Au: Modern Minecraft AU

WC: 7.8k

I went back and reread my old amnesia oneshot and decided I could do better. This is my attempt at that! 

-

Bdubs wearily blinked, his eyes not fully opened just yet as he shifted his head from side to side. When he felt a bright light harshly shining on him, he scrunched up his face. "What's goin' on?" He grumbled.

"You're awake," a familiar voice sighed with heavy relief. "Can you tell me your name?"

Well, that was an odd question. "Why do you need to know?" He muttered, shielding his eyes with the back of his hand.

"What's your name?" The person repeated.

"Bdubs, my name is Bdubs." He rubbed his eyes and blinked to adjust to his surroundings.

That's why the voice was so familiar.

The person standing over him was a friend. What was his name? Why was it taking him so long to remember?

"Xisuma?" Bdubs slowly asked, hoping he got it right.

Thankfully, the man nodded. "It's me, I'm right here. How are you feeling?"

He carefully sat up with the help of his friend. The room smelled heavily of disinfectant and plastic. There was a continuous beeping beside him and the fluorescent lights were practically blinding as seemed to reflect off the entire predominantly white room.

"Am I... why am I in a hospital?" He asked, looking around. Then he looked up at Xisuma, almost instinctively missing someone. "And where's..." Despite having the name on the tip of his tongue, he couldn't find it.

"Doc?" Xisuma attempted to fill in.

Bdubs shook his head. "No, I don't need to see a doctor, I think 'cause you're here. Where's..." he snapped his fingers. "Iskall! Where are they?" How could he forget the name of his best friend?

X mouth formed an 'o'. "R-Right um, ah! They've been in and out almost every day since you've been here. I think they may still be in the building too. I can get them for you, don't worry."

"Wait! X, what happened to me? How long have I been here?"

With a deep breath, his friend pulled up a chair and sat beside the hospital bed. "What's the last thing you remember?" He whispered.

Bdubs scrunched his nose and attempted to think.

Nothing came to mind. "I'm... not sure."

"Well ah... you've been here for a little over three weeks. You were in a hotel on vacation and an earthquake caused part of the building to collapse." Bdubs' gawked at him, completely floored.

"How did I not die?" He breathed.

"Your husband kept you as safe as he could. But you both suffered some serious head trauma," Xisuma slowly explained.

Bdubs snorted. "Husband?" He repeated. "You sure you got that right?"

He couldn't help but feel horrified to see how his friend's face fell. "Um, I'm- I'll get Iskall now."

He wanted to stop him again, but truthfully he did miss his best friend.

"Husband? I'm not-" his whispers were immediately shut down as he glanced at his hand.

His heart plummeted through the floor.

A rather beautiful rose gold band engraved with vines was nestled on his ring finger. "I'm married?!"

He dropped his forehead into his hands, propping his elbows on his knees. Who was he married to? How much had he forgotten? Bdubs wanted to cry as he tried to keep his breathing regulated.

When the door opened he quickly looked up, relaxing at the sight of his oldest friend.

Iskall came running over to his side and he brought them down into a tight hug. "You scared me so bad," they whispered, squeezing him.

"I bet," he lightly laughed. "I think I'm okay now, though."

His friend slowly pulled away, revealing a sad smile. "I'm not too sure about that one," they teased.

"I'd need to have some tests run, but I think it's safe to say you're suffering from some form of memory loss," Xisuma piped up. "You don't remember your husband, correct?"

Bdubs frowned, leaning against Iskall's arm. "No," he mumbled. His friend gave him a tight side hug. "I can't believe I have to ask but; who is he?"

"His name is Doc and he's someone you've known for years," Iskall whispered.

"I... that name doesn't ring any bells," he quietly admitted. "Oh god, I feel so terrible. Where is he, by the way?"

Xisuma scratched the back of his neck. "He's still in a coma. We were keeping you two in the same room but since he has multiple bionic components to his body, he was starting to malfunction a bit so we had to isolate him."

As terrible of a thought it was, a part of Bdubs hoped this 'Doc' person didn't remember him either. He already felt guilty enough as is.

After Xisuma left the room, promising to be back again to run Bdubs through some tests, Iskall sat next to the bed. "Honestly I... for a minute I kinda forgot you and X's name too," Bdubs admitted.

Iskall squeezed his hand. "Hey, it's okay. I'm sure in time your memory will come back. Don't beat yourself up too much over it. Promise?"

Bdubs nodded, but then Iskall held up his hand. "What're you doing?" He couldn't help but laugh.

"Ah." The corner of their lips twitched. "We have a little handshake we came up with as kids that we do instead of a regular pinky promise. Here." Bdubs let Iskall guide his hand, twisting their arms and interlocking their fingers. When Iskall squeezed his hand, Bdubs squeezed back, hoping that was right.

"Well, I also promise to remember that," he added with a grin.

