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It wasn't difficult to lose track of Yellow's whereabouts, yet at the same time impossible not to spot him: always galloping back and forth, passionately protecting others in the name of Justice... O, well, except when he'd drop quiet. That worrisome, daunting silence where his precious petals would wilt in the shadow casted by his thoughts.
Those moments never made him any lesser in Blue's eyes, if anything it was what made his darling Yellow's passion shine brighter at times. It showed how much he cared, how much he worried, how much everything meant to him. Sure, he needed some gentle redirection, damage control if one may, but that was more than enough, as long as they were there for one another, they would both be safe.
“O, Yellow? Where are you, dearest?”
Blue scoffed as the only answer he received was the echo of his own voice and the soft, imperceptible rustling of sand in the wind. He would rather pluck his petals one by one than admit to Yellow the discomfort of the sand below his feet whenever he'd have to pointe his way through his dearest's room. He couldn't wait to get back to their sturdy stage and melt in each other's arms as they slow dance.
“Yel— ... low...?” His smile faded at the sight of a lonely, yellow hat floating on the surface of the pond's waters. That must be a spare hat. Yes. Yes, a spare hat. Nothing to worry about. No reason to panic. No absolute need to drop his feet flat to solid ground and sprint with enough force to trip and roll on the sand and—
“YELLOW!?” He called out louder than he should've, hands gripping the edge till his knuckles went pale, repeating the same empty reassurance in his head over and over like a mantra as his eyes scanned the water for Yellow's silhouette.
Nothing. Maybe he was just overthinking it. Yellow was fine he was sure of it. And yet Blue's skin made direct contact with the pond's surface before the action could even register. Seconds later he was completely submerged. The water was cold and semi opaque, the light from above projecting fractured images to the bottom. No trace of Yellow.
Just as quickly as he entered, Blue re-emerged with a gasp, reaching out to fetch the abandoned cowboy hat before he returned to land, sand sticking uncomfortably to his now wet skin. He squeezed the soggy hat in his arms, silently begging for this to be all a bad dream he'll soon wake up from. Please.. please.. please... please—
"Gosh, now where's muh darn cowboy ha— B-Blue!? Wuh-?"
As if Blue's prayers had been answered, Yellow walked through the door only for him to see his darling pardner dash in his arms with a lack of perfect composure he'd never seen him demonstrate. His pointe has always been immaculate and yet this time he stumbled in his steps more than once, clumsily embracing him so tight that Yellow had to gasp out the air trapped in his lungs.
"W-What in the whole darn corncob happened to yew baby Blue..? Y-Yer soaking wet!!"
Blue let out a breathy laugh, distancing himself just enough so that he could bask in the sight of his darling's handsome face, safe and sound.
“O, Yellow dearest! I—” A pause, deep breaths Blue. “You really worried Mr. Butterfly, love! I so happened to slip in the pond when retrieving your precious hat.” He dramatically brought a hand to his forehead, as he usually did, although this time it was ten times more difficult to conform the fading terror and crashing relief into his classic smirk.
He knew his darling Yellow, he was naïve, sure, but not stupid. The uncertainty in his face enough for Blue's stomach to drop. He wasn't slick enough. Then, the quiet. That quiet.
".. Yer shakin', Blue... did yew..?"
The soggy hat slipped from his grip as Blue yanked his arms from the embrace to redirect them to cup Yellow's face adoringly. His thumbs caressed the other flower's cheeks as Blue looked at his dearest fondly, maybe even ashamed of letting his own worry take the rails and distrust his dear Yellow with taking care of himself. He sighed.
“O, Yellow.. would you ever forgive Mr. Butterfly? I feared you.. fell into the water accidentally-! Or—”
"..Or tried to puhnish mahself.."
Blue's grimace of guilt was all Yellow needed to see. How dared he... How dared he scare his darling Blue. How dared he make him cry, make him soak his beautyfull hair, smudge his beautyfull make-up! How dared he!! Only a criminell would make his darling Blue walk on corn kernels around him. This was all his fault for being so ... so horrible!
He was a horrible cowboy... no.. no, he ain't no cowboy! He was a horrible, terrible person!
Blue shook his head and hastily held his dearest's hands in his, attempting his best to soothe him. It pained him so much to see Yellow holding in his tears. O, what mess has he done...
“My love.. I know that look, please, dearest, can you take a deep breath for me?” When Yellow granted no response other than a choked down sob, Blue lifted his right hand slightly up for a butterfly to rest on his index “... Then, if not for me, would you do it for Mr. Butterfly? I know.. I know.. the depths of your heart can be a tempestuous sea, but you can tell him everything, he'll listen, and I'll know...”
Yellow instinctively brought his hand to his head, but this time there was no hat for him to hide his pathetic face behind. All he could do was try not to cry like a sproutling, and failing miserably.
"Y-Yew.." -hic- "..Yew shouldn't hafta worry about mah safety! Am'so horrible yer not even safe around me an—"
He almost stumbled back when Blue threw himself in his arms again, usually, it would be the other way around.. darn it what a horrible criminell he is, made his darling tremble and initiate hugs before he could even kneel at his eye level! Was he really such a weight on his pardner's mind for him to shake so much?
“Shh.. Yellow... O, Yellow..” Blue's frail voice was muffled against his dearest's chest, hands tenderly caressing the other's back as he spoke. “I love you with all of my soul, my dear, if I didn't, I wouldn't be worrying this much for your sake..!”
Hoping for his reassurance to have sufficed, Blue carefully backed away fully, looking up at his darling with not a single hint of judgment in his eyes. He reached out to fix up a pesky, rebellious strand of hair and chuckled.
