#i didn't know fwhip literally grew dragon wings i thought he made them. yknow? tinkerer.

[playername-player-of-games]

You didn't want her to see you like this.

You peel your eyes open at the shouting- spotting a blur of purple and green as your sister descends from the sky on glimmering magic wings that remind you of a shooting star. There's a fury in her face that melts into worry as she stumbles to land in front of you. You did not control where you fell, but you recognize the walls- you're in one of the Blood Wells, a tear the demon left in the earth. Red mist clings to her clothes as she reaches out to cradle your face in her hands.

"Gem-" you cough, wishing you could hide the blood dripping down your chin, wishing the horror in her eyes would go away, please, why is it always there, every time she's looked at you for months, "Gem, I'm okay."

Tears stream down her cheeks and the Look she gives you might as well be your mother looking down at you with her hands on her hips, disappointment dripping from her every gesture, right down to the arch of her brow. Gem's anger is louder than your mother's ever was. She doesn't believe you. That's fair. (You don't really believe you either.)

"I'm fine," you stress, as your limbs ache and your back wails in agony and white-hot pain shoots through you at every point, (like the demon is in your mind again but this time it's a million times worse). You cough, blood splattering on your hands- on her hands- your lungs rattle. Why are you unlucky enough to be a vampire that breathes?

"Fwhip," your sister says, and oh gods, she sounds like she's underwater, (that can't be good), and you try to be a good brother and keep your eyes open, but it hurts, it hurts, it hurts-

"I'm okay," you say again, weak even to yourself, but you interrupted her and she glares and you obediently snap your mouth shut. Then open it again. You need to breathe, unfortunately, and each raspy breath passes through your throat like claws scraping on a chalkboard.

She's saying something. Magic maybe? Your eyes close. Fireworks are exploding across your skin, the pins and needles thick and unrelenting. No wonder she came so quickly, she could probably hear your screams from the Crystal Cliffs without need for a messenger.

"You're gonna be okay," she murmurs, closer to your ear now, watery and trembling. There's movement by your fingers that feels like her hand holding yours. It hurts. You don't let go.

She's murmuring something- a spell, you think, recognizing the shape of ancient grimmish as it passes her lips- and the stabbing, relentless pain begins to melt, passing over you like waves on a shoreline. Manageable. Quiet. But not gone.

You still can't open your eyes.

Your sister grips your hand. She's crying, (again. Why do you always make her cry?), as another spell passes her lips. The ocean waves seem to press in then, kneading you like dough. You can't open your eyes. You're falling asleep. You can't help it. You don't know where you're going to wake up. You're scared to wake up.

Your sister holds your hand, pressing her lips to your forehead.

"You're okay," she sobs, "you're gonna be okay."