Work Text:
Scar stared blankly at the space where Joel used to be. The space where Joel was two seconds ago, before a Watcher had just taken him.
"You turned the border into a barrier?" Etho had turned on Grian, eyes murderous, "We could have helped him, but you just locked him out there."
Grian shook his head, "You can't fight a Watcher, Etho. They would have taken you too."
"You're a Watcher!" Etho yells, turning away from Grian and running a hand through his hair in desperation, maybe frustration.
Scar surpirsed even himself with his next words, "I can't believe you threatened Joel like that when you were hiding something as big as being a Watcher."
There was a brief silence across the group.
Suprisingly, it was Scott that broke it, "Will you hear them out Scar?"
"They didn't hear Joel out." Scar spat, turning to Grian, "You just pulled out a sword on him, didn't even try to talk to him first,"
Grian started to speak, but Scar interrupted him, "But, I will hear you out before I make my decsion."
Etho huffed next to Scar, "Let the border down, I don't want to hear your excuses, I want to find Joel."
"You won't find him," Grian said, "Not where they've taken him."
"Take the border down." Etho repeated
"No," Grian said, "If I take it down then you'll leave, and they can hurt you too."
The next half hour felt like a blur as Scar learned so many things about his friend. His heart went out to Grian and Martyn. They had both suffered at the hands of the Watchers. But, his heart also went out to Joel. He could be suffering right now at the hands of the Watchers but that was partly thanks to Grian and Martyn. His heart also went out to Etho, who sat silently next to Bdubs, arms crossed. Scar thought back to when he had caught Joel upset, and he wished that Joel could see right now how many people really cared about him.
The group dynamic was weird. It felt off now. The light atmosphere from a few days ago had sunk. After hearing their stories, no one was upset with Grian or Martyn. Etho was the only one who refused go beyond civil. Scar had already had to break up an arguement between Etho and Bdubs, who didn't understand how Etho could be mad when Grian and Martyn were clearly victims, not having a choice about what they were made into. What Bdubs didn't understand was that Etho was not mad about that. Etho felt betrayed. How could they treat Joel like that. Bdubs hadn't seen Joel cowered against that tree, sword to his throat. But Scar had, Etho had, and even Scar had to admit that it was going to take a while before he could completely forgive Martyn and Grian for that.
So, Scar and Etho had somehow ended up becoming slightly inseparable. Scar knew that Etho often held his emotions just under the surface, just there, but just slightly out of view. However, the passion and pain that spilled from his friend was something that Scar never would have expected from Etho. Scar knew that Joel grew quickly on people, and was hard not to love, but he hadn't realised just how much Etho had cared for Joel.
Scar really needed to stop thinking about Joel in past tense.
~~~
Martyn almost cried when he Heard it. He wasn't sure how the Watchers did it, but he was pouring over books with Grian, trying to find a way to enter the Deep End where the Watchers lived, when he Heard a scream.
He snapped his head up, "Did you hear that?"
Grian hummed, not looking up, "No, what was it?"
"I don't know," Martyn replied, "It sounded like Listening, but the Watchers weren't talking."
Grian was suddenly a lot more interested in what he was saying, putting all of his attention onto Martyn, "What did you Hear?"
Martyn winced as another scream echoed around his head, "It was a scream."
Grian swallowed nervously.
TELL US
Martyn jumped at the volume, hands flying to his ears.
"What?," Grian was now panicking, "What is it Martyn?"
"It's Joel," Martyn whispered, "The Watchers are mad. Some of their Noise is just spilling over to me."
"Joel's the one screaming?" Grian asked, voice quiet.
There was another scream. Joel's voice sounded raw and pained, his yells were punctuated by sobs and pleas.
Martyn felt like he was going to be sick.
"I need you to Speak to me." Martyn said, looking up to meet Grian's eyes.
"Won't that get too loud?" Grian asked, worried.
"I don't care, I can't Listen to him like this," Martyn reached out for Grian's hand, "please."
Grain took a deep breath in,
okay he Said.
~~~
Joel lay on his back on the floor of the white room. He refused to call it his room.
He was breathing heavily, and the fingers of his left hand occasionally twitched. The Watchers had left, for now. He still didn't really know what they wanted. He didn't know why he was different. Joel was just a player, his code was normal, he had no magic, he was just Joel. Though somehow, being Joel came with immunity from Watchers. At least from being Watched, or Heard. He was not immune to their painful-purple-Watcher-lightning-magic-thing unfortunately.
Not for the first time, Joel wished that he wasn't Joel.
~~~
Scar was getting restless. There was only so long that he could do nothing for. Grian wasn't letting anyone leave, and there was very little that he could do against a Watcher. Though, when Scar really thought about it, that perfectly demonstrated Grian's point. Not that he would admit that.
Eventually, Scar had had enough. With Etho marching behind him, Scar flung open the door Grian and Martyn had hidden themsleves behind. He was just about to yell, but then he took in the scene before him. Books lay around the room, open on various pages, others lying discarded at the side of the room.
Grian was knelt in front of Martyn who looked shaken up, face white as a ghost. Martyn winced. Grian squeezed his hand, and then closed his eyes. Martyn relaxed.
"What-" Scar cut himself off.
"-is going on?" Etho finished for him.
Grian looked at Martyn, "Will you be ok for a bit?"
Martyn nodded, "Thanks."
"We're trying to find a way to the Deep End." Grian said.
"Is he okay?" Etho asked, pointing at Martyn.
"Didn't know you cared." Martyn bit back.
"Of course he does," Scar said before Etho could retort, "He just didn't like the way you almost murdered Joel for no reason." Martyn looked down sheepishly.
Grian blinked, before carrying on, "Anyway, the Watchers live in the Deep End, and we don't know how to navigate the Deep End."
"Aren't you a Watcher?" Scar asked, "Why can't you navigate it as they do?"
Grian flinched slightly, "I was made into a Watcher. Forcefully. I didn't grow up there, and was never allowed out of the castle. So, I know where to find Joel when we get there, but I don't know how to get there."
"Have you called Xisuma?" Etho asked. "He's a Voidwalker. Surely he would know."
Grian looked down.
"Grian, if you haven't called X because you don't want him to know you're a Watcher, I'm going to-"
Scar cut Etho off, "This is for Joel." He said, "Call X."
Grian's hands shook as he dialled X's contact.
Scar smiled and nodded ressuringly.
Grian's voice shook as X picked up.
"X," Grian said, "We really need your help."
Grian's shoulders shook as he hung up. Tears formed in his eyes and before he knew it, Scar's arms were wrapped around him.
"You did the right thing." Scar whispered into his ear, "X won't judge. We all understand."
"I thought you hated me," Grian whispered back.
"Never," Scar replied, "you owe Joel a massive apology though,"
Grian winced, "I know," he said, "I know."