Chapter Text
The traveler was nestled in his large armchair located in the living area, magazine and journal on the small side table next to it. The coarse material of the chair scratched his skin uncomfortably, but he’d found it was a good way to keep himself grounded. Mild discomfort was more than welcome if it meant he wouldn’t have to see that thing ever again.
A few days had passed since he’d seen it for the first–and hopefully last–time. Said days were mostly spent by him trying to get back into the habit of eating and sleeping, which had actually done wonders for his mental state. Granted, he was still much worse off than he had been during the start of his isolation, but progress was progress. Reading provided some stimulation as well, even though he’d read through his assortment of magazines and books approximately thousand times already.
Despite the improvement, the hallucinations hadn’t stopped completely–not even close. Pitch black feathers would often intrude the corners of his vision when he was focused on something else. Strange melodies he’d never heard before occasionally rang through the air, and sometimes he’d hear the sudden ding of an elevator. Not to mention all the previous sounds he’d gotten acquainted with.
The traveler knew he was completely fine physically-speaking. His body quite literally lacked the ability to deteriorate; all the various augments he’d gotten allowed him to retain his strength and health regardless of lifestyle changes. Eating and exercising only provided cosmetic benefits, in addition to the psychological ones, of course.
Regardless of the many opportunities he’d been offered during his line of work, he hadn’t gone through with any modifications to his brain. At the time, he’d thought himself to be above it.
Now he wasn’t above much of anything.
With a heavy sigh, the traveler picked up his journal from the side table and flipped to the page he’d last left at. Much to his wide-eyed surprise, there was already a message waiting for him. Huge, shaky letters took up the whole spread:
SORRY SIR!!
DIDN’T MEAN
TO SCAREYOU
In an instant, the pages were torn off, crumpled up and hastily tossed away. The traveler swallowed thickly as he slammed the journal shut and replaced it with the magazine instead, quickly flipping to a random page to distract himself.
A dramatic gasp resonated from above him, before a now-familiar voice cried: Sir, don’t you know reading is bad for your teeth?
The traveler’s neck reflexively craned backwards, only to be met with two yellow eyes and a ginormous grin peering down at him. His heart sank down to his stomach.
He leapt out of his seat and backed away in fear, bumping into the TV in the process. In turn, the large figure slowly revealed himself from behind the chair, his singular arm slightly raised as if trying to pacify a wild animal.
Okay, I think you might be suffering from some kind of shock. But there’s really no need to worry, he spoke gently, contrasting his displeasing appearance. Your pleasure and safety are my top priority. As such, I'll do anything I can to keep you safe from any danger.
The traveler was not reassured. Quite the opposite, in fact: the mention of danger immediately had his guard up. He anxiously glanced all around him, blurting out: “What?”
No, no! Ik quickly backtracked, frantically waving his hand in the traveler’s face. Relief washed over when the smaller man’s gaze hesitantly turned back to him. Uh, I know we “got off on the wrong foot” earlier, as they say. Which is exactly why I gave you some time to calm down! I even left you a note, in case you didn’t notice.
As soon as he’d processed what was said, an ounce of guilt pricked the traveler’s side like a needle. The note in question had been noticed, but not appreciated. It lay destroyed and abandoned on the floor somewhere, completely unbeknownst to its writer, who was now looking at him with a hopeful smile.
I really hope you’ll still give our friendship another chance, sir, he said, gingerly fiddling with his tie.
The traveler blinked, now more bewildered than scared. “Friendship?”
Yes! Ik lit up. No offense, sir, but you didn’t exactly look like the type of man to have many friends. I thought you could use some company. And besides, it just wouldn’t have been professional of me to let you come here by your lonesome. You can’t spell business without beguile! Or, er, something like that. So I tagged along, and now we’re here!
“Hold on,” the traveler pleaded, already struggling to keep up with the nonsensical rambling. “You ‘tagged along’?”
Yeah! Thank you, by the way, for letting me stay here with you.
“No, that doesn’t make any sense. I came here alone.” Brow furrowed, he searched around in his mind, until gears finally clicked together. “Which means you aren’t real.”
But I’m standing right in front of you, sir! Ik desperately gestured to himself. You can see and hear me, and look–
Without warning, a large claw quickly wrapped around a small, tremoring hand. Neurons fired undeniably, Ik’s soft skin soothing against the traveler’s own calloused palm. The smaller man immediately ripped his hand away and rubbed it like he’d touched a hot stove.
