towerofanimus | (no subject)

[Diarmuid shakes his head, a frown crossing his face brought there both by what he had found downstairs, but also by how tired Waver already seems.]

I can't keep doing it. It takes too much energy and...I'm not finding that many people.

[Waver had made him swear not to do something stupid that could get him killed and as much as he hates it, Diarmuid realizes that keeping up his patrols looking for so few people is doing just that because of how fast it is running him through energy. He is going to have to hope that word of mouth brings those he didn't run into here.]

You've done what you could. Don't start beating yourself up now.

[His exhaustion as well as the worsening concern coming across his face were making Waver look far older than he should have, and the lecturer knew it. There wasn't any point in putting up a show; they were in trouble and dancing around the fact wouldn't help.]

Just try to rest for the moment and we'll figure something out. Frankly, I'm starting to doubt this floor is any safer than the rest of this fucking place right now.

There might not be any 'safe' floors, but there are certainly floors that are more dangerous than this one. On floors 16, 26, 43, 44, 56, and 59, I noticed that I got weaker faster when I lingered looking for people. Why those floors I don't know. Does anything jump out to you about those numbers?

[Diarmuid frown deepens the longer he looks at Waver. Before his partner can answer, Diarmuid pats the area next to him and then reaches for Waver.]

Come sit next to me. You look as bad as I feel.

[Waver sat down beside him and took out a notebook, writing down those floors and considering it for a moment.]

...No, nothing. I'm not a mathematician, but I'll see if the numbers have some significance or if it's the floors themselves.

Either way, I'll be fine. We just have to figure out what's gone wrong and survive until the idiots downstairs get back.

I don't know if waiting for them to return is a good idea. We might not have that much time, and we don't know how long they will be down there.

[Since Waver's hands are busy, Diarmuid rests a hand on the top of his partner's leg as he leans over to look at the notebook.]

Or if they will be revived right away if they...

[Yeah, he's not finishing that sentence.]

I'm not saying we shouldn't do something. Obviously we do, or else I'm sure this will only get worse.

I just mean we might not need to commit to a permanent fix yet. Maybe we can determine a cause and solve this problem at least in part until reinforcements show up, so to speak.

[He leaned against Diarmuid's shoulder, finishing his notes on the relevant floors before speaking again.]

...They're a smart group. They can't all be so unlucky.

My brothers are down there. Are you sure you want to say that?

[Ignoring the fact that there are others around, Diarmuid moves his arm so it is draped over Waver's shoulders.]

We just can't wait too long to act because who knows how quickly we are going to weaken. We don't want to find the answer only to be too weak to do something about it. Who knows, it might even end up helping those down below depending on whatever it is that is causing this.

But where do we start? All we have is that list of floors right now.

For god's sake, they must have at least one brain cell between them.

[He shook his head, not bothering to complain. They were well past the point of hiding anything by now, and Waver was too busy looking over his notebook to argue about things.]

I'm going to try talking to that artificial intelligence Reno's mentioned to me. Without Aria, it might be our only resource for help.

[Pausing to commit the list of floors to memory, he shut the notebook and replaced it in his jacket.]

Then I'll head downstairs and search the floors you just mentioned. There must be something making those specific ones have a greater effect.

Someone is being optimistic today.

[Diarmuid laughs, though his amusement is short-lived and a frown soon takes the place of his smile. While searching those floors more thoroughly had crossed his mind, he had delayed when he felt just how fast his energy dropped on those floors. He doesn't really like the idea of Waver going down to search them alone and definitely not all of them alone. It could very quickly become deadly even for a servant like himself who is more resistant to this kind of thing.]

I don't think anyone should check more than one of those floors. It's too dangerous. You haven't been on one to see just how fast your energy level will drop. Ask for some volunteers and see if you can get one person for each floor. There are only six. We might even be able to get two per floor just in case someone gets into trouble...

[Which is Diarmuid way of saying without insinuating that Waver can't do this alone, that he wants to come with him.]

You've got a point--that would be pretty fucking stupid alone. I'll see who else is willing to take a crazy risk or two.

[Taking advantage of the moment to rest even only a little, Waver closed his eyes as he kept speaking.]

You've already been running up and down this blasted place, so I don't want you risking yourself any more than necessary. Stay away from those floors for now and let me take over things for a while.

I don't want you risking yourself either. It goes both ways, you know.

