Nails clawed into his scalp, and he swore he could feel the pulsing of his own brain underneath. Every breath, loud and shaky in his ears.
The seal of the door hissed as it opened, glancing up, he twitched, lifting his head just enough to see the legs of who stood there.
He didn't get a response, the other paused. Frowning at the state of him.
The waves of disappointment made his lungs tightened like a vice.
“Don't just stand there- staring at me. They sent you here for something.”
A sigh passed the others pursed lips, a deep inhale, clearly trying to remain calm. “They didn’t..send me .. I came to see how you were doing.”
His fingers flew from his hair, a few strands falling onto the floor with his own grasp. Glancing up at Cian with a painful burn in his eyes.
“What would you know?- I’m fine. I'm only ever going to be fine.”
Though the words stung, he tried to hold firm. “That's not true.”
Iz slowly stood. Fingers balled, nails pressing into his own palm, wishing he could draw just a few droplets of blood. Cian was almost certain he’d fall over with how pale his skin looked.
“It isn't? Please, tell me how the fuck I'm ever going to not be stuck, in this shithole. You can't get me out, you’d die trying. And to be honest it's not even worth the risk.”
Cian swallowed. Although perhaps correct, he was still convinced there was a way. He just had to find it..providing he could ever get the old Iz back to help him.
“You don’t mean that- you’re not going to be able to fix this Ci. They’ve twisted you in their strings just like everyone else who enters this place.”
It was the most Izekiel had spoken in months, maybe years. Every painful thought about the place he had been forced to reside in bubbling up to the point his chest ached.
“I know you’re mad about it, why not just take it out on me like the rest of them.”
Cian couldn’t help the splutter at the mere implication. “Hurt you? I told you- I would ne-”
Iz stepped forward, and on instinct, Cian stepped back. The youngers body practically trembling with the emotions boiling under his skin.
“Just hit me!” The desperation when he raised his head was unfitting of his silver eyes. His hair wild, scars and bruises still faintly visible on his cheeks.
“You won't because you don't want to be like them, you want to help so bad, I’m asking you to hurt me. But you don't want to!”
The line left his lips, coiling with guilt in his stomach.
The sound of skin hitting skin rung in his ears. Knees giving as he clutched his cheek.
Tears trickled down his face near-instantly, and he let out a broken laugh.
“B-barely stung..you’re way weaker than they are..”
“..I didn't want to hurt you at all..”
There was a pause, and a gentle sob as he wiped at is face with the back of his sleeve. “I broke because of you- being so nice- saying I didn't-didn't deserve this treatment..and yet it still kept coming..and now I feel empty without it..I don't feel right- Im not right- and its their fault and y-you...-”
“-You can't fix me..”His voice cracked, fingers balling into his thighs as his body shudders with the tears pouring from his eyes. “You cant..you wont..and y-you should just stop trying.”
“Go!” The glimpse of a red face, smeared with tears and hurt was enough for Cian to give in. He stepped back, hovered, torn between two thoughts... Before he exited the room.
Curling up, the experiment sobbed into the floor. Fingers tangling back into his hair as he tugged, hoping to feel anything else but the sickly feeling sitting in his stomach. Whimpers spilling from his lips till he could cry no more.
