Neverending Loops

Chapter 2.

The fall was unpleasant, boards scraping and inky hands grabbing for them out of the darkness. Joey never let go of his friends hand, not wanting to be alone in hell again. When they finally hit the bottom, he was surprised when Henry all but tore his hand from the others grasp.

"What the hell was that Joey? Do you have memory loss or something? Does this loop not cause you to fall through the floor everytime?"

"I was trying to get us out of here! I was desperate okay? And you're injured, which is pretty much a death sentence down here."

"So you were just trying to help, right? You could've said something. I just, I like to know what might kill me in this place; including my former best pal." He quickly busied himself with looking at the new puncture wound in his palm, deciding not to focus on the words that had been hastily spoken.

"So you didn't see the Demon chasing us? That thing would've killed you and I bet you know it. I'm sorry for wanting my friend to be okay."

"You should've thought about that before you made a deal with a literal demon." The words were spoken quietly, but they hit their mark nonetheless.

"I was desperate okay? Sure we had a good little group 'a employees going, but that meant nothing if no one supported anything. We would've all been somewhere on the streets way before now. I just wanted to help." Joey had a pleading look on his face, as if any reaction other than forgiveness would absolutely break him.

"Sure. Whatever you say, Joey. For all I know you could be the fake one in this situation and I wouldn't even know." He was in a defensive position, staying as far away from Joey as humanely possible. "This could all be one big trick, y'know? None of us even got to live past the Studio, we only got to open it up, and…"

"I know." Joey had moved closer, a slow and paced action that had gone unnoticed by Henry. "I know that. But now we might be able to figure it out, okay?" He lay a hand on his friends arm, offering reassurance that he couldn't truly give.

"Sure." It was a cold and final answer, but it least it was something. "Let's go find Lawrence."

"Oh, alright." He hadn't really expected that to be the priority, but he couldn't really argue. It was either sit here in awkward silence, or walk off into potentially deadly silence. Would Sammy be the one Joey knew, or a strange mix of the different loops? Joey pulled his hand back, not quite sure what to do.

There were so many things that were already different, but the distrustful feelings stayed the same it seemed. He couldn't blame his friend. The Studio had become a twisted version of happy times; times that had just begun. Joey would've reminisced and thought about their current situation even longer if it wasn't for the sudden movement of Henry standing up.

Joey stared for a moment, not sure whether to speak. Unsure, the taller man stood as well. Joey contemplated between trying to speak, or reason with his companion, before settling on a different option. Without giving the other a chance to move out of the way, he threw his arms around Henry, effectively confusing him.

"I'm sorry." Joey buried his face into the other's shoulder, feeling both ashamed and embarrassed. "It's just…being alone for so long just really takes its toll and…I didn't even consider that the loops may have been different. I truly just wanted to help."

Seconds went by, then a minute or so, and Joey was about to apologize again when a pair of arms wrapped around him. It was a stiff and awkward embrace, considering the tension between the two, but it didn't feel wrong either.

"How about we both admit we're stupid assholes who don't really know how to deal with dumb feelings and move on?" Henry pushed the words out in a rush, trying to get Joey to lighten up. But it was true, neither of them hated the other - he hoped so anyway - they had just adapted to the Studio; learned to be defensive.

"So you don't hate me?" Joey raised his head from it's position on Henry's shoulder, trying and failing to keep the desperation out of this voice.

"No…? I mean I still find you annoying and everything but," Henry paused, pulling away from the hug and instead placing his hands on Joey's shoulders, though he didn't put much pressure on the injured limb. "I still care about you." Despite trying to conceal the emotions welling up, it was evident that Joey was glad.

"That's a relief." Joey pulled back though, wondering if the words were true. "Well, since we got that out of the way, wanna go find Sammy?"

"We kinda have to don't we?"

"Yeah..." Noticing the look on his companions face, he shrugged. ''C'mon it can't be worse than the other times you've met him right?" A small grin rested on Joey's face as he said the next words.

"Especially since you have me."

The false bravado was back, but he didn't mind. Easier to fake confidence than deal with keeping himself from breaking down.

"Oh really? And what exactly do you have to offer?" There was a teasing lilt in Henry's voice that Joey quickly picked up on.

"Good looks?"

"Oh, please-"

"Height?" Joey quickly darted out of reach as Henry flung a hand out to smack him, only to turn around and grab the other's wrist with what he knew was a grin on his face.

"I have the high ground here, and you know it."

"Are all of your comebacks just really bad puns?" At this point Henry was smiling too, not even attempting to pull away from Joey's grasp.

It was a nice moment, a happy one. Despite the blood still coating clothes, and slightly awkward silence. Until an all too familiar voice piped up in Joey's head; unwelcome and frankly forgotten up till this point.

Doesn't this feel familiar, Joey?

As quickly as it had appeared, the joy felt like it had been sucked out of the room. Joey felt his grin fade, felt the cold despair of regret worm its way into his chest. Felt the quickening of a heartbeat under his fingers.

Oh, so you do remember.

Shut up. He tried to ignore it, he really did. But the happy atmosphere was quickly falling apart, something not lost to the other man. Joey could faintly hear Henry talking to him, trying to understand what was going on, not aware of the demons presence.

I truly don't think I have to Drew. You know exactly what I'm talking about.

Joey tried to deny it, even as his grip tightened around the other's wrist, and this surroundings were effectively drowned out by what the demon was forcing him to see.

A memory that wasn't exactly pleasant in the least.