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He looked at the digital clock on the nightstand.
[ 3:38 AM ]
god just how much longer until this pain would go away? Griefer couldn’t sleep at all due to the pain radiating from his plant-like features. Constantly turning and moving to try and get even a little bit of sleep.
“Brad may have to live the rest of his life with chronic pain, we’re not exactly sure if pain killers would help with his… state. We don’t know if the plant features from turning into the bubonic plant had spread to his internal organs thus making him unable to take medication.” Griefer, while half asleep, overheard the nurse talking to his dad, Mayor Thaniyel, about his condition. It had been about 2 and a half weeks since he had been cured from Player. Though the recovery process had taken much longer than anticipated.
“Is there anything you can do..?” He heard his dad’s voice full of worry and concern for his son.
“…We could try imaging of the stomach to see if the bubonic plant had spread to his organs. Though that would require having to move Brad over to the hospital in Bizville rather then staying here..” The nurse replied, slightly confused on what they could do to help Greifer’s condition.
“I—..If we have to move Brad to Bizville Hospital temporarily, or anywhere, I would do it in a heartbeat if it means my son would be safe..”
“I couldn’t imagine what you’re dealing with Mr. Thaniyel… I’ll go tell the hospital to get the room ready for you both. I know Bizville is not exactly the closest to here but if you could go over there now or even early tomorrow then we can get that imaging done and out of the way and try to get you two home faster..” then both of their voices faded out as Griefer fell back asleep.
That memory re-plays over and over again. Sure Griefer felt better now being in the comfort of his own house after being stuck in a hospital for a month but he felt massively uncomfortable. The vines that had grown on his back were restless, the leaves that had grown on his right ankle to knee were severely uncomfortable, he felt worse even looking at it. The amount of leaves that had grown onto that part of his body that suddenly stopped around the spot he had stabbed himself with the Venomshank now ugly with several things of stitches. Griefer hadn’t taken his medications either to help with the pain, he felt weak for needing to take pain medication every night.
At least Hero came whenever they could to check up on him. That’s gotta be an upside to having plant features right..? Griefer wasn’t exactly sure how he felt about the punk. He had fought Hero 2-3 times before and, even though somewhat unwillingly, turned into a bubonic plant to try and kill them. Yet they still came to check up on him at least once a month, did they take pity on Griefer? Did they just feel bad for him and hated being around him with their entire being? Did they just say the vines and leaves looked cool just because they didn’t want to be rude? Maybe it’s the all above. Why did Hero try to make time to come to see him? It made no sense on why hero would willingly come and see him. Griefer wondered whatever could be Hero’s opinion on him to make them want to check up on him-
GOD WHY DID THE PUNKS OPINION MATTER SO MUCH TO GRIEFER?!
•2 new messages
Griefer rolled over onto his side and grabbed his phone off of the table to see who texted him, it couldn’t be Kyoko since she usually doesn’t wake up until 6 or 8… He didn’t have any other friends or anyone he knew very well, could it just be spam? But they only send 1 message not 2- oh
Hero.
WHAT THE HELL WERE THEY DOING UP THIS EARLY?!
And yet hero says HE has a bad sleep schedule when they’re up this early. Nonetheless something fluttered in Greifer after seeing the texts were from Hero. His…. tail? Plant-tail? Whatever it was it slightly perked up as soon as Greifer read the texts the punk had sent.
—Hero—
• [Hey ik it’s rly early but I’m coming back from getting the firebrand and have around a month until I have to go on another mission for Shedletsky]
• [Was wondering if u wanted to hang out?]
[SUR3] •
• [Oh I didn’t expect u to be up this early]
• [Cant sleep?]
[N4H. FUCK1NG P41N 1S 4CTING UP] •
• [Did u take the pain meds?]
[N0] •
• [why not?]
[1T HU2TS 2 MUCH T0 M0V3 02 D0 4NY7H1NG] •
• […Would I wake up your dad if I came over right now?]
[PR0B4BL¥] •
• [Dont you have a window in your room?]
[Y34H] •
• [ok open it in 30 mins]
[?? 0K] •
Well… that was— weird? Griefer felt like he could barely think about why Hero had told him to open his window in 30 minutes due the amount of pain he was in.
*Maybe music would help..*
Griefer looked over at his nightstand and saw- no headphones. Great.
…Yep no he was not getting up just to get some fuckass headphones to distract him from the pain. But it would distract him no? But at that point he might as well leave the headphones alone and just take the painkillers. And the painkillers make griefers stomach turn inside out without food so then he’d have to make food. But then he might as well just wait for breakfast at that point. But then he’s just stuck here curled up into a ball with several blankets on him waiting for the pain to stop.
Now thinking about it maybe if he actually took care of his vines they wouldn’t be this restless… Hypothetically could he cut them? No that’d hurt too much. He felt no more better than a dying plant right now, which ironically was what he quite literally was right now. His plant features yearned for sunlight, for Griefer to take care of them, but he fell down into the ‘cycle of pain and not being able to make the pain better due to it hurting to much’ very quickly.
