Work Text:
In the yeast of the battle, something that should have never happened ended up happening.
Roier was by no means a weak man but lately he hadn't been feeling like himself so in yet another fight between Aldo, that had joined hands with Multi, and Ash that was determined to finish whatever Multi had been doing, Roier ended up distracted so the enemy was clear to take him down.
He fought with everything he had but in the end he succumbed to Ash's sword, the regime leader had barely a few scratches on his body and face while Roier layed in the floor with blood dripping out of his mouth and deep sword injuries all over him.
Roier looked at Ash from below, ever since their encountered when they were trying to break into Multi's reactor and Juan's death, Ash had remained silent but when they appeared in front of them, he didn't doubt two seconds to take them down. Ash's eyes were ice cold, they didn't show any other emotion that wasn't hatred and resentment, he looked like he wanted nothing more but to kill him right there but, for some reason, he was restraining himself.
Roier, unable to get on his own two feet, was dragged by the hood of his hoodie to where Aldo was trying to break free from Ash's trap.
Ash picked Roier from the ground and grabbed his face forcing him to look at Aldo, his grap was so strong that Roier felt like his face was about to burst.
"Aldo..."
The man finally looked at them, his face full of anger because of the voice that talked to him turned into fear when he saw the state Roier was and how he was being held by Ash.
"DON'T YOU DARE TOUCH HIM!" Aldo screamed still trying to break free from the cobwebs and lava Ash had placed, he moved from side to side not taking his eyes off Roier and Ash's hand that buried two of his fingers on his friend's cheeks.
"I already have, can't you see? Has your foolishness blind you of what the reality looks like?"
"LET HIM GO RIGHT NOW!"
Ash chuckled, he laughed to himself looking away for a second and then turning to look at Roier, he pressed his fingers harder making him groan in pain to which he only laughed again out loud.
"He really cares about you, doesn't he? Makes me wonder... What would he do? If you were to just... perish right now."
"DON'T YOU FUCKING DARE" Aldo was quick to scream, but in the end he couldn't do anything.
Ash let go of the hand that squeezed Roier's face, he moved his other arm to surrond Roier with it and pressed his fingers on his cheeks again, he used his now free hand to unshed his sword and slowly aimed it to Roier's stomach.
"Aldo... We could have– Well, I can't say we could have been friends because if we ended this way it was for a reason, you acted like no one could touch or hurt you in any way but you allowed yourself to have one vulnerability, and that's why we are where we are today"
"STOP" Aldo was almost crying, his voice cracked while he screamed, just looking at Roier's nervous expression made him anxious as well because he couldn't stop it, he was trapped and even if he was slowly going out, it wasn't fast enough to save Roier.
In the other hand, Roier was indeed nervous, but also calm, if he died then Aldo wouldn't have any kind of "soft spot" of "weakness", he was sure that Aldo was strong enough to deal with his lost so he wasn't that preoccupied. Of course he was also mad, he didn't want to die at all, he wanted to enjoy his life to the fullest after everything that happened in Quesadilla Island and having the best of his friends there made him want to see the future.
He was affected by the fact that the people he considered their family now outright detested them but at least he had Aldo with him, and he was was there for him as well.
What he regretted the most, was that he could never address the awkward tension he had noticed between them the last few weeks. Like when Aldo got overly protective of him or when he would suddenly just stare at him to later say how beautiful he is, Roier wanted to talk about it, to express what his fluttering heart had been saying to him for quite some time now, to give his heart another chance to whatever they had going on was.
So unfortunate, that the last face Aldo would see of him was the one of the pain all over his body numbing his consciousness.
"Now, say goodbye to probably the last friend you'll ever have"
Ash pierced Roier's stomach and he finally passed out after enduring it.
Roier tried to smile a bit for Aldo to see but all he heard was the painful sound of Aldo tearing up his own throat shouting Roier's name and begging Ash to stop.
Roier opened his eyes again.
He didn't expect to so he tried standing up as soon as he did receiving the shock of an unimaginable amount of pain in evey muscle of his body.
"Hola, amo Roier"
A familiar voice to his side made him turn in surprise.
"What? What are you doing here?"
"He saved us" Aldo appeared from behind a door in front of bed Roier was laying in. "He appeared before Ash could completely bury his sword in you and quickly took us here"
Roier looked around with his eyes noticing the familiar structure.
"Is this what I asked you–?"
"Sí, está listo"
Robotoier speaked with its usual monotone, Roier was the one who programmed it so he didn't find it strange and Aldo grew used to it by only talking to him while waiting for Roier to wake up.
"How long– How much time has passed?"
"A week, we've been hiding here and they have been unable to find us after all this time so I can say it's safe to stay here while you get better"
Aldo was smiling, he looked at him still frowning his eyebrows in worry but his lips were twisted in a smile that let Roier know how glad his friend was that he had woken up.
"Not even, like, those dark workers we saw with Quackity? They haven't appeared here?"
"No, in all this time I have never seen any kind of person, fed worker or those cultist at all, just me, you and this little guy"
Aldo patted Robotoier's head that reamined motionless beside Roier's bed.
"That's nice... I think..."
Aldo scoffed and walked closer to Roier, he sat to his side where Robotier had been sitting before he moved to stand near the door not saying a word.
Roier looked at Aldo trying to gather any remnants of the battle butthe man blinked to avoid his gaze, Aldo looked away covering his nose and mouth with one his hands.
"Wait– Stop– Don't look at me like that–"
Aldo stuttered while looking away, he was still smiling like he couldn't control it, his face had gone red but he hid it with his hand, unfortunately Roier could see everything by just looking at his ears.
"Like what?"
Roier laughed, though it didn't last long because the motion made his stomach ache uncontrollably.
"You know like what"
Aldo looked at him, he stopped hiding his face and looked at him straight in the eyes, his hand moved slowly to end up resting on Roier's cheeks still a little bruised from the hits and squeezing he received from Ash.
"I'm sorry I couldn't protect, I dragged you into all of this and you ended this way because of me after I told you I will not let you die–"
"It's fine! I knew what I was getting myself into when I took your side! Don't make it feel like you forced me because you absolutely didn't, this is what I chose to do"
Roier grabbed Aldo's hand moving it from his cheek to his lap.
"Still– I'm sorry, we are safe now but I don't know for how long..."
Roier suddenly remembered something important that should bother Aldo more than him.
"What happened with Multi? Didn't you form an alliance of sorts?"
Aldo looked to the side for a second but then moved his head from side to side with a smile on his lips.
"I told him we would be hiding for the time being and he told me it was fine to keep it low for a while, if he needs me I will go to him but you will stay here until you're recovered"
"So... Everything is fine?"
Aldo laughed, actual laughter and Roier realized a few seconds after how naive that sounded.
"Right, outside of half of the island hunting us I guess you could say we're fine"
Roier chuckled under his breath trying not to move his stomach that much, he grabbed Aldo's hand again grabbing his attention
"At least we have each other"
Aldo smiled, that was the kind of look that made Roier wonder how long will they keep being only friends.
"That's everything I need"