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Sasha’s not sure what makes him angrier, the fact that he’s not able to monitor Marcy’s healing process as close as he’d like, or the dumbfuck frogs, toads, and newts that are keeping him away from them.
He has to constantly go back and forth between towns for “peace talks” that end up being hour long screaming matches. It’d be funny watching that short blue frog’s eyes bulge from her head in rage if it wasn’t so annoying.
Yes, Sasha knows that these are sentient people with real, valid feelings, but that doesn’t make them look any less like Muppets.
His headache of the day has peaked because of the frog’s incoherent rambling about Sasha trying to eat her if she doesn’t agree with him, as if Sasha would attempt eat something that nasty.
Right, real people with real feelings, they’re slimy all the same though.
He doesn’t have the mental energy to try and dispute this, but thankfully Grime steps in and says something he doesn’t follow. The old toad can be surprisingly diplomatic, much more so than Sasha can these days.
After a few more minutes which seem to drag on for hours, the meeting is finally adjourned and they made an all of zero progress.
He practically dashed back to his hotel room, not completely aware of Grime sauntering behind. He jumps right onto his bed with such force he bounces three feet up in the air, then proceeds to sink comically deep into the mattress.
“I’m guessing you’ll be retiring early tonight Lieutenant?”
“I’m retiring forever actually. I’m gonna build a cottage in the middle of the woods, grow my own food and junk, and just be another Monster-of-the-Woods with Marcy.” Sasha sarcastically supplies, but it’s incredibly muffled as his head doesn’t leave the pillow.
Grime chuckles at that. “I’ll tell everyone you just disappeared in the night, in that case.” He then proceeds to attempt winking, but it’s more than awkward because he only has one working eye.
A few moments of silence pass before Grime speaks again.
“Listen Sasha I know this has been a lot on your plate.”
Understatement of the century, he thinks but doesn’t say anything.
“So...I uh...”
This has enough of Sasha’s attention to get him to remove his face from the pillow, as Grime doesn’t pause unless he’s really nervous.
“What’s wrong?” He can’t but think of the worst possible scenario.
Are the talks called off? Are relations never going to be prepared? Will there be another war?
Sasha may not be the most in tune with his emotions, but he can’t fight another war, he’s so tired of all this fighting.
“No! Nothing at all!” He waves his hands around rapidly to reassure Sasha.
It works wonders as his shoulders drop and he releases a sigh of relief. He didn’t even realize he had tensed up...
“I CLEARED UP YOUR SCHEDULE FOR THE NEXT TWO WEEKS WITHOUT TELLING YOU!” Grime finally shouts, loud enough that Marcy could probably hear it from their room in Newtopia.
Sasha blinks a few times and then stares at him blankly.
“What?” It’s not really a question though, more like a statement of shock.
“I cleared out your schedule for next two weeks because I can tell you’ve been really stressed about this and you’re only a tadpole so you shouldn’t be stressing about this stuff in the first place and-“ Grime continues rambling until he’s cut off by Sasha, who hasn’t processed a word of this.
“Okay Grime slow down a minute. Five deep breaths then speak.”
He follows his orders and then starts again, much calmer might Sasha add.
“I cleared out your entire schedule for the next two weeks, no meetings at all. I’ve been worried that you’re overworking yourself and I’m sure you miss spending time with your partner.” Grime finally finishes in a way that Sasha can process.
Hearing him call Marcy his partner fills him with unfathomable euphoria, and hearing that he won’t have to listen to the constant screaming is definitely a plus.
“Are you sure you’ll be okay by yourself Grimesy?” He sits up as he asks this. Sasha can’t help but worry about the old toad, he’s still not exactly Mr. Popular, though neither is he anymore.
“I’ll be fine Sasha, trust me.” He flashes his signature toothy make-infants-cry smile, but it’s always been oddly reassuring to Sasha.
He claps the human on his shoulder with That Great Dad Force™.
“Now go see your partner, I’ve sure they’ve missed you these past two weeks. There’s a ride outside an-“
Sasha lights up so much you’d think he was a Frog Christmas tree with enough bright beetles attached to blind somebody on the other side of the continent.
Sasha bounds out of the room to find a snail waiting for him outside. As he hoists himself up, he notices a slightly frazzled Grime jogging over to him. He rights the snail anyways.
“Now be careful Sasha! Remember to stop every hour on the road to rest and drive safely and-“ He would prattle on for hours like a worried mother if Sasha hadn’t cut him off.
“Thanks Dad I definitely won’t!” He yells as he heads off to Newtopia with such speed a man could only achieve when he hasn’t seen his partner in half a month.
