𝐑𝐮𝐧 // 𝐄𝐯𝐚𝐝𝐞

𝙄𝙄𝙄 - 𝙁𝙧𝙞𝙚𝙣𝙙𝙨 𝙁𝙤𝙧𝙚𝙫𝙚𝙧

 i need to make these L O N G E R---    yeah i'm taking a really long time to flesh things out to make myself suffer 

The scorching hot sun beat down on the little blue visor sitting on the man's head while he leaned up against the stone walls of the ancient structure, his smile wavering ever so slightly as he watched all the other victims run from the bots. He didn't dare go out there. It was far too arid, and he knew he might develop heatstroke if he worked up a sweat. His gaze flickered to the box of cola beside him, and he tore the cardboard carrier to pieces, grabbing a can of cola. He usually wouldn't behave this way. But these circumstances were harrowing, and desperate times called for desperate measures.

As he stood there, watching everyone else run for their lives, he looked at the list he had stolen from one of the other competitors. On it was a list of locations, and apparently, the one that he was at right now had been dubbed the "Arid Ruins". The closest place to the Ruins was called "Indoor Complex". Now, that had to be better than this rundown place. So, picking up another can of cola, he turned away from the murder scene and walked through the various tunnels that he'd familiarized himself with over the years.

After a while of walking, a pang of hurt struck him in the heart, and the memory of how he met Jard crashed into him, forcing him to reminisce once more.

Long before he'd met Jard, he had always been an explorer, traversing all sorts of terrain and finding new locations to look at. It was just that after he had met the other man, he'd forced him to accompany him on his expeditions. Of course, after a while, he figured that Jard no longer minded, and simply "begrudgingly" came along out of pure interest. He knew that underneath that exterior was a trustworthy companion who'd do anything for his friends. Jard was just..a little damaged, that's all.

The first time they met, Jard hadn't been nearly as receptive to his offer of friendship. Their exchange was simple, nothing too complex. Just a "wanna be friends"? Turned down by the quiet man in his black cap, who merely didn't answer the inquiry. So, knowing he probably couldn't persuade him, he shrugged and adjusted his visor, running off to go make friends elsewhere. It was an odd feeling, the feeling of...not quite "rejection", but just..the unanswered question made him ponder if he had really been turned down after all. However, at this point, he was far too enamored in exploring other areas that he didn't really think too much of it.

It'd be a long time before he ever saw him again. Sure, it got lonely from time to time, but he simply pushed those feelings to the back of his mind and focused on his explorations, having the sights and the various entities to keep him company. He was never truly alone, that was something he had to keep reminding himself of, and it was also what got him through some rather troublesome matters. 

Sitting in the plaza, the man in the blue visor continued to repair his various gadgets and trinkets, absorbed in his own little world. He didn't really care that he was alone for a majority of his explorations, and it often led to him making new friends along the way. Like that one time he encountered that thing with the eyes that seemed to burn through him with such intense hunger! But even then, he walked away with a new friend after sitting down to inquire about what it wanted.

He remembered walking around the abandoned "Poolrooms", his steps splashing through the water as he explored, small flashlight in hand. As he walked, he hummed a song to himself, happy that he was even out here to begin with. Supposedly, these "Poolrooms", as they were called, were very dangerous to travelers who ventured out all alone. He didn't care though, and simply decided to visit anyway. Now, being that he'd had his fair share of weird experiences, nothing could really phase him.

There was a long corridor with a sharp turn coming up, and upon turning the corner, he was face to face with a...pitch black shape. Dark, hungry eyes bored through him, and he tilted his head slightly, a bit perplexed by the sudden appearance of this.."thing". The two of them stood face to face, staring at each other for a while before he finally spoke, a little uncertain of what to say first. Naturally, things always commenced with a "hello", so that would be a good place to start!