The Scrybe of Curiosities (Inscryption, P03 x Reader)

Chapter 8, Recovery

-Y/N's point of view-

"Good morning, sunshine."
Their voice was strained and rough, they were still pretty out of it, eyes barley opened. They didn't even process what had happened, all they could focus on was P03's claw resting on their cheek, the ever-present whirring of it's fans and the gentle vibration that traveled through it's whole body. "Good to see you're not dead.." P03 mumbled, looking tense. Y/N was still half asleep, only humming in response.
They both relaxed a bit, once again enjoying each other's company, P03 analyzed every detail of Y/N's face, while they rubbed it's claw with their thumb, interlocking their fingers with it's metal digits. After a few minutes of comfortable silence, P03 noticed Y/N was shivering. It should've expected this, given the temperature of the mausoleum, but the bot didn't know anywhere to find a heater. Y/N noticed the concerned look on it's screen. "What's wrong?" Their look mirrored P03's concern. "You're cold. I don't think there's anything I can get to help with that, I was just trying to find a solution."
Y/N chuckled, which was unexpected, but it made the bot feel warm again. Y/N gave it's claw a slight tug, and P03 realized exactly what they were suggesting. The worried look on P03's screen gave them pause, "You don't have to, obviously. I just-" "-I'd... I'd like that... a lot..." P03 interrupted, barely audible. A smile crept up Y/N's face as they pushed themselves up from the gurney, and got onto their hooves, holding onto P03's shoulders for support. P03 looked almost shocked they were standing, but once again hid it behind it's default expression of boredom. Once Y/N felt like they could walk, they started towards the closed door they assumed was the exit, P03 followed, keeping a close eye on them to make sure they didn't collapse. Y/N found themselves in a Victorian-style living room, and led P03 over to the nearest couch, sitting down with a soft, plush throw blanket and motioning for P03 to sit on their lap. P03 instead went beside them, lowering themself onto the couch and muttering "I get you heal quickly or whatever but I'm heavy as hell. Im not sitting on your cuts and stitches." Y/N understood, but sitting next to it wasn't warming them up all that much. "You mind if I-" "Go ahead, do whatever's comfortable just- I don't want to hurt you, that's all." With that, Y/N got comfortable, sitting right against them, legs around their base and arms around their neck, resting on it's shoulders. Their head rested on P03's monitor, and it's screen fit into the crook of their neck. Y/N pretended to not notice P03 nuzzling their monitor in, the vibrations of the machine making it almost purr. Their hand made it's way to the back of it's monitor, their fingers hooked on the top of it's head while their palm rested against the back of the monitor, slowly rubbing left and right, earning the most pleasant humm from it's mechanical body. They sat there, neither wanting to break the silence, but Y/N needed to know how they went from being mauled by wolves to a gurney in the Scrybe of Death's temple.
"What.. happened..?" P03's screen twitched. "I didn't realize it was that bad.. well, you got attacked by some wolves-" "I know that, I remember how I got hurt, I just... how did I get here?" P03 shifted a little in Y/N's embrace. "Grimora saw you injured and patched you up." They said hurriedly. "All I did was sit around and wait for you to wake up, nothing else." It added, but Y/N had gotten good at reading it, and they could tell this was a rushed lie. They decided to pry a little harder, hoping to get some truth out of this conversation. "Huh.. didn't know Grimora was up so late..." "She was taking care of a cadaver." P03 said quickly, it's tone a mix of defensiveness and matter-of-fact-smartass-ness "Oh, who was it? Did you see their name or anything? I'd feel bad to interrupt something like that." "James. His name was James. And don't worry, Grimora was pretty much done." "And you're covered in blood because...?" Y/N couldn't help the smug grin that crept onto their face as P03 went dead silent. Y/N pulled away just enough to see it's screen flash from ellipses to it's regular face. "I... well, Grimora needed a bit of help." P03 noticeably heated up, their fans worked to compensate and their body shook a bit more than usual. Y/N was tempted to call their bluff, but settled for the least convinced "yeaaahhh" they were capable of. P03 gave them an annoyed look and pushed them away, although it was more of a nudge, since P03 was so concerned about hurting them.
'I should know by now if I need a cuddle buddy I'll need to visit my friends.' That's when it hit them, they couldn't. Their fins were ripped to shreds and they weren't sure their gills would fully recover. P03 noticed their grimace and a look of concern displayed itself across it's screen "Are you hurt? Did I hurt you??" The genuine panic in it's voice didn't help Y/N's painful realization that they may never swim again, or at least, not like they use to. "Y/N? Y/N stop gawking and say something!" They felt tears pool in their eyes, everything felt almost.. numb. There they sat, frozen in place, feeling like if they spoke even a single word, they'd fall apart. Despite that, they needed to assure P03 they weren't hurt, well, not more than they already were.
"I- just, my tail.. what if I can't swim again??" The tears fell, flooding their vision. P03 looked somewhat uncomfortable, but pulled them in, mimicking what Y/N had done earlier, letting their head rest in the crook of it's 'neck' and petting their short, fluffy hair. "Stop crying.. just, it's not that big of a deal, I'll fix it." Y/N couldn't really comply, their tears falling down P03's upper body. "P03, my tail-" They hiccuped, starting to shake along with P03. "my tail fins won't grow back— it's gone! I can't swim- P03 I.." there was a long, sob filled pause, they desperately tried to bury their face in P03's neck.
"What if I can't see my friends again?"