…
God he wishes it was already spring. He isn’t ready to deal with winter.
Griefer glanced back at the clock- oh Telamon it had already been 20 minutes?? …. Guess that just shows how long you can think for to try distract yourself from the pain..
What did Hero want him to do again? Oh right to open his window in 30 minutes.. Should he just open it now? But the cold air would get in.. hm.. Whatever he could deal with some more pain. It’s not like he wasn’t in pain already, he’d take his pain medicine in the morning after he got some sleep (if he even is lucky enough to get some).
Slowly but surely Griefer threw one leg off of his bed and then the other. His knees almost buckling under him if he hadn’t grabbed onto the nightstand.
Griefer made his way slowly towards the window. Legs still weak and wobbly from not walking for like 2 months straight, well he HAD walked before it’s just that he only walked short distances with the support of his dad and a nurse or Hero if they visited. But now? He had nothing much to rely on other than his own physical strength.
He leaned against the wall next to the window and unlatched it, cold breeze blowing the curtains, just could enough to make Greifer shiver and the pain to get mildly worse.
.…
The hell? What was that? Griefer turned back around immediately ant the sound of hearing a twig snap, looking out his window and saw-… Hero?
“Oh I didn’t think you’d open up your window this early- I just got here, lemme climb up first then I’ll talk more” Hero yelled up to Griefer.
…They had that stupidly cute grin on their face again. The one they always wore when they were determined to do something or was just happy. Griefer leaned on the window, his arms supporting most of his weight, just watching as Hero climbed up the tree right next to Griefer’s window. Hero was surprisingly fast at climbing up trees, like REALLY FAST. It took them under 3 minutes to climb up the tree next to Griefers window. They took off their backpack and threw it into Griefers room, making sure not to hit him.
“…Mind if you lend a hand?”
“…$U23..” Griefer held out his hand as Hero grabbed onto it as they climbed into his room.
“WH¥ 4R3 Y0U H3R3? D0N7 Y0U H4V3 TO M33T UP W17H SH3DLETSKY OR $OM3TH1NG..” Griefer asked, watching as Hero grabbed their backpack and started pulling stuff out of it. He had always wondered how the hell Hero could fit over 15 items in there, let alone 9 cheese burgers for some reason.
“I already met up with Shedletsky… He actually met up with me in the pirate camp, or what’s left of it considering most of them-…..” Hero felt the grief welling up in their heart at the mere thought of what happened while they were getting the Firebrand. Weird how they could still feel certain emotions but never could show them as well as they did before after getting the ghost walker. They let out a sigh before continuing.
“Anyways, you said you couldn’t sleep because you were hurting again?”
“UH Y34H…W41T WH¥ AR3 Y0U 3VEN HE23?! Y0U N3V3R ANSWERED THAT QU3STI0N.”
Hero just hummed in respond, sifting through the amount of junk they had in their backpack.
*bandages…bandages…..a half eaten brownie…Oh! There it is*
“Oh finally! Here eat this, then take your medicine to help with the pain.”
“WH4-.. H0W’D Y0U KN0W 1 D1DN’T T4K3-“
Hero put finger over Griefer’s mouth, shushing him.
“Just a feeling. Plus if you had taken your medicine then you wouldn’t have been up.”
..To admins above how Griefer hated when Hero saw right through him.
“WH473V3R…I HOP3 Y0U KN0W TH47 TH3RE R34LLY 1SN’7 ANYWH323 3L$E Y0U C4N SL33P 0THER TH4N M¥ B3D AND 1M N0T G1V1NG TH4T UP F02 Y0U.”
“Oh I know, that’s why we’ll be sharing.”
…
“WH4T.”
“You heard me, we will be sharing your bed. Don’t say otherwise cause I’m pretty sure you liked it when I cuddled-“
“0K4Y 0K4Y Y0U D0NT HAV3 T0 BR1NG TH47 UP!…” Griefer’s tail had started swaying, he could feel the heat rising to his cheeks. He hoped Hero wouldn’t notice how he started blushing or how his tail started swaying, though they always seemed to notice such small details.
Their relationship was… debatable. They weren’t dating, atleast to the both of them they weren’t. If you asked anyone else they’d say they were dating.
“Anyways did you eat the sandwich? I can grab your pain meds if you tell me where they are”
Griefer finished taking another bite of the sandwich Hero had given him (which was surprisingly good), looking down and seeing how much he ate.
“UGH…D03S H4LF OF 1T C0UN7? 4LSO ITS ON TH3 K1TCH3N COUNT3R.”
“hmm I suppose you could get away with eating only half of it… I’ll go grab you your pain meds, here’s a water to take them with.”
And with that Hero walked out the room after they had given Griefer the water. Griefer wondered why Hero was willing to do such acts, they didn’t have to do any of this but they chose to.
Really, why did would they choose to do this? To..take care of someone that tried to kill them. Other people would be rightfully traumatized or hate that person with every ounce of hate in their body.
