NOTE:
Hello, again!
Yes, I have a few things to say that I had forgotten.
-Sun and Moon don't change depending on the light in the room, I guess you guys had already figured that out, but for those who are confused, Sun and Moon take turns depending on the activity or outside trigger. They had been together since the day they opened their eyes so they are used to taking turns- that doesn't mean they don't fight sometimes.
-Sun has red eyes because of a little mishap in their brain where it believes they are in danger and need to focus (like being in survival mode of sorts). I'll go in-depth about it in later chapters.
And that's probably all, I keep forgetting about stuff but I'll tell ya all about it whenever I remember :)
Enjoy!
-x-
You are somehow glad that the doctor turned out to be an alien.
As soon as you had entered, his blue eyes were on you, soft and patient. In his hands was the paper the nurse had handled in the door. "Good evening." He spoke, voice deep and calm. "Please take a seat." You did as told, sitting on the chair in front of his office. Moon now sitting in your lap. This took his attention and concern was visible in the bear-like Doctor. "I would assume this is the patient? In here it said that you weren't their caretaker neither was an ID inserted." There was no judgment in his words, eyes soft taken in the form curled up in your arms.
You clear your throat. "No, I'm not."
Freddy, as his card read, hummed. "Please place them on the table over there." He stood up as he spoke, motioning for the examination table.
You stood up as well, hissing lightly at the tug on your shoulder, and walk to the soft cautioned table chair. Running a hand over the back of Moon's, you speak up. "Dear? Moon? I need you to sit down, okay?"
A groan came your way, as if the smaller creature had been asleep. You wouldn't be surprised if they were, Sun seemed so tired— but sleep in your hold? That made your chest warm.
After a little bit of prying hands from your shirt, you managed to place Moon on the table. He looked ever so displeased, especially with the light shining on him like that.
"What seems to be the problem?" Asked Freddy, fixing the glasses on his face.
Your lips twitch and you slowly remove the coat from over Moon, watching as he crunched his face in a frown.
To say Freddy looked shocked would be an understatement. Perhaps he saw the heavy collar on their neck, or maybe the blood on their clothes or the bruises littering their body. Though, based on his soft blue eyes trailing and stopping at their leg, you believe he found the main reason for your visit.
He cleared his throat, turning to you. "How about we speak a little, I'll call a nurse to give them a cleaner set of clothes."
You spare a glance at Moon and lean closer to make sure they're hearing you. "I'll be right back, okay? Someone will get you cleaner clothes, so don't worry. I'll be right back." You aren't sure what you see on their face when you said that, but it felt like a sort of hopelessness and disappointment. Odd.
Freddy leads you out and calls a nurse, telling them to go check the size and get Moon a gown to change into instead of the wet clothes they're trembling in. He even offers you some, but you deny him.
Folding your coat in your arm, you look back at the brown bear, watching him reread the papers given to him. "I can recognize the collar anywhere. But if they aren't yours...?"
You shake your head, debating if you should tell him or not. "No... no. I just helped them. Got them out of a river."
Freddy looks intensely at you, those baby-blue eyes now a little darker. "Hmm, I see. I wouldn't imagine them holding someone who harmed them." He thoughtfully said, and now you understand the dark look wasn't sent your way. "The... owner, should be reported if those injuries were caused by them."
The words make you snort. "He almost run me over by his car when I caught him in his act."
The look on Freddy's face was almost laughable.
Your sarcastic smile falls into a frown, trying to shove down the thoughts about the man. "I don't know his name, never met him in my life until today." You shrug, immediately regretting it as pain shoots in your system. You were determined to find him. Or, well, maybe he will save you the trouble and come dig his own grave. Whatever comes first. "Anyway. I need you to take a look at their leg, they said they can't feel it anymore." A look of uncertainty paints your face.
Hopefully, it wouldn't resolve to that...
Freddy seems to drop the questions, seeing your solemn expressions. He also hoped not.
Opening the door, Freddy leads you back in. The nurse seemed to have gotten ahead and taken Moon's vitals, who seemed to look as tired and as hopeless as you had left him. Though, when his red eyes meet yours, he seems to perk up.
Was he not expecting you to come back?
The nurse put everything away and hand Freddy another paper, the reading she had got from Moon, it seems. Freddy thanks her as she takes her leave, leaving the room in silence as Freddy moves to sit back on the computer, typing away a few things.
You go to stand beside Moon, who curled on himself, now in a hospital gown, green in color. With it being short, it let you see all the scars and cuts and bruises over them, though, you couldn't linger your stare, not wanting to make them uncomfortable. "Hey, Moon." You soothe. "You alright there, dear?"
