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Verity had been tasked to sort some items inside the home where he was currently staying. Different types of ores piled into a corner, glimmering in the light of the candle that stood nearby.
Echo had gone out to quickly check perimeters before the two of them would call it a night, he wanted to make sure nothing was roaming about. The construct had mentioned that the amount of paranoia-inducing entities had increased in the past few days, so he wanted to make sure nothing could go bump in the night.
So Verity kept on sorting items into chests, making sure they were neatly filed away. He knew it could make Echo very happy as the guy tended to be very neat with specific things, but often became messy with others. He wanted to make the construct proud! To show that he had gone beyond what was asked of him. Wasn’t he such a nice helper friend?
Sometime during his sorting the door opened and heavy footsteps echoed through the hall. The construct never had these heavy footsteps! They were often light, barely audible if one didn’t pay enough attention. Verity always paid attention though..
“Echo? Are you alright?” Verity called out into the hall. He turned his head to look into the dimly lit hallway.
Some stuff would be dropped before the construct appeared in the archway. He was drenched by the rain that the helper had predicted would come during the night, hadn’t he told Echo that he needed to take an umbrella?
“I’m fine..” Echo sighed. He seemed tired and worn out.
The construct stepped into the light and Verity could see how haggard the other looked. There was a crack on Echo’s cheek, the echo crystals shimmering with a bioluminescent liquid sluggishly dripping out. He was also covered in black goo, which had to have been from one of the stalker type entities that had started to appear more often in the forest the two lived in.
“You’re hurt!” Verity exclaimed, rushing forward to inspect the construct. “What happened?!”
Echo let himself be fussed over, it was something he wasn’t used to anymore ever since his retirement exile. He let Verity pull him along to a nearby chair, and when he was gently pushed down he almost melted onto the seat. What he wouldn't do to melt into a glop of goop.
"Turns out that there were some stalkers around." Echo hummed as Verity was inspecting his arm. "Took care of them, though."
So that was in fact stalker blood covering the construct, Verity noted to himself. There was a crack on Echo's arm as well, he grabbed a nearby med-kit and started cleaning the wound.
"This will sting.'' He warned Echo as he began to meticulously clean the fissures that ran along the construct's arm, wiping away the bioluminescent, teal blood that dripped along the arm.
"I've had worse. Don't worry about me." Echo mentioned calmly. He must've seen Verity's expression change slightly before adding: "Thanks for the warning though. Appreciate it."
The yellow-clad AI was busy wrapping the wound on his arm before moving to the fractures on his cheek. The crystalline inside glimmering in the candlelight and bioluminescent glow of blood, it was like water reflections being cast.
"You need to be more careful!" Verity scolded the construct as he cleaned out the fissures on his face. There was worry on the AI's face, despite the amount of times he had told Echo that he didn't feel anything. The other knew better though. "What if something worse had happened?"
"It was either this or let the stalkers cause more damage, Verity." He knew that the answer he gave to Verity would be one the AI wouldn't like. He wanted to keep Echo safe, but the construct was a very independent individual who knew how to take care of himself.
Verity grumbled, a lot of what-ifs running through his brain. He could've gotten injured worse! Or.. Even fully broken! He didn't want to think about that last thought. The yellow-clad AI had gotten so lost in thought that he didn't realize he was pulling a face until his arm was touched by a cold hand.
Echo looked at him with a gentle gaze, those dark orbs covered by shadow not giving in to Verity's worries but soothing them instead.
"And I've got you to help me take care of myself, don't I?" Echo gave him a smile. "We're in this together, we'll be fine."
Whatever obsessive thoughts Verity was having started to lay themselves to rest. Since he met Mob, he tried to become better with aid of the enderman and his friend Twixxel. Then he found himself dreaming of the world he was currently in, with Echo teaching him much of what it was to feel, to want, to create a healthy balance.
"You're… You're right.." Verity exhaled a breath he didn't know he'd been holding. "I'm sorry.."
''What for?" The construct inquired.
"For reacting so.. Extremely.." There was a slight flush on Verity's face, showing that he was very much embarrassed and ashamed of the way he responded earlier. "I should trust your skill.. But seeing you hurt made me so scared-!"
Verity's response was cut short by a chuckle from Echo, not one meant to mock but one to reassure.
"Hey. From what you've told me, it's a response you're used to and afraid of.." Damn the construct for reading him like an open book after he had opened up to him. "But you're getting better at it, you're recognizing and apologizing. You're doing good, Verity."
Those words were said with such sincerity and praise that it made the yellow-clad AI freeze. Was he really doing a good job? Did the construct really mean that? Was he truly getting better at letting go?
"Do.. You really mean that?" The sentient AI asked tentatively. He fiddled with the gauze in his gloved hands, while he looked at Echo with an expression that was akin to a puppy with massive, glossy eyes.
"I do." Echo stated with a nod. His dark blue hair began to luster, a sign in gem constructs of their integrity. Verity always wondered about that, but he felt like Echo needed to tell him himself. After all, his hair was always that mat, dark blue.
"Come on.. I think it's late enough for the both of us.." Echo yawned, interrupting the yellow-clad AI's train of thought.
