(Sorry for the nearly 3 week absence, I've been having wrist problems so writing is physically straining. I'm getting a splint soon so that should hopefully help!)

(Minor Warning: Vomiting)

~Y/n's POV~

I groaned when I finally woke back up. I couldn't immediately tell what was happening when I did. I could tell I was laying in a bed with the blanket draped over my entire body except my arm. Said arm was the one Horror had grabbed and still stung a little. It felt like something was putting pressure on it?

I fully opened my eyes and looked to the side only to flinch slightly. Cross was wrapping a bandage around my injury. He looked up at me when I had flinched, seemingly to only realize now that I had woken up.

"Are you alright? I got worried when you passed out like that." Cross asked concerned, slowing down his wrapping of the bandage.

"I'm fine... I was just really tired." I answered hesitantly as I scooted myself a little farther away from him. I didn't like being so close to him.

"Healing magic can do that to some people. Are you in much pain?"

"It just stings a little bit... Not that badly though."

"Unfortunately that part is unavoidable. I am very sorry for what Horror did. Believe me, he will pay for what he did." He seemed to be telling the truth oddly enough. I could just be bad at telling when he was lying though. It was hard to read his expression with his mask up.

"...Why didn't you just let him hurt me?"

"I thought I expressed that before, you're a guest here. I won't let a guest be treated like that."

"A guest who is being held here unwillingly..." I muttered with frustration. Like hell I was a 'guest'.

"I understand. It isn't fair to you and I really am sorry. If there were another way that didn't include violence I would do so, but this is how it has to be. I am trying my best to make this experience as enjoyable as it can be." Cross sounded very sincere and I hated it. My kidnapper felt sorry? Really? I had a hard time believing it but here he was bandaging me up and making sure I was alright...

"How can this be enjoyable when I'm separated from the love of my life and my friends?!" I couldn't help but exclaim. I winced as I had accidentally tugged my arm, causing it to hurt again.

"Careful, you're going to hurt yourself. I know, it's unfair. This just is how it is for the time being." Cross gently grabbed my arm again and started to secure the bandages once more.

"How long am I going to be here? Forever?"

"No. Just around a month, more or less." I wasn't expecting that answer. That wasn't that long of a time. I've been through much worse for much longer.

"Really? That's not that long. What do you even have me here for?"

"I was wondering when you were going to ask that. Unfortunately, that is the one question I cannot answer for you. You'll see soon enough. I can assure you that this isn't personal, though."

I didn't respond to that one. Not personal? What did that mean? Why else would this room be tailored to me? Literally. The clothes that were in the dresser had been tailored.

Cross finally finished applying the sturdy bandage around my arm. I was expecting him to get up and leave after that but he didn't. Something seemed to be on his mind.

"Since I've answered so many of your questions, would you mind if I asked you one?"

"You just did." I couldn't help but snicker. He raised a bone brow at me but I swore I saw a smile peek through the mask. "It depends on the question." I answered seriously, eyeing him suspiciously.

"How is Nightmare?"

I... wasn't expecting that. This guy was full of surprises. What I was expecting was him to ask about Ink or something. But he was asking about the wellbeing of Night?

"He's... fine. Why do you ask?"

