"Just a little more…" said the therapist, encouraging their patient to pull the resistance bands tighter. Preston was already sweating bullets by this time, his breath becoming heavy. Just a little more. A little more, and he would be closer to recovering.

Alas, it wouldn't be so today. Grunting, the Omid gentleman's muscles gave out and he couldn't pull any more. He was tired. While it was necessary for him to build up his strength, he was beginning to wonder if it was alright for him to keep doing this.

His condition had stabilized. He could now walk again with the assistance of a cane. Preston's body was considerably weakened by Black Annis, and he worried about his symptoms returning. The growths that appeared along the large scar across his torso had been removed, but he was still permanently damaged. Almost head to toe, he was covered in sigils and markings to help prevent the spread of the almost parasitic contagion, and it was getting more and more difficult to move. Even after light physical therapy, he felt as though he were about to collapse.

"Alright, I think that's enough for today." The therapist said with a smile. "You've really improved a lot. Same time next week?"

"Yeah… right…" Preston replied, taking a moment to catch his breath. "I'll… I'll see you then."

He hobbled out of the room and into the changing area in order to switch from his exercise clothes. The man knew he shouldn't have done that last pull. It was difficult to put his arms through his shirt, and his hands were too shaky to button it. It took him ages to come out again, having finally succeeded.

With his cane, he walked out and over to the front desk where he scheduled his next appointment. Then he called a cab and went home. There was no way he could drive himself. He was too winded to be able to concentrate on the road, if he tried.

He made it back to his apartment building and paid the driver. Slowly, he made his way up the steps to the front entrance and he opted to take the elevator once inside. We didn't dare to brave the several flights of stairs it took to get to his flat. There was no way it could be done. He would definitely keel over soon after he tried, perhaps only making it one flight, at most.

Once he got home, he locked the door and took a seat, leaning his head back and staring up at the ceiling for a while. Preston couldn't be bothered to change, yet. He needed to rest, first. The man was only twenty and he was feeling winded just getting back home. Black Annis was certainly something. According to his therapist, however, he was getting better. Miranda said that he was as well, and he trusted her opinion. The growths were no longer spreading. While this was true, Preston couldn't help but wonder why he was having so much trouble functioning.

Currently, he was living on an allowance from his parents, as he wasn't suitable for work at the moment. Due to his illness, he hadn't been able to continue attending college, so he couldn't get his degree. Everything was seeming to fall apart around him as his aspirations became harder and harder to reach. Now, they seemed impossible, and it was all thanks to Black Annis. Perhaps he really shouldn't have saved Kris, back then. If he didn't, he wouldn't be the one suffering now.

Preston quickly shook his head. No, that wasn't right. His course of action was correct. He wanted to save his friend, and he did. If he didn't, it would be Kristopherson suffering now, not himself. That said, he would really rather not be.

Preston was sick and afraid. Sometimes, he was afraid of falling asleep due to the fact that he wasn't at all certain if he would wake up. It was difficult to move and he was starting to wonder if one day if he would quit moving altogether. The growths on his chest would return on occasion and he would have to quickly get them removed. What if for whatever reason, he couldn't, or they grew back quicker than before? How long would it be before he was covered in black armour and attacking people? There was no certainty that he could fight this infection forever, if at all.

Soon, his eyes became heavy and he nodded off right where he was. It was seldom that he slept soundly or peacefully, so this was an outstanding opportunity. No dreams; only darkness. He hadn't even known he had nodded off until he awoke again and discovered that it was nightfall. He sat in the dark for a moment, furrowing his brows and grumbling to himself that he would now have to somehow find a lightswitch before making an effort to stand up.

The man shuffled around the room, holding out a hand in order to find the wall. Once he did, he felt along it in search of the switch before finding it and turning on the lights. His eyes squinted as they were meet by the harsh illumination, causing Preston to turn the knob on the wall and dim them. A heavy sigh escaped him as he looked at his watch. He had woken up just in time for bed.

He started to remove his jacket and unbutton the first few buttons on his shirt in order to go to sleep. It wasn't as though there was anything else for him to really do. He didn't feel like doing much. All he wanted to do was sleep, despite his fears, and wait until tomorrow in hopes of something new.

Being useless was terrible. Poor Preston felt like nothing but a burden to everyone else—to his family, to his friends, and to society as a whole. Was it really worth helping someone who was more than likely destined to become a monster?

Once he got one arm out of the sleeve, his body jerked as he felt a stabbing pain in his chest. Both of his hands slammed against the wall as he doubled over and tried to keep himself standing. It was getting harder to breathe and he was soon in a coughing fit.

Quickly, he leaned against the wall and tore open his shirt before limping his way to the bathroom, covering his mouth and nose as he hacked and coughed. The pain in his chest was unbearable, but he desperately needed to inspect the damage.

When he got to the bathroom, he hastily flicked on the light before slamming both hands down on the edges of the sink and coughed into it. Preston's eyes were shut tight as his head pounded. He could feel liquid escaping his throat and he could hear it dripping into the sink. He was throwing up, wasn't he?

Eventually, the fit subsided and the pain lessened. The man wiped his mouth with the back of his hand, waiting a few moments for his headache to calm down before daring to open his eyes and subject them to the bright light. Sniffling, he couldn't help but register the taste of iron in his mouth which forced him to open them.

His eyes cast downward into the sink as it was now stained red. Blood trickled down the drain as it continued to drip from his lips. He wasn't vomiting. He was coughing up blood.

The Omid couldn't even scream. He couldn't find his voice. All he could to was stare down in horror, wide-eyed, until his legs became too weak to support him and he fell into the bathroom floor. His hand was still on the counter as he sat there, staring straight ahead. In that moment, he didn't know what he was feeling. He was so shocked, that he didn't know whether to feel sad or afraid. Before he knew it, however, he made a small whimper. The noise seemed to snap him to his senses, as his face contorted with pain, fear, and sadness. After that, the only sounds that filled the apartment were the sounds of silent sobbing.


A/N: Oh, hello...

Are you having a good time?

Not really a question, but:

"I don't know what you're talking about Hate-senpai this chapter is good, did you know that DLTD has it's own Wiki? because I came across it while putting your story into google and the first thing that popped up was Devils like to dance Wiki and I thought OMG it is so popular that it now has it's own wiki because that is amazing and just shows what an awesome writer you are and how loved your stories are. And I also want to see more things being killed and blowed up until next time Hate-senpai" by Goddess of Geeks

YES. There is a Devils Like To Dance wiki, and I would encourage you all to add whatever information you can~! We're still missing quite a lot...

Until the next chapter, my duckies~!