Within Reach

by Mable

"They will not be meeting with union representatives, because they will never reach one." Lost in the city of Nolybab, Abe finds himself stumbling upon the office of a union representative, Mr. Ryce, and tries to get his help. Neither of them realize the path this decision will lead them on as these two beings from entirely different backgrounds begin to develop an unexpected bond.

4. The Guilty Party

Within Reach

Chapter 4: The Guilty Party

…Except that Abe couldn't sleep.

He was tired enough that he felt like he could've dropped on the spot, but now that he was laying on the couch, in the dark, knowing he could do so, he couldn't. It had to be more than just thoughts keeping him awake- though they were loud and demanding. He tried to readjust to get more comfortable to no avail. He rolled onto his side, onto his back, continued turning towards the back of the couch, and winding up in the same position. He grabbed the cushion with a groan.

"What's going on over there, Abe?"

Abe pushed himself up abruptly at the sudden voice. He paused for a long second before awkwardly asking, "You're still awake…?"

"Yes."

The Mudokon pushed himself up further so that he could see over the back of the couch. He could barely make out Vesper's form sitting up on the bed through the darkness. "What are you doing?"

"Reading."

"In the dark?"

Vesper snickered. "It's not that dark to me."

That was curious, though Abe didn't ask on it. He just gave a quiet, "Right," and stayed half leaning on the back of the couch. He pushed back his ruffled feathers and caught himself before he could yawn again.

"I'd ask if there was something on your mind, but I know there is," Vesper remarked. "Want to talk about it?"

Abe was so close to declining it and laying back down. He was so tired that surely he would be able to get to sleep if he kept trying, but then again those thoughts would be back to creep up on him. He considered it for a long moment before finally answering, "Yes."

The answer almost surprised him as much as it did Vesper. There was a long silence before a soft noise that sounded like the other closing his book. Abe could barely make out the other standing up and walking to the couch, hearing him better than seeing him. Abe pulled his legs aside and sat upwards so he could sit down and only then could vaguely make out his face.

"Well, here I am. Start talking," Vesper lightly joked. Though his tone was assuring, and it was clear that he was listening. Abe looked a little nervous, which he saw through the darkness. "Just take your time."

"It's just… I don't know," Abe admitted with a sigh. "It's like I said earlier, whenever I stop moving, I feel… Like I'm letting everyone down. I don't know why. Maybe that's just how I am." He gave a shrug. "It just... Gets to be a little too much for me. I'm just one guy and I've gotta save everybody. I've got to be 'the voice of the revolution'. Or something like that, I don't really remember."

"So, somebody told you that," Vesper half-asked. The Mudokon nodded. "Do a lot of people tell you that?"

"The native Mudokons used to. The shamans, the Keeper, the Big Face, they're all counting me to free all of us. They're always sending me into old tombs to prove myself, then I come out and get these scars," Abe explained, raising his hands to show them.

"Huh…" Vesper remarked as he looked over the brandings. Suddenly they held a much different meaning than earlier. "Sounds like they're putting a lot of weight on your shoulders. Any reason why they can't do it?"

"A lot of the natives are old, too old to fight against the Glukkons, and they don't have the powers I have… I don't think?" Abe knew they had some powers, but he was under the assumption that they weren't capable of summoning Shrykull. If they were, they wouldn't have needed him.

"How old are you anyway?" Vesper asked. "I'm thinking young than I am."

"Uh, fifteen. I think. You?"

"I've got two years on you. Still, that's pretty young to take the lives of thousands in your hands. That's a lot of weight to carry on your shoulders."

"Yeah. It is…" Something about that validation made Abe feel a little better, even though it wasn't anything he had heard before. Maybe because Vesper wasn't going into a lecture on his task and his people, just listening to him talk. Vesper was unrelated to the Mudokon plight; he could say anything to him and he probably wouldn't get upset. "But it's okay. It's for all of us."

"All of us? The Mudokons, you mean," Vesper clarified.

"Right. It's worth it for us to be free. Just seeing how happy the others are and seeing them getting to enjoy things we couldn't when we were enslaved, it makes it all worth it," Abe said. He gave a genuine smile, though it seemed a little tired. "They're always telling me how great I am for saving them even when I tell them that we're all doing this together."

"So, they're a little more supportive than the natives," Vesper said. He started to get a smile, a little relieved by the news. Though then he became perplexed. "Do they ever help you out? I don't mean Alf and Toby, I mean the rest of them."

"I- Sometimes… Usually it's easier just to do it myself," Abe excused. Vesper hummed questioningly. Abe felt a slight tinge of something in his gut as he continued. "They get a little frustrated with me sometimes. They hear all these stories about me rescuing everyone and fixing everything and then get disappointed when I'm just another guy like them. They don't understand why I'm asking them to do something, or why I can't do something right now… But they care. They're just going through a hard time."

