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The sound of rain pattering against the window was usually one of the most calming sounds that to Russel, a noise that would send him to sleep or at the very least settle his nerves. So in this respect, it was odd that that morning was going horribly.
A morning like this, a gentle rain waking him, his blue haired boyfriend wrapped around him, the promise of a day with no concerts or responsibilities to fulfill - absolutely perfect. Or at least it should be. So why did Russel feel like such crap?
His stomach hurt and his head was on fire. He thought that maybe if he just found a better position and ignored it, it would be okay. There was nothing he wanted to do more than to just lay there and enjoy the morning and 2D's company, moving and getting up would ruin it.
He tossed and turned trying to find the right position, his side, his back, his stomach, but it was pointless. He tried to just power through, but he failed. He shot out of bed and ran for the bathroom.
He made it to the bathroom, but just in time to empty last night's dinner into the toilet.
"Russel?" The commotion had woken up 2D. "You okay?" He said walking towards the bathroom.
"No. I'm kinda barfing right now D." Russel said in a pained voice. He clutched his stomach. "Goddamn, I wonder what I got." He was in there for a couple more minutes, suffering.
When Russel came out of the bathroom 2D wasn't in the room. He looked around confused.
"D? Where did ya go?" He said to the empty room. "Ow" he whispered, holding his head.
The door opened, it was 2D. "Hey, I just went to get ya a cold cloth to put on your head. Thought it would help." He said putting his hand to Russel's forehead. "Yeah you're burning up. You have a fever." He frowned with concern.
Russel sat on the edge of the bed and 2D followed. He put the cloth to his head. "You should just go back to sleep if ya can."
Russel laid back down, "yeah you're probably right babe." He held 2D's hand. Being sick sucks but it would be better knowing that his boyfriend would be there with him too.
Boyfriend.
He loved that word so much.
2D sat next to him as Russel dozed off. Maybe sleep would offer more comfort.
Russel was in a dark room, surrounded by mirrors. It was freezing, his breath visible in the air.
He walked up to one of the mirrors, "What the fuck..." he whispered putting his hand out to touch one of them.
When his finger touched the mirror the reflection changed. His face warped, growing horns, teeth bared, expressions growing mad.
"No..." Russel said. He recognized the demon. It was one the one who possessed him when he was just a kid. He hurt so many innocent kids...years of his life taken away in a coma.
"That's not me!" He screamed at the mirror. "ITS NOT MY FAULT!" He said backing away. He backed right into something. He turned around to face him.
Del.
Emotionless, solid in his place, he didn't look down at Russel. He stared forward, nothing behind his eyes.
Russel began to tremble, "I'm sorry... I'm sorry Del." He said kneeling. "It should've beeen me. It should have been me."
He couldn't move, overwhelmed by guilt and fear. As the air was getting harder to breath, spirits, from every direction, filled the room. Old friends murdered in front of him. Demons and monsters that sought him out all his life. Ghosts of people whose lives went nowhere. The enormous noise of the pain he has caused.
There was no sound but it felt like shouting in his ears.
"Russel? Are you okay?"
He woke up, 2D tapping his shoulder. His heart was still pounding, he wiped the sweat from his head.
"What?" He said groggily.
"You okay?" He said repeating his question. "You seemed like you were having a bad dream, love." He said holding Russel's hand.
The word love... He sighed, trying to let the dream go.
"Yeah I'm fine." He said. "I just... I'm fine."
2D gave a small smile, concerned and no convinced that he was 'fine'. "I got you something." He said. "Well it was all me I- well I got some help with it-"
The door opened and in came Noodle carrying a big bowl of soup. "Hey Russel!" She said setting down the bowl on his nightstand. "I made you some soup to make you feel better." She looked at 2D. "He was trying to make you soup, but I came in and stopped him from burning the kitchen down."
2D looked down "Ha...yeah I tried though." Russel giggled.
Noodle smiled "but he did help and he brought those flowers up here for you so..." she said pointing to the bouquet on the nightstand.
He looked at them. Bright yellow flowers. His favorite color. "Aw...D' they're beautiful, thank you" he said leaning up and hugging him. "And thank you Noodle for the soup, I'm sure it will be delicious as always."
Noodle leaned in and gave him a hug. "It will be! Please get better Russel! I love you!" She said.
