Azure: 19

Penne + Ravioli: 17

Iliad (Ily): 6

Scallop (Mom): 46

There was something licking his face. He giggled, pushing the furry thing off and petting it, feeling the satisfying vibrations of its purrs rippling through his body.

"Azure, are you awake," asked a raspy voice, and he opened his eyes. He didn't want to tear his gaze from the white ceiling, because that would mean he was alive. He didn't want to be alive. But he was, and so he supposed he would have to face it some time or other. But first, he would accept it through the cat.

Looking sideways at the fluffy thing nestled against him, he sighed and whispered, "Hi, Ily," petting the beautiful thing under his chin and smiling as he rolled upside down like a dog, his tail brushing up against Azure's leg.

A tug on his shirt made Azure look up to see Rav kneeling by his bed, looking disheveled and broken, smiling worridly at him and cocking his head. Looking past him, Azure saw Penne, who had been the one to ask if he was awake.

She was worse than Ravioli. By a lot. Her hair was matted and greasy, and there were heavy bags under her eyes. She had no makeup on, and all her jewelry was askew, as though they had been haphazardly shoved on only because it was routine. She was pale and slouched, all signs of her normal peppy attitude gone.

"Mom. He's awake," she called out in a creaky voice, and her mom immediately came rushing in with a bowl of soup, sitting down on the edge of the bed and feeling his forehead.

"Azure, what happened?" she asked, and Azure absorbed her motherly personality since he had never had a mother of his own. Not a good one, at least.

"It...doesn't...matter..." he whispered, looking down at the purring Ily and trying to forget everything.

She sighed. "You don't want to talk about it, I get it. But please don't push us away, okay Hun? I know it's been hard for you lately but I'm glad that you've got us...and I hope that your other friend will come around soon too... if you're ready to talk don't hesitate to, okay?" she asked, kissing his forehead and placing the soup on the endtable. "One of them will help you eat if you want to." Then she stood up and smiled at him, leaving out the doorway.

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Azure just stared at the soup. He was hardly hungry. He hurt all over, but his mind was blocking it out because he wanted to look strong in front of Rav. Even though that might be a bit hard to do, seeing as he had shown up unconcious at their front door.

"What. Happened," Penne rasped, not even looking at him as she rubbed her hands together in a calming manor. Looking up and catching his gaze, she whispered, "It was Navy wasn't it. Please tell me. Please, I need to know if-" she cut herself off, her hands mashing together as she held back tears.

"Penne, what's wrong?"

"What happened!?" she tried to shout, her voice catching before she slumped back down and stared at him through her mat of hair.

"We just...we just fought a bit..." Azure said, grabbing onto Ravioli's outstretched hand as he stared at him worridly.

"B-but the companies-!" she cried, bending over and dissolving into sobs, her brother dislodging from Azure and leaning over her comfortingly. "Th-they need to get better they need to get fixed, if they don't...!"

"What happened!?" Azure asked, bolting upright and immediately regretting it, ignoring the pain that shot through his shoulder as he stared at Penne. "How long have I been out!?"

Ravioli held up four fingers, and Azure slapped his head, groaning. "PENNE, TELL ME WHAT!" he hollered, leaping to his feet and towering over her, shaking her shoulders as she cried and cried and cried.

"He's dying!!!" she sobbed, bending over and clutching herself. "HE'S DYING AND NO ONE CAN STOP IT! Only your magic can, only the companies can, but it's broken, and he's GOING TO DIE!!!" she screamed, beating against the arms of the chairs and shaking, and knowing who he was, Azure looked over at Ravioli, who pointed at Penne and made a heart with his hands, confirming the worst.

Stammering, Azure asked quietly, "W-which one does he have...?"

Looking up and crying, her eyes sparkling and grief written all over her features, she said quietly, "H-he has the B-black D-death..." before she started spasming and shaking, clutching onto him as she sobbed and screamed and beat at whatever she could touch.

Engulfing her in his arms, he clutched her tightly, and she clutched him back. Caressing her back softly, he whispered into her hair, "Don't worry. It's going to be ok, it's going to be alright, I'm going to fix it, I promise."