(Note: sorry for being absent, I've been stressed lately. but new update schedule, starting tomorrow, is every three days and I'll try my hardest to maintain it.)

(Thank you for all your support and patience! Enjoy!)

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(Error)

I probably would have been pacing nervously around the room, glancing at Ink every now and then, waiting for him to wake up, if I could get my mind off my location. But the incessant beeping of the heart monitor, the calls on the intercom for nurses and the general passing of hospital staff made me so nervous I sat down, holding Geno's earbuds to my ears, trying to drown out the noise. Reaper did the pacing for me. Geno sat next to me patiently, tuned out to hospital noise thanks to his recurrent visits.

It was hard to look at Ink and not see him grotesque and ill, dying in the clean hospital sheets, like my father had been. Even though he was only bruised, with bandages covering his wounds and no obvious blood, every time I caught sight of his peaceful face I saw the streams of blood running through his violet hair and down his scarless face.

Bouncing my knee, I turned up the volume on Geno's iPod, judging his music just to amuse and distract myself. He really needed more variety. I was getting tired of classical.

Reaper let out a loud huff I could hear through the earbuds and I looked up in time to catch him complaining wildly to Geno, saying something I couldn't hear as he gestured at Ink. Geno stood and went over to him, speaking in from what I could see was a hushed tone to calm Reaper down.

Looking back down, my knee bouncing increased as I shut my eyes. Reaper's outburst worried me but nothing else indicated anything wrong.

The waiting was going to kill me, it really would...

(Geno)

"Reaper, just calm down before you break something," I hissed angrily at my fiancé. He let out a nearly feral growl.

"These doctors know nothing! Why can't they tell us how long Ink will be out? He's been out for nearly six hours already!" Reaper replied in whisper yell.

"These things take time," I implored calmly, "He probably has a concussion or something. He might be out for a while. He's not in a comatose state, just temporarily unconscious."

"How are you so calm? He's our friend, Gen!"

"I've dealt with hospitals for nearly my entire life, Reaper, as you know pretty damn well," I growled softly at him, "We can't rush these things. It'll only make it worse."

"But-"

"No more buts, Reaper," I told him, "Go take a walk, get a coffee or something and blow off some steam. You're fit to burst and if you keep this up any longer you're gonna give my brother a panic attack."

We both glanced at Error, sitting there, trying to be completely ignorant of his surroundings. I sighed, feeling Reaper's arms wrap around me.

"Hey, I-I'm sorry, love," he said softly, "I'll head out for a bit. Maybe all I need is some fresh air."

"Thank you," I sighed. He kissed my cheek and left, shoving his hands deep in his pockets as he asked a nurse where the outdoor area was.

Looking back at Error I frowned softly, he hasn't been the same since Dad died, I thought morosely. Going over to Ink, I stood by his bedside and cleared a strand of his vibrant hair from his face.

"Come on, Ink," I whispered softly, "Wake up soon..."

With a sigh at no response, I went over and sat by Error again, keeping a watchful eye on Ink.

(Error)

Geno sat next to me and I barely acknowledged him. Reaper had vanished, turning down the anxiety in the room, but I gripped at my short hair while pressing the earbuds into my ears. My fingers dug into my head as I leaned forward, resting my elbows on my knees and staring at the floor.

Waiting, waiting, waiting...all the waiting would kill me...

I jolted violently when a hand touched my shoulder and I whipped my head up to find Geno standing, pushing my shoulder and saying something.

Taking out the earbuds I listened, "-awake! He's awake!" 

Jolting up I rushed over to Ink's side, breathing hard in relief and constant anxiety. He groaned and tried to sit up but Geno laid a hand on him gently.

"Lay down, Ink," he said softly, pressing Ink down. I gripped the sides of the hospital bed with a white-knuckle grip, digging my hands into them subconsciously.

"What happened?" Ink asked groggily, blinking at Geno.

"What do you remember?" Geno asked, still in that soft calm voice.

"I was walking, steaming about the asshole that ruined my life," he nearly growled, "Then something hit my side and it all kind of went dark."

"You were hit by a car," Geno informed him and his eyes widened.

"How am I not dead?"

I jerked at the word 'dead' and Ink seemed to notice my presence in his groggy state of mind.

"He-he slowed d-down, honking h-his horn, tr-tried to w-warn you..." I said, my voice shaking as he turned his head to me, the bandage over his head in clear view.

