[Peter coughs a little, trying to get it out of his system. He shakes it off as Leo settles against his back.]
Ready. [He wishes he had his web fluid, he wishes he was prepared. Guilt gnaws at his chest as he scrambles up the door and onto the ceiling.
The door doesn't last very long without his support, the wood shakes violently before it gives with an incredibly loud crash below them. Peter flattens himself as much as he can against the ceiling.
Smoke fills the room as whatever it is just... crawls forward on its hands. It looks humanoid to some degree, but the heavy smoke and the odd protrusions coming off of its body make it hard to even tell.
Peter waits until it crawled into the room, clawing at the bed angrily before he crawls towards the edge of the doorway, pulling them through and onto the hallway walls.
The thing inside the room begins weeping, desperately. Peter is unnerved, but not completely present enough to realize it sounds like him.]
[Peter may not be, but Leo is. It's... It's wrong. It's unsettling and wrong how much it sounds like Peter. He hasn't heard Peter cry much or often at all since they met, but he's heard the strain and stress in his voice enough to connect that.
What the hell is even happening?
He clings to Peter's back, burying his face into his shoulder trying to breathe. Don't talk don't cough don't make any noise don't draw attention.]
[Peter's focused on climbing, just getting them up to the ceiling as quickly as he can. Leo's weight barely registers in Peter's mind as he keeps moving.
Whatever that thing is, it's destroying the room they were in. Its wailing is almost deafening.
Then he actually hears some of what it's saying and his stomach twists itself into knots.]
"Ben, please... please, I'm sorry, I'm sorry-"
[Peter's breath hitches slightly as he keeps moving. He shakes slightly, but keeps moving.]
[Leo's touch does a fair job of keeping Peter in the moment. He breathes out a shaky wounded sound. He wants to acknowledge Leo, but he's afraid to say anything.
The thing lurches out of the room, dragging itself self along. It seems to be trying to trail after them.]
"I know, I know you didn't want me, I'm sorry-"
[Hearing his own words echoed back at him feels vile, but the weight of Leo hanging off of his back and the cold texture of the ceiling is grounding.]
[It's heartbreaking, is what it is. But hearing it in Peter's voice while also spewing out that smoke and making those sounds, moving like that is horrifying. There's something else here, there has to be something making this happen. Reyes had said this was training for them, so this has to be her doing somehow. She knew about them already and proved as much.
He keeps his voice as low as possible, hoping it won't be heard above the creatures wailing-] Don't listen, don't listen to it, it's not you-
[Peter sucks in a short shaky breath, biting the inside of his cheek. He's trying to keep his breathing even. The guilt weighing him down just makes the teenager feel sick to his stomach.
First he got Ben killed, now he's going to get Leo killed at this rate.]
[Leo shakes his head against Peter's shoulder, clinging tighter. Ghosts and shit are not real, they aren't but if Peter starts asking questions, it's bound to get that thing's attention on them and he swears he'll figure out how Reyes is doing this.
He tugs at the front of Peter's shirt, urging him to keep moving.]
[Peter nearly apologizes before snapping his mouth shut. He nods as obviously as he could as he keeps moving forward. He pulls them along towards the infirmary with reinforced doors. Reyes had changed it after Peter broke the lock more than once.
But its a little too late, the ghost, monster- thing seems to understand they are above it. Its slow movement speeds up as it wails.
[Peter keeps moving, trying to get some distance from the thing still following them.
Then it starts speaking in Leo's voice. A perfect replica, with an undercurrent of guilt and pain that Peter has never heard from the other teenager. It makes his heart ache for Leo. If this thing tapped into his grief about Ben, it was doing the same for Leo.
He speaks quietly, but firmly. ]
Don't listen to it. Everything is going to be okay. It's not your fault.
[Peter can feel it, feel Leo trembling on his back and clinging tighter. The voice that sounds just like him is wailing as it follows them still, trying to find them.]
It was my fault, I flushed her. I broke the teapot. I made them lie.
[All true. All things he did, all things his brothers kind of hate him for. Leo buries his face into the back of Peter's neck, tired and freezing and feeling his body temperature still dropping making him sluggish and slow.]
Even if it was, it's- it's not something to feel bad about. To hate yourself over forever. [It is foolish to argue with whatever this thing is that is broadcasting how they are feeling, but Peter has to.
His voice is fierce and protective. Peter wants to do more, wants to hold Leo and comfort his friend, but they have to keep moving.
He can hear that thing shuffling around under them, wailing and crying.
A flash of relief rolls over him as he finds an old vent system built in the ceiling. He digs his fingers into the old metal. He yanks it off a little more carelessly than he should.
He angles himself so he can let Leo go up first. He gestures at the opening wordlessly, trying to communicate what he's thinking.
He loves Leo, and he wants to help him. The warmth of the feeling is a balm against the heavy guilt weighing him down.
Peter doesn't notice the smoke lessening below them. He's focused on staying still so Leo can do what he wants to.]
