Chapter Text
The crunching of boots against outside snow turns into the clanging of metal floors, growing louder with each step. They’re getting closer. Too close.
“Go do your tasks, baby,” Cardia says.
Or the Impostors wil get you, you imagine em adding, Like they got our team in HQ.
You squeeze eir hand, trying to ignore what was left of your partner’s other one. “I wish I could stay with you.”
Ey breathes out a laugh - it’s trembling, almost wet with sobs.
Your heart burns. You hate seeing em hurt like this. You wish you could direct that fire to everything and everyone who'd hurt em. But alas… the Impostors are planets away, and so is MIRA's chief.
“Hey, don’t worry,” you half-joke, hugging Cardia again, pressing your palm onto their back so deep you can almost feel eir skin under eir space suit. You rub calming circles around the surface, one hand on eir upper back and the other on the low. “Maybe my new Crewmates will see how in love we are and give me some slack.”
“Fat chance,” Cardia chuckles sadly. Ey nuzzles you, which made a clunking sound. Pain shoots up your head - You hate the sound! Glass against glass hurts! And it hurts a little that ey forgot about this… so you put your hands on the surface of eir helmet and leans yours on the soft, padded glove, like you’re about to sleep.
“Oh, I’m sorry!”
“Thank you.” You nuzzle em harder, still softened by your hands.
“Of course, my darling.” Cardia’s response warms you all over, sending an injection of relief to extinguish the overload-pain. “Thank you for everything, though. I’ll miss you.”
You won’t be leaving, you want to say, but of course the alarm starts blaring, bathing the Medbay in red, then darkness, then red- Clang clang crunch the footsteps retreat, horns filling the air in its wake. The medical supplies and machines in the laboratory cast dancing shadows around the room, shadows of looming Impostors opening their stomach-mouths - too open for attacks, nothing like your previous post - deep red like Dena’s blood and zir scream - no. No. In a place this open, you can see everything coming. This place is better than MIRA HQ any day.
When you focus back on the present, your HUD announces Reset Seismic Stabilizers . You let go of your beloved. “Will you be okay?”
“Hey, I saved you without an arm and a leg!” Ey shouts over the alarms, the blinking lights bathing eir face in shadows, shadows, Reactor Meltdown- Yellow space suit, in front of the machine. Vonnie. Oh thank the stars, Von, you’re here too- Dearie? What are you doing - I trusted you Von- I trusted you-!
“...I’ll be fine!”
Cardia. Crewmate. Partner. Not girlf- ex- Vonnie. Impostor. You hold on to the familiar voice; you are here. In Polus. Safe. Alive.
But the ground begins to shake, throwing you off-balance and kissing the floor. Cardia gasps - Cardia is alive. You’re alive. Vonnie isn’t here, she won’t hurt you anymore. You rise and dust yourself off quickly, making sure ey’s okay. Thank goodness Medbay wheelchairs had those special wheels. You run towards the door, eyes never leaving your favorite Crewmate.
“I’ll be back soon,” you vow, before making your way towards the seismic stabilizers. When this earthquake is over, you’ll-
The room’s red, red like the blood pooling from your side- Vonnie how could you, how could you leave me to die-
No. Stop, dammit. You’re alive, you’re in Polus.
You lean on the wall, stabilizing yourself in shaky ground. Your body is intact, Cardia’s isn’t. Ey is more important than your wounded heart. You still have one other partner. You’ll find a way to make sure ey stays.
You can’t afford anything else.