Romano had transferred to America about 2 years ago. He was 19 years old and in his second year of college. He had transferred over because he hated always being outshone by his twin brother Feliciano. Everything was always about him. But here in America he wasn't always outshone. Granted he had to deal with a lot of idiots. One of them was a man by the name of Alfred. He really disliked the man. They were both enrolled in an Italian course at the school that met on Tuesdays and Thursdays with a lab on Friday. It was currently Thursday, the idiot couldn't pronounce the words at all. It was shameful, a disgrace! And Romano hated him for it. Romano wasn't even in the class because he needed to take it. He spoke Italian perfectly! He was simply assisting the teacher for extra credit hours. It was the middle of class and it was a normal day when suddenly the ground started to shake. Many of the students screamed and Romano grabbed onto a wall trying to steady himself. An earthquake? In New York? This wasn't normal! Earthquakes happened in his homeland all the time but never here! He could hear screaming and he started shouting orders for everyone to get under desks. These Americans didn't know to protect themselves. He felt the wall start to give way and he paled not sure he could reach a desk in time.
Alfred had been busy writing out lines in Italian when it happened. He hadn't known what it was at first, and his stomach lurched as if he were in a roller-coaster. He shot up out of his seat when his peers started screaming, and he looked around wildly to try to figure out what the hell was happening. Why was the damn floor shaking beneath them? Vaguely, he heard someone behind him ordering everyone to get under a desk. When he looked behind him, that Italian transfer student hugged a wall that looked about to collapse. It hit him then. Earthquake. He'd never experienced one before, at least not one this violent. (In New York?) His heart pounded. He should get under a desk. He should help that guy get under a desk. He didn't want to let go of his desk. He was already unsteady on his feet, what if he didn't make it? What if...? A lump lodged in his throat. The guy wasn't that far, he could reach him in time couldn't he? Yeah, now, before it was too late.
: Romano had pulled away from the wall stumbling for the first desk he can see. He doesn't scream like the others. This was the most violent he had ever experienced! Most earthquakes lasted roughly 8-20 seconds, though they felt like a lifetime. He was sure this one had already lasted longer than the norm. What was going on? He tried to take another step and does scream when a chunk of the ceiling comes crashing to the floor barely a foot away. He looks up terrified as he tries to take another step. But the floor is too shaky and he stumbles.
Alfred, over the crashing and the screams, hears himself make an odd sound, some sort of choked noise. He hadn't been able to get under a desk, and neither had he went to help that guy. (Later, he would marvel in fear how lucky he was that nothing had hit him while he remained frozen with bot stupidity and fright.) When that guy was nearly hit, and when he stumbled, that was when he regained a bit of sense back. Obviously, not enough sense, because though he finally moved, it wasn't for safety. Quickly as he could, he stumbled his way towards the guy, grabbed a fistful of his shirt, and hauled him back to the nearest desk, very narrowly avoiding falling, or getting hit along the way.
Romano cries out is surprise when he hauled away from the quickly collapsing area by the same boy who tended to be his worst hindrance and nuisance in this class. He stumbles along holding tightly to the others arm. He is surprised the other pulls him under the thankfully large desk. It has almost been a minute and the ground is still shaking. The roof is quickly crashing down as Romano holds tight to the other who obviously doesn't know what he is doing. Is the roof caves in Romano is sure it will take out this desk. He pales as he sees the blood of one of the other students. Obviously less lucky than he and Alfred had been. He feels as if he is about to be ill but knows he has to save himself and this guy. Even if he was an idiot. "Put your hands over your head!" Romano calls out not only to Alfred but to anyone else still alive in the room. He assumes the earthquake position ducked over arms wrapped protectively over his head demonstrating for the idiot beside him.
