You glance down at the crumpled up note that you’d messily pocketed when some stranger had shoved it into your hands. It was weird at the time, but now every time you looked at it a deep sense of dread threatens to drown you. You’d only read it when you got home, curiosity peaked. You can’t decide if you’d rather have just thrown it away. You assume he would have just found another way to contact you regardless. You linger on it a moment longer, before looking up at Moon. He was finally asleep on the couch after tirelessly trying to find Eclipse.
There were sightings everywhere apparently, as told by many of Moons… associates. It seemed like Eclipse was making the point to visit every other criminal under the sun, and was actively trying to avoid Moon. Every lead always ended the same, with Moon being a second too late. You’d never seen him so focused and yet… it seemed like he was in a haze. You think that if Moon stopped for even a moment to breathe he’d crumble, but at the pace he’s going… he won’t last much longer like this. You’re worried that because he’s so out of it, he’ll slip up with the wrong people and get hurt or… worse. The thought makes your stomach churn. So you grab your coat, open the front door as quietly as you can, then slip away into the night.
Walking the city at night had never been your favorite. It was usually filled with crime and, well… people in general. But for some reason, the streets were eerily silent. It was actually kind of… peaceful? In a “I feel like I’m the last person on earth,” kinda way. You know there’s a word for it… Liminal! Yeah, something was off. Even all the shops and restaurants were closed, and you knew for a fact it wasn’t a holiday. At least… you were pretty sure it wasn’t. You reach into your coat pocket and pull out the even more crumpled note. You re-read it over and over, it had to be him right? Suddenly you’re second guessing yourself. This was so stupid wasn’t it? The note had information that only Eclipse could know though… still, going out at night wasn’t ideal but it was the time he’d specified.
You turn a corner and take in the bridge. It was… the bridge you’d first met Moon at. How… how did he know about that? You’re starting to realize that maybe the route you took being empty wasn’t entirely a coincidence. You realize you’ve felt eyes on you from an unseen place for quite some time, and the paranoia you feel spikes to an all time high. Once you actually laid eyes on the figure in the distance you immediately thought about turning around and going home. You then have the second thought that now that you’re here, he probably wasn’t gonna let you go without talking to you first. Especially now that you’ve realized he is definitely not alone despite how empty the area seems. You cross your arms and hug yourself, as a chill runs down your spine despite your thick coat.
Shoving your hands in the pockets of your jacket, you try desperately to hide how badly you were shaking. You had no idea what you’d gotten yourself into, and you had no idea if Eclipse was out to hurt you or… whatever else hitmen do. You are relying solely upon your relationship with Moon to keep you safe, but you were unsure if Eclipse even cared about that or not. You can feel tears welling up in the corners of your eyes, but you will them away. Moon had said that when around the types of people he had to work with, any sign of weakness was immediately preyed upon. You take a trembling breath, think about how much you wish Moon was here with you, and exhale. It doesn’t make you feel much better, but at least you don’t feel like you’re gonna cry anymore.
Once you get close the animatronic finally looks up at you. You freeze like a deer in the headlights when he does, and immediately a grin forms on his face. He lounges against the concrete wall behind him and stares you down. Awkwardly, you give a little wave, and for a second you swear his expression softens. It’s so minuscule you almost second guess seeing it, but you try to convince yourself it was real if not for your own nerves. You fidget with your hands as you two sit there in silence. You’d try to strike conversation, however you know if you spoke your voice would betray just how scared you were. He makes no move to speak either though, content to study you for the time being.
You do the same with him, trying to see the same person in the photo at Moons. Truthfully, while they looked similar there was something fundamentally different between them and you couldn’t place what for the life of you. You narrow your eyes trying to figure it out. He tilts his head slightly at your expression, amusement evident on his face. As he does, the moonlight catches on the left side of his face.
“Your eye!” You blurt without thinking, and he actually jumps at your out burst. You slap your hands over your mouth and immediately try to explain yourself. “Wait- I meant, you… your eye it’s, different…” you trail off a bit as he watches you with curiosity, still not having said a word. “It’s not like that in the photo.” Your voice is barely above a whisper, but evidently he hears you as his eyes widen slightly. He chuckles softly and his eyes travel from somewhere behind you to your face, then he finally says his first words of the night.
“It’s a nice night for a walk, would ya mind if I joined you?” When he rises he absolutely towers over you, and standing next to him fills you with a strong sense of foreboding. The smell of gasoline and ash do little to soothe the feeling. At least it doesn’t seem like he’s in the… killing or maiming mood. Small victories, you think as you start on your walk. You have a feeling it’s gonna be a long night.
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