"Uh huh," Vesper said. He didn't sound convinced. That tone made the Mudokon even more uneasy. Not in a frightened way, but in a weird, anxious sort of way.

"…But sometimes I get frustrated with them too." Vesper wouldn't get angry. He didn't even know the other Mudokons.

"Oh?"

"I guess I wouldn't say frustrated. I just… I don't know, sometimes I feel like I've got to be really careful with the others. They get a little too excited and don't look where they're going, and it's hard to get them to do stuff unless I'm leading by example. Then there's the natives and shamans. I respect them and everything, but sometimes I wish they'd just tell me what they mean. I'll still do what they want to do, I'd just rather they told me what it is first… But I guess that's just how it is."

Abe might've shrugged it off, but he looked to Vesper as though seeking that final validation. "What do you think?"

"I think I have a great deal of sympathy for the Mudokon plight and understand why they might be struggling to find their footing outside of the structure of the facilities they worked in," Vesper laid out in a very business-like way. Before Abe could even consider a response, the other asked with concern, "…But do you think they maybe ask a little too much from you?"

"I… Guess not."

"I do," Vesper disagreed. He knew the other was about to disagree and interrupted him. "Abe, listen to me. I think it's great that your friends look up to you, but they're holding you to an impossible standard. As impressed as I am with your powers, there's no way you can save an entire species AND support the entire species and be expected to 'prove' yourself. What's that all about?"

"I mean, they usually give me some sort of power afterwards," Abe defended.

"Couldn't they just give you the power up front and then have you prove that you know what to do with it by using it?" Vesper asked. Abe didn't have an answer, eyes darting to the side. Vesper tried to stay patient, but his narrowed eyes were definitely not squinting from the lights now. "I'll tell you what's frustrating, hearing that you're driving yourself to a collapse because you're picking up everyone's slack."

"That's not what's going on. It's… It's hard to explain," he defended, and the other quirked a brow as though challenging him to try, which Abe barely saw in the dark. "The truth is… Everyone's trying their best, including me. The shamans want to help, but they're too old, so all they can do is guide me. My followers want to help too, but they've been kept in the dark all their lives. It's not just that they want me to do everything, they just don't know how to live on the outside. That's the Glukkons' fault, not theirs."

Vesper's expression was unreadable, but he nodded, exhaling through his nose and saying nothing. So, Abe continued to explain.

"In a way, we're all a family. Right now, I'm the one whose gotta keep us together until the others can help themselves, but I don't mind it. If I can do something that make their lives better, sets them free, then it's worth a little tiredness," Abe said with a small smile. "I can handle it."

Vesper seemed a little less on board with this, but gave a simple, "If you're sure."

"I am sure. That's why I have to keep moving. I don't have time to stop and think about whether I can or if I'm pushing too hard, because they need my help. They can't do it alone. We've got to all work together to stop the lies the Glukkons fed to us for all these years, because we were supposed to be something more, and now we can be! I don't do it because I'm some kind of savior. I do it because they're my burden."

And with one slip of the tongue, the whole charade was over.

Vesper caught it first and both brows shot up. Abe caught on right afterwards and his face was shot with a horror and panic that Vesper hadn't seen the entire time he was there. Like an existential dread took him over.

"Wait, no! I meant- I- I didn't mean that! I meant they're my brothers! I swear, I wouldn't ever think of them like- like that!" Abe frantically tried to explain. Within seconds he had gotten worked up into near-hysterics and was trying desperately to take it back. "It was just an accident. I'm half-asleep, I'm not thinking straight, I would never-."

"Hey, hey, it's okay. I get it, you didn't mean for it to come out like that," Vesper interrupted. This managed to stop Abe's tangent. A quick reading of his tone showed the same concern from earlier and no amount of anger or disgust. It was a relief and Abe hung his head, only to be brought out by Vesper putting a hand on his shoulder and leaning in. "But you know it's fine to feel like that, right? If you did. It's perfectly normal."

"…You're just saying that to make me feel better," Abe muttered. He looked away with remorse. "I called my friends a burden… They're counting on me, and I called them a burden."

"You're holding yourself to an impossible standard too, you know that? You're just venting. You should try it sometime; I bet a lot of this… This." He waved his hand over the Mudokon. "Is like this because you're not getting any of this out. You've got to blow off some steam or you're going to crack under the pressure."

There was a lot of pressure currently building in Abe's chest that he wished he could get out. He wasn't sure what was building, but it was like the slip-up had struck up something terrible. Eventually Abe couldn't stand it anymore and the words started to spill forth again. Though this time he had something much different to say.

