Chapter Text
A lady's voice repeated pleasantly over the loudspeakers, sounding very much like a recorded announcement at a department store. It was far too calm, given the circumstances.
"Attention to all employees. Darkness Qtrew-D-053 has breached containment. Attention..."
The announcement blared on and on, audible even through their laboured breaths and heavy footsteps. The lift had been a no-go, so eight flights of stairs it was.
"Employees, please enter your rooms. The darkness is unable to harm those enclosed within their place of residence."
They were both sweating through their jackets at this point, the announcements grating on their ears the entire way. And the culprit responsible for all this? Kim Soleum was looking right at his back.
'Shit, Baek Saheon, why'd you have to take that thing's item and draw aggro?'
'It's a D-class, because it's fine as long as you're not the one who steals from it! Now it's chasing us all the way back to the room and it almost got us back in the stairwell somewhere around level three and it really stinks like blood and it's dripping rotten flesh and I don't even know what else everywhere, it's horrible and it's also really gross... the whole corridor is going to smell bad and I got a good look at that thing because of you, now I'm going to have nightmares for the next week, probably...'
Exploration Record ██
- Entity's aggression drawn after stealing item. Target of aggression remains unchanged even after item is discarded. Safety of all personnel confirmed after entering their respective "homes".
Exploration record ██
- Subject who stole item entered the location considered "home" first. All other residents of the same "home" subsequently unable to enter. Confirmed 3 deceased.
'Oh.'
'Wait, that's really bad. Baek Saheon, fuck, why was that bastard so fast?'
"Wait-" Kim Soleum gasped out, reaching for him, fingertips just grazing the fabric of his shirt.
Baek Saheon turned around, gloating grin intact despite panting, some sort of madness in his eye. It faded, slightly, at the distressed look on Kim Soleum's face, but Kim Soleum is far, far too alarmed to notice.
"Let me, go in first."
"Why, so you can close the door on me? Hell, no." Baek Saheon scoffed and turned away without slowing down.
'Is he doing this on purpose? No, that record probably hadn't even been recorded yet so he doesn't even know and he's just being a massive annoying dog piece of shit!!!'
"I'm not going to- I, Baek Saheon, please!" Kim Soleum gasped, sacrificing whatever little dignity he still had.
'...Desperate times call for desperate measures.'
'I can do extra intimidation later to make up for whatever that was, but that can only happen if I actually live long enough to do that!!!'
'That thing is almost catching up again, help- This is your fault, goat bastard, you better watch out, shit!!!!'
Baek Saheon stumbled slightly at his plea- thank fuck- and Kim Soleum barely managed to overtake him.
He wasted precious seconds fumbling with the keys, desperately wrenching their room door open before throwing himself inside. Baek Saheon followed, and they both tumbled across the threshold.
Just in time.
The double doors slam shut behind them.
Uh.
Double
doors?
We're so fucked
The Baroness
Classification: B Grade
Code: Qterw-B-6██
A golden-age hotel. Premises are well-kept and maintained by non-human entities. Records found in the reading room indicate it is a replica of a location and corresponding linked entity from external plane.
Diary attributed to creator of darkness found during exploration ██. Indicates creator's dissatisfaction with final product ("it is not the same, it is close but I cannot replicate HIM") Repeatedly expresses fear of original entity in final entries ("the ████man found out I copied HIM and the hotel and HE will find me and [indiscernible, bloodstained]")
"The Baroness is pleased to offer sanctuary to weary travellers."
Exploration record █
Field exploration team failed to return.
...
Front desk assigned team members to individual rooms. Zero survivors.
...
Survived ten days ... failure to check out.
Informed by front desk that length of stay is eternal.
...
Successfully set a deadline (check-out date) for stay by making front desk aware of reservation with other hospitality-related darkness.
Donotlie
itknowswhenyoulie
itwill███ ... interview terminated.
...
Two field exploration team members returned. Heavily contaminated. (Dream essence not collected). Rehabilitation judged to be cost ineffective. Disposal approved.
There were plenty of hotel-related darknesses in the Darkness Exploration Records. People absolutely loved writing about hotels, schools, and hospitals, but only one hotel matched this description and method of entry and of course it had to be one that was especially annoying to deal with.
'Life is so great, first the goat bastard steals some bullshit thing and then we're forced to do cardio and then now we escape only to end up in some other darkness with a terrible survival rate and stupid rules, because of course this always has to happen. '
'This is the second time I've been dragged into a darkness because of him and I've frankly, had enough. He could at least be thankful, you know.'
