"Hala … it could be days. Or weeks," Void said gently.
I shrugged then hissed at the strain on my healing injuries. "Mav's not going anywhere, so neither am I."
"No," Void murmured, his black eyes downcast. After a moment he added, "Nor am I."
Part of me thought Sang would sense all three of us sitting here, and his eyes would fly open, or he'd let out a dramatic gasp. But he stayed silent, his chest moving with shallow, uneven breaths, and we waited for hours.
For days.
* * *
"Eat a little more, Hala,"Void coaxed, pushing my bowl of half-eaten pasta back towards me. He found out my favourite food was mac n' cheese and ordered a whole vat of it from a restaurant on Earth, stocking the kitchen here with enough to feed all four of us for days. Not that Sang had eaten anything since I woke up. He hadn't even blinked; he laid deadly still except for soft, rhythmic breaths.
"I'm fine," I replied, an automatic response at this point.
I wasn't fine. My burns had healed a little more, but my chest had hollowed out with every day Sang stayed unconscious until a numbness settled over me. It was only slightly broken when Mav and Void sat with me, their bodies pressed to mine in comfort.
I was starting to fear Sang simply wouldn't wake up.
Void ran his big hand over my hair, gently untangling some of the knots, and then bent to kiss my head before moving away. "I'll make you some tea."
I wouldn't drink most of it, but I didn’t argue. I realised days ago that Void needed to keep moving, neededsomethingto do or his panic would swallow him. So I let him fuss and tried not to snap too hard when he pushed me to eat or shower or do anything else that took me from Sang's side for more than a few moments.
I numbly accepted the mug when he returned, sipping the hot chamomile and not really tasting it on my tongue.
My emotions flip flopped from panic that I'd lose Sang to the mess of conflicting feelings over the fight in the basement, and the nightmare I'd seen in the maze on floor five. My small relief that Vann was at rest was consumed by horror at what had been done to him. He'd fought Mav, and stabbed me—would have killed me if not for the void inside me. I hoped he knew I didn't hold it against him, that it wasn't his fault. I hoped he found peace.
Void squeezed my shoulder, kissing the top of my head again. I had a feeling the kisses were as much a comfort for him as me. "He knows."
My throat choked up. I nodded silently, and took another sip of my drink.
"Who knows what?" a hoarse voice asked, and I startled so much that I dropped my cup to the floor, hot chamomile splashing all over Sang's carpet.
"You're awake!" I gasped, staring at my kitty mate who stared back at me, looking rumpled and worse for wear butalive.
The black slits in his yellow eyes were as small as I'd seen them, and he squinted at me before a giant grin crossed his face, kicking my emotions into frantic overdrive.
"Where can I hug you?" I asked on a sob. "I need to touch you, but I don't want to hurt you."
"Anywhere you want, sweet human," Sang replied, attempting to sit up—but immediately pressed back into the cushions by a clawed grey hand on his shoulder.
"Don't eventhinkabout moving. And Hala, only touch his shoulders. Anywhere else and you risk putting too much pressure on his wounds."
I stopped hearing after shoulders, and flung my arms around Sang, squeezing him so tight it hurt my burned arms. I didn't care; I held on tighter, feeling every hitch in Sang's breath, melting when he lifted his arms and held me hard enough to leave bruises.
"How is—holy fuck," Mav choked out, as wobbly and raspy as I felt.
Footsteps rushed across the room, and suddenly tentacles wrapped around me and Sang, Mav's body pressed to my back, hitching with shattered breaths.
"Be careful," Void chided, but then the bed dipped and he joined our huddle. "You had us worried sick, Sanguine."
Sang laughed, the wild, unhinged cackle I'd missed hearing for so long. I buried my face in his shoulder and cried, but that was okay because I was pretty sure everyone else was crying too.
"I knew you bastards loved me," Sang teased, pulling us all tighter into him and ignoring his own grunt of pain. "I love you too, so sososo so—"
"We get the point," Void drawled.
"—sososo much."