Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

The walls of Mount Massive had much to offer its patients. Space to move around, nurses prepared for most situations, somewhat credible psychiatrists, and the Morphogenic Engine in the secret lab underground. Everything you need to run a semi-functioning asylum. That is until Billy Hope was brought into the hospital. Poor kid. Sold to Murkoff at only 19 years old and already being subjected to the various “tests” in the facility. If they could even be considered that. Trager wasn’t even admitted when Billy started talking about him. He wasn’t a doctor at the time, just working as an executive while avoiding the higher-ups at all costs. It especially didn’t help that Jeremy Blaire, of all people, had directed the attention of said higher-ups right towards Rick when shit went south at Murkoff. The memory of his coworker throwing him into the engine sent a shiver down the man’s spine, arms instinctively wrapping around his thin frame as he walked through the medical wing. The sounds of his patients echoed throughout the small area despite most of them being asleep. It reminded the doctor of his time in the engine. Reminded him of Jer’s smile while Trager was struggling to free himself, begging for help from his best friend. He shook his head, arms falling back to his sides as Trager continued walking to make sure everyone was where they needed to be. Many of his patients couldn’t go anywhere thanks to the nifty straps that kept them from wandering. Once he made sure everyone was alright, Trager began to wander around his domain, not bothering to grab his bone shears. Thankfully, the ones that could walk didn’t stray very far. All too afraid of being caught by the variants unfamiliar with the doctor, or worse, Walker. It meant he didn’t have to worry.

Speaking of people unfamiliar with Trager, a soft humming could be heard from the direction the man was walking towards. That meant there was a variant up ahead. Strange. Trager hadn’t heard much come from this area other than the typical screams of Mount Massive yet this was right up Walker’s alley. But he couldn’t hum. So who was this mysterious musician? The doctor turned to look over his shoulder, long nails tapping on his forearm as he made sure no one was going to turn the corner before proceeding. As he got closer, Trager could hear the humming get louder. He couldn’t recognize the tune, but he had heard of the man currently sitting in front of a sewing machine. Eddie Gluskin. Patient 196 on Murkoff’s records if he remembered correctly. Now Rick wouldn’t mark himself down as the straightest of men, but he definitely had his fair share of girlfriends before joining the executives. Before meeting Jeremy Blaire. The doctor hadn’t even realized he was staring until he was met with bright blue eyes staring right back at him. He was running back down the hall in an instant. Footsteps echoing on the hardwood floors of the Vocational block. The thumping of Gluskin’s boots could be heard behind him. Whether he was walking or running, Trager couldn’t tell. The doctor could see the signs pointing towards the Male Ward now, but he couldn’t go there. It would put his boys in danger. Instead, he took a sharp left into the Administration block, hoping the man behind him wouldn’t get curious.

Luckily, Eddie was hellbent on knowing the beautiful form he had seen while working. The Groom hadn’t seen anyone like this in his many years of living. Granted, the man running from him was fast. So much so that the older man had to quicken his pace, careful not to scare off the other even more. It would be a shame to lose someone so intriguing. Eddie’s pace slowed as the figure turned a corner, a small smile growing on his chapped lips. A dead end. Perfect, for the Groom. As he neared the runner Eddie noticed he was only wearing a curtain that was loosely tied around his hips and a surgical mask. No uniform or shoes to grace his figure. Which meant the patient either chose these clothes willingly or-

“You just gonna stare, buddy?” A voice rose from the darkness, breaking the Groom out of his thoughts. He hadn’t realized that the figure had turned to face him, back leaning against the wall while a single eye scanned for an escape. Eddie shook his head, eyes shifting to the arms crossed over the other man’s waist. An intricate tangle of IV tubing was wrapped around the upper part of his left arm, a butterfly needle crudely lodged into his vein. The state the patient was in was… shocking to say the least. Eddie hadn’t seen anyone this contorted by the Engine. He cleared his throat, hand extending towards the figure in the dark. Long nails touched his fingers before the hand followed, enveloping his own before the figure stepped out from the shadows.

