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Geno glanced down at his arms. The too-thin bone, still more fragile than he would like, was riddled with scars. He could mentally check them all off in his mind: the initial break from an IV shoved too deep, spiderwebbing fractures from the fall after that, countless needle marks from sticks and biopsies and tests. He rubbed them absently, fingers skimming over the healing divots and grooves.
For a moment, he was tempted to pull his familiar white jacket on, but it was all the way across the room and he really didn’t want to risk triggering another coughing fit right now. He was on a roll with how long it had been since the last one, and didn’t want to ruin that just quite yet. Geno merely frowned instead, fingers slipping from his arm to dig into the warm fabric of his scarf, tugging at it.
There was a soft knock at the door, stirring him out of his thoughts, and Geno perked up immediately. A familiar head poked its way in and Geno’s eyelights brightened.
“Uncle Asy!” he blurted, letting go of his scarf to give him an enthusiastic wave, day automatically ten times better.
“Hiya, kiddo!” Asy beamed.
Geno couldn’t help but grin back, scooting happily over in his bed to make room. Asy flopped heavily on to the mattress, making it bounce up and down and eliciting a joyous giggle out of the little skeleton. Asy pulled him into a warm hug, pleased. The poor kid had seemed a little down lately, and Asy was determined to cheer him up, no matter how long it took.
“How are ‘ya doin’?” Asy asked.
Geno snuggled into his side, letting out a content little sigh. “I’m good,” he responded. “Mom let me have nice cream for breakfast!”
“Oh yeah? What flavor did you get?” Asy inquired, rubbing the kid’s skull. Geno leaned into the touch, grin widening.
“Vanilla, but I got sprinkles too,” Geno answered, eyes sparkling. “Mom said I had been really good with all of my tests and stuff lately, so I got to pick out a special treat.”
“That’s awesome, kiddo!” Asy responded, sincere. This kid deserved all the happiness in the world, and if nice cream for breakfast helped with that, then they should celebrate it.
“Mmhmm,” Geno nodded, then leaned in, continuing in a conspiratorial whisper, “It was just supposed to be for me, but I shared half with Error.”
He was just too cute. Asy mimed locking his mouth shut and tossing away the key. “Your secret is safe with me,” he whispered, mock-solemnly. He frowned a little bit as he noticed Geno’s hand rubbing at his arm again, fingers gliding over the healing break in a steady continuous rhythm. The edges caught against his delicate finger bones, rubbing the pale surface raw. The slight flush of color was appearing there, magic rising to soothe the irritated bone.
Asy gently grabbed the little skeleton’s hand, squeezing it softly in his own. “You okay, kiddo?” he asked, kind concern lacing his voice.
Geno opened his mouth to respond with an automatic “I’m fine”, a habit he had become very comfortable with lately, no matter how false it was. He hesitated instead. If it was anyone else, he would’ve just said it – he didn’t want to worry his mom or his brothers any more than he already did, after all. But Uncle Asy would understand. He always did.
“Mostly,” he answered honestly, eyes flickering down to stare at his bedspread instead. His hand wriggled free of Asy to tug at his scarf again, the bones weaving themselves firmly into the worn fabric. There was a moment of patient silence, Asy trusting the kid to open up on his own without needing any push or pressure.
“…It’s these scars,” Geno admitted finally, wrapping his fingers further into the fabric until the pressure was almost tight enough to hurt. He reluctantly loosened his grip, just a little bit. “I know they aren’t really a big deal,” he continued, “and they shouldn’t bother me but they do and I hate it.”
“I’m sorry, Geno,” Asy said softly, expression saddening. Is this what had been bothering him lately? It made Asy’s soul ache to think about Geno suffering with this in silence for who knows how long. Probably quite a while, knowing Geno. He brightened suddenly as an idea struck him, Geno sensing the change and sending him a puzzled glance. Asy responded by reaching into his pocket, fingers fumbling over the object inside. He pulled it out and held it out proudly for Geno to see.
The little skeleton stared at it. It was a colorful box of band aids, already open and slightly battered. A bit of comprehension sparked in
his gaze as he glanced up at Uncle Asy.
Asy smiled at him and pulled one out, sticking the bright red bandage carefully over the biggest scar, a jagged crack in Geno’s ulna that was still stitching itself back together. “There,” he said, pleased with himself as he noticed the corners of Geno’s mouth beginning to twitch upward in the barest beginnings of a smile.
“Alrighty, kiddo!” he continued cheerfully. “Why do you think we have these nasty old scars?”
Geno tilted his head, bony brows furrowing slightly. “…Because something bad happened?” he guessed.
“Close!” Asy replied. “We have ‘em because we survived something bad that happened. And that means you, Geno, are super strong!”
He continued to place bright band aids over all of the marks in Geno’s arm as he talked, happy to notice the kid’s smile growing just a little bit bigger.
“Like a superhero?” Geno asked.
“Exactly like a superhero,” Asy confirmed with a nod. His soul was melting into a little puddle at the innocent question. He seriously could not love this kid any more. “But all super heroes have to face bad guys, right? And you’ve been fighting some pretty big super villains lately. Scars are just kinda a part of that. But be proud of them, kiddo!” he exclaimed, poking Geno in the stomach and making him laugh. “It just shows how many times you’ve won and kept going,” he finished.
Geno’s eyes, though filled with tears, practically had stars in them at this point. His arms were covered in a motley of cheerful neon band aids, and his wide grin conveyed how happy he really was. He glanced down at his newly decorated arms and waved the left one in front of Asy’s face excitedly, wiping away tears with his other hand.
“Look, Uncle Asy!” he beamed. “I’m like you now!”
He laughed, pure and childish and light, and Asy felt a little bit more of himself melt, tears pricking at his own eye sockets. He pulled Geno into a tight but gentle hug, Geno’s arms wrapping around him in turn.
“You’re my superhero, Uncle Asy,” the little skeleton murmured into the older’s shirt.
Asy’s teeth lightly clacked against Geno’s forehead, the closest to a kiss a skeleton could get. “You’re my superhero too, kiddo,” he answered softly, the two sporting equally bright smiles.
They’d be okay.