The following days were uneventful and uninspiring. He kept the confrontation between himself and Nefarious private, and passed the same excuse on to Cortex as he had the other man- he had a migraine and wasn't feeling well. It was a very convenient plea when he wanted it to be.

He'd been asked each day when he reported in if he'd gotten what he'd sent him after, and each time he carefully replied 'no'. Naturally, there was berating that followed but he was already so low and distracted he wavered in and out of the lecture. He lacked any kind of focus and all of his spare thoughts kept coming back to Nefarious, matched with Cortex's words. They clung to every thought he had and dragged them down with their sheer mass.

Of course, N Gin had the documents he needed, he'd had them for days, but he wasn't sure if he wanted to share them yet. He had never really been impulsive, but he had also never been this deeply hurt and in the position to cause possibly justified ruin, and it was compelling him to feed Nefarious to the wolves to advance himself. Isn't that how things worked in their realm? Stepping on those beneath you to fly closer to the sun? Nefarious would certainly give him a sizable boost...

He was a dreary sight as he wrestled with this decision that pressed against him and smothered him. He so desperately craved the approval of Cortex, but that clinging, yearning feeling that somehow bound him to Nefarious was making him hesitate, and was effectively paralyzing him. He was distracted, more so than usual, and was little more than a bumbling idiot since their confrontation. At one point he had nearly vaporized himself because he was too preoccupied mulling over the events of the last few days. This, too, had earned him another scathing lecture and barrage of insults. Of course, he felt terrible, embarrassed, but he was too consumed within himself to give it proper attention.

After this continuous display, Cortex had grown weary of his sullen mood and lethargy and dismissed him. He was grateful for this and for the past hour had left his head resting on his desk, unmoving. The weather outside matched his turbulent mood. Violent coastal storms were ripping through the area, tearing down trees and destroying the small grass huts that dotted the island. There had been a hurricane warning issued earlier over the radio but he had passed it off. The castle had withstood the test of time and born the brunt of much worse events through history. Nothing significant would come of a little storm.

N Gin groaned quietly and turned his head to stare out the window. He could see nothing, just the darkness and crushing wall of rain that slid down his window like a waterfall. He looked away in disinterest and withdrew the crumpled folder from his lab coat. He had looked at it countless times and the once crisp, pristine folder was now creased and dirty with various smudges. The pages were no better. The ink was running and smeared and the corners were frayed. All were telling signs of his mindless compulsion. Something constantly willed him to look through the pages of research, to trace his fingers over the elegant writing that was Nefarious'. It provoked a false feeling of security and closeness, a delusion of intimacy.

It was almost as though he were torturing himself. Each time he would engage in his compulsion, he would be flooded with relief, then a deep, unyielding hurt and uncertainty. He knew what response it would invoke in him, he knew the anguish it would cause, yet he continued to do it anyway as though expecting a different result. Wasn't that the literal definition of insanity? N Gin huffed and tucked it back into his lab coat, under his sweater. He never allowed the file to leave his person. Though he would never voice it to the other man, there was mutual distrust between he and Cortex, and he was expectant of him to search through his lab and his quarters to see if he was holding out. He had done it before, after all.

He sat up, propping himself up by resting his face against his hand and tapped the end of his pencil on the large sheet of graph paper. He stared at it with blank disinterest. N Gin was entirely uninspired and was struggling with the next task Dr Cortex had saddled in his lap. He needed to design the weapons systems for their space station, which would normally fill him with devious glee. Like an unattended child, he would eagerly fill up the page with sloppy, maniacal doodles. The possibilities were endless and there was nothing outside his reach. But there was none of that right now and he simply stared down at the empty graph paper, his pencil now tapping fervently, almost violently, as his sullen mood began to further sour with frustration. He sighed again and turned his head to look out into the abyss outside, willing the rapidly swirling clouds to consume him.

Depression was not unfamiliar to him, and he frequently cycled through periods of extreme depression and sublime mania. Ever since the accident, that was his life. This felt different, however. He felt genuinely sad and hurt, and nothing he did would make it abate. He was eating little and sleep was impossible. Everything was unappealing and he had barely gotten any work done in days. His chest was heavy and something within him contorted painfully when he thought of Nefarious.

The sudden pain in his skull took care of his self pity as he clutched his head miserably. He slammed his pencil down on the desk and grunted at the infernal, ever mounting pressure. It had been like this ever since he confronted Nefarious. His entire face felt as though it was going to explode and his eye watered involuntarily. It became apparent to him he was far too stressed to bother with this, or much of anything, right now. Nothing was appealing and everything was difficult with the throbbing pain in his head. Still, he was restless and uncomfortable and needed to do something, anything.

As he got out of his chair the lighting in the room began to flicker and a low, droning surge could be heard. At first he thought it was because of his mounting headache but when darkness encompassed him, he realized the power had gone out. He stood in the darkness for a moment, the only light source being the dim, eerie moonlight from his window. N Gin tapped his fingers together, waiting for the backup generators to kick on but they never did. He found this strange and it unsettled him. Was the storm really so terrible?

