13 | You've been running and hiding much too long

[sinistral]

WHO: Billy Kaplan (wearingthestars) and the Soldier (sinistral)
WHERE: in the Warrens
WHAT: exploring together
WHEN: during the event/November
WARNINGS: none at this time

---

EXPLORATION
→ In a Two-Man Band;

Life never seemed to stand still when it could be advantageous. The past few weeks had been a blur of activity, and not all of it good. At least Billy had also made the scramble from the surface to the underground caves; the Soldier had worried until he laid eyes on his partner. He knew Billy likely felt similar. And in terms of living spaces, they weren't in the worst situation: without some of the creature comforts that they had in their cabin on the surface perhaps but both well armed and unharmed. It would do.

Until, of course, the group who went off to explore sent back word that things had opened up. It felt somewhat like a trap to the Soldier, or maybe that was his paranoia speaking. Still, exploring the caves might be better than simply staying put, and he knew that he needed the activity. To have Billy come along only settled his nerves more; he trusted Billy in an emergency, and he liked having the man close otherwise. Exploring together only made sense.

Though having a door slam behind them? Well, perhaps they should have listened to the Soldier's paranoia. At least he'd insisted they take the time to arm themselves and bring along some other useful bits, before stepping into the tunnels. Still...

"Your choice," he turned to his companion. "Forward, or try to open this door to go back?"

Comments

[wearingthestars]

Go them! Personal growth~

Billy snickered softly, but he nodded in agreement. The both of them knew too well how this place liked to prey on their words. "I should start being more positive, maybe they'll try throwing that in our faces."

He squeezed that hand and kept ahold of it, letting Soldier take the front position without arguing, a fond smile on his face. "Deal," he agreed, "And same goes if some miracle happens and you get tired first, Mr. Super Soldier. 'Kay? You have to actually tell me." Teasing makes it easier.

[sinistral]

"You know positivity is going to come with glitter." The Agrii were weirdly fond of the stuff. "We can't win."

Hands linked the Soldier started down the corridor, senses alert for anything weird. At least they had luck so far in that the path hadn't branched, but he worried that it might. "I'm not acting as a magical light battery," he pointed out. Though it was good that Billy still had command over at least some of his magic; that could only help them.

"And that is not an invitation to light up any part of my anatomy," he added after a moment. "I don't need to become the Winter Firefly."

[wearingthestars]

"Here, I'll take care of it for them," Billy teased, wiggling his fingers and making a silvery glitter shower over Soldier. Thankfully it disappeared before it actually touched him.

It was nice, the both of them being able to joke like this. "Heh, I dunno, that's a pretty cute rebranding, I like it."

[sinistral]

"Don't you dare," he mock growled in response, but thankful that the glitter dissipated before touching him. Billy knew the struggle of trying to remove glitter from the arm and the soldier likewise knew that Billy wouldn't seriously put him in that situation.

"No cute rebranding," he replied. "And no bugs." The Soldier squeezed Billy's hand as they crept along the corridor. It didn't truly run in a straight line but it also hadn't branched. That seemed weird this far underground.

"I can't decide if these caves are natural, or were made by someone," he admitted. "I'm not sure which possibility I would prefer."

[wearingthestars]

Billy laughed playfully, "I remember what that stuff did to you last time. If we get out of here before New Tick we need to make sure we get your arm all covered before they decide to surprise us again."

Examining the walls of the corridor, Billy hummed, not sure either. "...I would've said natural a few years ago, but 'man' made is seeming more and more likely. Maybe we'll find a big red 'turn off storms' button."

[sinistral]

"I hope we get out of here by then." He might even take glitter in the arm if it meant a way out, but the Soldier hadn't quite reached that point just yet. But after the mess that had been several hours of trying to remove glitter that seemed to elude even Billy's magic, he would need to be pretty desperate to volunteer for that. "But definitely a covering. If rather deal with the discomfort of that than the mess we had last year with it."

He made a doubtful sound at Billy's wish. Somehow, the Soldier didn't think they'd encounter such a simple mechanism to stop the storms. But then again it wasn't exactly impossible either. "The Agrii don't seem the type, do they? I still wonder what their deal is. None of this makes any sense at all."

[wearingthestars]

"Cozy and quiet in the cabin," Billy agreed, "Can even do some sound proofing magic to make sure it stays that way if they start setting off fireworks." Which would have seemed a fun way to greet the new year before, but Billy was very much on Soldier's level at the moment, a quiet celebration was sorely needed after all this.

"They don't, but...I can't say I really know what type they are still." The light from his hands flickered, and Billy frowned, his expression suggesting it wasn't exhaustion causing it to fail.

Ahead of them, dimly lit- the path gave way to a deep dark fall, several columns of earth dotting along to what seems to be the continuation of the path. There wasn't a lot of room for error, and Billy's magic didn't look as though it'd be able to help them navigate this obstacle.

[sinistral]

"You know I would not keep you from the celebration." If Billy wanted to watch fireworks, or partake in any other bits of the activities, the Soldier did not want to be the burden that kept him in. But he understood some of the trials his partner had faced this year and how those stresses might not have him feeling overly celebratory. "We could always invite your brother and his partner over. If you wanted a celebration that was smaller in scope."

He made a noise of agreement in the assessment of the Agrii's type — or apparent lack thereof. Far too many things seemed in conflict with each other, or in other ways confusing. He didn't like it.

He also didn't dwell long on it; the expression on Billy's face had him on high alert, along with the changing of the path ahead of them. The Soldier pulled Billy closer, protective, while observing the obstacle ahead. "This is... interesting."

[wearingthestars]

"I know you wouldn't. But honestly, right now a little peace and quiet, zero pressure- sounds like the best holiday I could imagine."

That protective insist had Billy flush and give him a squeeze, rocking up onto his toes to try and get a better idea of how much room there was. Didn't look like more than enough for a set of feet.

"It's like...an even worse version of track and field. I guess they're not gonna let me just fly over. But I can jump. Mostly. Better than before?" It's not what Soldier's training focused on or anything, but Billy can do a whole lot more physically than he could before.

[sinistral]

"If that is what you would like, that is what we will do." It sounded like the best way to spend a holiday, in the Soldier's opinion: quiet and private.

"I don't like it." Likely that statement wouldn't surprise Billy. But curious that the floor just fell away so suddenly; the path had been pretty solid this far. The Soldier knelt to put his hand over one of the open spaces, and confirmed it as actually open instead of illusion.

"The floor really appears gone." Except for those pillars, apparently. He didn't like it; they seemed too conveniently placed. "I wish we had rope. I would feel better knowing I could keep you safe."