flameinthedarkness

"Guess it's a good thing we don't have classes tomorrow. Yeah, I can do that." He's not going to get any sleep tonight, he's sure. Anxiety is going to keep him up, wondering where they both end up when they talk tomorrow. Hopefully he'll have enough energy to put up a split card for awhile and keep people off his tail. Regardless of his energy, he knows he doesn't want to put a pin in this for very long. "We'll text updates on our recharge levels?"

"Yeah, yeah." And while Idia knows he has to let go of Cater's sleeve... he doesn't want to. Lingering there several moments. Before forcing himself to let go. To step away to the side.

He's so confused.

"Ah, let me know a good spot to do this, ok?" Since Cater has better ideas on that than Idia.

When Idia's fingers uncoil from his sleeve, Cater can't help a feeling of disappointment from creeping in. It's not like he actually expected they'd be holding hands all the way to the hall of mirrors or anything, but...

Well, maybe he was fantasizing, a little bit, even if he knew better.

"You got it!" Might as well start walking since they're going to the same place, anyway. Maybe it's a little awkward, suddenly walking side-by-side at a respectful distance when they've spent so much time that day doing the opposite. "At least we know we have the tower, but depending on what time it is I'll do a bit of scouting."

Unable to give a final note of teasing, though, he does toss out, "I could always come infiltrate your secret lair."

Idia instantly regrets it. But forces himself not to go back on that. It wouldn't be fair, to have said one thing then act opposite it. Instead shoving his hands into his pockets, forcing himself not to reach out again as they walked.

"I can always check on cameras to see if anyone is heading there. Or any other spots, really. Or have Ortho do life sign scans of different spots." Yup, the Shrouds had a lot of access to the school systems... not that they needed it.

"Pfft, I would say I got the best security system, but he would just invite you in." Ortho has been very happy about Idia making a friend.

If it wasn't so useful, Cater would be kind of unsettled by just how much power the Shroud duo had over the school. They could really do a lot of damage, if they wanted...Crowley better stay on their good side. Actually, that's probably why he's allowed to skip out on so many classes, now that thinks of it.

"Ha! Shouldn't have told me that. I'll conspire with him to never let you know true peace again." He's kidding, of course, if the devilish grin wasn't enough to cement that--he'd be miserable himself if he never had the chance for real privacy. "JK, JK. It's only fair I grind to earn all your secrets."

Yes, he chose his words very carefully.

"Yeah, really gotta get that rep up with the 'shut in otaku' faction." Ok, Idia can do this. This kind of joking... And maybe missing Cater's very specific words. No doubt he will pick it up more and more as they go on. And have to learn to deal with it.

"Gotta slide into more of your dorm's DMs. I know some of them follow me on Magicam." It's just, you know, actually start conversations in person is pretty much impossible when it comes to Ignihyde students. And with how loud of an overall reputation he's made for himself, it's not like he can just ask Idia to put in a good word for him. "Maybe I'll start uploading more memes."

Ah...they're already at the Hall of Mirrors. How did that happen so fast? Cater's heart sinks as he looks toward Heartslabyul. He can't believe he's already kind of missing Idia when the guy is standing right next to him. He can't believe he already feels so tired at the prospect of being back in his own dorm.

"Guess this is TTYL?"

"Pfft, omg, maybe I need to follow you too if you start doing that. See what you put up." Most of the stuff Cater puts up Idia doesn't have interest in. Or... didn't at least. Maybe he'll browse through Cater's stuff sometime...

And... yeah, it both took too long and was too fast to get to the mirrors, Idia hesitating before parting ways, considering something but... there was a lot of other students milling through the area. Yeah, not happening today. Not until they talked things through.

"Ah, yeah, yeah, I guess so..." ...why does he not want to go? But... a sigh out as he glances to Cater. "Ah, yeah. Let me, ah, let me know about... stuff, ok?" A moment of pause, hand actually coming out of his pocket as if to reach for Cater again... but drawing it back to his side as he forces himself to turn away and head towards Ignihyde. So very confused still...