"It's just so much," Abe admitted. "It feels like I'm in a little tin box that's slowly being crushed by a meat press. A-And there's nothing I can do. I can't leave the box, I can't stop the presser, and if I do get crushed then hundreds of thousands of people are going to suffer. Everyone's counting on me holding out just a little longer until we can… until…" The Mudokon hesitated as a look of distant realization crossed his face.

"Until… Never. I just, I- I can't stop. I can't die. One wrong move and it'll all be over, and then who's going to take care of the others? They're all just going to be killed or put back in slavery, and then nobody will know the truth, Mudokons will be eaten and tortured, and I'm the only one who can stop that, and if I make any sort of mistake, or lose, or die, or stop, then it's all over for everyone."

But instead of helping, this was doing something much worse. A creeping panic swept over Abe as he came to a horrifying revelation. "I'm going to be running forever… I'm dead meat running."

A crackle of electricity shot up his right arm from his scar. His heartrate quickened impossibly, pounding so hard that he couldn't breathe, and he began to pant for air, struggling to breathe. He needed relief and grabbed for the only thing that would comfort him and assure that it would be fine, his amulet, but it wasn't there. His fingers grabbed at his chest and found nothing, and the scars under his fingers began to glow.

Vesper pulled back his hand and watched in shock as Abe's scars began to illuminate. Small volts could be seen reaching out from his skin and licked against the sofa. All the while, Abe was continuing to spiral.

"There's- There's no- There's no way out. I can't run forever. Can't run. Can't die," he choked out between gasps. "I-I-I can't breathe. I can't. Help."

It was that panicked plead for help that snapped Vesper out of his staring and got him to intervene. Abe had his right hand clutched to his chest over his pounding heart and glowing chest scar, but his left one was clutching onto the couch cushion. Being the closer hand, it was easy for Vesper to reach out and take his wrist.

"Abe? Abe, listen to me. It's going to be okay," Vesper said. This didn't seem to work it his frantic state. A light shock passed from Abe's skin up into his hand and caused him to flinch. It wasn't painful, just a strange crawling sensation, very unlike the near tasing he received earlier. He squeezed his wrist and tried again, "I need a deep breath, okay? Just give me a deep breath. Inhale… Exhale."

It was actually the squeeze that caught Abe's attention enough that he processed the command. Even in this unstable state- he felt like he was going to explode- he took a shaky breath. His lungs were still starved.

"Excellent. Give me another one. In… Out. Good."

It didn't look like there was much of a change at first, but Abe's breathing started to regulate and he stopped gasping for air. Vesper considered this progress. He glanced down at Abe's hand and then slowly slid his own down from his wrist to take ahold of it. The hand scar felt hot against his ungloved palm and he ran his thumb over Abe's fingers. He could feel so many more faded nicks on his skin.

The Mudokon looked down at their conjoined hands before looking up at Vesper, who smiled reassuringly in return.

"Keep going. You're doing great," Vesper encouraged.

Abe closed his eyes tightly and forced the continued deep breathing. During which he turned his hand to clutch Vesper's. His clutching hold was surprisingly soft compared to his raging panic.

It was only then that the sparking started to die down. Slowly the static reaching out from his skin began to draw in until it no longer formed at all. The light pouring from his scars began to soften from its harshness until it was easy on the eyes. In this state it was almost captivating. Otherworldly, fascinating to look at, Vesper found himself staring until the light finally diminished away, like a flame flickering out.

For a few long seconds Abe continued to just breathe, and then he finally dared to open his eyes. They slowly fluttered open, as though he was afraid of what he would see, but all he saw was a dark apartment.

"Any better?" Vesper coaxed with a comforting smile and a small squeeze of his hand.

"B-Better," Abe said, swallowing thickly. He took another calming breath, still trembling a little as he turned towards Vesper. He only kept eye contact for a second before it dropped in embarrassment. "I'm sorry."

"Don't be. You couldn't control that, whatever that was… Has this ever happened before?"

Abe shook his head. It was clear that he was still recovering. His right arm now wrapped around his middle in a self-hug as he tried to still the shakes. He twitched like a live wire, or that was what Vesper equated it to. His feathers were ruffled too. Vesper would've thought it all very endearing if it hadn't spawned from what might've very well been a breakdown.

Though this brief moment of affection suddenly melted away as cold realization set in. Vesper felt it creeping into his chest, reaching in with frozen fingers and wrapping around his heart. It wasn't fear but a haunting thought of another kind, one that he could no longer ignore now that he saw this.

Abe was going through so much. Him, That Abe Guy, savior of the Mudokon race, was under insurmountable pressure and struggling just to hold on. He was the face of the real Mudokon plight: thousands of struggling beings fighting against a force of unnatural power that was a massive string of rich corporations. They needed help, but it wasn't help that any legal system or any sheet of paper could provide.

