OJ-verse stuff with lotusmesenpai

[oneirism]

[Things have been steadily going down hill in Westerley, chaos and violence blooming constantly in the streets, the thread of those who run the Quad crushing the planet under their heel imminent. Lapis' allegiance to Hyperion, her roll as one of the cell leaders, was to try and stop it. But it's hard balancing act between that, continuing as normal, and dealing with her neuro-mods steadily breaking down.

It started with headaches at first, simple things she could ignore, until the pain got so bad that all she could do was curl up and pray it would end. Nosebleeds were becoming more frequent, more heavier, the blood always accompanied by a sharp spark of pain along her spine to the front of her head. Her A.I, usually only just simple programs she could see, were becoming distorted - becoming horrible, ghastly figures that somehow filled her with a sense of peace, as if that was how it was meant to be. It was exhausting, terrifying, but she pushed onward - she would be fine. If not, then she can deal with the hurdle when it happens, she has no time to be anything except fine.

Luckily it was easy enough to keep it a secret from most, going as far as to avoid friends, claiming work has been busy, so they would never see her in this state. Even the bar managers at her singing venues don't notice, it's been dangerous and chaotic, so of course she would need more breaks lately. The blood splattered about the bar was easy enough to hide, easily linked to some rowdy patrons, rather than the singer taking a few moments to touch up, to wipe away the evidence. Most people wouldn't notice. But Kanda isn't most people - he knows her better than most other bouncers, most of the other people she knows. Lapis is aware her tendency towards taking breaks and leaving early would look strange. She would always rather keep going than to stop early, her pride wouldn't allow anything else.

But tonight is bad, her vision swimming from the pain as she comes to the end of a song, only mumbling that she needs a break before taking quick steps to the back. Waiting until she's further down the back corridors, before resting against the wall, pressing her throbbing head against the cool concrete as a hand presses against her nose. Taking deep breaths to force back the pain - she'll be fine, she'll be fine. She just needs a moment, that's all.]