theoverseers | Bolton's Office Hours

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[Want to chat with Bolton privately? Here is where you do it! Bolton's office hours will be held in conference room B in the library for approximately four hours in the morning several days a week. During that time the blinds will be drawn and that room will be off-limits unless you're there to talk to Bolton, though the other three study rooms will still be available for use.

Comments are screened for privacy.]

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From:

theoverseers

[Jamie manages to avoid checking the security cameras for a whole five minutes after he gets out of bed. He leaves Bolton to sleep, slipping out of his quarters and into the hallway before the creeping dread of realizing what day it is hits him. It's Friday. The first Friday in a year where it's been more than just the two of them, where there's actual danger.

He walks the hallway slowly, hesitantly flipping through the security cameras one by one. Cafeteria, clear. Hallway, clear. Library, clear. Art room-

Jamie's heart jumps into his throat when he sees the body. No. No, no, no no no, not again. It's all happening again. His eyes are glued to the screen as he takes in the details of the scene. God, why are there so many knives? Why did it have to be one of the girls? Which one is it? He feels nauseous as a realization creeps up on him.]

C.E.C.E. [His voice sounds weak to his own ears.] What's her name?

Chitanda Eru, she was the Champion of Curiosity. Jamie, your heart and breathing rates have become very erratic all of the sudden. Do you need me to alert Bolton to your condition?

[He doesn't get the chance to answer before he collapses in the hallway, face buried in his hands as heaving, choking sobs rip from his lungs.]

I am assuming waking Bolton is the best possible solution to this problem.

From:

theoverseers

[Twenty years of getting up at 5 am to be at the cafe by 6, no matter how late he'd stayed out the night before, had carefully honed Bolton's ability to wake up at the slightest provocation and be alert and ready to function at a split second's notice. When his PIP sings to life on his right arm and CECE's concerned voice speaks to him, that skill serves him well because he's up and out of bed, robe half on his shoulders, before he even registers more than a word of what she's saying.

Jamie's vital signs are erratic and far outside his normal standard deviations. I believe he may be having a panic attack.]

What's wrong? What's going on?

Don't you remember, Bolton? You issued an incentive earlier this week. I believe the Champions are discovering the body as we speak.

[He looks at the cameras on his PIP, swiping through them until he finds the art room and sees the crowd of Champions. He taps the microphone button, but his heart isn't in the announcement.]

Attention, Champions, the Champion Curiosity's body has been discovered. Now there will be a short period for investigation before the trial.

[He clicks it off again, and then finishes shrugging his robe on and runs out into the hallway. Jamie's sobs help lead the way to him, and Bolton's down on his knees next to him before he can think to do anything else, one arm around Jamie's chest and the other holding his partner's head close to his chest, fingers buried comfortingly in Jamie's thick hair, tilting his head down to kiss the crown of his head.]

Jamie, breathe, you're okay. You're okay...

From:

theoverseers

[Jamie's entire body goes involuntarily rigid and more panic seizes him when he feels arms around him before it registers who it is holding him. Just for a moment in his mind he sees an awful patterned shirt and hears the terrible laughter of their Overseer. When he hears Bolton's voice and feels the fingers in his hair he doesn't relax but it snaps him back to reality.]

It's happening again. [He presses his back against Bolton's chest, knees tight against his chest as he struggled to get control of his breathing.] It's happening all over again, B.

From:

theoverseers

[Bolton keeps holding Jamie, because there's nothing else he can think of to do. He knows this is his fault. He knows he needs to get Jamie up off the floor, to get him dressed and get ready for the trial.

It feels strange to not be investigating.

He kisses Jamie's temple when he pushes back against him, tightens his arms protectively.]

No, we're safe. You're safe, Jamie. I'm not going to let anything happen to you.

From:

theoverseers

[Gradually and slowly his breathing starts to regulate and he's still in his partner's arms, staring at the floor and just trying to process all of this.]

They're not safe. [He says it so quietly it'd be easy to miss if the hallway weren't dead quiet as it is. Hard to believe there used to be nineteen more people, some of them they called friends, walking these exact halls once upon a time. Jamie finally lifts his head, staring up at his own pitiful reflection in the too shiny chrome ceiling.]

...I had to ask CECE her name, B. It's our fault she's dead and I didn't even remember her name.

From:

theoverseers

[Bolton doesn't say anything for a long moment, just wraps himself around his partner, rests his chin on Jamie's shoulder and holds him while his breathing calms until he can't feel his heart beating like it's trying to leave his body.]

...It's my fault. It's my fault, J, not yours.