#dagdasgodslayer 1

[mute-call]

"...okay. Yeah." One thing at a time. Water first, then... everything else.

"Don't worry about it. We'll figure it out!" Steven accepts the lie without a second thought; Nanashi's injuries have already proven themselves to have directly interfered with the boy's memory and reasoning, and it only makes sense that recalling a string of numbers would be out of the question at the moment.

...maybe it's a good thing that Nanashi's family won't be around. How is Steven supposed to explain this to them? "Sorry, I think I let Nanashi die on the job"? They'll think he's crazy, or worse, they'll believe him and rightfully blame him for what happened.

"What do you mean?" Bell's gaze snaps to Nanashi when the kid proclaims himself beyond medical help. Steven's voice sounds a little strained, a little desperate. He still doesn't want to believe his own eyes, but if Nanashi's outright saying he's already dead--

"D-Don't be so pessimistic! We're going to get you help, and you're going to be just fine. I mean... look at you! Up and about, talking, uh-- not bleeding through your bandages... the doctors will get you fixed up right as rain. I'm sure of it."

He doesn't sound particularly sure, but Nanashi's going along with the fake, forced optimism, so Steven tries for a shaky smile.

Fuck.

There's something about hearing his own sentiments returned that makes his every attempt at seeing the bright side ring hollow. The two of them trading empty reassurances while Nanashi coughs up blood and stumbles around without a pulse--

it's horrible.

Maybe it's time to change tactics.

Guiding Nanashi to the couch, Steven helps the kid get as comfortable as he can before he rushes to the kitchen, nosing through a few different cabinets before he finds the cups. He's careful to keep the temperature of the water mildly cool, as soothing as he can think to make it. When he returns, his expression is grim, and he's abandoned all pretense that things are okay. It's strange to see him like this, but then again, he's been acting out of character throughout this entire ordeal-- it's simply so different from what he's used to that it's impossible to be "normal" about what's occurred.

"Nanashi, um..." Steven gingerly holds out the cup of water, kneeling next to the couch. "I don't... really know how to say this, but the stuff you said about the kid. The, uh, black eyes? Was there anything else really, really weird about what happened? Because... I don't know, things just aren't adding up. I'm not implying you lied to me, that's not what I mean at all! I just-- what happened to you doesn't seem like a regular injury, y'know? This is just... so... hard to believe."

[Steven apologized again; Nanashi speechlessly shook his head. It might feel crushing to have disappointed someone he cared about, but all the same, he could kind of understand Steven's exasperation. Honestly, he was kind of frustrated with himself for not questioning an obvious delusion, but...he was admittedly reckless and impulsive. He was already dead. What was the harm in getting himself killed if it meant saving someone?]

[Though, considering that Nanashi hadn't been alone, that was an incredibly selfish line of thought. He'd probably survive ( in...one way or another ), but what about Steven? No matter what he did, he would have hurt somebody. Lose-lose.]

❝ Right. ❞ [Nanashi quietly agreed, trying to put less strain on his throat. It absolutely could have been worse. He was lucky that it'd been a minor crash, one that might have dented the car and given them scrapes and bruises, but easily survivable. They were fine ( scratch that -- Steven was fine ). He should just latch onto that.]

[At last, Nanashi's home was within sight. He kept his eyes peeled, praying that his family wasn't home yet. They didn't need to see him like this. Please, please...]

[He breathed a sigh of relief upon spying his empty driveway. They were still out. He wouldn't worry them, so long as he kept his head low and maintained that he was sick ( and not the alternative ). He might be feeling like shit, but knowing that he'd be alone lifted a heavy weight off his shoulders. They didn't need to know.]

[Nanashi stood on wobbly legs ( frustrating, since they'd only been in the car for ten minutes, max ); Steven rattled off ways that he might be able to help, but Nanashi ( miraculously ) paled at the mention of phone numbers. Maybe he should lie. He could improvise some fake numbers off the top of his head, right? Until Steven called them or saw his actual paperwork...fuck.]

[Whatever. He'd cross that bridge once they got to it.]

❝ Water s-sounds nice. ❞ [He wondered if that might cure his raw throat...or maybe feeling anything slide down his throat would make it significantly worse. Oh, well. Water couldn't hurt.] ❝ I...don't think I can eat, though. ❞ [Honestly, he still felt kind of queasy. He wasn't about to worry his family by spewing his remaining organs onto the kitchen floor.]

[As for the recitation of numbers...he probably could, but did he want to? Absolutely not. Maybe he could delay the inevitable here.] ❝ I, uh...I don't know. That's a big ask r-right now. ❞

[Steven went ahead and used his shoulder as leverage, then firmly held Nanashi's wrist. The concerned expression that followed didn't raise much confidence. Either his skin was ice cold, or...he was missing a pulse. Maybe both -- he wouldn't be surprised at either possibility. He sure felt dead, or like someone who was slowly dying.]

[There was a lapse of silence; Steven ended it with an expression of his regret. Even if he'd opted to send Nanashi to a hospital, though, Nanashi would absolutely have fought against it. His situation felt less intimidating when he didn't have medical confirmation that he was a walking corpse. A doctor would make his predicament feel grave and alarming; he didn't need a medical professional to confirm what he already knew.]

[Especially in front of his family.]

❝ I'm fine. ❞ [Nanashi hoarsely insisted, muffling a cough. He wasn't, but he could get over this, probably. He sure could hope.] ❝ A doctor couldn't h-help me, anyway. ❞

[Steven cut himself off, unsure of how to ask a glaring question; the objective answer was no, he was not holding up ( nor was he alive ), but that was a response that Nanashi couldn't ( and wouldn't ) give. They were in the homestretch. He just wanted this to be over so he could feel...well...normal-ish again.]

❝ Feelin' better already. ❞ [Nanashi assured; contrary to his words, his throat was so scratchy that he couldn't help another bloody cough. He threw his arm over his mouth -- the same one that he'd already stained in hopes that it would "blend in." He then gave a weary thumbs-up. He was probably actively making the situation worse, but hey, he was trying.] ❝ Really. Water will cure me. ❞ [He gave a weak, forced laugh. He should really stop while he was "ahead."]

[rickshub]

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[mute-call]

"Got it." Awkwardness hangs heavy in the air now that they're out of immediate danger, and Bell clears his throat as he scrambles for some way to diffuse the discomfort Nanashi must also be feeling.

"Sorry again for, uh. For that. I mean, things could have gone a lot worse, right?" He laughs, forcing himself to sound easy-going and less bothered than he is. Yes, Nanashi fucked up. But the kid also looks like a walking zombie right now, and the last thing he needs is to feel guilty on top of completely ill.

