“A drug-dealer, a rapist and who knows what else.” Aspen spit on the ground. “You’re messing with our plans for someone like that? You just needed to stay out of it!”
“I can’t watch you kill someone!”
“He’s already dead, anyway. Who cares if we use some parts of him? He won’t even know.”
Talking, River realized, was a fascinating thing. Aspen was reasoning with Honey as if all he wanted was the body, not caring for her, and it worked. Maybe it was because people never truly considered that the other side might actually want to kill them. There was always the subtle voice in their heard, thinking that they might be safe after all somehow.
Aspen gave a deep sigh. “Look, we all want to get out of here alive and we need a piece of him to do that. Can’t you cooperate?”
It was a single second of hesitation. Hesitation that could be seen in a tiny movement of lowering the shovel just a bit, in eyes wandering to the side to think. It wasn’t much, but it meant all the difference right now.
After all, the reaction time in a dangerous situation for an unprepared person is longer than that of a prepared one.
River did not watch too intently. The face-off just now had been within his interest, but this killing wasn’t.
Again, it took another while to acquire the second hand. Aspen was cursing while dealing with the hardened state of the body that had long set in, so he switched to Honey in the middle. He didn’t let that destroy his concentration.
“Got it”, he shouted, already jumping up. He had no feeling for how much time had passed.
“We wasted a ton of time on this”, River complained quietly while they ran back inside. Aspen snorted in amusement at the almost pouting expression.
It was hard to say whether the trail that River dragged was obvious enough. It sure looked a bit suspicious and deliberate, but there was only so much he could do. Squinting at the dark gray, he wondered if the real color was bright enough for a patient sneaking out to notice.
“Amber, how did it go?”
A muffled voice responded. “Good. He stayed awake and when he heard voices outside, he snuck to the door and listened. Since then he’s been acting asleep again, but once in a while his brows furrow.”
“He’s planning. Perfect.” River held the severed hand, wondering what to do with it now that he didn’t need it anymore and deciding to just throw it into an especially dark corner.
We’re sorry for MTLers or people who like using reading mode, but our translations keep getting stolen by aggregators so we’re going to bring back the copy protection. If you need to MTL please retype the gibberish parts.
Aspen got him the key and shift plan, as well as something to write. A quick note was penned down, addressing a random woman (nurse) on the next shift who was supposed to hand them to the new guy (security guard) that was supposed to come in the morning.
Pa kjr bynlber jcv rlwqif jcv qfgofmais gfjrbcjyif obg remt j atlcu ab yf lc qijlc rluta.
Ktfs tjv wjvf regf ab cba ifjnf atflg miefr abb fjgis, jr atfgf kjr atf vjcufg bo rajoo cbalmlcu jcv ajwqfglcu klat la. Ktja kjr kts, cba abb ibcu joafg Elnfg tjv olclrtfv, atf vbbg ab atf qjalfca gbbw uba qertfv bqfc.
Amber squeaked, too nervous to use the small timeframe to slip out as well, and got left behind in the room.
“Don’t worry, we’ve got everything set”, River notified her.
“Okay. I’ll just… wait then”, he heard through the door.
In the darkness, the patient didn’t immediately notice the blood on the floor. He only noticed after he stepped into it, freezing up immediately.
Obviously he didn’t have the time to investigate it clearly with a security guard patrolling around, but the short pauses that the guards did at the ends of the hallway was enough for him to at least keep an eye on where it was going. River noted, pleasantly surprised, the patient pausing in front of the security door before the man went into hiding again as before.
He found the key and note as he searched for a good hiding place. Snatching both, he hid in his corner, using the sparse light to try to make out the words.
Aspen plopped down next to River for the following wait. He comfortably leaned against River’s shoulder, yawning with a wide open mouth.
The increase in body contact was confusing for both of them, but Aspen had no desire to change it unless River showed his dislike. Which he hadn’t, so far, so all was perfectly fine and reasonable!
The patient spent a good half an hour just deliberating whether he could trust his vague idea of a plan, then probably decided that this plan was better than his old, non-existent one. He scooted to the door, listening intently for the movements of the security guard until he was sure he had a good idea of their movements.
When the shift change came, he rushed over.