He fumbled in the darkness for a lantern, meek, low sounds marking his way as he stumbled through the room. He banged his shin on something and tripped over discarded food tins and with harsh whispers cursed himself for being such a slob. N Gin stumbled around, groping blindly in the darkness until he found what he was seeking.

N Gin sighed with relief as he picked up the lantern and turned the small knob on it, a lazy flame wobbling side to side and illuminating the room in a rich, warm glow. He looked momentarily at the array of shadows and found himself easily distracted by their wavering, ever changing shapes as the light danced behind them. He remembered as a child these shapes frightened him, and though they were still unnerving, they were oddly pleasant, almost comforting. They were inviting and playful.

He glanced around nervously then sat his lantern on the edge of the desk to make some shadow puppets. Wasn't he supposed to be doing something else? It didn't matter, his responsibilities felt distant as he struggled to remember how to twist his fingers into the shape of a horse that was not hideously deformed.
It brought with it oddly pleasant memories. Even as a child, he'd always been a poor sleeper and the nights were drawn out, and lonesome as a result. He invented small games to amuse himself that wouldn't disrupt his parents in the room next to his, and venting his frustration, his loneliness, through the shadows on the wall never failed to entertain. He had so much control over their creation. His suffering became theirs, and their merriment became his.

Low, hushed murmurs rested on his lips as he talked to himself, his eyes entirely transfixed on the ugly display of malformed shadow creatures. After a time he began to realize he was beginning to recreate the argument between he and Nefarious, and suddenly this game had lost its appeal. He sighed and lowered his hands to his side, looking off towards the alluring light of the lantern then back to the blank wall. His ears prickkled with heat at the sudden, low sound behind him. He was very familiar with it and turned around slowly to address it.

Cortex greeted him with a low chuckle, "So this is what you're doing."

"Ah... Yes, Dr Cortex, I was just, um... w-working." N Gin said sheepishly.

"Oh yes I watched your tireless effort for some time..." He nodded, "You appear to be feeling much better now."

He gave an uncomfortable, lopsided smile and a meek sound of agreement. Cortex's presence was disconcerting and the way he stood in the narrow doorway left him with no means of escape. It wasn't so much he was afraid, but having no way out of a situation always did little to ease his worries.

"Good, that's good." Cortex folded his hands together, regarding N Gin in manner he would dare to refer to as kind, "I was worried about you, you seem very... distracted. Am I expecting too much from you?"

N Gin looked at him curiously and held his silence. Cortex was concerned for him? He was wary of his superior's intentions, and did not know the right course of action to take. What did he want to hear in this situation? He thought a moment then shook his head in disagreement.

"Really? It's perfectly alright to know your weaknesses. There's no shame in admitting you're paddling out of your depth." His tone was slowly changing over from kind to condescending.

"Of course not, master, I... It's..." He trailed off. Words failed him and the intense stare from Cortex was intimidating. He was afraid the man was going to tell him to forget it, to forget the promotion, and abandon him, "I'm-I'm capable, I won't disappoint you."

Something twisted in his gut. He knew he would, because he always did.

"Are you sure? Because last I checked it's been nearly two weeks since I gave you a very simple task and you've failed to produce any results..."

"I'm getting to it!" N Gin hissed, suddenly irritated at his incessant nagging. This caught them both by surprise and N Gin quickly tried to salvage the situation, his face flushing, "Uh I-I mean, it's just... d-difficult. Please be patient with me, master. Dr Nefarious watches everything like a hawk."

"Have you even been looking?"

"O-of course. I just... haven't found it yet."

Cortex sighed in contempt, "You're useless."

He bobbed his head in agreement. This is not where he wanted to be right now. The documents were literally inches away from Cortex and he had no idea. The knowledge he was hiding something from the man, and successfully, was invigorating in its terror. N Gin shuffled over to his lantern and grabbed it. He so desperately wanted to leave this situation, "I-I should really go and see what's wrong with the generators..."

"In a moment." Cortex caught him by his shoulder, stopping him from passing. N Gin looked at him warily, anxiously awaiting what he wanted, "You have the perfect opportunity to do that little errand for me right now..."

"Um, yes. You would be right, but, uh..." N Gin paused briefly, "If I... remember right, Dr Nefarious is in all evening. I saw him yesterday and he was having some difficulties getting one of his experiments to stabilize. The uh... the weather has been messing with the magnetic field and interfering with his work."

"Really now?" Cortex cocked his brow, intrigued.

N Gin held his breath and resisted the undying urge to fidget. If Cortex picked up that he was lying surely there would be hell to pay. He tried to further pacify him, so he eagerly added, "But, I-I know he'll be out of the office tomorrow."

"And just how do you know that?" He looked at him curiously.

"I uh... I've been watching his schedule, and we were supposed to do field research together tomorrow. But I told him I wouldn't have time because I... needed to help you. Yes. S-so, he'll be gone all day, tomorrow..." He finished in a small voice as Cortex's gaze bore into him.

He hoped it was good enough, he was just saying whatever came to his mind first. The intimidating, unblinking stare of his superior made him nervous, causing his voice to waver and doubt settle in. He actually had no idea where Nefarious was and hadn't seen him since their falling out. A strange, creeping feeling snaked through him as he still continued to protect the man.

