Forever And Ever

● Chapter 6 ●

*TW: This chapter contains references to gender transitioning and panic attacks*

Freddy opened his eyes again. He could still hear the battle unfolding above him, but he landed on white sand, effectively breaking his fall.

He managed to sit up with only a pulled wrist. He turned to his side and noticed Bonnie. He was unresponsive on the ground.

Freddy panicked and slid himself closer to look him over.

He was bleeding heavily from his side, but he was still breathing. Freddy weighed his options.

He could not climb the steep cliff again with a pulled wrist. He would need to wait for his men to find him, or wait for his wrist to recover.

But he did not know if Bonnie would make it. He made up his mind quickly and unbuttoned his shirt to treat his wounds. Fortunately, he always carried basic medical necessities in his bag.

.

It has been a few hours. It was already evening and dead silent. He concluded his men must have assumed he died and left. He would need to return to the ship and wait for them.

He had already started a fire and treated Bonnie. There was no bullet in his injury, so Freddy was able to clean it and stitch it closed rather easily. When he was done wrapping it, Bonnie caught a fever.

Freddy soaked a handkerchief he carried around and layed it on the bunny's head to cool him down. He kept the bunny warm and comfortable by laying him on his coat and covering him with his emergency blanket. It did not bother Freddy much since he had thick fur to keep him warm. What worried him was that Bonnie had not woken up.

He checked on him every few minutes and confirmed his breathing and heart rate were steady, but he was still unresponsive. Freddy assumed he must be exhausted.

It was not until it was completely dark out before Bonnie opened his eyes again. Freddy had occupied himself with a book he carried in his bag while he waited.

Bonnie took a second to fully register his surroundings before he sat up abruptly in alarm.

He glanced down in confusion, seeing his wound treated and his body covered.

When he turned to his side and saw Freddy staring, he gasped and covered his exposed torso in embarrassment.

Freddy quickly covered his eyes and looked away. "I'm sorry! Y-you weren't waking up, and I didn't think you'd make it-!" He tried explaining.

"...you helped me...?" Bonnie asked in disbelief.

Freddy nodded and reached blindly for his folded shirt. He grabbed it and handed it back to Bonnie to cover himself.

"It's okay. You've seen it already, you can look..." Bonnie assured him, taking the garment from him. Freddy hesitantly glanced back at him as he pulled his top back on.

"...thank you..." Bonnie muttered silently, avoiding eye contact. Freddy laughed nervously.

"It's alright... you saved me years ago, now we're even."

Bonnie chuckled but still held a solemn expression, and he would not look at Freddy.

Before the bear could ask him what was wrong, Bonnie spoke up again.

"So... you know, huh?"

Freddy nodded awkwardly, knowing exactly what Bonnie meant. The bunny sighed.

"Yes... I wasn't... born a man." He admitted.

"I was a little girl, but... it didn't feel right. It wasn't me."

Freddy nodded in understanding. Bonnie finally glanced at him shamefully.

"Is that a problem...?" He asked.

Freddy shook his head and smiled kindly. "It doesn't matter to me. You're still the same Bonnie."

The bunny finally smiled, much to the relief of Freddy. Now that there was less tension, he started a conversation.

"...so, where are you going to go after this...?"

Bonnie laughed humorlessly. "Nowhere... I'm a dead man." He stated bluntly.

Freddy furrowed his brows. "You don't have family to go back to-?"

"No, my family doesn't know I'm alive! I don't know where they are! I have no home..." He was laughing, but his breath was quickening and his voice shook. When the laughing turned to desperate gasping, Freddy realized he was panicking. His eyes were tearing up, but he continued trying to laugh it off.

Freddy crawled over to him and lifted a paw to rub his back and comfort him. Bonnie jumped when he felt it, but relaxed as he remembered it was Freddy.

He opened his arms to invite Bonnie in, and the bunny wasted no time clinging onto him as he wept hopelessly.

Freddy tried thinking of how to cheer him up.

"Don't give up so easily. I... I know there's someone out there who really cares about you. And who wants to help you..."

Bonnie wiped his eyes and lifted his head to glance at Freddy. Seeing the bunny so broken and pitiful broke his heart.

"There isn't! No one's ever cared about me!" He sobbed. Freddy sighed and picked up the handkerchief Bonnie dropped to wipe his eyes.

"Trust me. There is." Freddy promised.

Bonnie finally calmed down, muttering a 'thank you' to him.

When he realized how close he was to the bear, he pulled away again quickly and scooted away, hugging his knees anxiously. "Why did you...?" Freddy asked, visibly hurt.

Bonnie stared at the ground.
"I... commend you for saving me... and comforting me. But..."

His ears dropped, and his initial sadness returned.

"I don't feel comfortable being close to you." He stated simply, a hint of bitterness in his tone.

Freddy sighed but nodded respectfully. "I understand... sorry."

Bonnie scowled, lowering knees again comfortably and crossing his arms. The tension from their first meeting returned.

"... that was my first kiss, y'know." He finally spoke up.

When he got Freddy's attention, he elaborated.

"When we kissed... that was my first kiss ever... and-".

His voice shook again.

"I-I wanted it to be special... I wanted you to be the one..."

That made Freddy feel terrible. He felt like a monster for what he did. It was such a stupid mistake, and it ended up hurting someone. He did not know what to say.

"...I am... I'm so sorry... I swear, I never meant to hurt you like this..."

Bonnie finally lost his temper. "Then what were you trying to do?!"

Freddy went into defensive again as he tried explaining himself.

"I didn't mean to lie! I-I wanted you to like me, and... I knew you'd be upset if you knew... I just panicked!"

Bonnie went silent for a moment and thought about what he said. He visibly calmed down, but he still appeared upset.

"I accept your apology... but I'm still not comfortable with you right now."

Freddy accepted that. He has not forgiven himself either. He only hoped they could get along better, especially now that they were both stranded.