Your body ached, a weight of almost a thousand bricks held you down, and you felt something that seemed to be wrapped somewhere on your head

As consciousness slowly returns, you find yourself lying on a comfortable bed, the soft glow of a bed side lamp illuminating the room a little. Blinking groggily, you struggle to focus your thoughts as you become aware of a figure hovering over you.

"It's about time you woke up," Solaria says, his wine red eyes filled with concern as he gazes down at you. But as you meet his gaze, you notice something different about him. His eyes, once dark like the deepest shades of red wine, now shimmer with a newfound brightness, a vibrant scarlet hue that seems to pulse with life.

With a gasp of realization, you sense a subtle shift in Solaria's demeanor, a spark of energy returning to his eyes after what feels like an eternity of darkness in recent years. Something triggered something within him, a glimmer of hope amidst the shadows that have clouded his spirit.

But as you attempt to sit up, a wave of excruciating pain washes over you, sending shockwaves of agony coursing through every fiber of your being. It feels as though a thousand needles are piercing your skull, each movement sending jolts of torment radiating through your body.

Gritting your teeth against the searing pain, you cling to the edge of consciousness, determined to push through the agony and regain your bearings. With every ounce of willpower you can muster, you force yourself to sit upright, your muscles protesting with every movement.

Solaria's concerned expression deepens as he watches you struggle, his scarlet eyes filled with empathy and understanding. With a gentle hand, he offers you a glass of water, his touch a comforting presence amidst the turmoil of pain and confusion.

"Here, drink this," he says softly, his voice a soothing balm to your frayed nerves.

Slowly sipping the water, you feel a sense of relief wash over you, the cool liquid soothing your parched throat and easing the throbbing ache in your head.

"Where's Mr. Darling? " you asked then,
Solaria hesitates, his scarlet eyes flickering with uncertainty, and something told you he knew something.

He purses his lips and rubs his hands nervously before finally shaking his head. "He... did arrive earlier but ah... stuff," he says, his explanation vague and cryptic.

Your brow furrows in confusion at his response. Something doesn't quite add up, but before you can question further, you notice that you're not in the medical bay as you expected. Instead, you find yourself in what appears to be an employee's quarters.

Furrowing your brow, you glance around the room, taking in the unfamiliar surroundings. "Whose quarters are these?" you inquire, turning your attention back to Solaria.

At your question, Solaria freezes, his movements coming to a sudden halt. His scarlet eyes widen slightly, a flicker of apprehension crossing his features before he quickly composes himself. "Uh, these are... just some spare quarters," he stammers, his voice betraying a hint of nervousness.

You can't help but wonder what secrets he might be hiding, and why you find yourself in these unfamiliar quarters instead of the medical bay where you were supposed to be.

The room you find yourself in appears rather bland and utilitarian, lacking any personal touches or decorations that might add warmth or character. The walls are a dull shade of beige, white, black, and gray, devoid of any artwork or adornments, giving the space a sterile and impersonal feel.

Numerous calendars and schedules are pinned to the walls, their pages filled with appointments, deadlines, and reminders. The meticulous organization hints at the occupant's meticulous nature, their life carefully structured around their responsibilities and commitments.

A sturdy study desk sits against one wall, cluttered with papers, notebooks, and writing utensils. The surface is marred with faint traces of ink and coffee stains, evidence of countless hours spent working and studying.

Opposite the desk, a walk-in wardrobe stands slightly ajar, revealing rows of neatly organized clothing and accessories. The muted tones of grays and blacks dominate the wardrobe's contents, reflecting a preference for simplicity and practicality over extravagance.

In the center of the room, where you are, is a single bed with clean white sheets occupies the space. The bed is actually pretty comfy, its plush pillows beckoning you to sink more into their soft embrace.

Solaria freezes, his gaze fixed on the cluttered desk as if lost in thought. Sensing his discomfort, you decide to change the subject, not wanting to pry further into matters that seem to trouble him.

"Thank you for taking care of me, Solaria," you say, offering a weak smile. "I appreciate it."

Solaria's gaze snaps back to you, his scarlet eyes softening with a mixture of relief and gratitude. "Of course," he replies, his voice tinged with emotion. "I'll always be here for you."

With a nod of acknowledgment, you settle back against the cushions, feeling a sense of comfort wash over you in the presence of your friend. Though questions linger in the back of your mind, for now, you're content to rest and recover, knowing that you're in good hands with Solaria by your side.

"Oh and by the way" solaria said, almost stammering as he stood up and stumbled back a little "I ah... Called the emergency number you had placed in your resume" he rubbed the back of his head "took me a while and to top it off" he cleared his throat "I'm leaving you to deal with her" he said as he then practically sprinted to the door and left, leaving you more confused, and that was when you realized one thing

One of your top emergency numbers to call just incase...

Was Lady poppy Patridge herself...

You dozed off a little, and then you felt a gentle touch on your shoulder. Blinking through the haze, you see Poppy Patridge,  a motherbird, standing over you, her feathers ruffling with concern.

"By the stars above, what have you done to yourself?!" Poppy exclaims, her voice a mixture of worry and exasperation. "You know better than to push yourself like this! How many times have I told you to watch over yourself?"

Despite the throbbing pain in your head, you manage a weak smile, knowing that Poppy's scolding comes from a place of genuine care.

"I-I'm sorry, Poppy," you mumble, your words slurred from the concussion treatment. "I just... had to..."

Poppy's feathers rustle even more agitatedly, her avian instincts kicking in as she fusses over you like a mother hen.

"Had to what? Overexert yourself until you collapse??? Honestly, sometimes I worry about you more than I worry about my own fledgling!" Poppy chides, her tone firm but tinged with maternal concern.

