“I... ba- hello?” Thoughts are a myth. Higher brain functions are on stand by. Please hold.
May just looked at me and giggled. Giggled! She blushed and looked away.
“I’m sorry, I just-”
I leaned forward and returned the favor. Warmth pulsed out from the contact, and I leaned against my wraps into the deepening kiss. A rapid beeping brought me back to reality, and I pulled back.
May looked out of it; her eyes unfocused as she leaned forward slightly as I pulled away. She stared at me with red cheeks and wide eyes.
“I, uh.”
Ha! I’m not the only one that makes these noises.
May took a deep breath and smiled at me. “Guess that answers the question of how you feel about me, huh?”
“The answer is crazy, just in case there are any doubts,” I said, before looking away. My face felt like it was on fire as I kept stealing glances between May’s lips and the bed sheets.
“Good.” May replied, before carefully leaning back. “I’ve been wanting to do that for a while, now.” May smiled. “Guess it just took me a while to find my courage.”
“While?” I asked, my brain finally finding something that I could solidly latch onto in the sea of euphoria I was swimming in.
May looked away, her face glowing redder by the minute.
“Since our talk on the cruise, our heart to heart outside the ball room. Things felt different before that, but... that was the first time I felt this.” She looked away, a smile lighting up her face as her blush started to fade. “Our private dance lesson that night banished any doubts in my head. I think I’ve been freaking out about everything, since.” May swallowed. “You?”
“The day after we cuddled on the cot in Wally’s room.” I replied after taking a second to make sure my thoughts and words were lining up. “I realized it while I was meditating. Accidentally blurted it out in front of Wally, even.”
May laughed. A full belly laugh, too. Legends that sound was good to hear.
“Oh, so that’s why-” She cut herself off as she laughed harder. “Did you know or...?”
“I was just as surprised as you,” I explained quickly. “I wasn’t lying. That banner was just as much of a surprise to me as it was to you.” I smiled. “He volunteered his services as a wingman after watching my legendary freak out in the contest hall.”
“Legendary, huh?” May asked, a cocky grin on her face. “Didn’t know I scared you that much.”
“Of you, no. Of losing you, yes.” I looked away. “Fun fact, the thought of losing your friendship over this was enough to overload Emilie’s fear sponge.” I blushed a bit as she looked at me, very intently.
“You have nothing to be afraid of on that front,” May said.
I smiled back at her.
“I almost did.” The smile slid off my face as a few images flashed through my mind. “Those same feelings of fear let me overpower Solrock’s control. When I was swinging that freaky sword around...” I looked away, a pit opening up in my stomach as my brain circled around thoughts of what happened in that chamber. “I don’t want to talk about that right now.”
May nodded fervently, slightly pale. “Agreed. Let’s talk about happier things. Like our first date.”
My brain stopped working again.
“D-date?” I choked out.
“Duh. I don’t know if you noticed, but we’re back in Rustboro. Emilie had her mom send us to Rustboro Gen. Good thing too, if I had to see that ass hat that treated you in Dewford again I might have committed a violence.”
Emile’s MOM!
Wow, that heart monitor is popping off right now. I’m kind of surprised a nurse hasn’t come in to check on me.
“I’m sorry, did you just say mama Gardevoir is HERE!?” I shouted, all previous lovesick thoughts getting shoved to the back burner as I tried to grapple with the threat that loomed beyond my hospital door.
“Yup. I don’t think Emilie was confident in her ability to make the trip on her own,” May explained.
I don’t think May realized just how dangerous the Pokémon she was talking so cavalierly about was.
"She teleported us in and kept as much blood in you as she could. She also got your team from Dewford cave, including Joern,” May explained. “She’s been very helpful.”
I sagged down a bit in my bed. “I guess I owe her my thanks,” I said hesitantly. I was probably... blowing this out of proportion.
May nodded.
“So... date night?” I asked as a dopey smile spread across my face. I was starting to feel a bit more lucid. My thoughts came to a screeching halt as a single thought crossed my mind. “You’re okay with that?” I asked hesitantly, my mouth suddenly feeling dry.
