Against all odds, Kyle actually managed to fall asleep and rest instead of just passing out from the pain. He'd tried not to, aware that Snitch Gravel had proved there was no trust lost between them, but he couldn't be alert forever and they did agree on a truce.

Resting was miraculous. Once he blinked the sleep from his eyes, he became aware that the pain in his muscles had dimmed considerably. His cuts were almost fully healed now, and when he sat up, his head didn't pound and his stomach didn't churn. It was too good to be true, really. And he appeared to be alone.

"What the...?" he mumbled.

But once he took in his surroundings, he noticed that Snitch Gravel was still there. He'd slumped against a tree trunk, the gun held loosely in his hand, his chin against his chest, fast asleep.

Kyle's first impulse was to groan and roll his eyes. A lot of help he was, falling asleep on the job. But then again, Snitch Gravel must have been exhausted, too, looking out for him for so long. They needed to start taking turns and looking out for each other if they wanted to survive. The thought was so disconcerting, Kyle was tempted to just close his eyes, go back to sleep, and hope he'd wake up in his own bed next time.

Bur reality sucked, so he walked over, took the gun, and lay Snitch Gravel down, with his head on his rucksack. Kyle glanced at it and fought the impulse to check inside and see if he had more weapons and supplies. The first rule of trust was to not go through the other's stuff.

The second rule was to let people actually rest. So he'd give Snitch Gravel an hour in which he'd take care of himself. He couldn't remember the last time he had food or water, and he was very aware that he had to start eating and drinking again. Excruciatingly slow. But first, he'd practice walking.

It was maybe a twisted form of blessing that he'd seen how long it took Sam to recover after the coma, so he wasn't shocked to find that he was terribly uncoordinated. Thankfully, unlike Sam, he had magical snowflake serum which allowed his muscles to respond much faster.

So he began pacing around their camp, making the circle bigger each time, rolling his shoulders, testing his joints, even aiming a few hits at the air. Yep, he wasn't completely useless. With a bit more practice, he could still throw a punch or two. It hurt, but it wasn't a pain he couldn't handle.

Next, he took out a bottle of water and, while still walking around, he took tiny sips. It was like trying to force down alcohol all over again, but he managed to drink without throwing up which had to count for something. Then he moved to food. He knew he had some oat biscuits in his survival kit, so he took one out and bit on it gingerly. Once his stomach didn't twist in protest, he spent the following minutes nibbling on the biscuit and drinking water.

He couldn't remember every feeling so frail in his life, but he should be grateful that he was actually alive. Too bad he couldn't remember why. As he walked in larger circles, he tried to remember what had happened after the wall and the spikes had pressed in on him. He couldn't remember a trap door, a tunnel, climbing out. All he could remember was water and pain.

But this wasn't all that important. What killed him was that he had no idea what happened to the others. To Kay. The last thing he knew, they'd rushed away to the sound of destruction. He'd heard their running footsteps moving away. They must've gotten out. Most likely without the jewel. Not that it mattered anymore. That thing was buried, and unless someone came with excavators, he didn't see a way to go through all that rubble.

Speaking of which... He stopped and stared at his feet. He'd hit his boots against a solid slab of stone. It looked vaguely familiar. He crouched and ran his hand over it. There were deep carvings on its surface, jagged edges of what appeared to be a sun. It looked a lot like the same design they'd seen on the walls of the shrine. Even if he couldn't read it, it was still useful enough.

His mind buzzed as he tried to form a coherent through from all the pieces of memory bombarding him. He remembered Jerry pointing out the ventilation system, Sam raising his hand towards a tiny beam of light...

The lids. This had to be part of one of the lids covering the ventilation holes. Which meant that one of those holes was nearby. After a few minutes of searching the undergrowth, Kyle finally came across the rest of the circular slab. It indeed covered a round hole big enough for him to get through. He leaned closer to the hole. He didn't have a flashlight to see inside, but he could hear the low trickle of water.

Where the hell were they? Had he somehow backtrack and was currently somewhere between the entrance to the shrine and the chessboard room? But it seemed unlikely.

Bouncing the thought around his head, he made his way back to camp and sat down across the fire from Snitch Gravel. He still slept, a mild frown on his face as if something bothered him.

Kyle took his water bottle again and resumed taking tiny sips, wondering just what the hell they were supposed to do now. Snitch Gravel had implied that he had no idea where they were, so then what? A part of Kyle really wanted to shake him awake just to have someone to bounce ideas of.

Snitch Gravel groaned and turned over, the frown on his face deeper.

