Chapter Text
Regect was more worried for Ze than he wanted to admit. After Ze had unexpectedly collapsed in the desert while they were looking for treasure, Regect panicked. It all happened so fast, Regect doesn't remember everything that happened, it all played out like a series of shots from a movie. A poorly made movie at that.
Ze had been dragging his feet the whole day, but Regect didn't think anything of it, his mistake. He just thought that Ze was being his typical mopping heap of doom and despair, the thought of something actually wrong with Ze never crossed Regect's mind. So when Ze unexpectedly collapsed without any kind of warning besides for some incomprehensible mumbling, both Moe and Regect scrambled to his side — confused.
Moe was freaking out, she was honking like crazy and that was only stressing Regect out more than he already was. He remembers hastily hefting Ze's limp body into his arms bridal style, and quickly teleporting both Ze and himself back to the house before going back for Moe. Moe and Regect both worked together to heft Ze into his bed, which was conveniently on the top floor of their shared home. Conveniently as is not at all convenient. Once Ze was all hastily stuffed into his bed, Regect and Moe bantered for a bit — arguing over how they should "fix" Ze. Moe kept claiming that Ze was a human being, while Regect was convinced that Ze just needed some fixing.
Before they knew it, Ze was awake and conscious, clutching his head. Moe freaked out and was all over him in seconds, while Regect tried to play off his concern as a nonchalant indifference. He did this by standing on the other side of the room, arms crossed, and remaining unmoving. Ze didn't seem to be in the mood for staying awake, because shortly after he was knocked out again in his bed, fast asleep. Moe refused to leave his side, and she would often spread aloe vera on his intense burns to try and soothe them. After, she would apply thick bandages. Regect spectated this, but never helped. Moe seemed to know what she was doing.
Later that night, Regect found himself giving into the worry he felt for Ze, curling up on the foot of his bed, desperate to stay close to him. Moe had gone back to her room for the night, so it was just Regect. Regect and Ze. Alone. Which was fine, Regect didn't care. The foot of the bed was comfortable. Whatever.
It had been a couple of days, and Ze still hadn't woken up. Regect's tried everything Moe would allow him to, excluding splashing cold water on his face. She said it was "immoral" or something. Immoral his ass, he just wanted Ze awake. Now he lay on the foot of the bed once more, clinging onto Ze's legs. He was genuinely worried now, if he hadn't been worried enough before. Ze had never been out for this long, ever. In fact, Ze rarely ever got hurt or even injured, he was often extremely careful.
Ze finally woke up about four days after his initial wake up. Only Regect was in the room, just Regect and Ze. Regect remembers laying at the foot of the bed, watching the ceiling, waiting for something, anything to happen. Something did happen. Ze stirred. Regect quickly snapped his head up, crawling over to where Ze's face was. Ze slowly slit his eyes open, groaning as he did so. His eyes were glossed over and just foggy.
"Awh dude Ze! I was worried man what happened?!" Ze didn't respond. He just kept looking, to where, Regect wasn't sure.
"Ze? Hellooo? Zeee..?" Nothing. Regect carefully brought up his wrist to where Ze's forehead was, gently resting it. Ze was boiling. Regect quickly snapped his wrist away, rubbing it.
"Holy shit." Regect softly whispered to himself, climbing off the bed. Ze just tilted his head to watch him, but he didn't say a word.
Regect turned away, ready to go run and grab a wet towel or something, but a meek voice behind him made Regect stop in his tracks.
"Regect…?"
Regect spun around, his eyes meeting Ze's.
"Awh Ze, dude! I thought you went catatonic again or something!" Regect hustled back over to Ze's bed, almost bumping into it. Ze slowly sat up and yawned, stretching as he did so.
"Jeez I feel like shit…. how long was I out?" Ze winced as he stretched, clutching his arms where his sunburns had formed. Regect just hummed before answering.
"Like what, a day and a half? You were out cold man! if you had taken any longer Moe would have freaked out." That was a lie. It was Regect who would likely do the freaking out, Ze didn't need to know that though. Ze flopped back into the bed, curling the blankets back ontop of himself.
"Night."
"Hey what? It's the middle of the day and you've been sleeping for like 40 hours! You're such a bum get up!" Regect grabbed the covers Ze had buried himself in, attempting to drag them off of him, to no avail. Ze was oddly strong. Ze whined, twisting his body against the pull of Regect in protest.
"You're such a baby! Jeez why are you so heavy? You really need to lay off the chips!" Regect continued to struggle before Ze shot up.
"I'm very fit thank you! I haven't eaten chips in months!" Regect snickered, ripping the covers off of Ze while he was distracted, tossing them onto the floor.
"Gotcha, your ego really needs to be check broski." Ze made a face in response, a silent protest.
"Says the guy who can't go five minutes without going on a tangent about how great he is! If you wanna talk about ego you should do some self-reflection!"
"Oh shut up! At least I'm self aware!" Regect kicked Ze's bed, launching him off and onto the floor with a loud thud!
Ze grunted, holding his backside.
"Ow dude, what the hell?!" Regect just huffed before turning around towards the door, making his way to the exit of the room.
"Goodnight! Sleep well!" Ze could almost hear Regect giggle as he left.