“What do you mean? Why wouldn’t I be?” May asked, looking at me nervously.
I swallowed.
“You were really freaked out by the idea of people thinking we were dating. Are you sure you’re ready to be” I paused, trying to think of the best way to word this. “Out and about?”
May groaned at the pun. At least I hoped it was at the pun.
“I refuse to be afraid anymore,” May said, looking deep into my eyes. “I’m done. I’ll deal-”
“We’ll deal.” I cut her off.
May smiled. “We’ll deal with it. Together. Strangers aren’t going to stop me from being with you anymore, and I’m sorry it took you almost dying twice for me to get there. I’m fully intent on taking you out on the town, to a lovely dinner in a fancy restaurant, followed by a moonlit walk through the park?” May voice peaked up a bit towards the end, and she was bright red. “If uh, that’s alright. Of course.
“Nothing would make me happier. I fully intend to take you up on that offer once I get out of here,” I replied, idly wondering how long that would take.
May beamed at me.
“Good.” May didn’t say anything else, and I felt my face heat up again. The look in her eyes was very hard to deal with right now. Why did they have to truss me up like this? They could’ve at least let me move a little bit beyond leaning forward.
“What are the chances of this particular damsel getting another kiss from her dashing hero in red?” I asked. Screw physical limitations. I wanted to kiss my girlfriend.
May blushed bright red and sputtered a bit. Flirting was fun. I liked flirting. I gulped though when the stuttering stopped, and her face morphed into one of determination as she leaned in again.
My brain didn’t shut down this time as I leaned into May with a moan. I could feel May’s skin heat up against mine. I had absolutely no idea what I was doing, but in that moment, I just wanted to stop time and feel the myriad of emotions that assaulted my brain as May slowly leaned back.
“Yeah...” I sighed. “We definitely need to do that more.”
May nodded.
“I KNEW IT!” My blissful smile faded from my face as I rapidly shifted to look at the new face that walked into our room.
Eve, still dressed in an apron covered in flour, stood in the door. Her mouth pulled into a knowing smirk as she pointed at me. Her hair was still in a hair net.
“Eve, how-”
“Shut it, for a second,” Eve shouted.
My mouth clicked shut as she walked over. May was doing her absolute best to shrink herself into a tiny little ball and disappear.
“So, I was at work, getting caught up on orders, when I got a call from the gym. Norman” She paused as she tossed a glare May’s way. “Called to tell me that my little sister, the only family I have left, is in the hospital. Critical condition, he said.”
I winced.
“I lost my phone in the attack,” May offered weekly. She shrunk even further as Eve’s glare shifted. “Shutting up now.”
“Kadabra teleported me to the center down the road, I think I almost got hit sprinting down here, only to find my sister and her ‘best friend’ making out. Do you have any idea how terrified I was? How many scared interns I shouted at?” Eve asked, glaring down at me.
Oh god, those poor bastards.
“I, uh. I don’t-”
“Calm down.” Another familiar voice sounded out from the door.
“You calm down, you...”
The words died on her throat as she looked down at a rather pissed off looking Emilie. A light blue aura radiated off of her in waves as she stared my sister down.
“You're her sister,” she chastised, and I marveled at how quickly she was grasping sentences. “Act. Like it.” Emilie teleported to my bed and leaned up against me...
Before promptly passing out.
All three of us stared at the now snoring Ralts in shock. Eve cleared her throat before staring at me.
“I” she started before looking away. “I’m sorry, I was just... upset.”
I swallowed.
“I was in critical condition,” I explained, finally finding the words I wanted to say.
Eve’s face took on a more ashen look.
“I lost a lot of blood. Like, a LOT a lot. The kissing thing is new. I sw-”
May raised her hand to stop me before glaring at Eve.
“Get out,” May ordered.
Eve turned to glare at May.
“Excuse-”
“Lea got abducted by a pair of psychotic psychics that wanted to use her to break into a tomb. She was mind controlled, tortured, and forced to hurt her friends and Pokémon,” May said, her glare turning far more vicious as she talked.
