Love in a Time of Science (ACuckoo & Kyte)

[ACuckoo]

 

Name: Amber

Age: 22

Personality: Amber is reserved, calm, and performs especially well under pressure. He's a clever person, though when he's stumped it can leave him frustrated and feeling helpless. He tries to always look on the positive side, though when it comes to it, he's a realist and will react to a situation accordingly. When someone needs a helping hand or a shoulder to lean on though, he's there, ready to whisper whatever lies they need to hear.

 

---

 

It felt like an entire decade had passed since he had been experimented on, but it hadn’t been that long at all. Not hardly. He detested the things on his back, he detested all the other things they had tried to do him, but most of all he detested them for what they had done to his lover. Amber didn’t know if it was the trauma of what they done to his poor Leon, or if the experiments themselves were the cause of it, but somehow Leon had lost his memory. He had forgotten everything, including Amber. Yet as hard as Amber tried to get him to realize they were lovers, that nothing could keep them apart, that they were meant for each, Leon was unresponsive.

 

That would change though. There was at least one thing the two of them had in common now… Escape. Exposure of all the terrible things done here. And hopefully, they would see the fall of this terrible company… These experiments had to come to an end at all costs. With a heavy sigh, Amber made his way to Leon. Having broken free of his prison he intended to do the same for Leon so the two of them could escape. His wings fluttered with excitement, sometimes he simply couldn’t control their actions. It would have been far more useful if they could carry his body, but he supposed humans weren’t meant to fly anyway. Not that he considered himself a human anymore.

 

Amber walked through the cells of the testers… That’s what they called those they experimented on. They cried out to him, called to him, begged for him to free them, but he ignored them and headed straight for Leon’s cell. There were no guards on this floor in particular. They didn’t find it worth it. Escape was hard enough as it was so if anyone escaped it was almost certain they could be caught before they even got halfway. Whether or not they were brought back to their cell or killed was up to the mercy of those evil scientists.

 

“Leon,” Amber whispered when he got the other’s cell. “Leon, listen. We can do it, don’t you think? We can escape. I know it seems impossible, but we can do it if we’re together.”

[Kyte]

Name: Leon

Age: 26

Personality: Quiet and brooding, Leon doesn't have a whole lot to say, as he's often preoccupied by his own amnesia, and trying to discover who he truly is. In this state, Leon is a pretty agreeable person, and is often vulnerable to suggestion. Although Leon is without pretty much his entire memories, it didn't take away from his natural protective instincts, and anyone he considers an ally, he'll go to great lengths to defend.

 

------

 

"Amber." He greeted, looking down at the smaller male, through the barrier of his cell. He remembered him in passing. Being that they were prisoners, they didn't have much time to interact with each other. But of what he did see, it seemed that the butterfly had known him further than he could remember. He never even thought to call himself Leon until he heard Amber shouting at him, in one of their first encounters.

 

"It won't be easy." Leon said, hands coming up to the mechanical looking collar at his neck. "Even if we escape, they can find me using the inhibitor collar." He shivered remembering the jolting sensations he earned in the past, when he didn't comply with the scientists. He still felt the tender burns on his neck, where the collar had shocked him, unrepentantly. "If they find you, they might put one on your neck, afterwards..." He warned, showing his worry for the other male, not wanting him to experience the harshness of the electric collars.

 

"You really think we could make it?"

[ACuckoo]

“Do you think I can dismantle it?” While Amber’s forte was with computers he could handle most anything electronic. He thankfully didn’t need to wear one of those collars… They mostly didn’t give it to him on the off chance it destroyed an important nerve to his wings and damaged him too much, but he was also fairly passive when it came to those scientists. It was pointless for him to have one. “I can always try… Leon.” It had been hard getting out of the habit of call him “my darling” but he had to. To Leon, there was never anything between them. It was inappropriate….

 

“I can always try. But I’m worried about it too. I don’t want to hurt you or alert them to what we’re doing.” He smiled at Leon’s concern for him, and wanted to reach his arm out for him and grip his hand. His heart still yearned for him, but all he could do was watch Leon from afar. It broke his heart to pieces… He would get revenge on those who did this to him.

 

“If you’ll let me I can try to dismantle it. But if you’re worried about it we can try it the reverse way. We can try to find the control mechanism for it and destroy that instead. If we do that we’ll be sure to make it. Between the two of us I think we can do it.”

