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“Almost done.” Rek finished tying the bandage around Jumper’s shoulder. She had been attacked, and while she had made it out mostly unharmed, her right shoulder had been badly wounded. Rek had offered to help her clean it up. He hated seeing his friends in pain. Which is why he didn’t mind the fiery agony blossoming in his own shoulder. “You should get some sleep, it’ll heal faster.” You’ll also be less likely to feel the sudden drop in pain.
His friends couldn’t know that he took all their pain away, and then dealt with it himself. They would worry, and he was fine. He had to be fine. If not for his friends, then for himself.
“Thanks, it’s already starting to feel a bit better.” she smiled. He smiled back, though it was a tiny bit forced. Hopefully she wouldn’t be able to tell.
Once Jumper went to her bedroom, Rek was finally able to relax. He allowed himself to take five deep breaths, before regaining his poise.
He had plans to work on the tunnels with 4c, and helping Jumper had taken a surprisingly long time. He had to head over to spawn soon or he would be late.
-,-’-,-’-,-’-,-’-,-’-,-’-,-’-,-’-,-’-,-’-,-’-,-’-,-’-,-’-,-’-,-’-
Rek winced, shifting the weight of the pickaxe over to his left arm. He considered himself to have a high pain tolerance, but his shoulder really hurt. Rek didn’t like to take breaks, but 4c was going to arrive at the tunnels in a few minutes, and after that point Rek had to have unwavering happiness.
There was a ping of his communicator. It was a special tone that Rek used for when someone died. He checked, his eyes landing on the name. 4c.
Oh. That wasn’t good.
Deaths were extremely painful, not only were you, well, dying. But you were also having a part of your soul ripped out. It gave people terrible headaches. Made them have nightmares for at least a week. It was a horrible feeling, Rek was willing to deal with that for 4c.
He messages 4c. Come to the tunnels. I’ll help you. He didn’t specify what he meant by help.
4c arrived a few minutes later. He stumbled forward, but Rek caught him, pressing his left wrist to 4c’s. It was how Rek took the pain from death. “Are you okay?”
“Yeah, sorry, just a bit dizzy.”
“Let me help with that.” Rek placed some stairs down for 4c to sit on.
“Thanks,” 4c said.
“You’re welcome.” Rek started to pace around nervously, partially because of the growing unease in Rek’s mind, undoubtedly an effect of 4c’s death, and partially because he didn’t want 4c to notice any changes in his facial expression.
There were also the beginnings of a headache. He had expected it, but still, it was mildly annoying. Well, not mildly, but that wasn’t going to stop him from pretending.
“What about you, are you okay?” 4c asked.
“Yeah, why wouldn’t I be? You’re the one who just died.” Rek cursed himself under his breath for his defensive tone. Why was everything so complicated? Why couldn’t he just take 4c’s pain and be done with everything?
“Yeah, but I’m actually feeling a lot better. Do you still want to work on the tunnels?”
“Sounds great.” Rek gave 4c a thumbs up and forced a smile. The headache was starting to get really bad. Like really bad. So bad that he was afraid that his legs were going to give out. He was going to at least start trembling. He leaned against the wall, fully aware about how much he was shaking.
“Are you sure you’re okay?” 4c asked, a growing look of concern on his face.
“I’m fine.”
“No you’re not.”
“Yes I am.” Rek pulse quickened. He had spent years dealing with other people’s pain, it couldn't all come crumbling down now, it just couldn’t.
“Let me help you.” 4c reached for his arm, and Rek lurched backwards. Waves of pain were being sent through his entire body. He didn’t care that it was worse than anything he had ever experienced before. He couldn’t be vulnerable. Not around 4c, not around anyone. It was already too late for that though, wasn’t it?
“Get away from me.” Rek shouted, his voice raw. The world was coming down on him. His breathing was ragged. Tears were threatening to come spilling down his cheeks. He couldn’t cry, he wasn’t allowed to cry. But it was starting to happen anyway.
He needed to get away.
All that came was darkness, a familiar, uncomfortable, terrible darkness.
Then the deathscreen.
You died.
You failed.