Chromatober 2023

Day 19 - Habit

Series: Rainbow Quest / Steve Saga crossover (Toxin Part 3)

--- Sabre P.O.V. ---

The words on the textbook blur, and I find myself reading the same passage over and over again.  Slowly, my eyes drift close, and my head droops forward.  I jolt back up, mad at myself.  This is no time for sleeping.

I force myself to focus again on the paragraph, then carefully scan the words.  I jot a few notes, then flip the page.  Learning about steve biology is tedious, but absolutely necessary.  I can't hope to cure the sickness if I don't even understand how it's effecting their bodies.

Green Steve is not difficult.  I've already done my homework on all the steves from that world.  I smile slightly, remembering the study sessions curled up in the Rainbow House.  It's the Red Leader and Professor who worry me now.  What makes it even harder is that Professor Red has changed their biology beyond even the basics, to give them a longer life span.  That'll be more studying after this is done.

I peer groggily at my scribbled notes.  They blur together a bit, but I'm sure they'll look better in the morning, after I've had some coffee.

...Oh, wait, they don't have coffee here.  Darn it.

My head slowly comes to rest on the desk.  I am not sleeping, merely changing my position.  The lights of my house dim as my eyes flutter closed.

--- Light Steve P.O.V. ---

The night is peaceful and quiet.  I can see why so many of my guards don't mind the night shift.  If my usual soldiers hadn't gotten sick, I wouldn't have needed to fill in at all.  The usual buzz of activity is gone, leaving the streets of the Rainbow Kingdom empty.

I start to walk along the streets, nodding as I spot the other two guards on patrol.  They nod back, and we continue without speaking.

To my surprise, I spot a light in the distance.  Somewhere close to the citadel, someone is still awake.  Hoping nothing bad is going on, I quicken my pace.

The house is Sabre's.  I should have guessed.  He does have insomnia, after all.  I should go tell him to sleep.  And while I'm at it...

I pull out a note from my pocket.  It's the notes Orange Leader took during our last leader's meeting.  Sabre had to leave once again for whatever he and M are doing.  I frown.  What are he and M doing?  He won't tell us.

...I hope it's not because he doesn't trust us anymore.

I push away the thought, knocking softly at Sabre's door.  Nobody answers.  I step back, glancing toward the window to see that the lights are still on.  A little paranoid, I take the extra key out of my inventory and step inside.

I relax a little as I spot the brunette dozing at his desk.  Part of his hand is stained with graphite.  He must have been writing something.  At least he's asleep now.  And probably not in immediate danger.  I creep back slowly, hoping I didn't just wake him up.

My iron boot creaks against the floorboards, and he shifts in his sleep, trying to snap himself awake.  I wince as he glances up at me.

"Light?"  he murmurs.

"Um... your light was on."  I tell him honestly.  "You know Sabre, you shouldn't be up this late."  It's hard to see the expression under his blindfold, but he seems skeptical.

"Then why are you up this late?"

"I slept in for night shift."  I defend.  "That's different."  I glance over at his desk.  "Is that a textbook?"  I can't see the words or title, but the labeled images give off an academic vibe.  Sabre quickly pulls the books off his desk, stuffing them into his inventory so I can't read them.  My heart drops a little.  What did he not want me to know?  "Sabre?"

"Just... something with M."  he mumbles, rubbing at his blindfold.

"You should get some sleep."  I insist, deciding to ignore the evasiveness for now.  "You're clearly exhausted."

"But this is important."

"Sabre, do I need to get the other guards in here?"  The threat is a joke... mostly.  If he's going to be stubborn, I don't mind having the other guards help me drag him to bed.

"You're as bad as Thera."  slowly, his head droops back down toward the desk.

"Come on, you're falling asleep where you sit."  I point out.  "You can continue your... project tomorrow.  Go to bed."  With an annoyed huff, Sabre stretched up from the chair, slowly trudging toward his bed.  "I'll come back in here if I see your lights on."  I call after him, smiling a little under my helmet.  At least he is getting good rest.

"Go finish your shift."  he mumbles.  I shrug, leave the Orange Leader's notes on his desk, and exit the house, locking it safely behind me.

I glance back toward the building.  This is my only day on the night shift.  Has he been up late all week?  I should ask my guards...

Things don't typically go well when Sabre plans stuff without any help.  As much as I hate to admit it, I don't really know M.  I'm a little scared that Sabre is being tricked.  It wouldn't be the first time.

I know the paranoia is creeping in, but Sabre's been so worried and tired lately, it's starting to freak me out.  His bad sleeping habits haven't been this bad since Rainbow died.

I need to tell the leaders about this.

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Word Count: 887