VIII (Aoi Kurashiki x Reader)

V

Remember memories are in italics~
~

Almost in response to their thoughts, Seven shouted. "Hey! There it is!" Footsteps pounded down the hall. "That's gotta be that DEAD thing, come on! Get over here! We gotta authenticate!" The beeping ceased, their sighs audible even through the thick door.

(Y/N)'s group leaned away from the door breathing their own sighs of relief. "Hey, guys! Are you doing all right over there?!" Junpei rapped his fist against the door.

"Yep! We're fine!" Being the only girl, Clover's voice was easily discernable, her voice as bubbly as ever. "Hey, I'm gonna tell you about this whole DEAD thing, okay? The DEAD is just like the RED, but the color's different. The DEAD is blue but other than that it's the same, authenticating too!"

"Awesome! That helps a lot, thanks!" Junpei replied.

"We should probably get moving, you be careful out there." Ace's gravely voice was easy to tell apart from the rest as well.

"Roger!" Junpei saluted the door and led the way back to door four. One after another, they registered their numbers on the RED. "You guys ready?"

The group nodded. No one looked particularly optimistic, but their faces were set. Junpei pulled the lever, a look of determination on his face. As soon as the door had opened wide enough for a person to fit through, Santa shot past the rest of them. "Run!"

The remaining three leaped through the door. The moment they'd passed, each heard a cold electronic sound coming from their left wrist. In the center of each bracelet, a pink skull appeared behind their numbers and began to flash. In the short second they spent staring at their wrists, the door closed behind them. Now there was no way back. If they couldn't find the deactivation device...

Santa jerked his head left and right mid-sprint, inevitably looking down at (Y/N) for help. "Where the hell is the DEAD?!"

Nearly out of breath, she huffed. "How should I know?!"

"Don't give me that crap!" Santa chuckled, his tense face breaking into a grin at (Y/N)'s annoyance. "Start looking!"

"I am!" (Y/N) paused to twist one of the doorknobs. Locked? The hallway was long, easily three hundred feet.

"Don't tell me the DEAD is in one of the rooms?" Junpei groaned.

"Oh no, how many rooms do you think there are?" June's voice trembled.

(Y/N) jogged over to another door twisting the handle. "I think-" Then another. "They're all locked or something!"

Santa quickly joined (Y/N). "Shit! She's right." Attention focused on one another, no one seemed to notice the blinking red light from the end of the hallway. At least until Junpei said something.

"That's it! Over there!" His arm shot out, pointing down the hallway. Taking off towards the light he grabbed the three, lugging them along.

"How many more seconds do we have?!" Santa questioned, hot on Junpei's heels.

This idiot..."I don't know!" (Y/N) managed.

"Our time limit's eighty-one seconds." June breathed, a coupled paces behind the other three.

"I know that, goddammit!" Santa's eyes blazed with anger. "I'm askin' how much time we've got left!"

In all likelihood, about a minute had passed since the door had closed behind them. If that was true, they didn't have much time. "Hurry!" Junpei grabbed onto the machine, his hands moist with sweat, shaking with fear. After his number registered (Y/N) fumbled to get her hand upon the panel, quickly jumping out of the way so the other two could do the same. Santa pulled the blue lever with a grunt, instantaneously stopping the looming beeps of death.