Cease the Suffering - Etrian Odyssey II (BoyxBoy)

Chapter 36

AN: Thanks so much SakuraiYoake for commenting and voting on the previous chapter! On a completely random note, I got new glasses this weekend and I was like “Holy shit, I can see!” Anyway, enjoy reading!

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Chapter 36:

Stumbling into the room, Axel helped Jhon limp over to the bed as Tobyn tried to clear the area, giving Lynus space to do his work, as well to make Jhon comfortable. After that he began to aide Jhon in the removal of his armour as Axel moved to step outside in order to push the other concerned guild-members back.

Lynus lifted his bag from his shoulder and dropped it onto the foot of the bed. Everything he needed - bandages and medicine – was right there. But first, an inspection. He needed to see what he was dealing with.

“Lie on your back,” Lynus instructed Jhon, who managed to do so while brushing off Tobyn’s hands.

Lynus could easily see the grimace on Jhon’s face and the pain in his eyes. Yet, like the first time he had met him, he refused to show it. Jhon didn’t want to cause Tobyn to worry, so was swallowing down his pain in order to give the blond-haired Survivalist a reassuring look.

While it was admirable as it was, Lynus would not be able to fully assess Jhon’s condition when he’s trying to comfort Tobyn.

“Tobyn?” Lynus said gently. “I think Hamza would like your opinion on that monster.”

Tobyn gave him this…startled and desperate look. It appeared that he didn’t want to leave, and yet he seemed uneasy. Almost as if he was afraid to see what kind of injuries that Jhon might have sustained while protecting him.

That was why Lynus was asking him to leave. Not because he was in the way, but because he was still upset by what happened.

“I’m ok,” Jhon said as he offered him a small smile. “Go.”

Tobyn glanced over at him, simply taking a moment to look at him. Finally, he nodded. “…Ok.”

“I’ll call if I need any help,” Lynus comforted, placing his hand on Tobyn’s arm and giving a light squeeze.

Tobyn turned to look at him for a moment before nodding silently again. Lynus watched until Tobyn left, closing the door quietly behind him, before he turned his attention to Jhon and began to fuss over him.

With Tobyn out of the room, the tension on Jhon’s form dissipated and he sunk against the sheets on his bed. He looked pale, the grimaces of pain on his face far more potent.

Lynus frowned as he checked him over, starting with the gash on his forehead that had managed to clot thanks to the brief periods of healing he managed to do while fleeing.

“Do you want to go to the hospital?” he asked him.

“Do you think I should?”

“Only if you think you’ll feel more comfortable,” Lynus said as he took an antiseptic wipe from his bag, carefully cleaning around the wound on his temple. “You’re ok with just me?”

Through a wince, Jhon managed a smile. “I’ll be fine here.”

“Ok,” Lynus said, returning the smile.

They lapsed into silence as Lynus cleaned up the blood from Jhon’s temple, noting that while the gash was rather jagged and uneven, it wasn’t all that deep. From the small pieces of earthy debris, Lynus was satisfied that it wasn’t from the monster, but rather when Jhon was thrown backwards.

Should be easy enough to heal.

Now, onto that leg of his.

Peeling back the armour, Lynus was surprised to note that the steel armour was not as damaged as one would have expected. It was somewhat reassuring, to be honest. It meant that Jhon’s leg did not take the full weight of the monster. Perhaps the soft snow was a factor?