Alfred stared at the guy (why couldn't he remember his name, dammit?) in mild confusion. He barely processed the words he shouted, and even when he ducked, it took him a moment to follow suit. Alfred made the mistake of looking around the room. His stomach clenched, rolled, and flipped, whatever in nausea. And with the panic squeezing his guts, he felt he was seconds away from either pissing himself, or crying. All he could do was follow the Italian's lead. He curled up so no part of him stuck out from under the table, pressed his forehead to the ground as he wrapped his arms around his head, and squeezed his eyes shut until it passed.
Romano closed his eyes as well curling up as close to the other as he could. The damn idiot could be good for something! And it was safer to be in a group because if something fell on you the weight was distributed. Romano slowly breathed out and started the old method used to get through these in Italy and slowly counted out the seconds. He had lived in a small town where they had happened often and they played a game to see how long the earthquake was. So you counted and whoever got the closest was the winner. It was a coping method. So he continued to count but it doesn't help as the ground shakes and shakes. He counts for two minutes before he hears a loud crack and the ceiling completely caves in on top on the desk. The desk holds for a moment before it gives dropping the debris on the two men under it. Romano whimpers his counting disrupted but luckily the desk had broken the fall of the ceiling so it hadn't been going very fast and it was a smaller piece so though Romano was in pain between the two of them he was alive and not seriously injured. "Are you ok?" he calls out voice muffled by the area and then just like it began, it stopped.
"Fuck no!" Alfred cried tremulously. Physically, besides some bruising he was definitely going to feel later, he was all right. Mentally and emotionally? Not as great. He whimpered when the shaking stopped, and he couldn't bring himself to feel embarrassed about it. Anybody sane would be scared out of their minds right now, especially if they'd never experienced an earthquake like this. Hesitantly, he raised his head, first seeking out the Italian to make sure he was fine. "What about you?" He didn't dare look around. Not yet.
"I don't think anything is broken." Romano says quietly. Of course the other was freaking out. Romano is sure the other has never experienced an earthquake in his life and here he is thrown into the worst one in the world Romano is sure. Romano tries not to think about the rest of the room sure most of them are dead or injured beyond saving. He hears crying as he shifts under the rubble. "Hey you are supposed to be really strong right? Help me get this off of us. I doubt anyone will be coming to the rescue for a long time." Romano bets that most of New York has been decimated. He shifts pushing at the desk top trying to get it off of them.
Alfred bites his lips, adjusts his glasses back up his nose, and nods. He bends a knee under him and pushes the pieces of the desk and rubble off of them with a bit of effort. He stands up on shaking legs, offers the Italian some help up, and finally he looks around the room, though he tries his hardest not to take too much in. "H-hey," he says weakly, "Is anyone else - anyone... Is anyone else all right?" He hears crying and whimpering, and he strains to hear where it's coming from, but the ringing in his ears makes it hard to locate anyone.
The room is completely destroyed and so are the surrounding rooms. It looks like it came straight out of a disaster area. There is more crying and Romano is trying to pop his ears. Sometimes this helps with ringing. Not always, but sometimes. after all the ringing is caused by the hairs in the ear getting blown down in a flat position so if you pop your ears sometimes the hairs will straighten and the ringing will stop. He plugs his nose and gesturing for the other to copy him. He can't help anyone if he can't hear where the crying is coming from.
"Dude... what?" Alfred says, looking at him like /he/ was the stupid one. Still, he tries to pull through the mud in his brain, tries to figure out what he wants. Deciding he was being irrational by thinking the Italian was just trying to mess with him (especially after this crisis, come one Alfred, really?), he once again copied his actions, because the Italian seemed to know what he was doing. When his ears popped and the ringing stopped, he looked at the Italian. "Uh... cool," he said, then returned his attention to trying to figure out where people were so he could help them.
Romano rolled his eyes as his ears popped and the ringing mostly stopped. "Ok, be very careful Alfred. Remember there are people under this debris. Try to only step in clear areas." he instructs examining the ground. "If anyone can hear me call out here!" Romano yells out into the room. There are multiple cries of here but on one from the room they are in. a girl's voice crying out. Romano frowns. "Keep talking so we can find you!" he calls and the girl does as he says. Romano examines the floor not wanting to step on anyone if they were still alive. Or even if they were dead.
