Work Text:
Impulse had knots tied in his stomach, which logically shouldn’t exist.
Everything was right in his world, he had his brothers back- plus two new friends as well.
Zedaph and Scar seemed kind enough.
Still the borrower felt uneasy.
But he tried to distract his mind from the feeling, brushing it off as an adrenaline crash.
“So how come only Impulse has little horns?” Scar asked, his emerald green eyes innocent and curious.
Bdub grinned at his adoptive brother “it’s cuz he the oldest, makes him scarier to look at-“
Impulse rolled his eyes, “It’s something we grow into, Tango and Bdubs are too young to have horns.”
“Oh- well how old are you guys then?” Zed asked, leaning forward from his spot on the couch with more child like curiosity.
“Well, I think I’m around 28? This past year was a bit fuzzy, but if I am- then Tango is 25 and Bdubs is 19-“ Impulse said looking to Bdubs for confirmation.
The youngest borrower nodded, “sounds right too me.”
“Wait you’re only 19?? You really are my little brother,” Scar said with a smirk.
“Hey! I know you’re only 20 Scar! That’s one year difference.” Bdubs yelled in mock anger.
Tango stirred between both of his brothers. “Too loud Dubby- shushhhh.” The Blond muttered sleepily while trying to poorly swat the youngest quiet.
Zedaph smiled gently, “well Tango and I are the same age if he is 25, and I think Skizz is three years older than you Impulse. 31- I think??”
Scar tried to stifle his laugh, “gosh, I always forget how Old Skizz is some times.”
“He’s not that old-“ Impulse tried to argue
“It’s because he’s old that he can actually afford a place like this-“ Zed commented. “Doesn’t have the same debt I have.”
Tango hummed beside Impulse, his tail lazily flicking back and forth- “you’re both old.”
“Half asleep and still lippy-“ Impulse marvelled at his younger brother.
This drew out chuckles from the rest of the company and warmth grew in Impulse’s chest.
It felt like home again.
Except.
He was missing His best friend.
“Would one of you be able to call Skizz and see if he got lost?”
“Yeah I can-“ Zed said, pulling out his phone,
“Thank you Zed-“
The human was nice to put the phone on speaking and the bundled nerves in Impulse’s belly unwound at the possibility to talked to Skizz.
Not that he didn’t feel comfortable around these humans,
Or didn’t trust his Brothers’ judgement.
He just wanted Skizz back.
The phone picked up and Skizz’s familiar answering machine picked up
“Hey there you have reached Skizz Leman, I guess I couldn’t answer you right at this moment but I’ll try to get back you as soon as I can- mmm byyyeeeee-“
“He could still be driving-“ Scar suggested.
But the knots retied themselves in Impulse’s chest.
“Could… you try again?”
Zedaph nodded and redialed his phone.
It rang and this time was answered.
“Hello?” A strained voice answered and it definitely wasn’t Skizz
“Hello??? I’m sorry who is this?.”
“My name is Charles- I’m a First responder to an indecent downtown, May I ask who you are?-“
Impulse’s heart plummeted, pushing himself up- leaving his brothers behind as he rushed over toward the edge of the table.
Zedaph placed his phone down on the table next to him.
“Where’s Skizz?! Is he alright??”
“I-…. Are you family?”
Everyone in the room responded with a resounding “Yes-!”
“Oh goodness there’s a lot of you- um, any children-“
“Just tell me where Skizz is?! Why do you have his phone!” Impulse’s voice cracked, his heart beat thrummed in his ears.
“Right, I’m sorry- Mr. Leman was in a very serious accident, he’s being transported to the general hospital via EMS right now- if you meet him there they could give you more details.”
“But-!”
“We’ll be right there, thank you sir.”
Zedaph cut Impulse off and hung up the phone.
“Why did you just do that!!” Impulse’s voice carried a venom it hadn’t known since he had first been caught
His tail lashed back and forth in agitation.
“There’s nothing more he could tell us over the phone Impulse.” Zed tried to reason, pushing himself up to his feet.
“That wasn’t your call to make!! He’s my friend and-“
A hand came and griped his shoulder and Impulse spun to face the intrusion.
Tango stood there, maroon eyes sympathetic while his red tipped tail wound with Impulse’s yellow.
“Impy-“
“Don’t call me that-“
“Impulse-“
“Tango don’t-“
“He’s human, they know how their world works better than we would.”
“Skizz is hurt or worse and he hung up!”
“And now we’re going to see him Impulse,” Zed butt in,
When Impulse spun back to face the blond human he saw that he had put on his outdoor coat and grabbed his bag.
Scar had rolled closer to the table, holding out a hand for Bdubs, who climbed onto his palm without hesitation.
“You can choose who you travel with,” Zed continued, his voice gentle despite Impulse’s harshness. “I’ve just ordered another taxi to bring us to the hospital, then we can see Skizz in person.”
The blond human lowered his palm to the coffee table and Tango pulled away from Impulse to climb on-
Impulse couldn’t move-
He didn’t want to-
He hadn’t been held by another human other than Skizz since he had been rescued.