"No," he mumbled. "Why are you doing this?"

"Um, what?" Kyle asked.

Snitch Gravel ignored him, his head moving from side to side.

"No. No, no, no. How could you? Millie." The words were followed by more undiscernible words out if which Kyle could only pick up no's and the mystery Millie's name.

"Maybe you should wake up," he said, keeping his voice even. When Snitch Gravel didn't, Kyle moved over to him and nudged him. "Hey, it's alright. You're just dreaming."

Snitch Gravel started and opened his eyes, a confused daze in them.

"Huh?"

"You were dreaming."

"Dreaming?"

"Yeah. That's what it's called when you see stuff inside your head while sleeping."

Snitch Gravel huffed, but sat up, rubbing his eyes. "Where's my gun?"

"I think it's my turn to hold it."

He froze and lowered his hands slowly. There was no trace of lingering sleep on his face. "It's my gun."

"True, but you lost your privilege when I found you pointing it at me."

"That's not how it works."

Kyle quirked an eyebrow. "Why not?"

"Because you're alive when you're not supposed to be and you can go into a blind rage and break me." He reached out his hand. "So give it back."

Yeah, like that was going to happen. But he didn't want to start a fight so he decided a distraction was in order.

"Who's Millie?"

Snitch Gravel's eyes widened for a second before they narrowed. "Where did you hear that name?"

"You were mumbling it in your sleep."

Snitch Gravel let out a groan and facepalmed. "Of course. You scream stuff in your sleep, so why shouldn't I?"

"Hey, I have night terrors because of you."

He didn't answer, just grumbled and looked away. His reaction morphed Kyle's desire for a distraction into actual curiosity.

"Is Millie the one?"

Snitch Gravel turned so fast, his neck creaked in protest. "What?"

Maybe years ago, before they'd gone through all the shit they had, Kyle would've been intimidated by that look. Maybe braver men than him were. But he was way past caring about social games and threats from Snitch Gravel.

"You know. The one who's everywhere and nowhere at all."

"At the risk of sounding repetitive, what?"

"The one you wanted to have kids with."

Snitch Gravel's jaw dropped, the simmering rage momentarily buried by shock. "How do you... I know I didn't say that in my sleep."

"No, you told me yourself."

"When?"

The memory had Kyle's hairs standing on end. It somehow didn't get easier with the passage of time, maybe because he barely even thought about it anymore. So every time he did, it was like a punch in the gut.

"After Kay... fell. And we got wasted together."

Snitch Gravel stood and started pacing, his hands clasped behind his back. For what felt like a minute, he said nothing. Then, he stopped and turned to face Kyle.

"I told you that?"

Kyle shrugged. "You said it yourself, it's not like you said it in your sleep. How else would I know?"

"Maybe you don't know. Maybe you're making it up."

"Of course. And you're harassed because I'm lying."

"I'm not harassed."

"I could always call bullshit. You have a tell as well."

Snitch Gravel stopped his pacing and tilted his head. "A tell?"

"Yes. I sign that shows you're lying."

"What the ever-loving fuck are you?"

Kyle shrugged again. "That's rude. And there you were, claiming you wished I were your son."

If Snitch Gravel looked shocked before, if was nothing compared to the look on his face after Kyle let out those words. Which wasn't exactly fair, since he wasn't sure they were real, but somehow they seemed too messed up to make up. Plus, in spite of everything and the shitty situation they were in, pushing Snitch Gravel's buttons was turning out to be fun.

"You said that, too," he supplied. "While you were drunk."

"Oh, cut the bullshit and give me the gun."

This time, Kyle could tell it wouldn't be wise to keep pushing, but even if his attitude was dismissive, there was something about Snitch Gravel at the moment that rubbed him the wrong way. But he couldn't figure it out, and he didn't have time to linger on it. They were still fighting over the gun. It was time for distraction number two.

"I have something better for you." He pulled out the fragment of stone he'd found and tossed it to Snitch Gravel.

He caught it with ease and turned it over. The annoyance on his face morphed into curiosity. "Where did you find this?"

"Not too far from camp

"Huh. I thought I'd lost their trace long before I found you." He turned the rock over, analyzing the markings.

"Can you read those?"

Snitch Gravel hummed. "It's not writing. More like decorative symbols. But it could be where you got out. Which means..." He looked left and right then headed for his rucksack. He returned moments later with a compass and placed it on the ground for both of them to see.

"I've been following a southeastern path since I was tossed out of that room."