See? Ik’s smile still faintly shone through his exasperated expression. I’m right here, sir. All of this is in your head. You have my word.
The traveler shook his head in denial, his throat seizing. “I… I came here alone,” he retorted in a whisper, more to himself than anything. Thoughts tangled together like Christmas lights long forgotten in the attic.
All traces of a smile disappeared. You don’t remember me?
The heartbroken way it was delivered straight to the traveler’s gut made him feel like he should remember. But he didn’t. He recognized the face, the voice, but he couldn’t connect them to a time nor place. Has he really always been here? Why can’t I remember anything?
His tired eyes restlessly wandered around the room, until they found the journal on the table next to the armchair. He rushed over to it like his life depended on it. Pages melded together as he frantically flipped through them, trying to find any mention of Ik. The larger man sat down next to him with a sigh.
Please, sir, you have to believe me. If you’d let go of this paranoia, you’d see there’s nothing that can hurt you anymore.
Tunnel-visioned and determined to prove him wrong, the traveler didn’t listen. A few pages were nearly torn off in his frenzy, before he finally came upon the start of an entry:
It’s been about a week since the hallucinations started.
As if he’d just struck gold, he madly held the writing up to Ik. “Look! You’re just a hallucination!” he gasped with a delirious expression.
After giving it the smallest of glances, Ik pushed the journal away. I know, that’s what I’ve been trying to tell you! You’re having an episode.
“I’m not!” the traveler snapped. “I mean–I am–but… you’re…” His head spun like a carousel, breathing was replaced by shallow puffs of air. Why can’t I remember? What’s happening–where am I?
Everything in his mind dissolved when he was abruptly pulled into a tight embrace.
It’s okay, sir. There’s no need to be insecure about it. Ik’s voice was almost as warm as the large hand drawing the traveler closer into the unfamiliar sensation.
Even without taking his mental state into account, the traveler couldn’t have remembered when the last time he’d been hugged was. Maybe when he was a small child. The one he was now given was certainly as nice as he thought it should be, pressure calming his overwhelmed senses.
Still slightly uncertain, he slowly let his fists unclench and carefully grab hold of Ik’s suit jacket instead, wrapping his arms around the large torso as far as he could reach. The material was unbelievably soft, closer to a cloud than fabric. He found his body leaning into it on its own account. This is nice.
The traveler sighed and melted further into the hug, the world uncharacteristically quiet around him.
“Thanks,” he muttered softly.
My pleasure, sir.
***
It’s been a week since I last saw Ik.
He’s not real. I’m pretty sure of that now. I must have made him up, or at least some part of me did. How else could he disappear for days at a time? It doesn’t make any sense. There’s nowhere to go. There’s nothing but this.
But it all feels so real. The sounds don’t sound like they’re “in my head”, I can actually hear them. The visions too, I can’t even tell what’s actually there anymore. Whenever it happens it’s like I’m in a completely different reality, or a distant world I’ve never been before.
I know that’s part of it, I’m not stupid. That’s what’s making this so difficult. I’ve always been able to keep my head, so why is this happening now? What am I supposed to do when I can’t trust my only source of information?
If I had someone else in here, they could help me. But I don’t have anyone.
I can’t believe what’s become of me. I'm supposed to be the one helping people, not the other way around. When did I become so weak?
I’m a fraud.
I can’t lie to myself about it anymore. I’m terrified. I don’t want to not know what’s happening to me. I don’t want to helplessly watch from the sidelines as my sanity’s ripped away from me. I’m not losing my sanity. I’m not I’m sane. I’m sane I’m sane I’m a sane I’m a sane san
The tip of his pen nearly tore through the paper when a cheery chiptune ringtone suddenly went off. After shaking the mental haze out of his head, the traveler quickly reached into his pocket to answer the ringing phone, not remembering that he didn’t even have one. When his hand withdrew, however, it was indeed wrapped around a large grey phone. It looked ancient, definitely not one he’d ever had before.
He turned it around in his hand to examine it. It was adorned with an array of identical buttons, a small, black screen, and a comically long antenna. He frowned. When did I get this? But before he could question its origins further, the phone rang again, reminding him of why he was holding it in the first place.
As soon as he hit what he assumed to be the ‘answer call’ button, the screen went bright green and white noise blared from the receiver. His frown deepened. Oh, come on. The phone received a few frustrated shakes before he inspected it closer. How am I even supposed to use this thing? We switched to touch screens for a reason.
