Work Text:
Fox scowled at Cody and Wolffe who were giggling like school girls as they lit the circle of candles.
"This is dumb. We're gonna get caught if we do this, and I do not want to run punishment laps."
"Relax, Fox." Wolffe rolled his eyes. His blue uniform pants wrinkled as he handed Cody the lighter and stood. "We're just having fun. Now, Cody, you read from the book."
Cody picked up the ancient book they’d stolen from the alphas and flicked through the actual flimsi pages to one that was earmarked.
Stumbling over the words, his eyes scanned quickly across the strange alphabet. They'd learned to read a lot of languages, but this one sounded unfamiliar to Fox.
When Cody finished, they all paused, listening intently. But all they could hear was the soft buzzing of the fluorescent lights.
"Guess it didn't work," Wolffe shrugged nonchalantly.
Fox bent down and blew out the candles quickly. "Can we go now?"
Fox struggled to fall asleep that night. And Wolffe's usually loud, soothing snores were so quiet, they seemed almost... distant. Like they were coming from the other side of the barracks rather than from the sleeping compartment below him.
He couldn't stop thinking of that weird ritual they'd done. The words seemed to echo in his ears.
Whenever he felt like he was on the edge of sleep, he would jolt and come to, as if he'd been picked up and suddenly dropped by a large, unseen hand.
This went on for a while, until the hour was no longer late, but far too early.
Finally Fox'd had enough of tossing and turning. Maybe a warm shower would soothe him and put him to sleep for good.
He opened his sleeping compartment and climbed down the ladder.
Everything was dark and still. Only the emergency lights were on, illuminating the walkways.
As he made his way to the showers, he kept stopping and turning around, checking over his shoulder.
"Hello?" He whispered into the dark.
He felt like something was watching him... He had to be imagining it, right?
He stepped into the shower room, chills running down his arms and goosebumps popping up all over his skin.
Maybe this was a bad idea. Maybe he should go back to his sleep compartment. At least there he was close to the others.
Here he felt so alone. So isolated...
But knew that if he went back, he still wouldn't be able to fall asleep.
Bolstering his courage, he moved into the room and began to carefully peel off his sleep clothes.
Just as he was about to turn on the shower, the lights flickered and the shower room door slammed shut.
"Who's there?" Fox croaked into the dim light.
He took a deep breath and turned back to the shower. The light went off completely, plunging him into darkness. With a loud squeal he jumped and ran for the switch, forcing it back on.
Meanwhile, the door behind him slowly creaked open...
Cody and Wolffe spilled into the room, giggling.
"You should see your face!" Cody chortled.
"The little mouse-droid squeak you made was adorable!" Wolffe wiped a tear from his eye.
"I hate you two so much!" Fox's face scrunched up as he contemplated how he would get his revenge on his two brothers.
"Come on, it was funny!" Wolffe cried.
Cody patted him on the shoulder, "As payment for being so cruel, I'll even let you sleep in my compartment, Fox."
Fox felt his shoulders slump, grateful. He did not enjoy the thought of sleeping alone tonight. Even if it had just been his brothers playing a prank on him.
"Cod'ika! How could you betray me like this and let Fox sleep with you, without me!" Wolffe complained as Fox donned his sleep clothes.
The three of them returned to the barracks together, shutting off the lights as they went.
Somehow they found a way to squeeze all three of them into Cody's sleeping compartment.
Fox slept much better after that.