The horned man froze at the look on Subin's face, his smile turning strained for a moment.
"I am sorry, My Lord, I-I forgot how disoriented you would be upon your return." He pulls his hand back slightly as he glances away, then extends it again. "I- allow me to at least help you up, My Lord."
Subin frowns, but grabs his hand, fighting down the shiver as the sharp nails catch on his skin. What were they? Acrylics?
Whatever tech he went to, or at-home job the guy did for the nails they were sturdy and sharp.
As he is helped out of the box he gives it a once over - and damn it it is a coffin! He is going to murder whoever thought this was funny.
Where did they even get the budget to rent a coffin, let alone some dude in this fancy of a getup. Subin's gaze is drawn to the man's horns. They were really well made, like the proper silicone special effect ones used in movies.
"My name is Harker, My Lord." He says bowing slightly. "I am your… aide." His voice is hesitant, as he continues, "Do you recognize me at all?"
It almost feels like he's scared of what Subin may say.
"No, why would I recognize you? And why do you keep calling me 'My Lord'? Just stop it already." His annoyance at this whole thing, with the prank and the lengths his friends were willing to go to, leaked into his voice. He internally winces at the harshness of his tone.
He shouldn't snap at whatever actor they hired. The poor guy is just trying to do his job and get paid.
Uncomfortable, he glances to the side not wanting to make eye contact after being rude.
"My- I, I apologize I did not realize that would upset you. Please allow me to make it up to you" Harker says, taking a step closer to Subin, but everything he says goes in one ear and out the other for Subin.
His eyes are locked on the room around them, a growing nausea rising in his stomach. He has never been there. He knows that. His whole life was spent in cities and towns, everything inherently modern and cozy.
Nothing like the rising stone walls surrounding him, with ornate pillars and a winding staircase rising to who knows where.
But something inside of him screams that this place is familiar. That he knows what the texture of the walls feels like, how many steps the staircase has. And that some thing about this room, the reason why he knows it, makes him despise it. Like being inside of it for any longer than he has to will either drive him insane or make him sick.
"M- ah, Sir, are you alright?" Harken asks, and finally his voice snaps Subin out of his stupor.
He turns to Harker, not noticing how his hand is slightly extended as though he was considering grabbing Subin's shoulder.
"Where am I?"
"Your Castle, Sir"
"Would you stop that?" Subin snaps, "Just-" He pulls his shoulders into himself slightly, wincing at the hurt look that passes quickly across Harker's face.
"Just no more 'sir' or anything like that."
'I did it again, dammit.' He didn't mean to sound so harsh but this room was putting him on edge.
"What would you like me to call you then?" Harker asks, his voice steady.
"I don't know right now, I just," he takes a deep breath, trying to calm himself, "I want out of this room." His stomach was rolling at this point, and he wished he knew why.
"Here, take this." Before Subin can refuse, a folded cloth is shoved into his hands and he stares at it for a moment before unfurling it.
In his hands is a cloak of some kind, the fabric smooth and silky. There was a bit of a strange texture to it, like it had been soaked in something, but Subin didn't have a clue as to what it could be.
It felt fancy, and different. Definitely something he'd never personally buy or wear but… comfortable?
He hesitantly goes to pull the cloak over his shoulders, and freezes as Harker grabs the edges and pulls out what looks like a small twisted horseshoe with a spike attached to it. Before he can ask what it is, Harker runs the spike through the edges, pinning it neatly in place.
Subin stares at the pin for a moment, surprised, it was almost like an old safety pin, but the dark iron matched well with the deep grey of the cloak.
The dark color helped to bring out the red underlining of the cloak even more when he moved.
Before he can ask any of the questions running through his mind, the hood of the cloak is pulled over his head, casting his face into shadows. Harker begins to head for the stairs, gesturing for Subin to follow.
"Why did you do that?" Subin asks following him. He reaches for the hood to pull it back, wanting to be able to see more clearly, but he's stopped when Harker grabs his wrist gently.
"You have never wanted to show yourself to others immediately after returning." For the first time since he met the man he is making direct eye contact with Subin.
His chest tightens at the look Harker is giving him. God he must be a great actor since his tone changed so much. The previous small feeling of kindness and hesitance that was in his actions was gone, replaced by an air that didn't give Subin any room to argue.
"I know you are… disoriented still, and I do not want to add to your stress, but this is something you have asked me in the past to make sure happens no matter what."
"Wearing the hood up?" Subin questions. It doesn't seem that important, but, if it makes him get out of this room and back home faster than fine whatever. "It's - fine ill leave it."
He falls into step closely behind Harker, the man quiet after being so assertive earlier, almost like he was afraid Subin would yell at him again. He wouldn't, he assures himself, as long as he just takes a deep breath and calms himself down.
Maybe changing the subject and trying to figure out more about this stupid prank can help?
"So, who was it that got you pulled into this prank? Was it Josh or-"
He's cut off as he slams face first into Harker's back, not having expected him to stop abruptly.
He frantically grabs at the wall, catching his balance, thankfully. Falling down all those stairs would not have been fun.