The rest of the drive goes smoothly, even if Steven doesn't relax his white-knuckle grip on the steering wheel until they pull gingerly up to Nanashi's house. There aren't any other cars in the driveway, which is certainly not what Steven had hoped to see.

"...looks like no one's home." Under different circumstances, Steven might ask for permission before entering the house, but time is of the essence right now. He struggles for a moment to locate the correct key, then half-jogs between the open door and the backseat to help Nanashi stand.

"I'll get you some water once we have you set down. Do you think you can stomach eating something light? And... obviously I don't have your, um, paperwork here, so I might need you to remember some phone numbers if your family are out at work. Do you think you can do that for me, buddy?"

He wouldn't be surprised if the task of contacting Nanashi's family is beyond the poor kid right now. Nanashi is obviously out of sorts, and the current goal might have shifted from "drop him off in someone else's care" to "stabilize him and call emergency services." At least the ambulances and cops would be swarming around the house, and not the pizzeria.

As Steven loops one of the boy's arms around his shoulders, he holds onto Nanashi's wrist to keep the other employee from slipping to the pavement. Bell's not an expert, but he's pretty sure the fact that he can't feel anything resembling a heartbeat isn't... good.

Nanashi quite literally feels like death warmed over. It shouldn't be possible-- none of this should be possible-- and Steven's own heart begins to race as he does his best to ignore the implications that are beginning to arise. It's hard to ignore them completely, however, and he can't help but stare at his companion out of the corner of his eye, wondering.

"...I think I-- I might have messed up. Not bringing you straight to a hospital." I'm so sorry, Nanashi.

"Do you feel--" alive?

"How are you holding up?"

[This was the first time ( as far as Nanashi could recall ) that Steven had ever been this angry with him -- it was deserved, though. Nanashi had pulled a stupid move that could have easily gotten them killed. That and, apparently, the sight had all been in Nanashi's head -- he'd gotten them both hurt over a delusion. He should have trusted Steven's lack of reaction as a sign that there was nothing there.]

[He shrank in his seat; he felt like a little kid again, upset and frustrated with himself for disappointing his dad. Of course, this scenario was objectively worse -- he was actively being a burden to his boss because he couldn't get his shit together. That, and he was dying. Not a good look.]

[After a moment, Steven collapsed against his headrest, then apologized for snapping. Yeah, this definitely resembled a lecture from his dad...albeit with deeper repercussions. He reassured Nanashi that they were okay and hadn't hurt anyone, which -- though partly obvious -- was a big relief.]

[It did, of course, raise some questions. Who was the kid he kept seeing? Were they connected to that suit, somehow? Or maybe it was one of those things where he'd been seeing some manifestation of the grim reaper, kind of like how people on their death bed would see otherworldly shit. God, he was in bad shape.]

[Nanashi quietly nodded as Steven offered to drive -- slowly, this time. His gaze absentmindedly drifted to his window. He stared at the road; the kid was nowhere to be seen.]

[If he saw any more "visions," huh? Yeah, Steven probably thought he was crazy now, on top of everything else. Alas, he was in no position to argue or defend himself...he'd just shut up for a while. At least his throat might heal.]

❝ Deal. It's a left...a-at the next light. Then you turn...right, after the park. M-My house's on...Rocky Road. ❞ [Might as well get instructions out of the way now -- it'd be easier than trying to navigate from the backseat, and remaining silent was a good solution to...a lot of problems right now.]

[mute-call]

That's to be expected. Trauma like that-- it tends to leave accurate but limited memories, especially this soon after the event. Nanashi might have focused on anything from how many floor tiles he saw in the back room to the springlocking itself; details about the child might be completely inaccessible at this point.

...oh, well. It was worth a shot.

Except--

"Black eyes...?" Steven echoes, struggling to make sense of what Nanashi means. A trick of the light? Something as simple as very dark brown irises? Blown pupils, maybe? He has no idea.

"Okay, uh. Good to... know."

Steven's gaze flicks toward Nanashi, surprised by the question. Nanashi knows about the company's long, unfortunate past, doesn't he? How naive does someone have to be to see a child in the back room after hours and not jump to the obvious conclusion that there's something really, really wrong going on? It must just be the general near-death confusion clouding the guy's mind. Bell debates with himself for a moment before settling on a response that's unlikely to upset the poor kid too terribly.

"No! No, of course not. Uh, I just wanted to make sure." There's no need to go into things right now when Nanashi's clearly not all there.

Steven barely gets out a confused "huh?" before Nanashi goes crazy, yanking on the wheel and sending them careening off the road.

Things happen too quickly for Bell to fully comprehend, but one moment he's slamming on the brakes, and the next--

"Wh--" He blinks, dazed, pressing an uncoordinated hand to his face to push at his glasses. There's an odd sort of pain in his abdomen where his seat-belt has bitten into him, and he can't quite tell whether he's slammed his head against something, but overall... that could have been worse.

"What the hell, Nanashi!" there's not much force to his words, and they come out more shocked than angry. He should probably make sure that none of the other employee's wounds have reopened, but at the moment, all he can do is stare straight ahead and reel from what just happened.

"Th-th-- you need to go sit in the back. I'm going to-- I don't think the car's banged up too badly, but Jesus! What did you go and do a thing like that for!"

[Hey, at least Nanashi's wild, excessive preparations had inspired Steven. Maybe those first-aid kits in Freddy's would finally get refilled -- Nanashi had checked a handful of times when he accidentally nicked his finger, but they were always devoid of anything worthwhile. There was a reason he had his own supply kit.]

[After a good, lengthy pause, Steven spoke up again and asked if Nanashi would be able to identify the kid later. He racked his brain for clues, any trace of a memory; all he remembered was their smile. Sadistic, almost -- uncanny for a child. He scoured the single mental image he had for anything noteworthy, but he doubted his ability to recall them accurately.]

❝ Dunno...I don't -- I don't remember much. ❞

[At the very least, Steven's next series of questions did give Nanashi details to go off of. Now that he thought about it, there was something else off about them -- for whatever reason, the grin had haunted him more, but...their eyes. They had eerie, black eyes. He didn't remember anything else, but...]

[Wait -- "yet?"]

❝ They had -- ❞ [Nanashi sputtered again, suppressing another bloody cough.] ❝ B-Black eyes. Pitch black. Is there -- is there a reason that...they would have been hurt? ❞

[Thankfully, Steven picked up the speed without question; Nanashi relaxed, feeling his consciousness drift, kind of like someone post-concussion. He wondered if his brain had been swiss-cheesed, the way every other part of him had been...maybe he'd take a good look at himself in the mirror when he got home. It'd be gross, but he could turn this shitty situation into a positive by picturing the neat scars he'd have later.]