"Well, you see it's just that... how do i put this delicately?" Cortex cast a dejected look to the ground. He was always so animated, "It's just that, you've been feeding me that same line of bullshit several times now and I'm growing a bit sick of it. I'm getting the feeling that you're mistaking my kindness for stupidity..."

"What? N-no, master Cortex, that's ridiculous. I-I would never..." His heart skipped in his chest and stole the words from his throat. There was a coiling feeling of dread that made him feel cold inside. Cortex knew he was lying, and given the circumstances, it did not bode well for his favour.

"Tomorrow is your cut off date. If you don't have them to me by then, I think we may have a teensy problem. You don't want there to be any misunderstandings between us, do you, N Gin? We're pals, aren't we?" Cortex smiled at him sadly, his voice hushed, "I don't know if you're just stupid, or if you're planning something, but if you are, you're playing a very dangerous game. Get that document to me by tomorrow morning."

"Good talk." He patted N Gin's shoulder affectionately then left him standing awkwardly in the darkness. The numerous swirling worries slowly began their vortex in his mind until they were nothing but tumultuous snippets. Something in him screamed and pleaded to take the documents from his lab coat and chase Cortex down, deliver them, and beg for his forgiveness for his stupidity and cowardice. But the vital part of him that would allow that flow was missing. Instead he stared after his disappearing figure of his superior then looked down at his feet. The pressure in his head continued to build unmercifully. N Gin knitted his brow and heaved a sigh. The first task at hand was to restore the power, he would deal with everything else later.

He waddled slowly through the halls and listening to the howling, violent winds outside as the rain beat against the glass. As he passed by an intersection, he could see one of the windows at the end of that hallway had actually exploded open and rain was pouring in from outside. He watched it a moment then shrugged. His window held up fine, so what did he care? Plus, the breeze from it felt nice as he passed by.

As he slowly made his way down the twisting, narrow hallways he found something of a solace in the darkness. The dim light was kind to his eyes and was soothing his pounding head somewhat. The occasional flashes and streaks of colour as he blinked were disorienting, but they, too, had lessened in the darkness.

The time alone did bring lingering thoughts back, and naturally he thought of Nefarious. He wondered what he was doing, or if he was even here to endure the storm. He wondered what he was working on, or if he would see him again. Then, naturally, he wondered why he still cared so much about any of these things when he had been so deeply wounded by the man.

N Gin slowed his pace and caught himself, casting a wavering glance up at the beautiful mural on the ceiling. He passed by it every time he went to Nefarious' study. This was not the right way, but he had taken it out of habit. It was ingrained in him after taking the same route countless times every day for weeks. He stood there for a while, listening to the rain outside and watching his lantern's light dance lazily around him. His curiosity compelled him to carry on this route, but he resisted.

After a time he sighed and turned, correcting his path and shuffling ever slowly towards the castle's source of power. The pressure in his head was great and he grumbled to himself as he took the long, winding stone staircase down to the cellars. The spacious room was an odd mixture of the original interior and metal. They'd had little time to devote to remodeling it entirely, so while half was warm, blinking machinery, the rest of brick and stone. Usually there was great warmth down here and a deafening hum, but right now there was just frigid silence. He could hear his own, trembling breathing as he reached the bottom of the staircase. The blackness was abyssal and suffocating, and he felt very exposed as he slowly made his way, hand outstretched to feel ahead.

N Gin held his lantern out and squinted his eyes to try and focus. His footsteps echoed quietly around him, and soon the thud of metal changed to the click of stone under his feet. For now, the generators were best suited surrounded by the original interior. The perpetually cool brick and natural vents of the small clerestory windows allowed continuous airflow. The only issue is the windows lacked panes and the ground near them was constantly damp. Still, as long as there was no flooding, it posed no great risk for the machinery. Right now, he found the delicate plodding of the rain dripping from the windows comforting as he navigated through the dark.

It was entirely black down here, save for his own little radius of light. The ceiling was high and the walls widespread, untouchable by his meager lamp. Unnerved would not even begin to describe the anxious jittering in his stomach. He scolded himself and clumsily used the wall as his guide. When he turned a corner the wall left him and was replaced with something else. It felt oddly soft, and he wondered if it was a forgotten tapestry. It pulled away from him as suddenly as he touched it and he let out a startled, trembling gasp in response.

He then laughed to himself nervously as he turned around in place, his lantern now clutched tightly to his body for some sense of comfort. All that met him was heavy, perpetual darkness and silence. He wasn't even sure where anything was at this point. He chuckled again at himself, though it lacked mirth. Surely he was just being silly, the only thing down here with him were scurrying mice and water beetles. It wasn't as though he were afraid, of course, he was just being... cautious. Yes, that is what he would tell himself.

Maybe waiting until morning wasn't such a terrible idea, and he could always explain it away to Dr Cortex that he'd been busy probing around in Nefarious' study. After standing in the darkness, he succumbed to his cowardice thoughts and it allowed him the motivation to uproot himself. There was a problem, as he realized in his nervous cycles of turning he had completely lost all sense of direction.

