Work Text:
PC slowly disconnected the mindspike, feeling as their connection to Akizets memories slowly grew dimmer, like all their senses were being cut off at once.
The switch back to the normal world always felt a little weird, but today, after everything that had happened inside the embassy… PC still remembers the other obesks last moments, and they know they will for…maybe forever. They hoped it wasn’t forever.
Slowly, PCs connection to the real world grew stronger. Despite no longer being connected to the mindspike, their vision still looked like it did inside the renderings. Moth was merely a cyan outline against dark, pulsating, pixelating walls. They were so motionsick from everything that they felt like they were going to puke. They almost had, earlier that day, although not from the visuals… the only reason they didn’t is because they didnt want Moth to think they couldn’t handle it. It was fine, anyways.
Moth was talking, PC now noticed. They also started to feel the metal table they were leaning on for stability. Looking down at the table, they saw the corrucyst that had caused all of this. It was the only thing that still looked correct in this weird mesh between renderings and their actual vision.
Moth tapped PC on their shoulder and PC turned around. Moth was holding out a bottle of water for them. They almost picked it up before flinching back— she was gonna puncture the bottle trying to grab it like that!
PC blinked and picked up the water bottle. No, they were fine. Looking down at their hands, they looked… blobby, like they couldn’t decide what to be. PC knew logically they were normal hands, but they could still feel her claws, ready to attack at any moment.
Aki— PC stood up. They had to brace themself on the chair to stop the wave of dizziness (—DULLNESS) that hit them. It became tolerable, but never really went away.
They tried to walk to the staircase, only a few feet away, but it was like their limbs were too short, too fragile, too solid, all wrong.
“Um—“ Moth was holding them up. “Do you want to come home with me again today?”
“Mmm” PC mumbled in agreement.
Together they walked up the stairs, into the main hallway. It was already past dark, so most of the workers had already left. No one was there to question why PC was so worn out, or why they had spent so much more time than usual connected, even when they werent getting paid.
The receptionist, a woman who looked from PCs eyes to be made of glass, gave them a nod and a smile as they left, having been there every day since they had started looking at Akizets corrucyst.
When they stepped outside— it was cold, and dark, and felt utterly unfamiliar, despite having been like this all winter. The stars were blinking through a gradient sky, that captivated Aki— PCs attention as moth guided them through the streets.
The bus stop was a bit of a wait, and in that time they were able to get more grounded in reality. Looking at Moth, they now looked like a normal human person again, one PC was very familiar with. PC began stretching, getting used to how their real body felt. They drunk some water. It was still hard to focus on anything specific, so Moth was still left guiding them.
Finally, the bus arived. They got onboard together and sat down in two empty seats, as the bus was less packed than they were used to at rush hour.
PC began to doze off, before Moth shook them awake. They were at their stop.
They had to take an elevator up moths apartment building, which buzzed and groaned like the movefriend— they stepped out at moths floor, pretty far up the building. Looking off the side made them dizzy, so they stuck by the wall.
Moth pulled out their keys. The key apartment was on a hook with dozens of other keys, as well as trinkets that made quite a nice sound when it clinked together. Moth opened the door with them, and it creaked open.
The apartment was small, with only a twin bed on one side of the room and a sink, dresser, small desk, and random trash on the floor on the other. There was also a small bathroom that PC opted to ignore in leu of the bed. They still had their work clothes on, but didn’t really care. They were just going straight back to work tomorrow anyways.
Moth took more care to change into pajamas before getting in bed next to PC. It was a little cramped, but PC found it comforting being that close to someone.
Finally, they began to drift off to sleep, Moth doing the same next to them.