Images flashed in front of my mind as she explained. My breathing quickened as I remembered digging into the chamber, my arms a bloody misshapen mess that radiated pain.
“Despite all of that, she still had the wherewithal to push me out of the way of a collapsing ceiling. I dragged her out of that cave, barely alive, and teleported her here, where they pumped her full of pain meds and gave her enough blood to feed a school of Gorebyss.”
“What the fuck is a Gorebyss?” I asked.
“I-” May cut’s Eve off again.
“Lea and I have gone through hell the last few hours.” May finished off. “If I want to kiss my girlfriend after this clusterfuck of a day, I’m going to.”
My heart skipped a few beats at hearing that title. I liked that title. I liked it a lot.
“Now, Lea doesn’t need ANY of your Tauros shit right now. So, get the fuck out, calm down, read a book, go to a café, I don’t fucking care. Just leave us the hell alone and come back when you’re ready to talk and not scream at a crippled teenager in the hospital.” May got right up in Eve’s face before enunciating her final sentence. “Do. I. Make. Myself. Clear!”
Fuck that was terrifying. I think it’s mostly the drugs, but I think I heard that last word in Caroline’s voice. At least I hope it’s the drugs. Please be the drugs.
Eve breathed hard through her nose for a couple of seconds before surprising me.
She turned away from May, opened the doors, and left.
May sunk down onto the chair beside me and started shaking.
“Did I just do that?” she asked.
I hesitantly nodded.
She sagged. “I’m... I’m sorry, I don’t know what came over me.”
“Don’t apologize, that was bad ass!” I half shouted.
May laughed as she shook her head.
“She needed told off,” I reassured, feeling heat in my cheeks again. “Legends above, I think all the blood they gave me lives in my cheek bones.”
May giggled a bit before looking away. “But... you two were reconnecting-”
“May, I know I look like I’m coping fantastically with what happened to me right now,” I interrupted her. “I’m not, and I really didn’t want to deal with that. I know she’s just freaked out, but... I can deal with that later.” I slumped down a bit more in my bed.
May was sitting up and holding my hand again. I smiled.
“Need anything?” she asked.
“I... just want to see the rest of my team.” I finished. “Think you could go get them for me?”
May smiled.
“Be right back. While I'm gone, though...” She pulled out a poke ball and Samie formed on my bed. He nuzzled my side a bit. “I leave you with an emotional support Samie.”
I laughed. “Thanks May.”
----------------------------------------
For as much as I wanted to spend time with my team, exhaustion won out. I got about as far as saying hello to Apollo and apologizing to Joern before I felt the strong desire to sleep. If the burgeoning light outside was any indication, the sun was coming up when I passed out. Legends, my sleep schedule was fucked right now.
Now though? Pitch black outside, and I was awake. Awake, and in a moderate amount of pain. I moved to press the call button but found myself unable to move. My body was frozen in place, unable to wiggle so much as a pinky or open my mouth to speak. My eyes widened as I felt my head pivot and move on its own, drawing my eyes towards a smirking Gardevoir as it grinned down at me.
‘Hello,’ she said cheerfully. ‘I’m happy to see you’re doing better. My daughter was quite worried about you.’
‘What do you want?’ I asked, my eyes boring into hers.
Gardevoir clicked her tongue and sighed. ‘My, that mental block my daughter put on your brain is an impressive piece of work. I put so much work into making this as intimidating as possible and you aren’t even phased. I suppose I could remove it, but I'm not even sure I could contain the emotional outburst that would cause, and the last thing we want is for you to wake everyone up.’ She stared down at me condescendingly. ‘I saved your life. The balance to the scale has been restored,’ she said seriously.
Stolen from its rightful author, this tale is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.
Great. Why do I have a feeling that’s not a good thing for me? She was grinning at me now, fuck.
‘Despite the fact that I was for the most part only in that situation because of what you did.’ I reasoned, hoping to skew things a bit so the scale wasn’t in balance.
