Inner Workings

Inner Workings - Part 8

"This sucks," muttered Louis as he climbed over a fold of sheets on the medical bed. The vibrations of the BT chamber went higher. The chamber, now gigantic compared to his tiny body, still felt tight and oppressive.

"I know," replied Will. He opened the jar of lubricant and laid it beside Louis, a generous dollop of gel on the lid. Louis rolled his eyes and smeared a bit of it on his chest and legs, sneering in disgust at the cold slimy feel of it through the blue jumpsuit. He looked up, ready for Will's hand, but found Will with a cool frown on his face, arms crossed his chest.

"Use more," said Will.

"What?"

"More lubricant. You never use enough and it hurts."

Louis stuck his fists on his hips and managed to scowl at the giant before him. "I'm not covering myself in that slime any more than I have to."

Will snapped back. "And I don't want my throat scratched and chest hurting any more than I have to."

"So this is about your comfort?"

"It would make the trip quicker for you. And you get to shower afterwards."

"You..." Louis growled, trying to come up with a comeback. Then, for the first time in a week, he really saw Will without the separation of tinted glass. Will body tensed, his jaw clenched, looking down at his feet, avoiding eye contact. What was wrong with him?

Rachel's voice came over the BT speaker, hesitant. "If you guys want to wait I can reschedule for tomorrow."

Will took a breath to speak, but Louis cut him off, scooping another heavy handful of gel. "No, we're fine."

Two scoops of gel later, one bitterly splattered over the oxygen monitor band on his arm, Louis sat in Will's hand, slathered and slippery.

"Thanks," whispered Will.

"Just get this over with."

Will lifted his hand to his open mouth, and Louis crawled inside, his chest feeling tighter as he entered the dark.

***

What is wrong with me today?</i> thought Will as he felt his partner's weight on his tongue, the chemical taste spreading fast before he could taste faint coffee bitterness. He wasn't usually this snappish when it came to Rachel's tests, especially not with Louis and his claustrophobia. Will took a breath, closed his mouth, tilted his head back and swallowed.

The pressure that slipped into his chest was brief, but he still heard Louis groaning as he slithered deeper inside. Within five seconds he felt Louis tumble into his aching, empty stomach. His hands automatically laced over his middle as he felt Louis shiver, fighting back the panic at being in such an enclosed space. Will closed his eyes, willing some of his uneasy calm on his occupant.

"I'm fine," said Louis after a few minutes.

***

"Neither of you are fine," said Rachel to herself as she glanced at Will through the control room window. He looked like he had just killed a puppy.

Rachel tabbed the screen, flipping through the neural scan, the bio scan, and the cardio scan, to show the Soak scan. The connections between Louis and Will were there, web-like and faint; she highlighted them on the program as it recorded. Placing the oxygen monitor for Will, Louis, and Dory next to the BT screen, she responded back over the speaker.

"Let's start the first part of the test. Will, lay still and breathe normally. Louis, take out Dory's container."

***