Gifted: A Hermitcraft AU [ON HIATUS]

7: In which tango shoves himself into a fireplace

(TW: blood but fancy)
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(occurring at the same time as the events of the previous chapter...)

"I'm following Iskall."

Grian's statement wasn't much, but his tone made it clear that he wasn't going to let Stress stop him. Not that Stress would have. She watched as Grian flew after Iskall and disappear into the trees before quickly switching focus to Tango.

He was still panicking, eyes screwed shut, fists clenched, and breaths heavy.

"They're gone, Tango. Iskall left." Stress started softly, taking his hand. "I don't know what happened, but they're not gonna hurt you again love, okay?"

Tango slowly blinked his eyes open, and then flicked them around rapidly. He let out a slow sigh as he noticed the lack of Iskall in the clearing.

"Why don't we get you inside and dried off, hmm?" Stress said with a concerned smile. Tango nodded, though his breath hitched in his throat. 

After some hesitation, Stress started to guide him to stand. Tango slung an arm around her shoulders and she started to lift him from the mossy forest ground. The moment Tango was fully standing, his knees buckled underneath him.

He let out a small yelp, as he dangled himself off of Stress. Stress wrapped her arm around his middle, lifting him back up and doing her best to stabilize the taller hermit. With the way he was shivering, she knew she had to get him inside soon, even if doing so was going to be difficult.

"You got this," Stress reassured after a glance at Tango's wide eyes.

And off they went, carefully avoiding tree roots and mud. Tango didn't say a word the whole journey, he just leant into Stress, trying his hardest to put one foot in front of the other. It took much longer than Stress would've liked, but they did make it to her front door, which was still flung open.

Her fireplace was still lit as well, so she sat Tango in front of it. Tango scooted as close to it as he could before sticking his hands and face out, so close that the flames licked at his fingers and cheeks. Stress knew it wouldn't hurt him but it still made her worry.

She went around collecting all of the blankets she owned, while typing a message to Grian, letting him know where they were.

"Gonna tell me what happened?" Stress asked, kneeling next to Tango and wrapping him in blankets. Tango just looked down, hesitating and refusing to speak. Stress sighed, she was confused, she wanted to know what happened.

"I- just is it me? Would you talk to someone else?"

Tango stayed silent.

Stress quickly leaned in and snuffed out a flame in one of Tango's locks that was getting dangerously close to the blankets. Tango may be fireproof but her blankets were not.

"I should probably tell Impulse and Zed anyways shouldn't I?" Stress said mostly to herself, pulling her communicator back out. Tango looked up slightly, blinking and trembling a little less. If anyone could get him to talk, it was Impulse, so she pulled up his contact first, calling him.

~ "Hey Stress, what's up?" Impulse answered cheerfully.

"'Ello. Can you come over to my place for a bit, now?"

~ "Uhm I guess so-"

"You see, Tango, he- something happened--"

~ "Tango?! What happened? Is he hurt?" Stress heard rustling on the other end.

"It's hard to explain, he's okay now, but--"

~ "I'm on my way, you can explain when I get there." A rocket went off on the other side before Impulse abruptly hung up.

Well then. Hopefully, Impulse could get Tango to talk, though Stress hoped she hadn't worried him too much. Stress started to message Zedaph, figuring she should let him know too, but she couldn't even type a letter before her door slammed open for the second time that day.

Stress stood up and whipped around. Grian stood in the doorframe, knees wobbly, hands bloodied, and one wing dangling limply behind him.

"Iskall, they- Stress they've gone mad! Red eyes, creepy voice, all the works!"

Tango twisted around, expression filling with terror as he saw the state Grian was in.

"Grian- Wh- What happened?!" Stress looked him up and down as he stumbled inside. "Oh gods, your wing--" Stress felt her breaths pick up and her heart begin to race.

Grian took a few more steps and collapsed onto Stress' couch, eyelids drooping. He hugged himself with one wing and tried to outstretch the other, a grimace taking over his face.

Stress' gaze flicked back and forth from Grian's broken wing to the deep cut peeking from his side. She gagged and felt bile rising in her throat.

'Not the time Stress! Not the time!!!'

Half of her brain begged her to concentrate while the other was doing everything to get in the way.

Oh but the blood stain growing on Grian's jumper...

Oh the irony of it all.

A healer who can't stand blood.

It's metallic scent filled her senses, edged and sharp, as if the blood's iron itself was ready to jump out at her and throw hands.

Stress wheezed out a breath, trying and failing to calm down. Grian just sort of, stared into her ceiling, ignoring the world but hugging himself tightly. Stress' hands shook at her sides and her wings twitched behind her.

Her healing wouldn't be effective if she didn't calm the hell down. But the sticky, putrid smelling substance on Grian's hands and clothes and wings left her stuck in place. Blood was such a vital yet terrifying thing. And it was spilling from her friend faster than she could think.

Stress' breaths continued to catch in her throat. She felt like she couldn't breathe.

She felt like she COULDN'T BREATHE

WHY couldn't she BREATHE

...

Stress was hyperventilating.

Grian was dazed and out of it.

Tango was a shivering mess, trying to get up and help.

Impulse chose this moment to walk in.

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(A/N)

Shorter than I would've like but hey, I'll take what I can get.

Also I've said Stress has butterfly wings right? That's been mentioned, right?

Song for this chapter:
Blood runs red - Matt Maeson
Tbh, I don't really get what the song is exactly about but it sounds cool and like, the title bro. Go give it a listen if you're interested!

Anyways, have a great day/night my guys, gals, non-binary pals, neo amigos, and genderfluid peeps!

~Soe out!