Shots and Shatters

The Smell of Copper and Disinfectant

HOSPITAL, BLOOD, PANIC ATTACK, AND GUN MENTION TW

There was a dense ringing in SMG4's ears as he floated in a void of numbness, he could hear a distant beep every now and then, and muffled, discombobulated talking...

4 didn't know where he was, or what was happening... Every time he tried to figure it out, something pulled him into a deeper rest, but he could feel himself getting closer to a light every time he attempted to gather his thoughts.

All he remembered was creating tomato soop, and then... Nothing.

4 tried to get out of whatever state he was in, but he felt trapped and unable to move, as if he was being weighed down by something, almost like...

Sleep paralysis?...

Was he asleep?

The more he thought of it, the more he could hear, the more he could feel, the more he could think.

Just like a knife, memory cut into him.

"I'm sorry, I have to do this..."

BANG!

With a gasp, SMG4 shot up in bed, making Mario almost fall back with a gasp of his own.

4's eyes refocused as his mind began to process where he was, as they tiredly scanned the area around him.

All of his friends were here, scattered around in his hospital room.

Just as 4 intended to speak, a sharp, horrible pain made him hiss in reaction. He looked down, seeing a gauze pad that was secured by tight bandages wrapped around his chest and back to hold it in place. 4 could feel how tender his skin was under the medical wraps.

"...wh..." He found his voice as he winced hard.

A gloved hand took his, as Mario looked at him with love in his eyes... And an air of sorrow to them too.

"Miei cari Quattro... ero così preoccupata!" The red plumber embraced him, avoiding his wound.

SMG4 enjoyed the hug for a moment, but wondered what all the fuss was about, he couldn't remember what happened for some reason... Did he have a kitchen accident or something?

"SMG4!" Meggy exclaimed, coming to hug him too. "You're awake!"

4 attempted to use his right arm to pat her back, but it hurt far too much for him to move it, so he used his left to do it instead.

"What happened?" 4's question made almost everyone in the room uncomfortable, as a few of his friends avoided looking at him.

Meggy sighed, willing herself to say... Something bad from what 4 could gather from her face.

"SMG4... Do you... Not remember?" She asked softly.

"No, please tell me.." 4 said. "I can handle it, whatever it is."

"SMG4." Meggy began, brows furrowing. "SMG3 shot you..."

4 paled, the ringing in his ears returned as his heart began pounding.

Like a train, feelings of grief, betrayal, and heartbreak came hurtling into him.

Now he could remember.

SMG3's eyes were cold and empty, the way his face looked was like something straight out of a horror movie.

SMG4 tried to brush it off by mentioning his newest meme, but 3 didn't care, merely raising his gun with the intention of killing 4.

And he shot him.

Watching him bleed out as he lost consciousness...

SMG4 was hyperventilating as he clutched at himself, suffering through a panic attack as the previous day's events became clear.

The very person he had come to trust, come to love, stabbed him in the back. And why? Because he got bored of being good? Because being evil was much easier for him?

"SMG4, it's going to be okay..." Meggy tried to vocally help him through his attack, but all of the emotions he felt were relentless.

SMG4's brain couldn't register anything as a monsoon of thoughts and questions rendered all of his senses useless.

His fingers were practically digging into his skin as his chest heaved, eyes staring into nothing.

All 4 could see in his mind was SMG3's terrifying expression as he watched him lay there helpless, his own blood pooling around him.

But suddenly... He was encased in warmth, a safe feeling he had felt many times.

Mario held SMG4 close, letting him clutch at his shirt as to not damage himself anymore, like the other times he had helped him through past panic attacks.

The meme guardian rode the aftermath of his attack, coming back to reality with heavy yet softer breaths.

"There we are..." Mario muttered. "I got you."

4 had pushed his body too hard, his ribs hurt slightly from his rapid sharp breaths, and this didn't help with his still tender injury.

Mario saw something in 4's eyes fade.. He didn't know if it was exhaustion, or... Hope leaving him.

As 4 returned to sleep, Mario still held his hand, his heart breaking as he watched someone who was so full of life feel so defeated...

"Gli farò pagare la pena per averti ferito, Quattro, te lo prometto. Non avrò pace finché non lo troveranno.."

Mario had tried to whisper only loud enough for 4 to hear, but his quiet promise was understood by his green brother.

Luigi looked on in concern, as he watched his twin brother begin a tread down a darker path... Grief considered, he wanted 3 to pay for this too, but this just wasn't right... This wasn't Mario.

"Come on guys." Meggy whispered. "Let's let SMG4 rest."

Their friend group had quietly, one by one, left the room, but Luigi stayed put. He joined his brother's side, placing a kind and comforting hand onto Mario's own.

Hurt, angry, tired eyes glanced down, and then up to Luigi's face.

Luigi looked back with a soft and concerned look in his, as Mario silently brought his hand down to his side, away from Luigi's.

It would be a fight to get Mario back, but Luigi was willing to do whatever it took to save his brother from his own rage.

"Sono qui anche per te, Mario. Non dimenticarlo mai..."