Inception {Dreamnotfound}

32 | Distant Returns | 32

-George's POV-

This never gets any easier.

I stare blankly at the building before us, somewhere I'm sure I must've walked past so many times before, but also can't remember seeing. It blends in pretty well with the surrounding derelict building, definitely not somewhere I would suspect such a powerful group to set up headquarters.

I voice as much to the rest of the group, and Skeppy snorts, smirking almost proudly at the building. "Their old place was a lot nicer," he muses, and it's then I remember just what happened to said place.

Clay seems unimpressed by the conversation, already surveying the area with a critical eye. He must've been here before, I don't think he'd agree to this otherwise, but most likely not for a while. I often forget my boyfriend is an experienced assassin beneath the soft and caring person I've come to know over the months, but moments like these always act as a prominent reminder.

Especially when he's wearing that mask.

"We'll go that way," he decides, pointing to an opening low on the second floor. It looks too close to the ground to be a window, and if it was, any glass has long-been shattered. Skeppy waits for Bad's approval before nodding in agreement, the two of them already searching for any alternative routes.

"The rest of you can enter from there." Bad points to a concrete set of stairs peeking out of the ground floor, base dug deep into the dirt. "The second stairwell should be empty too. These people aren't the sort who expect to be attacked. I highly doubt anyone is watching it."

"Where's Techno?" I ask after suddenly realising he hasn't joined us. "Other side of the building," Clay explains, standing on his tiptoes and pointing over the building. "He's got more Elite Assassins with him, too. Apparently they'll clear the higher floors by themselves."

"Makes sense to me," Sapnap shrugs, combing a reassuring hand through his boyfriend's hair. Tubbo nods silently from beside Karl, tightening his grip on his longsword. I notice his eyes scrunch up for a split second, evident the band must've just stung him. It explains his earlier actions, especially when he wears the band on the same wrist as he holds the sword.

"I presume we'll find each other at some point, but if we don't, we meet here." Clay points to the ground beneath us for emphasis, something I find oddly cute.

There's a smug look in Clay's eyes when he pulls me into a parting kiss, and if I had a little more dignity, maybe I'd try to stop him, care a little more that there's six other people here. But I think I'm past the point of bothering with formalities when I'm this desperate, a part of me wondering if I'll ever get to kiss him again.

It's always uncertain in this world.

A point proven to me in more ways than one, when I enter the stairwell, only to learn that Bad was wrong.

Karl and I leave Sapnap and Tubbo to cover the ground floor, deciding to spread the four of us evenly between both. So only we climb the second set, Karl following close behind me until I realise that the second stairwell definitely isn't empty, and that I'm not quick enough to act when they swing first.

The scrape of something against my arm is sudden, and it can't have been enough to draw blood, but the stinging sensation stretching up the length of my forearm makes it very obvious to me that it'll leave a deep bruise eventually.

Something shatters too close to be safe, and my head pounds violently under pressure. A shrill sound rings in my ears as I force myself to swing blindly, connecting with something hard enough to cause a piercing scream.