#hemophobia

HEMOPHOBIA:

• My hemophobia propaganda is that my Apo mii has a crush on my Avid mii so basically it’s real and true

• cauterize is definitely peak when you consider the possibilities, but hemophobia is compelling even solely on the grounds of their canon dynamic. Apo genuinely cared about Avid, even had faith in him (“I thought Avid was the most human of all of them”) and the way that care is forced to rot and then bleed is tragic and so, so compelling. If things had gone just ever so slightly differently…

CAUTERIZE:

• Kinda feels like a less doomed bloodletting to me. If they had had more of a relationship from the start or if Pyro had put his trust in Legs with the whole cure thing I think they could have been really healing to eachother (pun intended). Like Pyro might have snapped out of it if he had had someone who told him that he wasn't a monster and maybe he could have gotten Legs to see some good in himself too. Just realized these two freaks are gonna live rent free in my head now and there aren't even a lot of fics about them. So please let them win so people write about them more. I need this for my sanity

his voice rings out like an angel. but you don't hear it over the shower water and the sounds of your own whimpering as you shake like an abandoned baby doe.

"Your phone kept going straight to voicemail and I got … Well, in any case I wanted to see with my own eyes that you were okay. Are you in the shower? Perhaps I could join …"

he doesn't know. he doesn't know that your body is actively betraying you. this isn't the time.

you don't hear the pattern of his knocks rapping against the opposite side of the door. you don't hear the door opening, his velvet tone sneaking into the room before he even invites himself in. you don't even notice the way he goes quiet for a beat before shutting the water off.

"Sweetie," he murmurs. "What happened to you?"

your eyes shoot open, Sylus' scarlet gaze remaining soft yet steady, pushing down any hints of concern. you can't both be panicking right now.

the hand covering your mouth slides down just enough for you to whisper something unintelligible to him. you try so hard. you want to explain but what is there to say that doesn't sound ridiculous, even if you could find your voice to begin with.

only for a moment more does he search your eyes before scanning the rest of your body — and swiftly finding the culprit.

"Ah," he remarks, a miniscule sigh behind it. relief. you're not injured, just … hurting. "Once again, I've found you just in time, hm? I think I just might be more in sync with you than your own cycle."

he steps away for a brief second to grab your towel, which he presses against your face and body before completely swaddling you. as if you weighed nothing, he lifts you with one arm until your shivering against his sturdy chest. he hums with satisfaction.

you are safe.

he kisses the apples of your cheeks. your forehead. the tip of your nose. your lips.

"There, there. All is well."

he sets you on the edge of the bed, unwraps you. he curls a knuckle under your chin so you don't look down. more gentle kisses before he guides his hand to the back of your head to press your forehead to his.

"You're a little early, hm?"

you nod. "Y-yes …"

"Just by a bit. I'll update my notes when I'm done here."

you look at him with wet eyes, brows furrowed. this expression of yours always manages to break his heart, even if he doesn't show it.

he pulls away a short distance, only to wrap his firm arms around your body, pulling you into him for a hug. your fingertips trace over his muscles and your eyes flutter closed, peacefully. you sigh once more. this is what it feels like to come home, even when you're already home.

the hug ends when he feels your body becoming slack. the exhaustion is winning. he straightens, gathering sides of the towel to pat you down one more time, making sure your entire body is completely dry.

a light chill hits your body, but other than that … you've calmed down quite a bit. you hear his voice firmly command you to lie back and you do. your head hits the soft expanse of the clean sheets, your lower body still resting on the towel. Sylus returns, asking you to lift your legs to slide your underwear up. he hands you your period care item so you can apply it yourself.

he stands in front of you, holding up two different kinds of pajamas — one is your favorite matching set that had a cute pattern on it, the other a soft-textured over-sized tee that was a solid but pretty color. you silently lift a finger, pointing at the one you want.

Sylus offers a light smile, his eyes crinkling a bit, showing off his sexy crow's feet that bracket them perfectly. "I knew you'd pick that one. Just thought I'd give you the illusion of choice in these trying times."

you giggle, lifting your arms for him to tug the pajamas onto your body for you. your head pops out of the top of the shirt and he kisses your scalp.

he throws the towel into a nearby laundry bin, then lifts you up before tucking you in. one of your stuffed animals makes eye contact with him, sending him a psychic message that it's the one you usually cuddle with. Sylus firmly nods before picking it up and settling it next to you. you smile, pulling it closer to your chest.

" … You're adorable," he purrs with adoration, a hand finding the top of your head and raking through, sending warm shivers down your body.

the overhead light comes off in exchange for the smaller lamp that sits on your night stand. he disappears for a little while, coming back with a liddle cup of water. he puts it near the lamp, arranging your pain relief meds right next to it. he crosses his arms, focus suddenly covering his expression. he checks over everything one more time, glancing over your relaxed figure. you can barely keep your eyes open now, but you want to keep watching him. you love him so much. what would you do without him?

he thinks the same of you.

you reach up.

"Hm? Cuddle?"

you nod.

he laughs softly.

he only strips himself of his jacket, shirt and belt. his shoes have long been abandoned at the front door. he invites himself into bed, ontop of your sheets. you frown. he explains that he has some business to attend to in a couple of hours but he would be more than happy to keep you company until you've arrived safely in dreamland.

of course you want him to stay the whole night. he's lucky you don't have the energy to fight back at the moment.

━━━

sleep has you in its clutches now. Sylus had been keeping an eye on you, listening to your heartbeat through the pulse in your neck with his fingertips. Focusing on the way your breathing changed, minute by minute. he silently jabs a finger at your plushie. keep her safe or i'm sending my men to your location. i know where you live.

he sneaks out of bed and heads to your bathroom where he manages to quietly rinse the blood off of the shower floor without waking you. all of your things are back where they belong, arranged neatly. like the horrors of tonight never happened.

before leaving your room, he watches you for a moment more, capturing the sight of your sleeping body and the sounds of your little whimpers, coming now from a place of happiness as you slumber and dream.

you are safe.