In his sudden panic he'd forgotten how to get out of here. He stood still for a long time, clutching the small glowing light and slowly shuffling forward. The walk felt endless but in reality he knew he had covered very little distance. The cellar was spacious, but not as enormous as the oppressive blackness around him made it out to be.

When he made contact with something again he started, then sighed and laughed at himself with relief when he realized it was just the generator, cold and desolate. N Gin's relief withered as he swore he heard something around him. He held his breath, waiting, but when nothing came of it he let it out and shook his head dismissively.

Maybe he was just being paranoid. Since he was already here he decided he would take a look at it. He sat the lantern down beside him and flipped the hatch to the large device open, straining his eyes against the darkness and the smoke that poured from the machine to try and find out what the problem was.

The hairs on his neck prickled as he felt like he was being watched. He looked behind him but, naturally, could see nothing. N Gin shrugged and shook his head, scolding himself under his breath for being such a wuss. But the feeling would not subside and it made his anxiety rapidly grow. His focus was wavering and suddenly he shrieked as something gently brushed his shoulder.

He frantically stumbled back to escape whatever it was. There was a stabbing pang in his chest as Nefarious bent down some to enter his small radius of light and greet him from the darkness, "I didn't mean to scare you."

"Y-you didn't..." N Gin said defensively. Asshole. It had to have been intentional, his lips were twitching as he struggled to hold back that smirk he got. N Gin glared at him, steam venting from his head. He felt an array of emotions, and the surprise compounded his anger. He hadn't seen the man in days, and the sudden, unwelcome reunion left him feeling flustered, "What are you doing here?"

"I was hoping to talk to you." Nefarious said casually and lowered himself more to N Gin's level. The way the light curved around his features was eerie and intimidating.

N Gin swallowed the lump in his throat and looked up at him, scowling, "I don't want to talk to you."

"I know. But I want to talk to you." His tone wavered slightly in amusement. How was anything about this funny? He seemed almost excited about something.

N Gin rubbed his hands together and glanced from Nefarious to the broken generator. The timing of his appearance was uncanny. He raised his brow curiously, "Did you do this?"

He was met with silence as he looked over to the generator then back to N Gin. There was nothing that needed to be said. He had done this.
N Gin found himself almost flattered he had gone out of his way just to get his attention, and gave a low giggle before catching himself and returning to his angered state. He huffed and turned his back to the man as he started to shuffle off to examine what kind of damage he'd done to the generator.

Nefarious gently grasped him by the collar of his lab coat and pulled him back, "You're being childish-"

"I'm being childish?" He spun around, eyes wide as he laughed incredulously, "You're the one who sabotaged my machines and waited in the dark like s-some... some creep, because you can't handle being told 'no'."

"Please-"

"I-I trusted you- I trusted you because I thought you were different. But, you aren't, are you? You're just... Y- You stole my life's creation from me and then act like I'm overreacting..."

Nefarious gave him a look as though he knew something but would not voice it. It made N Gin suddenly nervous that the look was tied to his own thievery, but saying anything would be an admission of his own guilt.

"Gin, please, just listen to me-"

No, no, no, he didn't want to do this. Hearing his name so casually, so affectionately from the doctor's lips incensed him. He was so angry and hurt and seeing Tropy's face just brought all of these feelings to the surface. He wanted to bury them, to eat them, to do anything but actually deal with them. He felt helplessly thrust into a situation that he was not prepared for, and he was so angry at Nefarious for being the one responsible.

The doctor was trying to placate him, to sooth him. All it did was made him feel patronized and he could not hear the words being offered to him. His breathing quickened and his eye burned as tears stung and threatened to come forth. He was shaking, his thoughts rapidly circling his mind like flashing lights and left him feeling dazed. The slow mutterings of Nefarious were incoherent and muffled, they were infuriating- they were too much. Everything was too much. This wasn't fair, this wasn't fair.

"YOU. USED. ME!" He erupted in sudden, unbridled anger, all of his frustrations from the previous days mounting all in one single sentence. The outcry was punctuated by a sudden backfire of the missile in his head that startled the both of them. His words clung to the walls and echoed back to him again, and again. He knew Nefarious was saying something to him now but he couldn't hear it, not over the high ringing in his ears that would not relent. He felt sick and his mouth was numb and electric, but his throat burned and ached from the sheer volume of his screaming.

He could smell burnt hair and the noxious exhaust that snaked out of his missile port. It made him nauseated and was disoriented in his painful stupor. His entire body felt like it was ignited with electricity and he could not get his eyes to focus. He realized he was drooling on himself and in a moment of clarity cursed inwardly at himself. This was so pathetically humiliating. He couldn't even tell someone off without his head nearly exploding.

N Gin wobbled and then sat down uneasily on the ground. Dark splotches swarmed around him and he closed his eyes to will them to leave. He knew the doctor was speaking to him, but his voice wavered in and out. All he could focus on was the extreme fullness in his head and deep throbs of pain.