[His nerves are on fire, every single sense he has frantic and searching for an exit, anything to get them out-
But Peter found it. He clutches tight when Peter wrenches the cover off. It doesn't take much to get the idea across, soon as he's able to, Leo starts scrambling up into the vent. It's a tight fit with his shell, but he's making it work.
Once he's up in, he holds his arms out for Peter to help get him inside. Trying to ignore the wailing of both his and Peter's voices down below, even if the smoke is getting better... Somehow?]
[Peter doesn't hesitate to follow Leo into the vents. Ignoring the twinge of claustrophobia that hits him as they slide into there for safety. He forces himself to take two large deep breaths, just focusing on Leo. The feeling of Leo's arms around him.
Peter's attention is still locked onto Leo. Love and desperation to keep him safe outweighs the guilt that had been pulling at him.
The vent is tight for both of them, but Peter just tries to stay close to Leo.
The crying below weakens, lessening. Just sniffling and whispering of their voices together. Whatever that thing is, its lurching around, dragging itself against a wall. It leaves a wet black smear against the off white wall. Black smudged hand prints left in its wake as it tries to climb up after them and can't.]
Is... is the smoke less now? [Peter's voice is less of a frantic whisper now, but still quiet.]
[Leo's been scared before. But he's never felt scared and hopeless. No weapons and without his weapons he can't use his mystic powers, he's cut off completely from his family with no way to contact or get out, he has no other way to fight back, he's only fourteen and he's trapped with his best friend that he never wants to see hurt or scared like this ever and wants to protect, that's normal right, that's such a normal feeling to have, to want to keep your best friend that you love seeing smile and the way his dimple picks up to offset his curls and okay he has to stop thinking about that, it's not the time because Peter is asking him something.
Smoke? He's been trying to avoid breathing if he can help it but he shifts the half inch he can move to look and...]
Something changed, I don't know what exactly. [Peter is trying to wrack his brain for anything they could have done.
With both of them somewhere safer, Peter is trying to think about the situation. He's aware of the fact both of them work a little better with something to grasp onto. Even if their loose plans always leaned into 'wanna throw web grenades through a portal?'.] Whatever it is, its... it knows stuff about us? How?
[He's watching now, seeing the thing's movements, the dark greasy stains it leaves behind a mixture of some unknown fluid and ash from the smoke. But it is getting better, so slowly.]
Reyes knew stuff about us before we got here. Probably not too far to figure this thing knows whatever she knows.
Leo. How would she know what I said to Ben when he was dying? [Peter questions very quietly back. Its not often he talks about Ben, much less Ben's death, but its something pressing in the moment.] No one else was there, just me and him. The person who... shot him ran away.
[Leo knows this is important. It's so, so important, Peter almost never talks about Ben, much less Ben's death. He clings a little tighter hearing that.
he thought he had an answer. Some explanation of what's happening but he doesn't. Not yet, but there has to be. Reyes knew stuff about them without ever having seen them, so- So this thing must be tapped into that, whatever it is. And has their voices on some kind of voice changer or something.]
[He keeps a careful hold on Leo, half afraid of losing him. He could catch him if he fell out of the vent, but the thought is enough to make a worried feeling settle over the brunette.]
I dunno, this- has to be something else? Somehow. I dunno. I just-
[He doesn't want to look at that thing too long, too closely. What if it can sense them watching? He scoots back away from the open air vent and into the duct proper. If they're quiet, then maybe they can use this to get around... Once he stops feeling so cold, down to the bones.]
Yeah- yeah. [Peter agrees quietly back, trying to make himself smaller in the vent so he didn't take up so much room. He wants to warm Leo up somehow, but the vent isn't really helping either of them right now.
[And right now, that is leading further into the vent, away from the opening but not out of sight of it. And then he'll cling to Peter, tugging him closer.]
Just - need some rest. Then I can figure out a plan to get us out. [Is it possible to be both panicked and sleepy at the same time? Because that's where he's at.]
![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
no subject
Then nods.]
Okay... [Nodding again before carefully starting to move to Peter's back.] Okay - whenever you're ready.
no subject
Ready. [He wishes he had his web fluid, he wishes he was prepared. Guilt gnaws at his chest as he scrambles up the door and onto the ceiling.
The door doesn't last very long without his support, the wood shakes violently before it gives with an incredibly loud crash below them. Peter flattens himself as much as he can against the ceiling.
Smoke fills the room as whatever it is just... crawls forward on its hands. It looks humanoid to some degree, but the heavy smoke and the odd protrusions coming off of its body make it hard to even tell.
Peter waits until it crawled into the room, clawing at the bed angrily before he crawls towards the edge of the doorway, pulling them through and onto the hallway walls.
The thing inside the room begins weeping, desperately. Peter is unnerved, but not completely present enough to realize it sounds like him.]
no subject
What the hell is even happening?
He clings to Peter's back, burying his face into his shoulder trying to breathe. Don't talk don't cough don't make any noise don't draw attention.]
no subject
Whatever that thing is, it's destroying the room they were in. Its wailing is almost deafening.