Your answer was a curt nod. Hmm. A quiet one then.
"Alright," Freddy speaks, not looking from his computer. "I am going to ask you a few questions." Another curt nod, which you had to speak up about since Freddy can't see it. "Alright, can you remember when you injured your leg and how?"
A pause lingered in the air until Moon spoke, voice hoarse and raspy but soft and shy. "We fell." They ran a hand over the leg, narrowing their eyes at it. "Been a while..."
The doctor encourages this with a nod. "Can you tell me the symptoms you've got when you first broke it?"
A dark look washes over Moon's face as he looks down. A lot of memories rushed in. Suddenly they could almost feel their owner's leg pressing them down and they lean away from the fantom touch. "Nauseous." Their memories were a little fuzzy. "Tired."
A serious of tapping felt the air before Freddy looked at Moon again. "When did it stop hurting? Is it still hurting?"
"No." Their shoulders tense up, hiding their neck as they lean further down into themselves. "Can't remember. It doesn't hurt anymore. We can't feel it at all." He spares another look at his leg.
They don't see the look you shared with the bear.
"Alright, thank you for answering me." He looks back to his computer, sparing you a look. "Please sit here, I need you to sign this."
You hesitate for a second before sitting back in your seat.
With the look he gave you earlier, you can't help how your stomach felt suddenly tight.
You could only hope.
-x-
Moon wouldn't say they feared needles.
Oh, no, of course not. They were an adult for God's sake! Maybe Humans and some other aliens towered over them, but they weren't a kid. They never were. So needles aren't scary, why would they be? They've been hurt far worst than just a small sting of it— it shouldn't be scary.
But, heaven, Moon was terrified of them. It was why they were so tense this whole time. Hospitals always equal needles.
It didn't make sense. Moon is the more calm of the two, they were the one to calm down Sun than the other way around. So why such a thing would make them shake so hard?
The hospital gown was a little itchy and very thin, something Moon didn't appreciate. They were cold-blooded, unlike Sun, so they can't produce their own heat to warm up, leaving them freezing on the cautioned table.
Their legs dangled down the table, only one of them moving, the other useless a long time ago. Bicolored hands clinched the gown tightly, trying to keep calm and collected— which was hard, and not only because of the cold.
The doctor asked them questions— another alien, not Human. It was a little surprising. After the questions, which they were glad were done, you and the doctor spoke for a little, voices slightly muffled as Moon pressed their hands over their rays— which were sensitive to noise; vibrations, to be exact. Sun doesn't mind the loud noises, they were themself a loud person. But Moon didn't like it, didn't like too much noise. It overwhelmed him. So with nothing else to do, they just pressed their arms over their head to muffle everything, leaning down to hide their head away from the harsh light. It was okay, it's cold anyway, and hugging themselves gave them a little bit of warmth.
The nurse that had given them the gown had left after taking their vitals, something they didn't want to give but were a little too scared of disobeying. It didn't hurt, thankfully. They had gotten dressed in the gown— on their own, refusing the help from the nurse, then threw their wet clothes aside, which she had to collect in a bag to throw away.
They felt blind and cold and deaf. So very overwhelmed and scared and incapable. How could they feel such a way? They were an adult. It didn't make sense.
Something touched over their shoulder and Moon jerked, snapping their head up with wide red eyes to stare upward. The sting of the lights was bearable as you stood blocking it with your body, hands hovering over them. A quick look back makes the coat they had been wearing earlier be seen. The edges acted like a shield from the lights which Moon appreciated, and as the coat wrapped around them, Moon couldn't help but snuggle into the warmth of the fur in it.
"Moon?" You called. "The doctor will like to take a blood sample from you,"
If they weren't cold-blooded, Moon would think their blood suddenly froze. Their kicking leg came to a halt and they looked up again, meeting the eyes of the doctor— soft blue stared back at them, patient, no hint of judgment in those eyes. Beside him was a table, in which they could see multiple plastic bags with unused needle heads and alcohol wipes.
Their breath hitched, eyes wide trailing to the gloved paws of the doctor. He was a Glamrock, a funny name for his specimen, Moon would say, even if Sun said it was rude to say that. "I would assume your name is Moon?" He asked, voice deep yet soft. "My name is Freddy, you could just call me that." Freddy offered a smile, showing fangs under his lips. It didn't look threatening. "I will be your doctor."
Moon didn't respond, they didn't even blink. Their body was too stiff and their mind halted on any and all thoughts.