He wasn't certain if he had actually lost consciousness, but as his dulled senses slowly returned, he sighed weakly in relief at the soothing, methodical pressure circling against his forehead and temple. It was cool and refreshing and helped to ground him from his literal eruption. N Gin cracked open an eye, giving a small groan of annoyance when he was met with Nefarious. He wanted to swat him away, but either he lacked the strength or mental will. His affection, though small, awakened a trembling cozy warmth inside of him to settle among the hurt and anxiety. He stubbornly wanted to hold onto his anger, and felt almost ashamed for being so easily swayed.

Nefarious was patient with him while he gradually regained his awareness. It was difficult to discreetly steal glances at the man looming over him, as every time he would try he was being stared at, himself. As he came into focus he could detect a trace of concern on the doctor's face and all it did was add to his hurt. It also made him feel guilty for yelling, which further compounded his feelings.

"I didn't use you. I would never do such a thing. Just give me five minutes. That's all I'm asking. Please, allow me to explain myself." He implored the smaller man, still slowly massaging his forehead and temple with precision and ease. N Gin rolled his eyes tiredly and gave a defeated murmur of agreement. If the doctor would keep rubbing his forehead he would let him say whatever he wanted, for as long as he wanted.

"I didn't steal from you." He paused and clucked his tongue after a hesitation, "Okay, so I may have technically stolen from you. But it isn't what you think. If you would listen to me it would relieve a lot of your anxiety."

Again, he felt patronized but instead of unleashing the venomous words poised in his throat, he allowed the doctor the same patience and silence he had paid to him in many other circumstances. He was afraid of what he would hear. At least in this realm of uncertainty anything was possible, he could revisit memories or feelings and build his own delusions from there. But when they were cemented into reality...

"While you were talking to me, I realized we share common interests." He appeared hesitant to talk about it, almost as though he were embarrassed. All his mannerisms did is confuse him more and make his stomach lurch, "I grew... impatient, waiting on your decision, and the summary you gave me was but a morsel."

He was holding so much back, there were things lingering but he lacked the energy to call him on it. Right now he wished he'd said nothing to begin with. But as he thought this a sickly feeling pooled within him. He had cherished that special, intimate moment with Nefarious, and found himself willing to abandon his pride if he knew he would experience it again, even knowing the outcome. He pulled away from his thoughts, however, and tried to focus again on the doctor before him.

"I wanted to surprise you. I've noticed how... Mm, poorly, you've been recently. I wanted to compare your diagrams with my own."

"I've been doing 'poorly' because of you." N Gin finally spoke, his voice scratchy and aching. Tropy's face twitched some in a grimace. Those words had wounded him. It was difficult to look at him with such an expression, and so he looked away to avoid it, "So you stole them?"

"I copied them." Nefarious said with a quip of irritation.

N Gin slowly, tentatively began to rub his hands together. How was that any better? The point was is he took his work from him without even asking. What bothered him the most is how he got it. Everything was still in place, everything was locked and nothing had signs of entry. He had an idea of how he'd got them, and it gnawed at him, "That isn't any different and you know it."

"It was... inappropriate. But you have to believe me that I was never going to take credit for anything. They were for my personal study. They were never meant to be seen by anyone but myself." His tone, so refined and proper, was also so delicate, like a parent talking to their child. It was soothing and made his anger ebb slightly.

Despite this, his remark earned another heavy, smog laden plume of exhaust. It quietly hissed from the port of his missile as the eyed the doctor warily. He suddenly felt embarrassed for his earlier actions, but another part of him felt they were justified. N Gin felt betrayed and rested on uneasy ground, entirely uncertain of what to believe. He wanted to believe Nefarious...

"I'm sorry."

The words sounded strained and foreign coming from someone like Tropy. They were so out of place and mismatched to his character. There was no sarcasm, no harsh, dry edge. There was no air of grace or elegance. They sounded meek, pathetic, constricted with hurt. It was painful to hear and twisted something in his chest. It made him angry and nauseated, and it made something in his core ache. He drew in a quivering breath and did not acknowledge his plea, "How did you get them?"

"I... went back." He admitted with a long pause prior.

N Gin shook his head some and gave him a questioning glare. He knew what that meant but he wanted him to say it. He wanted to hear the man's admittance, and he wanted to be wrong.

"I went back to when you showed me your pets, and I looked through everything as a ghost, as an observer. I found your notes, memorized them, and... I copied them."

Though he'd known, having it confirmed bothered him and made his stomach turn. It was so deceptive. That moment, that time together, suddenly lost all of its warm glow and was replaced with an almost disturbed feeling. Right now, the memory now only invoked hurt and anxiety, not butterflies as it did even just a few days ago. He wondered how many times Nefarious had gone back, how many trips had it taken to compile a perfect copy of his work? N Gin swallowed the heavy lump in his throat and pulled away when Nefarious touched his arm gently.

"That, too, was inappropriate. But... I-I did enjoy listening to your musings, over and over again..." He said kindly in his patient tone. N Gin let out one, single low note of a chuckle. Tropy's words sounded so sappy, but he loved hearing them, and it tore at him inside. The doctor slowly stopped rubbing his forehead and N Gin uttered a small sound of disappointment at the sudden absence.
Nefarious leaned closer to him and pulled a small device from his lab coat, "I want to show you something. Please."

