Are We Cool Yet? [Complete!]

Reunion

Mask's POV

——————-

Doc looks unrecognizable. If I hadn't heard his voice, we might have thought him another D-class, and then... then we might have...

No.

He's acting different too. He's never leaned into me like this, never needed to be held like this, and I don't think I've ever seen him cry. Whoever hurt him will have me to deal with. Whoever hurt him will die.

His face is buried in my chest, and I lift his chin gently. His eyes are the same, it's still him. His face is dark and streaked with blood and strange white markings. I trace the ones down his cheek. "I'm so sorry, dear."

He shakes his head, looking down. His old robes are gone too, and every bit of skin I can see is covered in scratches and dried blood. Who dared to do this to Doc, MY Doc?

"Is... is everything okay?" Larry. I forgot about him. Them. Doc tenses, peering over my shoulder. 

I trace comforting shapes into his back until he relaxes. "It's okay, they're with me."

Shy comes around the corner next, following Larry. He winces when he sees Doc.

"He's hurt badly, he needs to rest." I stand, guiding him up with a hand. His legs buckle out from under him— I catch him quickly, and carry him bridal-style as we look for a safe place to stay.

"Wait," he says, as we pass a locked door. With shaking fingers he pulls a keycard out of his pocket.

It's a big enough room for two, but it's rather crowded with all five of us. I wonder if Doc and I should go alone, but it's probably better with four people to protect him. Plus, it feels safer behind a locked door.

There are a few spare lab coats that I spread out on the ground, and I set him down. He looks at me, and laughs softly, then reaches up to wipe something off me with his sleeve. Pizza sauce, dammit.

"This is where your men stay?" Peanut asks, and I look up to see him addressing Shy. "It has your number on it."

He's right. There's a computer, left open to a collection of hundreds of files titled SCP-096. The same number is printed on the wall.

"I-I guess so."

Larry squints at the screen. "Holy Mother of— Shy?"

"Yes?" He asks anxiously.

"Did you know, they were gonna..."

"I know they were going to do something. What are they planning this time? Fire? Asphyxiation?"

Larry looks uncomfortable, and he fidgets with his vest. "Um, no, none of those things." He closes out of the tab, leaving goop on the keyboard. "It doesn't really matter. You're going to get out of here."

"What was it?" 

It seems Shy can't read. Peanut can, though, because it says, matter-of-factly, "The men wanted to remove your heart. Maybe more organs too. They decided a dissection."

"T-they were going to... today? I was going to die today. I was gonna... I was gonna die." He sits down heavily. To my surprise, Doc sits up and pats his hand comfortingly. He's started crying again, and his tears are oddly black. I wonder if that's what I look like all the time, with fluid seeping from my eye-holes.

Footsteps outside. Everyone freezes. I pull Doc close again, letting him cry quietly into my shoulder.

This could be MTF, or a scientist or D-class with a gun, or anyone. The footsteps stop outside the door, and pause.

They pause for so long I start to doubt there's anything out there at all. Minutes pass... long, long minutes. I notice Larry crouches down to sit with Shy, but most of my attention is on Doc.

I wipe away his tears as gently as I can, and trace comforting shapes onto his back. In turn, he rests his head on my shoulder, sending a shiver through me. I run a hand through his soft black hair for the first time and he cuddles close.

I'd better kiss him while I can before the mask grows back.