Take Me Home Again (Eddie Munson X OC)

Chapter 6 - Session ø

Phoenix entered the dark room, the door thudding heavily behind them. Their mind was racing with thoughts, unable to process the information they had just learned. They felt like their mind was shutting down, they needed a nap. They sighed and plopped into a chair before taking in the scenery of the room. It was one large table, or maybe multiple pushed together, it was hard to tell in the dim lighting. There were chairs on each side of the table, a throne at the assumed head, sets of two on either side, and a set of three where Phoenix sat. Three of the chairs were already taken, taking up one and a half of the sides. They recognized them from the arcade and the lunch table that Eddie had invited them to earlier. 

They all talked amongst themselves before the doors opened again, Phoenix looking up and catching Eddie's eyes. Shit, they thought, eyes darting back to the floor in front of them. It seemed unfair, feeling almost guilty for knowing what they knew and not blurting it out to him the second they made eye contact. There was that lying thing again. It was bound to happen, them realizing who the other was, but they silently wished the roles were reversed now. It would be so much easier to deny they had connected the dots if he realized first. They had started to fidget.

Phoenix never really did well in group situations, usually finding someone they knew decently and sticking to them the entire time. They didn't do group projects or parties or anything like that. They just couldn't stomach it most of the time. That was dumb, it occurred to them, they do know someone here and he was staring them down intensely. But did they really know him? It had been almost a decade, had he changed that much? Had he changed at all? That seemed obvious as soon as they thought it, of course he changed, just look at him. He really had grown up, Phoenix unsure if the word 'matured' really fit this situation.

"Phoeeeeniiiix?" That voice could melt them then and there. They looked up at him and tried to give a polite smile, anxiety showing through more than they would like. "Your seat is up here, by me. So you can ask me questions and I can give you pointers and such."

"O-Oh, s-sorry." They bit their tongue, grabbing their bag and moving into the chair immediately to his left, glancing up to him before looking down at their lap, pulling their legs into the chair criss-crossed. 

Finally, the door opened again and the three amigos walked in, apparently having left Phoenix out of the loop of being 'fashionably late'. "So you decide to join us." His voice echoed off the dark walls. When they weren't too busy worrying, the ambiance in the room really was quite nice. They were sure it would set the mood for their games well. 

They took the three empty seats across from Eddie as he stood up, eyeing Phoenix for a moment as they picked at their fingers. He made a 'hmm' noise before walking over to shelf and pulling out a clear plastic box. He opened it, setting the lid on the table by his throne. "These are brand new, never been worn before Hellfire shirts. There should be something to fit all of you, but I'd like for you to try it on to be sure." He held the box out to Phoenix, watching the way their hands gently picked up a shirt, checked the size, and then pulled it into their lap. He flashed them a small smile before walking over to the other three and holding the box out to them. "There is a bathroom in the hallway behind the black box, as they call it. You'll also see dressing rooms for the theater residents, you can use whichever. Just make sure they fit."

Phoenix quickly stood and made their way to the hallway intended. They decided on the bathrooms, finding a stall and locking it behind them. They never really thought that anyone would come in, especially in this group, but they did it anyway. They slowly slipped the warm fabric off of their torso, slipping the cold new shirt on in its place. They adjusted it to their liking and was about to unlock the stall to check in the mirror before the door opened. They waited a moment, about to yell to get out, but his voice rang in the echoey chamber. "You okay?"