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Four slipped on some shoes and made his way through the dark hall to the elevator. The kitchen downstairs was equally as dark, but that wasn’t really a big deal. He could see just fine.
He grabbed a bag of chips from the pantry, then sat on the counter to eat them. While chewing, his mind wandered.
Of course, it wandered to thinking about Two.
They looked so... lifeless.
Nothing like the Two he knew.
The more he thought of them, he started to get a bad feeling. That kind of feeling that’s just deep in your gut, with little to no reason.
Something felt...
Wrong.
He could just check on them, right? They were probably just sleeping.
After putting the chips away, Four made his way upstairs. He walked past his own room, heading further down the hall to Two’s.
Math, what am I doing... This is stupid! They’re just sleeping! Stupid Two, stupid brain...
The door wasn’t locked, it never was anymore. When he opened it though, the little side table lamp was on. Two was sitting on the edge of the bed, facing away from the door. Their head snapped around, as if they’d been caught doing something they weren’t supposed to be doing.
“...What’s in your hand, Two?”
“Nothing.”
Four stepped further in and closed the door. Something wasn’t right here.
Two looked like a deer in headlights, staring as he got closer.
A pair of scissors.
That’s what was in their hand.
“Put them down. Now. Show me your arms.”
His voice was a lot calmer than how he felt. He didn’t want to seem mean or harsh, but he was worried now. He knew just how bad it could get.
They sat the scissors back onto the nightstand and held their arms out to Four as he sat next to them on the bed.
“I-I didn’t do anything...”
He looked their arms over, noticing some old scars but no fresh cuts, then grabbed their face in both hands to force them to look at him.
“This isn’t the first time.”
“...No. No, it isn’t.”
Four stared at them. He should’ve known. He should’ve checked on them more, should’ve cared more, should’ve seen the signs...
“Never again. Never. You hear me? You come get me, or you come get X.”
Two just looked... tired.
Four hesitated for a second, before pulling them into his arms. They tensed for a moment, then melted completely. Nobody had cared this much about them since...
“...I miss her, Four.”
Two mumbled against his shoulder. They felt like they needed to cry, but no tears came out anymore.
“I know... I know you do.”
He could feel how their body shook, their ears were pinned back, and they were completely leaning against him. Nobody had been taking care of them all this time.
“Two... She wouldn’t want you hurting yourself like this.”
“I know... I know... It just...”
“Feels good? I know.”
Four didn’t say “it’s okay” or “just stop” because he knew that wasn’t how it worked. He knew it didn’t just go away just because somebody found out.
“I... I want you to talk to me about it. You don’t have to, of course I won’t force you to do anything, but I want you to. I know it feels hard, but it... it gets a little easier when you’re not the only with that heavy weight on you.”
Two was silent. He seemed like he knew exactly what they were going through. They had seen his arms before (he didn’t try to hide them anymore), adorned with scars from cuts far deeper than their own, but they had never really thought that far into it. Of course he knew. He had been through worse, right?
Infinity, I feel pathetic. He’s gone through so much worse, and here I am making him take care of me.
“...I just... feel like I deserve it. If I had been more careful, if I had been there, she never would’ve–”
Their voice cracked on a tearless sob as their crushing guilt was finally voiced. All these months of barely speaking, barely moving, barely being alive, were catching up to them.
Four stroked up and down their spine to comfort them without words. He just let them take their time and decide how much they wanted to share. They were fully melted against him, so terribly touch-starved after these months.
“But I’m too... too weak to do anything beyond little scrapes. I can’t even punish myself correctly. I feel so pathetic, I feel like none of this means anything anymore...”
He listened, heart breaking with each word. When they were done, he simply held them tighter.
“I’m staying here tonight. And tomorrow. And as long as I need to so I can take care of you.”
“Four, you really don’t need to, I can–”
“No. You can’t. It isn’t a bad thing to need help, Two. I’m here for anything you need, whether it’s what you want or not.”
Four went to run his hand through their hair, but his fingers caught on the knots. This earned a wince and quiet whine from them, a quiet sound that made him want to shield them from everything in the world.
“When was the last time you washed your hair?”
It was a simple question, not phrased with judgement or disgust.
“I don’t... I don’t remember. But it’s been a while.”
Two felt disgusting even admitting that, but they didn’t have the strength to lie to him.
