Salvage Union: Firebrands Part One

"You're a little puzzle box, aren't you." Broil's smile was warm. Their tone was joking. It made Wrench's skin crawl.

The room was more appointed at this point; a bed to lie on, cushions to sit on, sheets, a fan, books. Small things, small comforts. Wrench wanted to be anywhere else. He wanted to grab Broil's neck and squeeze and shake until he broke every bone and blood vessel in their head. Instead he lay down on the bed, curled up and breathing hard.

Broil sat on their cushion, fiddled with the deck of cards and waited. "I can leave you alone if you want. Problem is, if I go, leave you unsupervised, then you have to sleep for a while."

Wrench didn't say anything. He willed with every fiber of his body that Broil would drop dead. He wished he could say anything at all to make it stop. He thought about begging for the Angel to stay, to ensure he was still here, still real. He would do anything, say anything to ensure there would be nothing lost in the gaps between now and then.

He said nothing and stared at the wall, his own thoughts burning inside of him like a lit coal.

Broil shuffled the cards and started building a tower again. When it was complete, they started again.

After the seventh tower, Wrench kicked a foot out. "Leave me alone."

Broil nodded, dusted their hands off and drew the cards back into their hands right up off the floor. "Can do. I'll see you again when you're ready to talk some more. It's just like going to sleep. Promise."

Wrench didn't even see them leave. He blinked once, twice, three times, and then didn't open his eyes again.

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