Chapter Text
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I totally wasn't mopping.
I know what this looks like, cuddled up in blankets, with a mug in my hand, and wearing a face that (to put it lightly) said: 'don't fuck with me, or you will be fucked with.'
We had left town for another show, I had left my dear behind. (Though, it wasn't like my dear wanted to come with us, turns out, they didn't actually like Pierrot that way, but they still wanted to be friends)
To absolutely nobody's surprise, Jester was disappointed and concerned for my reaction to leaving. "I- I am at loss for words" He had said, despite Jester being at loss for words, he lectured me the next ninety minutes about morals and unhealthy obsessions.
I watched the birds outside the trailer chirping happily, singing about and jumping around. I felt mocked, I felt... jealous towards them, they got to be free, but I was stuck here for the next who-knows-how-long. I put my chin in the heal of palm, and watched the rain outside.
"Are we there yet?" I asked, my voice barely above a whisper, as my vocals screeched in protest, stupid throat.
"Not yet!" Jester called out from the front seat, I heard Ticket Taker sigh as he scolded Harlequin. I don't what happened at the second pit-stop, but apparently Harlequin had screwed up, and ended up looking pretty bad, as always. Brat. I narrowed my eyes at him and took the last sip of my milkshake.
"The world's getting smaller and smaller, thanks to those humans" Ticket Taker hissed, as he dried Harlequin's damp hair with a pillow cloth, I couldn't see Harlequin properly, but I caught the sight of his face, it was... empty. No emotion, no smirk, no nothing, his pupils were dilated so he wasn't focused, and his posture was very still. Unusual.
I shuddered inwardly, this was wrong, I couldn't take my eyes off him as I scanned his face. As Ticket Taker lectured him, his eyes slowly shifted towards him. "I can't believe you, you're no better than Pierrot. What happened?" Harlequin's index wrote something on his forearm. The gesture was so familiar, I flinched and winced at the same time.
"What are you doing?" Ticket Taker asked. Harlequin's gaze was fixed into nothing as his finger tapped against his forearm again. "I'm writing your words on my arm, because I heard your words as subtitles in my head, and I had to write it out for it to make sense" He explained.
I couldn't help a fit of anger that went through me. That had always been our thing. Harlequin always did that to focus after a bad situation. A nervous tick he couldn't get rid of. I always thought it was weird. Still kind of do.
Jester looked at him through the car mirror. Doctor took out his notebook and wrote something in it, while Ticket Taker looked immensely confused, while I- I didn't know what face I was making. Hopefully one that didn't make Harlequin worse.
It was a long time ago since the Neon Tornado had panicked this bad, so assumingly the cast members had forgotten his routine. Harlequin didn't like to show these certain gestures and weird habits anyway, he called them a liability. I hadn't forgotten any of it though, I knew every detail of it, I hated myself for it.
Ticket Taker went back to drying his hair, after that, Harlequin walked up to me, and climbed to the top bunk of the bed, the one above mine, and just went to sleep.
This isn't normal. Am I concerned? Yes. Am I going to do anything about it? Nope. This isn't my problem, guess the karma finally caught up to him, dork. Always messing with me, pushing my buttons, he'll get better anyway, in a few hours, tops.
(He always had you to help him through this fucked up dissociation-disorder thing, that's why he always came back in a few hours, you'd hold his hand, whisper sweet nothings, cuddle with him, and make him lemon tea, and sometimes make him laugh. He doesn't have that anymore. Who knows, for how long he'll be gone for.
... hush brain, he's fine)
I pulled the blanket over myself as I fought the urge to calm his ragged breathing down myself. No, nope on a rope. I wasn't going to do it.
After a while, when everyone went to bed, I was wide awake. I got up on my knees onto my bed and peaked at Harlequin. His facial features were relaxed, there were dried tear streaks that went down his face, he was clutching a dragon plush to his chest, and his plant-like tentacles that were located on his back points, were wrapped around his body, two around his legs, one against his waist, and two around his arms.
I thought Harlequin slept on his stomach? He never curls up into a ball-like position. My brows furrowed as I tried not to notice more little concerning things, like a little bandage strap that peeked through the sleeve of his oversized hoodie-pajama-blanket-thing.
Ironically though, while trying to figure him out, I didn't catch his eyelids opening, and staring at me, I almost staggered backwards as he flinched hard as his two black horns hit the wall. "Why are you watching me?" He whisper-shouted.
"I-- I--" Why was I watching him? He has been a jerk to me for years, so why can't I just be happy that he's the one being tortured this time? I toyed with the end of my white hair, "I don't know" I whispered back.
The green gremlin stared at me with a complicated expression, then morphed into a wide-eyed sad expression, he looked like a kicked puppy. He leaned on the frame of the bed towards me with his shiny orbs. "Stay?" He whispered so quietly, I felt I imagined it. What. What? What?! I couldn't quite pin on what he what he asking me. Stay? As in sleep together? Like old times? I never knew he was even caple of asking that, honestly.
I placed the back my hand on his forehead, he looked at me curiously. I pulled my hand away, wow, thought I was imagining it, but considering that he was in the pouring rain for hours, having a fever is no surprised. So he was only asking because he was at the delirious stage of the fever. I couldn't explain the amount of sheer disappointment that coursed through me. I didn't know why, but I kind of wished he asked me that when he was more aware.
