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At first, no one realizes anything is wrong.
Heartless has a tendency to fall asleep after using his powers and considering the tough battle they’d just gotten through it wasn’t surprising when he crashed. Alchemy had simply carried him into his room at the Mojo and they hadn’t thought much more of it. There were more pressing matters at hand anyway, such as Flint’s shot shoulder and Glass’... well, they weren’t entirely sure what was wrong with him yet but it wasn’t looking great.
It’s only hours later when most of them have gone to bed or at least fallen into separate rooms that anyone notices that something is off. Of course, that ‘anyone’ is Eira because that’s just his damn luck. He’d been preparing to go out and light a cigarette when he’d passed Heartless’ room and it occurred to him that he hadn’t seen the other witch at all since Alchemy had taken him away. He wouldn’t have thought anything of it usually but… Heartless’ naps after battles didn’t usually last this long.
Before he can talk himself out of it, Eira gently knocks on Heartless’ door and pushes it open. Over his short time with the group he’d only seen glimpses of the others’ rooms and Eira had to admit that… he really hated Heartless’. It was filled with bright colors that made his eyes feel like they were melting, posters covering the walls and trinkets strewn about. More important than the mess of a room though was the witch laying on the bed, curled up to… some sort of green frog plushie with a rain hat?
It’s a domestic scene; Eira is able to see Heartless’ cheek squishing into the side of the plush as his mouth sits slightly fallen open. He’s about to leave and get that cigarette he wanted when he notices something. There had been something that hadn’t sat right with him but now that Eira is noticing what it is he finds his blood running cold (or- warm? He’s already cold so-). Heartless is too still, too lax. Eira isn’t even sure he’s breathing. He looks more like a doll that had been posed than a living person.
“Heartless?” Eira reaches forward and shakes the witch on the shoulder, at first gently and then much firmer. His heart feels like it’s roaring in his ears and his lungs stutter in his chest. The two of them weren’t exactly best friends or anything but Eira knew he owed a lot to Heartless and he didn’t want the kid to just suddenly die. Especially when they could have done something if they’d just bothered to notice. “Heartless?”
A pale hand reaches out and clamps on Eira’s wrist, shocking him so much he falls still. Then black sclera gold eyes are groggily blinking up at him, Heartless’ chest beginning to rise and fall with breath again. He looked completely normal (if tired) and Eira had no idea what to think. Relief flooded through him of course but then irritation as Heartless had the gull to smile at him despite pulling whatever stunt that had been.
“What the fuck was that?” Eira demanded, pulling his arm out of Heartless’ grasp. He stepped away from the bed, trying to wrap his head around what had just happened. “Had you- were you just playing a joke on me or something? That's a pretty shit joke if so, you-”
“What?” Heartless frowned, pushing himself up into a sitting position. Rubbing his eyes he let out a quiet questioning hum. “What are you talking about, Eira?”
“I- is that how you sleep? I thought you were dead!”
“Oh-” The other’s face flashed with recognition and he let out a laugh. There was a dampened edge to it though and had Eira been in a less confused state he may have asked about it. “Yeah, that’s how I sleep. Sorry for scaring you, I didn’t mean to.”
Eira rubbed his face, silently reminding himself why he had to stick with these assholes. Eventually, he turned on his heel and began to make his way out of the room, not trusting himself to not lose his shit. “I need a fucking smoke."