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When Yin was escorted out of the lair it had taken all of Alex's will power not to join him. He'd only just gotten the boil back and was loathe to have him out of his sight even if just for a moment, though it proved to have been quite longer then that. And then, even after deciding to stay, there had been a part of him that regretted the decision. He wasn't a fighter. Wasn't a warrior. This path just felt so wrong for him. But there was an invisible force driving him to continue, pushing him along. Strength and power meant that in the future he might just be able to save his friends and protect them from harm. He hadn't been able to do so for Yin, and that guilt would probably gnaw away at him forever.

When he had finally been allowed to leave the lair, it was with a shiny crystallized portion of his fear hidden inside the skull clip that adorned his very shredded and blood stained tie. He could have chosen to wear it around his neck, or on his wrist, and perhaps one day he would. But for now? Hidden away, just as he intended on hiding Medea's mark from his own mother should he encounter her.

He wasn't sure what he had expected to return to. He had hoped that Yin might have waited for him but there was no weremantis in sight. That filled him with a familiar pang of worry, his mental exhaustion drawing away as unreasonable panic began to set in. But there was something else there to contend with now as well. A flash of anger and an odd hunger that he couldn't quite place. He had to give himself a moment. He needed to just close his eyes and think logically and find some form of calm. Yin had probably just gone back to the school. He'd likely been exhausted, and possibly traumatized from his experience. Alex had been a long time and he couldn't expect that Yin would have waited when all he had probably wanted was to get back home.

With those thoughts firmly in mind, Alexander set off back towards the school. Though he was feeling rather run down and by his looks had obviously taken quite a beating, the zomboil moved at a more accelerated pace then usual.

Go to Yin's room, see the weremantis made it back okay, relax, then worry about what came next. That was the plan.

Some time later Alex was standing outside the door, suddenly feeling nervous. What if he went in and Yin wasn't there? He was almost scared to reach out towards that door, hesitating before steeling himself, turning the handle, and pushing his way quietly inside.

"Yin?" he called out, softly, not wanting to disturb the boil if he was asleep or startle him. He moved slowly into the room, pushing the door shut behind him with a light click before really looking to see...

And yes, Yin was there, though not in any form the zomboil was accustmed to seeing him in and sleeping on the floor. The zomboil let out a sigh of relief, the tension of before deflating out of his body. Fei had wandered up to sniff at him curiously, blue eyes wide and tail flicking before he rubbed up against the zomboils skeletal leg. It was late, and Alex was tired himself, in a sense. He shuffled slowly towards Yin, rubbing at his face with his hands, stopping a few feet away before letting himself sink down to the floor as well, where he just sat, not moving, not blinking, not breathing, and finally let himself have just a moments respite to finally try and relax, as impossible as it may be.

Alex had slipped almost instantly into a near-sleep state, his brain eagerly shutting down to recuperate after the long days of mental and emotional exhaustion. Any amount of rest was better then none for him, at this point, so he was taking what he could get when he could get it. The sudden movement of the weremantis as he sat up and scooted away had Alexander blinking in the dim light of the room, mind beginning to focus once more on the here and now.

"Yin...I..." the words came out quiet, mumbled, and somewhat disoriented, probably inaudible really as he reached up a hand towards the retreating boil, his heart sinking at the realization that his presense had startled his bonded, and had probably scared him as well. As his eyes adjusted to the room, and the dryness and bluriness of his vision was blinked away, he could see that Yin was still in some kind of odd half form of his human looking self and his giant mantis self. It was only offputting because Alex had never actually seen him like that before, but he knew that no matter the look, it was still his boilfriend. Once it seemed that Yin recognized him, he scooted himself forward a little. Maybe he was being greedy, but he wanted to be close to Yin, to be able to touch him and make sure he was real, though he continued to hold back, afraid to do, scared that Yin would reject him, that the other boil wasn't ready for it. A strange flash of annoyance and anger nagged at him at the thought, but he quickly squashed it. Those emotions had no place here. Not right now.

"I didn't mean to startle you.." He murmured, pulling his knees up to his chest and wrapping his arms around them. Perhaps he was trying to make himself look small and unthreatening, which was ridiculous considering how tall he was.

"I missed you after you----" 'left the lair' was how he was going to finish that sentence, except that he never got the chance. A sudden wave of dizziness overtook him, his head swimming in black, his body unfolding as he began to fall to the side, arms shooting out in that direction to stop his fall as his eyes clamped shut tight. What the jack had that been? He eased himself back upright, his eyes opening and falling upon the dark mark etched into the back of his right hand. Oh...right. Not allowed to talk about the lair. But...Yin had been there! He already knew...didn't he? Maybe that didn't matter. Alex licked his lips and tried again.

