Paradise Lost (JSAB)

Tree Mom

This is more of just a compilation/filler chapter that has some plot-important moments in it tbh

0930 hours, Present day, Tower infirmary

Tetra had a rather rude awakening. Both figuratively and literally. Usually they would wake up to a beeping alarm and tired mumbling from their siblings at 7:30 in the morning, but at that moment they woke up with a red-faced Fresh shrieking in theirs. At that moment all they could think was: "Holy fuck I am going to die aren't I.", scrambling backwards and preparing to shield themselves from any attacks if the moment called for it.

Fresh, though, took a deep breath in and exhaled, groaning.

"Close bought you here, huh?"

"...Yes."

"God fucking damnit."

Tetra's heart lurched, collapsing on itself as they pursed their lips. They shuffled so that their back was pressed against the wall, as far away from Fresh as they could get. His hair wasn't even combed and there were dark bags underneath his eyes.

"Well. Either way, you're still here. That saves him a couple of hours of torture." Fresh muttered, looking down at them with a deep shadow across his face. He was serious. Dead serious. His signature smile was nowhere to be seen. "But I swear to god, he do something like this again and I am going to kill him."

Although the threat was not directed towards Tetra, they still felt the shiver of fear run down their spine, and physically shrunk.

At that moment, the doors opened and soon so did the curtain, and Close to Me, also looking like he just rolled out of bed and threw on the closest clothes he had on his floor, entered. He wasn't even wearing his top hat. There was a soft package in his hands. The moment he and Fresh made eye contact though, the larger male immediately strolled forwards and picked the other up by his neck. Close himself had no reaction, just laboured breathing, as he was hoisted three feet up into the air, but Tetra's jaw dropped in outraged disbelief.

Fresh glared with wide, piercing eyes through Close's opaque goggles and into his eyes underneath, muscles in his hands rippling as he squeezed Close's throat tighter as if to kill him.

"Mark my fucking words, bastard, if you come anywhere near it again..."

His voice trailed off and briefly looked over at Tetra, who tensed up once his gorgon gaze landed on them.

"I will cut The Guardian's head off and send it to you in a box."

Nobody said a word as Fresh placed Close back on the ground, the latter wobbling a little bit from the manhandling and lack of oxygen. Then, Fresh turned his attention back to Tetra, materialised a long pink chain around their torso, destroyed the chain on their ankle, and was just about to pick them up and forcibly bring them back to their prison-

Close interrupted him by holding up a package in his hands, pointing it at Tetra. They awkwardly took it, and upon tearing off the upper layer of brown wrapping to reveal a small bundle of clothes. They stared back at him, a bit confused.

"Close." Fresh mumbled. "Did. Did you bring it clothes."

He nodded.

"...Well, I guess it wouldn't be appropriate to shackle it while wearing a hospital gown. But still, clothing??? I don't understand you one bit. Anyways. Get out."

Close didn't really have much objection to that order so he left. He was going to leave to allow Tetra some privacy anyways- but Fresh stayed behind a little bit and they just froze. The corrupted man stared at them like he was smelling something bad, eyes narrowed with bitterness.