-

It didn't surprise Bdubs to hear the confirmation that he did indeed have a form of amnesia. "There's no need to worry as typically your memories will recover themselves without need for treatment. On average it really only takes around a week, but that can vary," Xisuma explained.

Bdubs nodded as he squeezed Iskall's hand. "Can um, am I allowed to see Doc?" He whispered. "I just want to know what he looks like."

X agreed, so Iskall helped him stand. He was led down the hall and around a corner to a slightly larger room. He was unable to hold back a gasp.

A creeper was lying completely still in the bed, half of his face exposed and full of wires and parts, same with a part of his chest and his opposite arm. Although Bdubs found him a bit grotesque, there was something about him that he couldn't help but find charming.

Sure enough, on his organic hand, was a matching ring to Bdubs'.

"I should go," Bdubs muttered, letting go of Iskall's hand and quickly heading out of the room.

His friend was quick to follow, stopping him in the middle of the hall. "Hey, what's wrong? Are you still upset that you don't remember him?" Iskall asked, gently holding his hands.

Sighing, Bdubs leaned his head against his shoulder. "He risked his life for me, and I haven't got a clue who he is when I should!"

Iskall wrapped his arms around him, giving him a comforting hug. "You shouldn't stress over it too much, okay? All you should focus on is relaxing and recovering. X said you'll need to stay here for a bit longer, so let's get you back to your room."

Bdubs nodded, tightly hugging him in return. "Are you able to stay here with me?" He quietly asked.

"Of course."

With a cemented frown on his face, he clung to Iskall's arm like a small child until he got back to his room where he sat back down on the bed. After helping him fix his hair, Iskall offered to get him some food and promised not to be gone for long.

-

Iskall was almost positive no one had ever felt as guilty and conflicted as they were feeling. They knew they were kidding themselves when they claimed to be over Bdubs. Hell, the wedding was torture enough. Especially when they had to give the best man speech. (They didn't care about being referred to as 'best man', since Bdubs had referred to them as the best 'not a man man') At the time, they had assumed it was enough exposure therapy to force them to get over their long-term crush, but clearly, it didn't work. They hated how hopeful they got to hear Bdubs completely forgot about Doc. It made them sick and they cursed themself for being such a twisted person.

As promised they returned with food for Bdubs, propping up the tray of chicken noodle soup, bread, carrot sticks, and water on the bed for him to eat. "Aren't you gonna eat too?" Bdubs worried.

They smiled. "Don't worry, I ate just before you woke up," they assured him, patting his leg. They managed to keep their bright expression as they watched Bdubs eat.

Just as the spoon of soup neared his mouth, Bdubs paused. "Am I allergic to anything?" He suddenly asked.

Iskall giggled. "No, no you're not allergic to anything. You just have a strong distaste for tomatoes."

"Huh. I guess I forgot that too," he bitterly laughed before eating. Reaching over, they took his left and squeezed.

"Hey, I'm going to stay with you for as long as you need me to so I can help you remember stuff, alright? You're stuck with me." Thankfully, the bright smile they flashed seemed to infect Bdubs, who grinned right back.

"Thanks. I'm really glad I remember you." His words caused their heart to skip a beat. "I just... I wish I remembered that Doc guy. What do you know about him?" Iskall wanted to frown but held back from it.

They sighed. "Well... you guys have known each other for quite a while now and only just recently got married. He cares about you, a lot." Iskall swallowed. "Y'know what? I think it'd be better if you hear it all from him when he wakes up."

Bdubs sighed as well, though he was far more exasperated. "I guess but- isn't it going to be awkward if he still remembers me? It's going to crush him and even though I don't know him I'll still feel bad!" It took everything in Iskall not to kiss his head. Although platonic kissing wasn't an obscure idea, they never did so with Bdubs and they were not about to lie and say they do.

"He'll be understanding," they promised.

-

Four days moved by at both an agonizingly slow pace and yet seemed to slip from Bdubs' fingers like soft, fine sand. He was still stuck in the hospital for extra tests, monitoring and until the wound on his temple was better healed. He was set to leave at the end of the week, but since he couldn't even remember where he lived, Iskall assured him they'd help him get home.

At first, he made a promise to himself to visit Doc's room every day at least twice. But by the second day, he already felt suffocated by guilt just by stepping through the doorway. However, he felt more guilty not seeing him at all.

Bdubs stared at himself in the bathroom mirror, still finding it weird he hadn't remembered his heterochromia. Xisuma had also found it odd that there were sporadic details Bdubs had forgotten, but still said it was normal.

With a big breath, he decided to go see his husband again. Iskall was set to be back at the hospital soon with a photo album to help Bdubs, so he could sit with Doc while he waited.

However, the moment he stepped out of the bathroom, he found Xisuma looking for him.