Moon didn't want to be here— they didn't want that needle anywhere near them. It would break their thin skin, they would feel every centimeter it inched inside till it hit their vein. Sometimes it would suck their blood out, a nasty feeling given that they didn't want to spare that in any way— it made them feel dizzy. Other times it would inject something, which was worst. The liquid is always cold, they would feel it traveling up their vein and flow with their blood, itching and freezing everything in its way. It would hurt, and Moon didn't want to get hurt.
It was selfish that they wanted Sun in this place instead of them. Sun didn't fear needles as much as them, perhaps because they were hot-blooded, making the process easier because their skin wasn't as sensitive as Moon's.
Freddy took hold of their arm, rubbing alcohol wipes over their forearm. It was cold. With that done, still holding their bicolored hands so they wouldn't retreat it, he opens the plastic wrappers from the needle and its head, seeming to choose a smaller one.
Moon began to shake, hands suddenly numb and unable to move. They were so scared of moving and having the needle head break inside their vein—
"Dear, would you look at me?" You urged quietly, still standing beside them. They did as told, if just to not get you angry in such a tight space where they wouldn't be able to run away. Red eyes met yours, and despite how much Moon tried to look confident, they were failing horribly. What a shame. "Good, you're doing good." You smiled. "Hey, Moon?" They blinked at their name. They wondered why Sun had given it to you. Speaking of which, Sun had been quiet this whole time. Moon could feel them watching from the back of their mind, but nothing else. "What's your favorite color?"
Moon paused his thoughts, focusing his gaze on you again. Favorite color? Why would you ask about something like that? And now? What kind of benefits would you get from knowing that? It made them so confused, searching your face for something to understand.
Your smile stretched slightly. "Hmm, I like red, exactly like the color of your eyes. It's beautiful." You waited for your trick to work. Well, it wasn't exactly a trick, their eye color was pretty. "I think it suits you a lot, especially with the stars over your face." Watching with a sly smile, you studied how their face darkened with a slight blush. Taking the silence as an invitation, you reach slowly your hand to their arm, when they don't flinch away, you take it. "It's everywhere, the white dots, I mean." You ran the tip of your nail over their skin, making sure to avoid bruises and cuts. "See here? It's like a consolation, very pretty."
Moon opened and closed their mouth, unable and unsure of what to say. The blush was burning their cheeks despite the fact they were cold-blooded. Though, given that they share a body, nothing would be impossible. Red eyes averted from your face— (definitely not because of embarrassment) to look down at your hands.
How come your smile be so gentle?
"Ya know, when Sun is out, those stars become darker, making them look like cute freckles. It's very charming." The nail ran up and down on their forearm, an odd feeling to it. It traced two points of white dots— stars. Back and forth. Up and down. Lulling. The touch wasn't too light to make them shiver nor too harsh, just enough to make the area noted. Like drawing a line that cannot be broken. Back and forth, just over their vein, tracing it. If you were to press a little more, you would feel their heartbeat—
"Alright, this should be enough." Came Freddy's voice, making Moon flinch from the trace they were in and look down at their other arm. There was the needle, secure in Freddy's hand, which wasn't close to theirs, and halfway full of their blue blood— what? When did that happen? How come they didn't feel it? Was it even theirs? That can't be. A small sting in their arm felt like it said otherwise. It didn't hurt, but it was still there. And as Freddy put a cotton over their vein and then a bandaid, Moon became sure that they did, indeed, draw blood from them.
They snap their head your way, face blank, to find you looking at the doctor again, the smile now thankful albeit a little tired. "Good," You breathed out before looking down, feeling eyes on you. Indeed there was. Red eyes gazed at your face as if you had grown a second head. "Hopefully that wasn't too much for you, dear."
Moon didn't respond, what can they say? Even Sun was stunned. What happened?
Again, you and the doctor began talking, though, this time, Moon didn't block the noise out.
"A nurse will take this to the lab, it might take a little to get a reading. For the time being, we need an X-ray radiation treatment."
"X-ray?" Sun asked in their headspace. "For what?"
Moon paused. "Our leg." Another pause. "Maybe."
"We never had an X-ray taken before..." The nervousness in their voice was becoming more and more clear. Would it hurt? That needle should've. Why hadn't it hurt? Why do they need an X-ray taken, anyway?
Moon doesn't answer. Not that they have an answer anyway. Their leg was a lost case, they both knew it.
"—take you there?" They blinked, looking at you with confusion. Oops, seems they had been too lost in thought with their counterpart.
"What?"
Your eyes soften a little. "You can't walk," You state the obvious. "I was asking if you want me to carry you there or if we should get a wheelchair?"
