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No recovery was without its bumps.
Arackniss had a few after his fight and near death by Henrion.
First was getting him back!
Once that was accomplished, then came fixing his wounds.
Simple whilst he was still out.
He wasn't aware of anything but recovering, coming back to those waiting for him through the fog.
But when at last he woke, it got harder and harder to treat him.
Wounded to the brink of DEATH, he still fought like a bat out of Hell!
Once he learned he needed help doing things, bandages needed to be changed and dressed, medication to help fight infections and heal his wounds, he went ape shit!
It was manageable at first.
One could keep him still long enough for this and that to be done, a trick here and there to get meds washed down, it was easy at first.
However-
This was Pentagram City's TOP Hitman, the once Don of his own little Family!
Even in life he was a force to be reckoned with, the Son of the Don, lording over many Soldiers in life and death!
But now?
Now he was rendered to this poor pathetic creature that needed HELP!
This was UNBELIEVABLE!
He was STRONG!
He was BRAVE!
He needed no HELP!
However, HELP is what Brought him back in the first place.
He just overlooked this fact in favor of going ape shit and wild like a stallion being broken.
-
“Arackniss pleeeease!” The Princess was pleading as the tiny Charcoal spider stood shaking, bristling, and growling at the hands trying to help him.
“Back OFF!” He snarled and snapped his jaws just out of harm's way of the Princess’ concerned face.
She yelped as his fangs clacked together but stayed put as he returned to the wall he was braced upon, ever still wild eyed and shaking.
His right leg by this point in his recovery was braced and splinted, having been broken into place to the best it Could be and set in this manner to recover. Now though, his bandages needed renewing And his bones needed to be checked. His toe claws needed to be checked also as he dragged the foot without meaning to ninety percent of the time he tried walking on his own.
Yet Arackniss hissed and shivered a bit, releasing some of his irritant hairs into the air around him, warding off anyone who had exposed skin.
His first ‘gentle’ warning to back off!
“Al'right, stop Acting like a child and do as you're told, damnit!” Husk growled, able to reach for Arackniss unlike the Princess as his fur simply took the small spider hairs Niss released and left them useless on his own.
“Husky, I'd be careful!” Angel spoke up as the Cat Sinner backed off a bit as Niss chattered his fangs and bobbed his head, either to calculate where the Cat was now that half his face was marred, or to ‘scare’ him in a ‘war dance’.
Either way, it didn't bother the older Sinner in the slightest.
“Boy, I've handled bar-goers worse than you, stop this and let them help you!” He went for the spider again and regretted it Quickly.
With a YOWL and cursing so loud it reached to the moon and back, Husk backed off with his tail curled up between his legs, bent funny at the very end where Niss had swiftly used his heavier broken leg to stomp it.
“Fucker just broke my damn tail!” Husk spat as Angel tended to the hurting feline. This gained an angry expression from Vaggie and a sad face from Charlie.
“Arackniss, please.. We're not here to hurt you, you've Been so brave and strong throughout this whole thing, a little help won't change that fact~” She tried and reached out a caring hand.
Niffty was sent flying when she suddenly appeared on his bad Side. His broken arm, its twisted manner able to deck her and send her flying away from the gathered Sinners.
Not whom Arackniss had aimed for but was satisfied nevertheless as the small Cyclops landed at the other end of the foyer.
“Omg!” Charlie whimpered only to hear in the distance a pleased, “PAIN!”
“Your ganna STOP hurting our friends this instant or so help me I'll do worse then what Henrion Did to you, got that!?” Vaggie growled with an aggressive snarl as she eyed the cornered spider and he eyed her back with the same malice.
“He's proven he can act out, Vaggie, don't prevoc him further!” Charlie warned but watched as her partner stepped up next, spear in hand.
“Dats not a smart move, Vaggie!” Angel commented, actually saying the Warriors name correctly, Gaining a smile and thumbs up from Charlie and a shocked head turn from Vaggie.
