MCYT RANDOMNESS 2

The Fire pt3

Pov: Cub

Whatever potions Scar finds works wonders. A few weeks later, I'm walking normally again, and my cough is gone. But Scar doesn't leave me alone that whole time. I enjoy the company, of course I do. But it feels like every minute  of every day he's here, fussing and worrying about me.

'I can't believe you didn't tell me, Cub...' he murmurs for the billionth time as he changes the bandages covering my side. The bleeding stopped a week ago, but the burn is still deep, red, sore and peeling. 

'I know...'

'I just can't believe how long you were down here suffering  Surely you saw it wasn't getting better... you could've told someone. We know X can handle magical injuries...' 

'You say this every time, Scar... I didn't realise normal potions didn't...'

'You still should've told me or X! Instead of just staying down here on your own, worrying the rest of the server.'

'Is THAT what you care about Scar?' I snap. His eyes widen, filling with confusion and hurt. 'YOU worrying about me?'

'What?! Why would you think that?' I need to stop. I need to stop before I say something I regret. But I've been here for 2 weeks being constantly lectured at and told off by Scar who normally can't last 3 minutes without dying.

'Because you clearly don't care about what I want!'

Scar's hurt only grows, but I don't take it back.

'Cub, that's not fair.'

'Isn't it? You come into my base, start acting like you built the place, interfering in every part of my life, refusing to leave me alone over and over again when you can SEE I'm uncomfortable... You treat me like I'm 5, you tell me off for everything, tell me I should tell X about whatever and stop hiding from the world and then 2 seconds later that I need 'time to recover' and I can't possibly walk outside for a couple of minutes- it's just constant, annoying, patronising...'

'What- Cub- I'm your friend! I'm HELPING you!'

'You're NOT!'

'Not WHAT? Not your friend?'

I slap Scar.

Hard.

He stumbles back, crashing into a chest and then the ground.

'F*** you.' I spit, burning with vex-aided fury. Scar doesn't reply, tears shining in his eyes. There's a new expression on his face. Betrayal. Just for a second before he starts crying. My anger vanishes.

'S***, Scar I didn't...' One hand on his shoulder and he turns on me, hissing. I fall back.

'It isn't my fault that you don't tell me anything!' Scar stands, snatching up my old burnt lab-coat I could never get rid of. His eyes are bright vex blue. 'I came here to help you, Cub! And if you don't want my help anymore, I- I won't give you any f***ing help!'

He storms past me, still holding the lab-coat. I run after.

'Scar, I'm sorry for hitting you. I wasn't thinking...' Scar doesn't stop, reaching the exit to what used to be my lab. 'Scar...' I grab his arm and he tears it away.

'Goodbye, Cub.' He spits, before fazing through the wall and out of sight.

Life's different alone.

Scar left potions, enough to keep trying to cover my injuries myself. Without Scar insisting I shouldn't push myself, I manage to clear up my lab until it looks reasonable. But I'm lonely. I miss the other hermits, I miss Scar. He doesn't message, and I can't find the right words to speak to him. Every thought about him turns to guilt. I hurt him. He was just helping and I lashed out. 

As winter gets closer, my willingness to leave ConCorp shrinks. It's freezing outside, and I feel far too unprotected without my labcoat, as little it gives any physical defence. But Christmas is coming too. I can't miss Christmas day spending with the Hermits. So I decide to leave my base, just for a few minutes, to sign up for Secret Santa,

And regret it immediately.

Outside in the cold, I miss my lab-coat even more. I can't hide the scars on my arm without it, there's only a thin shirt between the scars on my back and the rest of the world. Maybe thin enough to see through. And then I can't stop thinking about my scars from the Vex and the fire. If the other hermits can see them. I'm left feeling unprotected, trying to get back out of the cold and realising I'll have to do this all again for Christmas Day.

I stay inside again after that, ignoring the world as much as I could by, making something for False. I try to find myself anything festive to wear, finding a pair of clashing fluffy Christmas socks Tango got me and some tinsel in a box of Christmas  decorations I think Scar brought around at some point that I wear as a scarf. But it's not enough. I still feel defenceless and cold leaving ConCorp without my lab-coat, shivering at the back of the huge Christmas party Grian hosted. I don't speak to anyone. No one speaks to me, though they certainly speak about me. I haven't been around for 2 months, of course they're all worried. Scar's late, and when he arrives I avoid him as much as I can until we're forced next to each other around the Secret Santa bonfire.

'How are you doing?' Scar asks softly. I shrug.

'Can't you tell?' I don't mean for it to sound that bitter. Scar falls silent, looking away. 

'First gift is for... Ren!' Grian calls, excited. Scar focuses on them instead, playing along with the festivities, getting genuinely excited at the book of Star Wars themed base ideas Ren gives him. All I can do is try to stay unnoticed and hope I'm not letting the mood down.

'...Cub!' Grian's voice cuts through my thoughts and I realise I'm being given a present. I try to smile, unwrapping what appears to be just a cardboard box. I open it, seeing something made of thick white fabric that could only be...

A new lab-coat.

I glance at Scar. He's clearly worried about how I'll react to what only he could've got me. 

'What's in the box? What did you get?' xB asks, excited. In my mind, I reply, saying 'it's... something personal.' In reality, I start crying. All the emotion of the last two months breaks free. The discomfort. The loneliness. The pain. The worry about my friendship with Scar. I just break down, hugging the lab-coat. Scar hugs me.

'Oh no... no no no... I'm so sorry Cub I didn't think...'

I hug him back.

'Th- thank you.' I whisper through the tears. 'Thank you so much...'

'You- you like it?'

I nod.

'Cub...? Should I... continue?' 

I can't reply to Grian's comment, but Scar knows what I'd say anyway.

'Yeah. He's just...'

'I need some time to... recover.' I admit. 'Some more time to recover.'

'Take as long as you need.' Tango speaks, but the other hermits all nod and agree. I smile. Scar's still got an arm around my shoulder.

'Would you like me to... come...'

'Yeah. Thanks.' I return the lab-coat to it's box, leading the way back to ConCorp, with Scar just behind.

I spent so long on the ending I gave up :(

Also bonus facts I couldn't fit in because it's already 1200 words, Scar made the lab-coat himself