Righteous Indignation - RF! Welcome Home

Chapter 9 - Unfair Weather Friend

Walden Darling's Point of View

I paced up and down in my office, a hell of a lot of paperwork to get done, but I couldn't focus one bit. My assistant was going to be out of it for weeks. And knowing them, they're going to want to work ASAP, and I'm going to have to drag their happy ass into their dorm. What if their wounds don't heal right? What if they end up dying? They couldn't even speak that evening... they didn't go home, they were kept in the infirmary. Damn it Walden! Now you're worried. That's fucking wonderful. I'm not gonna get any peace until I go down there, am I? Oh, well.

Walking down to the infirmary, I strode into the room, immediately going over to Neighbor's little hospital bed in the corner of the room. The soft light from the window illuminated their face, and they looked oddly pleasant, aside from the bandages over their eye.

"Hey, Neighbor..." I said, awkwardly as I know that they're still unconscious, but it felt nice to get this off my chest.

"I'm sorry for what happened in the lab. If I had known you would lose an eye, I would have told you to stay with Poppy. I never meant for any of that to happen. I'm really sorry."

I lamented, feeling so embarrassed and guilty. I shouldn't be pouring my heart out like this, how will I set an example for Neighbor to be stronger in themselves? I looked around to make sure that there was nobody in the room with us. Thank god no one heard me say that. I have a reputation to uphold.

"Thanks, Mr. Darling..." I heard a voice speak, hoarse and tired but happy in nature. I snapped around, and I saw Neighbor with their eye half open, a look that made my heart rate jump on their face.

I stuttered, unsure and a bit frazzled now that they heard me open up.

"No problem. Um... how are you doing? It's been... difficult... without you."

They smiled, and that only made my nerves worse. Why? I don't know. Maybe I was just nervous because I haven't spoke to them in a while. Yeah, that's it. That's why.

"I'm good. When can I get back to work..?"

Neighbor asked, seeming to come to their senses.

"Hah, that's funny. Good one. You actually won't be going back to work until you are healed and have a proper way to take care of your scars and lonely eye socket."
I said simply, yet firmly.

"What?! No!"

"Neighbor,"

"I have tons of stuff I need to catch up on!"

"Neighbor."

"What if it all comes unraveled while I'm gone-"

"Neighbor!"

They flinched at my sudden interruption, and a pang of guilt hit me as they looked quite scared.

"You will not go back to work until you are back to your usual self. Do you understand?"

I commanded, mildly irritated at their defiance. They nodded, sitting up in bed and looking away from me.

"I don't want to sit here with my thoughts." They admitted, and fear was glistening in their eye. I studied it for a moment, taking in the way it seemed to shine more as tears began to spill.

Fuck. Oh no, no, no, what did I say wrong?

"Neighbor, listen, stop. Why are you crying?"

Their voice was cracked and shaky as they responded, hearing them gasp for air as they sobbed.

"I-I'm sorry for- for being weak again. I know- I know it'll get me killed, I can't help it- I'm sorry, I'm so sorry, but those images from the lab keep coming back, a-and I can't help it, and-"

I hugged them sharply, not really knowing what to do. I felt horror bubbling in my chest as they had apologized so profusely for being weak. For being soft. Something I told them wasn't okay, even though it was something I appreciated about them. I really did like it when they asked if I was okay, or when they showed emotion. It was calming, and helped remind me to loosen up a bit.

"What have I done to you? I'm so sorry, Neighbor, it's okay to be soft right now, it's okay to cry, please. Please cry, you need to let it out."

I pleaded, and they did so, my kindness seeming to make them more prone to their tears, sobbing into my shoulder. That was an odd reaction. I rubbed their back in a soothing manner with my hand- not my prosthetic, I thought my actual hand would help better, and I felt them hang onto me for dear life as if I was trying to separate us. What made them react so weirdly to kindness?

"Thank you, Mr. Darling..." They whispered miserably, their voice raspy through tears.

"Please, call me Wally when not on the job."

I requested, and they pulled away to look at me in the eye, their face lighting up with disbelieving joy. I nodded, and they latched onto me once more, mumbling one last thing.

"Thanks, Wally."