TW: Blood (Mentioned), chains
~***~
After years of his disappearance, one hermit continues to look for missing pieces of Grian's disappearance. Knowing something was missing, Etho refused to rest until he found out something new.
~☆☆☆~
Xisuma opened the doors to Grian's room, everything remained where it had been left since the night he disappeared. He walked to the desk and held the badge in his hand, then covered the top and sighed, "You know he's obsessed with your case. It's been ten years and he still hasn't let you go. None of us have truly moved passed, but please, if you're still out there... Give us a sign. I think he's losing it."
He sat the badge down where he found it and left, locking the door behind him. He then walked to Etho's room where he could easily see through the crack that he was sitting on the floor analyzing each document and photo.
"There has to be something we missed... There just has to."
Xisuma gulped then took a deep breath and walked into his room with a couple knocks, "Etho... Bud, it's been ten years. You need to let go."
"There just has to be something we missed! He's gotta be out there still. He-"
"He's dead, Etho! If we haven't been able to find him in a decade what makes you think he's still alive!?"
"There's always hope, X."
"Not when your son has been missing for years with no new evidence!" Xisuma exclaimed, then wiped his eyes, "Etho.." He knelt and put a hand on the man's shoulder, "I can't even see him in my visions. You need to let go. You can't keep going like this. When was the last time you've seen the sun?"
"The last time I saw Grian."
Xisuma sighed at Etho's response, "Etho, you need to let go."
"If you're not going to help me Xisuma, then leave. Because I know he's still alive, and I know that he needs help."
"HE'S BEEN GONE FOR YEARS, ETHO! I'VE WORKED HIS CASE SO MANY TIMES, NOTHING NEW HAS APPEARED." Xisuma took a breath, "Let him go."
Xisuma left Etho in his room alone. After shutting the door behind him, Xisuma slumped to the floor. He sighed as he let his head face the ceiling.
"X?"
Xisuma opened his eyes and looked at the hermit who called him.
"We uh.." Doc started, "We need to check the perimeter."
"Right.. Let me get my helmet, I'll meet you outside."
~***~
Doc and Xisuma were silent as the ground crunched beneath them. Doc looked over at the admin and noticed that he was in his head.
"So..." He started, trying to break the deafening silence, "Etho, is he gonna be alright?"
"I don't know. He just can't let Grian go, no matter how many years go by." He paused, "But a small part of me just can't help but wonder... What if he's right? What if Grian is alive and we're just missing something? I just... It's... I don't know, it's dumb."
"It sounds like you've not moved on either."
"You never truly get over a death, Doc. It just gets a little more numb."
"What if he is?"
"If he's right?"
"Yeah, what if Etho's right? Where do you go from there?"
"I don't know."
A moment passes between the two and then Doc calmly states that they should turn in for dinner.
In the middle of dinner, the hermits all were talking at the table and trying to redirect the thoughts in Etho's head.
~***~
"On your knees."
The chains rattled as he moved.
"It's time for a transfer."