[But Diarmuid knows that Waver has a point. He is tired and Waver himself hasn't been out to do anything. Still, as Diarmuid looks over at how tired his partner looks, it's hard for him to agree that Waver is really any better off than he himself is. His arm tightens around the magus' shoulders and he sighs.]

You know if anyone is going to be at your back, I want it to be me, but...as long as you aren't alone, I won't argue.

[He won't be happy, but he won't argue.]

I know, I know. I'm sorry. I promise you I won't push myself much farther--we've both already more or less had it, haven't we?

We do what we have to do. That is all there is to it.

[His voice gets soft.]

I just don't like sitting still when there are things to be done.

Neither do I, but it's safer if both of us don't overexert ourselves at once.

[Waver sighed quietly, head dropping onto Diarmuid's shoulder as he muttered in a half-asleep voice.]

Just...just give me five minutes and I'll get started on that.

I know. I know...

[Diarmuid smiles at Waver, his hand coming up to stroke the magus' hair gently.]

Take all the time you need, Mo Stór. It is best to rest so you can be clear headed and efficient when you get started.

[And he's out like a light.]

[Surely this won't go wrong at all. It's not like there's some horrible nightmare plague going around, right?]

[What could possibly go wrong? They are safe up on the hidden floor. There are others around and Waver is sleeping against Diarmuid who has an arm around him and maybe, just maybe, might be giving into temptation himself and dozing off for a few moments.

Why...it's actually pretty cute for a horror tower... Right?]

[Well, as it goes in horrortowerville, the quiet doesn't last long. It was only a few minutes before Waver suddenly pulled back with a choked shout of genuine fear, scrambling to get away and pressing his hands to his head in what seemed like a moment of blind panic.]

[He stammered for a second or two as if he couldn't quite get a sentence out--of course Waver was used to nightmares, but this was different. This wasn't some disaster hatched by his subconscious or even memories coming back to screw with his head. This was something worse than even that, something he wouldn't have been able to describe even if he could actually speak.]

[It seemed this was more complicated than he'd thought.]

[It's hard to say what wakes Diarmuid up first: Waver's sudden movement, the choked sounds, or the fear that tears through their bond. Whatever it is, he is awake and reaching for his partner before his eyes are even open. Not that opening his eyes helps much because it is painful to see Waver so scared. He holds out his arms again, gesturing as if he is trying to coax a frightened child back to safety.]

Mo Stór, what is it? What did you see that scared you so?

I d--I don't...

[Stammering, he lowered his hands only to gain a nervous deathgrip on his own arms. Withdrawing further in what was a near instinctual response to panicking, he started forcing himself to take deep breaths in order to stop his heart pounding in his chest.]

...I don't kn-know.

[Diarmuid curses their bond mentally. The one time that they might have benefited from him seeing what Waver had seen and it hadn't shown him anything. Of course...

Not that being upset at their rotten luck helps Waver calm down any. That is why Diarmuid very quickly pushes away that anger and gets up, moving to Waver's side, but not quite touching him just in case that will really make things worse. It's hard, though. Even with all they have been through, Diarmuid doesn't think he has ever seen Waver look this scared before.]

I'm here. You aren't alone. Tell me how I can help you...

I'm...I'll be alright. [Waver shook his head, making an effort to pry his arms apart and pressing a hand to his face. His breathing started to even out, though the feeling of his heart rate skyrocketing was one he was having difficulty losing.]

It was just a n-nightmare. But it...wasn't an ordinary one. God fucking knows I've had plenty of those, right?

I think--I think this could be worse than we already assumed.

Forgive me if I don't believe you.

[Carefully, Diarmuid puts a hand on either of Waver's arms, rubbing them lightly.]

When we are so tired and stressed, it's harder for us to keep our fears tucked away. I wouldn't be surprised if whoever set this up is taking advantage of that. They know by now we are fighters and just making us tired isn't going to be enough to stop us.

[He pauses for a moment and then asks softly.]

Was...it something involving me?

No, it...[He shook his head, leaning against Diarmuid and speaking calmly despite the notable tremble in his shoulders.] No. I can't even accurately describe it, there was nothing concrete or really clear.

[Diarmuid frowns, thinking this over as he wraps his arm around Waver's trembling shoulders.]

So, would you say it was more like some kind of emotional shot? Instead of showing you your fears, you felt them--all of them wrapped up into one?

[The idea of one of the Administrators having a weapon that could make them feel something like that at any time and in any place...]