The Retriever Institute

Week Two Begins

Seven days. One week. That's how long Cross had been here. Two days after seeing the medics, Chara finally came back. No one has hurt them, everyone has been kind, even if they've scared him a few times it was never on purpose. There was not any hunger, nor thirst. He was taken care of, he slept in a warm bed. No one touched him if he didn't want it, no one hit him, no one shamed him for flinching or being afraid, and no one seemed especially afraid to turn their back to him. There were no suspicious eyes on him. There was no unnecessary cruelty.

Cross was still wary, and often fell into shivering little panics where he curled up and lost his voice until Night would wrap him in a blanket, bring him water, and coach him through controlling his breathing again. He explained to him that it was just what happened when you were finally safe from people who were hurting you. Cross found it quite unpleasant though, the vulnerability of it, at least. Night had been so careful to shoo anyone nearby away and get him somewhere private if it ever happened around others though.

Not once has he heard Nightmare curse, in this week. Though, they haven't gone outside of their quarters much. Only to the medics and the private training rooms, which were an emotional adventure for Cross. He was so scared when he broke something for the first time, but all Night did was encourage him, promise it was okay, and tell him to let loose. He fought out the LV until he almost collapsed from it. Nightmare half-carried him back to his room like the first day they met and tucked him in.

Today marks the end of his quarantine. His lab results came back negative for any dangerous contaminates in the first three days, but they still have a week long quarantine policy to ensure nothing sticks. This morning, Cross woke before Nightmare. He was sitting on the couch before someone knocked on the door, and Cross was going to open it before Chara convinced him that someone would kill him if he opened it on his own. Cross' paranoia didn't extend into their quarters often anymore, but Chara was still wary of everyone and everything here. So Cross knocked on Night's door a couple times.

After 4 rounds of knocking he opened it sleepily, in a long but not too big shirt, (that didn't look like one of his own, given that it was obnoxiously golden and had the words "sweet dreams" plastered on it in flowery text) white shorts, and grey bunny slippers. Cross is still owed an explanation on exactly what a bunny is. Nightmare looks at him crookedly, blinking away sleep. Cross can't help but think it looks a little funny. When someone knocks on the door again, more urgently than last time, he and Nightmare both look over.

Nightmare murmurs an "oh," before walking over and opening it. "Lust! What's up?"

"Cross' quarantine is over," she says.

Cross listens from afar, even if he can trust Lust, he doesn't know who else might be behind the door. Nightmare only has it open halfway.

"Well, really he should be isolated today too- you... didn't ask me just now." He says.

"No, I didn't ask you, I told you his quarantine is over. It's about Horror," Lust starts, and before she can finish Nightmare opens the door more. He looks wide awake now.

"What's wrong, is he sick again?" Night asks, looking at her carefully.

"Not... sick, but... he hasn't eaten in 3 days, not even Dust can convince him to eat anything," Lust says. Cross can see her face now, she's settled in a deep frown.

"What? Three days? Why the fuck didn't you get me sooner?" He doesn't sound angry, he sounds scared. It still makes Cross flinch a little.

Lust gives him a look with a capital L, "Because, you're making strides with your current subject and a distraction would throw you back. He's getting serious though, Horror really needs you. He's not getting out of bed but he hasn't slept... it's just downhill Night..."