You flinch instinctively as Poppy raises a hand, but she stops herself mid-motion, realizing your condition.

"Oh, stars above, I almost forgot about your head," she says, her feathers settling as she gently places a hand on your forehead. "You need to rest, my dear. No more pushing yourself until you're fully healed, understood?"

With a nod, you acquiesce to Poppy's motherly command, knowing that she only has your best interests at heart.

Poppy's concerned gaze meets yours, her feathers ruffling with worry. "Did Walden forget to check on you? Honestly, that man's head is in the clouds sometimes!"

You manage a weak chuckle, the pain in your head momentarily forgotten in the face of Poppy's motherly concern. "No, no, it's not Walden's fault," you assure her. "I actually had a doctor. A wonderful one, in fact."

Poppy's feathers bristle with surprise. "A doctor? But why? And why voluntarily?" she asks, her avian features creased with confusion.

You wince slightly, realizing that your explanation might not help your case. "Well, you see, I... I tend to push myself a bit too hard sometimes," you admit sheepishly. "And, uh, I might have ignored a few warning signs..."

Poppy's expression shifts from concern to exasperation as she lets out a frustrated sigh. "Honestly, you're worse than a fledgling sometimes! You need to take better care of yourself, dear. Promise me you'll be more careful in the future?"

With a nod, you give Poppy your word, grateful for her gentle reminder to prioritize your health. As you settle back into the couch, the pain in your head reminding you of the consequences of your actions, you vow to heed Poppy's advice and take better care of yourself in the days to come.

°•°•°•°•°•°•°•°

Against your will, you were told to go home and rest, the mixture of Solaria's constant shaking of head as if telling you to not fight and just go, along with Poppy's kind eyes softly pleading to please just go home and rest, so you did.

Feeling like the bus wasn't safe for you to ride in with the noise and the slight sensitivity your head had gotten into Poppy offered to give you a ride, in which this time, you didn't hesitate to say yes, now you're just waiting in front of the factories false entrances (the ones that when you enter, would make it seem like a normal factory) as the avian got her car

Your midnight haired friend stood beside you, checking his watch to see if he would have anything worth needing to do ASAP, clueless to what you're thinking right now

Spiralling:

As you stand in front of the imposing gates of the factory, Solaria beside you, I can't shake the nagging thought that keeps circling in your mind. Why didn't Walden visit when you collapsed? The anger bubbles up inside me, a mix of frustration and hurt, as you try to rationalize his absence.

"He really doesn't give a shit even when I collapsed" you mutter under your breath, the words bitter on your tongue. "He just returned and couldn't fucking bother himself to stay a bit to see if you were okay?" You murmured to yourself, hugging your arms

Solaria shoots you a concerned glance, clearly unaware of the turmoil raging inside you. But you can't bring myself to voice your frustrations to him, not when they stem from a deeper, more complicated place.

You try to push aside the resentment building within me, telling yourself it's immature to hold onto such feelings. But deep down, you know this small anger is justified. It hurts to feel like you're desperately grabbing onto what was once a friendship, while Walden doesn't bother trying to pull himself up from the pit.

Slowly, as he continues to hurt you with his indifference, a little piece of you starts to shut down. You can't bring yourself to care anymore, not when it feels like you're the only one making an effort to salvage what you once had.

As you both stand in silence, the weight of your emotions pressing down on you like a leaden blanket, you can't help but wonder if Walden will ever realize the damage he's done. But until then, you'll keep standing here, grappling with your own conflicting feelings, hoping for a resolution that may never come.

It fucking hurts so much knowing you yearn for a comfort of someone who will never provide it

But before you spiraled deeper into the rabbit hole you've created yourself, Poppy's car pulled as you snapped out of your daze, your dark haired friend patted your shoulder and pushed you forward a little as you entered Poppy's car that could fit a family.

You were silent the whole way, knees up to your chest, facing the side, hugging yourself.

"Are you alright dear? " Poppy's sweet voice broke the silence as she gave a momentary glance

You looked at her a bit, and she looked more worried, you wanted to say you were, but you you'd feel like a child lying to their mother selfishly, no, you can't do that to Poppy

"N-na... No" your voice shook slightly as you realized in the moment you zoned out. The corners of your eyes started to leak with tears, cracking a dam

Poppy looked more concerned by the confession as she stopped at a red light and then looked at you "why is that sweetie? "

You rubbed your eyes, to stop the tears but it didn't help "it's... Tiring if you're the only one trying you know? " you said as you out your legs down into a proper seat

Poppy rubbed your shoulder as she looked forward again "Yes... I think it would be, and I don't blame you" she sighed as she did a turn "But, if it helps, I think you're a strong willed being sweets, and, just to add, I'm proud of you... Okay? " she smiled as she looked at you momentarily,

You returned the smile

At least you were a little honest for one day

And it was enough

Poppy dropped you off to where you live, it wasn't really anywhere extravagant, it's an apartment with decent people, it was also pretty close to your other friends's abode... You should probably visit them

You set your phone to vibrate and walked to the bathroom, placing it on the sink as you washed your face, not even a second later, your device vibrated

Rubbing your dried tears with a towel, you opened your device and saw a notification

Dr. Darling

Rest, you need it

You gave a shuddering breathe, wow... Just now? Why can't he just make up his damned mind and clear if he actually care or not?! It's frustrating

You were slightly tearing up again, not of pain but mental exhaustion as you gripped your phone, leaning on the closed bathroom door and slid down, head on knees as you cried away the tears you've been holding for too long

Far too long

You were given comfort by many yet you still seek it from the one you knew should be the one giving it the most

And it hurt

In the tapestry of hurt he gave no comfort