Aspen almost jolted after him, but River grabbed him by the collar and held him back. “We will leave the normal way. We should keep the security guard up here distracted until we are sure he found the path and jumped down. Besides, it’s better not to go out that way for us.”
“Leave it to me.” Aspen patted his chest, appearing reliable. He had a great eye for the reactions of the shadows and when exactly things would turn dangerous.
River trusted him with this task.
“I’ll listen here and give you a sign when the shuffling stops.”
“We are eavesdropping a lot in this game considering we can’t even understand their words.”
“The next game might be different again.”
Although Aspen did a rough attempt at hiding it, it was still very obvious that he enjoyed playing with the shadows. It was the adrenaline rush that got him addicted, the feeling of death looming in front of you in the form of a black mass that could crunch you to pieces.
Just like their first win, things were actually quite uncomplicated once you found a working solution. The chute was the right path, so the patient found it in a short time.
The two guys made their way down and towards the graveyard, hoping to find him there.
They waited near the wall, under the trees. Aspen put his head into his neck.
“It’s good that it’s not cold even though we are outside”, he commented. “I like the wind, but I don’t think I’d be good with the cold anymore.”
“How is your cell?”
“Always a perfect temperature.”
“You got used to it. It’s not surprising.”
“Yeah. You sure get used to the weirdest stuff, don’t you?”
River didn’t miss the quip. In a show of affection, he went to the trouble of not ignoring it. “It’s my way of coping.”
“I know that. But still… Not resisting at all? So many things done to you and you’re letting it happen!” Aspen pouted. He went to stand in front of River, poking a finger into the other’s chest. It wasn’t threatening because Aspen didn’t want it to be. “I’ll have to work hard to keep you safe if you’re like this.”
The left side of River’s lips couldn’t help but tug up. “You’re locked up.”
“Yeah! But I’ll find some ways. Don’t underestimate me because I’m small.”
“You’re the last person I’ll underestimate.” River gave a soft laugh. “Thank you.”
The sound was too sweet.
It was affectionate and touching, not at all insane or depressed. Just a small, pure chuckle that made Aspen’s eyes widen and all sounds in the game vanish.
It was like color returning for a single second – bright, alive.
Before he knew it, something was blocking River’s mouth. The contact wasn’t long but it was searing. The heat went from his lips all the way through his body, into his fingertips, and rendered him unable to react.
Aspen pulled back after what might be two seconds, his expression equally blank from confusion as if it wasn’t him that had leaned in for a kiss.
The mutual confusion had them staring, the wheels in their heads turning to work through what had just happened.
Then Aspen began to laugh.
It was the same insane laughter that broke out of him once in a while, usually when he was in an especially good mood with the feeling nowhere to go.
“…Why did you do that?”, River asked stiffly, raising a hand up to his lips. There was no discomfort, only the remnant heat. He did not know what to make of it.
“I don’t know”, Aspen replied between his snickering. “Reflex?”
River watched a tongue slip out between his red lips and slowly trace their lines. It was a slow movement, like enjoying a lingering taste. Coupled with his slightly narrowed eyes, it looked rather…
A shudder went through River.
He did not like the fact that he was thinking of another person as seductive. He also did not like that he didn’t hate the kiss. He did not want the additional mess on top of the mess that his life was, anyway. He didn’t want that kind of personal interest, not in anyone.
Ba! River, you complicate everything! Be easy ~
Thank you for the chapter 🌸
Kyaa they kissed! ><♡
Thank you for the chapter~
Oh my god, oh my god! A kiss!!! I didn’t expect that so much! River finds him attractive (inner cry: aaahhhhhhh!)
At first I just wanted to thank you for publishing a chapter on my birthday, but I even received a gift unexpectedly ♡♡♡ ><
Thank you for this chapter!!
:OO happy birthday!!!
Thank you -‘v’-! ♡
Awww ! So cute !
I didn’t expect to see that so soon !
This story isn’t that long, sooooo-
i love them in this chapter, i love how deer died, this chapter was nice. but im starting to dislike river leaving the dreams, i want him to stay away from them. when he goes back to real life he’ll suffer again and i hate it. and i know it but cant do anything, only get disturbed from all his mistreatment.
OWAOWAOWA
they are so charming, I’m dying
(Also imagining the reaction of Gamblers to additional drama)
kiss kiss fall in love 🥰