"Aw I love you too." He responded. Noodle then left the room, closing the door behind her.
He picked up his bowl of soup and 2D sat down in a chair beside the bed. It wasn't there before, Russel realized. 2D had been sitting there while he slept.
"Are you feeling any better?" 2D said softly.
"Um..." Russel didn't really want to tell him that he wasn't, maybe even worse. "maybe a little."
2D smiled. "Good. Good." His grip on Russel's hand tightened. "Is there anything I can do to help?"
"I don't know babe...I got my boyfriend, my soup, my flowers...I can't really think of anything better." He said, putting on a grin despite the pounding in his head.
"What about you not being sick?" 2D said.
"Damn...you're right." He said. "Why don't you pick a movie for us to watch?"
"Okay. I'll pick something you'll love." He said looking around the room for the remote.
Once he picked one they sat and watched a really bad zombie movie while Russel eat his soup and admired his flowers (and 2D).
It was as blissful as a sick day could be.
After they had watched a couple of movies (interrupted by a few unpleasant bathroom visits), they had moved on to playing video games.
It reminded him of when 2D and him were just becoming friends. Hardly knew each other, nervously playing video games, trying to get closer together through something simple as their lives blew up in chaos. He was having such a nice time.
But he felt cold. Really cold.
He was wrapped up in three blankets and the heater was turned up. But he was still cold.
He shivered. 2D noticed and turned to him. "You okay, Russ?" He said pausing the game.
"Yeah, I'm just cold." He said wrapping the blankets closer.
"You're wearing three blankets!" He said chuckling. But his face fell, "love...you look pale...like you look almost a bit blue."
"What are you talking about?" Russel said. He said looking at his hands. They were shaking, less colorful than normal, sickly.
2D touched his skin. "Holy crap! You're freezing." He said. "I'm gonna go get a heat pad or something." He said standing up.
He walked to the door, but just as he did it opened. It was Murdoc.
2D frowned. "What are you doing here?"
"I came to make sure Russel wasn't dead. That'd suck. Would have ta find a new drummer." He said. He looked away, "No one would be as good."
2D looked tense. Russel wasn't as annoyed, he knew Murdoc cared...he was just distant. He knew that everyone had their demons, he just made deals with instead of fighting them off.
"I'm going to find a heating pad." 2D said pushing past him.
Murdoc lingered in the room. "You gonna be fine?" He said as emotionless as he could.
"Yeah." Russel said.
He nodded and left the room.
Russel was left in his room shaking. He pulled the blankets tight, but he was still frozen. He stared at the paused video game. He looked at the map they were on and absorbed the details. He looked at all the intricate designs of the background.
But then he noticed something. A character in the background, standing and looking at him. It was a nondescript figure with red eyes...and it was moving. Russel rubbed his eyes and thought it must have been his eyes, but it kept moving. Slowly walking toward the foreground.
Russel was sure he was hallucinating, it wouldn't be the first time...but it could also be a ghost. It crept forward and ap came closer and closer until-
The power went out. Russel was left in the dark, terrified of his own spiritual abilities.
The door opened again. 2D was holding a flash light, "So much for a heating pad." He said sitting down next to him. "The rain must have knocked out the power lines. But that's okay...for once I'm warmer than you so we could just...I don't know cuddle?"
He looked at Russel, but Russel wasn't responding. "Russel?"
"I think it's a ghost thing, D'" Russel said, fear apparent in his voice. "I thinks that's why I'm sick."
"oh...so what do we do?" He asked.
"I don't know." Russel said. "I'm sorry"
2D hugged him close. "We'll be ok." He whispered. "I promise."
They fell asleep together on the floor, ready for whatever might happen.
Russel was in the mirror room again, but this time there was no reflection of him in the mirrors.
But in one mirror, the figure.
The one from the video game, standing sinister, waiting.
But for what?
"What do you want, huh?" Russel said. "You want my soul or some bullshit?"
The spirit reached out from the mirror.
"No. Sorry. Not today, I finally want to live for once." He said. He went up to the mirror, picked it up, and smashed it on the ground. The spirit dissipated from the shards with a screech.
Russel woke up. It was still nighttime, but the rain had stopped and the power was back on. He looked down at 2D still wrapped around him and sound asleep.
He had won this time.