“KID!” Husk yowled only to be seconds too late for as soon as Vaggie noticed her terrible error of turning her back on a formidable opponent, she turned just in time to see a black furry Shape sailing towards her face.
A nice CRACK sounded as she was sent backwards, out cold from the strike she was dealt.
Charlie was beside Her at ONCE, whispering worriedly to her partner all whilst Arackniss panted and hissed, puffed up and chattered his fangs at the gathered group of Sinners.
“Maaaaaybe we ssssshould give him space!?” A light hiss came next and the group looked up to see Pentious looking at them from where Arackniss had last been, still sitting on the couch, awaiting his Sniper's return.
“I never thought he felt cornered-” Charlie spoke sadly, still holding Vaggie close as she came to slowly.
There seemed to be areas to get himself away from them-
He was hurt, but they just wanted to help-
“May I make a comment, my Dear!?” Alastor spoke up next, having watched with a smile ever present upon his face.
“Might as well-” She said sadly and watched as Alastor spoke about the spider they had all somehow tried to help though he grew ever more angry and retaliated against them.
-
“This young man isn't well versed In people wishing to ‘help’. You see, his and Angel's line of work before death and after have always been Mob related. Sure they have a knit family unit but still-”
The spider as Alastor spoke saw he was finally being left alone and veeeery carefully began to make his way forward, still braced upon the wall.
His eyes, the left if one could see them, were small and filled with feral fear!
His breathing, tiny chest rising, was rapid like a small mouse trapped!
He had so much more to fear now now that he was wounded to such a degree. He couldn't let on that he was in such blinding pain!
So as Alastor kept speaking and Charlie watched on, unmoving now, Arackniss moved along at a snail's pace with determination in every inch he made getting away from the group watching.
“He's had to BE the strength, BE the bravery, BE the wounder! He hasn't an idea what ‘help’ is since he never got it before! He was forced to learn through it, get along on his own silently! Any show of weakness was an ending!
“He led Sinners, Soldiers, his little Brother, he stood beside the Don without a trace of emotion! Do you really think after nearly dying he'd suddenly show his pains!? His fear!? And to such strangers as us!?”
“No, I wouldn't think so-” Charlie spoke softly as Niss twitched and jumped at a sound on his bad side before watching as he slunk over to the next wall and settled in its calm darkness, safe from the bodies he felt crowded by before.
“No is right, my Dear! Some Leaders lead by example, and Arackniss has never had an example from Henrion about ‘helping’ someone!”
It was true!
If you'd been hurt and Henrion knew, you'd fucked up! You EARNED those wounds, you EARNED that death! You were humiliated, set as an example then cast out if you couldn't find the strength to get back up after your loss.
Arackniss was the spitting image of all that!
Even now as he panted and looked around like a wild caged animal, he didn't rightly express his pain. He showed how far he'd go if he was once again cornered like he felt he'd been prior however!
That's when Charlie realized something and spoke up softly, getting up and approaching the spider in the dark carefully.
“You lead by example, right Arackniss!?”
“Charlie!” Vaggie spoke up from behind her lover yet she didn't stop her slow, careful approach.
“You lead Soldiers, a Family, your Brother and sister, right!?”
Niss twitched Due to his marred face and his inability to calculate things correctly now that half his face and his snout was scarred and missing.
He HEARD the Princess but didn't SEE her!
He bristled again and began to hiss in fear.
Still, Charlie approached with a tender voice and gentle reaching Hand.
“You took care of them~ Your Soldiers, your Family, Angel, Molly!”
“She's right~” Angel spoke up gently from where he had stayed beside Husk.
“Sure we fought, but I would know it was Niss taken care of me over the others in da Family~ Always knew~”
“You LEARNED somewhere to CARE, didn't you Arackniss!? LEARNED to worry for others and not to simply leave them where they fell!”
Arackniss felt a flash of memory speed through his rattled mind and indeed he saw what the Princess was saying.
But that didn't mean-
Didn't mean HE needed that sort of thi-
“You're part of THIS Family, Arackniss~ A Family that cares for its members no matter their background~”
“She's speaken truths, Niss~” Angel spoke up again and smiled proudly.
