.

Simon speaks to him but Grace is distracted, eyes caught by the sight of the prisoner slumped against the wall, his arms pulled behind him.

Colt.

His shirt is filthy, his cheek is bruised, and his eyes are closed. There’s drops of blood on his shirt and dried blood under his nose. The guard says he passed out twenty minutes ago but it looks like he may have been helped with that.

Eventually the guard holds out the weapon for Simon to take and heads down the corridor they just came from. Looks like they’re taking over guard duty. Once the man is out of sight, Simon gestures towards Colt, placing the weapon aside. Grace doesn’t hesitate, rushing forward, he drops to his knees, reaching to check for a pulse when-

-CRACK-

“Aah!”

A smack to the head and an explosion of pain knocks Grace back on his ass. Eyes streaming, he blinks through the pain to see Colt leaning forward, wide awake, his face drawn into a fierce scowl. The idiot just headbutted him.

“Fuck you!” Colt shouts. “And your freaky cul-”

“What the fuck is wrong with you!” Simon steps up behind Grace, frowning.

“You?” Colt looks to Simon in confusion, his eyes then tracking down to the guy in front of him.

Grace takes the cue, pulling the cloth from his face and pushing back his hood.

Colt’s eyes go wide, “Shit, Grace? I thought-.”

“It’s fine,” Grace raises a hand to his face. No blood; miraculously Colt managed to miss his nose. Still his head is ringing and there’ll probably be a bump when this is over, “Your aim is off.”

“Lack of food will do that.” Simon remarks.

Colt stares at him, “And who the fuck are you exactly?”

“This,” Grace gestures, “is Simon. He’s the reason I’m not dead.”

A flash of guilt flies over Colt’s face. Grace misses it as he shuffles forward to assess Colt’s situation. Simon sees it though, raising his eyebrows in question as they catch each other’s eyes. Colt says nothing, glancing off to the side.

The cuffs holding Colt’s arms behind him are looped around a pipe. Metal, no give. From the red welts on Colt’s wrists he’s been trying to get them off and not succeeded.

“I don’t know how to get these off without breaking your wrist.” Grace comments.

“Then break one.”

“Very funny.”

“I’m serious. Break my-”

“Okay,” Grace’s hand covers Colt’s mouth, earning him a glare, “you can stop talking now. I-EW!” flinching back, Grace shakes his hand wiping it against his shirt and glaring at Colt. “Did you just lick me?”

“Don’t put your hand over my mouth!”

“Are you five? That’s disgusting!”

“He’s right,” Simon interrupts. The bickering stops and they both turn to look at him in confusion.

“What?” Grace asks.

“We need to break his wrist. I don’t have a key. We don’t have time to go and find one, and-”

“No!” Grace snaps, glaring, “It’s fine. I’ll think of something else.”

“Okay,” Simon steps forward, reaching for the sheath attached to his shoulder. “You have until I break his wrist to come up with something.”

“You-? Hey!”

Simon pushes Grace out of the way, kneeling in front of Colt and pinning him with a firm glare as he holds the sheath towards Colt.

“Here-”

“Stop!”

Grace tries to grab at the sheath, but Simon just pulls it away and pushes at Grace again. Grace lands on his ass for the second time, while Simon holds the sheath towards Colt’s mouth.

“Bite down on this.”

Colt does as he’s told, avoiding looking at Grace and leaning forward so Simon can reach past him. Fingers poke and prod around the welts on his wrists, trying to find the place with the most give. Then they wrap firmly around either side of the left wrist, the one without a watch and Colt takes a breath as Simon speaks.

“Brace.”

It’s all the warning he gets before the loud CRACK!

Eyes watering, teeth grinding, Colt screams around the sheath, choking back sobs that try to wrench at his chest. Whimpers of pain break through as Simon shifts the broken wrist trying to push it through the cuff. Every movement is agonising but it’s worth it when finally he’s free. His uninjured hand immediately reaches to pull the sheath from his mouth and he screams.

“FUUUUUUUUUUCK!”

Simon plucks the sheath from Colt’s hand, returning it to it’s place on his shoulder.

Colt cradles the broken wrist against his chest, trying to blink away the tears that have broken through. They run down his cheek, dripping off his chin as he counts random numbers as he fights the urge to pass out.

Fuck it hurts! Of course it hurts, it’s a fucking broken bone! It’s just a broken wrist though, it’s not like it won’t heal even without Grace being here. He really hopes it doesn’t take too long. This was a stupid idea.

Grace is glaring at them.

“I hate both of you.”

“Story of my life,” Colt comments, shifting to use his good hand to push himself to his feet. Bad idea as the arm gives out, crumpling beneath him and dropping him to the floor with a thud. Ow. Right. Empty stomach plus no sleep equals little to no energy or strength.

It takes a group effort to get Colt to his feet, Simon and Grace each taking an elbow and hoisting him up. It’s a little shaky but eventually Colt finds his footing, flashing a weak unconvincing grin at them.

“We need to get you out of here.” Simon says.

Grace nods in agreement, “Agreed.”

“I got this.” Colt raises his right wrist, cuffs still attached, watch intact, halfway through a thought on how he’s going to do this with only one hand when-