Once Upon a Winter...

(Winter’s small protests fall on deaf ears though, as LQ quickly succumbs to his own gripping panic- hunching over, his breath comes loud and rapidly through his mouth, his heart all but jumping out of his chest at this point.·

He switches to gripping his shoulders painfully, bringing his arms tight across his chest as a small attempt at self-control, even as it spiraled out from under him… the nausea that had him earlier threatened to reclaim him again, and it was a small miracle that his knees didn’t give out on him like the rest of him seemed to do.

He wheezes, trying to catch his breath and mumbling through it as well…)

C-c-c-can’t, h-h-hahhhh, c-can’t h-h-h-have , h-h-hahh, v-v-v-visssit-t-tors h-hh-here…… c-c-can’t h-h-have….. c-can’t h-h-have v-v-v-vi….. a-aaaahhh….. aaaaahhhhhggghhh……. ·

/Winter grimaced as LQ hunched over and began to shake violently, the man sounding like he was trying to breathe through a straw. A panic attack... again?/

/Winter covered his mouth and quickly paced back and forth a few steps around LQ, trying to get his emotions in check and words back together - words that wouldn’t send LQ into even worse tremors. He... really wasn’t good at this, was he? Good at helping others, at least. Even when he thought he was doing his best it always only seemed to do more harm... the thought sent a shark spike of ice through Winter’s heart./

/But even through the initial icy anger and frustration at LQ’s sensitivity, Winter knew - LQ couldn’t help it. It wasn’t his fault he’s like this. Winter knew LQ was already pushing himself to his limits with himself being there - so Winter swallowed his pride and his frustration. It would do no good here./

“No - no LQ, you didn’t - you didn’t let me finish. I promise you no body else set a foot in this place but me. Yes, I had people deliver the supplies, but they left the boxes outside for me to carry in. This isn’t my house - I didn’t invite anyone inside.”

/Winter spoke softly, squeezing the words through his tight throat. Even though he did his best to push his emotions aside - he was still upset that he upset LQ again./

(LQ’s grip on his thneed continues to tighten as Winter carries on, his knuckles shaking slightly under the pressure. Despite his reassurances, these changes to his scenery were registering with LQ as very much not alright - there were new things, new and shiny new boxes full of supplies and….how did he say they got here again? Delivered?

Winter’s voice seems to fade slowly as his mind focuses in on that one word… delivered. He had supplies delivered. How did he get them delivered to his house? Did he…. oh.

Oh, no. No no no –

A strangled cry escapes from LQ’s lips as he focuses his eyes in on Winter and yet not at all, his shoulders shaking even more from the strain of his grip now. His voice rises to an uncomfortably high pitch as he all but screams at the other once-ler, breathing rapidly as he quickly spirals into panic.)

Y-YOU HAD P-PEOPLE AT MY H-HOUSE?!!!

/Winter‘s smile slid off his face and practically shattered on the floor at LQ’s stomach-dropping shriek. This was most definitely not the reaction he had anticipated - or wanted./

(Despite the immediate fear that grips LQ’s chest as Winter notices him, he forces himself to pay attention to the smile on the other’s face, and avoiding the urge to turn tail and run, he forces himself to take a small step into the kitchen from the doorway; the grip on his thneed wrings. He attempts to hold eye-contact with him, but the unsettling brightness to Winter’s eyes throw his gaze searching elsewhere….

….the kitchen was different. That much was for certain, as he spied some unfamiliar bottles and supplies and whatnot scattered about his countertop, though in a way that looked… purposeful? He tries to glance into one of the cupboards Winter had had opened, but it had closed most of the way when the other had turned his attention towards LQ.

Heart continuing its hammering, LQ attempts to keep the mounting apprehension and fear out of his voice consciously, and is consciously aware that he is failing miserably at that.)

….I-i, uhm….. I’m….. w-what’s g-going on here? M-my… my…..

/Winter tries to keep his smile steady and reassuring as he watches LQ’s eyes try and fail to keep focused on him, instead flickering nervously around the room - picking out the differences no doubt. Nobody could say LQ wasn’t an observant man, even despite his health issues./

“It’s alright! it’s alright - I apologize for my forwardness, but while you were asleep I tidied up a little. Nothing big, mostly sweeping and such. I also noticed that you seemed a little... low on supplies. So I ordered some to be delivered for you.”