To once be a famous pornstar, A druggy, a filthy nothing, to then be lifted out of that life thanks to Charlie and her unrelenting care, Angel had to admit-
She was right!
This WAS a Family~
And she was its Don!
Niss heard his little kid brother's words and Charlie's.
He slowed his chattering and relaxed his bristled hairs back along his tiny body.
He still Hissed and bared his fangs as Charlie reached into his space but didn't bite, nor did Charlie reach in any further, giving Arackniss his choice to come out or stay put.
“I won't stop trying to help you recover, Arackniss~” She said and smiled, sitting on her legs, hand still out.
“If you let me, I can return the kindnesses you gave to your Family back to you~”
“We all can~”
“She's right, Niss, trust her~ Please!?” Angel spoke, having shifted A bit to now be facing his older brother in his dark space.
He breathed rapidly, looked around like a trapped animal.
He waited.
She wasn't like Henrion-
She and her Family had saved him, saved him before even knowing who he really was!
Saved his kid brother even though she didn't know him! Treated him well by the looks of him!
He shifted but this time to feel his splinted leg and wrapped broken arm.
He mindlessly reached for his face and hovered over the scars there.
He felt the one forever rising and falling smack dab in his middle as his breathing slowed At long last.
She and her Family had helped Tony save him!
Why?!
“We're a Family here, Arackniss~” Charlie said, as if reading his thoughts, ever still Smiling at him from her place outside his dark space.
“We love and care for each other~” She continued gently and Niss began to recall how nice it was not feeling pain when he breathed, felt safe as he slept as someone was always watching over him-
It happened only when he joined the Hotel, Pentious’ care aside, that was out of love!
It hit him then-
He looked right at Charlie with his four remaining ruby orbs And finally SAW her!
He loved his Family, those who followed him loyally! And they loved him! Cared for them, and they cared right back!
Charlie loved her Family, and they loved her too! She cared for them, and they cared right back!
THIS Hotel was Charlie's Family!
They loved her, cared for her, followed her loyally!
She was their Don!
He hadn't lead by example , no-
If he had, he'd have been just as bad as his Pops! Maybe worse if things hadn't happened!
And here was what happened when you left the path that had been laid out for you, marked by countless killings, wounds, near deaths!
A new path that showed you what you got in return for your own character change!
Your care, love, loyalty!
“Eyes off me, no more group watching!” Niss hissed finally and Charlie gave a start.
“Oh!? Umm- Guys!?”
The group attending Began to file away to other parts of the foyer, leaving Niss and Charlie eye to eye, darkness and light.
“One a… At a time, no group helping!” He panted but began to slide himself out of his hiding place, from the darkness and into the light.
“I promise!”
“Promise you won't hurt anyone for helping though when they go to try!” She said quickly and Niss stopped Short to look around at those still around the foyer, now seeming to be ignoring the goings on taking place close by.
“No group, one helper!”
“At a time!?”
“Si!”
“Who would you like to help you out more!?” Charlie asked and smiled as Niss looked back at her with a calmer expression then the one before, the wild eyed terror she'd felt so sorry for.
“Pen! You! Maybe Tony!?”
“Then we'll be guided on the sidelines by the others in what best way to help you, is that fair!?”
A long pause before Niss finally blinked his eyes closed, a show of feeling safe, and said in his gruff, tired way, “Si~”
“Then, Pentious, may you help him first!?” Charlie asked warmly and gained a small thankful smile from Arackniss as that very spiders partner slithered over and hissed excitedly, “Of coursssse, my Dear~”
“Alastor, lead him from where you're at~” Charlie called and the Deer Sinner shrugged, smiling, and waited for his needs to be called upon by the snake.
“One step at a time~” Charlie whispered proudly as she watched how Arackniss allowed Pentious to guide him back to the couch where the two slept since coming to the Hotel.
“Literally!” Angel snorted as Alastor began issuing orders on how best to remove the leg bandages and splints and what to feel for when checking a setting bone.