"How did you get out?" Kyle asked.

"Apparently in a similar manner to you." Snitch Gravel turned the rock in his hands, analyzing the markings. "After I fell through the floor, I wound up in a tunnel of sorts. Except it was filled with water and rather short. It also seemed to go lower before it started climbing. When I reached the end, there was nothing. I think I was stuck in there for days."

He paused and lowered the stone fragment. For a moment, he just glanced at Kyle in a thoughtful way, as if he couldn't remember if they were supposed to be sharing.

"I thought I was going to die in there. Then, one night, there was a particularly rough storm and I woke up to find water dripping from the ceiling. I checked it out and found one of these slabs covering a hole."

"The ventilation system," Kyle said with a nod. "Didn't you figure out there had to be a way out when you didn't suffocate in there?"

Snitch Gravel waved his hand dismissively. "There are more ways for air to circulate. But do tell me about this ventilation system you've mentioned."

Kyle hesitated, and suddenly realized it was the same hesitation Snitch Gravel had shown before deciding to tell him about his own little adventure. But truth be told, he wasn't sure if it would be of any use to hold these things back. The more they stayed there, the more unlikely it was for them to get back safely. If fate was so cruel that Snitch Gravel would be the one he'd have to count on to get home, then so be it.

"After we slid into the tunnel from the shrine, we noticed that there were airholes at regular intervals. We guessed they were potential ways out. I'm thinking that's part of a lid." He nodded towards the stone slab fragment.

Snitch Gravel twisted it in his hands again, appearing deep in thought, then turned his attention towards the compass. "What do you think are the chances that your brothers got the jewel?"

"I don't know." He wasn't even sure they weren't dead. But he chose to believe they weren't. They'd ran for the exit after all. "But not great. While we were on the chessboard, a door opened. Sam assumed it was an exit." It fit the pattern anyway.

Snitch Gravel nodded. "Where did it open?"

"Behind us."

"Then I agree with Sam. It might have been an exit and not a way to the jewel."

"Maybe it wasn't and those aztecs and olmecs and whatever else were just screwing with us."

Snitch Gravel huffed. "I'd agree, since this temple followed no rules. But the ancient people did have a flair for symbolism. The treasure would always be forward."

Kyle fought the impulse to roll his eyes. "Into the wall of spikes?"

"I guess not." Snitch Gravel waved his hand to his left. "With the new tunnels. I fell too fast to be worthy of the new route towards the sun. What about you?"

Route towards the sun... The phrasing reminded Kyle so much of Sam, it brought a sudden and potent pain to his chest. He understood Snitch Gravel meant east, and it made sense. There was only one tiny snag.

"I don't know. Because I can't remember how and where I got out and if there was more tunnel before I did."

"That is slightly problematic. But I believe we can figure this out. Just take me where you found this."

Maybe in different circumstances Kyle would've been more reticent to take Snitch Gravel anywhere, but he didn't have the luxury this time. Instead, he helped the guy gather up camp, put out the fire, and scramble any evidence of them ever being there.

Then, already feeling a little tired, he lead Snitch Gravel to where he'd found the stone fragment. He stood leaning with his shoulder against a tree while Snitch Gravel searched the surrounding area. It took him maybe twenty minutes in which Kyle had slid to the ground to return, a look of satisfaction on his face.

"I found it," he announced.

"Good for you," Kyle mumbled. "Let me guess. You don't need me anymore, so you'll let me die here."

"I actually do need you." Snitch Gravel sounded amused as he reached out his hand.

Kyle hesitated a second, but reached out his own and let himself be pulled back to his feet. "You're joking."

"Nope. I actually want to see if the tunnel underneath ends or if it continues. And of course, I don't want to do that by jumping in it."

Of course not. So it was only fair that he'd want Kyle holding him up while he went exploring. Which wasn't ideal, since Kyle would rather do that himself, but he was well aware that Snitch Gravel didn't have the necessary strength to hold him off a potentially booby trapped floor.

"Okay, let's do this."

He waited while Snitch Gravel took a rolled up rope from his rucksack and started trying it around his torso. Once he was done, they both approached the hole. Predictably enough, it wasn't covered anymore which made sense if he'd come out through there.

"Ready?" Snitch Gravel asked.

"Does it really matter if I'm not?"

He received a glare in return, but in it Kyle saw a lot more than annoyance. There was hope there as well as something he'd never thought he'd see directed at him. Trust.

"You have to understand that I'm putting my life in your hands right now," Snitch Gravel said, his voice calm and even. "If you drop me, I could die. If you leave me in there, I will die."

