Fate's Bullet

Guilt

Third POV:

"Ahh it's nothing, just random gibberish! Now let me aid you." Espio blurted, stiffening his tone at the end of his sentence. With that, Silver sighed, sitting on the closed toilet seat and removing the tampered bandages in full. "Be gentle.." Silver warned, subconsciously leaning back as Espio moved closer with the damp paper towel. "That's all I intend to do." Espio hummed, dabbing the paper towel against the wound. Silver hissed from the feeling, his face in a scowl as his ears lowered. Espio tossed the paper towel in the trash, adding a dot of antibiotic ointment on his finger before gently rubbing it around the incision. His tail coiled when making contact with the area, the rest of his body tensing along with it.

"I'm worried you know.." Silver mumbled, his eye droopy and purposefully avoiding eye contact. "Don't be, I've bandaged dozens of wounds from Charmys antics." Espio hummed, grabbing the small roll of bandages from the counter and unraveling a portion. "No, I mean I'm worried about you." Silver retorted, Espio tensing up at his words. "When I woke up from surgery, I asked the doctors how you were doing and
they-" Silver choked on his words, Espios quickly glancing over at him before he began wrapping the bandages around Silvers torso. "They said that you were unconscious.. and that you could be in a coma." Silver uttered. Espio paused for a moment, looking up at Silver who had small tears poking out the corners of his eyes. "Oh, Silver.." Espio muttered, placing his hand on Silvers shoulder. "And when I asked if you'd wake up they told me not to count on it!" Silver laughed, his tone bittersweet as small tears poured out his eyes and down his face. "And now you're seeing stuff and going crazy.." Silver whimpered, rubbing his eyes with his palms.

"I'm such an idiot.." Silver sobbed, keeping his hands over his face. He hung his head low, almost half of it hidden in his chest fur. Espio quickly strapped the bandage together, pulling Silver to the edge of the toilet and wrapping his arms around him. "You're not an idiot Silver.." Espio mumbled, grimacing at the sound of Silver choking on another sob. "I am though, if I had just came down like Amy told me to neither of us would be in this situation!" Silver mewled, resting his forehead against Espios chest. "You just wanted to be helpful, there's no crime in that." Espio soothed, carefully running the tips of his fingers through Silvers quills.

Silver sniffled, biting his tongue as to not make another sound. It pained Espio to see the hedgehog so broken. Minor, his injury's were compared to Silvers. "What was it like..?" Silver mumbling against Espio, his gaze staying on the ground beneath them. "Pardon?" Espio questioned, tilting his head slightly down at an attempt to make eye contact. "While you were unconscious, what was it like?" Silver elevated his voice every to slightly, turning his head to the side away from Espios eyes. Espio pulled away from embracing Silver, sitting on his legs on the floor whilst looking up at Silver. "Well if it eases your worries, it felt like nothing more than a second. One minute you were in my arms and the next I as in a hospital.." Espio hummed, watching as Silvers ears ever so slightly perked only to go back to being pinned against his head.

"Listen to me Silver-" Espio began, resting his hand on top of Silvers. "-No one could have know that something like this could happen, let alone would happen. It's neither your fault nor mine, we just were at the wrong place at the wrong time." Espio soothed, Silvers body slowly relaxing. "What's important now is that we are alive and partially healthy. Whatever it is we are suffering from we can heal from, together." Espio cooed, watching as Silvers pitiful frown slowly morphed into a weak smile. His ears stood up higher as he sniffed softly. "Thanks Es.." Silver smiled, his eyes still watery from tears. Espio could only smile back, an odd sensation bubbling in his chest. "I'd be best to go downstairs now, otherwise Charmy and Vector might begin to worry." Espio suggested, helping Silver up from his seat and opening the door for him to exit. "Right, and thank you, really Espio. I needed to hear that.." Silver smiled, wiping away a stray tear on the side of his cheek. "Anytime Silver." Espio hummed, closing the door behind Silver and softly shutting it closed.

He took a deep breath in, his face flushing red the moment the door closed. He clutched his hand overtop his chest, feeling his heavy heartbeat against his finger tips and in his ears. He rested his back against the door, sliding all the way down it and sitting limply on the cold tile floor. His stomach felt as if a million butterflies had exploded within.

"What's is this feeling?"