He glared down at it, his face slowly relaxing as he tried to figure out what it was. It was small, about the size of a thimble, only more narrow but of a similar shape. When Tropy caught his look of confusion he explained, "I made this for you. This is why I wanted your notes, I wanted to... well, I was hoping to surprise you. This is just the first of many ideas. I was working on... something else, prior, but in light of recent events, I think you would benefit from this the most right now."

"What-what, um... what does it do?" N Gin felt conflicted and dazed as he looked at it. What if Dr Cortex was right and he was trying to use him as a source of sabotage? He had taken his research by manipulating their time together and using it to spy on his most private things. But on the other hand, he felt a sincerity to the doctor's words and his anxiety was slowly dissipating the longer the man lingered beside him.

"Basically, it's like a depressurizer. The missile is still live, right? So, it expands and contracts as it goes from dormant to active, making the metal swell in your head and pressing against your brain tissue as it attempts to drive further down. I'm not too far off?"

N Gin shook his head some and watched him with caution. The display earlier had just proven how right his idea was. It made him uneasy how much Nefarious knew. He wasn't used to people listening to him, or observing him, so closely. The small gestures slowly and steadily pulled his rage away and unraveled it like thread from a shirt.

"So this..." He settled closely beside N Gin, taking his hand gently and placing the small bobble between his fingers. Nefarious grazed his own over the device, carefully pointing to each area as he spoke about it, "This will be implanted directly into the external section of the firing chamber and these wires expand to connect to the central control unit. Now, this right here is what's left exposed, towards the base. If I'm right, it should shut off the firing mechanism, and redirect the pressure through the exhaust port. It isn't perfect, and it won't stop you from getting migraines... but, It should allow you to reduce the pressure to some degree manually, rather than having to wait for it to dissipate on its own."

In other words, as he understood it, this would allow him more control over the missile's activity, and when it activated. It could reduce the severity of his migraines, and other ailments. It could possibly allow him to be a functioning human being again. N Gin glanced from him to the small device, dumbfounded. This is what Nefarious had been working on? The gestures was so sweet, thoughtful, and it made the sickly knotted feeling in his stomach shift over into nervous, excited jitters, "How-how did you..."

"I have something similar I use in my field research. I was thinking how it reduces the pressure on my internal organs all at once, and I was curious if I could apply the same mechanic to that little head of yours." He smirked confidently as N Gin stared up at him. He was silent before asking eagerly, "Do you want to try it?"

N Gin continued to stare at it and glanced back to Nefarious, his worries very apparent. He was afraid to try anything different because one small mistake would result in dire, and possibly irreversible, consequences. Did he trust the man with something so delicate? He wanted to, and he greedily stared at the promising little bobble before him. His cowardice got the better of him, however, and he tried to pass it off, "I-I can't see what I'm doing,..."

"I was going to implant it." He said casually then added, "If that's alright?"

He let out an odd, wavering sound of uncertainty as he looked away. He had never let anyone even be near him when he was working on his system, let alone work on it for him. It was so strangely intimate, and he had trusted no one to that degree. N Gin looked over to Nefarious' hand that held the bobble. His fingers were slender and steady as they toyed with the small device, wobbling it back and forth between his thumb and finger enticingly.

"What's the worst thing that could happen?" Nefarious chortled, "We both explode?"

"Uh, well..." N Gin began with a murmur but quieted himself. His head felt like it was going to burst at any moment and the painful heat welling in his head was nearly unbearable. He gave a small, awkward nod and slowly twiddled his thumbs as Nefarious unhinged the small covering towards the crown of his head. If he had memorized his notes enough to copy them down from memory, he would have a pretty good idea of what he was doing.

He was prodding something and adjusting some wires, judging by the horrendous sound in his ears. It was loud and grating and gave him the sensation he was chewing on tinfoil. Despite the possible implications, the whole situation was oddly relaxing and N Gin let his mind wander. It allowed him time to digest what Tropy had said to him.

He was still hurt, and upset, but the feelings were continuing to dissolve. He found he enjoyed the presence of the man behind him, looming over him as he quietly muttered little quips to himself as he worked. Nefarious was close, and he could feel the gentle rise and fall of his stomach with each breath he took and every small vibration that resonated through him with his pleasantries.

N Gin shifted suddenly at the sharp, prickling sensation that ran from the tip of his head down to his fingertips. It made his hands twitch violently and upset his fidgeting. He suddenly felt anxious when he heard Nefarious hiss something under his breath. As if sensing his anxiety he stilled the smaller man by gently, briefly, ruffling those slender fingers of his through his hair before resuming his work. His ears reddened and the small feeling of lightness gradually grew in his chest.

The differing sensations and sounds in his head were bothersome, but tolerable. Again there was that strange, electric feeling shooting through him and making his fingertips and tongue numb. It was oddly painful and made his eye twitch involuntarily but it slowly subsided. There was a cold, trickling sensation slowly sliding over his scalp, followed by harsh snap of something being fit into place.

