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Skye didn't know what to do.
She'd come back home, by now. The sun was settling back down and she didn't want to get ambushed by any mobs. It was simply the tactical play; other Player had all retreated back to their bases and the only attacks that may occur would be traps, of which Skye would be more useful if she was home.
The Scotts had all retreated to their respective rooms, leaving her and Goner in Teri's room. They'd taken a habit of staying by his side—Goner more so than her, really, since they stayed with him day and night, observing him for any movement, seeing the curse in it's true form.
Out of the two, Skye would surely say Goner was doing the hard part. She simply ran. That was all she did. She couldn't stand being by Teri's side for longer than a single night.
(No. No. No. She was looking for the cure. She wasn't just a coward. She was helping.)
Of course, that night was spent on the other edge of the room, sleeping on hand-sewn sleeping bags. They had been Goner's doing, before they entirely stopped any and all activity besides staying by the death bed. Skye vaguely remembered another Scott—was it Kat?—offering to help them, but they'd waved her off.
It was just the three of them. During the night, Skye could even almost delude herself into thinking her teammate was just sleeping.
After all, she could draw a parallel. The three of them barely having anything to rest on and a cold hard floor by their feet. It was almost like the cave by the snowy peaks, in a way. Teri always had so much hope for that place, held such love for the mountains...
and they'd never gotten to do anything within it.
Because of course. She sucked in a sharp breath. This was exactly what the watchers wanted, after all, wasn't it? They'd filled her teammate with such liveliness, passion and hopes, with a temper that seemed unmatched, a liability in all way except when he was by her side....
and then they took him away. Took away everything that made him him, left him a husk of what he once was, an empty home with no lights on and nothing to come back to.
But he would be back. He would. He wasn't dead, not yet, Skye had known to check. He was simply sick. Cursed. And as far as these things went, there was always a cure, a hope, something to hold on to, something...
(she ignored how that sounded exactly like something the Watchers would imply, but never act on. To imply the existence of a cure, to make Skye so desperate, having an inherent need to find it, and then ripping it from her.)
No. She needed to stay grounded. She needed to consider this possibility, and not become a feast for the Watchers when it inevitably revealed itself to be the truth.
She did as much. She shook away all of her thoughts, looking back up from the ground to look at Teri. However, his face resting on the sole bed's pillow was not what she was met with. Instead, what she saw was another Scott, another member of their very dear Winter Court, bent over the bed, over Teri, hands carefully cupping his cheeks, foreheads pressed together.
Skye couldn't help but look away once more, at first, pressing her own lips into a thin line and a light amount of heat making it up her cheeks after a few seconds.
It wasn't like... it was obvious, really, in hindsight. Teri had said it himself. He liked her because she brought him knowledge, he tolerated the Scotts because they believed in him and Scott, but he simply liked Goner. For who they were, and nothing more. Not for knowledge. Before even knowing of Scott.
And she'd seen the way they acted around each other, always so comfortable, hands holding, fleeting touches and things as such. She'd seen the way both of them talked about each other when they weren't together. All in all, she knew.
Maybe that was the thing that hurt the most. Knowing Goner had lost such a special relationship.
She breathed shakily. She turned back to look at Goner. She tried to say something, anything, but her voice came out blank, so she did not. Instead, she forced her body not to freeze in place, instead taking a step towards them both, then another, until she found herself by Goner and crouched down by their side.
There was silence for a moment more, but only for a moment. Goner let out a sigh, waited a second, then let go of Teri's face. Another second.
"He hasn't budged today either." They admitted. "A Scott brought me hot chocolate, though. That—That was nice."
Skye nodded in acknowledgement. "Who was it?" She asked, if only to fake interest, her eyes lingering and watching over Teri.
"One with blue hair," Goner described. "Though that doesn't exactly narrow it down. Sorry."
"It's fine." It wasn't like Skye cared particularly. Maybe she would've, if she was in the mood to get one for herself, and wanted to ask for the recipe. She doubted it'd be hard, though. They weren't many within the base.
The silence came back.
It was hard to speak. It was easier when Teri was there. He'd always be going on about his newest fight, whether that be with Hera, or Riddle, or another Rye Rancher when he really shouldn't be considering they were part of the Bakery Bunch...
and yet she missed it all.
Goner didn't speak much. Goner didn't do much of anything at all, actually. When Teri had first gotten cursed and they'd settled upon this routine, they'd have asked her about her day. They'd have wanted to know everything, social wise. They wanted to know in how much danger Teri was in.
The fact they didn't anymore did not indicate a lack of care, Skye knew. No, instead, it indicated that Goner was ready to do what it took to keep anyone, besides maybe Skye and a few Scotts, away from Teri.
She saw it in the way they were always by the death bed. In the way they were almost ready, armored up from top to bottom, weapons hanging from their belt.
They were ready to do anything it took. Even if it meant putting their life on the line.
Skye could admire that. In fact, she already did.
"You've done a lot." Skye announced. "He'll be grateful for it, when he wakes up."
(If he wakes up, her mind corrected. She couldn't let the Watchers feast on her despair. She would be realistic.)
(Her heart already ached.)
"Thanks." Goner said, and nothing more.
"We should head to bed." Skye decided, straightening back her back and standing back up. "Tomorrow's another day. Teri'll sleep through the night just fine. Come on. You need rest."
Goner nodded sharply and got up themselves, though it was only physically, and not in spirit. Skye would not point out the way she noticed Goner's eyes lingered on their teammate's unconscious body. The way their eyes shone with tears that had spilled way too many times. The look of longing they carried.
They focused on the other parts of their face. "You look exhausted. I've never seen bags under eyes this big." She hesitated before adding, "You know Teri always used to say Scott was perfect. Eyebags wouldn't suit him."
It got a small chuckle out of Goner, at least, as a hair strand fell from behind their ear and followed their movement.
...yes, Skye would get them sleep. And that, now.
They guided them to the other side of the room. Towards the sleeping bags. They settled down, tucked themselves in, and turned to face each other. Skye had long since made sure Goner slept facing away from Teri. They already worried themselves sick about him the entire day. There was no need for more. Not when Skye was there for them both.
"thank you," Goner said once more.
For what? Skye wasn't sure. Though she hummed back anyway. "You're welcome."
Goner moved, then. Skye assumed they were gonna turn to look at Teri once more, their attempt at busying them in vain, but that was not the case. Goner turned to be laying on their back, facing the ceiling.
"You know," Goner started, and from where Skye was laying, she could see their eyes were closed, finally resting. "Before Teri got sick, he and I went out at night. We stargazed together."
and with just that sentence, Skye's heart was taken, ripped, torn and thrown away down within the pits of her stomach.
Darn it.