A two day trip takes him 22 hours of nonstop driving.
——
When somebody knocks on their door, Marcy dreads the energy they have to put into getting up from their desk and walking to the door. Given the fact that they haven’t slept in around 4 days, they consider not putting in the effort at all. However, this is Olivia’s special knock, indicating that this is something Marcy would want to know and probably isn’t something horrible, at least they hope.
“Marcy are you awake?” Olivia asks loud enough to be hard through the thick door, but it still comes out softly enough to not disturb Marcy.
When they finally process that Olivia is asking for them, they slowly rise from their desk and speed walk to the door, but not before tripping over themself four times. Their clumsiness somehow manages to get worse when they haven’t slept which is saying quite a lot.
“Is something up?” Marcy can’t help but ask in a tone barely above a whisper while squinting intensely to try to block out the sudden coral lights from the hallway.
“Well your partner has-“ Olivia can’t even finish before she’s pushed aside by Sasha barreling into Marcy’s room.
“MARCY I’M HOME!” He yells in joy as he raises them up in a hug, spinning around in circles several times before finally setting them down.
Marcy wears a blank expression of surprise (and sleep deprivation) at the sudden movement, but it’s quickly replaced by the happiness of seeing Sasha and experiencing his comforting affection.
Olivia scoffs, but then smiles at the two teens embracing. She decides to slip away while they’re preoccupied, Frog knows they need time to themselves. She also thinks Sasha can help her with Marcy’s...problem.
Unfortunately, Sasha notices the delayed reaction and the pronounced dark gray eye bags on Marcy’s face.
“Jesus Marce when was the last time you slept?” He nervously asks.
Marcy blinks several times and stares through Sasha.
“Uhh...earth to Marcy?”
Still no response.
He waves their hand in front of their face and then slaps his hands together loudly. Finally Marcy startles and briefly looks shocked before smiling widely.
“Hi Sash! I’m so happy you’re back already!”
Sasha just stares at them dumbfounded for a minute.
“How many of me do you see?”
Marcy seems to seriously contemplate this.
“Three and one of them is strangling the clown.”
“Oooookay, you’re going to bed right now.”
“But I still have work to do?” They question blankly.
Sasha pauses for a moment and makes a mental note that somebody is going to be beheaded for this.
“Why would you be working?” Sasha is seething with barely contained rage, not directed at Marcy of course, he could never be mad at them.
They go to hug Sasha but end up tripping and head butting his shoulder.
“I just gottaaaaaa, the world is horrible and it’s all my fault and I just gotta make up for the Night’s damage and-“ Marcy continues the uncharacteristically honest response about their emotions. Eventually they run out of breath and need to take a few moments to take in the lacking Oxygen. That’s when they finally process what they said and slammed their hands over their mouth.
Sasha sets his hands on Marcy’s shoulders firmly, but gently as to not actually hurt Marcy.
“Marce, I know you haven’t slept in... a while, but this kinda talk is worrying nonetheless.” Sasha starts and Marcy looks away in shame.
“So how about we cuddle and you finally go to sleep-“ Marcy perks up at that. “Then when you wake up we’re gonna tak about what you said about yourself earlier.” Marcy shrinks into themself at that.
“But-“
“Nope, not this time. You’re sleeping. I haven’t slept in like a day either so I’m tired.”
He picks them up bridal style and sets them on their green king bed, which looks like it’s been thrown in several fire locus tornadoes, then lays down next to them. Marcy would be lying if they said they didn’t miss Sasha’s warmth and the comforting weight of being the little spoon, so despite the incoming talk of eMoTiOnS they snuggle into Sasha’s chest. Sasha gently presses a kiss to the back of their raven hair in response.
“I love you Sasha.”
“Love you too, dumbass. Now go to sleep.”
”This is homophobic.”
“I literally changed my middle name to Gayass last week, you’re homophobic.” Sasha huffs.
Marcy looks up to Sasha, sticks their tongue out and blows a raspberry.
Sasha retaliates by doing the same which causes Marcy to pout.
They stare at each other blankly and then start howling with laughter.
Finally after all of that Marcy kisses Sasha on the forehead and cuddles back into the crook of Sasha’s neck. Sasha smiles brightly and kisses Marcy on their left cheek, then begins to run his hand through their hair.
Another few moments pass and Marcy is lightly snoring and mumbling something about stars in their sleep.
Sasha stares down at his sleeping partner and smiles again.
”Sleep tight Mar-Mar.”
For the first time in two weeks, both teens sleep peacefully for 9 hours and wake up feeling well rested.