[Kyte]

Leon shook his head. "All the head scientists carry a transmitter on their person, you'd never be able to get to them all..." Leon said, relaying what he had observed, watching the scientists who tended to mull about the lab, and doing their experiments. "At least with it off, they wouldn't be able to track us once we're out of the building. I'd take a small moment of discomfort, if it meant that we could walk out of here."

 

He looked out to the other prisoners, braying to be let out. Poor souls that had been pricked, pulled, and plucked for the sake of experimentation. "What about them?" He asked, his heart going out to their pleading cries. "Would it be right to leave them?"

[ACuckoo]

"It won't take long. Well hopefully it won't." After some fiddling with the keypad Amber was able to get the door open. He stepped inside and made his way to Leon, leaning down in front of him to examine the collar. He saw the remains of the burns he had suffered due to this collar and couldn't stop his blood from rushing... Those damn scientists.

 

"I'm sure I can get this off, Leon. If you trust me to." He opened up a panel on the collar and fiddled with a few of the wires, taking his time so he didn't wind up shocking or worse, killing, his lover. Well... Not his lover anymore. It was hard not to think of him that way. To think of him as just a companion, not a lover.

 

While he worked he listened to the other man speak, sighing softly at his words. "You're very compassionate, darling," he said quietly, not caring about his use of the pet name. "But you know we can't take them. If too many of us try to escape we're sure to be caught. When we're free we'll expose everything about this place and they'll be free as well." It was little consolation, but he hoped that it would suffice for Leon. He hated being the bad guy, the insensitive person, but he had to. There was no way they could escort all these people. Amber's wings were enough of attention grabbers anyway...

 

"Done. I think the collar is safe to remove now." He tweaked and fiddled with a few more wires before closing the panel again. "Do you want to do the honors? I'd be happy to help."

[Kyte]

Leon sighed, solemnly understanding Amber's wisdom with the decision. Though he didn't like it, he knew it was the best way to reveal the atrocities that went on in this lab, and to expose the dubious nature of the umbrella company's inhumane practices with experimentation. They were the best chance to shut this place down for good.

 

He just hoped that all the others would still be around to rescue, once they pulled the curtain on this place...

 

"I can get it." He said, taking the collar in his hands, and yanking it off with a sharp tug. The metal contraption shattered, tiny parts scattering around the cell, as it crumbled. Without it's functional purpose to monitor and discipline Leon, it was little more than a toy that crumbled under his tightened fist.

 

Leon rubbed his neck, finally relieved of the long lived discomfort of the collar. The fresh burns from repeated shock treatment now breathed freely, bare in the cool, soothing air. "Thank you, Amber." He gave the other male a sincere smile. His one blue eye sparkled, as he showed his appreciation.

[ACuckoo]

It was nice for Leon to give him that look... It reminded him of the way he looked at Amber when he told him he loved him. That was so long ago... Or perhaps not that long ago. Maybe it just felt like ages because Amber so desperately missed Leon. His Leon. The Leon he treasured and cared for so much.

 

But now wasn't the time to reminisce on days long gone. Amber took Leon's hand and led him out of his small prison. It would be difficult to get out undetected, but they needed to. It was times like these Amber wished his wings were more useful... All they did was bring him unwanted attention.

 

They walked down the corridors, avoiding guards and workers alike as they made their way around the facility. "Leon," Amber whispered, squeezing his hand. "There are plenty of ways out of here, some less guarded than others. The second floor is mostly biological experiments so the halls tend to be empty. If we escape from there we may fall from... Well a pretty high height. Do you think you can handle it?" He wasn't just asking out of his concern for once lover, though that was a top priority for him. He was also concerned for his own damn wings. If they were damaged from the fall he doubted he would survive.

[Kyte]

Leon held onto Amber's hand, unwittingly squeezing it tight in unconscious habit. He followed the smaller man, as they roamed the halls, evading alarm, always looking over his shoulder to make sure they hadn't been detected. He listened aptly, as Amber relayed the plan.

 

"I think I might recall that, actually." Leon said, looking up to the ceiling, envisioning the biological lab. "I remember waking up, and the doctors were hovering over me." His brow furrowed, as he willed the scene to come back into his mind, but could only remember blurred figures and distorted shapes. All he could remember was questioning where he was, and seeing his flesh being pricked with hypodermic needles. "It's all pretty fuzzy... I might have been on anesthesia..."