[Steven spoke up again to ask for directions. Dazed, Nanashi squinted at the open road they were speeding down...]

[And saw THEM. The kid from last night was right there, in the middle of the street they were speeding down, wearing that same terrifying grin. Nanashi's eyes widened; he turned to Steven, hoping that he'd notice or slow down, but nothing. They were getting closer. Just before they would have hit them, Nanashi panicked.]

❝ Jesus -- there's a kid!! ❞ [He grabbed for the wheel and wrested control, desperate to prevent the inevitable. At this point, though, it might have been too late.]

[mute-call]

Steven has the awful, selfish thought that he's glad they're taking Nanashi's car if the kid's going to be spewing blood everywhere. Bell's own vehicle is far from clean, but at least it isn't a health hazard. ...probably.

"Uh, wow, hey, I guess so! I mean, it sure came in handy today. I might have to start... packing some things myself." Right after he restocks the pizzeria's first-aid kit. When was the last time anyone checked on that? He hadn't really bothered with that sort of thing while he had been on night shift, because the likelihood of getting attacked and surviving long enough to make use of any sort of gauze had been slim to none.

...lucky Nanashi!

Again, Steven wonders just how the guard did manage to survive. Nanashi obviously went home after his shift, which means... what, exactly? The perpetrator let him out of the suit, assumed he was dead, and left him there to bleed out? And instead of calling for help, Nanashi just... drove home, half-deceased, and decided to come in to work the next day like nothing had happened? It's an unbelievable story, but so is everything else Steven's experienced during his time with Freddy's.

"Do you think you'd be able to identify the kid you saw if you saw them again?" Nanashi doesn't seem to remember anything about any adults or attackers, but if he got a good look at the latest victim child, that might be a big help, especially if they want any chance of getting ahead of the situation before the parents call.

"Were they... okay? When you saw them? Not, um... hurt, yet, or anything?" It's a terrible thing to have to ask, but an important one. Bell has always held out hope that the other missing children are still alive out there somewhere, but he's not naive enough to think that there's no chance that their kidnapper killed them on-site. At least if this one was still alive last night, there's still a chance to--

"Huh? Oh-- oh, right, uh-- got it." Whoops. Pick a speed, Steve.

Nanashi has picked for him; sparing a glance at his sick-looking passenger, Bell begins to go faster and faster. There's no one else on the road right now, which means that as long as he doesn't go overboard (or pass a cop), they should be fine.

"Right or straight coming up, Nanashi?"

[It was a relief to hear that Steven believed him, given how insistent he'd been the day before. Honestly, he still wanted to test his theory out when he was "fully rested," but Steven leaping to the conclusion that Nanashi might have tampered made him worry. Just a bit. Maybe it was easy to screw up? Like, one error and they'd go insane...like last night.]

❝ U-Understood, sir. ❞ [Okay, he'd for sure been over-exerting his voice. This time, Nanashi coughed and hacked uncontrollably, no longer able to stifle it. With startlingly in-tact reflexes, he covered his mouth with his arm and turned away. When it was finally over, he saw an excessive amount of blood ( and maybe even viscera ) on his arm. The sight ( or perhaps the loss of blood ) made him dizzy.]

[Steven spoke up again, encouraging Nanashi to save his voice; he weakly nodded. If he wanted to rest up and heal, then he needed to shut the hell up.]

[To Nanashi's surprise, Steven willingly divulged company "secrets;" apparently, back in '87, there had been a series of incidents. The first reveal was that the yellow suit he'd seen had been used by...well, by the sound of it, not even Steven knew. Whoever it was, they'd royally screwed up the animatronics -- maybe that was the reason for the company's rules about tampering. It'd gone so awry that they were hostile towards staff; from the sound of it, there'd even been a casualty ( Jeremy? ).]

[Steven expressed his relief that none of them had hurt a parent, just a member of staff...before overcorrecting himself, assuring that he didn't mean to imply that their lives were any less valuable. Scared to speak, Nanashi gave a nod -- he knew that Steven didn't harbor any ill will or intentions. Judging from today's events alone, he cared...he was just under the influence of a terrible company at the same time.]

[Nanashi held back a laugh over Steven's reaction -- yeah, there was almost a hospital's worth of medical equipment in there, even before he knew how dangerous his workplace would be. Back in the day, there was rarely a moment where he wasn't bedridden and feverish; he still carried a ( perhaps irrational ) fear that he'd never quite overcome that. Better to be safe than sorry, right?]

❝ Preparation is key. ❞ [Nanashi forced out. That was the simplest explanation he could give.]

[Nanashi assessed the dressing of his wounds, and honestly, he was kind of impressed. It was like Steven had done this before...then again, given the backstory of the company, maybe that wasn't surprising. At least Steven had gone out of his way to help. He was cooler than Nanashi had given him credit for, which was saying a lot.]

[To the best of his ability, he gave a thumbs-up of approval. If he was seen in this "mummified" state, it'd be tough to explain...but he could at least hole himself up in his room and pretend nothing happened. God, he hoped Dad and Asahi weren't home yet...]

[Soon enough, they were on the road home; however, Steven's indecision between "fast" and "slow" only made Nanashi feel worse. He quietly reached for the grab handle, a nonverbal hint that the drive was making him uncomfortable.]

❝ Y-You don't have...to go slow. ❞ [In other words, PLEASE quit alternating speeds.]

[mute-call]

"Right! Yeah, no, of course. I wasn't trying to imply you broke the rules or anything, that's not what I-- I'm just trying to cover all the bases, you know."

Nanashi's the last person who would go spreading company secrets, and nothing Steven has to say about the Toy Line is anything he hasn't told previous guards. The truth is, there isn't that much to tell.

"Who knows?" he starts, interrupting himself to urge Nanashi to "try to save your voice until you can rest up."

"This was back in '87. You've heard about the big investigation there, haven't you? Someone... used one of the suits. A yellow one, just like what you saw. They came in and messed around with the criminal recognition software we had back then until the animatronics just went crazy. I guess the characters started seeing every single adult as a threat, even in the daytime? I don't know. We're just lucky they attacked a staff member before going after any of the parents." That... came out wrong. "Not-- not that it's good they hurt Jeremy! Or you! I-- shoot, I'm sorry. You know what I mean, though, right?"

Steven should probably shut up before he makes things worse than worse.

