Child's Play - A Hermitcraft 8 AU

The Test Subject (pt. 3) - Xisuma

Summary: Xisuma takes the potion Zedaph gave him. It works... more or less.

Warning: Includes mentions of vomit. Nothing excessive though.

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As soon as Xisuma tried to sit up, a dizzy spell came over him. "Slow down, you need time to rest," he heard Joe say, voice distant and echoing. "You're still sick."

"Is it bad?" Xisuma didn't expect his voice to come out high-pitched, and he nearly jumped at the sound of it. "Right. I never took that potion."

"It could take quite a few days before you're better, but I don't think it'll cause another death."

"Okay." Xisuma looked down at the sheets. Something about Joe being here now—Joe being the parent figure threw him off. Xisuma liked independence and it was awkward to let go of that after telling himself so many times to just rely on himself.

"But what about you? How're you feeling?"

"It hurts a little... just all over kinda... funny. A little hot I guess." He turned a bit to avoid facing Joe. He struggled to maintain eye-contact, almost like it hurt. Joe seemed to understand that and refrained from asking Xisuma to meet his eyes or even so much as turn to face him.

"What're you thinking about?" Joe asked after the room had gone silent for about a minute.

"I miss being big." Xisuma frowned. He pulled his legs up to his chest and wrapped himself in a small hug. Joe sat next to him, letting Xisuma lean on him.

"I know you do. It's hard to take a break." Xisuma nodded at the words. "But it's alright. Sometimes you need one."

But though one needs a break, Xisuma knew he couldn't afford one. Even if Joe thought things would be fine, even if the hermits were able to find someone to "replace" him for a week or two—they needed Xisuma to keep searching for a cure, they needed Xisuma to keep Corex from going insane and controlling, they needed Xisuma to be there if nobody else was available.

Instead he was actually taking away Joe's time from focusing strictly on Cleo or another small hermit, or working on a build. And nobody was there to keep Ex under control, and nobody but Zedaph was focused on fixing this curse. Why was he so useless? Why was he here, lying against Joe, half asleep and sick? Why wasn't he out there, helping Pearl and the rest of Boatem or giving Zedaph reports of the potion?

Why wasn't he trying out the potion?

It was his only way out of this. It was his only way to move forward.

"Joe?" Xisuma flinched again at his small voice. "I have a potion Zedaph's been working on. It should help speed up the aging process."

"Oh?" Joe said softly. "Do you think it'll work?"

"Well, if worse comes to worst... you'll still be here, right?"

"Of course, Xisuma. We'd always be here!"

Xisuma felt he could sigh in relief. Even if he didn't want to use Joe like this, even if he hated having to impose, the idea that he could count on someone else brought along such a reassurance he typically never felt.

"So, where is this potion of yours?"

"In the shulker by my bed. Can you bring it up here?"

"Sure." Joe moved Xisuma so he was leaning against the pillows (instead of falling over whenever Joe got up for the box) and plopped the purple box on the bed only a couple seconds later. "What does it look like?"