“My apologies if I frightened you, I didn’t mean to darling,” The Groom placed a gentle kiss on the hand before it was pulled away, moving back to its place on the side of the other’s waist. Trager looked around as if off-put by the man, not knowing where or when to run without endangering. Not the best situation he could have put himself in, but at least the doctor was alive. He would have to get back to his patients soon if he wanted to keep all of them in the Medical Wing. Eddie extended his hand again, a soft smile present on his face. Rick recognized that smile. The doctor took the hand before he could register where he remembered the expression and was being guided back to the Vocational Block.

“Ah, sorry to say buddy, but I got people to take care of on my side of the hospital. Can’t stay here much longer.” Wrong choice of words. Then it clicked. He knew that smile from Jeremy. The hand holding his suddenly stiffened as if it had been struck. Trager made a dash for the Male Ward in an instant, legs carrying him as fast as they could. Something about the man in the Vocational Block seemed… off. Voice too calm. Sentences too structured, as if he was carefully picking his words. Eyes unnaturally blue, but maybe that was just because Trager had found himself staring at them. The doctor ran until he was safely in the elevator up to his domain. He crossed his arms over his waist, holding his sides tightly. He was shaking. Why was he shaking? Must have been the run. Unless it didn’t start at the run. Maybe at the- Trager’s thoughts were broken by a pair of arms wrapping around his shoulders, the familiar smell of smoke filling the small space as his own arms lifted to tightly wrap around the figure’s back. A smile graced his lips as Trager’s shaking subsided, once again feeling calm. Eddie, on the other hand, had never felt more alone while humming a familiar song.

Chapter Text

The mood the next day was met with obvious tension in the air. Pyro woke up before his protector, covering the doctor with the thin blankets they shared to make him warmer. Trager was prone to getting cold quickly but the younger man wasn't allowed to set any fires to keep him warm in case he hurt one of the other patients. Not like he had anything to even get a spark going. Pyro sighed and stood up from the bed as a hand shot out to grab his arm.

"I don't even get a good mornin' now, Charlie?" The doctor joked, hand falling when the other turned to him with a soft smile. Trager never knew the boy's real name. Everyone in the office and at Mount Massive only called him Pyro and not even the boy himself would tell anyone. So Trager gave him a name. Well, it was mainly used as a nickname, but the fact was that it stuck. It made him happy. A smile grew on Trager’s injured lips as he was pulled out of the bed, now fully awake and ready to get to his studies. Perhaps he’d even let the younger patient join him this time. First, though, they had to get some breakfast. The pair walked along the halls of the hospital until they reached the elevator, Pyro reaching into his pocket for the key as they made their way to the kitchen. As they walked, an uneasy silence fell over the two. Trager found himself glancing over his shoulder, making sure they weren’t being followed. Pyro, on the other hand, stared at the ground, his single eye darting back and forth between steps as if debating something. His hands began to fidget on their own as he shook his head.

“What’s on your mind buddy? Lookin’ a lil’ anxious there.” Trager finally spoke, voice seeming to echo through the vacant halls. The patient chuckled, looking up towards the cafeteria door.

“You were gone for a while last night,” he started, trying to piece together his words without sounding as if he was going to break down from the question alone, “Were you okay doc?” Trager blinked a few times before nodding, turning to raid the pantry of the abandoned kitchen in an attempt to avoid the question. Was he okay? He couldn’t have gotten back that late. He just took a short walk, met a new patient, almost had a panic attack, and got home safe and sound! That sounded pretty okay to him. A few clicks of the stove burners got the doctor’s attention again, the sight of his Pyro smiling at the small blue flames giving him a surge of serotonin.