Vesper couldn't help any of them, not even Abe. All he had been doing was wasting his time and telling himself it was the right thing. It gutted him.

Abe looked over in time to notice the distressed look on his face. "You okay?" he asked, his voice somehow sounding even rougher. In a moment of self-consciousness, he blurted out, "I can leave if you want me to."

"What? No, no, you're staying put. I want you here," Vesper insisted. His ears guiltily slid back. "I was just thinking about things."

"What sort of things?" Abe coaxed. It was as though their roles reversed in a matter of seconds, and it didn't help that now they were touching. Vesper was always weak to physical affirmations; it ran in his blood.

It took a long pause before Vesper was willing to voice these thoughts. The whole time Abe waited patiently, not asking again, just watching and waiting for his answer. Finally, the Chiromor gave a defeated sigh.

"I don't want to give you another thing to worry about. You already care so much that you're hurting yourself doing it. Always worrying about other people. Afraid to die because you're afraid that others are going to suffer for it… I've never felt anything like that and here I am claiming to be working for the workers." He gave a humorless chuckle before his face completely fell. "You deserve better… I wish I could give you that."

Abe was surprised by the sentiment. "You don't have to feel bad about this," he tried to reassure. "I'm better now. It just… It got away from me for a second. I'll be okay."

"But you might not and I'm never going to know because once you step out that door, chances are we're never going to see each other again," Vesper said. There was a pause where Abe looked silently questioning and he caved once more. "Look, I've been here for about a year now and haven't done anything to benefit anyone, and I still let myself believe I was doing a service. Truth is, I'm not. I've been just sitting here doing nothing and patting myself on the back for trying. I'm no different than those languishing in the colony."

He took a deep breath as his voice lowered. "If I'm going to be completely honest with you, that's the real reason why I wanted you to stay. It's because I needed to feel like I was helping you, and even though I still think you need help, you don't need me. I can't help you the way you need. All I can do is put a bandage on an open wound."

"That's not true," Abe immediately denied. It was surprisingly sure considering how uncertain he was with everything else. "You just helped me with whatever that was. You've been helping me all day."

"Not with anything you couldn't do alone."

"I don't want to do it alone."

There was another long moment of silence. Abe's gaze held complete resolve along with a pleading assurance, as though begging him to understand. Vesper wasn't sure if he could, but he could tell that Abe meant it. He cracked a smile, if only because of the absurdity of it all. Sitting here getting buttered up by That Abe Guy- he would've never believed this would happen yesterday.

"Well, you're not going to be alone tonight. As long as you're here you're my client, and that makes you my top priority," Vesper promised. Abe managed to return the smile and it was such a relief to see.

"You know… I didn't really ask for this. To be some kind of terrorist or whatever they say I am. It just kind of happened. Just at the right place at the right time, I guess. Or wrong place wrong time, depending on who you ask," Abe started to explain. His features were gentle and hopeful. "So… Just because you can't help anyone else right now doesn't mean that the chance won't just drop in like I did. From what I've learned, all you've gotta do to change your life… Is blow up a couple of buildings. Maybe steal some stuff on the way out." The twitch of his smile gave away his seriousness.

Vesper choked on a laugh at that. "Ah, that's not fair. You had me right up until the end," he muttered. Then, without thinking about it and still chuckling, he brought Abe's hand up and pressed the back to his cheek.

The gesture was unexpected to Abe. It felt weird- significantly, not physically, as the thin fur on his face was soft- but not enough so to wrench his hand back. In fact, he almost wanted a better feel. The second he started to turn his hand in the other's, Vesper's eyes shot open and though he couldn't see well, Abe was sure that he was looking at him in either surprise or confusion.

Didn't stop him from cupping the Chiromor's cheek. He could feel the fur better now and it was definitely as soft as he imagined. It almost tickled his palm like the sofa did. Maybe it was the previous panic or the lingering tiredness, but it took Abe until now to realize that he might've just stepped out of line. Or maybe it was how quickly Vesper had gone silent. He would've drawn his hand back if Vesper's wasn't still pinning it.

Then Vesper made a decision, one that Abe heard as an inhale through his teeth. He removed his hand which allowed Abe to pull his back and didn't give him a chance to say anything before sliding closer on the couch. The two stared at each other, or tried to, for a few long seconds before Vesper began to reach forward. Abe held his breath, but still made no move to pull away, which Vesper paid close attention to.

He finally spoke, but his voice was strange. It was surprisingly quiet and hesitant, as though second-guessing whatever he was doing. "Can I just…?"

Abe wasn't sure what he was asking to do, but gave him a nod and braced himself as the other leaned in.

He wasn't expecting for Vesper to wrap his arms around him and pull him into an embrace.