He's quick to turn his attention to the offered materials-- he can't put his foot in his mouth if he's too busy patching Nanashi up, after all-- but he still can't help but comment on the sheer number of supplies the kid keeps around.

"What is all this? Do you always, uh, travel around with a whole first-aid station in your car?" Not a bad idea, actually, considering Nanashi's place of work.

"There we go, good as new!" Steven says with a shaky smile once the worst of the wounds are covered. He's no medical expert, but the application of the antibiotic ointment and bandages is clean and clearly practiced.

The boy might look like a mummy with all those wrappings, but at least he isn't actively bleeding out.

"Alright, uh... time to get you back home. Tell me if I'm driving too rough."

He's already begun to rehearse what he'll say to Nanashi's family when they inevitably ask what the fuck happened. Steven can get away with leaving most of the explanation to the kid himself, but he'll have to give some sort of statement, preferably one that will reassure everyone that steps are being taken to find the person responsible for Nanashi's awful incident, if there is one. It's the sort of speech Steven's made multiple times before, but he's hopeful that this time he'll actually be able to make good on all those empty promises.

With a quick adjustment of the seat and mirrors, Steven begins to slowly pull out of the parking lot, mindful and on-watch for any stray kids who might come barrelling out. He can't seem to decide between driving gently and speeding once they're on the road, though, and he keeps hitting the gas, only to ease back down to an awkward crawl a few minutes later. At least Nanashi said his place was close.

[Steven apologized, but Nanashi shook his head; this wasn't his fault. There was no one to blame but himself -- he'd been so confident that nothing would go wrong. He couldn't have known that the animatronics would go berserk, but he could have tried to escape or even call Steven. There wasn't much point in lamenting right now, though...not that he really could. He was still processing the fact that he'd probably died last night.]

[Steven then asked if Nanashi had tampered with the animatronics; he hadn't, but he couldn't help wondering if the night would have gone differently if he had. It was like their programming had gone haywire without Nanashi even touching them. It didn't make sense.]

❝ I didn't. Promise. ❞

[Even though it wasn't much, Steven thanked him for the information -- as far as Nanashi knew, nothing he'd provided had any solid answers. Recalling it bewildered him; not only should he be a rotting corpse in the backroom, but the suit he'd been shoved into wasn't a suit he'd recognized. A kid ( odd in and of itself, since it was after hours ) had smiled down at him while the springlocks went off. It felt like something out of a horror movie, but judging by his sorry state, it had been real.]

[Finally, Steven vaguely informed him about past events -- presumably the ones that made him weary and frantic now. A previous location had actually been closed down because of this stuff. Had Nanashi not been the first person killed by that golden suit? Or had the suit itself been a remnant of a darker time?]

❝ What...happened? ❞ [Nanashi choked out, suppressing another cough. If Steven had all the answers, he wanted to know them -- but considering the company's need to cover everything up, he doubted he'd get any.]

[Steven expressed his relief that Nanashi was alive, but he really couldn't agree. Now that he'd seen the condition he was in and dwelled on last night's events, he realized that there was no way he was still alive and breathing. There was a huge gap in his memory between his death and his "revival." How had he gotten home? There was no way he could have climbed out of that suit after he'd been punctured so many times. He didn't understand; that bothered him more than anything else.]

❝ It's not...your f-fault. ❞

[Upon reaching his car, Steven inquired about Nanashi's keys -- right, they'd probably need those. He dug into his pocket, retrieved them, and handed them over to Steven.] ❝ E-Everything's in the glovebox. ❞ [His car's glovebox was practically a first-aid kit at this point. Antibiotics, over-the-counter medicine, and of course...gauze, band-aids, and ace bandages.]

[Nanashi was a strong practitioner of self-reliance, but when it came to dressing his wounds, it was always nice to have someone help. It was Hell trying to bandage his own arms or legs -- he was grateful that Steven was offering, because right now, he didn't think he had the reach or strength to do much.]

❝ Thanks. I-It's...not too far from here. I can tell you wh-where to go. ❞

[mute-call]

"I'm so sorry." It should have been Steven on duty that night. He would have immediately known something was wrong, and (hopefully) been able to adjust accordingly. He can't help but feel as though he set Nanashi up for failure, even though he never could have anticipated that things would go so wrong so quickly.

"And you didn't do anything to them after I left, right?" He has to ask. At this point, it would be better if Nanashi had messed around with their code; at least it would offer a clear, addressable reason for them to have acted as they did.

A kid.

Fuck.

"Okay. Okay. Thanks for, um, telling me all this." No one's called in with a missing persons report, yet, so there's still time to fix things. Steven's pretty sure he's putting the pieces together now, after all-- a yellow suit, a child in the back room, the animatronics acting wrong... history is repeating itself, but this time he has the benefit of experience. This time things will be different. ...right?

"I don't know how much you've heard about the old location, but it got shut down over stuff like this." It's possible the perpetrator this time is the very same one as before, considering their access to the old suits. That's a good thing, in a way; maybe this time the son of a bitch will get caught.

"I'm just glad you're okay!" In a sense. "I-- I really am sorry, Nanashi, if I had known--"

So much for not involving the police. The moment Nanashi is taken care of, Steven is coming back to the pizzeria to close early, do his own investigation, and then submit an official report. He can't let more kids get taken, he just can't.

"Do you, uh, have your keys?" Bell asks belatedly, peering into the window of Nanashi's car to look for the promised bandages. He's antsy and on-edge in a way that's relatively rare for him. How far is Nanashi's place? If Steven speeds just a little more than usual, maybe he can make it back before dinner prep, and--

No, he has to at least stay to make sure the kid is comfortable and that any emergency contacts have been notified. Or maybe they should forgo a trip home altogether, and he should drop Nanashi at the hospital first thing. But that will take more time, and he has to get back before anything else happens, and--

Again, he has to interrupt his own racing thoughts. Panicking won't help anyone, and he forces himself to shove down his worry and fear in favor of the familiar, comforting feeling of absolutely nothing. It's not really something he can turn on and off at will, though, and his nerves still peek through here and there, but at least he manages to put on a brave face for his employee.

"Alright, let's make sure you're all bandaged up before we take you home. Do you think you'll be able to give me directions as I drive?"

[Steven remained adamant -- Nanashi was not getting into a car alone. Having Steven drive was the safest option, obviously, but it inflicted Nanashi with unwarranted guilt -- he was dragging Steven away from his work because he'd been irresponsible enough to show up after dying. In hindsight, yeah, he should have just called in -- but that wasn't like him. Not even when he was a shambling corpse.]

