Night 54: Stairwell by Waiting Room/Lobby 1

[vitale]

( from here.)

And ... the stairs. Bella couldn't help but peek up at the darkness as she moved slowly up the stairs, saving all of her energy for when she reached the second floor. She didn't want to leap up the stairs and have to catch her breath without even having done anything. That would have sucked.

Do not want to fall up the stairs, she

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[human_sponge]

[From here.]

The stairs were completely abandoned and so quiet that it set Peter on edge. He'd never been attacked in this area, but he could never completely discount the possibility, either. It was tiring to always be alert and waiting for something to attack, but he couldn't approach the nights here any other way.

Still, now was probably the time to start to get to know these two kids, even if working with people so young was still bizarre to him. He glanced back at both Ritsuka and Albedo (their names were just as odd as their appearances, but he left it alone).

"So it sounds like both of you have been here for a while." He looked Albedo over in particular. "Are you going to help out Search and Rescue too?"

[forgot_it_all]

Albedo seemed to be okay with Peter, but Ritsuka wasn't sure how Peter was feeling the other way around. It only occurred to him that he hadn't mentioned bringing along a third when he saw the somewhat standoffish way Peter was acting. It was Ritsuka's failure, but he honestly hadn't thought of it. The need to keep Albedo safe after all that had happened was more pressing to him, especially since his friends kept disappearing one by one. So far, Miku was the only one to have returned.

"Over a month," Ritsuka said, moving up after Peter as they ascended the stairs. A month was a long time in a place where people sometimes didn't stay for more than a week or a few days, but it was still such a short time in the grand scheme of things. "I would, but..." He trailed off, frowning slightly. He was still against the idea of the clubs in general, especially after going up and seeing what had happened that one night when no one came to rescue the taken. Ritsuka's anger had cooled, but the sense of wrong had not. "I guess I prefer to

[purpletaint]

When they started off, Albedo made no protest, only remembered these stairs and where they led, only remembered the feel of Nigredo's hand as he pulled Albedo along with the first slivers of care seen again at this place. That night. That night had--

No, it wasn't something to think about. Not now, not with strangers or friends, and not like this. His mind shifted, moved, rolling with contradictions from the actions of both siblings. But he couldn't think of that. Of them. Because if he did, his thoughts would surely shift to one he hadn't seen for a time. One that had played with them, laughed, fought, scuffled, abandoned, betrayed. Hated.

Hated. Hated hated hated. Which shouldn't affect Albedo. Because he was to hate his twin. That was what he resolved on when that happened. Nothing had changed, but the decision which should be simpler. He would hate him, destroy them--

But he couldn't hate Nigredo. And he had promised not to hurt him. Contradictions. In both Albedo's thoughts, and Rubedo's actions.

[to here]