"Once we got seperated, I was worried about you, and wanted to make sure you got back to your room safely." A weak smile as he tilted his head back up and turned to look at Yin. See, everything was fine here. Alex most definitely did not just about black out mere seconds before.

"Are you..." He hesitated to ask, because it was one of those questions. One of those pointless questions that had an 'obviously not' type answer but one couldn't help but ask anyways. Well, he'd already started now, might as well finish. "Are you okay? Do you need anything? Do you....do you want me to leave so that you can be alone?" He was rambling, yes, his nerves taking over. He could understand if Yin said yes to the last question, even if it made Alex's chest tighten to think that he might be sent away. But still....Yin had been through a lot, and Alex still didn't know what exactly had happened. Giving the boil privacy was doable. He could always just sit in the hallway. That was plenty of space, right?

Alex had clamped his mouth shut lest he continue on with inane and pointless questions, wrapping his arms around his knees once more and rested his chin on top, face still betraying his concern and worry over the other boil as he bit down on his bottom lip to keep from speaking. It seemed like this should have been a happier moment, not one filled with questions and tensions. He felt like a stranger, like in just this short time somehow things had happened that had just changed things too much, and made knowing where to begin again impossible.

He listened quietly, alarm growing inside of him at the mention of Yin being physically whole. Physically whole. The avoidance of any other issues by that one sentence alone was not lost upon the zomboil. He wasn't stupid, not as much as it might seem like under other circumstances, at least. And the change in what he had been about to say after that, it was odd as well, and suspicious, but he continued to keep himself silent. Just let Yin say what he wanted to say, don't push for more. It was something he had to continue to tell himself over and over again. He'd learned his lessons in the past. Instead he diverted his gaze, studied some of the popped stitches on his arms, the streaks of blood here and there that he'd neglected to take the time to wash off yet. He was sure he must look like a complete mess at the moment.

His gaze shifted back to Yin, a small frown creasing his forehead, as he struggled to understand what the weremantis was saying. It was difficult, with him in this half-form, but the anger was easy to pick out, as were most of the words if he concentrated.

"Oh I suppose you figure I should have just left you for dead or worse?" The zomboil growled, his voice low, that anger that he had been trying to contain surfacing once more, feeding off of that which was being directed at him by Yin. "I did what I felt was right, I have no regrets, and I would do it again." Finally, he felt free to just say what he wanted to say without tip toeing around it, like as though Yin bringing it up first gave him the freedom to do so.

"It's not like I came on my own. I found help. I asked Medea for help, personally, to save you and everyone else. She assured me that I would not be alone." He sounded a little bitter now, because it seemed like his own struggles, his own hard work, his own tears and worries and compromises...they meant nothing to Yin. The other boil would rather just be angry with him, and that was fine, but it meant that Alex was going to be angry too. Still, this wasn't right. This was not how things were supposed to go. They were together again, and that was supposed to mean they could be happy again.

Alex sighed, unwrapping his arms from around his legs and reaching up to rub at his eyes before running fingers through grimy and blood matted hair. "I'm sorry. I---" Wait, what? Not...not safe around Yin?

"What do you mean?" He asked, his voice suddenly dropping to something more quiet as well. Was it like the time that Alex had insanity and was worried for Yin's safety and had asked him to leave? No...no this....this seemed different. At least Yin had known the circumstances of why Alex had felt like he needed to leave. Yin had known about the mental condition, and had suffered through it as well, though his had lasted for less time. Alex knew nothing.

"But I don't want to leave...." A weak argument, but at least he wasn't just giving in, like Yin seemed to be doing. He shook his head, trying to clear it of all the conflicting emotions that were vying for attention, sitting up straighter, speaking again, voice a little stronger then before.

"If you tell me to leave, Yin, I'll leave. But don't presume to tell me what is better, especially if it's what you think would be better for me. I can decide what's good for me, but I need to know more first. If you insist, then yes, I will go but....at least tell me why I should, why it's not safe for me to be with you."

The anger he had felt was slowly subsiding, but it was still there, burning just below the surface. It was irritating that it wouldn't just go away completely, that he felt like he needed a reason to lash out, and something or someone to lash out at. But he didn't want Yin to be that someone, he knew that much, so he tried to reign it back in under control and keep it locked down. He could see how it was effecting the other boil, the small cringe, the way he looked away, and he didn't like it. It made him feel disgusted with himself.