[A chance to heal up...that didn't sound good. How long would that even take? He'd have to hope for a miracle if he didn't want to go to the hospital ( and he didn't ). Maybe forcing himself to recover for the rest of the day would make him fit enough to return to work first-thing. That was definitely wishful thinking, but he didn't want to be out for longer than he had to...]

❝ ...Yes, sir. ❞ [Nanashi conceded in as few words as possible; it hurt to speak, and it would hurt even more to argue. If Steven insisted...he couldn't really say no.]

[Steven apologized upon seeing Nanashi stumble; it had been a direct result of Steven offering to help him balance, but Nanashi didn't blame him. Nanashi should be getting a grip instead of succumbing to his injuries.] ❝ S'okay. ❞

[Nanashi described the suit he'd been shoved into; Steven's face paled. Apparently, whatever had killed him last night was just as incongruous as Nanashi thought; he didn't know who they were, but Steven sure seemed to. Not only that, but their identity seemed to scare the living shit out of him. Nanashi didn't understand -- maybe it was just a discarded suit that was, for whatever reason, returned to Parts & Service that night. That's what Nanashi had assumed, anyway -- was the truth scarier than that?]

[Anything out of the ordinary...the only thing he could think of was the way the characters moved that night. They had been so aggressive towards him, even though the night should have been slow. It was his first real night; Steven had assured him they wouldn't get active until much later.]

❝ They were...really active. I-I followed what you said...but they never stopped gunning for me. ❞ [Was there anything else...? Nanashi fell quiet, but lit up as another recollection hit him.] ❝ There -- there was a kid! They were there. They smiled, a-and then... ❞ [SNAP. Nanashi cringed, as though he was being stabbed all over again. The underlying message would hopefully be inferred.]

[Really serious...? Was a new ( or even old ) character's appearance anything to be this concerned about? Nanashi clearly didn't know as much as Steven did, but it wasn't like he could question the man in this sorry state. It'd have to wait for later.]

[Finally, Steven reached out again -- without letting go or fearfully stumbling backwards. Nanashi appreciated it, but he might be better off just walking; being "carried" like this only aggravated his wounds. They stung at the touch, careful as Steven had been. Nanashi winced, but didn't say anything -- he could push through, at least until they reached his car.]

[If he remembered anything else...did he? He'd blacked out. He didn't have much memory of anything after the fact. Actually...how had he gotten home? Maybe he hadn't just passed out -- maybe there was a gap in his memory. Now, that was scary to think about.]

❝ I...don't remember m-much. S-Sorry, sir. ❞

[mute-call]

"No, I can't let you do that." There's a distinctly nonzero chance that if Nanashi gets in that car alone, he'll never get out of it again. Whether he loses focus and crashes or just bleeds out before he can get home, it would be grossly irresponsible of Steven to let him try to drive.

"Don't worry about the car situation-- getting yours back to you, I mean. We'll figure that out later. The important thing is that you get the chance to heal up." ...jeeze. How long will Nanashi be out with injuries like these? Bell will probably start having to pull doubles if the machines are acting up, since his usual trainings won't be enough. Lucky him.

"Sorry! Sorry," he says, brows furrowed in concern when Nanashi stumbles. That was definitely Steven's fault.

He's concerned for a very different reason when the boy continues speaking.

"That's... not..." That's not possible. That's not good. That's not what he had hoped to hear.

He's seen flickers of the yellow suit himself-- Fredbear, not the other one-- but he's always chalked it up to sleep deprivation and misplaced guilt about the old protocols. He's never once considered that his visions might have been real, and even now he would assume that Nanashi had mistaken Chica for something else if the proof weren't etched there into the kid's skin.

Steven has never seen springlock scars in person. He's heard about them, of course-- heck, he voiced the training manual for those suits. But he's been lucky enough to have avoided being present for any mishaps. Until today?

"Did anything else out of the ordinary happen?" Like human movement on any of the cameras? This wouldn't be the first time someone used one of the classic suits to fuck things up, although from the looks of things, it seems they're no longer content with just tampering with the animatronics.

Tampering with the animatronics. Does this have something to do with--? Had Nanashi ignored everything Steven said and adjusted them anyway?

What an absolute mess.

"This is really serious, Nanashi." He almost sounds angry, but he's not-- he's confused and frightened and overwhelmed. There's so much about this that just doesn't add up, and it's hard to know where to start in terms of protecting the rest of the staff and the pizzeria itself.

First things first. Get Nanashi taken care of. Then he can worry about the mystery suit and what that means for them all.

"Okay. Easy does it." He gingerly reaches out for the third time, doing his best to avoid touching any blood or open wounds.

"If you remember anything else, please tell me. But-- but don't push yourself! Just, um... take it at your own pace."

[Did it concern him? Surprisingly, yes, now that he'd seen the state of his arm ( and had taken a moment to listen to the rest of his body ). Honestly, thank God his family had been out of the house while he was getting ready for work -- he didn't want to picture their reactions, especially with how worried his BOSS was about him.]

["You'll scare everyone away"...unfortunately, Steven had a point there. He hadn't paid it much attention, but the amount of terrified stares he'd been met with as he entered the building...even though his job was more "back of house," there was a good chance that a kid or parent would see him and flip out. Working was, tragically, a no-go.]

[Steven uncharacteristically yelled at him, trying to bring him to his senses -- Nanashi couldn't really blame him. He'd been in severe denial this entire time. If he was normal, he probably would have scurried off to the hospital once he'd seen himself in the mirror; instead, he was here at work, insisting that he was well enough to work without issue. To some extent, that was the case -- he was walking, talking, breathing, but he didn't know how many functions were..."artificial." None of his organs should be functioning right now. Was his breathing fake, his own heartbeat fake? He shouldn't even be standing -- but he was.]

[Thankfully, Steven still respected his request for a hospital not to be involved ( probably for legal reasons, but Nanashi could pretend that it was out of sympathy ). So long as he got bandaged up, he'd feel safe returning home -- it wasn't very likely that Asahi or her dad would be back yet, so long as they were quick. He could pretend that he was sick and hole himself up in his room. Anything that wouldn't make them worry...]

❝ Yeah -- yeah, I-I can walk. Don't worry. I can get...back to my car -- back home -- on my own. ❞ [Realistically, he shouldn't, but he had already driven here; getting Steven involved would only make Nanashi feel worse.]

[Steven offered his arm nonetheless, only to pull it away, causing Nanashi to lose his balance; he caught himself, though he winced at the resulting pain. Maybe he shouldn't be walking OR driving right now ( not like that would stop him ).]