Alfred can't help but roll his eyes, because /duh/, of course he'd be careful about not stepping on anyone. Especially because they were all - especially because - there was only one 'here'. Only one person answered them and... Alfred felt like he was going to vomit. He tried not to linger too long in places where he thought he saw a dead body, or blood. Quickly but carefully he picked his way through the debris. He almost slips on occasion, but luckily he never falls. He distracts himself by talking to the girl. He thinks he recognizes her voice, but he can't tell who it is. "Hey, we're coming to get you okay? Me, I'm Alfred, you know? And, and the Italian guy." He asks the girl questions. Her name, did she have any pets, what courses was she taking, is she all right? He even manages to get a weak, pitiful laugh out of her. He tried not to cry for her.
Romano relaxes as he follows the other. He thought he would be useless but he was proving himself to be ok. He was glad. He didn't know how far the damage was but you could often tell how widespread the damage was by how long it was. So he figures the damage was a huge circle. He listens to the girl talk not liking how faint her voice is. He wonders if they will be able to save her or if her injuries are too severe. The girl answers the question in between sobs. She answers that she can't feel her legs. They are eventually right above her and they can see one of her bloody arms sticking out and Romano thinks he sees her hair. He bends down examining the area before deciding how best to get it off without hurting her. He grabs a side waiting for Alfred to grab as well to help him flip it.
Alfred's shaking again. He squeezes his eyes shut. "Hey, Kara, we're here. We, we're going to lift this off of you okay? Just hold on." This is a lot heavier than the desk and the debris covering them was. He grunts, and it feels like a long time, but eventually they're able to get the damn thing off of the girl. He refrains from gasping or crying out on horror when he sees her mangled body because god, does she realize how bad a state she's in? No. Of course not. She's scared out of her mind and thinks she's going to die. There's nothing he could do to make her believe she's wrong. She's going to die.
Romano is careful not to cover his mouth in horror and shock when he sees her. He knows they can't save her. But he smiles at her anyway as he leans down beside her looking into her wide terrified eyes. "Hey Kara. You are going to be just fine ok sweetie? I promise. You're a little bloody but it isn't bad." he lies to her perfectly a reassuring smile on his face. She relaxes under the gaze. "t-then w-why c-can't I f-feel my l-legs?" Kara whimpers out. Romano is prepared for this and brushes a kiss across her forehead a bit of blood coming away on his mouth. "It is just shock. It will wear off after a while ok?" she nods her head smiling a little. "t-thank you r-Romano." she says softly. "No problem." he responds. "We are going to go dig others out ok? You stay here and wait for the shock to wear off." she nods again just a little. "I am so t-tired r-Romano." she mumbles words starting to slur. "Go ahead and sleep." he encourages. She closes her eyes and Romano stands calling out again to see who the next is nearest. But tears start to swell in his eyes. He doesn't want to just leave her there but what can he do? He can't save her just hope for a painless passing.
Romano. That's the guy's name, then. It was a terrible thing, which probably made Alfred a terrible person; to push Kara out of his mind completely and latch on to that one thing. The Italian's name. She deserves better than that. He had wanted to make friends with her, he hardly knew her, but he knew she deserves better than that. He sweeps his gaze around the room, taking in the damage. His friends, his professor. They all deserve better than what he is giving them. His knees almost buckle underneath him at the weight of it. He can stay. Goodness knows he doesn't want to, but he can stay, talk to her. He gulps, voice stolen from him, and... He looks away. Tears fall down his face and he tries not to break down.
