Broken Faith

Observation 26: [Redacted]

There were so many stairs. That's what was primarily running through your head at the given moment.

To think you'd once attempted to run up these. Carrying two people at that?! You were already inwardly kicking yourself at even attempting it, especially given the way your legs were beginning to bu-

No. Don't focus on it. The moment you did was the moment you lost.

You could feel every minute of sleep that you'd had in the way your lungs gasped for air and the way everything around you seemed to happen groggily. But you couldn't fail now! Not so close!

The ground beneath you shook, another shockwave from one of the many battles ongoing throughout the Tower of Justice. Maybe Luffy and Lucci's from within the storeroom these stairs were currently circling around. Your footing slipped, a couple of inches away from sending you tumbling down all those steps...

Haaaaah...

"Angel!?" Sabo, a few steps above you, pivoted in an instant (simultaneously knocking Spandam's head against the wall, which you found personal satisfaction in), "Are you-"

"I'm fine!" you barked. Squaring your shoulders, you tightened your grip on Robin's shoulder. "I'm... fine."

Everyone conscious could tell it was a lie. But it didn't matter.

You all knew full well that you couldn't afford to be anything but fine.

Robin's key hung heavy in your pocket. Part of you wanted to just release her now and be done with all of this. But you also couldn't do that. Marine ships would be arriving at any moment, and there would be immediate questions when you ran out onto the Bridge of Hesitation with a wanted criminal unrestrained at your side.

Sure you were already doing that with Sabo... but you had to trust that Marines could be fooled by a heavy layer of makeup.

No. You had to keep a hold of the key yourself. At the very least, so that the CP9 agents could believe that you performed your part. Otherwise what was even the point of you taking it in the first place?

You'd been standing still too long. There was weakness in your legs that you didn't like. Robin was yanking and tugging against your grip, but she couldn't really do anything against a solid metal hand. You let out a sigh, "What are you expecting to happen if you run? Really?"

"Well-"

"Since all that's waiting for you at the very bottom of these stairs is an ongoing battle which in your current state, you would only be a hindrance in."

She paused, biting back what you could only presume to be strings of insults.

"And after that? A long corridor that has already taken us a significant portion of time to get down." You cocked your head. "Do you not want to get off the island after all? You were oh so vocal about the Buster Call... I didn't expect this from you."

"Not to mention that if this tunnel gets hit, it's going to flood." Sabo blinked as both you and Robin turned to face him with two very different expressions. "What? It's true. We've only just gone above sea level."

That was true. You could feel it in the air. It wasn't as cold and claustrophobic as it was a few moments ago. That, and there wasn't as much mould in between the brickwork.

Robin's expression remained as aggressively unreadable as ever, her eyes now flitting between both of you. Was she going to say something? You didn't even think she knew. So many different parts of herself were warring inside of her that you had no way of even scratching the surface of.