[ getting agent choi to do that much is a feat, and now he's wondering if he should ask him to turn around. it doesn't matter much, he guesses.
lifting the panel that he was sitting on, soleum digs his hand, his arm going further to dig through what's hidden there. a cold sting, his eyelids close shut, and he takes a steady breath before releasing it with a shudder. slowly lifting himself up slowly, and biting his tongue, what barely hands from his hands is a military dagger tucked away in a sheathe.
a simple weapon. pretty pathetic for someone like agent grapes, but bringing it to his chest to keep it there is a failed endeavor. his fingers already dripping, bits and pieces dripping onto the floor, audibly, as they're the only ones who can make noise, and soleum quickly brings up his better arm to grab the weapon. he's turned at an angle to make sure he's not in agent choi's line of sight.
he pushes the panel back into place with his knee. ]
O... [ breathe slowly. ] ...kay.
[ there's a feeling of dread, but soleum tries very hard to keep it in. as long as he doesn't show any concern or worry, as long as he acts normal. ]
it's a sound that causes the ears atop agent choi's head to twitch, his tail to swish, and his hands to lower as he once again leans for a better look at just what could be making that noise. his eyes are sharp enough that even in this lack of light, he can make out the motions of soleum shifting something from one arm to the other, moving his let to close whatever spot he'd been digging in, and choi makes a show of finding the nearby dresser that he himself had dragged in here for his own hoobae so very interesting. ]
Did you find what you're looking for?
[ choi says this, but still, it's a little odd. the way soleum holds something in his off-hand, rather than his main hand, and while he keeps his gaze evenly set to meet soleum's own, he's starkly aware of his peripheral. ]
[ he told choi at the start of this he could go in alone, and he could have without him complaining about this small trip. with all his shifting, he finds that his leg on that same side is a bit weaker, the moment he dug his arm within had he already signed the waiver of every consequence that could inconvenience him at the moment. there couldn't be a monster, or something in his way, it had to be something that targeted him.
drip, drip, drip.
it is cold, it helps that the temperature keeps the sweat from building on the back of his neck. with the dagger close to his chest, and his other arm tucked somewhat to the side and behind, he shifts his arm up and down in a show of scratching his back. ]
Yes... I have it.
[ he doesn't like the way agent choi looks at him, his brows furrowing before shrugging. moving his arm with the blade, he indicates it to prove there was something forgotten that he needed. ]
[ hmm... it's strange, isn't it? that he's making such a show of what he collected—a knife, a dagger, something like that. nothing too interesting in a place like this; while choi would prefer he didn't have to use it, he can't bring himself to believe that soleum would use it unnecessarily, or unwell. that's fine. what's suspicious is the way he angles his other arm away from choi—something that he can't help but notice.
his gaze doesn't linger on that arm though. it rests on soleum's face, smile seeming natural, if about as strained as it had been earlier. he holds out his own hand, offering it. ]
[ you're looking way too much. he's analyzing, isn't he? has his front worked, is agent choi accepting it as is? everything in this dark spot swallows his confidence that he thinks he might have felt nervous if not for how sure he is with his body movement. not a dancer, nor is he as agile as a cat in the way he moves, but he does come closer debating if he should ignore that offered hand.
he risks one thing.
extending his hand with the weapon, he places it securely in agent choi's palm so he can take a look. ]
It's nothing special, but it's nice to have.
[ he fills one hand, there's no need for agent choi to offer the other.
moving means offering energy, energy is what helps dark spots thrive as they feed. it nibbles away at kim soleum, to stave the dripping he presses that hand against his back. staining his clothes to prevent the sound growing louder by coming closer to the agent, but he never matches pace or come side by side.
[ has a good weight to it, and choi will spin it between his fingers for a moment. even sheathed, it doesn't seem so bad, but...
that's not really what he's interested in? ]
But Grapes, you just got here.
[ it's been a little over a month, sure, but compared to his time here, it's basically nothing. choi turns to look over his shoulder and see—yep, soleum's still got his hand against his neck. it's enough for him to stop, for him to turn on his heel, and even for him to take a step closer. ]
It's too early to be hiding things, don't you think? So be honest...
[ his gaze turns right to where that hand rests before meeting soleum's own. ]
Did you sleep on your neck wrong? Or are you hiding something from me?
[ the record scratch in his mind. perceived. his brows furrow. he debates taking a step back at the accusation. his heart skips. there's a waver in the murmur, it trembles before falling slack as kim soleum looks up to the other. ]
[ at that, agent choi really will allow his expression to fall, a frown replacing the curve of his lips. ]
Grapes...
[ he can feel it—in the murmur, in the air—kim soleum is, once again, lying directly to him. but what is he to do about it? call him out, and soleum will attempt to snap the tether. he's sure of it, but neither does he want to waste time in whatever it is that's drip-drip-dripping against the spongey layer of fungi underfoot.
his breath comes out in a huff, and before soleum can pull away any further, choi steps forward—snatches the wrist that's not pressed against his neck, and pulls him towards the way they came.
it's a straight shot, it shouldn't take more than a few steps to get him out of this darkness and back into the better side of the apartment. ]
[ he doesn't pay mind to it—to the murmur, ito the air—that agent choi, once again, doesn't trust him. he doesn't need the murmur to tell him this, though, he can see in the darkness the shape of his lips turned downward.
is it wrong to ignore the root of the problem with something else, isn't it better to handle these problems personally? it's not anything agent choi has to worry about.
