This is it. This is the end. They've fucked things up for the last time, and Cellbit is going to be furious.
Pac clutches his hands to his ears, breathing shallow and quick as he presses himself back against the tree trunk. Panic is seeping into every pore of his body, fingers trembling beyond his control. He screws his eyes shut, begging this to stop, for him to wake up, have this all just be a bad dream, a bad dream—it can't be real. It can't be. Forever's okay, Richas is here, Mike is safe, and Cellbit—
Cellbit isn't angry.
He's mumbling under his breath, now; soft words even he himself doesn't understand. The wood of the tree trunk behind him jabs painfully into his spine, but he doesn't care. It's the only thing keeping him even somewhat sane right now: he can live with a few scrapes.
"Pac?"
That voice again, calling out to him. He shakes his head, pressing his hands tighter over his ears, elbows folding in an effort to hide himself from view. There's a quiet conversation from in front of him—Cellbit's voice is nearer than Antoine's; in fact, it sounds like he's right in front of him—
"Pac."
There's a gentle touch on his arm and Pac jerks upright, throwing his back roughly against the tree trunk once again. Cellbit yanks his arm back, expression equally surprised as he stares back at Pac. A moment of silence passes, the only noise between either of them being Pac's frantic breathing. Then, Cellbit slowly lets his arm down as he crouches nearby.
"Breathe, moço. It's okay."
His voice is calm despite the audible wobbling, hands placating despite the way they tremble. The crouch is purposefully careful; as non-preditorial as possible. So he's guessed the issue. It's not really a surprise. (He always was smarter than them.)
Pac forces himself to look up at the other man, heart thunking against the inside of his rib cage as if it's going to burst out and run away.
There's no malice in his gaze. Only concern, and worry—some directed towards Forever, Pac is sure, but most of it is directed at him. This is...not an easy realization for Pac to come to.
He's not mad.
"We're going to figure this out, okay?" Cellbit continues, eyes still focused on Pac's own. "We're going to get Forever back. And then we're going to find Richas, and Mike, and then we're going to get the hell off of this fucking island." He takes a deep breath, immediately schooling the slight flicker of anger that flashes across his face.
But Pac sees it. He can't help it; at this point, it's almost like a sixth sense he's become aware of—always watching, always alert. Stay on guard. Eyes always open—if he wanted to use the other man's own words against him.
"I'm sorry," he mumbles, shaking his head as he manages to tear his gaze away from Cellbit's. "I'm sorry, Cell. I'm so, so sorry."
"Why are you sorry?" Cellbit's eyebrows furrow together as he scoots a half-step closer. He doesn't reach out a hand, though. Not again. "Pac, this isn't your fault. None of this is any of our faults." There's a small flinch, something that says he doesn't quite believe the words he's saying. "Well...I have no one but myself to blame, for some of it—but you didn't do anything. Okay?"
The words have to roll around in Pac's head for a moment before he can manage a small nod. He glances up to see the other man offering his hands out, trying to help Pac to his feet. There's no trace of anger, no trace of fear. Only despair.
Slowly, hesitantly, Pac accepts.
When they're standing once more, Cellbit carefully lays his hands on either one of Pac's shoulders. It's a position Pac wasn't expecting, and he can't do anything but blink as he stares back at the other man. "We're getting out of this," Cellbit repeats firmly, gaze snapping—not with anger, but with determination. "I promise you."
Pac struggles to swallow, simply nodding in response. Cellbit nods as well, removing his grip. He turns to return to the warpstone, and it's all Pac can do to get his wobbling knees to follow.
He knows Cellbit isn't the same. He knows he's trying so hard to be different, be better. He's heard the other man apologize a hundred times, and accepted them every time—because he's trying, and thats more than Pac can say for some people.
But it doesn't change the way his eyes zero in on Cellbit's clenched fist as they walk back to the waystone. The way his gaze catches on the knife sheath hanging from Cellbit's belt—a fairly new addition to his typical outfit. The way he's prepared for the other man to explode at any minute.
But he doesn't. The calm air carries over as they warp back to the main square, meeting up with Antoine.
"I...I can't do this anymore," Pac murmurs moments later, interrupting Cellbit and Antoine's conversation. Both of them glance over in surprise.
Cellbit reacts first, nodding. He reaches a hand out, setting it on Pac's shoulder. "Get some rest." His voice is so much more gentle than the harsh tone Pac is subconsciously expecting that it's nearly jarring. "I'm going to look around a bit more."
Pac just nods, already reaching for the warpstone at his belt. But something catches his left hand and he glances up to see Cellbit's fingers wrapped tightly around his wrist. Startled, his gaze shoots up to the other man's face, but Cellbit's piercing eyes won't meet his own.
"...be careful out there, Pac." His voice is low, but not dangerous. More...exhausted.
Pac nods, carefully squeezing the other man's fingers in return. "I will," he whispers, removing his hand from the fierce grip in order to rub it across his warp stone.
He collapses into a heap on the floor of Chume Labs the moment he arrives.
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