‘This is what he must feel like when he sees them, huh?’ Trager thought as he searched the pantry. A pair of footsteps shuffled over to him as the form lifted himself onto the counter, feet swinging almost instantly. It was one of the doctor’s favorite things to see, his boy being happy. He was the first patient to approach the scared man when he first arrived. The memory came to him as if it had happened a few moments ago. Poor kid told everyone who asked about his face that he got the injury in a house fire, thus earning his “name”, but Trager had worked for a shady company long enough to know when someone was lying. Or at least when someone wasn’t telling the full story. So he started by telling his own, leaving out some details that may not have been comfortable for a first conversation. Trauma Dumping, he had heard some of the patients call it. Pyro, so young and naive, did the same, except he told the truth about the injury on his face. Not the bullshit excuse he gave all the other inmates. The real, genuine, truth. And it shocked Trager that someone could possibly do that to themselves. Shocked him so much that he hugged the slightly taller male, watching his body shake as he began to cry out of his sole functioning eye. It was Trager’s first experience with a panic attack. The two stuck together from that day on. Pyro being attached at his hip bothered more staff than patients. Nurses worried that the two were getting too attached while therapists encouraged, and even tried to help the two make sure it was healthy for both parties. Rick was content, for once in his life. Until Blaire tried to put the boy in the Engine. The memories of everything were fuzzy, but whatever he did it certainly kept his Pyro safe.

A pair of hands cupping his face snapped Trager back to the present. He was in the kitchen. Sitting on the floor. In front of the makeshift pantry. With Charlie sitting in front of him. The doctor took a deep breath and smiled as best he could at the other, trying to calm his worries. Pyro’s arms wrapped around him, trying to give the doctor something to focus on. This wasn’t the first time he’d seen Trager’s eye gloss over like it did. The next would come shaking and then panic. The younger man didn’t even know if the other was aware of how often he was doing it. At first, he just assumed Trager was cold due to the doors that led to the courtyard were open, letting the cool mountain airflow through the wing. However, as it kept happening Pyro began to get suspicious. The doctor wasn’t the most secretive man at Murkoff, he would talk about himself for hours if it meant he was getting a good deal, but Trager also didn’t like others to worry about him. The two gathered some cans of food and quietly left the kitchen, agreeing to stop at any vending machine they saw to raid it.

“You’ve noticed, haven’t ya buddy?” It was rare to hear the doctor’s voice carry such a somber tone. Trager wasn’t one to share emotions. He considered it “quitting”, but never discouraged the other from expressing himself. One of those double standards he got from childhood. Trager was able to hide how he felt for a while before Pyro began to pick up on his mood shifts. It caught the doctor off-guard the first time, but he supposed it was to be expected since the two were practically inseparable. In truth, Trager was proud of the younger man. He felt almost… happy that someone was able to read him like an open book. It made him feel safe. It made Charlie feel happy. That was all the doctor really needed.

“You’ve been shaking more than usual, Trager, something on your mind?” The voice was soft, as if the boy was scared of the other running off. A small nod from the doctor was quickly followed by him leaning against the wall for support as his ankle rolled from under him. The cans clattered and rolled on the tile floor when Trager caught himself, an angered thump echoing from a fist connecting with the wall.

“A lot of things, Charlie.” Trager paused and took a breath, closing his eyes. A pair of hands came up to rest on the doctor’s face, thumbs rubbing along his cheekbones in an attempt to comfort him. His mind raced, thoughts jumping from the events of yesterday to memories of Jeremy, all flooding back from one expression. The stranger’s smile. It didn’t even remotely resemble the corporate executive’s, but it gave off the same feeling. The doctor shook his head, almost hitting it off of the wall next to him before the hands on his face forced him to stop. His eyes snapped open, both wide with fear before softening at Charlie’s worry. Maybe it would be best to tell him. After all, Trager knew the younger man was trying to get him to open up more. To his credit, it was working. Just a little faster than the other had expected. It was overwhelming. And yet, the two walked in silence back to the hospital wing after the doctor was calm enough to walk and recollect the cans, stopping at a vending machine a few feet down the hall to break open the door.