Cater nods in agreement, sighing once to himself. If he sees Idia reach for him and think better of it, he doesn't show it, running his free hand through his hair as if to steady himself for the final time. "KK! Seeya!"

The smile that lights up his face after he says goodbye isn't like the ones that he could hardly keep off during their date. This one feels is practiced, plastic, and doesn't reach his eyes--eyes that seem so much more tired, now, as he spins on his heel and heads through the Heartslabyul portal.

As expected, the dorm is alight with activity. It's closing in on dinner, so the kitchen is bustling, particularly with the students who are trying to get Trey to cook something (who doesn't love the guy's cooking?). Cater ducks in to put the pastry in the fridge--it seems Riddle's studying and Cater isn't about to stick around long enough for Trey to read him--before darting up to his dorm.

Cater lets out a breath of relief once he's inside, hardly getting his shoes off before he flops across his bed, grabbing one of his cutesy pillows and pressing it into his face. Finally, the question he's been suppressing all day hits him full force. His impulsivity and adrenaline can't keep him ahead of it, now.

What the fuck do I think I'm doing?

Edited 2023-03-07 22:37 (UTC)

Ignihyde was busy too. Maybe even more so than other dorms since the students of it rarely left the dorm; milling around at random, some set up with gaming sessions or working on projects together. All stuff Idia passes by on his way to his room, waving off any who try and stop him with a halfhearted 'later' back. He does glance around to try and spy Ortho anywhere, not really wanting to face his brother either just yet as Idia slips into his room.

Shoes off, coat off, and just... face planting into his bed, face going down into his pillow and...

Feeling so lost.

What had this all been? The events of the day finally catching up and racing through his head, pulling each one apart and dissecting it, trying to work out and place it in some sort of order to be able to process it all. But... it's so much. And being in bed... it's really catching up to him, all the exhaustion from those mix of emotions. It's just so, so much.

But... even for all the downs today... they seem lighter thanks to all the highs. Oh, he's super embarrassed by them, how much he freaked out and showed that side off to Cater. But the fact Cater took it so well... Idia feels bad about putting that all on him. A sigh into his pillow and instinctively reaching for his screen overhead to text-

...what is he doing already?! They just parted and he wants to talk to Cater again already?! Ughhhh. Idia's not prepared for this. At all. Has no clue how to process this. Rolling himself over to his back he presses his hands to his face. No... no. Stop drowning, stop struggling, deal with it how he knows to deal with stuff; a plan. And the main problem he needs a plan for right now is... what are they? What did he want out of this and... how much to show it.

It's something Idia will work on, typing up ideas as they come to him, headphones crammed over his ears to drown out the world, even waving Ortho off once he comes back to their room. Who... takes it ok, yet Idia feels bad about it and takes a break for awhile for them to share those gifts he and Cater got for Ortho, mention that... he has some things to work through, and while Ortho offers to help, Idia says he has to work it out... but thanks him.

And for once... Idia actually gets to bed at a reasonable time. Mostly because he's exhausted. No doubt will wake up during the night since he can never sleep too long but... sleeping for now.

A complicated relationship with sleep comes with the territory of having an unwell mind, but most days Cater manages without too much trouble. It helps that he burns his candle at both ends day in and day out, trying to please everyone, trying to maintain an image of a person that doesn't exist.

Maybe it's because today was so genuinely nice that sleep doesn't come. Stress upon stress is piling in unstable stacks like a game tower made out of wooden blocks in a way that only happens on particularly bad days...but it's still different from what he's used to in that regard. Cater can't stop himself from thinking of all the times Idia made him laugh. He can't get the image of out of his head of the taller boy startled, breathless, glowing hair tinted pink as he presses their bodies together. He can still feel the gentle brush of those thin blue lips, the way those long fingers felt between his own.