But he trusted Skizz.
Knew that Skizz’s touch wasn’t suffocating.
He-
Couldn’t do this without Skizz.
Tears fell down the borrowers face and he backed away from the hand.
Tango’s eyes widened and he returned to Impulse’s side.
“Impy-“
“Don’t-“
“Bro-…. “ Tango brought his hands up to wipe away his tears.
The motion was familiar, and Impulse shakily brought up his hands to hold Tango’s,
speaking softly as though he was scared of the words.
“I can’t lose him now Tango-… everything was just starting to go right…. I can’t lose him.”
“You’re not going to- I know it’s hard, but trust me Impy…”
Impulse made eye contact with his brother and he wanted to collapse.
“Okay… I trust you…”
Tango gently pulled Impulse’s hands, pulling him back over to Zed’s patient hand.
Impulse felt overwhelmed-
But grounded, Tango held onto him.
Zed held them both gingerly but Impulse couldn’t really process the information.
All he could feel was Tango
Feel him squeeze his hands, keeping his body grounded while his mind raced elsewhere.
The journey to the hospital seemed to go by quickly to the yellow tailed borrower.
At one point Zed tucked them both away in the kangaroo pouch of his pink hoodie.
But the only reason Impulse clocked that was because it got darker.
People were saying words
But all he could think about was Skizz.
He was hurt
And Impulse was helpless.
All over again.
He couldn’t do anything.
AGAIN!!!
“Impy-? Impulse, hey Buddy- come back to me here, we’re almost there.”
Slowly Impulse blinked back to reality, meeting Tango’s eyes.
“What?”
“Zed and Scar are getting the hospital staff to bring us to Skizz, they had to tell them that they were family- but no one else has tried to see him the the staff aren’t fighting it.”
“Oh.”
“Too much talking?”
“A little.”
“Just wanted to catch you up Impy-“
“Thank you Tango-“
Impulse leaned against his younger brother for support and Tango responded in turn by rubbing slow circles on his brother’s back.
Impulse still couldn’t make out the conversations that the humans were having, but he decided it didn’t matter.
After a soft click of a door sounded and Impulse zoned back in.
The chatter had died down and the only sound that can from the room was the soft beeping of a heart monitor.
“I’ll leave you two to spend some time him… try talking, it could help speed up his recovery.”
A female voice said.
“Thank you miss,” Zed said.
The door clicked once again, and Zed let out a Held breath
“Oh Skizzy, what happened buddy…” Scar’s voice sounded pained and Impulse couldn’t wait any longer-
Tango must’ve felt Impulse’s anxious energy and he lightly tapped Zed’s palm.
The human was quick to bring them out of his pocket.
And
What Impulse saw.
Maybe his stomach drop six feet under the ground.
Skizz.
His Skizz
Bruised and cut up all over his body and face.
Tears welled up in Impulse’s eyes and a sob Tore through his throat.
His best friend in the world.
“Please I need to be with him.” Impulse’s voice shook and warbled.
But he didn’t have the mind to care.
Zed moved dutifully, placing his palm on the pillow next to Skizz’s head.
Impulse scrambled over and pressed his face against Skizz’s cheek.
The others stayed quiet, letting Impulse cry.
“Skizz… Skizzy please wake up.”
There was no response from the unconscious man.
Zed pulled over a chair next to Skizz, as Scar rolled over to the other side of their friend.
“Please don’t leave me Skizz… you promised- didn’t ya?? You have to keep that promise.”
“Impulse-“ Tango tried, “he’s probably not going to-“
Skizz’s hand moved.
And his swollen eyelids fluttered open for a few spare moments before resting shut-
“D-Dipple… dop?” A groggy and hoarse Skizz voice replied
Impulse lit up “Skizz!”
The busted up human winced, “Loud…”
“Oh- sorry.”
“Skizz?” Scar asked from his right side, “are you really awake right now?”
“Scar face?”
“Yeah and Zeddle Bop over here too-“
Zed added
“Hey! Don’t forget us!!” Bdubs shouted, half sticking out from Scar’s front pocket
Skizz winced again.
“Whoa, extra loud… “
Impulse laughed, nuzzling his face against Skizz’s.
Skizz brought his hand up with a tired groan, and cupped it around his borrower. “You’re all here. That’s nice….”
“Couldn’t stop me if you tried Skizz-“ Impulse said with a chuckle.
“Same with the rest of us,” Zed smiled “no nurses would’ve been able to stop us- we’re family.”
“Much preferred family-“ Scar commented
Skizz smiled faintly.
“Thanks guys-“
“No need to thank us Skizzle, I would’ve walked here myself if I needed too-“ Impulse said as he leaned back into Skizz’s hand.
The safety he didn’t know he has come to rely on so very much.
“I believe that Doctor professor Dipple Dop.” Skizz’s fingers curled gently around Impulse and the bundle of knots finally unwound in his chest.
The others kept talking to Skizz, but Impulse zoned them out a bit.
He let himself drift off, because everyone he could ever care about was in this room.
And so long as they were together.
It was going to be okay.