Abe's pulse quickened again, but this time not out of fear or being overwhelmed. Just from the surprise of it and the warmth of it. It wasn't like this was the first time he had been hugged- a few Mudokons had shown their appreciation by hugging him- but it felt different than when they did it. He didn't know how to word it other than it felt deeper.

Maybe it was the fur. Abe could feel so much more of it pressed up against him like this. Vesper's nightshirt had ridden up on his arms and left plenty of it free to touch. Though that didn't seem to be it. Maybe it was the tingling continuing to spread through his skin. It was almost like his body needed it, wanted that touch so badly. So much so that he lifted his shaking hands and willingly hugged back.

Abe cautiously touched his back before laying his hand flat against it and waiting for the reaction. It was noticeable, with Vesper adjusting his grasp so he could press the same cheek that Abe had held against his own. Warmth spread through his face and Abe decided to take the plunge, hugging back and clinging to him like it was for dear life.

It felt like warm safety. Calm and comforting, like sitting by a cozy campfire while knowing someone was on lookout duty. He needed more of it. He buried his face into Vesper's shoulder and he needed more of it.

Vesper wasn't as unfamiliar to being touched like this, but it had been a long time. He hadn't done this since before he had left the colony and had forgotten how nice it was to have someone else's heartbeat against his skin. He nuzzled against the Mudokon's cheek and slipped against his neck. It was weird doing this with someone who didn't have fur, but the way Abe shivered from it, in a good way, was so much better.

Just two affection starved beings holding each other in a dark apartment, and yet neither of them had the care to think of how weird this might've been. It just felt good to be held. It quieted the intrusive thoughts on both sides.

They stayed like that for a long time. Occasionally readjusting, hands shifting and holding, absorbing everything they could from the contact, but not separating. Not until Vesper noticed Abe's grip beginning to soften and his breathing starting to slow. Only then did he remember what this limited time was supposed to be used for.

"Abe," he said. He lightly patted his shoulder just in case Abe actually had fallen asleep. He hadn't, though he was slow with his motions, humming questioningly and pressing his head further under Vesper's chin. The warmth on his throat was almost enough to get him purring, but he swallowed it down and steadied himself. "I know you're tired, but we can't stay like this."

This and Vesper beginning to gently pull him back finally roused Abe out of his trance. He quickly detangled himself and scooted back a little way with his face flush with embarrassment. He started assuming the worst until Vesper took his hand and stood from the couch, giving a light tug to coax him up. Abe had a suspicion they weren't going far but grabbed his bag just in case.

Instead of leading him towards the door, Vesper guided him around the couch and back towards the corner where his bed was. He gave no explanation, just a vague, "Careful not to hit that."

Abe walked directly into the side of whatever "that" was. He mumbled an apology, Vesper just chuckled.

They arrived at the bed without any further incident. Vesper pulled down the comforter further and slid underneath it while still holding Abe's hand. He then looked back to him and tugging encouragingly. The Mudokon hesitated.

It wasn't that he felt uncomfortable sleeping alongside someone- he had been doing so since his escape, with that someone usually being Alf- but it felt like he was crossing a boundary with this. It was one thing to sleep on the couch, but this would be leaving him entirely vulnerable. Still, the tingling in his skin reminded him of the warmth from earlier and how much he wanted it back.

"Are… Are you sure?" Abe asked timidly.

"I'm sure. Come on, it's okay. Nothing's getting in here," Vesper reassured him.

The Mudokon let his bag slip to the floor beside the bed and climbed in. It was much softer than any cot he had ever slept on, maybe second only to the couch. He sunk into the clean bedding and found it a little easier to ignore the nagging worry almost always following his footsteps. Though he only had a moment to relish in it before Vesper moved in and pulled him close.

He coaxed Abe's head back underneath his chin and curled protectively around him as the comforting warmth returned in full. Abe's breath hitched from the sensation alone before he clutched onto him again and pulled tighter against him. He couldn't really understand why he needed this so much, but didn't ask, just let it lull him into a sense of security. A low rumbling stirred deep in Vesper's chest; despite himself, he was purring.

"Better?" Vesper murmured. Abe hummed in agreement. Vesper smiled and trailed his claws through his feathers. "Good. Should've just done this from the beginning."

It was clear that he was losing Abe fast. He had a suspicion that was going to happen when he almost fell asleep on the couch. It didn't bother Vesper though. On the contrary, he was relieved that he was finally getting some rest. He continued to gently brush back his feathers, looking at the colors and details that he hadn't paid attention before. Listening to his breathing grow steadier and slower over the next few minutes.

He couldn't tell the exact moment Abe fell asleep, but he had a hunch he wasn't entirely awake to begin with. Now he was left alone with his thoughts. What a night; he never thought it was going to turn out like this.