Kim Soleum picked himself up off the very polished marble floor, just in time to glimpse Baek Saheon tuck something away into his pocket. No doubt, whatever he'd stolen from that thing- the darkness- earlier. Kim Soleum began considering a few different ways of extorting the item from Baek Saheon later, and felt his mood improve a little.
'Fine.'
'At least the ghosts or monsters or horrible creepy things in this hotel were generally avoidable. According to the exploration records, the people here still mostly looked like people.'
'Life... could be worse.'
"Where the hell are we?" Baek Saheon asked, and he had the gall to have an attitude!
'...Fuck you!! In the hell are we, all because you couldn't keep your hands to yourself!'
"Hotel," Kim Soleum replied calmly, straightening his tie and smoothing out his jacket with what he hoped looked like disdain. Baek Saheon had been getting far too comfortable with him lately (see: rude), and it was probably about time for a reminder. Having to deal with a crazy co-worker and a haunted hotel darkness at the same time was... not ideal, at all, and Baek Saheon was a much easier (and far less terrifying) problem to solve.
Kim Soleum sighed as he walked over to Baek Saheon and got right up into his face, making sure to thoroughly invade his personal space. Baek Saheon shrank back half a step, but Kim Soleum only smiled and followed.
'Uncomfortable? Good.'
Kim Soleum reached up and gently tapped the eyepatch- slow, deliberate, light enough that Baek Saheon could probably just feel it through the fabric.
"Don't forget who gave this to you," he murmured, just as softly.
Kim Soleum paused then, considering Baek Saheon for a moment- single green eye fixed on the floor, darting from side to side- no longer willing to meet his. There was something in his expression that Kim Soleum didn't recognise, something that made him, look, absurdly, younger. Something similar to the gentle smile and harmless sheep's wool Baek Saheon usually donned for an audience, but this was imperfect and... fragile?
He really is unfairly good to look at, Kim Soleum thought, when he isn't busy scowling and being a bastard.
The thought arrived uninvited, (and unwelcome,) and Kim Soleum, faintly offended that he would even think such a thing, shoved it away, moving before another ridiculous thought could come.
He caught the eyepatch's elastic strap with one finger. Lifted it slowly, and let go.
It slapped lightly against Baek Saheon's cheek, with a sound entirely too small for the effect it had.
Baek Saheon's head snapped up. His eye fixed on Kim Soleum, wide, and again the unfamiliar expression briefly surfaced before he could tamp it down.
Kim Soleum decided it would be best not to think too much about it, and labelled the expression neatly as shock- or maybe fear? He smiled sweetly, patted Baek Saheon on the cheek, and turned away, already mentally congratulating himself.
'Ha ha. Speechless now? I'm the crazy one here! Me! Know your place-'
Kim Soleum froze, gleeful thoughts screeching to a halt.
There was a man behind the reception desk.
He's smiling.
'Ahhhhh oh my god wait that thing has been looking at us the whole time?'
'Yuck yuck yuck the smile is way too wide that's so creepy please get away from me!!! The exploration records fucking lied to me that's not a human looking man at all, what do you mean 'entities look human' who even wrote that, that's bullshit it's not because I'm a chicken shit, that thing is literally horrifying??'
Kim Soleum managed to stop himself from screaming. He looked back to see Baek Saheon still standing there, looking scared? Confused? Angry? He's slightly red now, the hue creeping its way up his neck and dusting his cheeks. Probably anger then, Kim Soleum sighed. He'd thought that had been enough to properly intimidate him, but apparently not.
That would be a problem for later, though. Now that the human had been dealt with (for now, at least), it was time for the ghost story. Kim Soleum forced himself to walk up to the front desk as naturally as possible, commendably did not flinch at "Welcome to the Baroness," and asked the man for a pen and paper, managing to avoid looking anywhere near the corners of his mouth.
He scribbled a request to the lodgekeeper and discreetly tucked it into his tattoo. He returned the pen and notepad with what hopefully looked like a winning smile. Thank goodness that worked, because otherwise he'd probably have had to yell into his arm like a madman and hope that the hotel didn't take offence.
The man smiled even wider.
'Shit!! Don't do that please it's really, scary, yuck-'
"One night, please. We have a reservation at Golden Deer Resort," said Kim Soleum, fixing his eyes somewhere safe- the man's perfectly coiffed auburn hair.
"Ah, I see," The man almost sounded disappointed, but the smile did not waver.
"Unfortunately, The Baroness has found it prudent to revise our policies recently. The minimum length of stay is one week. I deeply regret the inconvenience."
'You say regret, but you're still smiling! Damn it and damn you! I do not want to see that shit in my dreams-'
"Of course," Kim Soleum laughed a laugh that he hoped didn't sound utterly terrified. His voice didn't tremble, so he thought it went pretty well. "Give us some time to make arrangements?"
