Chapter Warnings: Kidnapping, implied sexual assault, panic attack
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Once Palette was freed of the ropes, Goth and another officer helped him up the stairs and out of the house to his waiting family and an ambulance.
Bridgette and her brothers were already gone, on their way to the police station to be processed for juvenile detention. It was probably a safe bet that they would be expelled from their school and forbidden contact with the two skeletons and their families.
Both teens hoped that would be the case, at least.
After the initial tearful reunion, parental fussing, and some scolding toward Goth for running into danger, the four monsters loaded into the ambulance.
The drive to the hospital was a quiet one with Goth and Palette nodding off, sleeping peacefully for the first time all week. Once they arrived, Ink and Dream didn't have the soul to wake them up since they both looked so tired, opting to carry them into the hospital for Palette to be checked on.
Other than some inconspicuous bruising on his legs, wrists, and ribs, some bite marks around his neck and collarbone, and general weakness, Palette was deemed healthy.
Afterward, Palette had to be woken for a police officer to take his statement of the incident. It took a minute to calm him down before they could proceed. His stuttered recounting of the week angered and upset both parents. They were both glad Goth was sound asleep for the explanation. If he heard what Bridgette had done over the course of the week, he might have decided to make good on the threat they'd heard over the police radio.
If not for the legal repercussions, they would be tempted to let him.
Once Palette's bites, bruises, and the cut on his neck along with the cut on Goth's cheek were treated and his statement was recorded, the group was free to leave. Palette insisted on walking on his own despite his fatigue. His parents let him, sensing there was more to it than simple pride.
It was getting dark outside by the time they walked through the sliding door, with nightfall slowly closing in.
As Ink created a portal to take Goth home, Palette softly interjected, "Can... can he stay the night? I d... don't want to be... be alone. I know you'll be there, and it's... it's a school night, but... but I..."
Both parents watched in dismay as their son stammered out various excuses while fighting down the urge to cry. "Of course, let me make sure it's okay first," Ink soothed, shifting Goth in his grip to pull out his phone to text the small skeleton's parents.
Within minutes they were teleporting home, where Geno and Reaper stood by the front door holding a bag containing spare clothes and other necessities along with his backpack for school the next day.
Reunion or no, Goth still had his priorities as a student.
After giving their sleeping son a kiss on the forehead and a few kind words of relief to Palette and his parents, Goth's parents teleported back home.
The small skeleton was relocated to the couch, his hooded jacket and scarf removed and set aside on a chair while Palette went with his mom to get changed into some more comfortable and clean clothes. Returning to the living room, Palette was surprised that Goth was still asleep, but didn't question it as Dream helped him onto the couch.
If Goth's gaunt appearance is anything to go by, it's probably been a stressful week for him too.
With blankets and pillows acquired, he was bid goodnight as Ink shut the light off, leaving the hallway light on just in case.
Snuggling into the covers, Palette tried to ignore the way the shadows seemed to shift around the living room. Every noise the house made set his nerves on edge. His soul thumped wildly in remembrance of his time in the basement, his imagination supplying various horrifying scenarios as he curled up in a shivering ball.
They're here... I know they're here! I can feel their eyes! They'll take me away again... they'll tie me up and hurt me again! They might... no, I don't want it! I don't want to-!
A soft groan startled him back to reality.
Whipping his skull to the right, he spotted Goth laying against a pillow on the opposite end of the couch with his sockets clenched tight, shivering and whimpering much like Palette had been.
He must be having a bad dream.
Reaching over, his own fears momentarily forgotten, Palette shifted the small skeleton over so his head was laying in Palette's lap. Goth burrowed into the fabric of his pajama bottoms, clenching at his pant leg.
Palette's breath hitched. The touch made him squirm... a wet sensation hitting his leg was all it took for him to fall back into his earlier panic.
No, not again... no more... it only hurts! I... I don't-
"... m'sorry..." Goth mumbled.
Palette's mind went blank. He peered down to find Goth was now crying in his sleep, his tears soaking into the bandage on his cheek as well as his friend's pants.
Letting out a tremulous sigh, he placed a hand on Goth's right arm. "It was never your fault," he murmured, rubbing small circles on the exposed humerus with his thumb.
The action seemed to calm the smaller skeleton as his face regained a neutral expression.
It's only Goth, not Bridgette. Goth isn't like Bridgette. Goth wouldn't touch me without permission, not like that... never like that. Goth cares about me... he listens to me... he loves me... really loves me, not the way Bridgette 'loves' me. I don't want her 'love', her 'love' hurts... Goth would never hurt me... he saved me...
Repeating those words to himself, the repetitive motion of his hand on Goth's arm combined with the comforting warmth on his lap slowly lulled Palette to sleep.
---
Morning came much too early for Cray. The skeleton groaned as he silenced the alarm on his phone and pushed himself out of bed to prepare for a new school day. While eating breakfast, a report on the T.V. detailed the rescue of a kidnapped monster, bringing the events of yesterday back to the forefront.
Nothing about any injuries or fatalities. Guess that means they got Palette back safely... at least Goth will be happy.
He finished his breakfast at a snail's pace, his mood soured by his thoughts. Dumping the empty bowl in the sink, Cray slipped on his shoes and snatched his bag up beside the door before walking out of the house.
The walk to school was wholly uneventful and quiet. He reached the front walkway in no time, trudging up the steps leading into the school and down the hallway to his locker. Once his books were sorted out, he shut his locker and made his way to his first class, where Goth would be.
Now that I think about it, will Goth even come in today? He'll probably want to be close to Palette rather than sitting in school after everything that happened.
Before his thoughts could discourage him further, he made it through the doorway to the classroom, pleased to see Goth in his regular seat. Even more heartening, Goth seemed to perk up and beam at his arrival.
"Hey Goth, you-," Cray began, freezing when Goth launched himself from his desk and threw himself at the taller skeleton, pulling him into a tight hug at the chest, "... Goth?!"
"Thank you... thank you for helping me save Palette," the hooded monster breathed, looking up with watery eye sockets and a shining smile, "I know you and Palette don't always get along, but I appreciate that you went to the trouble of writing that note despite your differences. I never would have found him without you... so, thank you. It means everything to me."
"...How did you know?" Cray questioned softly, his own sockets wide with shock.
The smaller sniffled, pulling away to wipe his face, "Give me some credit, Cray. Do you really think I wouldn't be able to recognize your handwriting by now? We've known each other for how long?"
His soul ached at the reminder of what could have been.
If only you were this intuitive when it came to my feelings...
Cray shoved away his melancholy, faking a smile and a laugh as he ruffled Goth's hood playfully with his hand, "Too long, clearly. You're too smart for your own good sometimes. It's going to get you in trouble one day."
It looks like he already did if the bandage on his cheek is any indication. But the way Goth's glowing right now... stars, I wouldn't trade it for the world.
"Come on, class is going to start soon... and you have a lot of material to catch up on," Cray led a pouting Goth to his desk, his laugh a little more genuine now.
I suppose the best I can do now is watch over Goth and make sure he doesn't get himself into trouble... and maybe smack some sense into Palette if he ever dares to make Goth cry again.
***
Here marks the conclusion to this story. Thank you for your votes and comments. I love seeing the interest and reading people's reactions, it's perfect motivation~
See you guys in the next story, ciao for now~
Word Count: 1,479