'That hurt', Subin thinks, rubbing his nose. For a man who looks like he can pass for a slightly anxious older brother or a younger dad, his back was solid and hurts when you smack into it.
"What do you mean?" Harker questions, glancing back at Subin over his shoulder. "Who are you talking about?"
"Oh right of course." Subin replies, waving his hand. "Ignore that I guess."
This guy's some actor, why would he break character just because he asked about whoever was paying him.
It's not like he doesn't know what's going to happen anyways. They'll climb up the stairs, his friends will jump out of whatever set they've managed to rent, and then he'll get to punch the hell out of whoever's idea this was.
It was probably Josh though. Dumbass doesn't know where the line is half the time.
Harker scans over Subin's face for a moment before replying slowly, "Very well, I'll guide you to your chambers so you can adjust more."
He waits for Subin to nod before he continues up the stairs, this time subin follows from slightly further back. He does not want to somehow break his nose by running into the butler?, the aide? Something like that, he can't remember what the man had said his role was supposed to be.
They climb in silence, Subin trying to ignore the growing soreness in his legs.
Yes it was a lot of stairs, but he's in shape!
More or less.
He wasn't ripped or anything but he was pretty fit. Using the stair climber more should be higher on his priority list after this though.
Who even makes this many stairs leading to just one small room? That's psychopath behaviour.
Before Subin starts losing his breath, they reach the top of the stairs and Harker adjusts the cloak again before they leave the room. The hood is pulled low enough that Subin begins to worry he might not be able to see and Harker gently tucks his arms under the flaps of the cloak.
"Please remain like this, My Lord, until we reach your chambers."
Subin sighs and nods, ignoring the use of the stupid title. "Fine."
Harker gently squeezes his shoulder, a gesture that surprises subin. Something about it felt familiar, and the way it was done was almost instinctual, like Harker didn't even think about it.
Subin smiles slightly, using the hood to hide it. Whoever the actor was, he certainly had some funny quirks.
It reminded him of how his mother would always make sure to interact with him in some way when he'd leave, whether it was a pat on the back, a hug, or a shoulder squeeze like that one.
He's pulled out of his thoughts as the door creaks open, a sliver of candlelight flooding the room as the gap widens.
Before he can take in the surroundings of where they are, Harker starts walking and Subin is quick to follow.
Getting lost in this place did not sound like a good time. Especially if there were more stairs.
Subin keeps an eye on Harker, mostly listening to his surroundings. At any point someone is going to jump out and surprise him and he is ready. Ready to punch whoever it was that is. Don't stick a sick-ish man in a coffin dammit!
He almost doesn't register it when Harker closes the door behind them and the door fuses into the wall.
Holy hell, how much did they spend on that secret door?
The walk through the halls passes without anyone jumping out at him, which was probably for the best, as he keeps getting distracted by the small things he can see.
Like who needs a carpet this fancy, especially if they aren't going to vacuum it?
His allergies were going to kill him later with all this dust. Especially when it's being kicked up by how fast Harker is walking.
He doesn't have a chance to ask anymore questions while they walk, and before long, Harker slows to a stop.
He rests his hand on the handle to a large ornate door. The two stand there for a moment, Subin staring at a spot on the carpet that was completely clear of dust.
'Why would someone sweep only that spot? Or was a piece of furniture there before? It was weirdly shaped for some furniture though, very… organic?'
"My lord?" Subin's head snaps up at the sound of Harker's voice and he is glad for the hood, because otherwise he's sure his face would be red.
God he can't stay focused for two minutes can he? He's supposed to be keeping an eye out for his punk ass friends, but no he was being distracted by dust patterns of all things.
"Are you alright?" Harker asks, his voice gentle.
"Yes, it's nothing." The look of concern turns into a small smile, and Harker pushes the door open, gesturing for Subin to head inside first.
Subin hurries in, forcing himself to focus, and he reaches for his hood.
He pulls it down quickly, expecting the room to be full of his friends, ready to tell them off, and maybe give them some props. They did manage to rent a whole castle.
What he sees instead though makes him freeze, his heart dropping in his chest.
The room is large, easily larger than several rooms of his home put together. In one corner stands a slightly elevated platform, with a desk, bookshelves, and what look like chemistry materials all across the working space.
Old plants that have either died or are somehow still holding on lay in planters and baskets around the area. Another corner of the room is hidden behind a spread out room divider, but from the area comes the smell of dried herbs, and something that has been sitting for much too long.
Above it is a lofted area with wooden partitions hiding the space from view, but a set of floating stone stairs hover beside the wall leading up to it.
The rest of the area is a sitting room filled with bookshelves and soft looking seats, everything covered in dust from disuse.
The fact that no one else was in the room was the last thing from his mind, all thoughts of his friends were gone.
Because he knew this room.
And they had no idea about it.
His stomach turned as he looked around, taking in the smaller aspects of the room, of the chair knocked over by the table that appeared to have a world map. At the tea cup with stains halfway up it from the liquid inside evaporating, sitting on the sofa chair and the broken saucer below it.
Subin's hands shook as he stared at the fallen chair and the dark reddish brown stains that marred the wood and the carpet.
The room he was in was one taken straight from his nightmares.