"I think that should do it. Why don't you give it a go?" Nefarious huffed and lowered himself again to be more on N Gin's level. Much like that day, he was so animated, happy. He stared at the taller man openly as he tried to process exactly what was going on. He wanted to cling to his anger like a scolded child, but found it gradually slipping out of his grasp the longer he listening to the man, and the longer he sat beside him. Nefarious took his stares of reflection as fear.

"I know that right now, it's difficult, and I'm in no position to ask, but please trust me." Tropy said softly and rested his hands on his slumped shoulders. He allowed the touch and clumsily felt around the area where the missile and his head merged along that raised, metal cuff. It was always so odd touching something that was a part of him, but had no actual feeling. Nefarious took his hand and navigated him to the correct spot and his finger caught small niche shown to him. His hand remained poised here for so long his arm began to shake from fatigue. The prospect was so enticing, so promising, but his fear made him hesitate.

There were so many terrible things that could happen. After everything, could he trust Nefarious? He so desperately wanted to. He inhaled deeply then depressed the small bobble and let out an odd mewl as he felt suddenly dizzy, his head flooded with heat and a deep rush. It was similar to the sensation of standing up too fast and having fizzy drink in your nose. It was intense, painful, but quickly over as the feeling settled. He exhaled sharply and leaned forward as if to ground himself as the hot feeling trickled away. The pulsating pressure in his head was gone.

N Gin turned to look at the taller man, his eyes wide with disbelief. A slow, knowing smile graced Nefarious' features in response. It had actually worked. The clarity in his head was remarkable, astounding, and something he hadn't felt in years. He was almost afraid to believe it was real. It made him excited and shake with nervous, eager energy. Tropy raised his brows, his expression just a tad smug as he looked down at him. He tilted his head a bit, curiously, "Better?"

He nodded dumbly. It was far more wonderful than 'better'. It was beyond words. Why had he never thought of something like this? The low, throbbing pain continued, ever present, but it was so manageable without the constant build up of pressure. He felt like crying, not from sadness, but from the relief and hope he felt with the introduction of this small little device. It made him wonder what else Nefarious could do for him, or what else they could do together. These alluring thoughts enticed him and made him forget his anguish. His voice was almost a whine as he spoke, "Th-thank you, sir."

"Nefarious." He corrected calmly.

"N-Nefarious, sir..." He said in a small, wavering tone as he smiled some. It felt so strange, but delightful, calling him his given name. Still, the lingering question resided, "Why... didn't you just tell me what you were doing?"

"Ah... I was impulsive, I suppose is the short of it. I was excited, eager..." Nefarious cleared his throat uncomfortably and added in an aside, "I may have wanted to impress you..."

It was quick and hushed, but he'd heard it. In a delayed fashion he felt his mouth curve into a small smile and his stomach quivered, but not in the sickly manner as it had earlier. Now, hundreds of tiny, fluttering moths resided where clinging pools decay had lingered over the last several days. The lightness in his chest was slowly spreading through his body and invigorating him.

He felt Nefarious brush gently through his hair again as he closed and secured the small hatch of his head plate. N Gin said nothing as he processed his words. He felt like he should believe him, but naturally he doubted himself. Was he just lonely? Was Nefarious just continuously manipulating him? What if this thing implanted in his head was some sort of mind control system? No... none of those accusations felt right to him.

He felt a happiness here with Tropy. Even in the dismal, smokey room of ruined machinery, fungus, and insects, he felt a sense of contentment he hadn't realized he was missing. Nefarious looked at him, complacent, then raised his brows as though a sudden, brilliant idea popped into his head, "Say, since we're on the topic of thievery... what are you going to do with my files you stole?"

His face flushed and a nervous, shrill giggle escaped him. So Tropy had known. He didn't know why he felt so caught and surprised that the doctor knew, it wasn't as though he had been stealthy about it, after all. When N Gin could offer no response, the doctor continued dryly, "I know what you were doing. Do you really think I didn't see this coming? It was only a matter of time, after all."

"What do you mean?"

"Cortex is very predictable and he's been after something of mine in particular since we started... 'working together', if you can even call it that." Nefarious scowled then looked back down at N Gin, his expression softening.

N Gin sighed and, after a delay, sheepishly took the damaged file out of his lab coat. He could see the intrigued look that spread over Nefarious' features. His nostrils flared some as he drew in a deep breath. His most prized possession was mere inches away, what a rush of excitement, and anxiety, he must feel upon seeing it in the hands of another.

"So are you going to do it? Are you going to give Cortex what he wants?" Tropy looked down at him. His fingers twitched slightly, as though he wanted to impulsively grab it, but had to stop himself. N Gin looked at him in silence and thought for a long time, mesmerized by the swaying, eerie light that danced slowly over the doctors sharp features. If he did this, if he gave it back to Nefarious, he was fearful what would happen when he delivered the news of his failure to Cortex. He worried what sort of punishment would await him, or if he would be allowed to stay here at all. Would he even be allowed to live?

