Trigger Warnings ⚠️: Slight mention of blood, death, and cuts!

Notes: Also, Mama Griffin to the rescue in this chapter, lol!
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Third person's POV:

Light woke up in darkness, feeling his body being cradled against a stronger figure. He couldn't make out what they were saying, everything was blurred and smashed together, bouncing off his mind in a rapid recession. Slowly he was able to crack his eyes open, only to be met with more darkness. He was set on what he believed was a lab table as panic slowly began to creep up his spine before the voices suddenly became clear, still muffled, but readable. Professor Red and Louis... He thinks...

"I– I understand your concern–”

“Really?! You went ahead and nearly killed him under whose order?!?”

“... the Steve Leader. I'm so sorry…” Someone was crying now... That couldn't be good.

“And how do we know if you even mean that?? How can we even believe you?!” 

“I– I don't–”

Light flinched a little, the sound of someone being slapped ringing throughout his ears, a hollow, but deadly silence spread throughout the room. The sound of rushed footsteps joining them moments later, but rather than a happy skipping sound he expected to hear match the voice, they sounded rushed, uneven. Cliff came barreling into the room panting and out of breath.

“I–" A pant. "I got confirmation that this was Steve Leader's decision– What..?”

“Oh– OH! Oh my Origin, I'm so sorry– Wait! Come back!”

Light listened as all the footsteps retreated, by that logic and the way Louis apologized, He guessed that Louis had slapped the Professor. Light took shaky breaths and tried sitting up, knowing if he didn't the situation would only get worse. Completely forgetting that he also couldn't see, he went to stand only to find his legs had gone numb and gave out the moment he tried. Light heard his body make impact with the ground, it winded him, sure, but the sound of his friends approaching calmed his nerves as he tried to at least sit up. 

“L–Light??” He heard Louis mumble.

Light sat up his head throbbing in a mild pain that he could barely register as Louis rushed over wrapping Light– well, Shy now, in a firm yet careful hug. Cliff would have rushed in behind him, if he wasn't too busy trying to pry the door to the Professor's room open since he locked himself in there after the accident with Louis. Louis, however, quickly recalled his actions and cringed at just how impulsive they were, especially how he's usually the calm one of the ground and can keep a clear mind for most things. But the thought of losing one of his closest friends made his stomach churn with anger and regret.

What would have happened if Shy had actually died? Surely he couldn't just live with himself for that ordeal, the things unsaid spiraling between them made him tense. Not to mention that he now owes the Professor an apology and the Steve Leader one hell of a scolding. First and foremost though, he had to make sure Shy was okay. 

“Hey Li– I mean, Shy, can you stand? I need to apologize to the Professor before things get out of hand.” Shy nodded, his pale orange skin dotted with the white light of his known form from here to there. The most notable was a white patch across his left eye, reflecting off the dim lab lights so much that it almost appeared to be glowing. Louis helped Shy stand, the poor soul leaning most of his weight (which wasn't much since he barely ate) on his rainbow friend. 

Shy felt like he was hollow inside, having the crystal torn out of him twice now with little memories that helped back up that he was even merged with it in the first place set him on edge. He was definitely weaker and kept stumbling against Louis who was having a harder time keeping him up while his body began to feel limp in his hold. Thankfully, Cliff caught sight of them and helped to support Shy as they finally made it to the Professor's room, Louis raising his hand only to stop mid-knock when the door swung open and the Professor came out. It definitely looked like he had been crying, his unusually blood-shot eyes gave it away, but he ignored it, pushing past the pain and the stinging of where Louis had slapped him against his cheek. He promised Light something and he was going to fulfill it without question. 

“Professor, I–”

It's okay, Louis. I know you didn't mean it. Are you alright, Shy?” With a gentle nod of his head, the Professor asked Louis to teleport them back to the Kingdom. The latter did so without being asked a second time, still feeling guilty about the way he had treated the Professor. As soon as their feet hit the ground, the Professor walked off, ready to settle things with the Leaders once and for all. Meanwhile, Griffin, who had just caught sight of the seemingly new steve, rushed over only with Snowy at his heels only to stop in his tracks about a foot away. 