"Ah, Bdubs! Hey!" He was out of breath but had a wide smile. "Doc just woke up, he's asking for you!"

Despite not having a single memory of him. Despite not feeling anything towards him whenever he looked at his face. Despite dreading the moment he came face to face with an awake hybrid, Bdubs found his legs carrying him down the halls faster and faster. The pull was almost magnetic, drawing him closer and closer to the room.

By the time he opened the door, he had to lean against the frame, out of breath.

His heart stopped as he found himself meeting the gaze of an unknown face. His bionics were closed back together with panels, and although his appearance was still shocking, his wide eyes and small smile warmed his chest.

"You're okay," the hybrid breathed, climbing out of the bed.

Xisuma appeared next to Bdubs. "Ah, Doc, don't get up!" He protested, but he didn't care.

With him laying down, Bdubs had never understood just how tall he was until he saw him stand up. It felt as though he towered over him, unnerving Bdubs. Cautiously he stepped forward, but before he could say anything Doc was in front of him, tightly hugging him.

"I love you," Doc murmured, slicing Bdubs' heart with more guilt and unease as his husband held him.

He couldn't even bring himself to say it back but was able to hesitantly hug him back.

When Doc pulled away, Bdubs found a concerned face gazing down at him. "How are you feeling? Is everything okay?" He immediately worried. As he raised his hands to cup his face, Bdubs flinched but smiled and nodded. The foreign feeling brought comfort to him regardless.

"Uh, I'm okay, I'm fine."

Slowly, he pulled away, looking over his shoulder. "Xisuma, what's wrong?" He whispered.

"Bdubs, you have to tell him," Xisuma quietly urged.

Swallowing hard, Bdubs took a small step back. "I'm sorry," he whispered, too scared to keep eye contact. "I don't remember you."

He braced himself for something, although he wasn't sure what. However, much to his surprise, Doc gently took his hands. Hesitantly he looked back up at him, mortified to find that he was on the verge of tears. "You don't remember anything about me?" He whispered.

"Sorry," he repeated, shaking his head.

"No no, don't apologize, it's not your fault," he insisted. Doc let go of his hands. "Right it must be um, weird to uh- to have a... stranger be so-"

Bdubs quickly took his hands back. "I'll get my memories back soon, I think! I'll- it'll be okay," he assured him, despite not being confident in himself at all.

He heard footsteps and looked over to find Iskall poking their head in the room. "Oh! Doc you're up! How are you?" They asked, stepping in.

"Hey, Iskall. I'm... I'm alright." Doc gave a small smile.

"Well, you just woke up from a coma, you probably need your rest. I'll uh, see you around I guess!" Giving his hands a little squeeze, Bdubs let go and stepped away.

As he walked over to Iskall, his friend squeezed his hand. "You sure you don't want to stay with him longer?" They whispered quietly enough for no one else to hear.

"I think I might be sick," he muttered, leaning against his shoulder.

"Bdubs," Doc started. The aforementioned looked back at him and flashed a smile.

"Get some rest," he insisted.

-

When Doc woke up, all he could think about was if Bdubs had survived or not. It terrified him that he had passed out first and had no clue what happened to his husband. So when he saw Bdubs' face, how all he could see was pity in his eyes, he felt as though he did lose Bdubs.

Back when he first met him, he was jealous of how close Iskall was with him. He felt that feeling bubble up all over again. It seemed like Bdubs remembered them, but not Doc?

'It'll be okay', Iskall mouthed at him with a soft smile.

He numbly nodded as the two left the room and he trudged back to the bed. "How long has it been, X?" He asked, pushing back his hair.

"About a month," he whispered. "Bdubs woke up a few days ago with amnesia, as you can tell. It hasn't... gotten better, but it hasn't gotten worse, either. I promise he'll be alright. You'll both be alright."

"I feel like my heart has just... shattered. This isn't fair." His voice cracked as he continued to hold back his tears.

Xisuma said nothing more and simply sat on the bed next to him and gave a tight side hug.

-

As he fiddled with the ring on his finger, Bdubs looked over the photo album with Iskall. The earliest pictures were from elementary and were mainly of the two of them. The more they flipped the pages and recalled the stories behind each picture, the more Bdubs began to freak out. "I don't- I don't remember any of this," he whispered.

"Hey, hey it's okay!" Iskall assured him. "There's no need to worry!"

Bdubs took deep breaths as he skipped a few pages. "Oh, hey, is this our um, high school graduation?" He started to laugh. "Wait, I actually remember when I bleached my hair! You helped with that didn't you?" Looking back at how blonde his hair was for their graduation, he realized it wasn't so bad. He also explained how he remembered he cut out a picture of him under a fish-eye lens and taped it to his graduation cap.

His friend leaned against his arm as they took over flipping the pages. "You want to see the pictures from your first date with Doc?"

