After All, I'm Your Secret Admirer~!!

Ch43 - Peer Review

Paige wakes up feeling like death.

"Ugh..." he groans, lifting up. He rubs his eyes and expects to see his bed, room and Teds.

Instead, this is someone else's bed. Someone else's room. Someone else's... Cyndaquil plush?

...Oh!

...Oh.

The evening comes back to Paige in a steady stream, but it's foggy. He remembers screaming and crying... but for whatever reason it's like Paige can only see the memory of it in third person. He's just slightly right of the action.

That, of course, did not hurt his brain at all. In the slightest. Of course not.

As Paige tries his hardest to recover from being blasted with everything that happened, Leaf stirs. "Paige...?" they mumble. Paige can see them rub their own eyes as they lift up from where they'd been laying near the fireplace. "You awake now?" they yawn.

"I guess," Paige replies, voice cracking. He holds his throat. "Oh geez..."

"You were screaming for a while," Leaf informs. "Use that water the nerd left for you."

"Hey..." Paige fights weakly, reaching over and grabbing the bottle of water. He takes three big gulps before closing it again and clearing his throat. "Don't call him a nerd..." His voice is still a little scratchy, but it hurts a lot less to talk now.

"Sorry," Leaf apologizes. "I..." They falter. "Nevermind. Sorry."

"It's okay." Paige sits up and lets his legs hang over the side of the bed. "I messed everything up," he says dejectedly.

"You had a panic attack after remembering something horrible," Leaf corrects in a bland but matter of fact tone. "I think you'll be forgiven."

"But what if I'm not, Leaf?" Paige asks, worry starting to suffocate him. "Wh-what if they want me to leave immediately? And I've ruined me and OJ's relationship? A-and I'll end up spending Thanksgiving alone anyways? And—and—"

"Paige," Leaf says seriously. "You're gonna work yourself into another panic. Calm down."

Paige takes a deep breath. "Yeah... yeah, you're right." He frowns. "But what am I supposed to do now? I..." He gasps suddenly. "Oh my gosh! The dinner..." He begins to rock a bit. "I-I hope I didn't stop anyone from eating...."

"I doubt it. They probably set a plate aside for you, though." Leaf huffs, but it's not unkind. "They seem like the type of people."

"Yeah..." Paige agrees. "I know they're really kind, so they'll probably forgive me too but... Augh!" His hands fly into his hair and he scrubs at it. "Why did that have to happen!? Everything was so good for once!"

Leaf sighs. "You were having fun."

"I was!"

"And you wish it never happened."

"I do!"

"...Sorry."

"Huh?" Paige blinks. "What are you sorry for? I'm the one who freaked the heck out..."

"..." Leaf isn't looking at Paige at all, biting his lip.

"Leaf?"

"It's my fault," he relents immediately.

"What? How is it your fault I freaked out?"

"If... If I..." Leaf shuts their eyes tight as they shake a bit, hands balled into fists at their side. "If I had just stayed... whatever I was before, you would've been fine." He breathes heavily. "There's no way you would've had that flashback if I weren't here. I know it." They sink against the side of the fireplace and mumble, "All I do is ruin things for you. Maybe I should just die."