Agitated, he tosses and turns. A shower doesn't calm his nerves and he can't stomach eating anything else for the rest of the night. Cater shifts between pacing and trying to shut out his thoughts. He spends a lot of time feeling lost on his phone, but keeps drifting back to the pictures they took, and they make him smile--and that makes him want to throw up. He messed up, didn't he? He really broke his own rules with this one.

How can feeling so happy make him feel so terrible? Why is it always like this?

It feels like years have passed by the time it hits 2am and he knows that he's not going to be sleeping at all that night. He wonders if Idia's still awake--he wonders if he's having a panic attack, too. Knowing that it's stupid but finally reaching the brink of his self-control, Cater opens his DM with Idia.

can't stop thinking abt u
feel free 2 laugh

Idia's... actually asleep for once at 2am. He normally never is. Not that his body would let him sleep much longer, he's already falling into a 'dozing' pattern than full sleep as that text comes through, peeking an eye open and moving his screen to see it and...

Oh.

Rubbing at his eyes to fully wake himself up, Idia squints against the light from the screen as he reads it, then rereads it as his brain wakes up and...

i almsot text u as soon as i got back to my room. so u win? I guess? lasted longe rthan i did.

Yup, typos and all, Idia yawning as he sent that and stretching in his bed. Rereading it yet again and... taking in what Cater said, and feeling... gods he hates to be a stereotype with the whole 'butterflies in stomach' but... it really feels like that? Who would had thought. He would assume it was just some stupid trope but... wow... yeah.

Before adding,

glad u did tho. text me.

It's a palpable relief when Idia's response comes in. The typos do make him wonder if he did catch him at a bad time (sleeping), but his shaken psyche decides to cling to what he said at the end: that he was glad to hear from him. That he'd wanted to text, too.

didn't want 2 seem desperate or clingy or smth
just kind of miss ur voice
is that ok?

i mean if today is u clingy then it not bad

And sent... before Idia realizes what he sent and...

fuck

Then,

wahtever

A sigh as he lies back in bed, rubbing at his head as he looks at the screen, considering what Cater said.

gonna offer to VC but guess u really cant there at this hour huh?

yea
even on a weekend would def get my head chopped off for it

Thus is the life of a card soldier. Yeah, Riddle's been doing a lot better ever since he had his overblot, but that doesn't mean he's going to tolerate flagrant rule violations.

u ever use ur security camera privs to sneak out?

pfft who am i trying to avoid? myself? n the old dorm leader didn't care either. i go to Sam's sometime when i know hes there, to pick up newly released stuff

...this is a stupid idea. A stupid idea... but,

u wanna meet up? somewhere?

Ugh, he's being so stupid! This is just going to make things worse. But, like, even if he did need to step back...it's not like he could do that over text. That would be so shitty. So much easier to ghost people when they aren't, like, actively in the same class as you.

So, whatever he decides to do when he gets there, Cater says exactly what he's feeling.

I really do, yea
same place as b4? don't have much brainpower 4 planning but campus is obvs deserted rn

gimme a moment to check, k?

Also to clean himself up. Since Idia had just fallen into bed once he got back. Ugh! Up! Change, brush teeth, all that while he taps away on a screen, checking paths for them both, where everyone is, if anyone. Really only ghosts around at this time.

Eventually,

it look all good. u want me to grab snacks or... no stomach for it?

Idia texting away as he finally takes the time to move his gem back to his computer, throwing the pen somewhere into a drawer, rarely needing it as he gets his skull back into working order.

When Idia gives him the all clear, Cater can't bring himself to outright admit how queasy he feels. The fact that Idia even asks...well, he must get it. You don't just stay up like this against your will and feel physically fine.

only snacc i'm after is u lol

It's stupid, but the joke helps center him as he changes quickly out of his pajamas and shoves his feet into his shoes.

meet u @ mirrors?

omg

The thing is... it makes Cater sound like he's doing better than he is, Idia starting to question just what is going on right now but... with what Cater said today, with how Idia handles his own issues... is he falling into CayCay to deal with this? And if so...

Actually it's fine. It feels... less annoying now Idia knows it's an act. Like he can tolerate it more if it gets shoved in his face.