“Okay. In the morning, you’re goinng to get a bath.”
Four left no room for argument, so they just sighed. They stayed like that for a while, their tail having wrapped loosely aroung one of Four’s wrists at some point, before he decided that they needed to go back to bed.
He laid them back onto the sheets, turning off the lamp and sliding in next to them before pulling the covers up. They just stared at eachother for a few moments.
Four didn’t want to touch them unless they asked him to, especially given the fact that they were literally sharing a bed and it could be kinda be awkward. Two didn’t want to ask for it, because they felt pathetic enough as is.
However, the need for comfort won out over the humiliation.
“Four...? Can you... can you hold me?”
Their voice was barely a whisper, as if they almost weren’t sure if they wanted him to hear them. His heart broke a little more at that, at how embarrassed they were to ask for comfort. He knew they were so very touch-starved, and he would do anything to make them feel even a little bit better.
Two sighed softly as Four pulled them closer, their face pressed against his chest and his hand resting on their waist. He knew all the places to touch to make them feel better. It wasn’t sexual, Two was in no condition to even think about that, it was just him easing them into what affection felt like after being alone for so long.
They fell asleep, arms wrapped around him like he was the only thing holding them together.
He probably was.
~ᯓ★
Four didn’t sleep much that night. He found himself waking regularly, checking if they were breathing even though he knew they would be. It was just that they were so thin, nothing like how curvy and chubby they used to be. They were unhealthy, and he worried that they could be seriously sick. Especially from not cleaning themself or anything else in the room for months, and breathing in air tainted by rotting food and drink.
However, when Two finally did awaken, he was alseep. But they didn’t know that at first, as he often slept with his eyes open often. This wasn’t the first time they had shared a bed with him, and it certainly wouldn’t be the last, but that would catch them off guard every time.
They felt bad waking him up, however they needed to move. His eyes fluttered open when he felt them turn over in his arms.
“Mmmghh... You okay?”
Four asked, his voice still rough from sleep.
“Yeah, I’m fine, Foursie.”
Two froze the second the word left their mouth. They could feel Four’s breath hitch for a moment, and they half-expected him to get up and leave right there.
Instead he just laughed gently and pulled them a little closer, their back flush against his chest.
“You haven’t called me that in a while.”
Phew, he’s not mad.
They hadn’t know if it was still okay to call him that, especially with how they treated eachother nowadays.
Four wasn’t thinking about the pet name at all. It used to be so natural for them to call him that, so it wasn’t too incredibly surprising. What he was focused on, however, was how frail they felt against him. He had always been pretty skinny, while Two was more curvy. Now, though, they were thinner than him. That concerned him.
“...Two, when was the last time you ate?”
Two was quiet, and that pretty much answered his question.
“You’re sick, love. And I’m not saying that as an insult. I can only imagine how much weight you’ve lost. Laying down constantly, breathing in the mold from the rotting food... I’m scared for you, Two.”
Their heart skipped a beat when he called them ‘love.’ Even in this context, it still made them feel that way. They just pressed their face into the pillow and focused on how his hands felt on them.
Two hadn’t been touched in so long, and all this affection made them feel like they were melting. They made themself tune out his voice and instead imagine how he used to talk to them. How possessive he could get. How protective he could get. The pair had laid like this a million times, though the positions were usually swapped because Two was usually bigger than Four.
“Two? Two, are you listening?”
They were snapped back to reality when he said their name. For a moment, they felt guilty for zoning out.
“...Dear Math, you make me so frustrated at times. I can’t believe you’ve just thrown away your life and body over this. I know you really cared about her, but this isn’t doing anything to help either of you. Please, listen to me just this once, love. At least let me take care of you.”
Two turned back around so they could bury their face in his chest. They didn’t wanna think about any of this. About how thin they were, how filthy they were, how sick they had gotten. Gaty would be disgusted by them.
Four held them as their body shook with weak sobs. He rubbed their back in soothing circles, trying to ignore how grimy their satin nightgown felt. Infinity, they felt so fragile in his arms. It made him want to sob right there with them.
But, no. He had to be strong for them.
“How about a nice warm bath, love? I can wash your hair for you. And even your body, if you can’t.”
Two didn’t want to get up. But something in that genuinely worried voice of his made them want to let him take care of them. So, they weakly nodded against his chest.
“...I don’t think I can walk.”
