Handplates

A for effort

"Brother... Brother, wake up." 2-P's voice rang inside 1-S's dreams, stirring him from sleep. Mumbling he rolled over, slowly opening his eyes. "Nnnh- wuh- when'd you get back...?" he asked, opening them fully now. "Oh jeez- what happened?!" he exclaimed, sitting bolt upright, reaching out slowly and tenderly touching 2-P's face which was lined with cracks. "What'd he do to you??" He put his hand on 2-P's cheek, as 2-P winced in pain as he recalled the test. "Hnnnnnnhh" 2-P groaned. "Okay okay, bad question, never mind. What can I do? Is there any way I can help?" 1-S asked. "You... you can... you've got to heal me..." 2-P told him shakily, causing 1-S to pull away in shock. "What??" He asked. "Heal... I need..." 2-P replied weakly, falling to his knees. "But- but he didn't teach me how, I don't- I can't, I'm not strong enough-" 1-S stammered, looking down at his hands helplessly. "Got to... you can do it..." 2-P gasped weakly, clutching the metal ledge that served as their bed, shaking with the effort of staying up. "I don't know how! What am I supposed to do!?" 1-S yelled, throwing his arms out in panic. "You just have... too..." 2-P said with a sigh, tilting sideways and falling to the floor, unconscious. 1-S started, clambering down beside his brother, breathing heavily. "Oh god no, no no no- wake up wake up wake up- don't- don't go, don't go." he whimpered, picking up 2-P's limp body by the torso and holding him to his body. "Don't leave me, don't you leave me here, come on, you've gotta..." 1-S continued, screwing his eyes shut with concentration.

When he opened his eyes he was on a white plain that stretched on endlessly around him, looking around he saw 2-P lying a short distance away on his stomach, three bones sticking out of his back, pinning him to the ground. 1-S rushed over, grabbing 2-P's hands and trying to pull him up but to no avail. Stopping his pulling, he stepped behind 2-P and inspected the bones sticking out of his back. Reaching out to touch one he discovered it disappeared into a cloud of dust before his hand even made contact, realizing this he tried it again with the last two. The second disappeared just like the first but the third wouldn't budge, placing both hands against it he began to pull with all his might. When this didn't work he tried pushing, screwing up his face with the effort until he felt a hand touch his cheek.

Opening his eyes he saw 2-P had regained consciousness. "Okay..." he was saying softly, "It's okay, that's enough." 1-S held onto his brother as 2-P slowly sat up, rubbing the left of his face with one hand wearily. "Bro?? Oh thank god you're awake, I-" 1-S began before 2-P cut him off, turning around to face him, taking a hand away from his face to reveal a crack running from eye to mouth, splitting halfway down. "You can stop, I'll be okay." 2-P said, smiling weakly. "But... I didn't-... you're still hurt..." 1-S stammered. "It's okay... you did your best, I can... I'll be okay from here." 2-P reassured him, rubbing the back of his skull with an awkward smile. "my best... but..." 1-S said, looking down at his hands with a frown. "It's okay... I'm strong, I'll be fine." 2-P told him, smiling. "Is that really all I can do...?" 1-S asked, still staring at his hands. 2-P embraced him in a hug, stroking his head comfortingly. "Don't think like that, brother. You tried really hard and you helped a lot, really! I'm okay now... that's what matters, right?" 2-P asked. 1-S didn't respond, only lowered his hands and stared at the ground wordlessly. "...You're strong too, okay? You did a really good job." 2-P comforted soothingly. They sat in the embrace for quite some time.