Chapter Text
"Hopediah, look at me, look at me!" Grime's voice thundered into him like a spark of electricity as the orange frog could feel its spark slipping away. He couldn't listen to the captain as he inadvertently looked down at himself only to notice the fresh seeping blood from his chest pouring out.
Grime forcefully grabbed his head, forcing Hopediah to look back into the toad's eyes. They were distressed and panicked, his heavy arms keeping close contact with his lover as he began undressing his upper half. It felt like early spring as the frog shuddered from the sudden cold.
"I'm sorry." They weren't in the castle anymore, and the air was so humid and light. Hopediah could feel the tears slipping onto his face as Grime still kept eye contact with him as he scoured the bag for anything useful in this grave situation. "You're going to be okay, Hopediah, just, keep looking at me."
Grime's voice was oddly different. He was on edge, taken aback, frantic. Hopediah could notice the gulps of anxiety and the cold sweat dripping down Grime's face. He identified the wound and how problematic it was. The toad gulped yet again and traced his eyes back at Hopediah.
Hopediah felt the toad's crass hands cusp his face, but to the frog, they felt heavenly. It would feel like scratching against the wood to anyone else. But to the peach frog, it inflicted serenity and peace.
Their moment of clarity and unification as Grime kept looking deeply into the frog's hazel eyes. No words were necessary, his lover's touch told a tale of summer warmth and pleasantries.
Hopediah almost couldn't feel the cold on his body from Grime's warmth. His fear and the relatively painful injury couldn't make him move.
While Grime felt around the cauterized wound, Hopediah hissed trying to wiggle himself away, causing the toad further distress.
"This is for your own good..." Grime whisked his response to the wind as he poured something of heavy texture that melted his torso. It felt like every upper layer of his body was boiled alive as he thrashed about, too weak to scream. His desperate movements only stopped due to the overwhelming shadow looming over Hopediah's head.
The sore cut burnt on his skin as the sound of sizzling was overwhelming the gust of wind hitting his exposed body and even the crushing feeling of Grime keeping him in one place.
The last thing he remembered was the battle. It was long and strenuous, a fleeting feeling of hope battling against a heavy creeping of despair as the dream team tried keeping it together. They finally infiltrated the castle with Joe Sparrow, but even all the avocado in the world couldn't make Hopediah any less anxious. Grime fought valiantly until Sasha and Anne took over.
Sasha and Anne had an incredible brawl with the general, and the lady as the two elders stared. The two caretakers had proud smiles plastered over their faces as they watched the girls twirl against the newts.
It was like the flick of a coin. One moment, everything went according to plan, and the next, their worst-case scenario popped up uninvited.
That's where all hell broke loose, and Hopediah still couldn't pinpoint where it all went wrong, nor how it got to where it was. Hopediah's legs hopped through to stop the upcoming Darcy's blade when it got too close to Grime. It was instantaneous. He felt a sharp spasm of pain spread across his skin as he sprawled on the ground. Their screams and terrors muffled by the frog's slip into oblivion.
The spread of darkness was infinite. His body temperature was too hot and cold as Hopediah finally grasped to breathe. It was exhilarating, intoxicating, and addicting.
The old frog regained the ability to move his body. Hopediah could only feel the ends of his thumbs as his body wiggled.
"You're awake." Those words were clear, frightened, yet pleasant as they fell off someone's tongue. The burdened frog couldn't tell who it was. He felt himself getting carried bridal style as the carrier took great care of his disheveled body.
Hopediah chuckled, alerting the carrier that put a thumb over his mouth. He understood everything. A fleeting feeling of hope as his body adapted to the pain.
The frog was still spry, even in old age as he tugged at the newly remembered identity of the carrier. He could recognize those mannerisms anywhere, to Hopediah so perfect.
He tugged at his shoulder pad, strumming it as if it were his lover's harp. So tenderly, softly feeling it to make sure it was Grime's. Grime softly placed Hopediah's hand on the injured one's chest and held it there.
The warmth spread around Hopediah's body as if he drank a warm tea on a cold winter night. His eyes were awake, yet tired, almost succumbing. Grime placed a kiss on his forehead, and everything felt better. Hopediah could feel the tears form in the corners of his eyes. He cusped Grime's face to prolong the rejuvenating feeling, enjoying his meticulous touch.
"You won't die on me, Hopediah. If you do, with who shall I share worm waffles?" Grime laughed bittersweetly, almost on the verge of breaking down but keeping himself standing for his lover's sake.
The frog held onto Grime's hand and weakly smiled. "I can't, not when I have so much to lose."
"Be quiet and keep your strength, Hopediah." Grime ordered, but that only earned a playful chuckle from the injured one.
There was a moment of silence where they enjoyed the melodies of their breath. They were too fond of each other. Too naive to notice how much they got to care for each other.
Hopediah looked up and shot a hopeful smile. "Help me stand, Grime."
"No, that is absolutely out of the question. You're too weak, you need time to recover-" Grime stopped. He was studying the injured frog for any signs of weakness, of which there were none. The captain contemplated his decisions thoroughly and finally decided to cave.
"Do you trust me?" He asked, and the toad slowly nodded as he let him onto the ground.
Hopediah felt the cold ground below. His limbs got used to the weight of his upper body as he tried standing on his own. Hopediah's balance got cut off, and he could feel himself falling. Grime managed to cut in and hold him together as the frog latched onto his leg.
"Are you sure you're alright?" Grime looked down at his lover, that stood tall for him.
Hopediah supported himself onto Grime and gleefully responded."I'm always alright if you're there."