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Mario and Meggy had already left after having saved me as I told them to. I didn't want them to be here, to get hurt or.. see me vulnerable like this.
Four looked unrecognisable. I thought it was bad when he had been covered in those pink scars and cuts over his skin, but he seemed to be covered in this, expanding skin-like substance that looked similar to the weird keyboard he started to use. Half his body was practically covered by that goop which had eyes and teeth scattered around in it.
“Four, Please!”
I couldn't stop shouting or crying, grasping at him and trying to pull him out of the chair. nothing worked. It was like the substance that had grown around him had stuck to the chair - making it impossible to tear him from the now beaten up desk.
I won't- I can't leave him here like this. It's my fault this happened regardless. No matter how much I knocked or said stupid shit to try and make up for it there's no one I can blame for letting him get this bad as much as I can blame myself.
“Please..”
My plea was more sombre and less strained than my other attempts. It wasn't worth it anymore.
The cracks in the floor of the castle began to grow and crack further. The dark goop continued to grow around us and all I could do was watch in horror.
I moved the Four, still focused exclusively on his video, and wrapped my arms around him tight. There's nothing more I could do to make up for my mistakes.
And I'm sure, just for a second, Four stopped.
The floor broke in half, and everything began to fall.
I clung onto Four and in the moment he stopped working, I thought I heard him say..
“Three I..
I love..”
.
I shot up from my sleep with a loud gasp. I was in my bed, back at the cafe, the secret “lair” I had made that was basically just my house. It’s been months since the incident when he locked himself in there, and despite how it ended well - I keep on getting that nightmare about how much worse it could’ve been.. and .. how it was all my fault..
I was.. Worried about him, despite whether I’d want to admit..
I should check on him.
I grabbed my phone that was lying next to me in bed and turned it on.
2:16 AM.
I glance around, taking note of Eggdog sleeping in his basket and I get out of bed, making sure not to wake him. I got dressed into the usual purple long-sleeved shirt and just put on a pair of trousers rather than the usual dark-purple overalls, I was too tired to put them on.
I stepped out into the elevator and out of the cafe, it was freezing. I didn’t care, I just hope me coming over unannounced wouldn’t be too troubling considering the time.
-
-
I grasped the cold doorknob to Four’s room and turned it, to be greeted with.. Four, at the couch by his desk, on his laptop, looking at memes..
“Oh, Hiii Three!”
That dumb smile..
“Hey.. Four.. I just wanted to come and check on you, not because I care or anything - I just.. The others were worried.”
Shitty cover up, like he’d believe that. Regardless of my reply, he just chuckled and gave me a smile.
“I’m alright, I’ve been making sure to take breaks since.. That.. Nice to see you’re- they’re worried!”
He knows .
He then pats down on a space next to him on the couch, signalling for me to sit next to him. Reluctantly, I sigh and walk over, and take a seat - but just enough so that it’s visible I'm trying not to touch him. I cross my arms and say;
“You really shouldn’t be awake at this time..”
To which he responds;
“Well then what’re you doing awake?”
I shift over a little, and lean over to him.
“I just.. I.. It’s dumb but.. I had a nightmare.”
He turns over to me,
“You can have nightmares?? I mean, I knew you had a soft spot but-”
“It was about you.”
He stops dead in his tracks, and just looks over to me and giggles, in a way which he’s trying to be respectful that I just had a nightmare.
“Ugh, I just.. Look, it’s stupid alright but.. It was about what happened when you.. Y’know.. Meggy and Mario had already left and you..”
I subconsciously shuffled over to him again, not realising how much I was spilling.
“I couldn’t do anything about it and I was.. Scared. It was all my fault, I went in without a plan and I didnt want you to get hurt and I-”
“..That’s enough out of me.”
Four just laughed like the idiot he he is,
“Hmph, that just makes it sound like you missed me!”
I immediately jolt away from him, cross my arms and face away in embarrassment.
“If it makes you feel any better,I can tell you some stupid stuff from when I was.. Sucked into my work I guess.”
I turn around intrigued, loosen up and get a little closer while nodding, insinuating for him to continue.
“Alrighty, To put simply it felt like.. being in a coma I guess?