Romano looks at the man with pity. He wants to cry as well but knows that you can't break down till rescue efforts are over. So he just pats him on the back a little before continuing onward looking for the next voice. They successfully save at least three people though Romano is sure one will die later. Both of the others stumble away searching for friends or trying to make it home. They can see black smoke in the air signaling that fires have started all over the city.
Alfred is relieved when they manage to save some people. With a shaking voice, he wishes them all the best when they wander off to find friends and family. Selfishly, he doesn't want them to leave. He knows he'll feel better and safer with more people around him. That's probably the only reason he hasn't strayed far from Romano's side. Yet as he watches them go, he takes a sharp breath and fumbles around his pockets, looking for his phone. He needs to try to get a hold of his own friends and family. He needs to know they're all right. Hell, he even calls up his two exes that are somewhere on campus, one who hates him and the other he's still good friends with. "Come on, come on, dammit." He speaks under his breath, bouncing on the balls of his feet. All he gets is a dial-tone, and then that stupid automated voice telling him he can't get a hold of anyone. "Fuck!" He shouts. He tries again, curses when his shaking hands keep pressing the wrong buttons. "Son of a bitch!" He gives up, pockets the phone, and - and he has to go, right now, he has to look for his friends closest to him, and then he has to go home with them. The only thing that remotely brought him some peace was the knowledge that his parents were on the other side of the fucking country. At least they're safe...
Romano frowns. "You aren't going to get any cell reception. An earthquake that bad most likely took out all of the cell towers in a 50-100 mile radius. Maybe further. I'm not sure. I have never heard of one this bad." Romano has no family in the state or even in any of the states. His twin Feliciano was in Italy and so were his parents and grandfather. They hadn't really approved of him moving to America but then again no one had. "Hey? Do you have a mirror?" he asks as he follows the other. He doesn't know where he is going but he has nowhere to go so he may as well stick close to the other. "And where are you going?"
"I need to go find my friends, too." Alfred snaps. "And then we're going home." Shit, what if he didn't have a home to go back to? What if it was demolished, too? He slows down his pace, shoots Romano a look. "Sorry." He says. The last thing Alfred needs is a fight with a guy, and he knows better than to take his anger out on someone undeserving of it, no matter how much he wants to. He sighs, slows down his pace. "No. Why do you need one?" Kara probably had one... His mind supplied unhelpfully. He viciously tramped those sorts of morbid thoughts away.
Romano stops and looks down. Alfred had to go find his friends. He wouldn't want him tagging along. Well that was fine. And then they were going home. Well that was fine to. Wasn't like Romano would be able to make it home. Romano shakes his head. "It is a signaling device. If you have a mirror you can use it to catch the suns reflation and direct it creating a kind of laser that will let planes and other people know where you are." he explains. "I will let you get to it them." Romano says mumbling a little as he turned away. Of course he didn't want him along. After all Romano wasn't his friend. Romano didn't have friends. He was just a burden on other people. He starts to walk away unsure what he should do now. Guess he would just keep searching for survivors.
Alfred mentally rolled his eyes again. Just 'signaling device' would have been enough an explanation for him. He'd seen enough war-survival-action movies and played enough games to get it. Did the guy (Romano, Romano, don't forget his name's Romano) think he was stupid or something? Jeez. He hated people who underestimated him. "W-where are you going?" He stammered, getting anxious when Romano turned in the opposite direction. "You - are your friends in that direction? I thought - we could - y'know... Stick together..." But why would they? Alfred had let the others go off, he hadn't tried to convince them to stay together, not when they had people to go to, people to find. Romano really shouldn't be any different.
Romano froze. "Idiot. I have no friends and all of my family is in Italy. I have no one to look for." he says softly. He did think the other was stupid but he didn't know the other that well either. But he did think it was a good idea to stick together. "Yeah. I suppose we could stick together. But we should really find a mirror. And why don't you tell me about the people we are looking for?"