A couple hopeful button presses later, the garbled noise was replaced by a quiet, droning hum under a brief string of low piano notes. The traveler didn’t recognize the melody, if there even was one. Hesitantly, he held the phone up to his ear and tried:
“Hello?”
Some moments passed before he realized that a response wasn’t coming. Instead, the music continued, a warbled crescendo just barely audible underneath the harsh dings of piano. The traveler pressed the phone further against his ear, trying to find some sort of meaning in it.
Sir!
The sudden harsh noise nearly burst his eardrum. His arm reflexively shoved the phone as far away from himself as it could reach. Then his mind caught up. Ik?
He brought the phone back to his face. The previous music had been replaced by an upbeat tune that he found much more fitting for the smiling man currently displayed on the screen.
“What happened?” the traveler asked, confused by both Ik’s absence and the phone’s presence.
Don’t worry, sir, I’m still here! I just wanted to try out these phones I found.
The traveler looked around him, but the bedroom he was sitting in was still decidedly devoid of anyone else. “So where are you now?”
You’ll have to find me. Ik’s eyes narrowed mischievously.
“What?”
Like hide-and-seek! Come on, sir, you can’t tell me you’ve never played it. And it’s not like there are that many places I could be. You’ll find me in no time flat!
“But I’m… busy,” the traveler mumbled, gaze shifting back to the journal on the table in front of him. The words on the page all jumbled together into an indecipherable puddle of ink. “Nevermind. Give me a second.”
Yes! Ik all but squealed. Sir, you’re the best!
Then the phone screen went black, giving the traveler the go-ahead to tuck the thing into his pocket and start his reluctant search.
First he looked under his bed, which held nothing out-of-the-place. He immediately decided to skip checking any drawers or boxes lying about–no way could he fit in those. His next course of action was to saunter over to the sparsely decorated living area, making sure to look behind the bedroom door on the way. Be it unenthusiastically, he went over the whole room, and came back empty handed.
But, just as Ik had said, there really weren’t many hiding places in the bunker. The only room left was the bathroom, which was located opposite of his bedroom. The traveler walked over, flicked the lights on, and gently opened the door.
As he had predicted, Ik was awkwardly scrunched up in the bathtub, knees? hitting the underside of his chin? A very strange sight indeed, but the traveler knew better than to question it.
Hi, sir! the man beamed.
“Hey,” the traveler nodded. “Did I win?”
Yes. And I– Ik struggled as he began unwinding his long figure out of the tub. –have a prize for you!
Out of his breast pocket he pulled an electrical fuse emitting a soft green glow. Distant fanfare played as he merrily deposited it in the traveler’s welcoming hand.
“...Why?” the traveler questioned as he simultaneously tilted the fuse and his head around. It didn’t look too special to him.
I’m… not sure actually, Ik confessed. But I have a feeling it’s important. Oh, I know! Maybe you could start collecting them.
“Collecting fuses?” the traveler repeated blankly, not thrilled by the idea. The whole thing seemed like a waste of time, which was starting to irritate him.
Ik nodded excitedly. Yes! I think I saw an empty cabinet somewhere.
Before his companion could answer, Ik was already halfway out of the bathroom, having to bend down to fit under the doorway. The traveler followed close behind him, torn between anxiety and intrigue. As soon as Ik straightened back up, his head bumped against the ceiling with a harsh thud.
The traveler worriedly rushed over. “Are you okay?”
Oof–I’m fine, Ik replied, rubbing his head but thankfully not in much pain. Still getting used to low ceilings. But I guess it wouldn’t make sense for your home to be designed for someone above average height.
Concern quickly drained out. “Good guess,” the traveler deadpanned. “Maybe you aren’t as dumb as you look.”
Why thank you! Ik smugly adjusted his bowtie, before realizing: Wait, that’s not good, is it?
The traveler decided to let him figure it out himself. The slightest smirk tugged at the corner of his mouth, but he shot it down before it could fester further. “So?”
Right! It was… here, I think, Ik narrated as he walked over to one of the overhead cabinets in the kitchen area.
The door opened with a creak. A few specks of dust blew out, but it was otherwise empty. Shouldn’t there be stuff in there? I’m pretty sure that’s where the plates are supposed to be.
Ik proudly plopped the fuse into its new home and took a few steps back to admire his work, a wistful expression spreading onto his face.
I can already see it… Such a perfect cabinet for being stuffed full of fuses, isn’t it? One of many, I hope! Aren’t you excited, sir? He looked down at the traveler, who was visibly not.