The rest of the night went smoothly, for lack of a better term. No overthinking, plenty of new “products” for Trager to sell, and he even made some new discoveries! Who knew that patients without working hamstrings couldn’t get out of their beds let alone try to escape! The doctor’s adrenaline was through the roof by the time he finished up for the day. He threw his tools onto their tray haphazardly, not caring that some of them landed with a loud clang on the tile floor of the bathroom he was currently practicing in. Charlie usually spent his time on the lower floor or down in the Male Ward while Trager was working. Everyone down there recognized him, so there was nothing for the other to worry about. However, there was another possible threat on the lower floor of the hospital. The blue eyed wonder from yesterday. His territory wasn’t very far from the doctor’s domain, and it worried him that the Pyromaniac may follow in his footsteps, quite literally. The stranger wouldn’t know about the connection and may hurt him. Trager couldn’t let that happen. He would have to figure out a way to tell the younger male not to stray too far, but how far was too far? Trager hadn’t been paying attention when he was wandering the halls. So this time, the trip had to be deliberate. He’d have to pay attention to turns and hiding places. Use signs as landmarks, make sure it’s not too dark, any light could give him away, and possibly the hardest part would be to tell Charlie where he was going. Any amount of time the other would spend alone could drive him further into insanity, but it would be too risky to take the boy with him. So he’d just leave while he was asleep! It was a genius plan, on Trager’s part. When he got back to his shared room with Pyro, the other was already curled up in his bed, dead asleep. Perfect. Trager gave the other’s head a small pat before turning to leave, making a mental note to pick up one of the chip bags and a small bone saw on his way out the door. With both items secured in his arms, Trager made his way back to the elevator. He turned, opening the gated door next to the elevator and started his trek down the hall. It was a simple path, he realized. Not many places to turn but plenty of places to squeeze in to hide if needed. The doctor knew he was getting closer to the stranger at the sound of old-timey music played in the distance. It was creepy. It was intriguing. Trager walked forward, careful not to crush the bag of chips to avoid making noise.

His feet drifted forward before he had the chance to catch himself, stepping hard onto one of the creaky floorboards. He had made it to the Vocational Block. The music in the distance could no longer be heard, causing a slight panic to start setting in, but Trager persisted. He’d already come this far and the doctor hated nothing more than quitting. He took a breath and walked forward, careful not to stay in the light for too long and minding any shards of glass on the floor. It was easier said than done, but eventually Trager found himself in a locker room. He sat on one of the benches, stretching his arms and legs to rest for a moment. The silence was unnerving. He didn’t know where the stranger was, but it comforted him to know that the other didn’t know where he was either. It wasn’t ideal, but it was the best he could get right now. That was, until he heard footsteps and the soft sound of humming coming down the hallway towards him. It was the same song he heard from the radio. That meant the stranger was near. Before Trager had time to think, a figure was looming in front of him. He could see the other better in the light of the locker room than the hallway they first met in. He was taller than the doctor and much more physically muscular. Must have been a result of the engine. That wasn’t the only thing caused by the engine, though. The variant’s face had many open wounds scattered on the right side, most likely due to an allergic reaction based on the location and the popped blood vessels in his eye. Trager stepped back to get a good look at his eyes. They were a shocking color of blue, bright but so blank that no emotion could be seen in them. Black slicked back hair exposed shaved sides, most likely done on arrival at the asylum.

“We’ve met before, haven’t we?” A slight lisp complimented the taller man’s words as he spoke. Trager, on the other hand, was looking at the doors of the room. They were too close together to be able to make a clean getaway if things went south. Maybe a peace offering would help Trager get on this man’s good side. It wouldn’t hurt to try. The doctor nodded, extending the bag of chips he didn’t realize he had been fiddling with towards the man. A gloved hand came up to take the bag, but stopped as if contemplating something. His nails weren’t nearly as long as Trager’s, most likely due to a lack of containment. The patchwork on his clothes caught the attention of the doctor’s working eye. It must have been done with one of the sewing machines near the front of the block. He could remember passing by them with Charlie. However, they weren’t used by many of the patients without supervision due to the needle in the machine. Even then, there was only ever one patient and one nurse in the room, quietly existing with each other.