"I'm not an idiot." Alfred says. This time he does roll his eyes. He continued moving along once Romano was more or less walking by his side. "Well, at least they're safe." He amended. They remained in silence for a few minutes, while Alfred gathered his thoughts. Thinking about his friends simultaneously brought him worry and ease. "Let's see: There's Mattie. Matthew. He's my best friend. Then there's Ivan, Toris, Liz, Kiku... Also my exes, Arthur and Natalia." As soon as Alfred started he just rolled on, babbling about his friends. It really helped to calm him somewhat, so much that his mind began to wander with thoughts of them. His voice lowered into something soft and nostalgic once his enthusiasm died down. At this point, he didn't care if Romano was listening or cared at all about what he was saying. God, he hoped all of them were all right.
Romano followed along listening to Alfred chatter on. He knew Kiku. He was a sweet boy. But he didn't really like Ivan he was terrifying. "Do you know what classes they had around this time? We can go look for them." Romano offers. He knows he would want to run off searching for his friends immediately if he had any so he saw nothing wrong with helping Alfred look for his.
"I think... I think Liz should've been waiting around the gym for her swimming course. Matt and Ivan should have been in some math class, in the section across where we are. They're probably the closest. Kiku's in an art class in the building behind them. Toris and Natalia are in, um. I don't know what they're in right now, but I know the building. And Arthur..." Shit, where the hell was he? They had a nasty break-up before the semester had started, Arthur rather coldly disconnected all ties with him, and so he never found out his schedule. That stupid bastard... "One of the other's might know about him," he mumbled, trying not to worry. "So, Matt and Ivan first, then Kiku, then Toris and Natalia, then Liz, and maybe we'll run into Arthur along the way." And hopefully more people other than them.
Romano nodded. "Alright. Lead the way as you know where the classes are." Romano says gently to the other. Truthfully he feels they will be lucky if they even find one or two of them still alive. But if Liz had been outside when it happened there was a chance she had survived as not as much debris would have been available to fall on her and kill her. But those inside the buildings? Especially those with no earthquake training? Highly unlikely. But he wasn't going to tell the other that.
"Matt! Ivan!" Alfred called out as soon as they made it to the building. He ran around to the closest stairs only to find it piled with rubble and the first twenty steps missing. Groaning in his throat, he ran around to the second set of stairs. They had better luck here. "Matt! Ivan!" He spared only a brief glance to make sure Romano was behind him, then he started to climb. It was a daunting task. It took forever to reach the second floor, and it was difficult to get inside, but he pushed on, occasionally looking behind him to check on Romano. He ignored the fact he couldn't hear anyone else. No groaning, no shouts for help... Surely not everyone could've... right? "Matt! Iv-,"
"Al?" A rough voice called back to him.
"Matt! Where are you? Is Ivan with you? Anyone else?"
"One more door down, Al. We can't open the door, is it blocked? Ivan's with me, but he got injured. He can't walk. It's just us."
Romano followed along surprised that a second floor was standing at all. He frowned at the first set of stairs and shivered at how silent the area was. He had never heard of an earthquake killing so many people. But then again he had never heard of an earthquake in New York. And the buildings in New York were built for snow and not earthquakes. So of course the death toll would be a lot higher than Romano was used to. But he still didn't like it. Not one bit. He followed him up the stairs shocked again that it is still standing and let out a sigh of relief when he hears the voice calling back to them. The door was indeed blocked but Romano is pretty sure they can unblock it pretty easily. He was more worried about the injury. "Yeah the door is blocked!" he calls back to them. "Can you tell me about his injury while we clear the area?" he asked as he stepped forward to start clearing it. Alfred seemed to have crazy luck.
Alfred sighed, entirely relieved Matt and Ivan were all right. More or less. "That's Romano, a guy from my Italian class. We're the only ones, too. B-but we did see some people, so..." Alfred stopped his babbling and helped Romano get the rubble away from the door while Matthew talked, surprisingly calm.