‘See, that’s the hard thing about trying to plan around a psychic, especially in your condition. I’ve looked at your hand, dear, and you’re bluffing with a pair of twos against royalty.’ She smirked at me. ‘We both know those cosmic wannabees could have used you as their own personal miner as you were when I first saw you. Me pulling the walls back just made it easier. I saved your life. We’re even.’ She tilted her head. ‘I want my daughter back.’
‘I... Emilie coming with me was never about you owing me!’ I shouted at her. Well, shouted as best I could. ‘She wanted to come with me. It was her choice, not mine.’
‘Youthful desires are at best a short lived distraction. I’m certain if you urged her to return to me, she would be more than happy to do so,’ Gardevoir commented.
I doubted that.
‘This youthful desire is wondering exactly what it is you’re doing, mother.’
Emilie teleported between Gardevoir and I. The psychic titan in front of me groaned before shooting me an impressed look. I sagged in relief as autonomy returned to my throbbing muscles. The pain in my broken arm was starting to get worse. Fuck, half of my IV bags were empty. Weren’t the nurses supposed to come in and change those?
‘I decided to give them a small nap. We needed to talk privately, after all,’ Gardevoir explained, giving Emilie a disappointed stare.
My eyes widened.
‘What, it’s just some minor hypnosis, they’re fine,’ Gardevoir said.
I moved to open my mouth but found that I couldn’t still. ‘Those nurses have other patients on this floor!’ I mentally shouted at her.
Gardevoir just tilted her head.
‘You doing this could cost people their lives, how is that not screwing with your fairy scale thingy!?’ I said.
Gardevoir winced.
‘You have my daughter. I must-’
‘No one has me,’ Emilie snarled.
Gardevoir leaned back a bit at the amount of vitriol in Emilie’s tone, before sighing. ‘Neither of you are going to cooperate until I wake up the healers, are you?’
Emilie and I both glared.
‘Fine, I think you’re both being unreasonable about this though. The Alakazam is still awake and about.’
Gardevoir muttered the last bit, and I idly wondered if I was supposed to hear that. Gardevoir teleported out of the room, and I relaxed
‘Emilie?’ I asked hesitantly.
Emilie slowly turned to look at me.
‘Is there something you maybe want to share with me about your mother?’ I asked.
Emilie didn’t respond.
‘Emilie?’ I asked again.
Emilie’s shoulders sagged as she looked down.
‘I didn’t think she would do something like this.’ Emilie sighed. ‘We had a fight when I visited. I might not have handled it as well as I should have. She didn’t think I was going to stay with you for the long haul.’ Emilie frowned before looking back up at me. ‘I’m not leaving your side, though. You don’t have to worry about that.’
‘I’m not worried about that,’ I explained. ‘I’m worried about you. Your mom can be a bit much sometimes, but I’ve never seen... that. Are you alright?’
‘I’m-’ Emilie stopped. No other commentary.
I gave her a look.
‘Alright, I’m not fine, but I'll deal with it. You shouldn’t have to. Especially not right now. Just... let me figure it out,’ Emilie said before shifting her gaze towards my left.
I looked down. Apollo nested on my shoulder for the night. His eyes were open, and he was glaring at the area Gardevoir had just teleported from.
‘Thanks for the heads up. How the hell did you hide your thoughts from my mother?’ Emilie asked.
My eyes widened as I stared at Apollo in shock.
‘You think this old sea dog can’t learn a few new tricks? I’ve gotten a fair sight better at directing and hiding my thoughts with you around, lass.’ Apollo turned his gaze up to me. ‘I felt your body tense. It woke me up.’ I smirked down at Apollo.
‘Keep this up and you might get promoted.’ I said, a smile pulling at my lips.
Emilie glared at me.
‘I kid, I kid,’ I said, before looking around the room. Something was missing. A sound.
Where were the buzz saws? May should be sawing her way through Petalburg Woods right now. The lack of snoring was freaking me out.
‘She’s at the center right now,’ Apollo said. ‘Also, don’t share the captain’s thoughts without asking, lass. She left to get her team checked in with the center, and-’ he stopped as the doors opened again.