"Oh, so you're reminding me that you saved my ass so I should return the favor."

"No. That was for your child. You don't owe me anything at the moment." Snitch Gravel took in a deep breath. "This is all you. Your decisions. Your actions. I'm basically laying my life in your hands."

The idea felt strange. Kyle had never thought of anything he'd ever done on such a deep level, even if there were many instances when he'd saved someone. But with Snitch Gravel, it felt different. Because there was something beyond his agreement to help. If he did it, Snitch Gravel would be the one in debt once again. And Kyle was too aware that he might need that debt cashed in if he wanted to get out of there.

"Okay, fine. I won't drop you. Unless I think it's really funny, then I have no control over my actions."

Snitch Gravel rolled his eyes and passes him the rope. "Why am I not surprised?"

It took maybe a minute for him to move the slab away completely and let himself drop into the newly formed hole. The rope stretched and Kyle held fast, keeping it in place. It hurt. He could feel the rope stinging his palms, and the muscles in his arms and shoulders contracted painfully.

Snitch Gravel was heavy. Which didn't make any sense. He'd crashed though walls and held killer stretches of ceiling from crashing in on them. He'd held more than one person off the floor. This shouldn't even faze him.

And yet, his arms began to shake and he bent his knees, trying to hold position. He was one second away from just pulling Snitch Gravel out, the only thing stopping him being the fear that he couldn't. What was going on?

Had the serum focused on healing him, bringing him back from the verge of death, and now it was gone? The thought terrified him and in that moment he realized that, even if he'd thought of it as a bit of a curse, he'd counted so much on it. On the strength, the endurance, the ability to heal fast when needed. Take the punches, roll with them. Die and walk it off.

"What are you doing?"

What if this was it? What if he no longer had the strength he needed to protect the others and himself? Now, when he needed it most.

"Kyle!"

The sound of his name had him snapping back to attention, so he tugged on the rope and slowly backed away, pulling Snitch Gravel out. His body was on fire, but he managed to finish the job, then dropped the rope and leaned against a tree.

"What the hell happened?" Snitch Gravel demanded.

Kyle was tempted to tell him, share his worry that he'd lost the abilities that made him special. But then, he would be giving Snitch Gravel the sort of information that could be the end of him. The fear of extreme force was almost as effective as the force itself.

"What did you see?" he asked instead. His voice came out weak and breathy.

Snitch Gravel threw him a wary glance, but decided to let his obvious breathless condition slide. "There is a tunnel down there heading east and west. My money's on the eastern direction being the one we need to follow."

Kyle could only nod. His hearing was getting fuzzy and white specks painted his vision.

"I don't think I'm in the best of shapes to face deadly traps right now," he muttered.

Snitch Gravel frowned. "I can see that. But I don't want to face deadly traps in general. I want to look for the next airhole due east."

Huh, that was a great idea, one he should've figured out himself if his head didn't feel as if it were splitting open.

"I think you need to rest," Snitch Gravel said.

"We've just gathered camp and made little progress."

"I can't drag you in case you collapse. Little progress is better than no progress."

This was getting so weird. "Why do you care anyway? You could just leave me here to die."

Snitch Gravel grinned. "I don't think you get it, kid. I need you. And I'm fortunate enough for you to still need me as well. So let's set up camp so you can take a refreshing nap."

"Kid?" Kyle mumbled. "Who're you calling kid?"

"You, kid. Listen to the grown-up for once."

Kyle would've laughed if he still had the strength, but as it was, he slumped against a tree and let Snitch Gravel handle setting up the camp for them.

Weirdly enough, as he sat there with his eyes closed and random sounds made their way through his haze, he realized it had been a very long time since he felt taken care of like this. As if he really was a child.

Max had always been the fun uncle, his mother always smothered him in a way that made him sure he was the grown-up in that relationship, and Freider had never done anything remotely resembling fatherly protection.

It had to be the height of irony that it was Snitch Gravel who was making him feel safe and taken care of.

🧭🧭🧭

And we're back to out dynamic duo. Aren't they just grand? And slowly building up a relationship which is confusing and fun at the same time. So with that in mind... You needed this little break from the darkness because we're heading right back into that can of worms after this.

This is maybe the most honest you've seen Snitch Gravel like... Ever. Except for when he was drunk. I'm curious what you think about him. I have a lot of fun with him.

Oh well, let the adventure continue. Don't forget to vote and comment for support and join me again next week for more explosive action and mystery.