“No.”
Aha, you’re such a joker! You really haven’t changed a bit, sir, he said fondly as he pretended to wipe a tear from his eye.
The traveler cocked his head. “What–?”
Wait, scratch that, Ik interrupted, eyes narrowing. He pushed into the traveler’s personal space to study him closely, the latter stumbling backwards in response. Then a lightbulb lit up above his head.
Without a word, he sprang back up, spun on his heel and marched towards the traveler’s bedroom. Alarmed, the other man followed suit.
“What are you doing?” he demanded as Ik clumsily ducked under the doorway and disappeared into the room. His uneasiness only grew when he received no answer.
After a few seconds of aimless searching, Ik found and knelt down in front of the traveler’s dresser. He confidently pulled the top drawer open, tossed all of the clothes out, and switched to the one below it. The traveler’s jaw fell open in disbelief as another drawerful of his wardrobe flew onto the floor.
“Stop!” he screamed. But before he could do anything, Ik had already found what he was looking for.
Aha! he exclaimed. Shuffling on his knees, he turned to face the traveler. His hand was cupped around something, but the smaller man couldn’t see what.
“What is that,” he pressed skeptically, taking a few precautionary steps back.
Close your eyes, sir!
The traveler’s eyes widened, if anything. “I’m not going to–”
Shh, it’s okay, sir, Ik assured. There’s no need to be afraid, remember?
I don’t remember, he scoffed in his mind. But he didn’t try to, either, choosing to instead trust the person who did. Brow furrowed, he hesitantly closed his eyes and braced for whatever was going to happen next.
With the gentleness of a much smaller being, Ik carefully placed something on top of the traveler’s head. As soon as his claws retreated, the traveler’s eyes shot open, swiftly taking the thing off to inspect it. It was a rather bland, brown hat–one he didn’t recognize.
Suspiciously squinting his eyes, the traveler glanced back up at Ik. “What is this?”
Sir, don’t pull my leg! You wouldn’t be caught dead without that hat of yours. He stifled a laugh as if it was common knowledge.
The traveler gave the hat one more untrusting look before he placed it back onto his head. “Sure,” he murmured under his breath. Except I’ve never worn this thing in my life.
Strangely, however, wearing the hat felt right in a way he couldn’t have explained. Like it was supposed to be there.
Looking light-years beyond satisfied, Ik’s grin stretched so far his face was on the verge of splitting apart. There we are!
A comforting warmth bloomed in the traveler’s chest at the sight. I guess I can live with this.
Anyways! Ik started, shuffling in a little closer and settling down mere inches away from the traveler, who plonked down onto the floor as well. Sir, I think it’s time to discuss your reservation.
The traveler scratched his newly-hatted head. “Reservation?”
Yes! To the Upturned Inn! Ik’s expression swiftly turned from ecstatic to smug. Which, if you didn’t already know, is only the most upscale and cutting-edge hotel in the world. Trust me, sir, when you get there, you will see it’s really at the pinnacle of luxury.
A hotel? In this economy? “Good joke.”
But sir, it’s true! Ik frowned.
The traveler narrowed his eyes. Frivolities such as hotels had been sparse even in the years leading up to his current situation. He actually wasn’t sure if he’d ever even been to one, but he certainly knew what they entailed: comfort and rest. In other words, it was likely too good to be true. But he decided to play along anyway.
“How can I get there?” he asked.
We can discuss that little detail, uh, later. Ik waved his hand dismissively, before returning his attention to the man in front of him. So? Do you want to book a stay?
His dreams of grazing upon fields of freedom had died long ago. And now that the traveler was stuck in his bunker home, a part of him had accepted he’d never see the outside ever again. But another part was fiercely clinging onto hope that he would.
“Sure,” he sighed, Ik instantly perking up in response. “To be honest, I’d do anything to be above ground again.”
The air stilled for a second, a nervous look flashing by Ik’s face so fast that the traveler almost didn’t catch it.
Well, sir… You’ll be pleased to know that my hotel is way above ground! The floors stretch for miles! His arm extended in a burst of energy, excitedly continuing: There’s the mall, the aquarium, the art museum–oh, I just can’t wait to show you my exquisite paintings! And the arcade!! Maybe we could take a picture together when we get there?
Enthusiasm radiated from Ik like the rays of the sun; something the traveler had sorely lacked during his time alone. For the first time in forever, he allowed some of that optimism to seep into himself, and a small smile found its way onto the traveler’s face.