Griefer could hear the pill bottle ratting around as Hero walked back upstairs.
…..ironic how if hero never almost died from Griefer they both wouldn’t be alive right now if one didn’t have the other.
“..I got your pills. Now while you take those I’m going to change out of these clothes and into pajamas.”
Like usual, Griefer took his medicine while Hero changed into pajamas (which was just taking off their hoodie and pants and putting on sweatpants).
*..looks like he hasn’t been drinking water or getting sunlight..he’s getting worse by the day with how his plant features look.*
”WH¥ AR3 Y0U ST4R1NG @T M3 PUN-“
”Have you been drinking water.? Or at the very least going outside?”
”1-….WHY?”
”Why what.?”
”WH¥ D0 Y0U C4R3? Y0U2 NO7 FORC3D T0 DO 4NY 0F TH1$.”
Griefer looked down at the bottle of water and pills in his hand, about to pop them into his mouth and swallow them with some water until he heard the sounds of giggling
Hero was laughing
oh how beautiful that laugh was every time he heard it.
”You can’t be serious Griefer, why wouldn’t I care? Griefer, each time I come here I don’t have to be a ‘hero’. Each time I can simply draw or play video games with you, and I can take care of you knowing how much you neglect your needs.” They paused, stepping towards Griefer and cupping his cheek with one of their hands.
”You make sure I eat and take care of myself, it’s natural for me to do the same. Seeing you like this… It makes my heart ache. I know how bad chronic pain can be and I know it’s hard to get out of that cycle of just bedrotting and only getting up to use the bathroom or throw up cause of the pain. Plus each time I see you it’s like-.. my heart wants to be with you. Every chance I get I want to spend time with you. I want to spend my whole life with you Griefer.. I love you Griefer and I always will.“
Griefer could feel the warmth coming to his cheeks, to Hero, Griefer couldn’t look any more gorgeous than in this moment, the moonlight illuminating Griefers features. From the leaves covering his right eye to the vines loosely wrapped around his arms to the blush that had gradually appeared.
God how Hero wanted to kiss those lips of his.
”..Do you see why I care now.? Or do I need to give more reasons?”
“I-…C4N 1 K1S$ Y0U.?” Griefer blurted out, not thinking twice about what he just said.
whoa.
WHOA. A kiss already?? Not that they were complaining just… whoa.
”I- Of course..”
Hero stepped closer to Griefer sliding their arms around his neck, Griefer putting aside the medicine and water to hold his arms around Hero’s waist. Hero closed the distance between the two, engaging in a slow but warm kiss. It was short but it felt like everything to the both of them.
“…I love you griefer. Even if you’re not ready to say those words yet I will still love you until you’re ready.” Those words were so caring, so sweet, and so genuine. It’s been a while since someone had actually thought of Griefer that way. It made his heart flutter with how you could tell how genuine and loving those words were in Hero’s voice.
”..I- H3R0. DESP1T3 TH3 PUNK Y0U 4R3, Y0U M4K3 MY D4Y A B1T B3TTER. Y0U H4V3 THI$ S7UPIDLY BEAUTIFUL L4UGH AND SM1L3, 1T-… IT M4K3S MY H34RT SK1P A B34T WH3NEV3R 1 S33 0R H3AR IT..”
“And here I thought you couldn’t be so poetic with words. I guess I have an influence on you.” With that said Hero planted another gentle kiss onto the others lips.
“Cmon let’s take your pills then we can cuddle, if you want to of course”
Griefer reluctantly let go of Hero, grabbing the water they’d given him and downing the pills with the water.
“3UGH…. FUCK1NG D1SGUST1NG…”
“It can’t be that bad Greif..”
“W3LL I7 I$ 7HAT B4D..I7 T4ST3$ D1SGUST1NG.”
Griefer chugged the last bit of water in the bottle and then crawled into bed with Hero. They got comfortable in each others grasps, well mostly griefer did.. Hero was pulled close to griefer, their back against his chest. Griefer hadn’t known this yet but his vines would like to uncurl from his arms and move towards the closest object or person and curl around their arms, waist, or legs when sleeping. And honestly? Hero didn’t mind at all, if anything they saw it as a sign of trust.
”..so, what are we?”
”..I- I D0N’7 KN0W..”
”..well we will figure it out in the morning”
“HMM…0K4Y…” Griefer, sleepily said. It was strange how quickly he fell asleep with Hero by his side. They gave off this comforting energy. One where Griefer didn’t have to have his guard up or pretend not to hear the parents whispering to their kids not to end up like him. And had griefer stayed up just a couple minutes later he would’ve heard a sleepy hero say:
“good night griefer…I love you..”
Mayor Thaniyel knocked on the door.
“Brad? I’m coming in alright?”
He gently opened the door and saw hero and griefer curled all up against each other slightly shivering. He walked quietly towards the pair and tucked them in with a blanket.
“I’m glad you found someone that will love you for you who are Brad… I’ll let you two be”
Mayor Thaniyel turned around and quietly walked towards the door and closed it.