Echo of a Friend

Part 9

H- Once he leaves, all is quiet - for aproximately 3 hours, and the door is opening once more and Isaac is there with a styrofoam dish in his hand.

"They won't allow Sam down here right now, but they wanted me to give you this." He unlocks the gate and stands there at the entrance in thought. "Even you beasts deserve a final meal I suppose."

C- Daki curled up in the corner of his cage. He didn't want any of his emotions to show, but he was a mess. His eyes were red and teary by the time Isaac showed up. He heard Isaac's voice, but didn't immediately face the man. He sniffed, hastily wiping his face and let out a deep sigh, forcing back an expressionless facade, though the redness around his eyes and nose was evidence enough. He turned to face Isaac, studying him before finding his voice again.

"Thanks." He said hoarsely. Though he knew he wouldn't be able to eat anything, while being stared down by the surgical equipment and empty jars.

H- "You look like shit." Isaac notes as he opens the gate and approaches the orange tape. "Come get this. Sam put effort into making it 'look nice' or whatever."

C- Daki frowned, wiping his nose again hastily with an attempt to hide it. "Not hungry." He bit his lip, looking over Isaac's shoulder at the jars and equipment. "I met Weasley." He explained stiffly, with his eyes drifting back over to Isaac. "Seems like a... pleasant fellow."

H- Isaac blinks, brows raised in surprise. "A giant that *isn't* hungry? Shocking.

He sighs and ruffles the back of his hair with his free hand. "He's just the *best*." he agrees with a roll of his eyes.

"Here, even if you don't feel like eating right now, I'm going to leave it here." he sets it down in front of him and nudges it over the orange tape.

C- "Good to know that I'll be getting the best, then," Daki said with a slight cringe. He sighed, scooting the plate over to his side of the cage. "Thanks..."

H- "Of course. We here at the Legion give nothing but the best!" he snorts. He's bothered, and shoves his hands awkwardly into his pockets

"At least look at it so I can let Sam know what you thought of it?"

C- "How considerate of you." Daki said blankly. Any lightheartedness from the banter he tended to enjoy was run mostly dry. It was using effort just to appear *fine* in front of Isaac.

"Alright." He sighed, seeming to consider something for a moment, not looking directly at Isaac for a moment, mostly because of the burning in his eyes.

"And Isaac? I... know you care about Sam... Can you keep an eye out for them? They... Their compassion isn't a weakness... They need to feel heard. Just please go easy on them..."

He took in a deep breath, rubbing his face again to hide the hot tears he could feel building up again. "I-I know they blame themselves for not doing more, and I don't want them to feel that. It's my dumb fault I got... fffucking caught."

H- Isaac tilts his head, brows furrowing, followed by his face squinching in a mix of emotions as the giant began...began to cry? That's new to him. Somehow...he begins to feel sorry for the damned thing. Eugh. Weird.

He looks away, not wanting the giant to feel stared at in this vulnerable moment. "Y-yea. Sure. Always."

He sighs. Ugh. May as well allow the giant this one confession. "Sam...reminds me of my brother in a lot of ways. Naive, optimistic - and good with critters." The critter in this case being Daki. He snorts, a small smile lighting up his face before fading. "I...wasn't strong enough to protect him back then. But Sam..." a shakey sigh. "You have my word they'll be taken care of."

C- Daki sighed shakily, looking down at the floor. "Th-thank you." His voice choked. His expression was wavering, with a slight twitching from his unease, though he did seem to be somewhat reassured by Isaac's promise. He pulled his legs close, hugging them.

"I'm sure your brother watches you proudly." Daki said. "I hope my sister does the same, or at least that she'll forgive me. I guess I'll find out soon."

H- He studies him a moment, ,visible bafflement on his face. "I'm sure she does." A pause. UGH, damn this giant. Now he sees why Sam got so easily attached despite not even naming it. "What happened to her?"

C- Daki glanced to the side, scratching his arm. "Got knocked off a cliff by a soft giant. She hated humans even more than me. Makes any... attachment I have toward them feel... wrong..."

H- "Sorry to hear that." He wishes he could mean that, but at least his tone carries genuine sympathy. He understands the loss behind it, even if he's, personally, glad the giantess is gone.

"Why do you guys hate humans so much anyway?" He asks. "Most of us never even know you exist - at least until - " he goes quiet, unwilling to finish that sentence.

C- Daki sighed, not in the mood to explain everything. Isaac could just get that answer out of any captive giant. Being doomed, he didn't want to spend his last moments like this. Existential crisis was better.

"...Ask me that tomorrow," he choked out bluntly.

H- He goes quiet, then looks away with a nod. "RIght." he could be mad at him for his reply - for hating all humans just because of the Legion. He could be many things - so many more, but...this was a broken man facing his death, so he left it be.

"I'll certainly be back tomorrow to get you - er - settled in." A pause. "Sam gave me some more of that serum they made. Said they made it stronger this time - so...at least you won't feel anything."

C- Daki felt a shiver down his spine. His breaths shook and he kept his gaze fixed elsewhere. His throat felt choked up, and he couldn't respond if he wanted to. He merely clenched his jaw and nodded stiffly. He knew specimens were always alive until the very last moment of their collections. It was due to giants extremely fast decay rates. The thought of being sliced open while some cold scientist collected from him was nauseating. He feared that the serum might not work. Honestly, who could sleep through something like that?

H- "I'll...tell Sam you liked the food. I should go. We aren't supposed to be feeding you."
He kinda wished he could offer more - say more...but what? Why? This was a *giant*. He - (it( didn't deserve sympathy. It didn't deserve to be seen as anything remotely relatable or human.

...And yet....

"I'll see you tomorrow, aright?" he says, shutting the cage and locking it.

C- "'Kay," Daki managed. He didn't look up as the cage was locked. There was a heaviness in his chest. The finality of it all. That this was really going to happen, and this was how it would all end for him.