“Don’t talk to me about my history!” Jaan nearly rattled his pots as he scrambled up. Most of the black infection was gone, and the multitude of bruises on his face was lessening. It seemed like his time under the artificial light hadn’t been an awful idea. “My father taught me our history. He left nothing out,” Jaan’s words were rushed, almost fearful, “it was yo-“ he forced himself to stop. Closing his eyes and lifting his head back.

They had had these exact arguments on Earth.

Here they were, floating unknown, trapped, and it was the same argument. He took three deep mediative breaths. Focus, first out, save Mowgli, escape this other master.

Jaan opened his bright eyes, steadying them on Caeden. He approached him, his chain looser, but he gagged at the end of the chain, forced to stop. He was still a healthy arms length from Caeden. “Infection?” He said slowly, then paused. He remembered that sickly aura that he had felt when healing Caeden. It hadn’t been as strong when he was forced to heal the guard. “Tell me about it,” he said slowly. Darkness flickered in the corner beyond the candle light.

“That sounds.. disgusting. I’m also not sure if you’re lying to me,” Jaan said. It sounded absurd, but they weren’t exactly living the most normal of lives either. He hesitated, not exactly wanting to seem caring for Caeden, but it was highly likely he’d need the Imperi to escape Rhys and his crew, and perhaps even to leave the planet. “Why would Rhys infect you? How are you now?” The smoke was beginning to lightly circle around the candles, small tendrils extending from it, almost like a stretching yawn.

The Estraellan shook his head, aghast, then his face turned stoic. “It must suck to be prodded and messed with, huh?” His voice probably would have held more venom, but he was just too tired. He glanced down at the last of the black lingering on his skin. He looked worn there, much older than his years. The light glinted off the glass that held Jaan’s wing. Jaan turned to look at it and turned had to look harshly away, raising a hand to prevent himself from becoming sick. That’s when the darkness leaped at Jaan. The smoke emerged from the darkness, launching at him. It got further than it had before. The infection must have worn on his defenses. It got mere inches from Jaan’s face before it was rebuked. Jaan blinked, as though he felt something, then shook it off, still shaking off the sight of his cut wing.

UGGGGGGGGGHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!

The voice wailed, nearly screaming, pounding a couple more times against Jaan before skidding over to Caeden. A talon, only the talon, without the whole body slammed against his throat.
   
You don’t listen! Look at us now! I could have gotten us out, and we would have had so much food. I could kill you now for your disobedience.

“It… wants me,” Jaan repeated, looking at Caeden. He stared for a moment and then threw up his hands in disgust, turning to go sit back under his light. “Tell him to get in line.” He pushed one of the pots to the side to make room and then scrunched himself between them. He glanced amongst the vines, then pulled a vegetable off and tossed it to Caeden. “Better than beast meat,” he half grinned as he picked one for himself. San would have cried in envy, likely.

That’s not food! Don’t eat that! The shadow clambered up his neck to grip his chin and lean back. Okay. Okay. I was a jerk, but I am only a vial full of infection right now and… and I can help your friend! He still has some in him! If he let’s me take it ouuuuuut of him, I’ll help you. You saw me! I could get you out and give you a head start. C’mooooon, make him let me. 

Yes, I can hear you.

The shadow seemed to inhale, exhale, as though trying to calm itself. Don’t panic. Don’t need to panic when small. Still the big honcho. You got this. You are eternal. These are bugs. Dumb, dumb bugs. Eat em.
The shadow clambered up to directly face Caeden. It stretched its small arms, putting them on each of Caeden’s nostrils. You are weak. I am strong. You can use my strength if you feed me. Jaan, it had scooped the name from his head, is an endless source of energy. If you don’t want me to eat you, turning you to stone, ask him to give me… a light ball. You saw him make one once.

Caeden had the sudden vivid memory of the tendril shoving up his nostril. The shadow, at the time, had had him pinned, talons digging into his back. It must have gone further in his memory than it thought.

The tiniest, pointiest smile crossed the blackhead. If you do that, I can find my Mowgli buddy. He and I go way back. Take you away, eat, eat, eat, eat, um, help you out. The smile widened.

The pointy smile turned into a pouty frown. One day, I’m going to gut you. It snarled.

Jaan rose an eyebrow, amused, “You don’t seem quite as frightened as you did last time,” He was already on to another vegetable. He paused, face darkening, “We don’t know what we’re going to do tomorrow,” he said. It was a position he had been in too many times. People didn’t think of it. Most didn’t experience it. To be overwhelmed day after day, “Mirthos,” he muttered, shaking his head, trying to knock the painful memories away. He couldn’t start thinking that this would be long-term confinement like the others. He let out an exhausted sigh, snuggling into the plants.

It had been the change in warmth. Under the lamp, he could have imagined he was in the sunlight somewhere far from here. His eyes opened, blinking up at the flickering, and then the noxious smell hit him. Jaan couldn’t help the immediate gagging at the oily feeling. It threw him back to leaning over a bridge and feeling Caeden’s hand on the small of his back. It felt like the Imperi city. It had always upset him, but there was no reason for it to be so strong now. His wings instinctively wrapped around his front, knocking at the plants around him. With a sinking horror, Jaan realized that the wing that had been sliced no longer shielded his face like normal – too much of it had been taken to offer its usual blanket-like comfort.

Then… Caeden…

Get up. Get out of the corner or you will be cornered. F.uck, the chain. Just… just don’t… don’t move. Don’t breathe.

His hand slid over his nose, and he didn’t want to think how that hand trembled. Was this the demon Caeden had mentioned? Didn’t he say it was small? This... this wasn't small.

Breath, his eyes wandered rapidly for a weapon, just in case the cre- Caeden moved. Wait, he was chained to the bed. Just... freeze. Don't move.

The pots exploded before Jaan could swear, yell, or jump. He felt them scratching his skin, and he managed a “F.UCK!” as he jumped out, terrified out of his corner. In horror, he stared at the broken pots. Jaan felt the blood immediately drain from his face and down through his gut like a wash of cold water. He realized he was shaking. He slowly looked over at Caeden, noticing the disappearance of the chains, and realized there was no obstacles between Caeden and himself.

No…

What is that?

It… It couldn’t be what Caeden had mentioned before, right? Unless Caeden had underestimated it. Jaan couldn’t muster a response, but he knew he didn’t want to be unarmed. He reached one freshly cut hand down to snatch one of the clay fragments. Gripping it tightly, he scrambled to see how far he could go with the chain around his neck, moving in a half-circle closer to the chemistry set. D.amn the man who put yet another chain on him. He leaned as far as he could.  He didn’t take his eyes off the fiend, trying to ignore how thick and disgusting the room was. He could hear his breath high in his ears, panic threatening to take over.

“C-Caedon,” he said slowly. “You woke up on the wrong side of the bed,” he grit his teeth, “Caeden!” He rose his voice, trying to get that f.ucker back in control of his body because … this was too much.