~ Tнє Pαяα∂σχ Hσυѕє ~ now back to regularly scheduled chaos

Nico listened, eyes not leaving Rae as she explained. He didn’t think it would be very easy to see people that way, but he was getting better. Then again, he’d always had better luck understanding people here than he did in his own world. They were more likely to give him a chance, so he was more likely to return the favor. Maybe it was just that he wasn’t feared here. Maybe it was the fact that there were still people who had gotten to known him when he was a child.
“You’re better at bringing the good out,” Nico murmured, scanning the doors as they walked. He couldn’t help but wonder the same thing. If the House made rooms because it enjoyed making them, or because it was an expectation now. If it ever recycled rooms for people who had never been in the first version… creating rooms seemed like a lot of work.
“I think if it did it would probably just start reusing rooms,” Nico commented, shrugging. He followed Rae’s point to the door, then gave a small nod. “Why not?”
It only took a few quick steps to meet her there. Nico glanced up, double checking with her that this was the door, then turned the handle and stepped in, making sure to hold it open for Rae.

Nico didn’t know what being a father meant to Kelsier. He didn’t know if it meant Kelsier was going to start ordering him around and telling him what to do and what not to do, and taking over the strict, often unpleasant parts of parenting. He knew that in some worlds, those were necessary. For children with normal parents, children who needed guidance from someone who had been there before and knew how to do things. He didn’t think Kelsier was going to start telling him how to live his life. Kelsier’s guidance, if Nico had to guess, was just going to be guidance, and Nico doubted he would be terribly offended if Nico chose not to take it. Something about Kelsier told Nico that he probably hadn’t spent a lot of his childhood obeying the authority figures in his life.
It was odd, Nico realized, that he didn’t know much about Kelsier’s family. He knew who his father was, knew he was a nobleman, and that was likely part of the reason Kelsier hated them so much, but… had Kelsier’s mother suffered a similar fate as Nico’s? Had she been taken down simply because of who had fathered her children? A muscle worked in Nico’s jaw and he forced himself to table the thought for later. If he considered it too much, a question might slip out, and he found he didn’t really want to hear Kelsier talk about his family history unless he had decided to. And unless he had the ability to choose his words for himself.
What he said here… it was harsh and blunt, and not like the way Kelsier spoke normally. Maybe it was how he thought, but Nico had never heard his words so unfiltered. In Nico’s opinion, it was alright if the truth was filtered, so long as it was the truth. He didn’t mind when people tried to make thing sound lighter, because that made the truth easier for both the listener and the speaker to stomach. This… what the House was doing… it was an invasion.
It was easy to hear the way Kelsier’s voice went up a little bit when the sentence was about to end in a question, and he waited for the House to force an answer from him. Fortunately, it seemed, the House had gotten the hint that the question had been rhetorical. It wasn’t something Nico was supposed to answer. How would he have answered if he’d needed to, though? He didn’t know.
“It wasn’t so much how you described it,” Nico admitted after a long moment, looking over at Kelsier. “I don’t… yes, the way you described it was rather heroic, but… just the fact that you got out. On your own. That’s the sort of thing you hear in stories, it’s not something that I thought actually happened in my world or any other world. I don’t… want to romanticize what happened, because… because it’s awful, but… it is heroic. Even if it didn’t feel that way, even if it really wasn’t at the time. Dad, I… I don’t know if I would have survived Tartarus if I hadn’t gotten captured. Maybe I would have gotten out, maybe it wouldn’t have been that bad, but… I got captured. And I was bait. Getting out… getting out of Tartarus had nothing to do with me, you can’t… you can’t call me a survivor in the same way you’re the Survivor, because I got lucky. I got lucky that I was needed for a stupid prophecy, because otherwise I would have suffocated and the only people who would have cared were in different worlds, or… or different times…” he trailed off, resting his head against his knees. “I survived, but it wasn’t because I did anything to deserve it.”
“Sorry,” he murmured after a long second. “I’m just… I don’t think I’m everything you think I am.”