Being that he typically went to sleep much later, Vesper wasn't exactly tired yet. He had plenty of time to continue relishing in this physical contact that he had been denying himself for so long. All while doing whatever he could to take care of Abe, even if the creeping realization that it wasn't enough continuously reared its ugly head. Vesper wanted to do more for him, and not because of any half-hearted excuse about him being a client either.

When he looked at Abe now, the last thing he saw was a client, or a worker, or anything resembling a normal Mudokon. His image of him was all askew, stuck somewhere between him stumbling through the door awkward and nervous, him possessing the Slig, and him falling to pieces on the couch. He didn't know what Abe was anymore except that he wanted to understand more, to learn more, to help just a little bit more.

He wanted more time. That was it, he wanted more time with Abe and he knew he wasn't going to get it. This was a once in a lifetime chance and it was about to run out.

Vesper must've either tensed up or shifted as Abe readjusted in his sleep. He tucked his head further under Vesper's chin until he was against his throat again. For some reason he seemed to gravitate towards this position, maybe because of the security. Vesper wasn't complaining and his purring reignited once more. It was a little less embarrassing when the other wasn't awake to hear it.

He stayed awoke for some time thinking about everything that happened before he finally faded off to sleep. It wasn't too difficult with the warmth against his chest and wrapped around his back. It all drifted away.

…

…

Until a loud ringing suddenly shattered the silence of the apartment.

The shrill noise woke Abe instantly and sent him into a frenzy as he fought against the covers and flung himself away from Vesper, fumbling around in the dark until finally dropping over the side of the bed and grabbing for his bag, prepared to fight back the wave of Sligs that could be running through the door.

"It's okay! That's just the alarm clock. I set it to wake us up," Vesper said. His voice quickly deflated and he sounded groggy, having not gotten nearly enough sleep. In contrast, after that scare Abe was wide awake.

He breathed a sigh of relief as the alarm was shut off, then got up from the floor and sat on the edge of the bed, bringing his bag with him. This was it then, time to go. Hopefully security had died down outside and he could get to the pavilion without much trouble. He wondered if he was supposed to just let himself out while Vesper went back to sleep.

He got his answer from a click as Vesper turned on a lamp on his side of the bed. Abe started to turn back towards him. "You don't have to-."

Whatever he was going to say was quickly stifled at the sight of Vesper. Apparently, he had washed out whatever he used to slick back the fur on his head and now it was all puffed out like a Fuzzle's.

Abe turned away quickly to keep from laughing.

"Nah, I'm going to walk you out. Just give me a minute," Vesper answered, not noticing Abe biting his own finger to stop the snickers. He got out of bed and fumbled around before finding and slipping on his shoes. "Are you sure you don't want to stick around another day or two? You know one night's sleep and one meal aren't enough."

"What?" Abe half-mouthed. He didn't even know staying longer was an option- a tempting option, honestly- but he knew that he couldn't. He shook his head and stood up. "I'm already taking too long. The others are going to be worrying about me and I've got someone waiting for me… Even if she doesn't know I'm coming."

"She, huh? Rekindling a childhood romance or long-distance relationship?" Vesper asked teasingly.

"She's my mother," Abe clarified, pulling on his bag. He looked over in time to see Vesper raise his brows at him. "She's with the Vykkers. I don't know why, but I'm going to find out."

It wasn't what Vesper was expecting. While having a very thin grasp on familial structures in Mudos, he had always been under the impression that Mudokons were born from eggs in nurseries. Maybe that was just a 'cute' little advertisement strategy Glukkons used so nobody would realize they were being taken from parents. "Gotcha. Think I'm up to speed now… What's she like?"

"I don't know… I don't know anything about her except that she…" Abe trailed off, but it looked like he was motioning towards his mouth. He shrugged it off and reached back into his bag to get out his amulet, unfolding his map in his palms. "But I'm going to find out once I find her," he assured.

Vesper watched silently as Abe put on his amulet and decided not to comment on any of it. In fact, the two chose to stay mostly quiet as the front door was unblocked and they headed out. Vesper pulled his trench coat on over his nightclothes, which turned out to be fine as nobody was in the hallway. The building was silent as they headed into the elevator.

They were only a few floors down when Abe started to chew his stitches. Vesper noticed it, assuming it was nervousness about having to go out, and considered offering again if he wanted to stay. He was beat to it.

"There's something I want to tell you…" Abe began, turning towards him. He looked at him for a long moment before taking a deep breath. "Last night you said you didn't feel like you were helping anyone and that you wanted to help me, but couldn't, but I wanted you to know that you did help me. Yesterday… Last night was different. Having someone take care of me like that…" He rubbed his neck for a moment before getting a tender and honest smile. "It was nice."

He wasn't sure if it was the sentiment or the smile, but Vesper's heart skipped a beat. "Just doing my job."