 

He hummed pensively, as he considered the danger that Amber presented. "I'm not sure... Maybe?" Leon couldn't say he had much of a clue of his chances, he couldn't conjure a proper recollection of how high they'd have been off the ground. "If it's our best option, I suppose we'll find out..." It was a gamble, but they weren't left with too many choices. They'd have to take everything as it came.

[ACuckoo]

"You think you might have been on the biology floor?" Amber stopped everything he was doing, completely forgot all about escaping and focused his attention on Leon. Any little details the other could remember was important. Amber remembered this floor well; it was where his wings were fused with him, tangling with his nerves and cells and whatever else they required to survive. But if Leon was here too then maybe they had done something biological to his body.

 

"I don't know where they keep the records, Leon," he told him solemnly. "Or we could find out what exactly they did to you. And why you don't have your memory." He placed a hand on Leon's cheek, resisting the urge to cry... He had mourned the death of his lover when he found out about his lost memory, but assured himself that he could be revived again. Leon wasn't dead... Just buried and trying to claw his way out.

 

"I'll help you however I can. You know that, right?" He whispered, forcing himself to not kiss his now former lover. With a heavy sigh he turned back to their mission and made his way to one of the large windows. He looked down and bit his lip. It was a long fall, but possibly doable. "What do you think?" He asked the other. "If my wings get damaged I'm as good as dead. But if we land correctly we can minimize any damage to our bodies. What do your instincts tell you?"

[Kyte]

Leon sighed. "Like I said, it's fuzzy..." He rubbed at his brow. If he tried too hard to think about it, he earned some pretty awful headaches. The more he tried to reach, the more the images seem to distort themselves. "That's all I ever remembered, before I was fully conscious in my cell..." He admitted. To Leon, everything up to that point was pretty much lost. A huge gap in his personal history, that ended with him being in a strange facility, being battered with experiments.

 

He froze, when he felt the hand on his cheek. He froze, but he didn't shy away. Leon looked at Amber's expression, watching him as he seemed to dam his own tears. It was obvious to Leon that Amber had knew him, back before his amnesia, he just couldn't place him. Whatever Amber knew, he kept it to himself, thinly veiling any indication that they had any relation to each other, for whatever reason.

 

The taller man shook his head. "We have other things to worry about, first. We should find our way out of here, quickly as possible."

 

Leon never questioned it. Despite completely lacking any memory of the other man, he had the faint but sure instinct that he could trust him, and his judgement. When and if Amber was ready to reveal anything was his own prerogative, and Leon knew to respect that.

 

He looked out and down the window, his lips pursing in thought. It was a long drop. Taking Amber's wings into account didn't increase their chances... "Fall from this height would easily cause bone fractures..." He looked back into the room, scanning the area. "Maybe if we had something to rappel with?"

[ACuckoo]

What could he possibly use to rappel with? Amber looked around, cursing their luck as he saw nothing right off the bat. He supposed they could try to make it through the first floor, but it was far more heavily guarded. His wings fluttered in in irritation, though it didn’t look any different than if they had fluttered in happiness or boredom or worry. He wandered around the room, careful to keep an eye out for anyone who may have been walking by. There were no curtains, no ropes, no sheets of any sort. What could they use?

 

“What about us? Can we use us?” Amber made his way back to the window and looked down. Leon was taller than him, but between the two of them they made at least ten feet. The drop was more than that, but perhaps the two could lessen the impact. “What if we both went out the window, but I held onto the sill and you held onto my other arm. It’s not ideal, but you would be closer to the ground and maybe the fall won’t be as harsh. Then maybe you can catch me?” That was the only thing Amber could think of aside from risking their luck on the first floor. Either choice was dangerous, but Amber thought it was better to risk the window as opposed to angry guards and scientists.

 

“Do you think that’s a good idea? Our only other option is the first floor.” Amber didn’t need to go into explanation of how dangerous that was. He sighed, wondering why the two of them were even in this situation. All that was happening now was bad ideas and dangerous plans, and the last thing Amber wanted to do was risk the life of the man he loved. Maybe it would have been better for them to stay here? At least they wouldn’t be in danger… but no. He couldn’t say that. Who knew what they did to Leon in those experiments? Who knew how different his body was now?

 

“We have to get out of here…” he mumbled, staring at the ground far below them.