/Winter smiled more sturdily this time, trying to will reassurance into the air around him to attempt to keep LQ calm. He knew that even after an obviously much-needed rest, LQ wasn’t at 100%. He guessed he wouldn’t be for a long time still./

(Even as quietly as LQ tries to go down the hall towards the kitchen, the creaking of the floorboards surely give away his presence somewhat, at least to anyone listening. Thneed balled in his fists nervously, LQ pokes his head around the corner of the kitchen, peering in.

Boxes…. there were a lot of boxes in his kitchen, and not any that he really recognized, either. They weren’t labeled like his Thneed boxes were… what was going on? He stared silently at them, trying to remember if they had been there before or not, but the blank in his memory didn’t feel like the previous ones…. thoroughly confused, he turned his eyes up to Winter, taking note that the rest of kitchen looked…. off, too.

Clean…. cleaner than it had looked in years. His heart thudded uncomfortably in his chest.)

A-ah, uhm…. W-winter, w-what’s all this…?

/Winter jumped lightly, having been so lost in his thoughts as he methodically put away supplies that he hadn’t heard LQ approach - even despite how noisily the stairs squawked at the lightest touch./

/Winter turned his head towards LQ, his automatic nervous smile lifting to a more warm one when he noticed that even with just a little rest, LQ looked a lot better than he had before. Not great... but better./

“LQ! You’re up! How are you feeling?”

/Winter closed the cupboard in front of him, walking up to LQ gently. Around the two of them there were quite the array of boxes - Winter had been busy while LQ slept./

/He had taken it upon himself to tidy up LQ’s home a little, cleaning the clutter, cobwebs and old bandages up to make the home look at least a little less daunting. There were still old bloodstains on many of the house’s surfaces, but LQ didn’t have a mop that he had found, and he had been too busy putting away the supplies he had delivered to do any deep cleaning./

/While he tidied up Winter had wandered and... snooped, he’d allow himself to call it that. He had highly doubted LQ would willingly tell Winter what he needed - LQ might not be strong physically, but his stubbornness was unmatched in Winter’s experience. Winter discovered that LQ was out of or just completely missing many of what he considered bare essentials to living - so he had immediately started taking stock, and had a few of his company trucks deliver supplies./

This is absolutely....

...

....

It’s not like it’s your fault, why are you -

Wh - I’m not ‘dissing’ anyone, I just can’t understand why -

...Oh.

Well, don’t worry, I’m already in the process of doing that. I’ve got some deliveries coming from my company. Clothing, better food, essentials like soap and the like... LQ’s house is seriously bare.

Well, aside from the mountain of peaches.

It’s going to be a while before the trucks come, so in the meantime I best get to tidying up a little bit...

Oh, uh - I don’t know how he told you to tell me that seeing as how he’s asleep and probably won’t wake up for quite a few hours but, thank you.

I’m glad to be of -

Yeah? Well -

-ktchak-

... help.

I’m going to help him.

Hello, is this the... Greenville Grand Pharmacy?

It is? Good. I’m calling on behalf of Mr. Once-ler. Do you still have his records on file?

Ah, yes. As he’s... unable to call right now, I’m inquiring on having his prescriptions refilled.

... aha? That’s alright - I’m in no rush.

...

.....

I can’t do that! I -

Hhh... I promised him I wouldn’t take him away until he was ready.

And I’m going to keep that promise.

....

(The trip to his bedroom was mostly a blur, from LQ’s perspective- he was sitting, then standing again, and then finally being laid down, finally, finally.)

(It had been so, so long since he had actually laid on his bed, and the smell of rust and copper wasn’t nearly as strong as it had been last time…. it dimly registered in his mind that Winter might’ve changed the bed’s sheets. Huh. That had been something LQ had considered doing…. over a year ago, the last time he had been in this room. Another part of his lerkim-factory complex that he had quietly closed off and deemed a lost cause. )

(Maybe he really should take Winter up on help…. maybe he could gain parts of his house back.)

