Steam the Worry Out [OPEN]

[Deleted]

What on earth was Nova thinking? Lance did his best to make sure he wasn't alone, that the other centurions wheren't going out alone. He felt that person following him, he even checked behind a few of the other centurions and someone would show up there too. He even heard about Tessa's encounter with someone in the armory. The disappearances had seemed a bit more erratic, but he never expected Nova to be any kind of target. She was always with someone, it seemed like she was at least. Tessa would be there to make sure she went to cohort practice, sometimes to make sure she was okay. Of course Ronan was there in the forge almost always. It wasn't an excuse though. He hadn't helped her when she needed it. He wasn't there for her to talk to about leaving, to help her do whatever she had been planning on doing. He suspected she went out to look for Edmund. He should have anticipated. Recommended something other than her going out alone.

Lance had come to the sauna when there was still people around. He had been so careful before, and still was trying to be. With Nova gone though, it felt almost like he should make a reason to get himself caught. So he'd be there with her. So he could try and help her there. He threw more water on the coals and rubbed a wet towel over his face, scrubbing it until it hurt. He couldn't do that. He had responsibilities. He had other things he needed to do, to make sure of. He was a centurion now and had to keep himself together.

The air was heavy with steam, and heat. Lance knew he should be leaving soon, and especially since he was alone. Gunnar had been the one to teach him that. Don't be out alone, don't make yourself an easy target. Gunnar and Josh had been his mentors in stealth, but he never really wanted that kind of life. Being quiet and unnoticed was useful, and being able to find information on people was great. He loved to know everything about the people he cared about. What kinds of foods they liked, that size clothes they wore, where they liked to sleep. There weren't many people who seemed to like to have him around. Especially after the first few times he showed up unannounced in places they never told him about. Lilith had never minded him showing up anywhere and everywhere, neither did Nova. He didn't know how to deal with them while they were sad, so generally he just ended up watching them instead. If he even had the time in between his centurion duties, individual training, and learning programming.

[Deleted]

Ronan was understandably upset. First Josh had been taken. Then Nova, then Edmund, Miyuki was gone, That strange boy from third, everyone was being taken. He was going to do something about it. He didn't care if he got in trouble. He had to do something. He couldn't just leave them to whatever fate was to befall them. One of these days, Ronan would learn to just leave well enough alone. But he couldn't, not when it came to his cohort and his siblings. "Where's lance?" He snarled at one of the boys from third cohort. The younger boy scrambled out of his bed before falling with a thud and mentioning that he had seen Lance heading towards the bathhouse. He had an empty backpack sitting on his bench in the forge. He knew something was wrong when he had found Cinny and no edmund. Ronan headed towards the bath house, watching people scatter from in front of him as he walked with a purpose. He questioned others to where the third cohort centurion was. Finally someone was able to tell him exactly where he was at.

Ronan stripped down, wrapping one of the large and fluffy towels around his waist as he quickly pulled open the door to the sauna. He moved in quickly as to not let steam out before he sat down on the bench. He watched Lance scrub his face vigorously. But in his slow and deliberate voice, he spoke. "I'm going after them." He said with a brow furrowed. "I don't know where to start, but I'm going to break them out." He said to the younger male. He had already spoken to Josh, telling him what he was doing. He'd tear apart the place brick by brick if he had to. He was pissed, beyond angry. This far, no one had lost more than he had. He would bring them back, he had to. "I don't expect you to try to talk me down, I don't know when I'll be back, Do me a favor and check up on the forge every so often. Don't let them give you hell. and if I don't come back, there's something in my desk for you." Ronan stated, breathing in deeply. The humid air hitting his lungs.

"You are a smart kid, don't get taken too. I can only burn down so many places before the world gets smart that I'm burning down buildings." Ronan stated as he stretched out, his joints popping from the stretching. He had recently pushed a good workout on the fifth cohort. They were getting better, they really were. Ronan could tell. They were strong, they were finally starting to work as a team before the war.

[Deleted]

Lance heard the door open and close, heard the heavy foot steps. Familiar, it took him only a moment to place it as Nova's brother. That made his heart sink even farther. What would he have to say to Lance? That he had failed as a friend, again. He had failed the person closest to him, other than direct family, again. Last time they died. Lance stiffened at the thought. He should have been there. This time. Last time. During the war. He wasn't there, and look what happened. What kept happening. Lilith got attacked at the Infirmary. Nova was put in a wheelchair. His friend Jacob was....

Then he heard Ronan's voice, steady and it held a purpose. The son of Veritas put the towel down and looked at the much larger male sitting on the bench. Listening to him as if he were listening to a mad man. He supposed that's exactly what Ronan was. Angry. Perhaps a little crazy, but he wanted to save them. Rescue them, and Lance knew a little of that. Nova was there. Erich, his legionnaire. Though he knew Miyuki was good friends with Ronan, and Nova was his little sister. Edmund was his troublemaker brother. He licked his lips, biting them a bit thinking of his reply. What could he possibly say to this man? Despite the humid air his mouth felt dry as a dessert. “Don't.” Ronan hadn't expected him to talk him down, but he felt he should. That he had to. “They had Josh. For a month. He barely made it out. A son of Mercury, grandson of Mars. Not exactly....the easiest person to keep tied down. If...when we go. It needs to be planned. Planned well. With the praetors, with the other centurions.” He was trying to speak with more confidence than he had, as though he wasn't literally just thinking about doing the same things himself.

He shook his head, looking down at his hands as he did so. Ronan was asking a favor, but the price was letting him go off and do whatever this half thought plan was. He was so small compared to Ronan, over a foot shorter and much thinner. Much younger. He didn't have the experience Ronan had either, but he knew he shouldn't be going off to save them. Not this way. “I know... you'd go through anything for them. To pull them out. But you have to know it's not a good idea.” He finally looked up at Ronan again, a bit worried. “You know Nova and Edmund would kick themselves if you got caught too. Well....kick might not.....be the right word....” he rubbed the back of his neck nervously. He was still getting used to this talking with people thing, at least the part where you don't trip over your words. Which he still seemed to do a lot. Sometimes though, if he wasn't nervous or thinking too hard on not sounding stupid, he could say something good.

He could hear the popping, which did not exactly sound healthy. “I know. I can't......I can't let myself get caught.” he felt so selfish saying that. As though he thought he was something special, but he saw what a missing centurion could do to the cohorts moral. He wouldn't do that. It could mean more missing, maybe even death if there was a war. “You can't either Ronan. We need you here. What will happen to fifth, to Josh. He just got a baby. The forge, with Edmund.....Nova... and you gone.....We can't afford any more people to go missing. Not without a solid plan to get everyone back.”