"I don't know about that," Abe said with a playful edge. His smile faltered a little. "You said that I deserved better."

"You do," Vesper insisted.

"You do," Abe said. The Chiromor looked confused. "You shouldn't stay here. You don't belong in a place like this. It's awful! You said so yourself. This isn't a city, it's just an empty maze built in a muggy pit. It's empty, it smells so much worse than anywhere I've ever been, one wrong step and you fall to your death, Sligs can just break in-!... And it's… it's gotta be lonely down here too… You're too good for Nolybab, Vesper. I know we just met, but I know you are."

Vesper wasn't sure what part of that took him the most by surprised, but the whole of it briefly left him speechless. It felt so reminiscent to what he had been telling Abe last night, but now aimed towards him and with much more directness and passion than he had. He had tried to coax Abe into putting himself first; Abe was firmly putting his foot down on what was best for Vesper.

He wasn't sure how to answer to that. After a moment, Vesper averted his eyes to the lift doors. He didn't want to look at he when he answered with a rather dismissive, "Yes, but where else would I go?"

Abe opened his mouth and shut it right afterwards, cutting off whatever his kneejerk response was going to be, seemingly second-guessing it. Vesper assumed he was going to suggest returning to the colony and then thought better of it. It took him a few floors to come up with another answer, which he gave while dropping his gaze to the gritty floor.

"Anywhere's better than here," Abe said. As defeated as it sounded, he stood by it. There was a short pause as they watched the lift doors open and both shared collective relief at seeing nobody outside them.

It was as they were stepping out, Abe coming out cautiously and looking around carefully while Vesper stifled a yawn with his sleeve, that the latter decided to answer.

"Someday I'll leave. Once I've found someplace better to go, I'll leave this city behind me and never look back," Vesper promised. Abe gave a partial smile but didn't seem happy with this answer. The Chiromor sent him a much toothier grin, forcibly trying to ease the mood. "But since I will be the city for at least a little longer, feel free to drop in if you need a place to stay. I would be happy to have you for a second night."

"That'd be nice. Wish I could," Abe murmured with a small smile. He could still feel the warmth, even when he was looking towards the cold front doors. He took a deep breath to steady himself.

Vesper looked at them too before looking towards the Mudokon. Even in this ugly, yellow hall light, he looked so vibrant. If anyone didn't belong in a place like this, it was him. How someone could go through so much hardship and still be so innately innocent and good was beyond him.

"You're something pretty special. You know that, right Abe?" Vesper asked.

Abe looked to him with those owlish eyes. "What, cute?"

There was a long pause before Vesper's face dropped to an unenthused look. "Okay, get out of here. I'm too tired for this."

This got a real chuckle out of Abe, one that he tried to quickly smother as he checked to make sure nobody was behind them. He sent Vesper one last smile- he looked so much more alive than when he came in the day before- and finally dared to venture out of the building.

He pushed open the door and crept down the front steps before looking around at the walkways. There were a few electronic lanterns to light the pathways, but the city was much quieter than before, with the only noises sounding like they were in the far distance. The air was much cooler too, with the damp metal almost feeling icy to the touch. There weren't any Sligs that he could see.

Once on the pathway, Abe stopped to turn back as saw Vesper still standing in the doorway watching him. He wanted to say something more to him. To tell him how much he appreciated last night, to tell him how glad he was to meet him, anything more than just leaving it like this. Standing only a few feet from the sign that led him to him; it was so surreal. He had to get going, but he didn't want to leave.

Unable to think of anything to say, Abe simply raised a hand with a wave and a somber smile. Vesper returned it, smiling with more confidence and amusement. He really hoped he kept his word.

Then Abe steadied himself one last time and then began to jog towards the lift he put the Slig in earlier, who was now gone. With a press of the button, he began to descend into the city once more. Much to his relief, he noticed that he didn't feel nearly as tired. He was ready for what was coming; hopefully the Vykkers weren't.

Vesper waited until Abe got into the lift safely before he turned to head back inside. He stifled another yawn as he got back into the elevator and began to ride up. He couldn't help but feel like he should've done more though. The Mudokon was supposedly an expert at this he knew, and he had seen a glimpse of his power, but the underbelly of the city was much worse than what was up here.

He wished he could've convinced him to stay. Then again, he was sure Abe felt the same way, probably wishing he could've convinced him to leave. Now Vesper felt guilty telling him about how awful Nolybab was, because it was tolerable for someone like him with moolah to waste. Now all he did was give Abe another thing to worry about while he was getting shot at.

He should've just told him he would think about returning to the colony like Abe was going to suggest. It would've been a lie, but it could've given a false sense of security. If that was what he was trying to suggest. That way he wanted to suggest something and cut off, looking away like he was reconsidering it. A weird reaction to suggesting going home. Unless that wasn't what Abe was going to suggest.