Orpheus | Living Room | strider

Orpheus blinked, upbeat music filling the air at the same moment, his fingers pressing the strings in spite of the sting. It was better than it was, of course, but it still wasn’t comfortable.
He gave a soft sigh as he noticed where he was, and stopped playing, adjusting the lyre onto his back instead and shaking his hands. A quick glance proved he was alone, for the moment...he hoped someone he knew would blink in. Not that he was opposed to some peace and quiet, but he knew better than to try a room alone, and there wasn’t a lot to do in the living room when there was no one to talk to. And, knowing the House, peace and quiet wouldn’t stay that way for long.

Orpheus | Living Room | strider

Orpheus turned, a small smile appearing as he heard the voice behind him. Λ.
“Hi,” he said softly, watching as the detective stepped out of his shoes. He was glad that was something that could be done, in the House at least...he could tell how much more comfortable Λ was without them on, even if the rest of his disguise was harder to get rid of. It made him a bit sad to think how long it would take his hair to grow out to a length he was comfortable with again...maybe it would gradually feel better.
He wanted to ask whether there was any news, but...he didn’t want to make Λ think about his world anymore than he needed to, if he would rather be distracted. He settled for a soft smile. “I was considering a room...if you’d like to join me?”

Orpheus | Living Room/Hall | strider

Orpheus nodded a little, turning towards the hall as Λ moved to join him and stepping inside. He wondered, sometimes, whether Λ had come to any conclusions about the rooms, but...he would ask when it came up. Or when Λ himself thought it was relevant.
The doors all appeared the same, as always, and Orpheus paused, taking them all in at once. He hoped whichever room they chose would be a good one...but, everyone hoped that. He knew it didn’t work that way. He wouldn’t have promised to make it even if a simple hope was enough to grant a peaceful room, would he?
He glanced at Λ. He was getting better at telling what the detective was thinking, a bit, but his face was still difficult to read, especially when there was no tone to go along with it. Still…
“Care to do the honors?” He asked, facing the detective. He didn’t know if it mattered much. But if it did, he trusted Λ’s judgment.

Orpheus | Frog Room | strider

Orpheus nodded a little as Λ spoke, tilting his head just a little at the thought his friend offered. He liked hearing the ideas. They were interesting, and they usually made sense, even if they came from a very different perspective than his own. Λ wanted to solve the House, Orpheus knew that. And, it seemed, he was making progress, slowly but surely.
“What makes you say that?” He asked, giving Λ a curious look and catching the annoyance on his face as he remembered about his hair. He hated that it was necessary for Λ to be uncomfortable, but they both knew why it was. And the fact that he was still alive...Orpheus shuddered a little. He didn’t want to imagine Λ dying. Especially not when he doubted he would ever know what had happened if he stopped blinking in.
He pulled his mind from the thought. Λ was right here. There was no need to imagine otherwise.
“I mean...what makes you think it doesn’t matter?” He clarified after a moment, pausing as Λ picked a door. He peered at it for a moment, but he couldn’t see anything unique about it. He looked at Λ for a moment, then nodded and stepped through.
It was...dark.
Not dead of night dark. He could see, he realized after a moment, just not as well as he could before, because his eyes hadn’t yet adjusted. He blinked, trying to look around, and noticed...cages?

Orpheus | Frog Room | strider

“I see,” Orpheus returned, nodding a little as L joined him in the room. He did see L’s reasoning, and it did make sense to him, even if he wouldn’t have thought of it himself. “Do you think it has a goal in mind, then? If the rooms are planned out ahead of time?” His brow furrowed a bit at the thought. “I know it can see in our heads. And if they’re targeted, then...does it give them to us for a reason?”
He wasn’t really expecting L to know all that, but he was interested in the theories his friend concocted. Besides, he seemed to like talking about it, which made two of them.
He blinked, then gave a wide smile at the percentage. “That’s...” he paused, adding it up on his head. “...8% higher than it was at the start!” He finished happily. They weren’t excellent odds, but they were better. They were getting better, and that was what mattered to Orpheus.
“Are you somewhere safer, now?” He added, letting more serious expression take over as he asked the question. He knew L had been trying to find somewhere safe, even if that didn’t really exist for him at the moment. Still...something was always going to be better than nothing.
He turned, looking around the room a little as his eyes adjusted. He stepped towards one of the boxes, peering inside at the leaves and sticks and dirt and -
“Oh,” he said softly, startled as he saw it. He leaned a little closer...it was tiny. “It’s...a frog.”