[Steven asked "which animatronic" had done this to him, a question that made Nanashi blank; he remembered Freddy dragging him, but the suit...his head ached trying to recall whose it might have been. There weren't any golden characters here, were there? Chica was yellow, but...this suit had been different.]

❝ Not...sure. There was a- a suit...in the back. It was y-yellow, or golden, maybe...b-but I didn't recognize it. They...F-Freddy... ❞ [Nanashi started, but shook his head -- he didn't need or WANT to go into detail.] ❝ I...don't know. N-None of them need to be...out of order. ❞

[mute-call]

The first thing Steven does in the morning is check in the back room-- it's a courtesy he hopes the other employees extend to him when he's on night shift. Things seem slightly shuffled around in a way he can't quite place, but there's no half-dead body waiting for him, so he lets the last of his worry fade and makes a mental note to congratulate Nanashi on a good night's work. Maybe the kid had meant it when he had promised to take things seriously.

He's not ashamed to admit that Nanashi completely slips his mind for the rest of the morning; Steven's been pulled back to day shift for a reason, and that reason involves a shitload of paperwork, supply-checks, clean up, and customer service. It's something of an adjustment to return to these kinds of tasks after spending so long alone on his shifts, but by the time the lunch rush filters out, Bell feels confident that he'll be able to whip things back into shape. All in all, it feels like it's going to be a good day.

...or not.

"Wh-what on earth happened to you??" And why the heck is Nanashi here, instead of a hospital?

Are you fucking kidding me? Steven doesn't say, his expression pained and disgusted.

"You're not serious about working today, are you? Nanashi, you look like you got run over like, ten times on the way here!" Steven can be overly blunt when it comes to grisly matters like the fate of old employees, but he typically sounds fairly unaffected in situations like that. ...he sounds far from "unaffected" now. If nothing else, that should be a sign to Nanashi that he looks really, really bad; it takes a lot to force Bell to admit that things aren't just peachy.

"I-- shit, let's just-- I'll walk you to my car. Through the back." Rule number one of coughing up blood: don't do it in front of the customers.

Steven reaches out to put a steadying hand on Nanashi's shoulder before thinking better of it. He can't quite tell if the kid's sick or injured, but on the off chance that this is some deadly, highly infectious disease... he takes a step back, covering his mouth and nose with his sleeve.

"Please just call in next time." He glances over the other employee again, his gaze settling on what appear to be regularly-spaced wounds lining the visible portion of Nanashi's arm. It isn't hard to guess that this has something to do with last night's shift, considering the fact that the kid was fine just yesterday, but Steven has no idea what could have caused something like this. ...or how the guard survived it.

"This is crazy," he says to himself more than Nanashi, unable to stomach the sight and smell of the fresh blood for much longer. Turning away from the boy, Steven takes a deep breath-- big mistake-- and grimaces.

"Okay, scratch everything. I'm just, uh... going to call for an ambulance. Just sit down and t-try not to move too much, okay?"

Holy shit. Holy shit. What if Nanashi dies right here, in his office? How fucked up would that--

Okay, Steven. Focus.

❝ Guess we're lucky that they don't walk around during the day anymore. ❞ [Nanashi smiled, simultaneously proving that he'd listened to Steven's message and that he didn't at all grasp the severity of it. It really was two steps forward and four steps back with this kid.]

[Again, Steven seemed to doubt him after his playful salute -- okay, maybe he shouldn't be acting silly or goofy around a superior ( especially one he respected and wanted to impress ), but he really did know what he was doing. Treating it like a game made it easier for him to process and anticipate the danger in a weird, counter-intuitive way.]

❝ I know, sir. I promise I'll take it seriously. ❞ [Maybe he shouldn't make promises he couldn't keep, but to some extent, he was being genuine. He might joke around to himself just to stay calm and unaffected, but he knew about the danger this job posed. He was prepared and excited for it.]

[Steven monitored him for a bit longer, but was ultimately satisfied by the kid's performance; Nanashi smiled to himself, feeling proud and ready. Steven offered to leave him some coffee ( the drink of sleep-deprived champions ), then joked around about Nanashi opting to take this position permanently. It obviously wasn't a genuine offer, but Nanashi still considered it -- if he did well enough, maybe they wouldn't even need to "sacrifice" a new hire. He loved his current position, and maybe he could still stay on for any troubleshooting this place might need, but...he might be able to help that way, like Steven said. He'd remember that.]

❝ Sounds like a plan, boss-man! ❞ [He really needed to stop goofing around in front of his boss, but he was comfortable enough around Steven not to worry about it. Hopefully that came across as "respectful" and not annoying or alarming.] ❝ No more questions from me, sir. I'm all set to go. ❞

. . .

[Maybe Steven had been right. Maybe in treating all of this like a game, Nanashi had been too forgiving or dismissive -- in all honesty, he was caught off-guard by how active the animatronics were tonight. Balancing his power had wound up being a struggle-and-a-half with the frequency of visits to his door. He couldn't help wondering if this was like some cosmic joke, like he was being punished for his hubris. Maybe the robots were angry that he'd wanted to tamper with them. Whatever the case...]

[Nanashi's night had ended abruptly. The power had gone out, Freddy played a song, and next thing he knew...he was being dragged down the hall to Parts & Service. There was a yellow suit there, one that he'd never seen or noticed before; he'd been shoved into it, but to his surprise, there were no "crossbeams or animatronic devices." The suit was clean, like a hollowed-out costume. And right when he'd thought he'd been saved by the skin of his teeth....he heard clicking. It was almost like a symphony of clocks counting down to his death. Just when they slowed, he could have sworn he'd seen a kid staring down at him -- the kid smiled, and the ticking stopped.]

[There was a terrifying lull, then a chorus of snaps. One by one, Nanashi was impaled by animatronic shrapnel. After just a few stabs, he blacked out.]

[He awoke, dazed and confused, to the sound of his alarm. The events of the night prior had seemed so real, but he no longer felt the pain or the fear -- just echoes of it. It was the same sensation he got when he'd been hurt in a dream. For that very reason, he attributed last night's events as a vivid nightmare -- how else could he be at home, safe and cozy in his bed?]

[Thinking nothing of it, Nanashi hurried through his morning routine, not once noticing his marred reflection in the mirror. He felt oddly lethargic and slow, and his body ached with every movement; even his vision was unusually blurred, his head perpetually dizzy. He silenced every sign that his body was lashing out because he'd actually been hurt; he didn't have time to think or listen to it. He'd be late for work if he didn't push himself, and he was not going to tarnish his neat and reliable reputation.]