“I don’t mean to stare, darling, but you seem very familiar.”

“I’m the one that ran yesterday, had some people to protect in my territory,” That got the other’s attention. He had taken the chips by now, not yet opening them to avoid being rude. Right. Trager came here to give a warning. He would have to get back to Charlie soon, but it wouldn’t be good if this man followed him back to the hospital. The other was talking now, saying something about brides and dresses while Trager tried to piece together his thoughts. He picked up on the name “Eddie”, it most likely belonged to this man. However, all he could focus on were the man’s eyes until the doctor spoke, interrupting Eddie mid-sentence.

“Stay away from my boy.” Eddie hesitated, watching the thin figure in front of him back away. He was getting ready to run again. The Groom could play this game of cat and mouse for as long as he needed, but one question stuck out in his mind. It passed his lips before he could think it over.

“You’re already a mother?” Trager didn’t know whether to be concerned at the question, or the happiness laced underneath it. Either way, he was going to keep a close eye on the Vocational block for quite some time now after his escape.

Chapter Text

Ah fuck. Maybe taking a walk into an ex-serial killer’s territory wasn’t the best idea Trager had that week. It definitely wasn’t his worst though! This was meant to be a quick trip, just get in and get out. Gluskin wouldn’t leave his territory in case another “darling” of his came along. All Rick had to do was book it back the way he came. That sounded really easy, but alas he didn’t think that Eddie would have anticipated another escape attempt, for some reason. So now the amateur doctor was stuck in a territory he didn’t know with no way to get out, and barely any hiding places. And if he was gone for too long, then Charlie would come to find him and get trapped here too. He couldn’t have that. Trager moved to start making his way towards the door but realized a little too late that he should have made a break for it. Eddie seemed like a slow-moving killer, despite his large size, so it alarmed Trager when he all but lunged at the thin doctor. It was a good thing he could think fast, closing a door on the Groom and bolting back to his territory, hoping he wouldn’t be followed. If it came to it, Trager would have to bring at least one of his tools with him again. Why wouldn’t he think of that, to begin with? Eddie had obviously had his eye on the other after that brief encounter, how could he be so careless, so naive? People stayed away from this area for a reason. Why did Trager think he’d be any kind of threat to someone who put every variant he saw against a… saw.

“Darling! Perhaps there’s a misunderstanding here!” Ha! The Groom was a fool if he thought the doctor would fall for that.

Trager was panting by the time he made it into the elevator and turned the key to get back up to safety. If all went smoothly, Pyro should still be asleep by the time he gets back and he can just peacefully rest for at least a few minutes. The elevator made a soft “ding” as it stopped, the door opening with a satisfying metal crunch. Hurried steps echoed across the tile, approaching the room he shared with the other variant in record time. A sigh of relief escaped from his lungs as his heartbeat slowed, the figure before him curled up in one of the thin blankets scattered around the hospital. The thin man made his way over and sat on one of the vacant beds, listening for the sounds of boots falling on the tile floors. Silence. Good, that meant they were safe for now. Trager stretched his limbs and laid down on the bed, making sure to face himself towards Charlie before closing his eyes and drifting off to sleep.

