Sinking

He calls himself 'Niku,' even though Ezra has gotten a glimpse of the name on his hospital-issued wristband, has heard new nurses call him by a completely different name. Ezra isn't sure how 'Niku' could come from the name 'Altair,' but he always insists it's his name whenever anyone reads his legal one on the hospital papers. Not insisting on using his nickname instead, but insisting that Niku is his name.

It's just one of many strange things about him.

So many strange things.

It's like he appears overnight; one visit is the same as always, a slow and quiet time to recover from Ezra's latest set of injuries, and the next- Niku, loud and unrepentant and completely without fear of any kind starts asserting himself. There's no way Ezra could have missed him- there's no way anyone has.

Ezra seems to be one of the only ones really curious, though. Even the nurses just seem more resigned than anything.

-x-

Their first meetins burns Niku's eyes into Ezra's mind, and it's what first introduces him to the strange man. Those eyes keep flickering in and out of Ezra's dreams, directing his already strong paranoia towards the patient terrorizing the poor staff (and occasionally other patients) at the nearby hospital.

But the parts of Ezra that got him into his line of work in the first place keep him from shying away, and instead, he starts watching.

Most patients in the hospital politely look away when Niku makes a scene, or don't even bother looking up, their various illnesses taking away the energy to care about any other goings on.

Ezra makes an effort to watch out, even going so far as to following Niku. It's because of curiosity and suspicion, and it's not against the rules, so it's fine, right?

Tipped over wheelchairs are a common theme. Niku doesn't seem to have a good sense of inertia, or at least, its potential dangers. Stairs come up a lot, too, and Ezra often finds himself wincing in sympathy at the positions Niku ends up in. Crutches get discarded and limbs battered.

And then Niku starts to notice Ezra back.

-x-

"You here to watch me again?" The stage whisper from across the hall does nothing to make Niku more stealthy, but Ezra still jumps at being called out. They've made eye contact a few more times since their first meeting, but- this is the first time Niku has ever addressed Ezra.

He sounds... normal.

His eyes look just as unnerving as the first time, and second, and every time after.

Niku smiles at Ezra, stepping away from the window he'd been fiddling with, no doubt hoping to get it open. Ezra's lips thin into a harsh line- he knows he wasn't being very stealthy in the first place, but he'd still never counted on Niku really caring about being watched, much less going to approach Ezra.

"You come and go a lot," Niku continues, not stopping when he reaches a comfortable distance, forcing his way into Ezra's personal space. Ezra takes a step back, Niku a step forward, and it's ridiculous and should be annoying but those eyes are boring into Ezra with a greater focus than he can remember. "You don't want to stay in here? It's great, the nurses bring me anything I need and wheelchairs are so fun, and..."

Ezra tunes out Niku's chattering, instead focusing on backing away, at least, as best he can with Niku trailing him like an excited puppy.

"I... need to go. X-ray." It's a lie, probably, but Ezra can't take this, not when his dreams are resurfacing and all he can think of is the sound Niku's body makes when he lets himself impact the ground after a partiularly impressive fall.

Ezra hobbles away as fast as his fractured ankle allows, and he knows those eyes are on his back the whole way.

-x-

Niku is the one to run into Ezra, the second time they talk, and in a much more literal sense than Ezra would like.

The elevator doors open, and suddenly the body that had been leaning against their seam from the inside tumbles out and right into Ezra. He shouts in surprise, and tumbles to the ground along with the familiar bundle of bandages and hair. Ezra's voice quiets to a hiss at the jolt to his healing body, but despite his numerous bandages, Niku only laughs.

"It's you again! You're back," he manages to get out, once his giggling at the apparent hilarity of gravity subsides. Ezra just tries to put as much distance between them as he can. Niku doesn't give chase this time- and then the nurses show up, drawn by all the fuss.

They're both helped to their feet and checked over, and Niku is given what sounds like a very tired scolding. Not that he's paying attention.

Those eyes burn into Ezra's skin, and as he assures the nurses he's fine and goes to use the elevator he'd called, he gets one last thing from Niku.

"I'll see you again soon, Ezra."

Did Ezra ever tell him his name?

-x-

Niku starts seeking Ezra out, instead of the other way around, and it makes it easier to keep track of him, easier to observe and try to figure out what turns what sounded like a sweet, quiet young man into... Niku.

It makes it easier but no less stressful.

Niku is good at startling and confusing Ezra, and seems to enjoy it almost as much as he enjoys flinging his body around the hospital.

"They remind me of you," Niku informs a very alarmed and grossed out Ezra, when he drops a handful of worms into Ezra's lap on a day they're allowed outside for fresh air.

"Please get your hand out of my food..." An Ezra exhaused from another restless night full of bad dreams asks, but Niku only smiles and flexes his fingers happily in Ezra's mashed potatoes.

And on and on and on.

The sense of wrongness coming from Niku never lessens, though Ezra at least gets used to it. On some days, when he's well rested and Niku is especially well behaved, Ezra can almost enjoy the young man's company.

And then on other days...

-x-

Ezra can't sleep. The other three people in his room fill the air with gentle snores and the rustling of sheets when they turn over, but Ezra can't. Not when he closes his eyes to shifting and pulsating creatures, monsters with too many teeth and eyes and all of them focused on Ezra, coming for him-

Ezra slides out of bed and puts on his hospital-issued slippers, shuffling into the hall. One of the night shift nurses glances up at him, but only gives him a sympathetic smile before letting him shuffle down the hall.

He doesn't have a destination in mind. Ezra just needs to be up, to be reassured he's awake, that nothing's coming for him.

He opens the door to an common space, empty in the dead of night, but- before he can flick the light switch on, he realizes. It's not empty, after all.

A pair of bandaged legs splay out over the tiles. Hospital robes almost glow in the slight light of the moon. Ears and tail are grotesque, almost as red and raw as the ground meat being shoved into an eager mouth, and with far too many eyes and mouths. Ezra feels sick when he meets a familiar pair of unnerving eyes.

Niku doesn't pause in his midnight feast, only freeing one hand long enough to wave at Ezra in greeting, a muffled 'hello' acompanying it.

Ezra sways in place, body sluggish but eyes darting all over the scene. How did Niku get that, why is he eating it, what's wrong with his ears, what-

"Another dream...?" Ezra questions, partly to himself, partly to the world around him.

Niku shrugs and smiles, swallowing down his mouthful of meat.

"Sure. Are you sleeping well?"

Ezra shakes his head no, before shuffling out, making his way back to his room, and passing out.

It's just another nightmare.

-x-

Niku acts the same the next day, but Ezra doesn't. It felt too real.

It wasn't, right?