"His foot and ankle caught under some debris when he pushed me aside. It's not broken, but it's swollen pretty badly." As soon as the rubble was pushed aside, Alfred threw open the door and barged inside. Matthew knelt next to Ivan who leaned against the wall, injured foot outstretched. In the tiny clearing they sat in, Matthew had his back to the rest of the class. Looking at it, Alfred could admit he was surprised anyone was left alive at all. He sighed and rushed to their side.
"Hey man, looking good!" He chirped half-heartedly to Ivan.
"Shut the fuck up or I break your foot." Ivan glared. They both looked pale and ragged, but otherwise... they were fine.
Romano rolls his eyes at Alfred's babbling. He decides not to point out the fact that he knows both of them. Even though Ivan was terrifying as all get out Romano actually kind of liked matt. He was a good person. He stepped in carefully surveying the rubble. At that moment they hear a loud creaking noise and Romano pales. "The floor is going to cave. The supports are giving out. We need to get out right now." he ignores Ivan's threat and bends down to look at it. Luckily matt was right and it wasn't broken. Romano searched for two pieces of wood and then some cloth. He sighed and reached over and pulled some off of the shirt of one of the other dead students in the room. He then turns to Ivan trying to ignore his twisting stomach and splints up his foot. "That should help but try not to put too much weight on it. Careful now we need to get out."
Alfred paled. Ignoring how disturbing Matthew's calm seemed to be for the moment, he and Matt helped Ivan to his feet once the splint was in place. Crap, getting over the rubble was going to be difficult. "You look like you are about to piss." Ivan commented to Alfred, wincing as he was helped over the rubble. They tried to hurry without disturbing the ground too much, as they didn't want it collapsing on them before they got out of the building safely.
"Man, I think I already did." Alfred shot back, even though it wasn't true.
"You probably need to wear diapers for adults." Ivan retaliated. They bantered back and forth easily, falling into a sort of routine. Even Matthew got in on it when he could get a comment in, which was a bit of a relief. It occurred to Alfred that Matthew's calm might be related to some form of shock, be he didn't know well enough about that to tell correctly. He just hoped Matthew snapped out of it soon.
"Come one, just a bit farther guys. We're almost outta here."
Romano listened to the banter frowning. And these guys were friends? It sounded more like they hated each other. And Romano was pretty sure he would have noticed if Alfred had pissed himself. They are almost out of the building when Romano spots a small compact on the ground. It appears to have fallen out of the purse beside what looks like a girls arm. They have already passed it when he notices it and he makes sure the others are out of the building before he turns running to grab the small item before the building collapsed.
As soon as they were in the clear (climbing down this stairs had been a complete bitch), Alfred and Matthew set Ivan down to rest. "Seriously, though. Are you guys okay?" He asked worriedly. He squeezed Matthew's shoulder. Matthew, thankfully, responded to him. He didn't smile, but he looked like he was trying just as heard as Alfred not to cry or break down. Ivan lifted his hand flippantly and let it drop to the ground. He was okay, but really tired. Alfred smiled at them, glad he had them around and that they were safe. He told them the plan, they'd get moving once they all caught their breaths. Alfred looked behind him, remembering Romano suddenly, but he didn't see him. "Romano?" The building was extremely close to collapsing, he wasn't still inside was he? "Romano!"
Romano had to shift some debris from the area before he could actually reach the compact. He cut his arm on a loose board and cusses in Italian as he continues to work. He would look at the injury later. He finally frees the compact when he sees the support sway. He cusses again though under his breath this time as he works his way out of the building. He is almost out when it comes down on him. He jumps out of the door as he had been right there and only gets hit by a small amount of debris. When the dust from the building clears he looks up to see if the group had just left him there the compact still gripped tightly in his hand.
"Shit, Romano, what the hell were you doing in there? I thought you were right behind us!" Alfred shouted frantically as he ran up to him. He grabbed his arm, practically dragged Romano back to where he left his friends. "Jeez, man, you all right? You hurt?"