They whispered, quiet like they were ashamed.
“That’s okay. I can carry you.”
The pair stayed like that for a few moments longer, before Four sat up and pulled Two up with him. Lifting them up, he felt like he could cry all over again. Before all of this, he never would’ve even thought about trying to lift them up without using his powers. Now, he was almost certain that they were lighter than he was himself.
Four silently vowed to help them get better.
He sat them down on the toilet, then turned to the bathtub. It was easy to remember how they liked their baths, he just prepared it the way he had for aftercare a million times before.
As the water ran, he stood back up next to them. His hands hovered near their shoulders, asking silent permission to undress them. Though their face was heated in embarassment, Two nodded anyways.
Four was methodical in the way he removed their nightgown and underwear, his hands never lingering in one place for too long. Once finished, He helped them stand up and step into the bathtub. His expression softened as he watched their legs wobble beneath them.
Two sighed softly as he sat them into the warm water. It soothed their limbs and warmed their cold body.
“Feel good, love?”
“Mhm...”
Their eyes fluttered closed and they leaned back against the wall. Four needed to wash their hair and body, but he figured he could let them relax for a bit. Infinity knows they needed it. He knelt down next to the tub, just letting them soak in the warmth.
Four leaned his back against the wall behind him, resting his arm on the side wall of the tub. To his surprise, Two gently placed their hand on top of his. It was as if they could sense his worry.
He didn’t say anything about it. No, this moment was to peaceful. Too fragile.
They stayed like that for a while.
“Alright, love... I need to wash your hair.”
“O-Oh, yeah, I forgot about that.”
They turned their back to him and handed him the bottle of shampoo. He noticed how their hands shook, and it broke his heart all over again.
Four poured shampoo over Two’s matted hair, then started to gently work out the knots. Every time they would wince, he would pause and give them a moment.
“I know it hurts, love. I’m sorry, I’m so sorry, baby...”
He worked like that for a while, quiet but focused. The water slowly lost its warmth around Two, before he finally got finished with their hair. He used a cup to rinse out the shampoo, then started to massage in conditioner.
“There... doesn’t that feel so much better?”
Four ran his fingers through their now detangled hair, scratching gently at their scalp. Two whispered a small “mhm...” and leaned back towards him. Each little touch felt like heaven.
Once finished with that, they looked up at him expecting him to pick them up and dry them off. Instead, he just laughed gently.
“No, no, silly... I still have to wash your body.”
He reached his hand in and let out the water, motioning for them to lay down while he stood up and grabbed the detachable shower head.
Four and Two both knew this was going to be awkward. Despite having seen eachother naked before, this felt like a different kind of vulnerability than that.
He gently scrubbed their body with a washcloth. His hands didn’t linger on their chest, or between their legs, or on their backside. He was an asshole, but that was a line he would never cross. They were being so vulnerable, he would never even think about breaking that fragile trust.
Once the grime was wasked off of them, he rinsed them with warm water using the shower head.
“Feel better?”
“...Yeah. I do.”
Four gathered them into his arms as he wrapped them in a towel. They looked so little when he held them like that, curled up against him as he carried them back to the bedroom.
“Mmmmghh... I’m tired...”
He laughed gently as he stood next to the bed.
“We just got up, love.”
Glancing over at the clock on the nightstand, it was only 9:42 am. However, of course they were tired; they hadn’t moved in months. He snapped his fingers, changing the bedsheets in an instant before setting them down on top.
Four could only imagine how good it felt for them to be clean and laying on a clean bed after all this time.
“Later, not right now, I’m going to have X briing up some food from the kitchen. I don’t expect you to eat a lot, but I want you to try eating a little, okay?”
Two sighed and laid their weak limbs back out on the bed, laying like a starfish.
“...Yeah. I guess I could... try.”
They stared up at the celing, thinking that he was going to leave. After a few beats of silence, though, they felt the bed dip next to them.
“You gonna let me lay down with you, or are you just gonna take up the whole bed?”
Four asked teasingly. He didn’t plan on leaving any time soon. Two turned their head and stared up at him for a moment, before reluctantly scooting over. He crawled over to them and pulled them into his lap, witht their head laying on his chest. They didn’t object to this, simply nuzzling into his chest with a contented sigh.
Maybe, just maybe, they could get better.
Maybe he was the way.