a quick tug, he's pulled in the direction they came, and soleum kicks his feet forward to avoid tripping on his two left. step, step, step. drip, drip, drip trails right behind them, the same never fading, but only growing steadily worse. kim soleum breathes in, not too sharp to show his exhaustion because, a nasty cough as they go from one place to another.
outside the void, he catches his breath again, he exhales, leans forward and another deep breath.
drip, drip, drip.
unlike the dark spot where it blended into the ground difficult to see. on this floor where color resides, obsidian falls and stains the ground by his feet. ]
![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
no subject
lifting the panel that he was sitting on, soleum digs his hand, his arm going further to dig through what's hidden there. a cold sting, his eyelids close shut, and he takes a steady breath before releasing it with a shudder. slowly lifting himself up slowly, and biting his tongue, what barely hands from his hands is a military dagger tucked away in a sheathe.
a simple weapon. pretty pathetic for someone like agent grapes, but bringing it to his chest to keep it there is a failed endeavor. his fingers already dripping, bits and pieces dripping onto the floor, audibly, as they're the only ones who can make noise, and soleum quickly brings up his better arm to grab the weapon. he's turned at an angle to make sure he's not in agent choi's line of sight.
he pushes the panel back into place with his knee. ]
O... [ breathe slowly. ] ...kay.
[ there's a feeling of dread, but soleum tries very hard to keep it in. as long as he doesn't show any concern or worry, as long as he acts normal. ]
no subject
it's a sound that causes the ears atop agent choi's head to twitch, his tail to swish, and his hands to lower as he once again leans for a better look at just what could be making that noise. his eyes are sharp enough that even in this lack of light, he can make out the motions of soleum shifting something from one arm to the other, moving his let to close whatever spot he'd been digging in, and choi makes a show of finding the nearby dresser that he himself had dragged in here for his own hoobae so very interesting. ]
Did you find what you're looking for?
[ choi says this, but still, it's a little odd. the way soleum holds something in his off-hand, rather than his main hand, and while he keeps his gaze evenly set to meet soleum's own, he's starkly aware of his peripheral. ]
We should get out of here. I'm freezing~
no subject
[ he told choi at the start of this he could go in alone, and he could have without him complaining about this small trip. with all his shifting, he finds that his leg on that same side is a bit weaker, the moment he dug his arm within had he already signed the waiver of every consequence that could inconvenience him at the moment. there couldn't be a monster, or something in his way, it had to be something that targeted him.
drip, drip, drip.
it is cold, it helps that the temperature keeps the sweat from building on the back of his neck. with the dagger close to his chest, and his other arm tucked somewhat to the side and behind, he shifts his arm up and down in a show of scratching his back. ]
Yes... I have it.
[ he doesn't like the way agent choi looks at him, his brows furrowing before shrugging. moving his arm with the blade, he indicates it to prove there was something forgotten that he needed. ]
Let's go.
no subject
his gaze doesn't linger on that arm though. it rests on soleum's face, smile seeming natural, if about as strained as it had been earlier. he holds out his own hand, offering it. ]
Good, c'mon then.
no subject
he risks one thing.
extending his hand with the weapon, he places it securely in agent choi's palm so he can take a look. ]
It's nothing special, but it's nice to have.
[ he fills one hand, there's no need for agent choi to offer the other.
moving means offering energy, energy is what helps dark spots thrive as they feed. it nibbles away at kim soleum, to stave the dripping he presses that hand against his back. staining his clothes to prevent the sound growing louder by coming closer to the agent, but he never matches pace or come side by side.
he's always one step off.
following the agent is his best bet.
drip........ ]
no subject
[ has a good weight to it, and choi will spin it between his fingers for a moment. even sheathed, it doesn't seem so bad, but...
that's not really what he's interested in? ]
But Grapes, you just got here.
[ it's been a little over a month, sure, but compared to his time here, it's basically nothing. choi turns to look over his shoulder and see—yep, soleum's still got his hand against his neck. it's enough for him to stop, for him to turn on his heel, and even for him to take a step closer. ]
It's too early to be hiding things, don't you think? So be honest...
[ his gaze turns right to where that hand rests before meeting soleum's own. ]
Did you sleep on your neck wrong? Or are you hiding something from me?
no subject
Agent Choi, I've told you what's important.
[ he sounds confident.
the murmur tightens, it twists and turns.
it's still... surreal. ]
Anything else pales in comparison.
no subject
Grapes...
[ he can feel it—in the murmur, in the air—kim soleum is, once again, lying directly to him. but what is he to do about it? call him out, and soleum will attempt to snap the tether. he's sure of it, but neither does he want to waste time in whatever it is that's drip-drip-dripping against the spongey layer of fungi underfoot.
his breath comes out in a huff, and before soleum can pull away any further, choi steps forward—snatches the wrist that's not pressed against his neck, and pulls him towards the way they came.
it's a straight shot, it shouldn't take more than a few steps to get him out of this darkness and back into the better side of the apartment. ]
no subject
is it wrong to ignore the root of the problem with something else, isn't it better to handle these problems personally? it's not anything agent choi has to worry about.
a quick tug, he's pulled in the direction they came, and soleum kicks his feet forward to avoid tripping on his two left. step, step, step. drip, drip, drip trails right behind them, the same never fading, but only growing steadily worse. kim soleum breathes in, not too sharp to show his exhaustion because, a nasty cough as they go from one place to another.
outside the void, he catches his breath again, he exhales, leans forward and another deep breath.
drip, drip, drip.
unlike the dark spot where it blended into the ground difficult to see. on this floor where color resides, obsidian falls and stains the ground by his feet. ]