The next day, Gecko awakens to the now all too familiar sound of a slot machine mobile game grating against their ears. They groan and crack their eyes open, taking a moment to adjust to the dim room.
From her vantage point on the couch Gecko sees the blurry form of Mica curled up on the hotel bed, colorful lights flashing across xir bored face. She groans. She had hoped xe’d have moved on by now, but clearly he wasn’t so lucky. Xir continued presence in her room only contributed to the headache currently pounding in his skull.
Gecko sits up and glares at Mica. “You couldn’t even let me sleep in?” Gecko rasps, voice still rough with sleep and whatever toxic chemicals Mica had clearly already smoked before Gecko woke up.
Mica glances at them, then buries xir face back in xir screen. A moment later, Gecko gets a series of texts on their phone.
??
its two in the afternoon genius
boss said i needed to catch up on work
bc YOU were slacking btw
Gecko scowls. “You should be glad I did anything at all, dipshit, it’s your fucking job. Also, why the fuck are you still here and not back at the office? Are you not still in huge trouble?”
boss said i have time off to get you back to wherever you came from
told her you lived in a remote cavern we’d have to hike to so she gave me extra time off
gonna try to do my work from here for a few days and see if she forgets about me
“Whatever, man. I’m not gonna cover for you if she shows up, though.” Gecko sighs, annoyed at this turn of events but too nauseous from their headache to want to argue about it.
Gecko stretches and heaves himself off the couch, grabbing the paper bag full of clothes they bought yesterday and heading into the bathroom. They’d really rather have the comfort of their suit instead of whatever polyester shit was in this bag, but honestly it had some sweat and assorted hell-substance stains on it that would need a trip to the dry cleaners to get out and it was getting uncomfortable to wear.
The bathroom lights flip on automatically and he winces, the white glare feeling like knives against his sensitive eyes. Looking at a flashing screen for endless hours would do that to you, she thinks as she gets in the shower.
A few minutes later, after they finish choosing their outfit (a black tank top and some greige cargo shorts that had been on sale), they catch a glimpse of themself in the mirror and freeze. They look.. well, like shit, but also not really that different from what they looked like before Mica got him. Their hair is the same length, and it doesn’t see like they lost any weight despite never eating once in hell.. time really must have stopped for them while they were trapped in Mica’s office.
How long had they really been gone? Their whole time in hell was a blur, the lack of sleep and constant, cyclical work made it impossible to tell. They hope it hasn’t been too long. They don’t know what trouble people could have gotten into while they were away and really hope they hadn’t worried anyone.
She just wants to get home, she thinks. She could figure everything out once she’s there.