Emilie frowned as she looked back towards the double doors as a nurse rushed inside and got to work replacing my IVs. Gardevoir carefully slunk back into the room.
‘Everyone’s fine. Happy now?’ she asked.
I frowned.
‘Do you... really not think you did anything wrong?’ I asked, tilting my head. I honestly didn’t understand. Gardevoir made it a point to heal me after her blow up, she saved my life earlier today. Yesterday. Fuck I don’t even know... dammit all.
Those actions didn't line up with what she was doing now at all.
‘She has a rather insulting view of humans,’ Emilie explained as the nurse quickly left the room once she was done.
‘To be fair, the Alakazam that put you back together is the attending right now. He seemed more than capable of handling it if anything bad happened.’ Gardevoir said, dismissing her daughter’s statement without acknowledging it.
Guess that confirmed that I wasn’t intended to hear the last thing she thought when she left earlier.
Emilie glared.
‘Now, back to our conversation. I want my daughter back.’
‘Your daughter doesn’t want to go back, so fuck off,’ Emilie snarled.
‘Emilie,’ I said.
Emilie glared at me in disbelief before sagging.
‘She’s still your mom,’ I said, looking sad.
Emilie sighed.
I turned and stared into Gardevoir’s eyes. ‘I don’t want to come between the two of you, but Emilie doesn’t want to go back. You should respect that,’ I argued.
Gardevoir glared at me. ‘Of course she doesn’t. You’ve corrupted her.’
I glared at her at that.
‘Corrupted!?’ Emilie sounded scandalized. ‘The only thing Lea’s done was give me choices. Something you would know nothing about!’
‘The child before me is unrecognizable from the one that left home. Do you truly believe you’re making your own choices being carted around like a pet?’ Gardevoir asked, her lips pulled into a sneer.
'Better than being your china doll prin-'
‘Enough!’ I cut in. Good lord, when did I become the therapist? ‘Look, it’s obvious the two of you have issues to work out with each other. What if we compromised?’ I asked.
Gardevoir chuckled. ‘What, have me galivant across the countryside after you like your other pets?’ Gardevoir’s nose scrunched up in disgust. ‘I despise your human cities. The background noise, the filth, the smell...’ She shivered. ‘I am perfectly content to stay home, and I have obligations that must be maintained.’ She glared at Emilie as the last phrase left her head. ‘As do you.’
‘Translation, she’s the most fairy fairy type that’s ever fairyed, and doesn’t want to adapt to the world around her at all,’ Emilie sniped.
‘You’ll understand once you evolve, my chi-’
"My NAME is Emilie." Emilie snarled. "Spelled E. M. I. L. I. E. Lea gave it to me, and it’s a damn fucking good name. For years, you said that having a title was a privilege. That names carried weight. Lea named every member of her team, because she values US. She cares about us. And you know what? That feels special. Having a NAME feels SPECIAL." She stopped, breathing heavily as she glared up at her mother.
I could feel the pain in my arm start to lessen, but a new pain seemed to pass through the bond I shared with my starter. A pain that the medicine did nothing to stop.
"So, use, the damn, name." The final word was punctuated with a bright white light that engulfed the room. Emilie glowed with power as the telltale vision of evolution took root, before stopping cold. Emilie’s fist clenched as she focused, remaining unchanged as the light faded.
‘My-’
"USE IT!" Emilie demanded.
‘Emilie...’ she said the word as though it were a defeat. ‘You don’t see what this journey is turning you into. You’re different. Very different from the girl that left my glade.’ She looked towards me with a frown. ‘I’m worried.’
‘Anything would be better than turning into you.’ Emilie snarled. Gardevoir reared back as if struck. ‘You want to know what’s really bad? If I let her, Lea would keep trying to find a way for you to be happy. Despite you trying to THREATEN her into handing me over. She’s a nice person like that. The next sentence out of her mouth was going to be shared custody.’ Emilie turned back to look at me and gave me a loving smile before glaring back at her mother. ‘But at the moment, I want NOTHING to do with you.’ Gardevoir looked at Emilie, and I noticed a bit of moisture form around her eyes. She doesn’t say anything for a while, till finally...