When Trager woke, the variant that was previously in the bed across from him was nowhere to be found. The thin man shot up in his bed, frantically looking around for some semblance of life in the room. His legs sprang from the old mattress and sped through his hospital grounds, searching every bathroom or closet he could think of. Nowhere. Trager was starting to panic now. Charlie wasn’t in his usual hangout spots. None of the other variants had seen him. He wasn’t in the vents, as far as the tall man could see without crawling into them. Maybe he had gone downstairs. Yes, that’s what had to have happened. Trager made his way down the steps as fast as he could, skipping a few steps in an attempt to get to the lower floor faster. After almost slipping on the tile, he ran for every bathroom or corner he could find. He dipped into the cafeteria, making sure nothing was on fire before stopping just short of the open courtyard doors. There he was. His Pyro and another unfamiliar figure stood shoulder-to-shoulder in the doorframe, quietly watching the rain fall onto the grass. Neither variant tried to spark up a conversation, both seeming content. A smile spread over the doctor’s lips as he sat down to watch the display from afar. Charlie was making a friend! And it was one outside of Trager’s circle! Though it was a bit strange for Trager to see someone who made it past the hoard of variants in the male ward, it was a nice refresher. Maybe the doctor could lighten up on his restrictions if this went as well as it seemed to be going. Give the younger man a little bit of freedom in this block of their prison. He decided to leave the two boys alone for now, sneaking away from the pair to tend to his patients.

Pyro, on the other hand, felt like his knees were going to give out at any second. He was sure this other variant, who hadn’t even acknowledged him since appearing out of seemingly nowhere, was either waiting for a chance to strike or a chance to break the silence. Not knowing was making his anxiety shoot through the roof of the asylum. This didn’t look like any of the patients he had seen before the riots, but then again he never really left the doctor’s side. He was bald with some pale blue eyes that had small specks of green scattered around the pupil. Large shackles were wrapped around his wrists and ankles but he was wearing the typical blue patient outfit of Mount Massive. Charlie watched the other slowly sit down on the steps, arms wrapping around his knees as he watched the rain pour. A crack of lightning caught his attention, the burned variant swearing he could see a shadowy figure floating above the fountain for a split second. He shook his head, turning it to lock eyes with the sitting man who quickly averted his gaze. How long had he been staring? Did he miss the figure? What was that figure in the first place? Pyro sighed, turning to walk away and find Trager again before he got worried when he felt a soft tug on his pant leg.

“Where are you going?” The voice was much higher than what he expected to come out of the man, but what surprised Charlie is how it sounded more curious than anything. He watched the other’s eyebrows furrow and eyes squeeze shut like he was in pain.

“I was gonna head back upstairs, are you alright? Do you have a headache?” He spoke softly, trying to stifle the shaking in his voice. Now was not the time for anxiety to take over! This person needed help and Charlie was here to help him! The black-haired variant extended his hand to the new variant, watching him flinch at the sudden movement before his eyes seemed to glaze over again. His hands trembled as they reached out to touch the floor, desperate to touch something solid. Charlie raised his eyebrows, the sight before him a new experience that he was probably the cause of. He sat in front of the variant so he could make sure the other would be safe. He didn’t seem to be in any state that he could snap out of and fight if he needed to. So the pyromaniac stayed there for what felt like hours, listening for any sign of danger around the pair. Trager must have woken up by now, so he’d probably have to sneak this guy out past him. Right into a place he had no knowledge of. If this wing was safe for the other, maybe he’d consider hiding him here, but Charlie knew that it would only cause more harm than good. The variant blinked a few times and shot up from the slouch he had fallen into. His eyes scanned the area like he didn’t know where he was, frantically scooting away from Pyro once he noticed him.

“Are you alright? I didn’t mean to scare you-” his voice trembled as thoughts started to fill his head. Look what you’ve done. You almost had someone to talk to and now you’ve terrified him. He shook his head, glancing up to see the other looked like he was having a panic attack, rocking back and forth while mumbling something about a flood. Pyro watched the man look between him and the open doors leading to the courtyard. Maybe the storm was scaring him. Charlie bolted to close the doors but made sure they weren’t slammed shut. They were heavy enough to cause an echo if they slammed and he didn’t want to scare the other even more. When they were closed, he turned and kneeled in front of the variant, careful not to scare him.

