Chapter Text
The Host walks down the hall, mumbling narration to himself as he goes along. The hour was late, and the hallway was dim and quiet save for Host’s soft-spoken narration, and some gentle rain against the windows. A calm smile is on his face, his manner relaxed.
“The Host walks down the hall, past the stairs towards the elevator.” Host whispers, careful not to wake anyone this late at night. He stops in his tracks, however, when he hears quick footsteps behind him. He turns around, a smile on his face. “The Host turns, and is happy to see-”
Host’s face falls, his words cutting off dead as terror grips his heart. He doesn’t have time to say another word before strong hands shove him backwards. He yelps, and loses his footing, the ground beneath him falling away in an instant. He realizes too late that he’s standing on the edge of the stairs.
For a moment there’s no gravity, and in slow motion, he feels himself free falling through nothing…until he feels a sharp, burning pain in his head…
And then nothing.
~
The next day…
Annus walks down the hall from his room, towards the kitchen. He stretches his arms with a yawn as he strolls along, a smile on his face. He looks up through a hallway window and sees the sky is still gray, the weather storming on and off. He checks his watch, and sees it’s almost 1PM. He shrugs, not meaning to sleep in so late, but hey, he’s up now.
Iplier gave them all a rant a few days ago about keeping a healthy sleep/eat schedule, but he struggled to continue when Simon reminded him that he himself has a terrible sleep schedule.
Annus snickers to himself, and shoves his hands in his jacket pockets, rounding a corner to the lobby-
He freezes, his blood running cold at the sight before him. At the base of the stairs, was Host, on his back, deathly pale, head turned to the side, and a massive wet blood puddle beneath him.
“O-oh fuck…” Annus mumbles, his breath not wanting to come to him as he runs to Host’s side. He kneels down next to him, and places a shaking hand on his chest. He feels some relief run through him when he feels Host breathing, though it’s much too slow…
He quickly looks him over, and sees most of the blood is coming from a wound on the back of his head, as well as his eyes. He also sees his arm looking…not quite right, probably broken…
Annus looks up to the stairs, not struggling to put the pieces together of what happened. But…Host never takes the stairs. He’s fallen too many times in the past, he now only ever uses their elevator…
So why-…
“No fucking time!” Annus hisses to himself, before honing his strength. He can see how pale Host is, and he feels queasy seeing how big the blood puddle is…he knows Host doesn’t have much time. God knows how long he’s even been lying here! Annus grabs him, and heaves him into his arms, bridal style. He ignores the crimson soaking his white jacket and shirt, though the warm feeling of Host’s blood doesn’t make him feel good either way. Host, thankfully, isn’t the heaviest one in the manor.
Iplier’s clinical room is close, so it’d just waste time to try and call him to get him here. Annus steadies his footing, and walks as fast as he can down the hall, keeping Host pressed against him as securely as he can manage.
He also tries to ignore the constant trail of blood he’s dragging behind him as he walks…
~
Iplier sighs, wrapping a bandage around Illinois’ arm, Yancy sitting nearby on a bed, kicking his feet with a smile.
“You two, I swear to god…” Iplier grumbles, tightening the bandage. “It’s hardly just past noon! And you’re already injured!”
“It's not our fault the wind was so strong!” Illinois huffs, Iplier glaring at him.
“YOU SHOULDN’T HAVE BEEN ON THE ROOF IN THE RAIN AT ALL!!!”
“We were FIXING a hole!” Yancy yells, Iplier shooting him a glare.
“A HOLE YOU MADE!!!” Iplier yells, the sound of laughter making his eye twitch. “SIMON, HUSH, YOU CAN’T TALK!!!” He yells, turning around, facing Simon who is sitting at Iplier’s desk, in his spinning desk chair, moving back and forth in it slightly.
“Hey, don’t look at me! I’m just here for some more pain medication.”
“Because you’ve gotten hurt so much you’ve USED UP THE WHOLE SUPPLY I GAVE YOU!!!” Iplier yells, Simon snickering again, before spinning in the chair once. Iplier rolls his eyes, and pinches the bridge of his nose. “Honestly, how you all avoid death is beyond me…”
“Well we have a good doctor to help us out, don’t we?” Simon says, Yancy and Illinois nodding, Iplier looking away as his face warms up.
“You are, as Bing has saids, the braincell of this operations.” Yancy says, and Iplier just turns to stare at him jadedly.
“I can never have a normal day in this place.” Iplier says with a tired breath, giving Illinois a light nudge on the arm. “Alright, you’re good to go, just don’t do anything else stupid today.”
“No promises.” Illinois says with a wink and a smirk, Iplier blinking at him tiredly.
Though his attention is grabbed as there’s a hard muffled knock on the clinic door.
“Is someone kicking it?” Simon asks, Yancy, who is closest to the door, goes to open it.
“Hey, germs on the handles, amiright-”
Yancy’s face pales as he opens the door, and everyone else tenses, Simon rising to his feet in shock.
“HOST NEEDS HELP!!!” Annus yells, rushing in with Host in his arms. Iplier stutters, and runs over, his own face pale as he looks his friend over.
“W-what HAPPENED?!” Iplier cries, helping Annus lay Host on one of the beds, before immediately looking him over.