Romano is alarmed by the others worry over him. Why should he be worried? "I am fine." he says easily pulling his arm away shifting so hopefully the other won't see the blood. "I was getting this." he says holding up the small compact for the others to see. Its outside was a cracked picture of two polar bears playing in the snow. He flipped open showing the perfect inside mirror.
"Stupid, you couldn't have waited? Natalia and Liz probably have one." Alfred groaned, running his palm over his face. "Great, you have your mirror." He half-turned, brushing his fingers to Romano's shoulder to get his attention. "Ah, well. Come on. Kiku's next." As he walked back to the pair waiting for them, this time making sure Romano was at his side, he couldn't help but feel like he was forgetting something. Something about Kiku. Something important. Damn, what the hell was it. Matthew was already helping Ivan to his feet. He had one arm slung over his shoulders, and Alfred quickly took his other arm to lift some of Ivan's weight off of Matthew, who wasn't as strong as Alfred. "We're going for Kiku next. Um, is there anyone either of you two want to find? By the way, please tell me one of you knows where Arthur might be?"
"No one I care too much about." Ivan said. Matthew replied the same. They probably did have friends, but Alfred knew for a fact they weren't as close to their other friends as they were to each other. It had always been just the eight of them, seven if Alfred excluded Arthur, but he wouldn't.
"As far as I know, Arthur was supposed to be on his way to the science building from the soccer field. If we do run into him, it should be between here and Liz." Alfred nodded, and they fell into science, though he heard Matthew try to make conversation with Romano.
Romano follows along holding the compact close scowling at the other. He didn't know how important a mirror was! And he was pretty sure Liz wouldn't have has a mirror on the way to swimming. After all you didn't wear make up to swim. He flushed when the other touched his shoulder. He was Italian and yes they tended to show affection but Romano had never been fully comfortable with it. He chatted with Mathew happily as he liked Mathew. They had taken a course together last semester. That had been the closest he had ever come to being friends with someone at this school. They are almost to the fallen art building when the ground starts to shake again. "Aftershock!" Romano calls out. He gestures for them to get down just in case though he doesn't see anything that could fall on them besides the trees.
"Oh, fuck you guys!" Ivan groaned as Matthew and Alfred did as told, thus dragging him down with them. He hadn't had a chance to brace himself, so a bit of pain shot up viciously through his leg. The aftershock died out after a few heart-stopping moments. Alfred apologized out of reflex, not really caring. If it meant surviving then Ivan would just have to deal with the damn pain.
Romano relaxes when the aftershock dies out and he stands moving over to help the others get to their feet. "Sorry." He says to Ivan. "We can raid a drug store later on and get you some pain killers." He says to him before turning back to al and Matt. "Ok. So Kiku is in this building right? Where is ha classroom does anybody know?" He asks softly.
"That's what I don't remember." Alfred said.
"Isn't there an underground level?" Matthew said after a moment's silence. He reached up to force Ivan's head down so he could better meet Alfred's eyes. Alfred frowned at him, eyes flickering over Matthew's face, trying to figure out what he was getting at. Once the pieces clicked into place, Alfred's stomach dropped.
"He's - he's down there isn't he?" He croaked. Although... Kiku's from Japan. They're always having earthquake's there right? He was probably better equipped than anyone on their group, besides Romano it seemed, to survive in something like this.
"Maybe we're lucky and he decided he needed to take piss and left class." Ivan suggested, voice a bit muffled. His head was still down.
"What the hell is it with you and taking pisses?" Matthew voiced Alfred's thoughts exactly.
Romano looked at them. If Kiku was in the underground level than he had very little chance of surviving. Not because the ground above them would collapse though that was a possibility, but because the entrances get blocked so badly. It was almost impossible to conduct a rescue of anyone underground. Not to mention there tended to be lots of chemicals and boilers in the underground levels and if something burst the gases will kill those trapped down there. He listened to them banter and spoke up to the whole group, "possible he is so damn obsessed with pissing because he needs to?" he offers. "Though he might need help taking it. You willing Alfred?" he says as he glances at the art building. He doesn't know this area at all and waited for someone to point to the entrance to the underground area.
