A Deep Love - Fell!Poth Fanfic

Chapter 23 - Nicknames

(Palette)

I got up because my new friend freaked out upon finding me under his head. In his haste to stand up and get off me, he accidentally punched my crotch and woke me up.

"Oof!" I exclaimed as I bent over double in pain.

"Ahh! I'm sorry!" he shouted, backing into the coffee table and subsequently falling backward. He grunted when he landed, gasping in pain when his leg hit the table.

"You okay?" I asked, standing up against the pain.

He looked up, wide-eyed, as he panted up at me.

"Look, it's me, Palette," I said, crouching beside him, "I'm not Rurik. I'm not going to hurt you."

"I-I know," he panted, "I'm sorry..."

"It's fine," I said, setting my hand on his shoulder, "I'm fine. Stop apologizing."

"I'm so- oh, okay," he stopped himself, letting out a nervous chuckle.

"Good," I said, clapping his shoulder. I grabbed his hand and helped him to his feet, setting him back on the couch.

"I'm gonna make breakfast. You," I pointed at him, "Sit here and don't move."

"Okay," he nodded.

I got up and went to the kitchen. As I started making noise to heat up food, I found myself anticipating Goth's snarky remark about my cooking. It never came, so I glanced behind me. My new friend was staring at the fire, silent.

Sighing, I kept cooking. Well, really all I did was heat up food that Ink had cooked for me. Watching the microwave spin the little bowl inside, I felt a pang of grief for Goth and our baby... missing, traded with some alternate him that was clearly frightened of an alternate version of me. Thinking about a world that could make Goth feel like that all the time...the thought made me scared and angry.

I jumped when a hand touched my shoulder softly, swinging around in surprise to find my new friend behind me.

"Um, the microwave went off a while ago..." he pointed at the black box. I looked at it, nodding.

"Oh, right," I started getting plates out and bustling around. I glanced to say something to him but he was gone, sitting at the table quietly and staring out the little square window.

Damn, he's quiet... I thought as I brought the food over, setting a plate in front of him. He ate silently as I sat across from him. Watching him, I saw he had more small scars on his hands and neck than Gothy had. Seems like both of them took a lot of beatings, but this guy took a lot more threatening ones. I wonder how many of those scars are from that Rurik character...

I barely noticed when he stood. He remained hunched and moved without noise, so it was when he moved to the side that I came out of my musings and helped him walk. Even with a limp, he could move quietly.

"Thanks," he muttered, putting his plate in the sink. I helped him back to the couch and set him down. The dried blood on his pants caught my attention because it had gone stiff and rough. As he settled into the couch I went into the bedroom to get something of Gothy's he could wear. I found a pair of sweatpants and a baggy t-shirt.

I went back out and tossed them at him, surprising him. He looked at the clothing, then at me, confused.

"Go change," I told him, "Those pants can't be comfortable."

"Oh, right," he said, looking down at the clothing, "Were these...his...?"

"Yeah, they'll fit you fine. Go change," I told him again. He nodded, lifting himself off the couch and limping to the bathroom. Even while watching his movement, I could barely hear him. He moved like a ghost.