A Mile In Another's Shoes

Chapter Five: Wild Gem Hunt

"What do you mean, you can't find Gem?" Lizzie asked.

Fwhip sniffled loudly and Sausage put his hand in his shoulder. "I mean, I can't find her," he said, trying his hardest not to burst out sobbing. "She's not in her room, and her door was unlocked, I-" He turned into Sausage, who wrapped his arms around him as he started cry.

"She wasn't in the bathroom, either," Sausage said, then sighed and whispered, "I wish I had my power..."

Pix winced when he said that. Typically, it would be Borealis whispering to him, It's all your fault. You did this. You've ruined everything. But this time, he was telling it to himself. Whether he actually believed it or subconsciously thought it because he missed Borealis, he didn't know. But he didn't like it either way. It made him feel funny.

"My little sister's gone," Fwhip sobbed.

Sausage rubbed his back. "It's okay, we'll find her," he whispered, which only made Fwhip cry more. "It's okay."

The door to the dining hall opened and Gem walked out in her night clothes with a bowl of ice cream. She stopped when everybody turned to give her a variety of absurd looks, then noticed Fwhip clinging to Sausage and sobbing. "Why's Fwhip crying?" she asked with a frown.

Fwhip looked up and over his shoulder, though he didn't let go of his boyfriend. "Wha- Gem?"

She stepped closer. "Are you o-"

"Gem, you- you asshole," Fwhip sobbed, letting go of Sausage now. "You scared me!"

"Sorry."

Fwhip huffed. "You sure look sorry," he pouted, hesitating for just a moment before rushing forward to hug his sister. "You really scared me, you jerk," he mumbled.

Gem hugged him back. "I didn't mean to," she said. "I'm sorry."

Sausage let out a relieved sigh. "Well, I'm glad that's settled," he said softly, then yawned. "I'm going to bed now. Fwhip, are you coming?"

The ginger nodded and kissed Gem's cheek - something he hadn't been able to do since she was little - before walking back over to Sausage, who laced their fingers together.

"Goodnight," Sausage said for the both of them, the rest of them replying with their own goodnights.

*°•☆ ● ☆•°*

Pix held his hands out with his eyes closed and felt heat build up in his arms before a bolt of lightning struck from his hands and pushed him backward, where Joel was ready to catch him.

"There you go," Joel said proudly, but Pix felt exhausted. "Now you just have to work on not falling over when you do that." He laughed lightheartedly as he helped Pix get back on his feet.

Joel spent the entire morning trying to get Pix to learn how to at least control when he uses his new abilities, starting with summoning lightning. It had taken hours for Pix to get it to work, too afraid of the amount of heat that came just before.

"Can we take a break?" Pix groaned. "I'm tired."

"Nope," Joel said. "You have to keep going."

Pix sighed and held his hands out again. Like before, he felt heat building up in his arms before lightning struck out of them, sending him into Joel again.

"Joel, please, I'm tired-"

"Again."

Pix groaned before trying again. He was pushed back against Joel, just like the last two times.