Cross didn't answer this time. He simply sat up off the bed and left the room without another word. What a strange skeleton...

~~~

I was feeling like shit.

After I had eaten the food on the tray I had an incredibly nauseous feeling in my stomach. I barely had made it to the toilet before I puked my brains out.

It had been so long since I've been sick (if you ignored the time after I saw Ink murder Blade) and I certainly hadn't missed it. My throat burned after I finished regurgitating all the food I had ever eaten in my life (I know I'm being dramatic, cut me some slack). Unfortunately for me, I had drank all the water that had been given to me.

I attempted to stand up to reach the sink to get some water but my knees felt too weak. I wouldn't be able to get up without falling back down. Fuck, what do I do?

I remembered something about Cross telling me that I could ask somebody outside my door if I needed anything. There was no way I could reach all the way there by crawling. Do I just wait until Cross comes back? I didn't know how long that would be.

I groaned and flopped to the tiled floor. I felt like a beached whale just waiting to die. Shut up and let me be dramatic. I wish Ink was here, he'd treat me so well right now.

I decided to pull out my SOUL at the thought of Ink. I needed to reassure him again. I wasn't paying much attention to my SOUL because of my discomfort so I didn't realize that there was something weird going on with it. I brushed the side of it and felt a shockwave coarse through me at the feeling. Strange, it wasn't usually that bad.

I suddenly heard the door burst open. It was Cross and he was looking all around the bedroom, presumably looking for me. He finally noticed me on the ground of the bathroom when I groaned loudly.

He quickly walked over to me and bent down to be somewhat at my level. "What happened? The magic sensors in this room went off."

"I have no fuckin' clue, I was just over here puking my life essence out." I gestured to the toilet as if I needed to prove myself. I saw the bone around Cross' nose scrunch up as he glanced at it. He shook his head and helped me up into a sitting position.

"Are you alright?"

"Take a wild guess."

Cross sighed loudly and put my arm around his shoulders before putting his arm around my midsection. He helped me get into a standing position even if my knees were wobbly. We slowly made our way to the bed before he let me collapse on it. This was much better than the floor.

"Do you know what caused your vomiting?" Cross asked as his eye lit up. I tensed but quickly untensed when I heard the toilet flush on it's own and his eye went back to normal.

"It happened right after I ate so..."

"It's monster food so it shouldn't of upset your stomach in any way. Unless Killer directly disobeyed me about slipping something into your food. I'll go 'talk' with him." Cross was about to leave before he turned back to me, "I'll get you something for your stomach as well." He turned to leave but I called out to him before he could.

"C-Could I get some water too?" It was embarrassing to ask him for something but I supposed if he was willing to get it for me...

Crossed nodded simply and left the room. I sighed as I distracted myself in the comfort of the blankets. It felt great on my still slightly messed up back. It was dream-like compared to the ground of the VOID.

Chills went up my spine as I thought of the VOID. I was glad this room was always lit up so I didn't have to be in the dark. In order to distract myself from my memories I reached for the sketchbook I had left abandoned after Horror's attack. My arm was a little sore but I could still draw with it.

As I sketched out Ink more and more my vision got blurrier. I realized why once a tear escaped from my eye. I... hadn't even realized I started crying. I was surprised I hadn't done it sooner. I sure did cry a lot in this story and the author really should try to put a limit on it so it didn't get repetitive. (Guilty as charged.)

I sat up from my laying position and set the sketchbook down. It was only going to make me sadder. I leaned forwards into my hands and just let it out. All the pent up emotions I had been holding back in Cross' presence.

Speak of the devil and he will come. Cross had returned holding a glass of water and a container of what I presumed to be some stomach medicine. I quickly tried to wipe away my tears before he could notice.

"Killer didn't slip anything in. Is there another reason you can think of for why you were sic- oh." Cross had been walking towards me as he spoke before he realized I had been crying. He blinked a few times before sighing sadly. He sat next to me on the bed and handed me the glass of water which I accepted. I gulped it down in seconds which gave Cross the time to form what he was going to say.

Except he didn't say anything at all. He did, however, put a hand on my shoulder which caused me to flinch slightly. Oddly enough, I didn't try and move away from him. It was stupid of me probably, but I couldn't help it. The comfort felt nice even if it was from an unorthodox source.

I broke down. I let the empty glass of what had been water fall to the ground (luckily it didn't shatter). My face fell forwards into my hands again and I just sobbed. I didn't care that Cross was there anymore.

I felt his hand on my shoulder move to my back and he slowly started to rub there, comforting me even further. This only caused more tears to fall down my face and my sobs to grow louder.

My body moved of it's own accord. I felt myself fall to the side into Cross. This caused his arm to unintentionally wrap around me into a weird side-hug. It was terrible but also wonderful. What was wrong with me? Why was I so emotional that I was willing to get reassurance from anyone?

Then I remembered I was in my cycle. Of course I was incredibly emotional. I decided to just fuck it and give into my feelings. I wrapped my arms around Cross' middle and cried into his chest. I was foolish and probably making him uncomfortable.

To my surprise he allowed my unexpected show of emotion. Embraced it, even. Literally. He had put both his arms around me as I did to him. Why was he okay with this?

"I miss him so much..." I found myself muttering without realizing.

"I know how it feels... You're not the only one who's missing somebody." I was taken slightly aback at his answer, slightly because I hadn't known I spoke.

"Who are you missing?"

Cross didn't answer and looked away from me which made me realize the position I was in with him. I quickly released myself from him and scooted far away. What had I been thinking?!

"I- uh- pretend that didn't happen." I blurted out awkwardly, my face on fire. I was very embarrassed and wanted to scream into my pillow. I. Am. An. Idiot.

Cross cleared his nonexistent throat, "Is there another reason you can think of for why you were sick?" He took what I said quite seriously.

"Not really? Maybe stress... Or I'm just getting a cold. I don't have a stuffy nose or anything though." I tried to think of other sources for my throwing up but that was all I could think of.

"Is there anything I can do to make you less stressed?"

"Not unless I can let Ink know I'm not being tortured or anything. He has to be worried sick."

"Unfortunately that won't be possible. I'm sorry." He sounded a little less sincere with that apology than the other ones. Interesting.

"Can he at least know I'm not dead?" I was practically begging Cross to do something. Anything. I didn't realize until after I had asked the question that Ink would know if I was dead since I've been sending those SOUL messages.

"That I could possibly do. Hm..." Cross paused for a moment as he thought about something before coming to a thought he wanted to voice, "I could potentially even let you see him, if only for a moment."

"Really?!" I exclaimed brightly while unintentionally bouncing in my seat. I put a hand to my mouth as that had resurfaced a nauseous feeling in my stomach. Jeez, maybe I was inheriting Ink's tendency to puke when he got excited. Luckily I stomached the feeling and didn't vomit.

"It would require weeks of planning, but yes I do think I have an idea."

I couldn't help my smile, "Thank you." Even if I wouldn't be in this situation if he hadn't kidnapped me.

"It's the least I can do. You've had to already put up with a lot here. Again, I really am sorry for all of this. Truly."

"It's... fine. This isn't as bad as it could've been. You said the other option included violence, right?" Cross nodded his head somberly. "Then I prefer this over that."

"I'm glad to hear that. I'm trying to create as little conflict as possible for everybody."

It was strange for me to think this but... maybe he wasn't so bad.

~~~