[He felt unusually motion-sick as he drove that morning, nearly pulling over to throw up -- but he swallowed that feeling down, too. He arrived at work, bright and early ( in the afternoon ), looking worse for wear. He got a few horrified stares; if he'd known what he looked like, he might have known why.]

[As always, he checked in with his boss before clocking in; he tried greeting Steven as he normally would, with a bright smile and a cheery "hello!", but his body revolted against him. He hadn't noticed it until now, but his throat was so sore that he couldn't speak. He tried again, but was overwhelmed by a nasty coughing fit -- he covered his mouth, choking and sputtering until his arm was splattered with red. As he looked closer, he saw a line of scars and scabbed-over wounds down the length of his arm. Okay...let's not think about that. Maybe he'd just come down with something without even realizing. It'd explain his weird fever dream, and maybe even these "hallucinations."]

[No matter the case, he squirmed in his skin, intimidated more by how Steven would react than how ghastly he felt.]

❝ S...Sorry, sir. ❞ [His throat screamed with his attempted vocalization, his voice scratchy and raw. Just push through it.] ❝ Just...wanted...to say hi. I think I...came down with something, m-maybe. Is...it still okay if I- if I clock in? ❞ [Again, that should be the LEAST of his worries, but he didn't want to call out sick now. His work-life balance had always been terrible, but this was a new low.]

[mute-call]

Steven exhales, allowing himself to be reassured by the skill with which Nanashi navigates the cameras. Quick, efficient, and practiced. That's all it takes to keep on top of things. Nanashi will be fine.

"Great! We'd be in trouble if they weren't, heh."

Maybe this will work out after all. Nanashi is young, but he's capable, and he's been around the animatronics enough to understand their capabilities and the true strength of their mechanical forms. He knows what he's getting into, even if that salute is anything but comforting.

Steven hesitates, squinting at the other employee. Every time he starts thinking Nanashi gets it, the kid does something like that.

"This isn't a game. Just... keep that in mind."

He watches Nanashi for another few seconds before turning away, adjusting his cap. Prepared or not, this is happening; it's best to just put it out of his mind and trust that the boy will figure things out.

"Alright, I think that's everything. I'll leave you some coffee, and, uh... yeah! Maybe you'll end up liking it so much you'll take over permanently!" That's a joke. No one has ever enjoyed the night shift (besides maybe Steven himself), and for good reason. If the animatronics don't drive them away, the low pay and awful hours do.

"...did you have any other questions?" Last chance to get out, Nanashi. It's now or never.

[Blunt and insistent as Nanashi had been thus far, he didn't hold anything against Steven; Steven just so happened to represent a company that didn't have everyone's best interests in mind. Steven might be his boss and a spokesman, but he didn't hold any weight in Fazbear Ent.'s decision-making -- even if Nanashi had convinced him, policy probably wouldn't change. They might both get in trouble.]

[Encouraging as always, Steven assured Nanashi that he was helping just by taking on night shifts. That was true, to some extent...until another new hire was inevitably overwhelmed by the animatronics. There had to be a long-term solution, even if it didn't involve reprogramming or tampering. Maybe the next time a newbie came around, Nanashi would try his idea out and see if there was actually a noticeable difference...as long as he reset the animatronics by showtime, he wouldn't get busted. Probably.]

❝ Yeah, I get it. ❞ [The unspoken truth was that Fazbear Ent. was controlling and stubborn enough that its rules would never change. Guards would always be put at risk, so long as they had to operate the way Steven suggested. It wasn't difficult for Nanashi, but for somebody taking on the role for the first time ever...] ❝ No problem, sir. I like making myself useful. ❞

[An oppressive silence fell over them as Steven contemplated; Nanashi wondered whether this was a cue to say his goodbyes and awkwardly slink away ( since his question had technically been answered ). Quiet moments with a superior were always uncomfortable.]

[Finally, Steven spoke up again. He reassured Nanashi in a way that resembled an end to a conversation, only to backtrack and test Nanashi on his skills. Nanashi furrowed his brow, but it was probably a good ( and well-intentioned ) idea -- just to make sure he wouldn't run into any problems later.]

❝ Roger that. ❞ [Nanashi moseyed over to the cameras and flicked between them, just fast enough to register everyone's placement without wasting too much power. Granted, the main characters would be onstage until later, and Foxy was still in his cove...but it was a good skill to practice.] ❝ Freddy, Bonnie, and Chica are on the stage. Foxy is still in Pirate Cove. All seems gravy, sir! ❞

[Nanashi gave an unnecessary salute, almost treating this like a game or a military simulation. Okay, he definitely wasn't taking this seriously, but...it was his own way of making his nightly duties fun.]

[mute-call]

"Yeah! Exactly. Uh... good." At least the kid paid attention to that part.

Steven isn't sure whether he should take offense to Nanashi's comment or try to defend the company in some way, but he ultimately decides on doing neither. It's not like Nanashi's wrong, after all.

"Well... you'll be helping out by taking this shift, at least for a while. I hope you know I'm not trying to be stubborn, or anything; believe me, I'd love to give us all less work!" He laughs, the sound coming out somewhat hollow, and spares a glance in the direction of the main showroom.

"But this is just how it is, y'know?" Leave the innovating to the creative minds up at the top of the ladder. Steven's been here for ages, and if there's one thing he's learned, it's that it's almost always best to keep your head down and your opinions to yourself.

There's an awkward moment of silence as Bell wonders whether he should warn the boy against getting too cocky. There's something about Nanashi's mindset that makes Steven think he's not taking things as seriously as he should be, but at the same time, the new guard has obviously internalized how dangerous the robots can get. In the end, Steven decides to give the kid the benefit of the doubt.

"Anyway, you'll do fine!" That's what he always says, and night guards rarely live up to his optimistic assessment. Maybe... maybe he should change things up, just this once. He doesn't want to feel responsible if something less than fine does end up happening.

"Let's just, uh, run through things one more time. Show me how quickly you can flip through the cams."

[Yet again, Nanashi's idea was scrutinized; without a full explanation as to why ( aside from the threat of termination ), he couldn't help wondering what it was about tampering that worried his higher-ups. It wouldn't be much more than letting the robots "nap" during his night shift. Shouldn't a guard be more concerned about intruders than the animatronics, anyway?]

[Why put so many lives in danger when you could just put the animatronics into a theoretical sleep mode? Was it really that important for them to "stretch" their servos and wander around?]

[Oh, well. If upper management wanted him to stick to the script, he'd do it...maybe.]