In the meantime, Baek Saheon had slowly backed up to the front doors, surreptitiously tugging at the handles. Of course, no dice. Following that, he looked out the window into the endless dim glow of television static and decided, wisely, not to attempt opening any of them.
"Baek Saheon," Kim Soleum whispered behind him.
Baek Saheon jumped a little. Ha ha.
"Shit. Bast- you, what do you want now?"
"We need to share a room. It's the only way we survive," Kim Soleum slung an arm around his shoulders in a way he hoped would probably make him very uncomfortable and very afraid. Baek Saheon, expectedly, froze.
"We're already roommates, after all," Kim Soleum leaned in and whispered in as intimidating a manner as he could manage.
Baek Saheon shuddered, jolting away and clapping a hand over his ear.
"Fuck, bastard- we're suitemates."
'Oh, he's cursing and even turning red again? He's still able to get angry? Am I losing my touch?'
"Same difference, roommate."
Exploration record ██
...
Requested room for two. Checked-in to honeymoon suite. Covered mirror in room (received warning from special equipment). Entity entered room at midnight. Maintaining line of sight prevents entity's movement. Team members alternated blinking with each eye until 6AM.
...
Exploration record ██
Requested honeymoon suite. No mirror observed in room. Entity █ █. ██. Field exploration team failed to return.
...
You think I want to share a room with you, Baek Saheon? Just how much of a psycho does he think I am?'
'Wait, that's actually a good thing...'
Kim Soleum grit his teeth and steeled himself before determinedly walking up to the front desk to say what needed to be said, pulling the unwilling Baek Saheon with him.
"Thank you for being so patient with us," he peered down at the nametag. "Brian."
"My pleasure, sir. Your reservation with the Golden Deer Resort has been confirmed on our end," The man paused to draw a breath, though it seemed like it was more to maintain social norms than out of any real need. "Would you like one bed, or two?"
Baek Saheon started to say something but was prodded sharply in the side by Kim Soleum.
"What-" he hissed out, muttering something clearly rude under his breath.
"I heard that," Kim Soleum muttered back, and felt the tiniest hint of satisfaction when he saw Baek Saheon flinch.
"One bed, of course," Kim Soleum said brightly. "Could we request the honeymoon suite, please? The one with the big mirror facing the bed."
He's looking the man in the eyes now, anywhere except the teeth, really, but unfortunately this has led him to realise that the man hasn't even blinked once.
Baek Saheon opened his mouth. Closed it. Opened it again and then decided there were no words suitable for the current situation.
Getting stuck in this hotel darkness was not ideal, sure, but at least he'd gotten an item to show for it. The problem was Kim Soleum. As usual, he seemed to know what was going on, and was doing his whole lunatic routine, so they would probably survive just fine.
He was being a crazy bastard as usual, but why did he have to keep touching me? he put his arm around me and why did he kind of smell nice- What.
I mean, he was being annoying and insane and was actually crazy enough to worry about racing me to our room door while being chased by a darkness.
The problem was that Kim Soleum seemed to have planned this. He had a reservation with some other resort, presumably a darkness, and the hotel had even confirmed it was real. Did he plan this entire thing? And why the fuck did he just ask for a honeymoon suite?
...One with a mirror facing the bed.
Should I be concerned? and his hands had been soft- NO.
It's Kim Soleum, of course I have to be concerned. He's one of the biggest threats to my life- I was afraid to even go home for a few weeks because of that crazy piece of shit but he's also saved me before and I don't understand.
Everyone else seems to think he's nice and it's because he really, truly is nice to them. He's friendly with his squadmates and sacrifices himself and parts of himself to save other people- even useless ones. Why does he treat them so well but not me? Am I not worth-
but he has saved me before, too.
The museum, the fuckass murder lodge on a mountain, through it all he acted like a crazy bastard and he even sent me cursed fucking messages about it, but I'm quite sure he still saved my life.
He always acts like it's for shits and giggles and he's just doing it for fun but I can't help feeling like it's a lie.
I've seen madness and cruelty before and this is not what it looks like.
Something weighs on him, and it is not sin.
And that godforsaken village. He was the agent who-
Baek Saheon feels something complicated writhing beneath his ribs and decides to not examine it any further.
He notices cold sweat beading on the back of Kim Soleum's neck, and doesn't think it's from the sprint earlier.
Was that from stress? Is he actually worried about something in this hotel.
The idea that something was even capable of scaring this lunatic who was practically half a horror story himself was actually terrifying.
Baek Saheon decided that maybe he was right to be concerned after all.