Coding Error [OFF x Reader]

11. Sense of Direction

"A map?" you unfold the object in your hands. It's synthetic qualities felt rough and unfamiliar against your skin, but it was by no means uncomfortable. 

You extended the map over one of the benches, having a good view of the outline of the bath house. Apparently it's larger than you expected, the first floors are dedicated to spa and sauna properties, pools,   but the lower floors take to an underground water canal system, most likely connected to the water park the receptionist elsen talked about.

"This is insane, look at all these sections we can explore!" you admire the bath house architecture in both awe and fear.

"It's gonna take us a while to search each nook and cranny," Batter hums thoughtfully. "Where do we start?"

"I just hope it isn't another maze." you dread, rubbing a hand over your eyes after remembering a specific mall.

Zacharie took in the details of the map, analyzing each passageway, corridor and canal. His eyes growing wide at a specific room, landing a finger on the location. "This room is the only place that lacks any description, maybe they're hiding something valuable?" 

"You're right." You turn the map in your direction to look at the room Zach mentioned. "Boys, we have our first destination."

"Or maybe it could be a dead end..." Batter murmurs.

Your team went back to the locker rooms to recover your normal equipment, wearing the bath robes over them to go unnoticed.

There's an odd feeling you can't shake about the bath house's interior. It feels reminecent of a place you've been before, like visiting a place you've never been before but you've seen it in your dreams. Until you wake up and forget about what you dreamed about.

What ever it was, it was giving you an uncanny valley sensation.

But there's another thing you need to handle.

"Hey batter, can we talk for a second?" you pull in the athlete to the side, away from Zach's earshot.

"Of course puppeteer, what seems to be the problem?" he asks.

"Although the three of us have been traveling for a short time, i've noticed you've been acting a bit... rough on Zacharie lately." 

"What do you mean?"

"Well, for example, whenever he tries to help you always seem to push him down," you explain. "I get you're not used to having someone else in our party but we're a team now, we have to work together and that includes getting along."

Batter stayed quiet, his mouth in a straight line while he turned his head to look at Zacharie, contently studying the map.

"We don't know anything about him, that's untrustworthy enough to me." Batter tries to justify.

You shook your head in disaproval. "Oh please, you weren't exactly an open book when we first met. All I knew was your name and your goal." you eye him up and down.

"That's true," Batter sighs in defeat. "I didn't know anything about you too, yet that first moment we met I knew I could trust you."

That felt suprisingly heartwarming.

"Can't you do the same for Zacharie?" 

"He hasn't done anything to prove himself trustworthy... to me atleast."

"Batter," you pinch the bridge of your nose. "Back then he gave us stuff we needed. Jokers, flesh, weapons, armor..." you mention a few in an exastperated tone. "We wouldn't have made it far in our journey without him."

"Then I guess you remember what we did when we were far enough?" Batter told you in a hushed tone. "The elsen may not remember what happened back then, but we do and so does Zacharie, who's not to say he holds a grudge for what happened to Sucre?" 

You looked away shamefully, remembering how much you wanted to get that ashley bat. If you've known the consequences in the game would follow you today, well... You would have listened to the game over screen song.

"He doesn't seem like the kind of guy to hold a grudge." you defend.

"How do you know that?"

"I just do."

Batter kept quiet once more.

"You two done yet? We have alot of terrian to cover." Zacharie calls out, tucking the map inside his backpack.

"Yeah we're done here." you shot Batter a quick glance. 

You weren't done with him though.

________

Although the grotesque dust bunnies and rabbit kings were terryfying, they were no match for the most fearsome obsticale you have ever faced.

"Out of all the puzzles, why did it have to be maze??" you groan.

Batter took the lead as usual, with you sandwiched in the middle and Zacharie in the back. The merchant held the map in his hands, trying to make sense of it even though it didn't exactly show the layout of the maze. 

The map guided the three of you to a flight of stairs that lead to the lower levels of the bathhouse, a maze of water canals and tubes, it almost looked like a sewer, fortunetly it didn't smell like one. 

"Hey!" a voice called out.

The three of you froze on the spot.

An elsen with a construcion hat caught sight of your party, rushing up to you.

"Are you lost? The sauna is up stairs." the elsen smiled kindly.

"We're not lost." Batter interjects.

Zacharie hid the map behind his back.

"We're here to uh... solve the pest problem... Yeah! get rid of those dust bunnies and such." you said casually.

The elsen scratched the top of his head under his hat, before smiling once more.

"Ah, we don't have an issue with pests. Don't worry the exterminators should handle that problem." The elsen reassures kindly. "But you're our guests, and if our guests want to explore the underground plumbing system then enjoy yourselves!" the worker even tossed keys in your direction. "Here, have my copy of spares keys, it should make navigation better." 

And with that the elsen merringly made his way back, leaving you dumbfounded.

"Huh, looks like today is our lucky day." Zacharie laughs contently.

"And to think i was about to knock him unconcious." Batter nods.

 "Com'on, you know what's the first room I want to check out?" you eagerly ask your add ons.

"I think I have a fair idea." Zacharie chuckles, he held the map in his hands as he motioned for the two of you to follow him.

That mysterious room marked on the map has always piqued your interest, finding out what's inside was the first thing you wanted to do.