Orpheus | fROG AAAAA | strider

Orpheus hummed softly, nodding as L spoke. He didn’t really like the idea that the bad rooms he had been in had been done just for fun, but he supposed it was a very real possibility. And if they were, then he needed to know that if he was going to figure out how to make it even, didn’t he? Yes...he needed all the information he could get about it. That was one thing he and L had in common.
“I wonder what we’re teaching it, if it’s learning from us,” he mused, glancing at L. If he could have read his mind, he would have assured him that he wasn’t bored, that the thoughts were interesting and he wanted to listen if L felt like rambling. But he didn’t know what he was thinking, so he didn’t say anything.
As long as the chances were going up, Orpheus could keep believing that L would be alright. He’d find a safehouse and he’d contact Watari, and he’d make it. He would.
His face fell a little as L confirmed he hadn’t found one yet. “Right,” he replied softly, giving a tiny nod. “But your chances are better now. So...even if you don’t find a safer place...you’re still more likely to survive this than you were. That’s something.”
He turned his attention back to the frog, feeling L come closer as he did. “It is small,” he agreed, turning to give L a small smile. “I wonder if there are any other frogs around here?”

Nico watched Kelsier carefully, wishing he could know where Kel’s thoughts were. Knowing there was an easy way to find out, but not one he could use. The truth may have been important, but it wasn’t important enough to make him reveal it the way the House wanted him to. He wasn’t going to let the House win. He was… mostly alright staying curious.
“I think this room-” was set up specifically to make my life harder. Alright, so no hyperbole either. Kelsier was right, how were they supposed to talk? He let out an exasperated sigh, deciding to try that one more time. “The House knows I like asking questions. I keep… almost asking you things and then remembering that I can’t, because the answers you give…” he breathed out, looking away for a long moment. “I know they’re your answers, but they aren’t really your answers. Not how you would say them. Maybe not even how you think them to yourself.” Nico let his eyes close for a long moment, grateful that the room had made him tell Kelsier the danger he was in but hating it for everything else. Actually… no, hating it for that too, because no matter how grateful he was for Kelsier’s support, he didn’t want to worry him. Didn’t want Kelsier to have to go through the next few weeks wondering if Nico was going to survive at all. Nico was already worrying about that enough for the both of them.
There was so much Nico didn’t know about Kelsier… so much he had never heard about his childhood or his life before Hathsin, so much that he wasn’t sure Kelsier wanted to talk about, and probably more that had just never come up. He wanted to ask about it, but how could he, even without the truth serum? There were things Nico didn’t want anyone prying into no matter how close to him they were, and he was sure it was the same for Kelsier. It still struck him as odd that they had started knowing only the worst about each other. The worst… the things they had been forced to share in that room… those were some of the only concrete facts that Nico knew about Kelsier. He had learned more over the course of their interactions, of course, but… most of what he had learned had been regarding Kelsier’s character, not the ins and outs of his life. They weren’t strangers. They were so, so much more than that. But there were still gaps, and as much as Nico disliked delving into other people’s private business, he hated how little he knew about the man he called his dad. He knew the important things, but he wanted to know the unimportant ones, too. Like… like Kelsier’s favorite color. Or the scent that most made him feel at home. The stupid things.
And then, just like that, all of Nico’s thoughts melted away and he found himself staring at Kelsier, unsure quite what he was supposed to say. His mouth dropped open and he stared at Kelsier for a very long time, tears building behind his eyes and falling before he could tell them they better not even think about it. He didn’t know why that had been his response, didn’t know why his eyes were wet, didn’t… didn’t know why he couldn’t seem to stop the tears once they had started.
“I… I can’t just…” this time it wasn’t the room that shut Nico up. He didn’t have the words to explain the feelings roiling in his gut, didn’t know how to explain that it was easy, so easy to believe he was expendable. So easy to believe that his world would heal over like he had never been there at all, easy to believe that his death was worth it if it meant his mission succeeded. You’re not expendable. Had anyone ever told him that before? Had anyone ever said that? He squeezed his eyes shut, trying to stop the trembling of his small form, trying to herd the emotion back in and contain it like he was used to.
Failing that… he turned, half collapsing against Kelsier with his forehead pressed to Kelsier’s upper arm so the tears couldn’t be seen.

