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Jay shivered. It was cold here, wherever here was. He lay sprawled in a corner, backed up against some kind of stone. His chin tilted down and rested on his chest; eyes closed. Not that it would make much difference if they were open – he couldn't even see his hands if he held them out in front of him.
He hadn't moved since crawling to this corner, as far away from the door they'd thrown him though as possible. He didn't know who they were, why they wanted him, couldn't even remember what they'd been asking him. He hadn't told them anything.
Something sticky was drying on the back of his neck, crusting into his hair, and his entire body was littered in bruises. His left arm lay limp and useless at his side; it hurt but was slowly becoming more and more numb.
He didn't know how long he lay there, cold stone biting at his battered body. His mouth was dry, head pounding, stomach rolling with nausea. Someone was coming. He knew it. Someone would come for him. He just has to hold on. He dragged in breath through his lungs, clinging to the thought. Someone was coming for him.
His ears were ringing, distorting what little he could hear, and he couldn't tell if any of that was real. Briefly, he wondered if he heard footsteps but quickly banished the idea. Even if he had, better to be left alone in the dark that subject to any more questioning. Someone would come for him; he knew it.
Light blinded his half-lidded eyes, right hand twitching as he tried to raise it to shield them, but it remained limply at his side. A blur of white crossed his vision, and he tried to flinch away but found himself too weak to move. Something patted his cheek gently, even the small vibrations sending waves of pain through his head.
When he didn't react, the tapping became more insistent, alone with sound that might have been a voice. A sharp pressure dug into his chest, and he gasped, eyes flying up wildly, colours and lights spinning across his vision as he tried to get away from the pain. It retreated as quickly as it had come, along with more of those murmured words.
Jay rolled his heavy tongue around his mouth, searching for any drops of moisture. Something was familiar about this shape; it was different to the harsh ones that had laid hands on him earlier. He dragged his eyes up to where it's face should be, trying to focus on the silver metallic form he was met with.
"Zane? Tha' you?" Jay slurred, eyes falling down again, closing against the continued assault of light. The figure shifted in front of him, emitting more noises that Jay could tell were some form of words. He tried to focus in on them, catching the phrases in broken strings.
"Ye—Jay. Za—I'm her—get—ou—others."
It didn't make much sense, but it was enough to confirm it was his friend that faced him. Jay breathed out a shaky breath, eyes dampening with tears that he didn't have the energy to shed. He faded back out of reality slightly, losing track of what the nindroid was saying.
Without warning, he was forcible dragged back to the present as pain spiked all over his body. Zane was heaving him up of the floor. Jay groaned as the world tilted and span, greying at the edges as he desperately tried to hold on to the contents of a stomach he was sure must be empty. They began to move, Jay trying to get his feet under him, but abandoning the attempt quickly, instead focusing in on what Zane was still saying.
"—safe now. Taken care—others."
Jay suddenly remembered what they had been asking him. They'd wanted to know about the team, about the others, everyone was in danger by coming to get him. His breathing picked up, heart racing from the combined sensations.
"Zane—Zane," he slurred, and the comforting hum of voice next to his ears stopped, "The others—they wanted—not safe—I—"
Zane's voice interrupted him, something about knowing, and being dealt with. Jay needed him to understand, it was important.
"I-I didn't—didn't tell 'em anything." He lolled his head further into his friend's shoulder. "I di'nt give up."
Zane hefted him up as he began to slide down from the grasp he was in, squeezing him tighter to his side. He spoke again, voice drifting through the fog that was descending on Jay's consciousness.
"No, you didn't. Well done. It's okay now Jay—" He faded out, but the vibrations beside Jay's head told him he was still speaking. They shuffled out on to something, and even more light assaulted Jay's retinas. He squeezed his eyes shut, more hands on him, lifting him fully off the ground. He cried out softly as the floor disappeared, losing his limited bearings. Several voices flitted around him, calling out to him and each other, confusing and bright and loud.
Something brushed gently across his forehead, tilting him sideways so the pressure on the back of his skull was relieved. Cracking one eye open, he caught the edge of a gentle smile, and as he sank into the waiting blackness, one voice cut through the cacophony surrounding him, murmuring reassurances as he lost track of the world.
"It's okay now Jay, just rest. You did so good, your safe now. Just rest."
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Jay wasn't sure if he was dreaming. Everything felt weird. He couldn't quite feel his body, much less make it obey. But he could feel bandages around several parts of his arms and legs, and something immobilising his left arm. A dull sensation filled him, not quite pain, muted by some external influence.
He didn't open his eyes, instead trying to tune back in to the world. He could hear a rhythmic beeping, but the room was otherwise silent. His head was tilted sideways, cloth pressing under his cheek, seemingly avoiding whatever the source of the pressure at the back of his head was.
He swallowed, mouth dry, and decided to crack his eyes open. The room was dim, not dark but enough that he didn't feel attacked by light. Jay's eyelids were heavy, struggling against him to fall back closed. He was tempted to go back to sleep, but he needed to know what was happening first.
Zane was sitting off to his left, staring at him. Jay met his glowing blue eyes, blinking slowly. The nindroid didn't move, waiting for Jay to do something before reacting. Jay opened his mouth, and the ninja brought over a cup of water and a straw, placing it in Jay's mouth. He drank slowly, barely able to move, angle making it awkward.
Once he had a few sips, he stopped, and Zane placed the cup back out of his eyesight. Jay could feel sleep tugging at him, finally recognising the pull of some kind of drug in his system. Zane still hadn't reacted and Jay spent half a thought wondering if he was supposed to be awake. He shifted slightly, wincing as the attempted movement brought pain he wasn't expecting.
"Safe?" He croaked out, closing one of his eyes. Zane nodded slowly, reaching up and adjusting something he couldn't see. Jay grew heavier, beginning to lose his battle with consciousness.
"Yes Jay, you are safe," the nindriod replied, "So is everyone else. Go back to sleep."
Jay sank back on to the bed, breathing out a sigh as any lingering sensations faded and he sank back into the realm of sleep, still confused, but knowing someone was watching over him. They had come.