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Mike’s running away from the Code, adrenaline pushing him to move his heavy legs despite the stinging slashes levied against his back, when the world blips – gut swooping alongside the rush of ender magic, burnt ozone filling his nostrils – and deposits him into the cool waters of his ender pearl stasis chamber. The world spins, water threatening to choke him until Forever grasps his arms firmly and pulls, then he’s ashore taking gasping breaths of air. Panic seizes him as he feels the bond stretch, distant and spread thin across several thousand blocks, before the dizzying rush of Pac’s emotions crashes down the link as he too, returns to his stasis chamber.
It’s difficult to separate what exactly is Mike between what Pac is feeling, the soul bond echoing and amplifying both their fear and anger moments ago into a cacophony that has his head throbbing and heart racing. Amongst it all though, Mike can feel when the realization of them being safe, clicks. There’s still remnants of that panic filtering through, that he’s no doubt projecting right back at Pac as he launches into a fast tirade of how it was “all a huge fucking trap” to an increasingly worried Forever, (their honest to god saviour, he owes the man so many fruit baskets – ).
Normally, Mike would be right there to support Pac rather than let the man stumble through an explanation, but he’s too preoccupied trying to gracefully collapse into a heap and willing his hands to stop shaking. Richas is in the room as well, has been for a while since Pac’s panicked cries for him to warp home and please get some help – Mike meets his eyes and all he can see are the tears tracking down the poor kid’s face. He doesn’t entirely trust himself to speak without screaming, body tense as a livewire still, but gestures for him to come closer anyways, wraps him in a hug he hopes is all encompassing enough for him to find safety.
(He isn’t ashamed to admit that selfishly, he needs it too. Seeing the Code whizzing behind Richarlyson brought back bad memories with a discarded Mooshroom hat to boot.)
It makes it easier to haul himself upright, rejoin the conversation between Pac and Forever, however depressing it may be, on the dangers of forming bonds on the island, how every relationship was a loose thread waiting to turn blackmail or threat. He’s listening, perhaps not as closely as he should’ve, mentally cataloguing the various aches and open wounds both of them have sustained. He has no clue how Pac is still standing, the phantom pain branded across his chest burns, soaked clothes tugging against the edge of a fraying slash despite his own fingers coming away clean from his chest. (Another reason to wrestle Pac down to get treated immediately, the moment the conversation lapses.)
Throughout it all, the steady hum of Pac and bond soothes him, brilliant in their proximity, as they launch into discussions of returning to the abandoned island far out, this time sans Richas and ideally, the Code.
Tuned into the bond, it made it even more jarring – the stretch, far, farther than it’s ever been, a crack, first a hairbreadth then a yawning chasm – chills wracking Mike’s frame and was it always this cold? There’s an ocean wave crashing into Mike, the tides dragging Pac under, the blur of salty sea stinging both their eyes, rising panic and burning lungs and strangled calls of the other’s name –
And then there’s nothing. Static, where the bond used to be. The ever present hum of Pac extinguished from his mind, it dawns on Mike how empty it is. A disorienting thrust into only feeling the sensations of one, the emotions of one, the thoughts of one, alone, alone, alone, alone –
Distantly he’s aware of Forever calling out to Pac, then him, frantic and loud, echoing into the room (now one emptier). Feels more than sees Richas rushing towards him, little feet thumping against the floor and arms outstretched, pounding and pounding, bouncing around his head in the absence of another’s presence. It’s simply easier to fall into the welcoming darkness, body sore and mind aching.
An ocean away, Pac’s vision dims, the last remnants of Mike being the overwhelming sensation of loss as he sinks deeper and deeper.