#alclyde

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"It hurts."

Alex's voice was tiny, barely loud enough to break the deafening silence of the cold, autumn air. They shivered, pulling their jacket tighter, trying not to sob from the pain. The skin was peeling off of their bony hands at an alarming rate, revealing a leathery hide covered in stripes.

"Clyde, it hurts," they groaned, unsure if their companion had heard them.

The demon sitting next to them looked over, doing its best to hide any emotion. Emotions get you killed in the world it lived in. Emotions make you vulnerable to attack, and while Alex was in no state to attack it, and it knew that there's no way they would, it was pure instinct at this point.

"I'm sorry," it whispered. It reached out a large, clawed hand to rest on their shoulder, but quickly decided it would be better not to touch them, wrapping its arms doubly around itself in a hug.

Clyde wasn't a dumb creature, or some sort of animal incapable of intelligence. It was fully sentient, and knew right away that all of the symptoms Alex was showcasing was because of it. It was its fault that Alex was coughing up blood, scratching and peeling at their skin, and writhing in pain every night in a fitful, useless attempt at sleep.

"I'm so, so sorry," it repeated.

Alex laughed sadly. "You say that like any of this is your fault,"

"....But…. it is."

Alex was simply confused. "What?"

Clyde sniffled and clung to itself tighter. "It is my fault. I'm the whole reason you're out here. I'm the reason you're on the run from the police. I'm the reason we don't have a home anymore. I'm the reason that you're…. you're…."

"Falling off the bone?"

Clyde had to stop itself from licking his lips, hearing its friend compare themselves to a piece of meat. It'd been well fed for a while, surviving off of sandwiches and whatever leftovers it could find in Alex's trash, but now that they were on the run, it craved. Alex was just so weak, and it would just be so easy….

Which was exactly why it needed to be more diligent in protecting them.

"I have a friend," it blurted out.

Alex simply looked at them in confusion.

"I have a friend in the asylum. My hunting partner. He's tall. And strong. Insanely strong. He's-"

"Winfrey…."

Alex's gaze shifted towards the direction of the asylum, and their vision began to swirl with red waves. Their head began to pound, and they winced, grabbing at their head as they fell heavy against Clyde's chest.

Clyde jumped at the sudden contact, unsure of what to do. It followed their gaze, and could've sworn it heard the faintest familiar melody. It untangled its arms and wrapped them around Alex, who keened into its touch with a sharp, shaky exhale. Every inch of their skin that made contact burned, but at least they weren't cold anymore.

At least they weren't alone.

Alex's voice began to regain its strength now that the biting cold felt a little less intense. "We- we can get your friend out of there. Somehow. We'll have to come up with a plan."

Clyde looked down at them and smiled.

Alex couldn't explain it, but that stupid, horrible smile warmed their heart. Clyde was a thing of local legend, a sort of boogeyman to keep children from wandering too far at night, or too late out on Halloween, nicknamed for that same signature smile that made Alex feel proud to be its friend.

"He can keep us safe," Clyde said, as Alex turned in its lap to face them. "He can keep you safe."

It brushed a strand of their hair out of their face, tucking it behind their ear. Touching their face made it feel sick.

How dare it? How dare it touch Alex's face without permission, doing something so delicate and human? This feeling bubbling in their chest was so similar to how it felt about Winfrey when they first met. What was this? It felt horrifying, but it was so, so just…. good.

"Clyde?"

It quickly snapped out of its trance. Alex grabbed its arm with a grip so gentle and sincere it almost completely drowned out just how much it burned.

Almost.

"You're shaking, buddy. Are you cold?"

Clyde shook its head and simply wrapped its arms snugly around the two of them, laying down with Alex on its chest.

"I think I just need some rest. You do, too."

Alex had no complaints to make. It never imagined cuddling something could feel so nice.