"Error, I-I'm sorry for running out like that..." Ink said softly, "I just got so worked up over it all I needed space and I wasn't thinking straight..."

"I-it's fine, Ink," I said as firmly as I could, "D-don't worry about it..."

"Are you okay?" he tried to sit up again and Geno had to push him down. I nodded, but his movement shifted his thin blanket, revealing the IV in his hand, dripping fluids into his body... Turning away suddenly I placed a hand over my eyes, trying to get rid of the image of a sickly pale hand, skin clinging to the bone, wasting away under the same setup...The hand shifted to cover my mouth as a small gag forced its way out.

He's fine. He's healthy. His skin is dry, firm...He is fine... He's not dying, not bleeding anymore, not wasting away like Dad...It's Ink, not Dad...

"Error, are you okay?" Ink repeated, pushing past Geno's pressing hand to reach out and grab mine. Jolting violently my hand jerked back in surprise as I whipped around, still covering my mouth. Ink looked slightly hurt and surprised, his eyes sparkling with worry.

"Error, you're scaring me," he said softly, hugging his hand to his chest.

Shaking, I put my hand down and forced out a small smile, "I-I'm fine Ink. Just...just not a-a fan of h-hospitals..."

"If you're nervous, you can go," he said, smiling gently at me, "I won't force you to stay here. I'm glad you came."

Letting out a small huff, I smiled for real at him, still shaky, "It-it's okay, I c-can manage..."

"Why don't you go and find Reaper, Error?" Geno suggested, "Tell him Ink's awake."

I nodded, more forcefully than I would've liked, "Alright, alright...uh, where did he go?"

"He was going to the gardens, start looking there," Geno said. I nodded again, turning around. I pulled my hood up, glancing back at Ink before I left.

"I-I'm happy you're okay, Ink," I said, leaving before he said anything.

(Ink)

Turning to Geno, who made me lay back down, I asked him curiously, "Why was Error so nervous?" I know he doesn't like crowds, being crowded, strangers, being touched or being approached. Only about half of those occurred at hospitals and not really at the same time.

Geno sighed, glancing at my vitals as if he knew how to read them, "He was the one who was staying with our father in the hospital while he died. He watched him waste away from a degenerative disease, held him as he took his final breaths. He never recovered from the feeling of dying, cold flesh beneath his fingers. It's why he stopped touching people."

"How long ago was that?" I wondered, glancing at where Error left.

"Error was maybe eight or nine at the time. He was really close to Dad and refused to leave his side," Geno said sadly, "Poor Fresh has emotional problems and the best thing to do was keep him away from Dad as he wasted. I'm the oldest, so I was in charge of him. I couldn't really do anything to help Error at the time."

"Why'd he look so sick?" I turned back to Geno, who chuckled slightly.

"Error has a weak stomach," he said, a small bit of mirth in his voice, "Can't stand the sight of blood. He found you after you got hit and I think the image of your bloody face can't get out of his head."

"Why are you laughing at that?" I asked, trying to stick up for Error as his brother chuckled at him.

"Ink, I've been to hospitals so often, nothing can turn my stomach anymore," Geno said, "Blood is the softest of the gross things I've seen. I find it funny that someone who has no issues destroying septic tanks with half a mask can't stand the sight of blood."

A smile tugged at my lips at that, "Okay, that is kind of funny I guess..."

We fell into companionable silence after that, Geno smiling to himself while I rested. My head pounded and the pain just now caught up with me. Though, it felt less intense that I thought it should. I wondered if I was on pain-killers or something. Probably, considering I was hit by a car.

My thoughts turned to the day before. Talking to Error had been nervewracking and relieving at the same time. I felt like I could tell him anything, but I'm so used to keeping things bottled up, even from my close friends like G and Reaper, it's hard to divulge anything. To be honest, I felt afraid that if I told him the truth about anything, he'd lash out like...like...like he did sometimes...

Guilt spread over me at my trust issues as well as putting Error through so much for no reason. But waking up to see him, nervous though he was, had been calming...Knowing that he put himself in direct discomfort just to be next to me warmed my heart and made the guilt worse.

