Chapter Text
With one last final grunt, Orange claimed the victory over his foe. The zombie’s dead corpse crumpled to the ground and vanished in a puff of smoke, leaving only a puddle of blood oozing on the dirt.
Orange nearly collapsed, sword slipping from his grip and cluttering to the ground with a soft thump. He was dizzy and felt something warm and sticky on his shirt. He almost lost control all together, stumbling on his own two feet.
His hand found purchase on a tree that was nearby, and he leaned against it, head heavy. He could no longer see clearly; just shapes and spots and weird patterns.
Orange heard a voice calling him, calling his name. It was nothing but an echo in his head, and all his senses alerted that it was another enemy. His hand found the sword again, and a weak cry ripped from his lungs as he swung it high and—
“Whoa, whoa, whoa!” A friend. Blue. He waved his hands in defense. “It’s just me! Just me!”
Orange could only see a blurry face and a blob of blue hair. He let out a heavy breath and his knees gave way, collapsing forward into Blue.
“Whoa buddy…” Blue’s arms were ready to catch him. He stumbled back a little, but quickly regained his balance as he patted Orange’s back. “I got you. Don’t worry.” He stayed like that for a moment, then felt something warm and sticky on Orange’s side.
Blue lifted his hand and saw the dark substance on his palm and fingers. “Ooh… Orange, you’re bleeding…”
Orange’s breath trembled and shook, his hands clutching at Blue’s overalls.
“F-fine. I’m fine …” But even then his knees shook.
“Hold on, buddy.” Blue reached into his inventory and pulled out a bed (thank the cursors he’d brought one) and placed it close by. He guided Orange to lie down on it.
The impact with the bed made every nerve in Orange’s body scream. He writhed, the wound in his side so much more painful than he’d thought, his teeth clenching.
“Hold on, Orange. Stay with me.” Blue lifted Orange’s shirt to see the damage. It was ugly. He gulped, and reached into his satchel to fetch the ointment. “Stay with me,” he kept muttering, even as Orange’s blood oozed and stained the sheets red.
Blue spread the liquid onto the wound, which made Orange give a yell of pain. He winced, lightly spreading it out with his hand, and then getting bandages to press over it and stop the blood flow. Orange was starting to whine, sweat pouring down his pale face.
“Shh, shh,” Blue murmured, trying not to panic. “Go to your happy place.”
Orange moaned, eyes clamping shut as he tried to breathe. “H…happy p-place…”
“Mmhmm. Breathe.”
“Breathe…”
“In… out…”
Orange inhaled, still shaking, and it ended in a cough and a groan of pain. His hand found Blue’s wrist, which he squeezed, as if that would stop the pain.
“Orange. Breathe,” Blue said. “Happy place. Happy thoughts. You’re fine. You’re fine, Orange.”
“F…fine…”
“Yes. Good. Fine,” Blue confirmed. “You’re fine.”
“Ugh… fine…”
Blue could feel the warmth of blood soak through the bandages. He bit his lip, praying that meant the flow was stopping. He pulled away briefly to check; he was wrong.
“Fine… fine…” Orange’s struggling was getting weaker. Blue leaned upwards, pushing his hair out of his face. Blood was trickling from his nose and the corner of his mouth.
“You’re fine. Yeah.” Blue smiled through tears, tears he didn’t know were forming.
He knew if Orange were to die here, he’d come back like nothing happened. He’d be perfectly healthy and ready to play again.
But that didn’t change how much it would hurt to see him go.
Orange had stilled almost completely, grip weak on Blue’s wrist. Blue had stopped trying to stop the blood from flowing and had taken Orange’s hand, holding it through the last bit of pain. Orange’s chest went up and down slowly, shakily, barely at all, and his eyes were drifting closed.
Blue sniffed, blinking tears away from his eyes. “I-I’m sorry,” he whispered. “I’m sorry.”
He could see Orange smile faintly. “Don’t… don’t be. I’ll be back.”
“I know, b-but…”
“H-hey.” Orange reached out, touching Blue’s cheek lightly. “Happy place.”
Blue nodded. “Happy place.”
Through the tears, he saw Orange’s smile grow wider.
And he went from holding Orange’s hand to holding nothing at all.