That weird Keyboard fleshy goop had basically taken over me, the only part I could really control at the end was my vision, and all I could do was watch what it did to you guys..
Though, on occasion I'd get too fatigued from how much energy it was using and let it take over. And during those unconscious periods there was this.. space in my head- like something made up in my subconsciousness.”
I skootched closer, leaning into Four.
“It was this clear white room, like that one scene in squidwards head!
I was all deformed and mangled and in constant pain, scars everywhere - just reflecting how it actually was i guess.
All that was there was me and..
You.
And those small times when I'd go to said room in my subconsciousness, You'd be here.
And you'd talk me through how everything would still be okay, despite all the pain I felt or caused, everything would turn out fine in the end.
And despite how withered everything around me and mysel, you were still nice and purple.”
“Four, you.. Think I'm nice..?”
Without realising, Four is practically holding me in his arms at this point.
“Well, Yeah! Despite what you say all the time about how eeevill you are, sometimes you're really sweet, like right now!”
That's when everything sets in, I've been cuddling and spilling emotions to.. Four of all people.. and it's been.. nice.
“Shut up you baka, Four!”
I push myself off of him, and turn around once more. Yet all he responds with is a chuckle and,
“Hmph, you know what's funny about this?
you never call me Four, usually just SMG4, are you getting soft?~ ”
He moves over towards me making kissy noises and baby-doll eyes.
God I hate it when he gets like that, he's so stupid with his stupid meme-y attitude and his stupid hat, and stupid.. eyes and hair and..
“God you're stupid..”
“-and you love it!”
God he's right..
He moves over once more, practically shuffling up against me.
“C'mon Threee don't you want a little kissyyy”
“Fou- SMG4, I'm not gay”
oh god i am. and he knows.
“Don't be so sour, Three, darling, honey, snookums, baby cakes..”
I hate it when he makes fun of me like that, he's so.. stupid and.. as much as I'd hate to admit it.. beautiful, and yet kind..
he's already been nice enough to me when I didn't deserve it, and I.. worried.. like, actually worried about him.
Flustered, I just respond with;
“I- I should go, it's late and you need sleep as well.”
“Aww c’mon you’re just making excuses!”
“Goodbye Four”
I said nonchalantly, turning to the door and walking out, the rest of the house was quiet at the least.
I gently open the door to leave, just to be met with rain. I can make it out fine, it’s not that bad.
-
It’s that bad.. I'm soaked.
Great, so now I have to stay here.
“Heyy SMG4?..”
I walked into his room like a soggy wet cat, soaked. To which Four just burst out laughing.
“Dude- wait- I have the perfect meme for this!”
He was just met with a flat expression as he pulled this out on his phone.
“this is you lol”
I tried my best to hold back a chuckle but a small laugh falls out and that’s enough to make him smile, like the stupid, dumb charming idiot he is.
“ANYWAYS, figuring the downpour I just,, would I be able to stay here for a night?- NOT BECAUSE OF WHAT YOU’VE BEEN INSINUATING, I-”
“aww, I can't believe you wanted to spend more time with me.. you know could've just asked!”
“Okay but unironically, if you are saying here the other rooms don't have proper furnishing so the only bed here is.. mine!”
I sigh, flustered but there's no way I'm making it through the storm outside. Actually that might be a better fate than this, and I'm not sleeping on that sofa..
“ sigh, alright! fine! I'll sleep in your bed, just don't tell the others about this - I've got no other choice.”
And surprisingly, he just shut up about it.
A few minutes had passed and he had finally changed into actual pajamas, instead of sleeping in his day clothes. We both slip into the bed and despite how much Four overwork himself, he's a quick sleeper.
As much as I hate him, and hate to admit it, this was.. nice. Feeling his body heat on mine, being this close to him. not-so subconsciously shuffling towards him and cuddling him.
I'm just glad I got him asleep to be fair, I need to stop worrying about hi-
My inner thoughts get interrupted by the cutest little yawn coming out of Four, which was ADORABLE- no. no it was NOT.
okay. maybe just a little bit.
I'm now fully cuddling him, big spooning if you will. Eventually I get to the point where I'm too tired to have gay panic and begin to drift off.
I lean in and give Four a soft kiss,just by his cheek, and before I finally call asleep, I whisper to him:
“I love you Four..”