Shifting, I felt discomfort in my leg and looked down, surprised to find it in a cast. Lifting the front of my hospital gown up, I saw bruises trailing up my left side. Cocking my head, I observed the colors: dark purples and dull blues, the occasional splotchy redness of inflammation and a few dry scratches. A cacophony of color blending in fantastic shapes, describing pain and discomfort in a blend of fleshy hues. It contrasted greatly to the pure whiteness of gauze and the cast on my leg. I stared at it, wondering how something so natural, painful, and unneeded could be such an inspiring combination of color. It's like shading the human body to show just precisely impact occurred. 

"Fascinating..." I breathed, observing all of the tender, blood-filled flesh. 

"What?" Geno said, perking up.

"Oh, nothing, just...staring at my bruises..." I said, putting my hospital gown down, "I find the colors fascinating in how our body creates them."

Looking up at his face, Geno gave me an odd look, "You get hit by a car and you admire the bruises?"

"Yeah, so?" I looked down at my chest, where they were, "The colors are almost inspiring."

Geno chuckled, "I'm so glad you're back, Ink. Only you could find inspiration in your own damn injuries..."

(Reaper)

Yawning slightly, I started to make my way back to Ink's hospital room when I found Error curled up in a window alcove, hiding his face in his hood and rocking back and forth, muttering nonsense as his breathing shook. His state honestly scared the shit out of me. Was this what Geno meant by a panic attack?

Walking up to him, careful not to touch him, I crouched down to his eye level and whispered "Error? You okay?"

He jerked at the sound of my voice, peeking out from under his hood. He let out a huge sigh and sat up a bit, still shaking.

"There you are..." he said heavily.

"Something happen?" I looked around, seeing nothing. Error nodded, pointing at a corridor blocked off by a huge double door.

"Gurney went by," he swallowed, "Near drowning. Pale, wet, sickly, hurt, dying, 'help, help', hand hanging, touched me..." he started shaking again and looking distant. I had no idea what to do. I couldn't touch him, he might freak out completely.

"Error, you need to come with me," I said as calmly as I could, "We'll go see Geno, calm you down, you won't have to see the drowning again..."

"Geno, Geno..." he nodded to himself, muttering. He looked up at me, his eyes wide, "Geno's with Ink. Ink's awake. Geno sent me to come get you."

"Oh, really?" Thank god, "Well, c'mon then, let's go."

Error nodded, getting off the wide window ledge and walking next to me shakily. He held himself, only glancing up enough not to run into things. I kept my hands off him, even when he tripped, just so I didn't trigger anything else. Geno had warned me that Error had fits of anger when he was touched sometimes, and in his current state, I think a full-blown panic attack wasn't far behind from being set off. 

As soon as we walked into Ink's room, Error looked up and relaxed a little at seeing Ink smile at him. Geno and I shared a surprised look. Nothing calmed Error down, according to Geno. How the hell can a simple smile make him stand up straighter?

(Error)

Ink was sitting up, his IV attachment hidden under the blankets as I walked over to him. He looked very lively, much more awake than he had been earlier. I still shook, so I held the bar on his hospital bed for support. The incident with the gurney slowly faded from my mind as Ink gripped the blankets on his hands, leaning forward slightly.

"Error, guess what?" he said, his old excitement burning in his eyes. Not even pain could stem him from being excitable, then.

"What, Inky?" I chuckled, feeling much more at ease now that Ink acted normal. His smile brightened at the nickname.

"I've been inspired!" he said jovially.

"To do what?"

"To paint! A new line of art!" He raised one hand, the one without the IV, and spread it through the air, "I'm gonna call it 'Bruised but Breathing'!"

That confused me. A lot. "What?"

He gave me another smile, but it seemed sharper and tinged with an emotion I couldn't pinpoint, "I'm doing an art line based on this experience. In direct contrast to my life recently. I've been through hell, but I'm still here and I'm not gonna leave." He raised he hospital gown, baring his chest to show me the bruises on his side. My cheeks flushed at his exposed, tattooed chest just as my stomach churned at the discolored flesh on his body.

"These colors will command the line," he said, dropping his gown and looking at me, "These colors and these injuries are my inspiration. Because not only do they mark the pain I've suffered, but they remind me that I live in the now, not in the past. This has taught me a lot about my feelings and I want to put that on canvas forever."

"Wh-why are you gonna put this experience i-into art?" I asked, avoiding his gaze. Something brushed my cheek and I froze, my body doing a total shiver, glancing down to see Ink's fingers barely brushing my skin.

Looking at his face as the barest of caresses left my face, he smiled warmly and longingly at me.

"So I can remember the moment I fell in love..."