Crowned

Arc 2, Chapter 52: Departure.

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Paper gently held Balloon in his arms. He let him cry— bawl— shriek. Whatever he needed. He held the young boy comfortingly, crying with him. A gentle hand pet his head and wiped his tears away. Providing soothing words to ease his pain. Paper could tell this wasn't the only time he's experienced something like this. The way he reacted made that clear.

Paper held Balloon and provided the comfort he needed as Balloon curled up in his arms a cried softly. His trembling never ceased as he hid in his wings.

OJ sat down next to Paper silently... looking worriedly at Paper, concerned on why he was behaving this way.

Paper ran his hand against his feathers. Hushing him and holding him as if he was an infant. Of course, not to belittle him, but because to Paper this WAS his baby. His child. He'd grown attached... every instinct told him to comfort him. To protect him.

Balloon went through so much... Held so strong for so long. He could defend himself— he could stand strong. But this was all just too much for him. Every single bit of stress crushing him like thousands of bricks. He never once got a break from his sorrows... All Paper wanted to do was shield him from the world.

He shifted Balloon in his arms so he could be more comfortable. He saw Balloon's spike of fear when this happened. He was scared Paper was going to abandon him. A clear sign of separation anxiety. He held him in a more comfortable position, whispering comforting words.

"It's okay... I've got you..." he reassured softly, brushing stray feathers and ooze from his wings, and running his hand across them comfortingly, tears in his eyes evident as he tried not to break down in that moment.

Balloon held onto Paper's cloak now. Not wanting him to let him go. Not letting him let go. He couldn't take it. The contact of someone he trusted provided him with the safety he desperately needed. His wings curling around him, his cries shifted to small whimpers. And they slowly eased as Paper hugged him tightly now... protectively holding him.

Balloon only wished Nickel could be here too.

Paper held onto the child in his arms allowing him to rest and cry. He finally took a moment to take in his surroundings. A cave. Right... they were in a cave... he tried to process what he'd saw...

The repeating events blurred together... But the one thing he couldn't get out of his head... What Cobs did to Balloon one of those times... The pain and taste of his own blood and tongue meat... he shivered and held Balloon tighter. Stroking the feathers with worry.

OJ reached out. "Paper are you alright—?!"

"DON'T TOUCH!!!" He slapped OJ's hand away, feeling Balloon flinch, followed by his own flinching as he looked into OJ's now hurt eyes. "I—I'm sorry! I'm sorry I'm—I—I'm so..." he covered his mouth and choked out a few tears. "..I didn't mean to I—..."

OJ scooted closer taking the two closer arms wrapped around them both. "It's alright... I understand." OJ murmured.

Paper leaned onto his husband and cried curling up around Balloon and into OJ's arms. "I want to— to protect them! It's so... So hard I... I just can't! I cant... do this!" He cried, blinking out tears through a shaky breath.

"We're all safe now... It's okay." He continued to comfort his husband. He gave him a few kisses on his forehead as he gave soft words of comfort.