I knew it wouldn't be long before Eddie found Waylon again. I could almost smell the adrenaline on him.

So many bodies… so many god damn bodies.

How? How could one machine fry someone's brain to the point that they refused to acknowledge the fact that they had committed at least seventy murders? How? Fuck, Eddie. I'm going to avenge you. Even if I have to go to the heart of Murkoff and deal with it personally.

I can't say that I'm entirely desensitized to the blood and guts. When I was in grade school I would faint at the mere sight of blood. My head still scrambles and I get sort of queasy. At least the humanity hasn't left me completely. I've been in the Morphogenic Engine, but I wouldn't let it rule me. Murkoff always wished to achieve that whole "mind over body" thing… but I wouldn't be battered and aged because one company wanted to screw me over. Lucid dreams were pretty common in my sleep pattern as it was, so it wasn't that easy for Murkoff to tell me what to do. I had those pipes shoved down my throat once, and I won't be going back.

I noticed that Waylon had been trailing behind with his injured leg, so I accommodated and slowed my pace for him. He caught up to me and placed a hand on my shoulder, as to keep himself balanced. He opened his mouth and gave me a curious expression. "How did you manage?"

"What'd you mean?"

"You know what Eddie did, right? I mean, I don't know why you wouldn't be afraid."

"He did kill people, but I know what you're thinking. Eddie never raped a woman. Not one. That's what they made other people believe."

"Murkoff, you mean?"

I exhaled and nodded.

"Not even in prison?"

"There weren't any women left after the breakout. He couldn't have."

"Are you sure?"

I turned my head to face Waylon. "Yes, I'm sure. Now shut up… D-don't talk about him like that."

"You know it's only fair I do. What he's doing now is-"

"-That isn't Eddie. That's the Walrider. That's Murkoff inside of him."

"But it's Eddie's body they're wearing."

"Stop."

"Ivy-"

"I said stop! Fucking hell, do you think I like seeing him like this?! You didn't know him like I did! Fuck you, Waylon Park! Your words aren't Murkoff's fault and I won't forgive you for them! You should shut up if you know what's good for you! Fuck…"

"I'm sorry. You're right. All I see is the present. I haven't seen the past."

I couldn't help but feel guilty. But I won't keep bending over backwards to apologize to Waylon. He should realize that I could leave him at any moment, and I'm sure he does.

He spoke up again. "All I think I was trying to ask was if you ever had any relationship with Eddie… you know, besides friends."

"No."

"I know I got kind of carried away, but I'm sorry. You can tell me anything you want. It's all secret and safe with me."

I turned around fully this time, stopping under a light fixture. I glanced down at his camcorder. "Turn the camera off."

He immediately shut the screen and pressed a button. I saw the red light go dimmer and dimmer until it burnt out.

I sighed.

The shower water was cold, save for the uncommon blasts of warm water through the pipes. There was no curtain, only a waist-high wall that separated me from the person next to me. Thank god it was early in the morning and I was nearly alone.

I wasn't very comfortable being naked in front of people. I always felt like I had unreasonably thick hips, and I was always picked on for it when I used to play soccer in high school. Girly legs didn't really make for the perfect school year.

Luckily, the man beside me didn't seem to care too much. He gazed over at me from time to time, while I wasn't looking. I finally caught him in the act and looked back at him. "What, Eddie?"

"I don't have soap."

I rolled my eyes. "Jesus, this is why they ask if you need them to go the utility closet before they bring you here."

"I thought I'd be fine!"

"Well, we've learned our lesson, haven't we?" I grinned, handing him the bar of soap resting on the wall beside me. The water suddenly decided to turn warm. They must've turned the pumps on. The air was beginning to get steamy and humid. Amidst the steam, I heard a light thud followed by an "Oh shit".

"What is it? Are you done with my soap yet?"

"No, I dropped it."

I couldn't help but laugh. I had honestly waited all this time in prison just to hear someone say they dropped the soap. "Go get it."

"I can't. The floor's slippery."

"You fucking pussy, hold on." I walked away from the steady stream of warm water to look for the bar of soap, finding it after about three minutes of searching. "Here it is," I said, picking it up and heading back to my own shower. "Where are you?"

The doors are locked behind you until you're done showering. That's protocol. Without air flow, the room became impossible to navigate, steam and mist clouding your vision. I stepped forward, soap in hand, unaware of which direction I was heading in. I ran into what seemed like a wall, backing away slightly.

Eddie turned around, looking down at me. "You found it."

"Yeah… I did." He was fucking huge. He towered over me like a giant to a dwarf. I only realized it at that moment, as we had never been that close before. "Uh… this is weird."

"Is it? I hadn't noticed."

"Fuck." That was all I could voice. I mean, shit, I didn't know to either run back to my shower or stay right where I was. I laughed nervously.

"Your language is awful."

"You never forget to remind me."

"You should clean it up, Darling."

"Hell no."

"Stubborn." I felt his fingers wrap around my wrist. "Should I at least try to convince you?"

"You won't get far." I chuckled.

"Did you ever kiss your mother with that mouth?"

"Lame persuasion."

"Fine. But would you ever kiss me with that mouth?"

"Fucking. Try. Me."

I felt his posture change and that was the moment I realized that he was serious. He bent over ever so slightly and I felt the blood pump to my head. It all happened so fast. It was so cliché. A stupid pick-up-line and then… the fucking thrill. God damn.

Lips on lips, mixed with the smell of cheap shampoo and the humidity of the shower. Christ, it wasn't real. His mouth trailed to my neck and I hummed quietly, bracing myself on the wall that separated each of our showers.

A knock at the locked door made my heart jump and my head snap up.

"What are you two doing in there? We have a line forming out here and you're wasting all the water! Get out unless you're intent on missing another meal!"

My eyes met Eddie's. We fucked up.

"That's as far as it got. I swear."

"So I wasn't entirely wrong." Waylon switched his camera back on, checking it to see if everything was functioning right.

"I couldn't help myself. It was hot, I was horny. But damn I regretted it."

"I'm sorry."

I paused. "That's enough stories for today."

"But how about-"

"I said enough, Waylon. I've already said too much."

I hope I didn't ruin this fic for you. I was kind of planning to shove this in there somewhere but it wasn't really that obvious that I was going to. I mean I put romance as the category u kno but like… they areNT LOVERS I PROMISE I WASN'T GONNA GO THAT FARRRRRRR lol now im regretting this. I might rewrite this specific chapter just because.

-Hollow