PHOENIX. [sequel to 067]

04. meeting.

"i... died?" you ask him in response to his question. you didn't get a verbal response from him, just a small "mhmm" sound left his lips.

he taps the edge of the metal table with his hand to signal you to sit at the edge, which you did after some time. it felt ... odd to move in this body, after it previously not allowing you to. your movements were stiff and slow, but they definitely still occured.

dottore's eyes never left your body as you moved, aa if he were studying your movements for any error. a small sigh left his mouth as he shakes his head, moving towards the edge of the room.

sitting up straight allowed you to view more of the room, to see all of the tools and various chains of cabinets with glass that's hard to see through. however, you were able to see through one cabinet, which was full of small jars, each labelled, but you can't seem to make out the words. the writings too sloppy.

dottore comes back holding a small looking hammer. you were going to ask him about it, but your thought process was interrupted as he slams it onto your knee. your leg shot forward once he did, but a great wave of pain travelled through your body.

"that's for making me look like a fucking moron, darling, do it again amd you're dead," dottore threatens as his gaze hardens at you. he places some emphasis on the word "darling", as if it has some ... sort of meaning to it, "you need clothes, god."

he begins rambling to himself under his breath as he exits the room. you began to think again, mostly about his use of the word darling. he seemed ... angry as he said it? yet, so hurt at the same time. it's almost as if the use of the word caused him emotional pain, yet he uses it anyways. you doubt you'd understand.

few minutes pass, and he comes barging back in. his steps were quick and with purpose and he tosses a chunk of clothes your way. the clothes land on your body amd feel warm to the touch, in contrast to the cold table you've been on for what felt like hours.

"can you dress yourself or do you need help?" dottore groans, most likely from the annoyance of having to deal with you like this.

"uh, help, please," you look down at the clothes on your body before looking at him in a look of confusion. you could probably assume how the holes work, but the way of how to get into them is lost on you.

"alright, sweet boy," he sighs before walking over towards you. he grabs the black shirt in his hands amd slides it over your head, grabbing your arms and placing them through the holes. then, he holds a piece of undergarments in his hand, "before you get anxious or whatever, you don't remember, but i've seen it all before. we were dating."

"... why'd we stop?" you question him as he asks you wrap your arms around his neck. he lifts you up to slide the boxers of your body.

"we never officially stopped, but you did die," he sighs while placing the pants onto your body.

"so why say were?"

"it's easier than explaining, darling."

that was his answer to you as he finished dressing you, holding out his arm for you to cling to. he gestured for you to shift your weight against him as he wraps his arm under your right arm to help lift you up.

the two of you having "been" together explained the pet names, but you couldn't understand why he wouldn't have just told you that beforehand.

"put one foot in front of the other and lean into me, sweet darling," he speaks to you gently, despite his earlier emotions. you follow his lead, placing one foot in front of the other. slowly but surely, the two of you made it towards the exit of the room.

he pushes open the door with his hip and holds it open for you. the outside hallway looks eerily similar to you, as if you've seen it before. though, you suppose you have, if you were dating the blue haired man that's holding you.

the two of your made your way up a flight of stairs, around a few corners, and then in front of a large door. the door's wooden with golden details on the sides of it.

there are two torches on either side of it, along with small ice sculptures in the corners before the door. you watch as dottore reaches into his coat and slips on a strange looking mask, with a pointy end.

he flashes a small smile your way before pushing the large door with his free hand. the room before you is large, with long hanging chandeliers made out of gold and quartz. a long, double sided, table was in the dead center of the room. eight chairs, four on each outside side of the tables, laid before you.

people had been sitting in these chairs, and their attention instantly shifted towards you and dottore, while your eyes were focused on all of the people before you.

a girl with wings on the back of her hair, with black and pink hair was sat next to an empty chair besides pierro. a girl with black and white hair sat besides her. then on the other side there's a boy with ginger hair ay the end of it. then one with long black hair and glasses besides him, then a young girl, and then a man with a large mask on.

dottore leads you towards the empty spot beside pierro. he instructed you to lean onto his chair with your body, but with how you were stumbling and struggling to hold on, he caved. he allowed for you to sit in his lap, on his right leg.

a tall woman walked in from the other end of the room, standing between the two tables. her long blonde hair curled at the ends as she focuses her attention onto you.

everyone in the room bows their head toward her, out of respect, yet you didn't seem to quite catch the memo.

  "shall we begin?"