Sharp concern replaced disappointment, though. I went over to the others, I gently tried to wake up doctor. I shook him a few times and he eventually woke up. He looked at me in question, his blue eyes searching my face. Right at that second, Harlequin screamed at something, causing everyone else to sit upright from their peaceful slumber and promptly snapping their gaze towards him.
He was standing on his bunk bed, in his light green pajamas, and pointing towards a creature on the bed, his face was red, and his eyes were more wide, glassy, and the color was lighter. Concerning. "Eeek! Mouse!" He stepped backwards and fell off the freaking bed, I caught him in my arms though, he clingged to me like a wet cat, pointing at the mouse.
I flinched hard as his burning skin touched my neck. I turned to the others, Jester was already on his feet and walking towards me hurriedly. "What's the matter with him?" He asked me, "He has a super high fever, that probably can kill a human" I explained, as I shifted Harlequin in my arms, to which he buried his forehead in my neck, rubbing repeatedly, "You're so breezy and cold" He slurred.
I saw Ticket Taker coming towards us, his face was in concern as he touched Harlequin's forehead and immediately pulled back. "That's... no normal fever" He stated calmly.
The doctor was taking out things from his bag, I sat on the bed as Harlequin's tentacles tangled on my limbs. His breathing became ragged, as he started shaking. Jester sat beside me, his hand twitching and lost against what to do. Ticket Taker just crossed his arms and watched with a complicated expression.
Doctor was heading out the door, he turned to us "There's a creek near the forest right?" Jester nodded, Doctor looked at Harlequin once before heading out, carrying a bucket.
Suddenly, said mouse, landed right on my knee as it fell down from the top bunk, Harlequin screeched as his body twitched and he buried closer to me. Jester toke the squeaking mouse into his hands and settled it into his lap.
"How are you feeling, Harlequin?" Jester asked, his voice slightly raised. "Warm" He slurred, as the Doctor walked in with a bucket of water. I moved Harlequin a little bit to lay him on my bed, to my surprise and relief, he actually let me.
The doctor grabbed a rag and dumped it in the water and placed it on Harlequin's head. I moved to join Ticket Taker and watch as he worked, my concern stubborn and unwelcome.
"He's gonna be fine" I said quietly, to myself more than to everyone in the room. Doctor pulled some medical supplies I didn't know the name of and mixed them together on the counter, then he toke out a syringe and sucked the liquid in it.
He grabbed Harlequin's wrist and gave him the shot there. Feeling a little creeped out, I retorted to give the green gremlin his dragon plush, while Jester tucked him in. The wet-cloth-rag-thing was resting on his forehead while he slept peacefully.
"I didn't know staying out in the rain could be that bad" I stated casually
"I don't think it was the rain" Doctor replied, the air chilled considerably.
... Huh? "What do you think supposedly happened?" Jester asked, idly twirling the syringe around his index, avoiding eye contact.
"I do not know yet, this is a unique condition I've seen in our kind, considering Harlequin has a strong immune system, it is quite uncanny"
"But he'll be fine, right?" I asked hopefully, to which doctor nodded. I looked at our sick companion and back at doctor, "It's not contagious, right?" I asked shamelessly. "No, it's not" He replied, "He just needs to be monitored for the rest of the night, and hopefully be back on his feet tomorrow"
"I'll do it, or whatever" I muttered, suddenly questioning my opinion about Harlequin's existence, I hate him, but I can't leave him like this- yes you can, you're just choosing not to. Hush brain.
Jester sighed and massaged his temples, while Ticket Taker rubbed his back in somewhat comfort. The little mouse jumped off of his lap and went sit on my foot, eh, if he wants to I'll keep him, I took it in my hand and placed in the flowerpot.
"What unnecessary trouble" He muttered not unkindly. I knew that both Jester and Ticket Taker had important work to do with paperwork and gathering supplies until the next town, and Doctor was going to collect medicine for emergencies such as this, and I was empty, so logically, I should be the one taking care of Harlequin.
"I'll look after him" I informed them, to which nobody argued, good. Doctor told me the basics of what I need to do, check his temperature, wake him up for tea and medicine, talk to him, and all that.
Sure, whatever that'll make me take my mind off my dear. I went back to my bed and just stood there, staring at the Neon Tornado's face, a pale and relaxed expression sat there where it didn't belong. I sat on the side of the bed and instinctively brushed a loose strand of unkempt hair away from his face.
His hand, that were once wrapped around the plushie was now reached towards mine unconsciously, I- I didn't what to do honestly, I could pull away, in fact, i should pull away, but this is just so pitiful, I sighed and gave into the urge, I could deal with his teasing in the morning. He hugged me close, like when we used to cuddle up and watch the stars as kids.
I felt the tension leave his body the moment I somewhat awkwardly hugged him back. I felt mine leave too, I saw out of the corner of my eye that the same little white mouse climb up the bed and vanish into Harlequin's bed, I huffed in amusement. Cheeky mouse.
He buried my head into his arms and chest, tucked his over my head, and wrapped his soft plant-like tentacles and legs around my waist, if this was the time of when we were kids, this would be perfectly normal and innocent, but now it felt very intimate. I almost let out a squeak of embarrassment. His body wasn't firm enough to have me trapped, I could pull away, but for some reason I didn't. His body was very... small, and kind of skinny too. Huh. Another concerning thing to worry about, awesome.
My eyelids felt heavy, as I surrendered to a dreamless sleep.