Fallout and Future

Chapter 8: Bagel Gets a Hangover

A/N: content warning time!!!!!!! check the end notes to find em

This chapter was beta read by both UdonPuddle and SubwayBossEmmett, both on AO3.

Well, gamers, it's been a hot minute, huh? Being perfectly honest, I'm not sure if I can keep up my old once-a-week upload schedule, but I'll try. Problem with that is that I'm heading out for a trip in a few days, so it'll be one to two weeks before I can get another chapter out (and I won't have much time to work during that trip, so it could take even longer than that). Apologies in advance.

Also, Chapters 1-6 will be edited so Basil addresses Polly as Ms. Polly. Hopefully those will be the final necessary edits to previous chapters, because I don't like making them.

Also also, I'd like to thank you for reading and leaving feedback. It always means a lot to me.

In other news, I now have a Tumblr where I post analyses, art and general thoughts. Ask me stuff there if you want to. https://www.tumblr.com/blog/arch-is-screaming

Weekly reminder that my Discord is Arch#5011 if you ever want to talk.

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"Nngh..." Basil groaned, wiping his eyes. A sharp pain shot through his head and he tried to shield his vision from the blinding light. What's going o- oh. Yeah.

The events of the previous day and the nightmare that had followed it rushed back to Basil, flooding his mind. He sat up, whining softly and holding a hand to his head. He slowly opened his eyes, feeling them sting as the morning light shined through his window.

...His window?

Basil realized he was in his room, sitting up in a made bed. He looked at the clock, eyes still adjusting to the sun, and cringed as he realized it was eleven A.M. His throat felt scratchy, as though it were filled with needles; he glanced around, finding a glass of water on his nightstand which he gratefully drank. His side ached; was he bleeding? He must've bumped into a table last night and been too drunk to realize.

Basil looked down. The wound was small, sure, but it'd still stained his shirt and sheets. He'd have to change both.

Afterwards, Basil glanced in the mirror, realized his face was streaked with tears, and tried to wipe his face the best he could. He tried to clean up the cut and placed a bandage on it. Considering its size and the thick material his t-shirt was made of, Polly probably hadn't noticed - if she had, it'd already be wrapped up.

Feeling somewhat better, Basil got out of bed, stretching and hearing his back pop. He was still wearing last night's outfit; he'd better change. After he pulled on a new set of clothes (it was a t-shirt and cargo shorts again, of course) and replaced the sheets with a new set from the closet, he slowly exited his room. He didn't want to disturb Polly again.

"Basil? How are you feeling?" He jumped a little, turning around to see Polly peering at him from the kitchen, holding a plate of eggs. "I was about to bring you some breakfast, but if you're not hungry..."

"O-oh! I didn't see you there, haha..." Basil rubbed the back of his head awkwardly.

"Basil, last night..." Polly began, but he cut her off.

"I-I was drunk. I went to a party and..."

"I know. That's not it, and I'm glad you're getting out more." Polly said gently. "I didn't want to wake you up, because you needed rest, but you were... saying some things in your sleep."

"...Oh."

Does she know? What did I say about Mari and Sunny? Over the past few days, Basil hadn't spent longer than an hour around Polly, but he saw the sidelong glances she gave him when she thought he wasn't looking; how she seemed deeply uncomfortable with the idea of leaving him alone. Her caution was warranted, Basil supposed.