Then he actually hears some of what it's saying and his stomach twists itself into knots.]
"Ben, please... please, I'm sorry, I'm sorry-"
[Peter's breath hitches slightly as he keeps moving. He shakes slightly, but keeps moving.]
"Please don't go, please-"
no subject
But he hears it too. He feels Peter shaking under his hands, and he gently squeezes Peter's shoulders. It's fine, it's fine it's fine.
Don't listen to it.]
no subject
The thing lurches out of the room, dragging itself self along. It seems to be trying to trail after them.]
"I know, I know you didn't want me, I'm sorry-"
[Hearing his own words echoed back at him feels vile, but the weight of Leo hanging off of his back and the cold texture of the ceiling is grounding.]
no subject
He keeps his voice as low as possible, hoping it won't be heard above the creatures wailing-] Don't listen, don't listen to it, it's not you-
no subject
First he got Ben killed, now he's going to get Leo killed at this rate.]
What is this-?
no subject
He tugs at the front of Peter's shirt, urging him to keep moving.]
no subject
But its a little too late, the ghost, monster- thing seems to understand they are above it. Its slow movement speeds up as it wails.
Now it sounds like Leo.]
no subject
I should have listened. I should have listened and we wouldn't have messed up.
[Leo's blood runs cold hearing it, not sure what... exactly it's referring to. There are so many moments.]
no subject
Then it starts speaking in Leo's voice. A perfect replica, with an undercurrent of guilt and pain that Peter has never heard from the other teenager. It makes his heart ache for Leo. If this thing tapped into his grief about Ben, it was doing the same for Leo.
He speaks quietly, but firmly. ]
Don't listen to it. Everything is going to be okay. It's not your fault.
no subject
It was my fault, I flushed her. I broke the teapot. I made them lie.
[All true. All things he did, all things his brothers kind of hate him for. Leo buries his face into the back of Peter's neck, tired and freezing and feeling his body temperature still dropping making him sluggish and slow.]
no subject
His voice is fierce and protective. Peter wants to do more, wants to hold Leo and comfort his friend, but they have to keep moving.
He can hear that thing shuffling around under them, wailing and crying.
A flash of relief rolls over him as he finds an old vent system built in the ceiling. He digs his fingers into the old metal. He yanks it off a little more carelessly than he should.
He angles himself so he can let Leo go up first. He gestures at the opening wordlessly, trying to communicate what he's thinking.
He loves Leo, and he wants to help him. The warmth of the feeling is a balm against the heavy guilt weighing him down.
Peter doesn't notice the smoke lessening below them. He's focused on staying still so Leo can do what he wants to.]
no subject
But Peter found it. He clutches tight when Peter wrenches the cover off. It doesn't take much to get the idea across, soon as he's able to, Leo starts scrambling up into the vent. It's a tight fit with his shell, but he's making it work.
Once he's up in, he holds his arms out for Peter to help get him inside. Trying to ignore the wailing of both his and Peter's voices down below, even if the smoke is getting better... Somehow?]
no subject
Peter's attention is still locked onto Leo. Love and desperation to keep him safe outweighs the guilt that had been pulling at him.
The vent is tight for both of them, but Peter just tries to stay close to Leo.
The crying below weakens, lessening. Just sniffling and whispering of their voices together. Whatever that thing is, its lurching around, dragging itself against a wall. It leaves a wet black smear against the off white wall. Black smudged hand prints left in its wake as it tries to climb up after them and can't.]
Is... is the smoke less now? [Peter's voice is less of a frantic whisper now, but still quiet.]
no subject
Smoke? He's been trying to avoid breathing if he can help it but he shifts the half inch he can move to look and...]
...I think it is. A little bit.
no subject
With both of them somewhere safer, Peter is trying to think about the situation. He's aware of the fact both of them work a little better with something to grasp onto. Even if their loose plans always leaned into 'wanna throw web grenades through a portal?'.] Whatever it is, its... it knows stuff about us? How?
no subject
Reyes knew stuff about us before we got here. Probably not too far to figure this thing knows whatever she knows.
no subject
no subject
he thought he had an answer. Some explanation of what's happening but he doesn't. Not yet, but there has to be. Reyes knew stuff about them without ever having seen them, so- So this thing must be tapped into that, whatever it is. And has their voices on some kind of voice changer or something.]
I don't know.
no subject
I dunno, this- has to be something else? Somehow. I dunno. I just-
[He glances back down, torn on what to do.]
no subject
[He doesn't want to look at that thing too long, too closely. What if it can sense them watching? He scoots back away from the open air vent and into the duct proper. If they're quiet, then maybe they can use this to get around... Once he stops feeling so cold, down to the bones.]
C'mon.
no subject
Where Leo leads, Peter will follow.]
no subject
Just - need some rest. Then I can figure out a plan to get us out. [Is it possible to be both panicked and sleepy at the same time? Because that's where he's at.]
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
enjoy peter acting without thinking part #8932
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)