“Is that better? I know it’s not much but any little thing helps when you’re having a panic attack.” A nervous laugh left the pyromaniac’s lips as he spoke. He could feel his hands shaking against the calm persona he was trying to put forth. The other variant looked up at him now, tear streaks gracing his cheeks while he seemed to scan the area. He patted the carpeted floor with one hand, the other running up the wall to ground himself.

“You’re in the hospital wing if that helps.” It probably didn’t but it was worth a shot. Confusion washed over the other variant’s face as if he had never heard of this branch.

“Hospital? Not the Vocational?”

“No, but they’re not very far, I could help you back if it would make you feel safer.”

The other shook his head, standing up on shaky legs before shuffling forward, bare feet never leaving the ground like it would fall out from under him if they did. He had gotten about halfway down the hallway before turning around to face Charlie again. His hands shook as they came up to nervously crack his knuckles before speaking.

“Actually…” he paused, thinking about his words before fiddling with his shirt, “it w-would help if you came w-w-with us, just be careful.” A shaky breath left his chest, anxiety making his stutter more prominent. The pyromaniac nodded, speed walking down the hall to meet the other to continue walking down the long stretch of hallways.

“By the way, what’s your name?” They’d known each other for a least half an hour now, probably even more, but neither had gotten the other’s name. Well, better late than never, that was one of Trager’s favorite phrases.

“It’s, uh, Dennis,” he cursed under his breath at the hesitation, thumbs rapidly running over his other fingernails.

“Dennis, that’s a nice name. Mine’s either Pyro or Charlie, depends on how you know me.” Yes. Those were his names. Pyro, the name given to him by Murkoff and the other patients. Charlie, the name given to him by Trager. He’d long forgotten the name he was given, the other two being good enough replacements while he was here. Stuck in this eternal hell called Mount Massive Asylum. By the time the two looked up from where they were going, Dennis had said a short goodbye before darting up the stairs of an attic. Which meant Pyro needed to bolt back to the hospital before Trager got back. It wouldn’t be good if he caught him out this far from home. The variant sprinted back to the hospital, the sound of the attic stairs slamming shut mixing with the hums of an unfamiliar song in the distance. He wasn’t about to stick around to listen, after all, he had a doctor to check up on. Pyro slid into the elevator and frantically pressed the button for the next floor above. Maybe he could get back before Trager even noticed he was gone. Doubtful, but with a slight glimmer of hope shining in his eye, Pyro flew out of the elevator and into the doorway leading to the room the two shared. He stood in disbelief. Trager was still asleep. Trager was… asleep? Charlie crept closer to the bed to make sure he wasn’t hallucinating. As he got closer, feet shuffling across the dirty tile floor, Pyro peered over the side of the bed as best he could without waking up the doctor below him. If he knew he could go out without waking Trager, then that meant-

“You gonna stand there all day buddy or are ya gonna go back to sleep?” Shit. Pyro slumped back into his bed, curling into a ball while a thin blanket was draped over him.

“Sorry, just making sure I didn’t wake you up doc,” his voice wavered a bit but he shut his eyes to avoid looking at the other. Why did he even try to slip by? Trager would have found out eventually. The doctor didn’t sound mad though like he had been waiting for the other to come back. Did he… did he see Dennis with him? Did he watch the two sit and stare at the rain? No, Pyro would have known. He would have sensed the doctor’s stare. The variant fidgeted under his blankets, legs rubbing against each other while he tried to succumb to sleep. Trager had already fallen asleep, at least it seemed that way judging by the way his breathing had leveled out and body had morphed into the mattress. Charlie sighed and turned onto his back, counting the ceiling tiles while humming the song he heard in the Vocational Block. He’d have to go see Dennis again, if the man didn’t come back, just to make sure he was alright. Right now though, he’d have to wait out insomnia and hope Trager won’t notice how dark the bags under his eyes have gotten when they see each other in the morning.