Among Us: Hosts

Ch. 12

"Prem! Come smile for the camera!" Gan's voice could be heard from behind the video.
Prem's eyes pooled with tears as he sat and watched.

Between blushes and the joy on his face playing by the shore, he kept throwing meaningful glances back at Gan. In the video, Gan handed the camera to Chiedza when she offered, and ran enthusiastically to jump around holding hands with Prem.

The Prem here and now laughed through his tears, overcome with emotion.
Chantelle sat down by him, smiling at the videos. Kandor watched darkly from a distance, staying only for a moment before walking away.

The other two noticed, but didn't protest as they saw him leave. They turned their attention back to the videos, and the next one was of Assisi and Prem, putting on funny hats they'd found in the back cabin on their head.
"Did Tina slip in this one?" Assisi laughed, putting a pink flamingo hat on her head.
"She loves her birds; I wouldn't even be surprised," Simi sighed, wearing a headband with plastic goat horns attached.

"What do you think she's doing right now?" Assisi asked, and Jessica, behind the camera, laughed.
"What do you mean! She's in middle school; she's probably having sleepovers with her friends and talking about boys."

"She better be studying!" Simi shook his head and smiled.
Kandor, who came into frame with a plant top hairband on, posed for the camera like a strongman. "Do I look cool?"

It elicited laughs from Prem and Chantelle watching, who immediately turned around to make sure the man himself wasn't standing right there.
Another video showed Simi trying to get Assisi to listen to him again, with the help of Kandor and Matias, but she was upset because of a silly squabble they'd had earlier. The mood of the whole cabin was sour when Assisi was sour, so you could see everyone trying their best to cheer her up and glaring at Simi for arguing and not apologizing on time.

In the next video, Raha and Simi were having a cooking competition, while Gan and Chiedza were sitting in the back to "judge". In the meantime, Chantelle sat between them with a book on the table, asking the two of them about mechanics of the ship, it was obvious she wasn't paying attention to the competition going on.

Assisi kept yelling at Simi to toss in one spice or another, while Matias and Kandor were secretly passing Raha ingredients she wasn't supposed to be using. Prem and Jessica noticed, but they exchanged a look, suppressed a laugh, and looked into the camera knowingly.

Chantelle gasped, "She was cheating?"
"The whole time! Why do you think her stew tasted like tacos?" Prem responded with a laugh.
"It tasted good though! Simi still won, I guess; I think Chiedza caught on."

Prem shook his head and giggled, "I tattled and told Gan."
"Ah yes, loverboy, can't keep any secrets from each other, can you?"

Prem laughed before the reality of the last two days hit them. Their smiles slowly fell, and Prem's eyes filled with tears.
"You're right. We couldn't." Prem pulled out the Vice Captain patch he had and showed it to Chantelle.
"You see that little pink heart there? That's why Chiedza gave it to me."

Chantelle rubbed his back and closed her eyes.
"You should have it now, Chantelle." He tried to hand it to her, but she pushed it away and refused.

"What? No, no no. That position means nothing anymore. That patch is meaningless to me now. It's yours, Prem."

He thought for a moment and pressed it to his chest, tears rolling down his face again. He slipped it into his back pocket, and the two of them continued watching videos.

A sound from outside startled them, and Chantelle got up. Prem grabbed her wrist, "Don't go, Chantelle. It doesn't matter."
Chantelle stared at him sadly.

"This ship is doomed, Chantelle. It doesn't matter."
Chantelle shook her head slightly, "I'm sorry, Prem. I'll go check it out." She headed out with a smile, and he weakly responded with one too, before turning back to the screen of his memories.

Prem watched a bit longer before he heard a patter of footsteps past the door frame behind him. He turned quickly, and saw no one. He stood up, and stepped closer to the door. He heard a little clinking sound from his right, in the Shields room, and took a few tentative steps forward to go peek at it. He stepped into Shields and looked around, when he spotted a foot disappear behind a large pipe. He took a moment to steel himself and took a deep breath before walking up to them.

"Hey," he said, seeing a familiar face turn to look at him. When he saw the midsection of the person squeezing and deformed, rows of teeth lining an open gash in their body, he gulped.

"Oh."