shield || open || motive reaction
Mikhail wasn't sure what they were expecting.
The fact that there would be another motive was, of course, nothing that surprised them very much. After all, if this was serious, surely the bear wouldn't stop at just one murder, just two deaths. There was more to get out of this, wasn't there? Still nearly the full group left. Oh, more was coming alright, they just weren't expecting anything like this. The threat being put not against the occupants of the theater, but of those that they loved who were outside.
Pushing down their worry didn't work this time, and they knew it was damn obvious. They hid away in their room for most of the time preceding that, leaving only when necessary, only when something called them out that couldn't be ignored, and even then they kept their head down and their mouth shut for fear of what they might do otherwise. Only one thought was one their mind, only one feeling in their gut- they were fucking terrified, but not for themself. For her.
They couldn't really have Daryna, could they? They couldn't really do anything to hurt her. She was safe, she was home, perfectly safe, it was Mikhail who was in danger. She needed to be safe, what would they do if she wasn't safe?
Who will come save me if she isn't safe?
Perhaps the most shameful thought of all was that, the worry that with her in danger, they would be trapped forever. What did they have to hold on to without the hope that she would come to their rescue, what hope did they have at all without her? Daryna, who had protected them so many times...and they couldn't protect her now.
The third day with the wheel, they considered breaking the damn thing. Of course, that was likely to result in nothing but punishment for them, which was definitely not something that they wanted. Still, as the watched it go around and around after Nezumi had spun it, part of them really wished that they were brave enough to risk death and kick that bear right out of the building...
And then, the wheel stopped. Along with Mikhail's breathing, along with what felt like their heart. For just a split second, there was absolutely nothing happening at all, almost as if time had stopped completely, the only exception being Monokuma's voice echoing around the room as it declared who the next to face the torture would be. A split second of stillness passed, but rather than any kind of numb feeling spreading through Mikhail's body, any kind of fear, it was something else. It was rage, stronger than it had been even after the discovery of Kyo's body. Stronger than they thought they had ever felt it before. They sprang up out of their seat, glaring daggers at the stage, praying with all of their might that Nezumi and Monokuma both would be struck where they stood.
"You wouldn't! You wouldn't fuckin' dare! She isn't even- she isn't e-even here right now, she doesn't have anythin' to d-do with- fuck! Don't ya fuckin' dare hurt her, leave her the fuck alone! Y-Y-"
They didn't know what to say anymore, completely losing the ability to say anything at all as they stood their shaking with anger. Without another word, they turned and stormed out of the auditorium, but this time it wasn't in any kind of blind fury, this time they had a destination set. This time they were going to their room, and they were going to scream until their voice was gone. That is, if nobody caught up with them first...