"Miss Israfel....." Alex said the name quietly, pondering it. Israfel had been one of the names that had been listed with the other missing students, but Alex hadn't known her. Really, Alexander's major concern out of all those who had been gone had been Yin, as he was the only one that the zomboil knew. Of course, he had heard about Amphi from Danny, had known that she was a friend of the demon ghouls, but he didn't really know her. Still, he had gone, knowing that Yin might not even still be alive, knowing that if he could at least save the loved ones of others he was sparing them the grief that he had been feeling.

"They...they made you choose if you wanted to become a weapon or not?" That was what Alex was getting from this, from the way Yin was speaking. Weaponization. It was his worst nightmare, to have that happen to himself, to Yin, to any of his friends or family. To have them transformed into something that only hungered for fear, who forgot all of those they once knew, and to be used against other members of Halloween. The thought alone made him sick, made him flash back to memories of the trance they had both faced during the death trials. That hadn't even been real, and it had been more then a little traumatic for all of them.

And to hear that one of the missing had willingly chosen...A feeling of revulsion now mixed with the nausea, enough to make the zomboil want to vomit. Join the hunters? Fight with them? Become a tool to be used to hurt those you might have once loved? It was unthinkable.

He had no doubt that they could be manipulative. That seemed about par for the course. But he was drawn out of those thoughts by Yin's next words, his stomach and chest suddenly feeling ice cold and hollow. "You..you said you would do it, didn't you?" He barely got the words out, strained past a throat that was threatening to close up tight. He closed his eyes, squeezed them against the burning sensation that was suddenly there, but he had already cried so much for him. He had none left to give.

At that moment he wanted nothing more then the throw himself at Yin, wrap him up in his arms, hold him close, feel his warmth, and bask in the fact that he could still do so. If Yin had said yes then...had they only just saved him in time? He had no idea that he was missing more to this puzzle, and that's all he could now focus on. He opened his eyes, blinked against the pain that burned behind them. "...If you did then...Then I believe you only would have done it if..." He stopped, organizing his chaotic thoughts, "Did you say you would do it to save somebody else?" He didn't want to be so vain as to say Yin would have only done it to save his bonded. It could have been to save any number of their friends, or possibly the other students who had been captured as well. Anyone. Yin was self sacrificing enough that he would have done it. They had promised but...well, if Alex had been in the same position, and had been threatened in a way that made him believe that his family might not be safe, or Yin, or anybody he truly cared about then yes, he would have done the same. It was horrible, but he would have done it.

And below the surface, something still raged inside the zomboil. I feeling of hatred, with a more clear target. Hunters. Humans. The jacking assholes who had done this, who had made all of this happen. Who wouldn't just leave them alone. He wanted them all dead, and the thought alone seemed to satisfy something else deep inside of him, some new hunger. He unconsciously reached over to rub at the mark on top of his right hand.

Yin should have known by now that Alex would have never thought of him as weak. Being willing to sacrifice himself to save others was not being weak. If he had just given in for no other reason then maybe...but no. He was doing it to save others. That was the important part.

Alex unfolded himself slowly, moved to his hands and legs, and crawled forward. It was probably a bad idea. Yin would probably move away from him, likely didn't want to be touched or have the zomboil anywhere near him at the moment. He still didn't understand the why however. He had made it back. He was okay. He wasn't a weapon. They were reunited, back together, and should have been happy at least about that. A lump was building up in his throat, and he swallowed past it, as he turned to sit next to Yin, to lean back against the wall as well, tilting his head to the side so that he could see Yin's face.

"I don't want to leave." He repeated, his pale eyes sad but somehow finding it in himself to sound firm. Was it too much to ask for a single moment where they could just pretend things were fine and he could hold Yin in his arms? Tentatively he lifted an arm, to place around Yin's shoulders, inwardly steeling himself for the moment when the other boil would pull away and drive the dagger home, so to speak. He could insist that he get to stay. He could be stubborn, if he wanted to be, though that stubbornness could probably be over ridden by a simple command from Yin to go, as much as he could try and stand up against it. And besides that.....what Yin was saying, it sounded almost final. Like if he left, he wouldn't be allowed to come back. He couldn't have that. He didn't care how dangerous Yin believed himself to be. He couldn't just leave if it meant things were over. If it was temporary..then maybe. But Yin wasn't giving him all of the information. Again. As usual.