❝ Yessir. Understood. ❞ [Not really, but would he get a sincere explanation for why his methods were controversial? Definitely not. Might as well go with it.] ❝ Yeah, yeah, I know what to do. Keep an eye on the power and don't let them get in. ❞

[Even without rigging the odds, Nanashi was pretty confident about these nightly chores. It wasn't difficult to keep track of the animatronics, not with how many cameras this place had, and he could balance the building's power, easy. The real "thrill" of it was the possibility that they'd find him; the idea of that looming threat was fun, but putting a damper on the danger might be the wise thing to do. He'd thought he was proposing a sound idea, but apparently not.]

[Steven "subtly" expressed his newfound worries about Nanashi taking the night shift, insisting that he was free to back out or have Steven take over; Nanashi shrugged nonchalantly. He wasn't afraid ( though, by all means, he should be ) -- he could fend off a few robots, no problem. What he'd suggested was more of a safety precaution, a way to guarantee that there would be no more unnecessary deaths. Nanashi himself didn't mind ( and even enjoyed ) the risk, but these new hires were..."quitting" at an alarming pace. If there was a way to prevent that, wouldn't it be nicer than forcing unprepared people to fend for themselves?]

❝ Don't worry about it, sir. I really don't mind. Besides, you guys lose a new hire one way or another every week. It's no big deal -- I was just wondering if there was some way to help, y'know? ❞

[mute-call]

"Tampering with--? No! No, you can't 'tamper' with the animatronics."

The last time someone went around messing with the 'bots, a guard got his head chomped in. Steven can understand where the kid is coming from, but they have a system, and it (mostly) works. Why tempt fate by changing things?

"It's not illegal, but it's a one-way ticket to being fired. I can't... stop you, I guess, but I can strongly advise that you just stick to what I've taught you. It's really not so bad if you just, uh, keep your eyes open and don't fall asleep at your desk."

"Look, if the night shift gets too hard for you, just call me up and we can swap again." It won't be ideal, since they're extremely understaffed as it is and Steven's very much needed back on day shift to keep the place running, but he had his doubts that this arrangement would work out from the moment he saw his "replacement." Nanashi's far, far too young to take over what is almost certainly the most dangerous position available. Now that the kid's spewing all these bright ideas about how to cheat the system, Steven's even less confident that Nanashi's ready for this.

"You don't have to do this." Well, he does if he wants to stay employed, probably, as the higher-ups will just fire him and find someone who is willing to risk their life if he refuses. But still.

"You wouldn't be the first guy to back out."

[Honestly, "fighting" these animatronics sounded like a better solution than letting them run amok in the night; he kind of figured that Steven would agree, given that HE had been the one to establish how dangerous they were. Even if it wasn't a fight in the traditional sense, Nanashi could disarm these bots easily by using his technical know-how. Tampering wouldn't get him in trouble, would it?]

[Alas, Steven found his solution problematic. Weird. If they were as violent or posed as much of a threat as Steven said, Nanashi's idea would definitely pacify them...by force, but still. It'd get them to stop killing night guards. Nanashi definitely wasn't as distraught over that as he should have been.]

❝ Are you sure? ❞ [That was an indignant response, especially to a superior, but if there was something that COULD be done about this...then why not?] ❝ I mean, I guess I won't, but it'd be a Hell of a lot easier, wouldn't it? I know there's a "method" or whatever, but we could always just dumb down their AI. Tampering with them before the night shift isn't illegal, is it? ❞

[mute-call]

Yeah, Nanashi better be sorry. That was reckless, and dangerous, and not in the ways in which Steven is used to.

The sound of retching makes Bell turn his head, hard-wired to immediately clean up any unfortunate accidents before parents start explaining, but he can see all the way from inside the vehicle that whatever Nanashi has thrown up is more blood than anything else. Oof. Now they really need to get the poor kid some rest.

Steven quickly averts his gaze and shifts his focus back to the car. It’s still running, which is good, and hopefully Nanashi’s place is close enough that the vehicle can limp along the last few miles even if there’s damage that Bell can’t see right now.

Looking back at Nanashi through the mirror, Steven grits his teeth, frustrated.

“There was not. The road was completely empty.” …it’s not Nanashi’s fault. If he had hallucinated a kid in the road, then he had… maybe… done the right thing in making sure they hadn’t hit it.

Bell sighs, letting his head fall back against the seat with a painful thump.

“I’m— no, I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to get short with you. We’re okay, and I promise, we didn’t hit anyone.”

Nanashi needs some serious help. As soon as Steven gets him home, he’s going to call up the guy’s family if they’re not already around and demand that they get his head checked out (in addition to everything else wrong with Nanashi right now). Then Steven will go back, fix things, and— and everything will be just fine.

“I’m going to start driving again, okay?” At a far more reasonable speed, this time. He doesn’t want Nanashi to throw up more blood.

“Tell me if you start seeing any more, uh, visions, and I’ll tell you if they’re really real. Deal?”

That's to be expected. Trauma like that-- it tends to leave accurate but limited memories, especially this soon after the event. Nanashi might have focused on anything from how many floor tiles he saw in the back room to the springlocking itself; details about the child might be completely inaccessible at this point.

...oh, well. It was worth a shot.

Except--

"Black eyes...?" Steven echoes, struggling to make sense of what Nanashi means. A trick of the light? Something as simple as very dark brown irises? Blown pupils, maybe? He has no idea.

"Okay, uh. Good to... know."

Steven's gaze flicks toward Nanashi, surprised by the question. Nanashi knows about the company's long, unfortunate past, doesn't he? How naive does someone have to be to see a child in the back room after hours and not jump to the obvious conclusion that there's something really, really wrong going on? It must just be the general near-death confusion clouding the guy's mind. Bell debates with himself for a moment before settling on a response that's unlikely to upset the poor kid too terribly.

"No! No, of course not. Uh, I just wanted to make sure." There's no need to go into things right now when Nanashi's clearly not all there.

Steven barely gets out a confused "huh?" before Nanashi goes crazy, yanking on the wheel and sending them careening off the road.

Things happen too quickly for Bell to fully comprehend, but one moment he's slamming on the brakes, and the next--

"Wh--" He blinks, dazed, pressing an uncoordinated hand to his face to push at his glasses. There's an odd sort of pain in his abdomen where his seat-belt has bitten into him, and he can't quite tell whether he's slammed his head against something, but overall... that could have been worse.

"What the hell, Nanashi!" there's not much force to his words, and they come out more shocked than angry. He should probably make sure that none of the other employee's wounds have reopened, but at the moment, all he can do is stare straight ahead and reel from what just happened.

"Th-th-- you need to go sit in the back. I'm going to-- I don't think the car's banged up too badly, but Jesus! What did you go and do a thing like that for!"