Alfred actually laughed. Even Matthew snickered. Ivan told them all to shut up and tried to shove him off. The slightest movement caused him pain, however, so he quickly stopped. Along the way, miraculously so, Alfred caught glimpses of people here and there, a few pairs or small groups. He always called out to them, and they responded. So far, most of the few people they'd seen were okay. Good. That was good. A few was better than none, right? He made sure to wish them all good luck.
"I think this is it." Alfred said, when they paused at the top of the stairs to the entrance to the level below. Matthew agreed. "We're gonna put you down, Ivan. Don't go anywhere."
"So what now?" Matthew asked of Romano, since he seemed to know a little more than they did about this to get around.
"Well first things first. Was there only one room down there or multiple?" Romano asks Mathew since he seems to know more about the area than Alfred did. Granted Romano didn't think it was hard to know more than Alfred. The entire stair area is caved in but there isn't a sinkhole which means that the bottom floors didn't cave in. so as long as no pipelines were broken they had a chance to save them. He bent down sniffing the debris. He didn't smell anything right away that was odd but that didn't always mean anything. He turns to them. Still waiting for Matthews answer.
"Multiple." Matthew said after a slight pause. He remembered Kiku telling them one the weekend of the first week that he wandered up and down the hall thrice before he found his class. He had come down from the opposite side and some rude students were no help either. "I think he was the first room on this end. Left side." Beside Matthew, as Alfred listened to their conversation, he was busy stretching his arms, getting ready to do some heavy lifting if he had to. He really hoped Kiku and others were okay down there.
Romano frowned. That means there is more likely to be a pipe that can bust. "Ok. Well I don't smell sulfur or anything so I think there is a high possibility they are ok down there. May have fared better than us up here." he says as he starts to carefully shift the debris out of the way. "Be careful the ceiling could cave at any time and if you smell anything strange you need to get back to surface immediately because it means everyone down there is dead."
"Way to keep hope alive man!" Alfred faux cheers. The three of them got to work. Still, Alfred heeds Romano's directions. When they finally reach the ground, he goes ahead, keeping Matthew and Romano behind him. Even if Romano knew what he was doing better than him, that just meant he'd be more valuable alive than dead, he'd be able to keep everyone alive longer than Alfred could, no matter how much it wounded his pride to admit it, even to himself. He had a vague understanding of what Romano meant. Some kind of fatal gas. He thinks he remembers reading an article about it or hearing something like it on the news or in some show. He sighs, and has to use his whole body to try to get the door open. It's a bit damaged.
Romano follows down the hall which is barely damaged even if it looks a bit unsteady. He cautiously sniffs trying to detect everything before if kills them. He watches him try to pry open the door. "Is this Kiku's class room?" he asked Mathew softly still glancing around nervously.
"Yeah," Matthew said. He joins Alfred so they could hurry, he didn't want to take any chances. With both their weight, they get the door open. Alfred yelped in triumph as he stumbled in, and yelled for Kiku, not paying attention to anything else. "Kiku!"
The room is dark as all the lights had gone out during the earthquake, Romano rolls his eyes at Alfred. He takes it back. Alfred was more of an idiot than he realized. After a moments silence a soft voice calls out of the dark "al-kun?" Kiku's voice asks. A moment later a gentle hand touches his arm and Alfred can see his faint outline. There is a cheer resounding in the room. Most of the occupants here had survived since the room hadn't caved and being an art room they had a very strong table to hide under so falling debris didn't really hit any of them. Romano smiles in relief as the students start stumbling out of the room.
(What do you think? Should I keep going with this? Reviews appreciated!)