"It's not good for me to not be with you." He said, desperately trying to reason with the weremantis now. "I'd just..get myself hurt..." Likely while trying to kill as many hunters as he could. "I need you, Yǐn Cáng. I didn't fight to get you back to just leave now. I just...I want to understand what's happened, and why you don't want me around, and why you seem like you don't want to tell me." He was getting a sinking feeling in the pit of his stomach now. Something was definitely wrong, and it was more then what Yin was saying. He had to try and reason out what the weremantis had already told him and try and figure it out from there. He was still dangerous. Other things happened. It wasn't good for Alex to be with him. He..he really couldn't figure it out. Yin was talking like he might hurt him, but if he was going to do that, why hadn't he done so already? No matter how he tried to work it out in his head, it didn't make sense.

He had just let his arm relax, thinking that Yin was going to be okay with it, and thus everything could still be fine. Really, it was the first time he had touched the other boil that wasn't just him grabbing on to something to keep him upright. It was nice, to finally feel that warmth that he had grown so accustomed to against his cold undead skin once more. He had needed this. Had needed to feel Yin, to know that he was real and actually there and...

Arm shrugged off, happy moment gone.

"You didn't tell me to leave, you simply said you thought it was for the best. I'm telling you I don't want to leave. You...I...I didn't threaten anything! I just said exactly what I felt." That was it. He'd had enough. He could feel the anger bubbling up inside of him again. How long had they known each other now? They had been friends, then best friends, then bonded. Months upon months. Building up trust, working on a relationship that now seemed like it was doomed from the start. Had it all been for nothing? Was Yin really going to cast him out now, without giving him the real reason why?

It seemed like he was. Yin was standing up, moving away towards the door. Alex rose up himself, springing to his feet in a movement of speed that was highly uncommon for the zomboil. "Fine." He growled. "That's just fine. No more questions then." He was moving towards the door himself, stopping when he reached it, hand on the door knob, his emotions in an utter turmoil.

It was supposed to be better now. Not worse. It wasn't supposed to feel like his heart was turning to ice inside of his chest, like somebody had just punched him in the stomach. He most definitely shouldn't have been this angry, ready to scream, shout, throw things, and punch the wall in a tantrum of epic proportions. No. He could control himself, surely.

Yes, he could apparently restrain himself. Though there were words. So many words that he wanted to say. None of them were pleasant, and he was forced to bite his tongue back against them. Yin didn't deserve it. Not now. Not just after he got back. Maybe there would be a chance for him to say these things another time, or maybe he'd never have to. But maybe Alex didn't deserve this either, and that thought nearly sent him into on his more dangerous state of mind. The one where he said things he didn't really mean later. The one where he attacked first and thought later and regretted every action he made.

No, he needed to get out of here. Now. The anger was burning through him, and it was clear in how he stood, in the set of his jaw, as he swung the door open perhaps a little bit more forcefully then necessary, "No. You just stay here. Relax. Enjoy the rest of your evening, alone." the tone of his voice as he struggled not to say more, to just leave it at that and get the hell out of dodge before he did anything really stupid.

And then he was out the door, in the hallway, and moving away. Away from Yin, whom he'd only just gotten back. Letting the anger burn through him, to distract him, to keep him from caring, from turning around and apologizing, and from begging for Yin to let him stay. This had been Yin's choice, and Alex was only providing just want the weremantis wanted.

If Alex knew he was being followed, he gave no clear indication of it, but Yin was going to find that he was going to be following the zomboil for quite some time before he finally gave in and took himself to his dorm room for the remainder of the night, and probably for the entire next day as well.

It was brutal, really, the amount of carnage a zomboil in rage mode could conduct if given a chance to do so, when thinking that he was alone with nobody around to watch him or judge his actions. Normally slow, the zomboil seemed to move at a much more accelerated pace then usual. The assorted mini's he encountered didn't really stand a chance, and the ground lay littered and bloody in a trail behind him.

A soft buzzing sound, combined with a chime, had the zomboil stopping, head tilting to the side, pale eyes flashing in the moonlight. It took him a moment to realize that it was just his phone, and he reached into his pocket to extract it, something else falling out as well and he bent down to pick it up. Yin's badge. He had taken it with him when he'd gone with the others to the hunters island. It had made him feel slightly safer, like maybe a small part of Yin was still with him. His hand suddenly clenched tight around it, shaking, before he shoved it back into his pocket with angry force.

And now for his phone. He glanced at the screen. He seemed to stare at it for a long time, his face a blank mask, before his features contorted. An angry scowl, a lip pulled back from his teeth. He whipped his arm back and threw the phone at the nearest tree, watching it with some satisfaction as it shattered. Later he'd be sorry he'd done that, and would have to go out and buy a new one with the money he'd saved from work, but for now he just glared coldly at the small pathetic electronic device that lay in a small and useless heap on the ground before he stalked off, back towards his dorm room finally. He had packing to do.