Kelsier | Truth Room | strider

Kelsier listened, noting that whatever Nico had been about to say didn’t make it through. He knew better than to assume that meant it had been a lie - the House didn’t seem to care much about context. If it wasn’t true at its core, you couldn’t say it. Sarcasm and hyperbole were both out. Which was unfortunate, considering the two of them.
He gave a small nod, understanding what Nico meant. Talking was hard when you couldn’t ask questions. Especially for Nico, he assumed...he knew that the kid liked asking questions when it was safe to do so. And it was always safe to ask Kel.
“I know it’s not the same, and you’re right, it’s not even how I think, but…” The Mistborn looked at Nico, considering him. “If you do have any pressing questions or things you want to know...you have my permission to ask me.”
He knew what that meant. Nico could ask him anything and he’d have to be honest. But...he hadn’t lied to Nico, not before, and not now. If there was anything he wanted to know, Kel was willing to be asked in a room where he couldn’t help what he said. He hoped he didn’t regret that. He didn’t think he would, somehow.
Truthfully? Kelsier was willing to talk about most things. To Nico, especially. If Nico wanted to know about who he’d been before…he was willing to tell him about it. It just hadn’t come up, somehow. They’d been through a lot, but they hadn’t had much chance to get to know each other in the normal way. It had almost been...backwards for them, knowing the worst, deepest parts first. The rest...they hadn’t yet had time to discuss. Maybe they would, sometime. Kel hoped so. He wanted to know the details, too.
Maybe that was why they’d gotten so close so quickly. Because they’d started with the things that usually came much later, and so they knew more about each other than most people learned in months, maybe even years.
Whatever the reason, Kelsier was grateful. He was glad he knew Nico, glad they had come this far. He didn’t thank the House - it hadn’t been kind, he refused to thank it for anything - but he was glad all the same. He could appreciate what he had without appreciating the thing that had technically given it to him, right?
But that wasn’t what he was thinking about now. He met Nico’s eyes, his own lighter ones serious and very genuine. And he knew...he knew he’d been right. He knew he’d said the right thing. Even if it did make Nico cry, even if it did hurt to see him hurting, he knew these were tears that needed to fall, not stay hidden from everyone, as they might have. No, Kelsier refused to be grateful to the House, but he could turn his back on it and still love his son more fiercely than he’d thought possible. He could still feel the deep need to protect him from the world, from everyone and everything that lashed out at him. There was so much he was going through, and Kelsier just wanted to shelter him from it all and let him rest, for once in his life just rest and be a kid. He shouldn’t have had to fight. Oh, he could, Kelsier didn’t doubt that. But he should never have had to.
For the first time, as Nico collapsed against him, Kelsier thought he fully understood what he’d meant by calling Nico his son. He’d meant it before, of course he had, but he hadn’t understood just how deeply it went. How he really was willing to do absolutely anything for this kid. How he would be there for him, through this, through anything else, too.
Maybe neither of them had ever had a real parent. But Kel had never needed a role model. He’d always forged ahead whether he knew what he was doing or not.
“It’s alright,” he murmured, and he didn’t move, in case doing so made Nico feel like he had to move away. “Whether you believe it or not, you are a survivor. And you have my complete confidence. I’m betting on you, Nico di Angelo. Every damn day until you succeed.”

