Face to the mud, which felt frozen as the water rose, Sigma was beginning to drift off, falling asleep even as his entire body was soaked and wracked with pain. His resolve had broken without Eponine: death had not been an option with the suicidal girl around, as it was his duty to set an example. Now how easy was it to forget that, to combat the cold not by strength but by refusing to fight it, to drift away and go to wherever Kyle and Diana were waiting for him...
But there had been another reason Sigma had decided to fight, and from the jungle it has wandered along and sat next to him. The Doctor had done his best to press on despite his illness, for the longer Sigma fought it, the further he could keep moving, the less likely the two of them would cross paths. Sigma's eye snapped open and he gave a trembling gasp, horrified that this had slipped his mind. Howard! His motivation reignites in him, seeps into him up from the earth where he'd fell, and his fingernails dig into the roots of the tree to wake himself up.
As he comes to his lungs remind him he needs to cough, and Sigma clenches his throat and chest so tightly to stop it he feels they might collapse. His cough comes out a wheeze, hopefully masked by the pelting rain. Palms to the grass he pushes himself upwards until he can at least sit, staring ahead, not answering Howard's question and going about as if he had not heard. Vision swimming, Sigma looks around for the easiest path away. It was not Howard's fault that he was in such a state, though undoubtedly the boy would blame himself if he knew... If he learned...
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But there had been another reason Sigma had decided to fight, and from the jungle it has wandered along and sat next to him. The Doctor had done his best to press on despite his illness, for the longer Sigma fought it, the further he could keep moving, the less likely the two of them would cross paths. Sigma's eye snapped open and he gave a trembling gasp, horrified that this had slipped his mind. Howard! His motivation reignites in him, seeps into him up from the earth where he'd fell, and his fingernails dig into the roots of the tree to wake himself up.
As he comes to his lungs remind him he needs to cough, and Sigma clenches his throat and chest so tightly to stop it he feels they might collapse. His cough comes out a wheeze, hopefully masked by the pelting rain. Palms to the grass he pushes himself upwards until he can at least sit, staring ahead, not answering Howard's question and going about as if he had not heard. Vision swimming, Sigma looks around for the easiest path away. It was not Howard's fault that he was in such a state, though undoubtedly the boy would blame himself if he knew... If he learned...