(IMPORTANT UPDATE) vanished (airy x reader)

8

The next few days you spent watching over Airy as he rested, making sure he was comfortable and keeping him company.

He faded in and out of consciousness during that time, coming to just enough for his eye to open and shift over to look at you, before passing out again.

It occurred to you that it probably wasn't the best idea to let him sleep with a head injury. You hoped it wouldn't be too much of a problem.

He was a pitiful sight, and you couldn't help but feel terrible for him. In the spare moments where you weren't around him, collecting reeds or catching fish, he occupied your waking thoughts.

How could he possibly recover from this? You wanted to be optimistic, but you knew in the back of your mind that it was practically a lost cause. Glass doesn't heal. Limbs heal, cuts and bruises fade, broken bones fuse and click back into place. But glass and metal bodies were easily scuffed and cracked. They were easily broken.

You hugged your arms to your chest as you stared outside the shed, watching a light drizzle come down. Not that you wanted to go out in the rain anyways, but you were ever hesitant to leave Airy's side in case his condition worsened somehow.

You turned around as you felt Airy stir, his eye sliding open and meeting your gaze. Clarity flooded his expression. "...Where...?"

"You're in the shed." You quietly explained, unable to stop your voice from shaking as relief flooded you.

"The...shed..." he echoed, the words foreign and unfamiliar on his tongue.

Your brow furrowed. Had he forgotten about it? You hoped not. Dealing with a wound like his was one thing, but memory loss was a whole other ballpark.

"Mmn...how did I..." he turned over, looking back over to you. "(O/N)..."

You shook your head. "M...My name is actually (Y/N). I'm sorry I didn't tell you before."

Airy's stare became unblinking. "...(Y/N)." He said, as if he were trying out the word.

You nodded. "Yeah. (Y/N)."

"(Y/N)." He repeated. He seemed dazed.

"Are you in pain?" You leaned over him, checking his wound. You found it hard to stare for too long. The jagged edges of the break made you dizzy.

"Hh...yeah...a little..."

'A little' seemed to be an understatement. His gaze grew unfocused and his breathing was ragged. You helped him sit up and he slumped against you, clearly trying to fight off the pain.

"C'mon, Airy..." you murmured. "I'll— I'll try to help you. Just hold on."

You looked around. There had to be something you could use. Anything...

Aha! Your gaze landed on the pile of reeds behind you two. You reached for a handful, pulling them apart and straightening them out.

Airy had sat up and was watching your every move, expression hazy with confusion.

You carefully leaned forward and began to fasten them around Airy's face. He didn't move away, but he stared at you as you worked.

The two of you were uncomfortably close, you realized, and you made a point to pull away as soon as you were finished with your work.

Airy reached up a hand, gingerly touching the makeshift bandages. "...The...reeds..."

"Yeah. We don't exactly have any other options..." you shifted awkwardly, face prickling with embarrassment.

"Thank you." He stared at you again, blinking slowly before he laid back down. "It won't heal, but...it helps."

You nodded. You knew already that it wasn't going to heal. But the added pressure on the injury might help alleviate the pain.

You were still worried about Airy. You couldn't help yourself. If something happened to him, you'd be completely alone here, stranded on a strange planet in a strange afterlife.

You were finding it hard to admit to yourself that he was your only true friend.

You turned and watched him as he rested, laying on his back with his hands folded over the knob on his torso. He looked more peaceful now, less feverish than he had been before. You hoped you had done enough for him.

sorry for the wait! chapters have been a bit slow bc i've been pretty busy irl. hope you all are well