[Kyte]

"I don't know..." Leon said, looking Amber's slender figure up and down. "You don't look like you'd be able to hold my weight." He smiled with an apologetic humor. He didn't want to unintentionally insult Amber, but as the reality was... "Maybe we could-"

 

Leon stopped, turning his head when he heard voices coming from the hallway. "Someone's coming!" They would be caught, if they stayed. As Leon scanned the room, he couldn't find a suitable place to hide them both. They needed to leave. "Out the window!" He urged Amber, pushing him to the sill. "Hide on the other side of the wall along the ledge. Hurry, before they find us out!"

[ACuckoo]

Amber chuckled as the other man looked his body up and down. He’d had a point. Never once could Amber lift Leon and he blushed slightly, feeling some shame at his suggestion. That was what was good about the two of them though. They balanced each other out, each of them bringing something to the relationship. Leon toned down Amber and Amber brought Leon up. It was what they did for one another until those evil men took Amber’s lover away from him.

 

And he was scared it was going to happen again. Leon sensed someone coming and Amber felt panic rise within him. He did as he was told and carefully stepped outside onto the ledge. “Leon! Leon!” Amber called in a hushed but concerned whisper. He waited until Leon joined him outside, the both of them pressed against the wall of the building. Without realizing it, Amber squeezed Leon’s hand. He looked up at the sky to avoid looking at the ground. If only these wings actually did something instead of just making him more fragile.

 

“A tree…” Amber said, swallowing hard. He took several deep breaths to calm himself down, though he still refused to look at the ground. If he fell he was dead. If Leon fell he could die too… But if he survived he would be taken right back into this facility only to be experimented on again. No matter what Amber could not let that happen. “We can find a tree, maybe with a branch close to us, and jump to it. Okay? Help me find one, Leon.” He began shuffling along the ledge with Leon’s hand still grasped tightly in his own. He could hear shouting from inside… Part of him was concerned that they had been found out, that the guards had found their empty cells and were now searching for them. He had to put that worry aside though, if they were going to survive this.

[Kyte]

Alarms blared, and lights flashed from the topmost corners of the building. Leon looked down to the ground, hearing the sounds of guards mobilizing. They couldn't stay up here; once a guard looked up, they'd be sure as caught.

 

The rush of adrenaline wooshed past Leon's ears, and time seemed to grind to a halt. Leon took in the details of the situation around him. There was simply no way they could have reached any scalable object before they were seen, they didn't have time. He checked the flat, grassy ground below them. They were going to have to risk it.

 

Without a warning, Leon scooped Amber into his arms, bridal style, before hopping off the ledge. Twisting back, he planted a foot to the wall of the building, one hand dragging from above, sliding towards the ground. He held Amber close, taking care of the delicate wings, as he watched the ground rush up to meet them.

 

From the rush of the fall, Leon felt a flash of instinct kick in, and he pushed off the wall at the last few feet they had left. He whirled once in the air, blunting the velocity they had obtained, and landed in the soft grass with both feet, and all intact.

[ACuckoo]

Amber didn’t say a word, didn’t move as Leon grabbed him and jumped from the building. He trusted him with all of his heart, as he had for years, and he was right to do so. They were safely on the ground, both of them completely in tact; it seemed Leon had some muscle memory saved even if his actual memory was gone. Perhaps this action would trigger something for him, but Amber didn’t have much time to dwell on it. They needed to get as far from this place as possible. He jumped from the other’s arms, grabbed his wrist, and dragged him into the forest that surrounded the facility.

 

It was dangerous here. Amber kept his wings as flat as possible to avoid them getting scratched on branches, but it wasn’t enough. He screamed loudly as the tip of his wing caught on a branch and tore, leaving him frozen in pain for several moment. The damage looked minimal, but Amber could feel a burning from his wings all the way through his body. When he looked up at his wing he saw the tip of it truly had torn, just like a sheet of paper, with clear liquid coming from the wound.

 

“I’m fine,” he lied, staring at Leon with wide eyes. Regardless of how much pain he was in even he could tell that as long as he was able to bandage the small wound he would be okay. The pain was the most debilitating part of this, but they couldn’t stop, not until they were safe. “Come on.” He bit his lip as he took Leon’s wrist again, pulling him through the crowded forest, careful again of branches and roots that may have tripped them.

[Kyte]

Leon stopped him. "Hold on." He removed his wrist from Amber's grip, so that he could undo the straps on his jacket. He really should have thought of this sooner...

 

He peeled the jacket, leaving the waist-up bare to the elements, before draping it over Amber's shoulders, and wings. "We should keep them covered, avoid further damage."