Wait, was Abe going to ask him to go with him? That didn't make sense considering how overwhelming he mentioned it all being, but that would've explained the flip from outspoken to reserved in the lift.

…He was, wasn't he? Abe was actually going to ask him to leave the city with him. What an insane idea, one that he couldn't even begin to consider. He couldn't survive out there in the wilds of Mudos. He could barely survive here in the comforts of the city. A nice fantasy, but a fleeting one.

Funny enough, even as he was thinking rationally, Vesper was currently pressing the stop on the lift and sending it back down. His heart starting to quicken in preparation for what was coming, being a sudden dash out of the elevator, out the front doors, and down the walkways towards the lift just in case there was a chance he could catch Abe.

But he was already gone. Vesper realized that right away as he looked over the edge and found the lift prone at the bottom of the shaft and no sign of the Mudokon. He was already long gone and there was no way that he could follow him. He slumped against the railing with a disappointed frown. If only he caught on to what the other was saying earlier.

Not that it would've changed anything, Vesper admitted to himself as he headed back inside and into the elevator for a third trip. He was disappointed certainly, but it wasn't like Abe directly asked, so it was fine. It was all fine, he realized as he returned to his apartment door, feeling physically worn out and ready to climb into bed and shut out the world for a few hours.

He stepped into his apartment and closed the door behind him before looking around. The blanket was still on the couch, a final reminder that That Abe Guy had actually been here and it wasn't just a crazy dream.

…

Abe was never coming back. The only person he had felt such an intense drawing too and he was never going to see him again. He didn't even give him his calling number, not even a business card, had every chance to stop him and didn't, and now it was all over. The only chance he had to do something worthwhile in his life. The only time he had been able to help someone and feel like it was all worth it. Vesper was alone.

There were the regrets, right on schedule. He had been expecting those to pop up, but not the gutting hole they left in his chest as he realized how alone he was in this apartment. Maybe it had never been about what Abe needed, but what he had needed. That thought was pathetic enough that Vesper made his way straight to the bed, shutting off the lights on the way, and discarded his coat and shoes on the floor before crawling in.

He just needed some sleep. Tomorrow was going to be a hard one, so a few hours of blissful nothingness was welcome. He closed his eyes and sunk under the blankets. He already missed the feeling of warmth.

Odd, he had it bad for that strange Mud, didn't he? Just a few hours and now he was going to be aching for days. Vesper turned over to lay face down and mercifully the world eventually faded away.

…

…

Only to come back with a sudden banging on the door. It was so loud and violent that it was like someone breaking the thing in. Vesper raised his head and muttered bitterly as he dragged himself out of bed. It was probably security who got tipped off and came back to wring him out. A quick look at the clock showed he had slept for hours- though it felt like five minutes- so it was more than enough time to find him.

Well, Vesper wasn't going to go quietly. He was going to go out there and lie through his teeth until the Sligs either left or got tired of his antics and stormed in to scour his apartment. Either that, or it was some sour neighbor who wanted to break down the door to ask to borrow something. Probably the Khanzumer across the hall who mooched for a living. Either way, Vesper unlocked the bolt lock and threw open the door.

It never crossed his mind that Abe would come back, but there he was.

Standing in the doorway was a different Abe to the one that left earlier. One that was scuffed up, feathers ruffled, drenched in sweat, and with his pupils twitching in a way that gave away the adrenaline in his blood. The last few hours must've been rough, but he was alive and looked to be uninjured.

Vesper's eyes widened as he stared at him. "You came back," he said in disbelief.

"I, uh… Surprise," Abe croaked. He sounded breathless and shaky, and yet he still managed to smile. Vesper could only stare a moment longer before he returned it, feeling the excitement welling in his chest.

"I can't believe it! I thought with the way you were talking last night-!" He cut off when he heard something he could only hear now that the door was open. "Are those sirens?"

"Yeah. They're looking for me."

"…Then what the hell are you doing standing in the hallway?! Get in here and we'll wait until things die down," Vesper coaxed. He boldly grabbed Abe's hand and went to lead him in, not even thinking of how desperate this all made him until he encountered resistance. Abe stopped him, keeping him from leaving but not stepping past the threshold, and Vesper looked back in confusion.

"I can't. They're not going to die down. They're swarming like bees out there and it's not going to get much better, so I've got to go while I've got the chance," Abe quickly explained. He looked away momentarily, glancing down the hall behind him, seemingly unsure, before meeting Vesper's gaze with a look of finality. "…But I can't leave without you."

"Abe-."

"Come with me?"

And there it was, he finally asked it. Now he stood there waiting for an answer, looking like he had just gone through hell or highwater just to get back to the apartment and he was asking Vesper to come out into it with him. With him.

"…Give me two minutes."