The Project (H2OVanoss)

Chapter 8: Blast In The Past

Evan's POV
Jonathan's been here for just over a month now, and I can't shake off the feeling that I've seen him before.

We are currently binge-watching Adventure Time for shits and giggles. Marcel sitting in a chair, eyes glued to the TV. Lui collapsed on Nogla, who's on the floor leaned up against the couch, being used as Lui's pillow. 5 minutes prior, Tyler was carrying a sleeping Craig up the stairs to his bedroom. I'm sharing a love seat with Jonathan, who is slowly teetering in and out of sleep. He jolts up, rubs his eyes, then goes back to drifting. I sigh at the display. I shake his shoulder to get his attention.
"If you're so tired, go to bed." He looks at me with droopy eyes.
"I don't have enough energy to get up the stairs." He grumbles, and I roll my eyes.
"Come here, I'll piggy-back you, because sleeping on the couch isn't very good on your body." I state, and he simply nods.

I get up and position myself in front of him. He clambers onto my back wraps is hands around my neck, and shifts a little before getting comfortable. His weight isn't actually that bad, in fact, for someone almost the same size as me, the guy is pretty light. As I raise myself off the ground and start heading towards the stairs, he sighs in content, before resting his head in the crook of my neck. My face flushes a little and my stomach swims, but I brush off the feeling and continue walking. Eventually, his soft snores fill my ears.
"Cute." A sleepy Mini smiles at me before taking another bite out of an apple. My face worsens.
"Weren't you in bed cuddling Wildcat?" I mutter under my breath, trying not to stir Delirious. Craig's face reddens, before he grumbles and disappears back into the kitchen.
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After what seems like an eternity, I make it to our room. Our room? I feel oddly satisfied by the title, which makes me worry.

I pry off the sleeping man before placing him on his side of the bed. He sleepily mumbles, before pulling me down with him, and I try not to make any surprised noises, in case he is actually still asleep. Miraculously, he is, and pulls at me more, snuggling into me. His iron grip isn't letting me go anywhere, so I give in a lie down with him, letting my thoughts consume me until I fall out of consciousness.
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I was only 16 when I was forcefully grabbed off of the street. The only beneficial thing I got from that place was the rest of my high school education. Between that and experiments, I met Mini, Wildcat, and Nogla. We grew close together, through the torture and captivity, and knew each other inside and out. At the time that I was 18 and finishing my high school education, Nogla and Wildcat were my age as well. Only Mini, who was 17, ended up stuck in schooling for another year.

Me, Nogla and Wildcat were moved to another area in the lab, reserved for those who were already 18 and over. There we met Lui, who was 20, Basically was also 20, Moo who was 24, and Cartoonz, who happened to be 23. Even with the age differences, we all got along.

Eventually, Mini joined our group, and we were all complete, almost. Everybody had their own room, connecting to the main lounge. I would observe the other unfamiliar hybrids, evaluating our strengths and weaknesses, and make sure we were never weak enough to be attacked. In the midst, I noticed a room that was always deserted. No one left nor came, yet the janitors would clean it, so someone was clearly using it.

"Cartoonz, is anyone staying in that room?" I finally asked one day, and he looked at me, a sad expression crossing his face. Everyone else leaned in, wanting to listen to the conversation.
"I guess you newer hybrids wouldn't know about the purpose of our particular group," he states, before continuing. "We are all experiments here, yes. But we are considered the "weaker" bunch. Those who can't handle extreme modifications, both physically and mentally. If you paid more attention, you would notice that multiple rooms in this place are almost never used. That's because the hybrids that can stomach, or handle these extreme modifications use them when they actually get a break, if they get a break." Lui and Basically also carry hurt expressions.
"What's wrong?" Nogla is the first to ask, and they all give out sad smiles.
"The room that you pointed at? It belongs to a friend of ours that sacrificed himself so that myself and Moo wouldn't have to go through any of that shit." Cartoonz finally replies, and Moo pitches in.
"I didn't know him as well as those 3 did though, but I am grateful that he did this for me. I was extremely close to becoming a full blown weapon, which is the whole point of this operation."