“O, my dearest, I apologize, I made your clothes just as soaked as mine! Let's go to our room, shall we not? Mr. Butterfly will get you dry and cozy.”
The silence stretched for a long, worrisome moment, then, with that same painfully hurt gaze, Yellow held Blue's hand tentatively and nodded.
"..Maybe I'd like that.."
𓈒⠀𓂃⠀⠀˖⠀𓇬⠀˖⠀⠀𓂃⠀𓈒 𓈒⠀𓂃⠀⠀˖⠀𓇬⠀˖⠀⠀𓂃⠀𓈒
He didn't sleep a wink.
Yellow sat up on the bed the whole time, staring down, gaze lost. It was quiet.. peaceful.. he couldn't stay there, he would for sure ruin that peacefulness, he should leave.
Slowly, he glanced over at his dear Blue, resting beautyfully, like a princess. To think that just a few hours ago the same flower was trembling in his arms, all because of him. He made him worry again, like the stupid, pathetic criminell he is.
He's a bad person.
Blue doesn't deserve such a horrible person. He shouldn't have to worry when it'll be the next time he'll try to blow himself up! A pardner isn't a chore!
He should leave.
Maybe if he disappeared so would Blue's worries.
Yellow carefully got out of bed as quietly as he could. Blue was a very delicate sleeper, anything could wake him up, even breathing too hard. He wondered if that was his fault too. Darn it, Yellow, yer even ruining his sleep!!
He stood up, he felt feverish, like his body wasn't his as it moved on it's own before the thought would register. Before he left, however, he put his hat on his side of the bed. He remembered seeing it in Asgore's western movies: whenever someone would die, it was respectful to put their hat where they rested for the last time. Blue would understand, he sure would, and then he won't come look for him.
His body wandered, Yellow let it do it's thing, wherever it would bring him, the punishment will be adequate, and he'll accept it. The gentle breeze tickled his face, his hair getting in front of his eyes at times due to the absence of his hat, but he couldn't care, maybe he'll end up tripping and falling down a cliff, it'll be an accident even for himself.
His head hurt, it was both agonizingly quiet and tremendously loud in there, he couldn't even hear his own inner voice, nor anything for that matter, the whole pilgrimage felt like a blurred photo.
Before he knew, he felt sand under his feet, and he snapped out of his trance. Darn it he was so careless to even forget putting his boots back on before leaving.
Should he bury himself again..? No, that would be cliché, even a criminell like him can do better.
He knelt down and leaned over just enough to stare blankly at his reflection in the water. What a mess he was.. but the water looked nice. Would it be ironic to drown? Would it be enough for him to be punished with the very thing that falsely alarmed his darling Blue?
He shifted position, fully sitting down on the ledge and submerging his legs in the water with a hiss, it was cold. It felt like a welcoming hug, for a moment he imagined the water to be his dear Blue reeling him in one of his safe embraces. What a pitiful way to go for a good-for-nothing cowboy. Yellow took a deep brea—
“YELLOW!”
No.
No, no, no, no, no! How did he manage to get caught AGAIN! He's so bad at everything he's even bad at taking his own life! Now Blue is worrying again! He's sure he hates him by now! Just get in the water! Get in the wate—
“Dearest!!! What-! Y-Yellow, please calm down, I'm here-!” Blue struggled as Yellow kept squirming in his arms trying to either create distance or straight up throwing himself in the water. With a grunt, he grabbed him firmly by the shirt and shook him “Dear if you fall into the water I am falling right with you even if that means drowning together! And there's nothing you will do or say that will EVER change my mind.”
Yellow stiffened. Surely he didn't mean it..! Who would want to drown with a criminell!? He turned to scan Blue's face for any sign of a lie, but nothing. His pardner's eyebrows were furred in certainty, fists clenched in the fabric of his yellow shirt so hard they were shaking... oh, Yellow yer so goddarn stupid..
He tried not to cry, he really did, a cowboy should be tough and fierce, but he was everything except that. He hated how easily he cried and just how tenderly Blue would hold him each and every time, like a safety net always conveniently placed under him no matter how hard he tries to fall... and he loved him so darn much.
“Shhh.. there there.. I'm so glad you're safe, my dearest.” Blue murmured, running his fingers through his beloved's soft and vivid hair. He let Yellow's sobs subside enough for him to scoop him up in his arms without startling him. “Let's get you all comfortable again, ok sweetie gravy?”
It wasn't the first time that Blue has carried him bridal style, and Yellow absolutely didn't want it to be the last. This one, however, hit him different, it felt more secure, nurturing even. He fully leaned on Blue's shoulder, securing his head in the crook of his pardner's neck, hands brought together against his own chest.. he was safe.
"Heh.. y'knoe, I feel like a seedlin' again, safe in mah soil.. 'cept am'no seed.. and mah soil's them strong arms of yours-" The silence settled awkwardly for just a moment, before Blue's precious laughter made something warm bloom in Yellow's chest. "Ah—! Am'sorry! That was so weird of me-! Forgive me, baby Blue-"
The other scoffed playfully “Dearest, what could possibly be weird about expressing how safe and coddled you feel in my embrace? Why, if that isn't the purest sign of your love, I don't know what is!”
He really, really wished he had his hat right now, at least he could've hid that embarrassing red blush all over his face. Still, Yellow sighed.
".. Thank yew Blue.. yer thuh best dream I've ever had.."
“And I couldn't be more content for you to be mine, my Yellow dearest.”