“I-I don’t know exactly! I found him unconscious and bloody at the bottom of the stairs!” Annus says, his voice shaking. Simon rushes over, looming behind Iplier as he turns Host’s head, looking at the bigger gash through his hair. “I guess he fell down em, but I-I know he never uses the stairs, so…I don’t know!” He says, looking down at himself. His suit jacket looked more red than white. “I don’t know how long he was there, either! I found him on my way to the kitchen!”
“Christ…” Iplier hisses, running to get supplies.
Simon stands back, staring at Host, his thoughts screaming in his head. Host looks pale, and his hair is matted with blood, his bandages solid red around his eyes. His jacket, a usual soft tan, is also drenched in blood. Simon feels a cold paralysis course through him, holding him in place. He wants to help. To say something. To do something. But he can’t move.
“I don’t think his skull is broken, but it may be cracked, and he’s lost a lot of blood…” Iplier says, rushing back to Host’s side, hooking up an I.V into his arm. “As long as he doesn't get brain damage, he should be fine…”
‘Should’
Simon moves his hand slowly to his stomach, suddenly feeling somewhat ill. Host looks close to death, his hair matted with blood, face much too drained of color. Simon gets a flash of a memory, of himself on the ground, covered in blood, in agony…and Host was there. He found him, and talked to him, helped him through the pain until Iplier could stabilize him. Host was the first. He groans, and moves his shaking hand to his face, hiding it, his mind reeling.
“What happened?!”
Iplier looks up, as do the others, when there’s a swirl of black, and Dark appears, face stern.
“Host fell down the stairs…” Annus says, his voice small. “We don’t know how or why…”
“Hm…” Dark says quietly, walking over. He looks Host over for a few seconds, and Iplier can’t read his expression.
“Do you know who saw him last?” Iplier asks, Dark shaking his head, his glitching minuscule.
“I’m afraid not.” He says, crossing his arms. “Will he live?” He asks, and Iplier nods.
“I-I believe so…biggest issue seems to be blood loss, I’m working on closing the wound on his head now…” He says, not looking up from his work. “His arm may be broken and god knows what else, but so far he’s stable…”
“Good…” Dark says softly, looking up. He looks to the others around the room, not saying more.
Simon looks up as well, meeting Dark’s gaze. Dark narrows his eyes.
“It would help Iplier and Host if you all composed yourselves…” Dark says, his voice low and steady, Annus still looking down, his removed jacket in his hands, soaked in blood.
“H-hey, we’re worried!” Yancy says, standing beside Illinois.
“You can be worried and still be useful.” Dark says sharply, Yancy looking down. “Annus, get yourself cleaned up first and foremost. You’re covered in his blood.” He says, Annus nodding. “Illinois, you have field first aid experience. You tend to Host’s arm while Iplier stabilizes his head wound.”
“Yes, can do…” Illinois says, walking over to Host’s side, opposite Iplier.
“Yancy, you like to clean, please keep things under control for Iplier in here.” Dark continues, Yancy nodding. “And please, take care of the blood in the hall, I don’t need everyone else in this place freaking out as well…”
“Y-yessir!” Yancy says, before running out of the room.
Dark looks back to Simon, who hasn’t moved, his arm back to holding his stomach. His eyes were on Host, his body trembling slightly.
“Simon, I need a word with you in my office when you’re able.” Dark says, Simon nodding, not breaking his gaze from Host. Dark looks back to Iplier. “Keep me updated on his condition if anything changes. I’ll talk to the Googles and see if they can pull up security footage and see what happened.” He says, Iplier nodding.
“Yes, thank you Dark, that would be helpful…”
Dark nods, then gives one more look to Simon, before turning away, vanishing in a swirl of black. Iplier looks behind him, and sees Simon standing there, looking shaken.
“Host will be alright…” Iplier says, Simon nodding, though he doesn’t say anything. “Hey…” Simon finally breaks his gaze from Host, and meets Iplier’s gaze. Iplier gives him a reassuring look and a soft smile. “Host is stronger than he looks. This injury isn’t the worst I’ve treated. He’ll be alright, he’ll just need rest for a while after this, alright?” Iplier says, Simon swallowing nervously, before nodding.
“Y-yeah…”
“I know you want to help. You’ve helped Host recover in the past, you’re damn good at it. He’ll need you then, and I know you’ll be the best for that job.” Iplier reassures, Simon nodding again, his eyes shining.
“I-I’ll do whatever I can…”
“Good…let me get him stable, why don’t you go see what Dark needed you for first, alright?” Iplier asks, nodding to the door. “Get your mind onto something else. I promise, everything will be fine.”
Simon sees Iplier smiling at him, and Simon sighs, managing a smile back. “I trust you…” He says, his voice quiet.
“I’m glad. You know I won’t let him leave us.” Iplier says firmly, Simon nodding.
“I know…I-I’ll go see what Dark wants, I’ll be back soon…”
“I’ll update you if anything changes. And drink some water!!!” Iplier yells as Simon walks out the door, Simon giving a small thumbs up before the door closes. Iplier sighs, and looks back down to Host, focusing as he works to stabilize his friend.