But this feeling, this strange sensation of hope and comfort that lingered inside him when he was around Nefarious was so intoxicating and alluring. He turned his head and looked at the man, unblinking as he mulled over his thoughts. The exact expression was unreadable, but it bore him no ill will, no disdain or contempt. He was met with patience. What surprised him most is he was being given a choice, Nefarious was going to willingly let him decide. What would followed after, he wasn't certain, but for now he was being allowed a choice. He swallowed hard and returned his gaze to the creased folder in his hands.

N Gin felt almost mournful as he came to his conclusion, "No."

He felt Nefarious shift beside him as he held the file out in offering. Tropy was silent, hesitating to take it, his fingers twitching ever slightly. His voice was soft, but not without a note of surprise, "You... realize the decision you're making?"

He did, he was so painfully aware that he was choosing sides, and that he was was, ultimately, betraying Cortex. Nefarious gingerly took the file from him and pulled him near, drawing him into his lap and earning a startled wheeze from the smaller man. His tone was unwavering and sincere, "Thank you."

Thank you. Those words, too, sounded foreign from his lips. It was so genuinely kind and unfamiliar. His chest constricted, but in the most pleasant way. He had never been so close to another person, not under these circumstances, and it made his heart pound in his chest. Every bit of residual anger left him as the doctor hugged him, his rage being replaced with that warm, fuzzy blanket swaddling his mind.

"I want to work with you..." N Gin said sleepily after a lull, "But I won't if you go behind my back and do things."

"Hmm what if it's a surprise party for you?" Tropy smirked coyly as he teased.

"Okay that's... That isn't fair you know what I mean." N gin snorted. The arms around him tightened, ever gently. Nefarious shared a small chuckle with him before adding in a more somber tone, "Never again."

His flourishing excitement in his chest made it feel full to bursting. He had gone from utter despair to contentment and joy over the span of an hour. The clarity in his head was remarkable and thinking of the small device in his head, though simple, made his eye sting with joyful tears. He felt... happy, and right. He felt hopeful and inspired.

Among this, N Gin suddenly remembered the original reason he came down here and a small prickle of anxiety chipped its way through the hazy warmth that clouded his mind.
"I- I really need to fix the generator. Dr Cortex has to be miserable sitting by himself in the dark..." N Gin said as he pulled away, suddenly worried. It made him feel as though he were committing some great atrocity. It was bad enough he was betraying his superior, should he leave him to sit in the dark as well?

Nefarious chortled lowly and drew the small man into another hug, pulling him to rest his back against his chest. His long arms looped around him loosely, comfortably, "I say let him simmer, I'm quite comfortable down here, and I have no intentions of moving."

How fickle he was, as it was the only incentive he needed to remain settled against Tropy. The only sound among them was the torrents of muffled rain and thunder outside the castle. The silence was not fearful or worrying like many times before. It was devoid of anxiety and animosity. Rather, it was peaceful and comfortable, serene. It made him feel groggy in the most wonderful way. He relaxed against the man as the lingering worries ebbed off, blooming warmth replacing constricting thorns. For a moment he felt as though he might doze off, but Nefarious interrupted the silence with a quiet voice, strained with an audible grin, "I never realized you had such a short fuse..."

He was taken off guard by the joke and let out a sudden, obnoxious giggle. N Gin began to wring his hands, not out of fear, but out of restless, gleeful energy. He was vaguely aware he was trembling slightly from this as well. It was all consuming and overwhelming, but exhilarating. He felt Nefarious' hands brush over his own to still them. His touches were kind, considerate, meaningful. Tropy drew the small hands into his own and held them, slowly tracing the ridges of his his knuckles with his thumb. The small wisp of steam gave away the embarrassed smile that spread over his features and he heard Nefarious' low, quiet chuckle again, "Ah, you're precious..."

Precious. The doctor's flattery made him feel dizzy and warm. The hands resting on his own clutched tighter. He was held closer and he shivered more with that delightful, bubbling energy in his core.

He was uncertain what awaited him tomorrow. The lingering fear that resided over him was distant, minimal, in this moment. He basked in his soft affection, the feeling of his smile against his ear as Nefarious muttered about his various plans and ideas, of what they could accomplish together. He was excited as he spoke in his low, dulcet tone. He paid him praise, admiration, and the occasional small kiss against the shaved part of his head. His cool lips were such a wonderfully sharp contrast to his heated face, and his words were hypnotic and submerged him entirely. Though so much uncertainty and doubt resided within the smaller man, in this moment he felt a small confidence in Nefarious' words.

Time was still as he lingered in this comfort. He only broke from it to implore the doctor of a sudden urgency, something frantic he suddenly recalled he needed to tell him. Naturally, he leaned closer, concerned, curious. There were no words, rather a soft, shy kiss initiated by the little cyborg, humid steam punctuating his nervousness. Nefarious quietly, teasingly scolded him for being so deceptive, then returned his affections and kissed him again. His mind buzzed pleasantly, and amidst this something Nefarious had said wafted slowly through his thoughts. He had hope, and belief, that together they could, indeed, create something truly remarkable.