“L– Light?” The orange being nodded and Louis told the story of how the Leaders went behind their backs and nearly killed Light off in an attempt to save their own skin. This had Griffin fuming, feeling betrayed by the Yellow Leader and General for not bringing this to his attention whatsoever, but that could be dealt with later. For now, the boy had more pressing matters on his mind. 

“Is he hurt?” 

“Yeah… he has cuts and bruises all along his arms and legs–” 

“Light, come on. Let's get you cleaned up.” The somewhat timid steve followed Griffin up the rickety wooden stairs and into his small home on the second story, one story under Light's but he wanted to keep an eye on him for now to make sure his symptoms weren't getting worse. Shy was much more skittish than Light was but he still had somehow kept Light's stubborn personality when it came to anything regarding his own physical and mental health. He told Griffin that he didn't need help and that he was fine to go back to his room, but the distressed male has had enough of seeing his friend hurt repeatedly without fail. 

“Light–” 

“Shy…” 

“Okay, well Shy, this is not up for debate. I'm going to help you get cleaned up and then we're going to make sure those injuries are treated, alright?” Apparently, despite still being stubborn, Shy's willpower was nowhere near the strength it was with Light so it only took threatening to lock him in the bathroom until he got in for him to give in. 

Griffin sighed in relief once Shy was actually in the bath, bubbles rising up from the small tub to hopefully help calm his nerves. Griffin wet a damp cloth, rinsing out Shy's messy hair that was full of knots and tangles that he gently was able to get out with just brushing his fingers through it enough times. Shy actually began to enjoy the pampering, leaning back and relaxing as Griffin took care of him. By the time his hair was finished and back to being purely orange with dabs of white rather than a mess of mud and grim, the bath water was nearly black with dirt, Griffin sighing and handed Shy a towel. After Shy was out with the towel wrapped around his waist, Griffin drained the water, scrubbing the dirt out the best he could before refilling it. Next was Shy's arms, which he was much more finicky about than his hair. Griffin had to back up several times to avoid being slapped in the face with the opposite hand until he sat back in frustration. 

“Please Shy, I need to clean out your wounds before they get infected.” Shy whimpered, but gave his arm back to Griffin so he could rinse out the cuts and keep the blood at bay from making the injuries look worse than they actually were. He repeated this process with his legs before letting the tub drain and turning around so Shy could dry off and slip back into the yellow pair of clothes Griffin had laid out for him. When he was done, Griffin led Shy to his bed, tucking him under the silk sheets and sitting there with him until he heard the soft snores of the younger. Finally, Griffin could be at peace knowing that Light was resting and that he would deal with the Leaders in the morning. 

*Meanwhile with Professor Red*

The Professor stomped up the stairs to the throne room, not bothering to hide his aggression and he was sure he had startled and scared away at least three different steves when coming in here. The Light Crystal was tucked safely in his lab coat but in that moment, he wanted to give the Leaders a run for their money, a mischievous smirk playing on his lips as he stopped before the throne room door. He wanted to make this as good as he could get it so, plastering on a fake look of fear and sadness, the Professor opened the doors into the Leader's area. Most of them were chatting amongst themselves, having no clue about the chaos that the Professor was about to rain down upon here in about three minutes' time. The Pink Leader was the first to notice his distress, bolting out of his seat and clutching the Professor in a death grip he considered a hug, wondering what had gotten the usually stern and stone faced man down. 

“What's wrong, Professor?” The Professor said nothing at first, waiting to catch the attention of the other Leaders before he shakily took the Light Crystal out of his lab coat, dropping it and kicking it without the force to break it, right into the bottom of the Steve Leader's throne. When he spoke, his voice was nothing more than a dull whisper that everyone had to strain to hear. 

“Are you happy, Leader? There's your stupid crystal you so badly wanted and thanks to you, Light's dead!” The rest of the Leaders gapped and shook, the Steve Leader having gone particularly pale and the Professor smiled internally, knowing that he had won. Still he trembled and shook, pretending to get out of the Pink Leader's arms and crying out curses at them with all he could muster. It wasn't until the Violet Leader ran down to help get him under control that he realized how great of an actor he really was, and so long as he got Cliff and Louis on board then everything will go according to plan.