“I don’t think you’d lie to me,” Nico said, blinking in surprise at how easily the words had left his lips. He knew he believed it, but he just… didn’t trust people that easily. He didn’t trust that most people were honest, that most people kept the promises they made when they made them, didn’t trust that they were willing to uphold their word. He thought that people lied when it was convenient to them, because… because that was what Minos had done. Because that was what people did when they made promises they knew they couldn’t keep. That was just how people worked. But… he didn’t think Kelsier would lie. Sure, he might conceal something if he didn’t think Nico would want to hear it, but… if that was the case, then Nico couldn’t hold that against him without running the risk of being a hypocrite. He very nearly hadn’t told Kelsier he was in danger.
“What I mean by that,” he said after a moment, “Is that anything I could ask you here, I could ask you in the living room, and I think you would answer. I think you would probably answer more honestly there than you would here, actually.” It was unfortunate, not being able to ask any, but Nico would survive. “I think… it’s easier to have a conversation with someone when I can ask questions, because… I… there are things I want to know. Things I’m curious about. Like… I’m curious about your past, about what it’s like to be a half blood in your world. And it’s all stuff that I wish I knew before now, because… I don’t know. Because it makes me feel bad that we got to know each other backwards. And there are things that I know I shouldn’t ask about, especially not here, and… I think if I get started asking questions I might not be able to stop myself before you have to say something that you really don’t want to say…” he trailed off, realizing that he was rambling. And that apparently, everything he had said had been true, otherwise the House would have stopped him and he would have realized he was probably talking too much. Trusting someone enough to open up to them was a double-edged sword, then. You could talk to them, but you wouldn’t realize you were talking too much until the words had already left your lips.
Nico shrugged, trying to pretend like he hadn’t just lost control of what he was saying. It wasn’t the room’s fault. It was entirely Nico.
But that quickly became the least of his concerns, because he didn’t know what to do with the words Kelsier was saying. He didn’t know what to do with being told things that most children were probably told, but that Nico had convinced himself didn’t apply to him. That people were proud of him, that he wasn’t expendable, even if he believed himself to be. Nico didn’t know what he had expected in gaining a father. In truth, his expectations weren’t high. He thought Hades was a perfectly passable father, so he couldn’t really see what Kelsier could do that would really be that much better. As it turned out, he had been entirely wrong. If Hades was passable, then Kelsier was the best dad in any world. Which Nico thought was possible, though he was also beginning to expect that his standards may have been too low.
So he stayed there, head resting against Kelsier, letting himself feel like maybe he actually had a choice in what he was doing. Letting himself feel like maybe, just maybe, he had the chance to say no. He wasn’t going to. He wouldn’t be someone Kelsier could be proud of if he did, but the point was that he could, if he wanted to. He could walk away. But he was choosing to stay. Choosing to risk his life. Choosing to save the world. That sounded more heroic. More powerful. Even if Nico didn’t feel like either, his face pressed to Kelsier’s shoulder, his own shoulders shaking as he let loose tears he hadn’t known he’d been holding in.
“Okay,” he whispered, voice broken and hoarse. “I believe you.”
It wasn’t like he had a choice, but… Kelsier deserved to hear it spoken out loud. And Nico didn’t quite believe himself until the House confirmed it was true.
If Kelsier was betting on him… then maybe, just maybe… he was worth betting on.

Asami | baby......... | ®Hawkpath® |

Asami watched him, absorbing his words with acute interest and storing them away as fact in her mind.

"Your words contradict each other," she said, her stare not wavering as she processed it all somewhere inside her mind. "'Humans can't help fearing monsters'. 'I am not afraid of you'. And you are human - you have a human's scent."

She wondered if this human was confused, or ill. It was true that her humans would sometimes forget things, but usually it took more time. It seemed strange that this one was forgetting what he had said just moments ago.

"Is your brain damaged?" she asked curiously, still with the unblinking stare. "I have learned that memory loss is often the result of psychological illness."

Asami | Confusion | ®Hawkpath® |

Asami followed his movement, watching the little creature as he spoke up again, assuring her that he was not damaged. She did not understand, but he seemed to be finished speaking about it, which disappointed her.

She brightened a bit at the idea of exploring, though, and stood up, hauling her body limply into a standing position in a way that was slightly unnerving - more like an inexperienced puppeteer pulling strings than the way human muscles normally worked. Her arms swung limply at her sides, as if forgotten.

"There are doors," she observed out loud, one of her eyestalks winding around the hallway entrance as another of her tendrils wound itself around three of the doorknobs, registering their temperature and texture. "Do you know what is behind them?"

Asami | Hallway | ®Hawkpath® |

"Yes, human bodies are very fragile," agreed Asami. This was a fact she had become very familiar with shortly after her first moment of consciousness. Humans could get hit by trucks, and they could be easily broken, but not as easily fixed. "You are a delicate species."

One of her tendrils wrapped around a doorknob, opening it up, and she slowly made her way inside, climbing along the doorway like an octopus and dragging her stumbling body behind her without much regard for it other than what was needed to keep it undamaged.

Inside the room was a room - white and almost clinically clean - with walls all around them, and a single entrance leading in to what seemed to be a complicated network of hallways. On the wall was a billboard displaying a map, but it was flickering and halfway shattered - only revealing bits and pieces of what was beyond.