They did not like the concept of a wheelchair— they already felt so incapable, so small, and helpless. A wheelchair would make it even worst.
But was it better to be carried by a Human they didn't even know? You had carried them through it, but those times they were out of it and their thoughts were blurry. You had been nice and kind so far, but they didn't want to see that mask drop. Don't get them wrong, they had interacted with good Humans a few times, they knew that not everyone is bad. But it was hard to believe that when they had been almost killed by one. Being carried made them feel different kind of things. While the feeling of being helpless was present when you do that, the feeling of being secure is also there, like a bandaid over the former. Secure and warm. And it kept them from crawling helplessly on the ground.
You had saved them, you didn't even know they were aliens inside that sack and had gone out of your way to yell at their owner to stop. You yelled at him and even punched him for them— just for them. Then, you had gone into the water— just for them. The very cold water. Saved them and took them in and wrapped them in your coat leaving you in wet clothes.
It didn't make sense.
Maybe it didn't make sense to them— being treated in such a way. They had many owners before, and not all of them were bad. But that didn't mean they were kind, they wouldn't have sacrificed their warm coat for them.
And you were rich— they could tell by your car and clothes and everything. While casual, the clothes were a good brand, soft and warm. The aura around you screamed something confident. It was obvious. So if you were rich, you wouldn't need their consent to trust you— you could just buy them.
So why bother?
But did it matter now? Their throat hurt from coughing all that water— puking it all out alongside stomach acid. They didn't have anything to give. Neither inside nor out.
Above all, Moon was very tired. Their head felt like it would lull back, especially after you traced the "stars" on their skin. Spoke so very soft about them— something good and pretty about them. They wanted to sleep— when had they last slept? They don't get much sleep because of those nightmares.
So, with a final defeated quiet sigh, Moon looked up, flinching at the lights, and made grabby hands. For at least they could be a little obedient, if just to not anger anyone.
And... maybe because it was warmer in your arms.
A smile stretched over your face as you wrapped your arms— strong but tender, around them. Perhaps you didn't show it, but they felt you tense at the pain from your shoulder. That man hadn't just hurt them but also you. Moon tried not to snuggle close, tried to just stay as they were as you adjusted your hold on them, trying not to put too much weight on your shoulder. Though, the softness was impossible to ignore. It became harder when you rested a hand on their back to steady them, urging them to lean in, and so they do. It was too bright anyway.
"Take this and give it to the receptionist, they'll tell you where to go." Freddy said as he handed the blood sample to a nurse— a Human this time. "I hope they get better." His voice softens, blue eyes seem to linger on their leg. "Farewell."
You nod, not messing his gaze. "Thank you." Taking the papers, one of them being a light green one, you finally leave the room.
The noise comes again as soon as the door opens. It wasn't too loud by any means, but the whispering was getting on their nerves.
Moon buried their face in your shirt, hoping to muffle it all. When that didn't work, they gave up to just using their hands over their rays, pressing them down to block the vibrations.
"You alright there?" You asked, voice barely heard. They shake their head, rubbing it in the process against your shirt— it was still damp, but not cold. "You don't like the noise?" Another shake. "The lights?" They shake their head. You hum. "I guess all hospitals are like that. I don't like them either." You confess, hand rubbing over the coat on their back. "But we have to go through it to get better, I always tell myself that when I visit a doctor."
You keep talking, filling the incomprehensible words from people around, as you walk towards the receptionist.
You couldn't help holding them so tenderly in your arms— couldn't help the urge to try and comfort them. Perhaps that was a bad quirk you have, the want to care for someone. You knew not everyone liked that. You yourself didn't. So, to make sure you weren't stepping on boundaries, you asked. "Would you like me to stop talking?"
A shake, albeit slow, came your way.
You hum, glad at the answer. "Would you like me to stop patting your back, then?"
This time a long pause was the answer, and you stopped your movements, but not moments after, another shake was felt against your chest.
Your arms shifted as you neared the reception, hand resuming their movements of rubbing up and down their upper back. Something tender filled your chest, but also alongside anger.
You're ready for round two if the man decided to show up— which he would, you didn't imagine he'd leave something he paid God only knows how much on them, so there is no way he'd leave without either his money or them under his grasp.
Shoving down those thoughts, you show the paper given to you to the receptionist when you reached it. They redirected you to the X-ray rooms right down the hall, which gonna be a little crowded, as they said, but that's fine. You make your way there, not stopping the comforting rubbing over Moon's back.
They deserve the little comfort you could give.