I open my eyes slowly, my body hurt all over.

"Hello...?"
I rasped,

"Socks!"
A familiar voice said
"You're awake!"

I raised my head and saw Meme, Tbh was on another bed across from me. He was wrapped in tons of bandages, they were all soaked in blood from what I could tell.

"Socks, Tbh is fine, just some bites. "
Meme told me.
"You on the other hand...won't even have your arm anymore."

I was confused, I tried to move both of my arms, but my right one was the only one normal. My left arm was now a robotic arm, the joints of it orange, it's main color was dark grey. I was shocked, my arm wasn't even my own now. I tried to get up, but my legs were still in pain. Meme told me to stay down, he then went to wake up Tbh.

POV change

Tbh could hardly get up, his legs and arms were in pain. Meme told Tbh that Socks was awake, which gave Tbh enough motivation to get up. He got off the bed and walked over to Socks. Tbh sat in a chair that was next to Sock's bed and talked to him from there.

"Hey, Socks.."
Tbh greeted, weakly.

"Tbh!"
Socks was glad Tbh was alright.
"I'm sorry for last night, I should have never brought you to The Lake."

"Wait-"
Meme interrupted.
"This happened at The Lake? What lake?
And tell me how you two ended up like this in the first place."

"Okay,"
Tbh then explained where The Lake was, and how they got injured so badly. Meme was shocked, by all of it.

"I'm sorry that even happened..."
Meme said, sympathetically.
"I'm just glad you two are okay now, I wonder what that white wolf was doing..."

"And why, most importantly."
Socks asked.
"We never did anything to anger it"

After that, the room went silent. Tbh went back to his hospital bed, and Meme left the room. Socks had kept resting and was wondering about last night.
Why...what happened...something is off...

Socks felt like something...something wasn't right. Something had caused that wolf to attack them, but what? Socks and Tbh had never seen that wolf until it attacked them, and never interrupted the wild life. It was odd, to say the least.

As Socks got lost in thought, Tbh could hear voices outside the room. Then, Nadwe and Meme walked in.

"Hey..."
Nadwe greeted Tbh.
"Hi, Socks!"

Nadwe hugged Socks lightly, making sure not tightly otherwise he'll probably make Socks' pain worse. Tbh looked at the father and son, feeling left out. He shouldn't have attacked him. Blaza and Tbh were technically Nadwe's other fathers, but Nadwe didn't have that special connection to them as him and Socks had. Blaza and Tbh were more like... babysitters.

"Are you alright?"
Nadwe asked Socks
"And what's wrong with your- uh...arm?"

"Oh, Meme?"
Socks called for the doctor.

"Hm? Oh- Nadwe, Socks has lost him arm due to a bad attack by a wild animal."
Meme explained to the teen.

Nadwe looked at Socks, shock and sympathy shone in eyes. Nadwe mumbled some words that even Socks couldn't make out, but the teen just hugged Socks without saying anything else.

"Hey, hey, I'm okay."
Socks reassures Nadwe, lying to him though.
"Don't worry about me, okay?"

Nadwe didn't reply, he just kept hugging Socks.
Tbh just watched the two, kind of upset that he didn't have a relationship with Nadwe like that.
He wanted to take care of him, but he had already hurt him. Tbh left so guilty and empathetic. He had hurt Socks' son. Even though they weren't biological father-and-son, they acted like a real family. Something that Tbh yearned to have.Tbh decided it wasn't for him...he couldn't defend Socks, let alone keep his anger in to stop himself from hurting others.

The crab man sighed, Socks looked over Nadwe's shoulder to see Tbh crying. A tear slid down his face, his eyes seemed emotionless.
Meme went to his side and asked what was wrong, Tbh didn't reply and stared blankly at Nadwe. Socks could tell that there was something wrong between the two. Maybe he was remembering the fight. If only Socks knew his to help the two make up...

"Hey, Nadwe, how about you hang out with M-"
Socks cut himself off, remembering that Muffin had died yesterday.
"...nevermind-"

Nadwe's eyes were now watering, the teen let go of the hug and drooped his head.

"I think I'll go hang out with uhm...Oof? Yeah- Oof."
Nadwe told Socks, waving at him as he left.

Socks felt bad for reminding Nadwe about Muffin, he had never been really happy ever since. Tbh was staring at the ceiling now, tears falling from himself eyes like waterfalls.
Socks got up, his body was still aching, but he got up anyway. He made his way over next time to Tbh, and luckily, a chair was next to his bed which Socks sat in. He looked at Meme, signaling for him to leave the room for a moment, and the doctor left the two alone.

"Hey, Tbh?"
Socks asked.
"Are you alright?"

No reply.

"Hey, is something going on between you and Nadwe?"
Socks asked again, getting straight to the point.

Still no reply.

"If there is, tell me. I can help you."
Socks offered.

...

"Fine."
Tbh finally spoke.
"I want to be close to Nadwe, like you are to him, but I can't. I had a fight with him, and he probably hates me. He probably blames himself for Muffin's death now."
Tbh assumed.
"I want to make things better, and be a parent figure in his life. But I can't even fight anything nor handle my anger."

"Tbh..."
Socks said quietly, he got up and hugged Tbh.
He understood Tbh, and wanted to help.
"I will try to help you, and maybe you guys just need some time away from each other. And to be honest, it was partly my fault. I could have reminded Nadwe about his shift."

"Okay, and no, it wasn't your fault either."
Tbh argued.
"Please don't blame yourself."

Socks didn't reply.
He let go of the hug and sat on the bed.
The two talked about other things, and they then eventually slept in their own beds. Meme walked in, and smiled as Tbh wasn't crying anymore.

I wonder what Socks did...
Doesn't matter, as long as Tbh is happy.

Chapter done!
Sorry for the long break, I had...uhm...
I reached probably the lowest point I have ever had in my life in my mental health.
But, working helps me cope, so.

Also, this is my gift to y'all for Valentine's day :3

Happy Reading...!
(1133 words)