Demons, Witches, and Toads (BoyxBoy)

Nurse Wheeler

Mulock awoke to the gentle crackle of the hearth and the feeling of at least several heavy blankets stacked on top of him.

His eyes slowly fluttered open to find Wheeler perched over him on the bed.

"You're awake," the boy breathed, relief seeping from his voice.

"Indeed I am. Thanks for that astute observation," Mulock mumbled. He moved to sit up and was instantly met with a horrible ache of pain from practically every inch of his body. "How long was I out for?" the demon asked, attempting to ignore the discomfort.

"Three days," Wheeler replied, his voice tight, wavering slightly.

"Only three? I supposed that's not too bad." Mulock paused, noticing the tears brimming Wheeler's eyes. "Hey, no need to worry, kid," he murmured. "It's totally normal. We demons just go into a hibernative state when we need to heal."

"I wasn't sure if you were ever going to wake up," Wheeler blurted, his voice trembling. "You were barely breathing, and the wounds seemed to just come out of nowhere. I tried to tend to the injuries as best I could, but I was afraid it wouldn't be enough."

Mulock glanced down, realizing his shirt had been stripped from him and replaced by bandages, neatly wrapped around his wounds.

Wheeler stared down at his hands. "I think the scratches on your back are going to scar permanently. They were just...they were so deep..." His voice caught, a small sob escaping him. "It's all my fault, isn't it?"

"Your fault?" Mulock gaped. "How could this possibly be your fault?"

"Because you got them for me, didn't you?"

A heavy silence hung in the air following his words. It only lasted a second or two, but it felt never-ending.

"Wheeler," Mulock finally said, his voice quiet. "No one has responsibility for my actions except for me." He reached up, gently wiping Wheeler's tears away with one hand. "And trust me, I have no regrets about it. I promised I'd protect you, didn't I?"

Wheeler's gaze seared into the floor. "Mully, I'm sure you must know how incredible I think you are. You're smart, and talented, and powerful and...and you should be serving someone just as amazing." He swallowed hard. "But instead you're stuck with me, all because I accidentally summoned you. I just...I feel like I'm not worthy of you."

Mulock shook his head. "Funny, I've always found myself the unworthy one."

Wheeler blinked, confusion flooding his gaze. "What do you mean?"

"You're a good person. Far too good for someone like me."

"That's not true--"

"Wheeler, I killed people." The moment he said it, the demon ripped his gaze from Wheeler, not wanting to see his reaction. "I thought I was doing the right thing by murdering them, but it turned out I was just driven mad over a love I destroyed in the process."

Another long silence followed the confession and Mulock did his best to ignore the nerves tearing at his gut.

Finally, Mulock forced himself to look at Wheeler, anticipating the expression he feared more than anything else. He'd pictured it countless times, what Wheeler's face would look like when he inevitably crumbled and told him the truth. Would he stare at him like he was an unrecognizable monster? Would he cry and beg him to get away from him?

The answer was none of these.

Wheeler simply sat there, his expression hardly changing.

And that's when the realization hit Mulock.