Follow The Trail.
~ x ~
The same repetition and the same hatred ate at him, he stood in the shadows, watching the two until it stopped. The beautiful smile and her arms splayed out as she playfully urged his younger self to jump from the wooden crates inside the barn. It was odd. The memory should have continued, but it was still. A pulse enveloped the entire room, again and again. Only one person could do that, take absolute control without even trying.
Leslie's returned. Ruvik had no idea how long it's been since the last he seen him, he hadn't bothered to think about it. He figured Leslie did something to invoke Dr. Jimenez's suspicion, but now, maybe the doctor reported back to Mobius about the strange brain waves or Leslie's odd behavior when he left the STEM. He needed to know. Would Leslie have that information, probably not. With a sigh, he left the memory and appeared in the hallway where he was sure the pulsing came from. It was easy to track him at times, but Leslie moved quick.
His lips parted as he noticed the scattered bodies, oozing body fluids on the floor and walls. A few twitched and from the foot prints leading down the hall. Leslie was not subtle in the slightest. He probably tried to be, but one of the monsters caught him and they attacked, Leslie having full control tore them apart and ran without looking at what he did.
Ruvik frowned, it must have been awhile since Leslie was connected to the STEM. If he was this afraid, but last time he wasn't. There was a sort of kinship between them. Although he did specifically tell him that nothing changes between them. He had to give Leslie some credit for remembering that part.
There was no point in staying here, he needed to search for him again. He set the traps up, the monsters and dead awakened. Their game would once more commence.
Ruvik appeared in the ward where Tatiana was. She was filing her nails, not noticing or caring that time moved. "Has he come here?" Ruvik asked, the entire foyer was silent besides the rattling screams of Fernandez, the man never stopped until he found someone interesting to speak too.
"No," Tatiana answered.
He sighed, where would Leslie be. This time he might actually be trying to hide, was there anywhere safe. There wasn't. The monsters will find him, the Shade, the Sadist, the Keeper? Any of them. Will Leslie scream and run, set off traps, leave a trail? Unlike last time, it was easy to locate Leslie. Laura found him, then for some odd reason, he brought in a demented version of Marcelo. Anyone who's connected to the STEM contribute with it, applying their own conscious memories in subtle hints all over the place. It was the first Leslie ever brought something sentient into the STEM.
He teleported into the ruined Krimson City. He watched the undead stumble, crawl, climb, yell, screech. Not so quiet from the tall building Ruvik stood on top. The wind pushed against his face, rustling his coat. He closed his eyes and went through all his monsters minds, locating Leslie faster. Only to find the Shade whispering his name, trying to coax him out of his hiding place. A flash of white passed the Shade's view, the clacking of its heels on the floor sounded as it raced after Leslie who scrambled towards the elevator. The last thing Ruvik saw was Leslie's terrified expression, his back against the wall as the Shade slammed into the closed doors.
Ruvik opened his eyes, he felt something. An inkling of insincere emotion at the sight of Leslie's frightened expression, it stayed like that for several seconds before passing. A wave of nausea and warmth. He didn't understand it, it was odd. With a dismayed frown, he teleported to the elevator, only to find it empty.
Where did he go? Ruvik moved rapidly through the rooms, halls and staircases. The monsters he found were killed, their liquids slush were in puddles, along with foot prints leading to the staircase. He moved quick and found the parking lot strewn with cars and fire. He could smell the dampness of stagnant water leaking out from somewhere, although it'll never go away since his memory focuses on what he remembered. He kept quiet, listening to the silence until he felt a whoosh of soft wind against his skin and heard a scraping noise.
He was close. Too close. Was he waiting? Hiding? He teleported several feet up and glanced around, then he saw it. The pulse. Unlike his own that was calm, Leslie's rippled with anxiety. It moved faster and faster, pushing the cars to the sides, the fires burned out then it was quiet.
Ruvik sighed. Leslie left the area, but where did he go. He usually screamed and flailed his arms, but now.. he's simply hiding.