Which is so weird.

ya k

With that Idia moves out of his room... after leaving a note for Ortho to not worry if he detects him gone from the room, even in Sleep mode. Plus he has his computer with him, so Ortho can contact him as needed. Back in his comfort zone hidden in his normal hoodie, Idia shoves his hands into the pockets of it, a glance as he notices a few still up around the dorm, late night projects or just making the most of the weekend. But they're also used to him being up this late, including going on snack runs, so it's not strange to see Idia leaving the dorm at this hour.

And arriving in the Hall of Mirrors, waiting for Cater...

It takes Cater just a bit longer to get there--he doesn't bother setting up a split card since expects to be back before too long, but he knows characters like Ace sometimes try their luck for a late night snack (and often need to pull all night cram sessions due to their grades) so he won't risk waltzing out the front door.

No, Cater opens his window quietly and makes use of the winding latticework to climb out into the back gardens and make his way around to the front path. Feeling tired, it winds him a bit more than it normally would but adrenaline still keeps him going. He can feel his hands shaking, so he keeps them tucked under his arms, hugging himself and his coat around him as he reaches the portal and steps out into the hub.

"Hey--sorry to keep you. It's a little tricky sneaking out of Heartslabyul."

Idia doesn't mind waiting. Just keeps an eye on security while he does. Again, he has the excuse he's getting a snack, could pop back into the mirror then back out again if he needed to make a show of 'leaving'. But everything stays clear, his eyes raising as Cater appears and...

"You look horrible." WTF? Like, seriously, wtf? Idia moving away from standing near Ignihyde's mirror to cross the space to Cater. A hand instantly goes up, pauses as Idia realizes he's doing that... then continues, coming to rest lightly on Cater's elbow.

"Wasn't that bad a date, was it?" Not sure what else to say, taking a jab at humor... but realizing after it's out it may not land well. Instead, "Come on." And if Cater allows it, sneaking his hand under Cater's arm, to hold it, giving him a little tug to come along with Idia.

"It isn't you, it's me," Cater replies, trying to land it as a joke but the sentiment is too close to the truth for it to really do anything other than fall flat. He groans, rubbing his face, but before he can think too hard about what to do and where to go from here, Idia's hand has a hold of his arm.

He follows with one hand splayed across his face, a total role reversal from just earlier that day. Now, Idia is the nighttime navigator and Cater the mess who can't get his act together. Quiet for awhile as they walk, he instinctively huddles a bit closer, heart racing. "Sorry," he murmurs. "I'm not really firing on all cylinders right now."

"Hmmm, that's fine." Idia mulls out, not making any comment towards... this. He's never seen Cater like this. That's not a surprise with how Cater likes to show himself, but still, it feels like he's invading something really private. And that Cater was sharing it with him. Idia giving his arm a squeeze as they walk.

And also pulling his hood up to try and cover his hair, a pause as if to reassure Cater, "Don't want another case of 'the mad scientist' rumor going around about me... something like 'he's stealing someone to take to his lab' or some bs like that." Ughhh, that rumor was such a pain. But saying it anyway, a little distraction for Cater to cling onto if he wants to.

At least the mention of the rumor does seem to distract him briefly. He gives a slight laugh. "That's you, huh? I should've known."

Only Idia had the sort of look about him that could really make that kind impression by getting caught roaming around campus in the dead of night. Sadly, it's a brief reprieve from his spiral of thought. Cater grows quiet again, trying to focus on his breathing, keep from choking.

It's strange. Idia's presence both comforts him and makes him more acutely aware of how fucked up he is. Stupid. Pathetic. Look at you. If he wasn't already going to regret everything he is now.

Maybe the thoughts are irrational, especially after having to calm Idia down, himself, but he can't stop the barbs from digging into his brain. Cater bites down on the inside of his lower lip when he feels his eyes water. Stop it.

"I mean it," he says then with a warble to his voice, "this isn't because the date was bad."

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