She disappeared.
She had teleported out, leaving Emilie and the rest of us here staring at where she had been. I heard a new set of sniffling though, and Emilie turned and teleported to my side, and leaned against me. I really wish I could give her a hug right now.
‘You didn’t-’
‘I did,’ Emilie interrupted. ‘You remember the first thing you learned about the fairy type?’
‘You can’t lie,’ I replied hesitantly.
Emilie nodded.
‘I felt everything I said just now was true,’ Emilie explained. ‘And it needed to be said. No matter how much it hurt.’
I noticed the sun start to peek out from behind the blinders.
‘Oh good, I guess we slept for a full day. Maybe our sleep cycle won’t be completely fucked,’ Emilie said, rubbing at her face.
‘It’s okay to be sad, you know?’ I offered consolingly. ‘She’s still your mom.’
Emilie leaned her head against my leg. ‘Now who’s... the fucking therapist?’ Emilie asked between sniffles.
I smiled down at her.
‘You know, I was just thinking that.’ I said with a bitter smile. ‘I learned from the best.’
‘A Mr. Mime at a carnival?’ she asked with a smile.
‘Nope, just my best friend. Now that May’s my girlfriend, you’ve been promoted,’ I said conspiratorially. ‘Meetings are every Sunday, and surprise anime watch parties are both compulsory, and frequent.’
Emilie was laughing again. ‘Looking forward to it.’ Emilie’s smile was short lived as she looked away.
‘And Emilie.’ I said, pulling her eyes back to me. ‘I know you don’t want to talk about it now, but I'm here whenever you do want to, okay?’
Emilie nodded once before leaning back a bit and snuggling into my side.
‘Now, I don’t know about you, but the meds are making me drowsy again. We can worry about settling up my sleep schedule later,’ I said, fighting back a yawn.
Emilie just smiled as I drifted off.
----------------------------------------
I wake up again to the sight of May typing at Sergei. Emilie had disappeared at some point, or at least moved, as I no longer felt her leaning against me. I jerked up suddenly, and realized that sudden movements were not a good idea right now. May stopped typing and looked at me, her mouth pulled into a frown.
“What’s wrong? Are you alright? Does anything hurt?” She rattled off questions and I raised my good hand up to get her to stop. Wait, I could move my arms now. That was new!
“I’m fine, May. Just forgot that moving right now is a bad idea,” I explained.
May gave me a look.
“I’m fine!” I insisted.
May sighed before leaning back in her seat.
“Do you know where Emilie went?” I asked, looking around the room worriedly.
“She went with Apollo and Joern to the cafeteria. I gave her some money and told them to bring me back some food.” May explained. “Apollo... really didn’t want Emilie going off on her own, and Joern wanted to stretch his legs a bit.”
“PINCH!” I heard from below my bed.
“Yes, Samie. They’re getting food for you too,” May replied.
“Pinch.” Samie said happily.
I opened my mouth to reply but a loud growl interrupted me. I nervously looked down at my stomach.
“Guess I’m hungry too,” I commented.
May winced. “I... didn't’ think to have them grab you anything,” May explained. “You’ve been asleep for a while.”
“At least a full day, I know that much.” I said, and May leaned back in shock. “I woke up once while it was dark out. Considering I probably passed out in the morning, and it’s light outside right now, I was out for at least twenty four hours.”
“You needed to rest.” May said firmly. “You also need to eat. Let me call a nurse.” She grabbed the little remote next to my good hand and pressed the button. “I think they’ll have a meal for you, honestly.”
I scrunched up my nose. “Ew, hospital food.”
May poked the side of my head.
“Nutrient rich, high calorie hospital food. Those regenerators they use speed things up, but your body is still doing most of the work.”
I raised an eyebrow at her. “When did you learn that?” I asked.
“This morning.” May answered, blushing a bit. “I didn’t want to wake you and I was curious about stuff, and I wanted to know more about what they used to help you and the articles online are fas-” I started laughing.
