𝚗𝚞𝚖𝚋 ; 𝟸𝚍𝚘𝚌

chapter nine

this is gonna be the last chapter where 2D is in the hospital, which means there's a timeskip. btw, the book began in october and was still october in the last chapter. i'm saying this so you understand how time works in this book. the last 8 chapters took place in october.

oOo

One week remained. That's all 2D felt he needed and promised Murdoc that he would be out this month. He had previously worked it out with one of the nurses and made it possible for him to leave next Thursday – Christmas Eve.

Christmas and presents may not've been Murdoc's thing – him being a Satanist and all – but he'd received a present from the bluenette once before and didn't seem to mind. This would be a bit different though, since this present would be a bit more special. It would be 2D's homecoming, something Murdoc raved about constantly during their many phone calls and was overwhelmingly excited for.

Over the last few weeks that 2D had been admitted, their phone calls and conversations had become strange. They were more open and had begun using intimate-sounding nicknames, like 'love' and 'babe'. Murdoc had even called 2D 'honey' on one occasion, making the bluenette turn red. He wondered if the names would continue once he was back home. Little did he know Murdoc had wondered the same.

"Are they going to continue when I get home?" 2D asked. "Why wouldn't they? It's what we feel more comfortable with," he said and 2D nodded. The nicknames had a positive effect on both of them, causing them to be more open with each other. And the twenty-two hours they spent apart only extended the length of their hugs. Both had finally admitted to each other that they missed the other when apart, causing 2D to giggle while his face turned red, then hug Murdoc.

"I have to go. They're making me eat dinner. See you tomorrow?"

"Yeah, see ya tomorrow love."

Today's dinner involved two tuna salad sandwiches and mashed potatoes, with some baby carrots and some water. One more week of this. He couldn't wait to surprise Murdoc at home, then eat some regular food.

He had already figured out how to get Murdoc to not come visit him Christmas Eve. He would call him an hour before visitation usually started and say that since it was technically a holiday, there was no visitation. Of course, Murdoc would argue that he had been allowed to visit on Thanksgiving and eat dinner with 2D. Nevertheless, 2D would still convince him that he wouldn't be able to and that he'd see him on Christmas.

Then, at 4:00, he would get a taxi to the end of the street and walk the rest of the way only to surprise Murdoc by walking up and knocking on the door.

But if convincing him didn't work, he could have a nurse explain the situation and not allow Murdoc's visitation.

One more week.

When 2D had finished his dinner, the nurse requested for him to follow her. She brought him to a separate floor where she led him into a room. Sat at a desk was Dr Wilson. "Hello Stuart. Please take a seat wherever," she said and he nodded, choosing the more comfortable chair out of the two in front of the desk.

"How are you? Are you feeling less... oh, corrupted?" she asked and 2D nodded. "Yeah. The virus literally got up and left. I don't know why. Maybe its plan to make me suffer failed because I feel happier. It told me that it was 'fed up with me and my emotions' and disappeared. I haven't heard it speak in weeks."

Dr Wilson nodded. "I heard that you feel like you're okay to go home soon and that you specifically want to go home on Christmas Eve. Why then?" she asked and 2D grinned. "I have someone I want to surprise. He doesn't know I plan on going home then. I just told him that it would be this month."