Was he seeking somewhere safe? A place no one will find him so easily, Ruvik sighed. Was it the same place? He teleported on the dark path to the Victoriano Estate. The gate was pushed open and he caught the streak of white at the doors before it disappeared inside.
Was he this naive? Ruvik sighed and teleported into the house. He headed upstairs, not bothering to be silent, he opened the door on the top floor that lead to the library and down the left hall where he'd know Leslie would be.
As his hand grazed the door handle, he heard a small inhale from the library. He dropped his arm and walked slowly back to the library, he snapped his fingers and the lights turned on. Revealing Leslie on the top section, huddled near the portrait.
"Come down from there, Leslie," Ruvik said, he walked over to the desk piled with books and papers. Most of the things were his fathers books, but the others were his when he was technically alive, he studied a lot on the human anatomy. He glared at the dust and cobwebs littering the books, when he heard nothing from Leslie, he glanced up and noticed he was gone.
His brows furrowed. Where did he go?
"Nothing changes.. nothing changes.. nothing changes.. between us.." Leslie murmured from behind him.
Ruvik looked over his shoulder, Leslie stood near the hall that lead to the individual bedrooms. His hands squeezing his fingers, nails scraping his skin. He stood hunched over, head tilted to the side with a frown displayed on his face. He barely looked different from the last they seen each other.
There was still the tell tale marks of abuse Leslie had on his face, sleep deprivation around his eyes, red marks from crying, a bruise along his jaw, probably from the nurses or Jimenez.
That same feeling he felt earlier hit him again. Nausea and warmth colliding over his body, he doesn't understand it. He only ever felt this way when he thought of Laura, when he was with her, but without her, it was confusing. Why was he feeling this way towards Leslie?
Then it hit him. He looked back up at Leslie who was teetering back and forth on his feet. Looking agitated by the silence between them. Ruvik didn't have time to consider anything else, he appeared in front of Leslie, earning a small gasp that sent another uncomfortable wave through Ruvik's body. He ignored it as he grabbed Leslie's shoulders and pushed him hard against the book case.
"Did they give me something?" He asked, his voice hoarse while his fingers dug into Leslie's shoulders.
"Something.. something.. something.." Leslie muttered over and over. He tried pushing back on Ruvik, but the added pressure in his shoulders burned him.
"Think Leslie. Did Jimenez give me something?" He didn't know what he was doing or asking, but Leslie had to know. They were doing something, maybe experiments on his brain, but of what. The only thing he could think of were injections of some type.
If that was the case, why was he having this type of reaction to Leslie? Were they trying to influence him by injecting him with things? Different types of medicine or something else. He didn't know and he knew Leslie wouldn't fully understand either. Unless..
"Did they inject you with anything?" He asked.
If Leslie was placed inside the STEM, then he would have been injected too, just to have a full effect with whatever they were planning.
"Inject.. inject.. inject.." Leslie nodded while he repeated the words. His hand trailed down his arm and touched the vein where Jimenez pushed in the needle.
Ruvik looked down at his arm and back up. "Damn it." He moved away. He couldn't be here, he wouldn't play their game.
Leslie looked confused and maybe a bit hurt. The feeling they both felt weren't real, it was unsubstantial. What he felt with Laura was different, he turned away from Leslie and disappeared, somewhere far. Just to wait it out until Leslie left his mind. For now, he'll have to change Leslie's brain waves, he's easily frightened.
That will help.
.
.
a/n: Sorry for the delay, I'm having horrible writers block and I have depression. Both don't help with creativity. I read about Ruvik's incest feelings towards Laura and decided to incorporate it into the story, however, it'll take a different turn since this isn't about Ruvik and Laura. (Also, I don't like incest, but whatever floats their fictional boats.) xD
I have other Ruvik/Leslie stories on my Story list if anyone doesn't know. :) Check those out if you want. I'll be updating soon.
Reviews are appreciated. No flames or bashing please.