“You’re really cute when you’re being a nerd, you know that right?”
May’s blush got worse, and she sputtered a few incoherent words as the nurse came in.
“Ah, I see sleeping beauty’s finally decided to wake up, did your princess finally give you a kiss?” she asked with a smirk. My entire face lit up like a tomato and I heard May groan.
“Eve’s outburst yesterday was overheard, and the nurses gossip,” May explained. “Do you know someone by the name of Wayne?”
“Can't say that I do." The nurse just smiled before focusing on me and picking up my chart. "How are you feeling, hon? How bad would you say your pain is right now?”
“Er... My arm’s the worst of it. Also, it’s not really pain, but the tips of my fingers feel kind of weird.” I barely noticed it, but the nurse winced at the mention of my hands. “What?”
“The tingling might be a sign of nerve damage,” she explained.
I froze. “Nerve damage?” I noticed May tense next to me and frowned.
“Hold out your hand for me, the one that doesn’t have a cast on it,” the nurse ordered. She took hold of my hand and out what almost looked like a toothpick. She pressed it into my palm, and it bent as it made contact. “Can you feel that?”
“Yes,” I said.
“Good.” The nurse smiled. “I’m still going to put in for an EMG, but feeling is good. You ready to lose the bandages?”
My eyes widened.
“Already?” I asked. “I, my hands were in really rough shape, are you-”
“To be fair, I do have to warn you,” the nurse said, stopping me before I could babble more. “Most of your nails were either ripped out or damaged beyond repair. We can’t really... speed up the process of growing new ones. It’ll take about four to six months for them to fully grow in.”
“Months?!” I shouted.
May grabbed my hand, and I couldn’t help but notice how weird it felt now.
“Unfortunately, yes. Months. We also can’t do much about the scar tissue,” she said.
What the hell do my hands fucking look like that she’s preparing me like this.
“Can it wait till after I eat? I’m really hungry. Like, REALLY hungry,” I pleaded, not eager to see the damage, and even less eager to show May.
The nurse sighed. “How about a deal? I’ll take off the bandages on your good arm, and then I’ll bring up your lunch for you, alright?” she asked. “I just want to get a look at your hand to make sure everything healed properly, alright?”
I hesitantly nodded, and the nurse smiled at me.
May backed up a bit as the nurse grabbed the tip of the bandage and started rolling it down my arm. The top of my arm didn’t look too bad, thankfully. I didn’t notice any new scars beyond what I had from my years at the bakery.
My joy died once she got to the area above my wrists.
There were two decently sized scars on either side of my wrist. As she unfurled my hands, I noticed most of the skin looked angry and red. The cuts were healed, but little reminders made themselves known. My hands looked rough, but I couldn’t hold in my gasp once I saw my fingertips.
The spots where my nails had been had scabbed over. They looked... wrong. Disgusting.
“Okay, I know you’re not going to believe me, but this is good progress,” the nurse said, sounding happy.
What the fuck did they look like before that this was good progress?
I didn’t look back up at the nurse. Or at May. I really didn’t want to see May’s reaction to this.
“The scar tissue looks really bad right now, but the redness will fade. A month from now you won’t even be able to tell they’re there.”
“Could we get food?” I asked, not wanting to continue this conversation.
The nurse nodded and got up and I felt a pull. I hesitantly looked over to see May holding my deformed mess of a hand.
“You don’t have to-”
“I want to,” May said firmly. “And now that I’m your girlfriend, I fully intend to hold your hand at every opportunity presented to me. You got that?” she asked aggressively.
“Yes ma’am.” I nodded, before looking away.
“Oi, look at me.” May ordered.
I reluctantly complied.
“I almost lost you yesterday. This,” She raised our conjoined hands and shook them. "No language on this planet has a word for how little I care about this. I have you, and that’s all I care about.” She nodded to accentuate her point.
My cheeks burned red, and a smile pulled at my lips as I looked at May. “Thanks,” I muttered.
“Don’t mention it. Now quit your moping and explain why Apollo felt the need to make sure Emilie had guards when she left.”
