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Avid went with Water back to the dorms. He had insisted they sleep in his room after Avid told him about the voices.
And maybe Avid didn't mind staying in Waters' room that much.
Avid had asked if he was sure he’d be comfortable with Avid staying in his room. After all, they had tried to drown him.
Water had said that while he was still affected by it Avid had also been the one to pull them out of the water again.
And that's how he ended up here standing in Waters' room not knowing what to do with themselves.
Water walks over to his bed sitting down on the soft material and patting the seat next to him.
Avid warily approaches the bed sitting down next to Water.
“Could you tell me more about the voice you mentioned earlier?” Water asks carefully like he's afraid to spook Avid.
“Yeah…..So yesterday I buried my mask with Graecie and then later went back and burned it” Water looked slightly confused but was clearly choosing to let Avid finish before asking questions.
“But well earlier today I was having-” Avid paused thinking about how to explain the overwhelming experience of having a war with your own thoughts “- a moment” he eventually settled on. “And I really wanted- no i needed my mask and suddenly there was this voice in my head — different from the usual ones— and it told me to go to the dragons crypt-”
“What do you mean ‘the usual ones’ Avid?! Is it a regular occurrence for you to hear voices in your head?!” Water exclaimed with obvious concern.
“I mean yeah, doesn't everyone?” Avid shrugged.
“No they- nevermind we’ll take that one another time. What happened after you went to the crypt”
“Well I made a..deal with the voice and then suddenly my mask was there so I put it on. The voice was telling me to kill someone and i was…really upset with you so i went looking” Avid admitted and hey yeah maybe he was wrong for trying to murder Water but Water had also been really mean to him— and Graecie--so he felt like it was justified……at the time.
“Right,” Water said, swallowing thickly. He was probably thinking back to what happened earlier today and Avid can't imagine those are good memories. "What sort of..deal did you make?”
That-
Was a good question.
One Avid didn't remember the answer to if he was completely honest.
He hadn't had his book on him at the time — it was still in his room— and his mind had been a mess of different voices so the memories were very muddy.
He did remember something about killing, his mask showing up all of a sudden and his new ability but besides that he was completely blank-
“Avid?” Oh right Water was waiting for an answer he kinda got lost in his thoughts there.
“I- I don't remember” He admitted.
“What do you mean you don't remember? I can't have been more than a couple hours ago?” Water sounded confused and maybe also slightly angry like he thought Avid was lying.
“I- I'm sorry okay?! I just- I didn't have my book on me at the time so I couldn't write it down and my mind was a mess at the time. I just remember the mask suddenly being there and getting my new power and- and the rest is a mess” Avid could feel frustrated tears coming to his eyes. He didn't wanna disappoint Water. He wanted to explain. He wanted to remember. He just couldn't.
“Your book?”
“I have problems…remembering things…..somtimes so i write them down in my book. It has everything. Who I need to kill, who to trust, who wronged me and what happened during the day.”
“Let me guess I'm on the ‘people you need to kill list'?” Water said it like it was a joke but he probably knew it was true.
“Well- I- I mean obviously ill take you off. I just- I was really mad at you okay?” Avid was definitely flustered at this point. He could really use his mask right about now.
“Your response when you're upset with someone is to attempt to murder them?!”
“I-” Avid covered his face with his fingers in a futile attempt to imitate his mask. “I know” They said in a truly pathetic voice.
“Look I'm not saying it's fine but I know you have your issues. Lets just- lets go to bed, okay?” Water suggested.
“....Okay” Avid agreed before getting up from the bed where they were both sitting and going to lay down on the floor.
“Uh what are you doing?” Water asked clearly confused.
“Going to sleep?” Avid answered like it was a dumb question.
“On the floor?”
“Yes, I've slept on worse” Avid argued.
Water didn't look particularly happy about that statement. He could probably relate to the experience. Afterall he did live in a sewer for a couple years.
“You can sleep on the bed, Avid”
“But its your bed i dont wanna take your bed”
“Avid it’s a double bed. We can both sleep on it” Avid went completely red in the face at that suggestion.
“Well I- We- I don't know-” Avid stutters.
“Avid get over here”
Avid decided to acquiesce and walked over to the bed.
“You sleep on this side, I sleep on that side, got it?”
“Yeah, yeah I get it”
“Great! Now then goodnight” Water sounded rather tired of dealing with Avid. Honestly, Avid had put him through a lot of shit today.
Water turned around and crawled to the other side of the bed laying down and immediately crawling underneath the blanket.
Guess that's it with that conversation….atleast for today. Avid was pretty convinced Water haven't forgiven him.
Which was fair!
Avid certainly wouldn't have. Had Avid been in Waters' situation they would have probably tried to murder them and not invite them to their dorm! Let alone sleep in the same bed. Just the implications of that. Avid may be no royal but even thought that was just a little scandalous. His parents would have probably murdered him if they knew he had slept in another man's bed.
Actually suddenly this sounded like a great idea!
“Avid go to bed I can practically hear you thinking” Water turned around in the bed to face Avid “you could at least lay down and pretend to sleep”
Okay maybe that was fair
Avid was still sitting on the edge of the bed he even still had shoes on! So he slid those off and then proceeded to lay down, draping the blanket over himself.
Water gave a huff but was seemingly satisfied enough because he turned back around so as not to face Avid anymore.
Avid laid on their back staring up at the ceiling and trying to quiet his brain.
How did Water forgive you that easily?
I don't think they deserve it.
Guys don't be so harsh it was the masks fault.
We don't know that for sure he could also just be insane.
Blood
Oh the voices were back. Now that Avid thought about it he hasn't actually heard anything from them since he kissed Water on the shore.
Of course that couldn't last forever though
Go back for the mask!
Please, just let Water help you!
I still think you should kill him.
Yeah kill Water
It was impossible to sleep with the absolute war going on in his head.
Some of them were right though he really hurt Water. The closest thing Avid can imagine to what Water experienced is getting shoved into a pit of snakes and that really doesn't sound fun.
He should have done better. He never should have followed the voice. He never should have put that damn mask back on!
No the mask is good.
They really traumatized Water.
Yeah, can't imagine what he must be going though.
Avid's problem seems so insignificant when compared to how Water must feel.
Avid continues like that for a while in a spiral of self depreciation until it's interrupted by a scream.
Avid quickly turns to see Water thrashing around and screaming in his sleep.
Fuck! What does he do in this scenario?
How does he help Water?
You can't, this is your fault.
Yeez Water is really going through it.
Avid is completely blank on what to do until one of Waters' flailing hands lands on them and dream-Water seems to realize that there's someone else there.
Unconscious Water then immediately responds to this fact by latching on to Avid for dear life. Hugging him tightly to his chest.
And well…
Avid can't say he minds but it just feels kinda wrong.
Avid doesn't deserve this kinda affection. Water probably thinks that he's Marm right now.
It's fine though. Avid doesn't mind playing the role of teddy bear right now. Even if it's not meant for him…
And if he secretly also finds comfort in it then that's for only him to know.
They both end up sleeping relatively peacefully after that. No more screaming. No more self loathing. No more stupid maks drama.
At least for tonight.