(It occurs to LQ that Winter had asked him a question, then - he blearily opens his eyes just a sliver, a dark shape that was the other once-ler appearing in his vision. He breathes quietly through parted lips for a moment, but no words manage to form their way from his brain at all, and he just stares at Winter for a moment before closing his eyes again.)

……hah….?

/Winter could easily see that LQ’s grasp on consciousness was fading rapidly. He just hoped that it was merely sleep that LQ needed, and not... anything else. The man did look like he hadn’t had a good nights sleep in years though, so Winter was at least glad he helped a little with that./

/Winter didn’t bother trying to get LQ to answer his question - it’d be pointless. He was already teetering on the edge of sleep. So instead he lightly patted LQ’s shoulder as his breathing evened out./

“...Just rest. You need it.”

/He then stood straight and walked towards the door as quietly as he could, grimacing at the old bandages and pill bottles on the dresser and endtable. Thinking to himself for a moment, he grabbed a handful of the nearest ones - both bottles that looked like prescriptions, and over-the-counter pain meds. He stared at the labels as he closed the bedroom door behind him, reading off names and prescription renewals numbers./

(LQ can’t help but wilt under Winter’s scrutiny, his eyes firmly affixing themselves to the floor as he is questioned. At the question of where his sheets are, he thinks of it for a moment…. but, as per his norm, comes up with nothing. His shoulders shake uncomfortably the longer he stands upright, swaying a bit on his feet. )

….t-the…. the closet? I d-don’t….. s-sorry, I’m–

(He pauses abruptly, swallowing heavily as he appears to grow even a shade paler. )

/Winter presses his lips together, sighing again - but this time in regret. As angry as he was at LQ’s living conditions, he had no right to take it out on the man himself, even if it was unconsciously./

“Hey, don’t - I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to - sorry.”

/Winter watched as LQ’s face paled noticeably, going from ghastly to just plain not good. He felt the blood drain from his face in response - it would do no good for either of them if LQ fainted on the spot./

“Hey hey hey hey nonono - let’s just - here.”

/Winter stepped forward hurriedly and gathered LQ up in his arms, practically dragging the limp man from the bathroom to his bedroom. He sat LQ down gingerly on the edge of the bed, trying to avoid the worst of the stains./

“Stay here.”

/Winter then turned around in a circle in the bedroom till he caught sight of the closet door - wrenching it open and pulling out the first sheets he found. While they smelled a little musty and had some older, washed out stains on them, they were at least clean. Mostly./

/He then turned around and ushered LQ into a standing position, which the man did so weakly and silently. Though he hesitated, Winter ripped the dirtied sheets off the mattress, keeping them balled up so the mess and bandages encrusted to the fabric stayed inside. He tossed them off to one side, noticing the mattress protector - well, at least the mattress was mostly spared. Maybe he didn’t have to buy LQ a new bed. (Though he still might)./

/Seeing as how the mattress protector wasn’t much better off than the old sheets, Winter pulled that off too and discarded it, throwing the clean sheets on the bed and tucking them in. He then turned to LQ, who was visibly fading fast, and helped him onto the bed./

……… ……….. ………..

(Sigh.)

Y-yeah. Yeah, I’m…..

(He trails off, not feeling fully confident that he could even bother lying to Winter at this rate about his status, but not wanting to…invoke any more sympathy, as well. Instead, LQ lets out another sigh before clambering back up to his feet, bracing himself on the bathroom door for a moment as his head swam unhelpfully, before opening the door. He avoided Winter’s gaze, as he knew the other man would surely be still aghast with his condition; indeed, LQ could see sparks and static on the edges of his vision, as he struggled to stand upright for much longer.

He really needed to lie down….)

S-sorry, ah….. k-kinda, uhm…… y-you know, d-dozed off….. I think….. y-you, uhm…… y-you saw….?

/Winter’s expression was sour when LQ tottered through the door, but at the man’s own ashamed one Winter could hardly stay upset. At least, a little./

“Yes, I did. How - why?! How is that... do you have clean sheets somewhere at least? If the mattress is damaged I’m buying you a new bed, I hope you know.”