I winced. “I... can’t explain that.”
May frowned.
“I want too, but it’s not my place.” I hastily tacked on. “If it makes you feel better, I think Apollo’s worrying over nothing, but if you want it explained, ask Emilie. I don’t feel right sharing without her saying it’s okay.”
May sighed. “Fine,” she muttered, not sounding happy.
The nurse came back with a massive tray of food. Wow, May wasn’t kidding. I was hungry, but I doubted I could eat everything on that tray.
“Here we are, the post regenerator special. Eat as much as you can, your body needs the nutrients.” The nurse set the tray down in front of me before heading back out the door.
I hesitantly reached for the fork and fumbled a bit. The fork tumbled off of the tray and May grabbed it before it could bounce off of my bed.
“Right. I’ve got stupid fingers right now. I forgot,” I muttered.
May leaned forward and cut off a piece of egg for me before putting it in front of my mouth.
“May, I-”
She shoved the food into my mouth mid-word, and I almost gagged.
It was tasteless. How do you make eggs tasteless? I was hungry enough that I didn’t care, but how?
“Look, don’t worry about it, just lean back, and let me take care of you,” May said, a smile on her face.
My cheeks flushed bright red as she sat on the bed next to me and proceeded to cut up my breakfast.
“Stop!” I finally shouted. “I don’t...” I looked away. “I don’t mind the help, but... just help me hold the fork, alright. I want to be able to learn how to do things on my own again.”
May pouted before nodding, putting the fork in my hand, and closing her fingers around mine.
----------------------------------------
“Talk to anyone fun while I was passed out?” I asked, nodding at Sergei.
May nodded.
“Mom and Dad said they’re popping in to see us tomorrow,” May explained.
“Do they...?” I trailed off and May shook her head no. “Do you want to tell them, or...?”
“I want to tell them in person tomorrow.” May hastily explained and I let a breath out that I didn’t even realize I was holding.
“Good. I’m glad.” I leaned back and relaxed a bit as May beckoned Sergei over. “I didn’t want to lie to them.”
May grinned at me.
"How are they... handling what happened?" I asked.
May frowned, before looking down at Sergei. "I couldn't really get a read on it. Mom was very... controlled, when we talked."
Ah, got it. I needed to prepare for the worst, then.
“I also called Wally, who’s also coming tomorrow,” May explained.
I leaned away from May. “What the hell is he doing that for? The city is horrible for him. Tell him I'm fine and to stay where he is.” I argued.
May nodded. “I tried, believe me. He said it was fine though. His uncle put something together for him that’s supposed to help with that.”
I raised an eyebrow. “In a week? What exactly does his uncle do that’ll let him make something like that in a week?”
May shook her head.
“He refused to elaborate. Said he wanted to surprise us. Here’s hoping this surprise goes better than the last one,” May complained.
“Are you really going to sit here and tell me you didn’t enjoy that cruise.” I asked, waggling my eyebrows.
May looked away, blushing.
“It was fun.” She muttered. “I still don’t understand why you didn’t tell me how you felt earlier. You’re supposed to be the fearless one!”
“Oi, that entire cruise was nothing but mixed signals,” I complained. “Excuse me for not wanting to rush into things.”
May winced.
“Fair.” May got a faraway look on her face. “I hope Jasmine’s doing okay. She... wasn’t doing too well when I went after you.”
“I... I remember what Solrock did,” I whispered, looking away. “Can you contact them at all?” Fuck, that... okay. Clenching a fist with the good hand is a bad idea right now. Good to know.
“I don’t have their number,” May explained. Seriously...
“Shoot them a PM over Poketube, you dingus,” I said, giving her a look.
May’s eyes widened as she started typing away on Sergei again. “Shut up.” May shouted. “There. Hopefully they’ll see it and we can get an update. Now quit looking at me like that.”
“Like what?” I asked innocently.
“That. That right there is-” We stopped arguing as a knocking sound filtered through the room. I looked over towards the door and saw my sister, hesitantly walking in as she looked between May and me.
“I... can I come in?”