"R..Right!" Verity stuttered, quickly working on finishing the bandages around the soft, marble-like skin.
It honestly didn't take that long before Verity was finished patching up Echo's wounds. The two would make sure everything was ready and secure before heading to bed.
There was dread settling in his chest, constricting his nonexistent need to breathe. Static began to build in his head and suddenly everything began to grow louder, and louder. Echo was moving away, and Verity's vision started to blur. He couldn't move away! Something could happen to him.. What if he broke and he wasn't there to save him.. What if-
Without realising, the yellow clad AI moved quickly towards the construct. With ringing in Verity's head, he grabbed the other’s uninjured arm and pulled him into a tight hug. Dark tears with the consistency of tar, threatened to spill from his now dark eyes. The white dots having formed into tiny, trembling pinpricks.
"Wha- Verity?-" Echo exclaimed in surprise before he was interrupted by the yellow AI.
"Please don't go!" Verity's voice was trembling, it was loud yet somehow soft, as if he didn't want to yell. "Please, please, please, please, please…"
The dam broke as those inky tears finally spilled over. Verity held the construct tightly, refusing to let him go while Echo stood frozen in the tight hug. The construct was confused, but he realised what may have been the issue.
"Hey.. I'm right here, safe and sound.." Echo whispered as he started to lean into the hug. His hands came up to gently trail over Verity's arms, rubbing them before moving onto his back.
"But what if.. What if you go into your room alone.." Verity's voice broke, that confidence and charm gone from his voice and stature. "You'll shatter and it'll be all my fault because I wasn't there..!"
"Look at me, Verity." Echo's voice was gentle and quiet, making the yellow-clad AI lift his spherical head to look at the gem construct.
"Look at my face.. You see the incredible bandaging you put on my face.. And then my arm.." The construct was making sure that Verity was looking, to give him confirmation that he wouldn't shatter in a million pieces just because he left the room.
"This is all your work.. Sturdy and effective.." Echo hummed while patting his shoulder. "You did good.. Everything is alright.."
What-ifs died as soon as they were formed. That gentle cadence in Echo's voice were like soothing waves bringing in the tide. The static began to filter away into light rain and the trembling eased.
"There we go.." Echo smiled that gentle smile of his. It was strange to Verity, someone who had hunted supernatural entities most of his life and he still had such a gentle smile and touch..
"Do.. Do you mind if I stay with you tonight..?" Verity asked quietly, those white pinpricks sliding away to look at the floor, bashfully. "I don't want to be alone right now.."
Echo seemed to shimmer slightly in the lantern light of the hallway, yet as soon as it came, it left. The construct chuckled and replied. ''Of course.''
Something warm welled up in Verity's chest, something he wasn't familiar with at all. It was like the sun shining, or like a warm drink on a cold evening. Warmth settled on his cheeks while his hand was grabbed and led to Echo's bedroom. He wanted so dearly to hang onto that.
The construct's bedroom was themed all about water, the ocean and the night. From star like patterns to water reflections being cast on the wall, to the collection of sea glass on a shelf.
Echo's bed was made up and tidy. The dark blue covers inviting to a cozy night, with soft pillows offering gentle comfort. Verity found himself being pulled along before he was settled on one side of the bed with the construct now on the other.
The two laid down yet they slowly found themselves gravitating towards each other. Verity's gloved hands gently pulling Echo closer to his chest, his arms hooking underneath the other's to rest upon the construct's back.
The construct yawned before resting his arms around Verity and tangling their legs. The yellow-clad AI was warm despite not being made of flesh and blood. Echo himself ran colder, a gem construct like himself didn't need to thermoregulate unlike others, yet he could still feel the warmth being radiated by Verity. It soothed him, something he didn't know why, but being held like this warmed his insides and quelled his mind. It was peaceful. He didn't need to be on guard..
With Echo's face now resting in the crook of Verity's shoulder and the yellow-clad AI resting his head atop the construct's, the two of them slowly started to be lulled into sleep.
The other had fallen asleep first and Verity held him protectively, yet he noticed something with half-lidded eyes. Echo's hair began to shimmer and luster pretty shades of blue. It was no longer that dark, murky, mat color. It shimmered brilliantly, as if light itself was captured inside the construct and being filtered back out through the crystalline structure. The AI could see small inclusions inside the crystal, the formations taking beautiful, natural shapes unlike anything he had seen before.
Yet before he could wonder more, his eyes started to drift shut. No! He couldn't leave! Not after he had soothed the both of them, not after Echo's gentle attitude had soothed the yellow ball's panic and obsessions. Not after seeing the true colors and brilliance of the man laying in his arms, rid of any worldly problems.
Yet soon, he too felt himself being dragged under the waves of the ocean of sleep..
He woke up in his ball form on the crafting table, feint voices being audible outside the house. ''Mob and Twixxel must be outside tending to the farm.'' Verity thought to himself.
His mind drifted off to that peaceful moment, holding each other without worry. It was as if they had been protecting each other from their worries. But he was soon filled with a warmth.. A warmth he associated with the word ''Happiness''.
He would see the other soon, he knew that. Until then, he would help out Mob.. And maybe even Twixxel…
He was in a good mood, after all..