Hesitantly, he nodded. There was a strip of pictures from a photo booth. In all four pictures, a younger Bdubs and Doc were wearing matching bright smiles. In the third, Bdubs was kissing Doc's cheek and in the last, a flustered Doc was burying his face in a laughing Bdubs' shoulder.

He brushed his fingers delicately over the strip of photos. "I remember I always wanted to go to a photo booth on my first date," he whispered.

Iskall began to speak but their phone rang. Excusing themself out of the room, Bdubs continued to flip the pages. He remembered the pictures of him and Iskall on vacation, how he ran to catch the falling camera after they took a cool picture on a balcony.

Flipping a few pages he found more of him and Doc on dates. He pulled the ring off his finger, studying the complexity and beauty of the engraved details. On the inside of the band were some numbers, presumably the day they got married.

He put the ring on the table near the bed.

His friend popped back into the room. "Sorry, they need me at work. I'll try to visit you again before you're discharged." When Bdubs closed the book and held it up, they shook their head. "It's yours, hold onto it. Also, don't force yourself to be around Doc so much, but maybe spend some time with him?"

Bdubs nodded. "That's the plan. I'll see you later." After a tight hug, Iskall left, leaving Bdubs to flip through the pictures alone.

A few minutes went by before Xisuma popped his head in with a tray of food. "Care for some lunch? I just brought Doc his and figured you could use some food too."

He pressed his lips into a thin line, thinking for a moment. "Would I... be able to eat with him?"

"Of course!" Xisuma flashed a bright smile as Bdubs stood up and tucked the photo album under his arm.

X carried the tray for him, guiding him back to Doc's room. When he entered, the hybrid's face lit up and he set down his sandwich. "Hey!" He greeted, sitting up a bit more.

"Hi," he softly responded, pulling up a chair next to the bed.

After X set down the tray and left the room, Bdubs set the photo album in his lap. "Um, Iskall brought this for me to look at, and I figured it'd make more sense to look at it with you since half of this book has you in it," he explained with a light laugh. "Is uh, is it okay if I ask you about the pictures?"

Doc smiled softly. "Of course. Ask away!"

Since the tray wasn't placed right in front of him, he had space to put the book down and opened it to the photo booth pictures. "What was our first date like?" He pushed the book closer to the hybrid, who fondly gazed at the page.

"We went bowling and played three games. I won all three but you came close for the last one. There was an arcade attached and you won me a plush goat keychain. Since it was in a mall, just outside was that photo booth. Then we got tacos and I walked you back to your dorm. We were in our second year of college and after that day I just... knew," Doc explained as Bdubs began to eat.

"You... knew we were going to stay together?" He guessed, wiping the corner of his lip.

Doc exhaled. "I knew I wanted to marry you," he laughed. A frown took over his face as he looked at Bdubs' hand. "Your ring..." his voice trailed off as he slowly reached over to touch the back of his hand.

"Ah, yeah um, I kept it on until today. I didn't... I don't feel like I deserve to wear it if I can't even remember my own husband," he mumbled before Doc took his hand and squeezed it.

"Hey, don't say that. You do deserve to wear it if that's what you want," he lightly scolded.

Nodding, he stared at their hands. "Do you remember what happened that day? In the hotel?" He whispered.

"It was supposed to be our first vacation together as a married couple, not counting the honeymoon. We had only been there for a day when an earthquake hit," Doc quietly explained as his thumb began to rub over his hand. "A part of our ceiling collapsed and I pushed you out of the way. I was hit in the head and everything became dizzying and blurry. More of the ceiling caved in, blocking any exit. You... I had stumbled to the floor and you knelt with me. I could hear you softly crying, telling me you'd protect me as you cradled me in your arms. The last thing I remember before passing out is hearing more of the building crumble. I can only assume you were hit after."

Bdubs once again felt nauseous. He took a shaky breath as he pressed his forehead against the back of Doc's hand. "Thank you for saving me," he whispered, gripping his hand.

"Thank you for saving me too. If you hadn't shielded me like that, who knows what would've happened to me." When he looked up, he found him teary-eyed too. He felt guilty, knowing fully well that the only way to make him feel better would be to suddenly regain his memory.

-

Bdubs learned Doc was allowed to leave his room the next day when he popped into his room. Bdubs was going back over the pictures on the bed and gave a small smile. He had been watching mindless television, some sitcom that he found amusing.

"Hey, I can't believe your favorite show is on! Talk about luck," Doc commented.

"This is my favorite?" He questioned whilst patting the bed, inviting Doc to sit with him.

The hybrid nodded. "You've been so excited for the new season to drop in... two months now, I suppose." As he sat down, he brushed the hair out of Bdubs' face.

He nodded, feeling a bit awkward from the touch. He had been fiddling with the ring, twirling it between his fingers as he was debating putting it back on. "What if I never recover my memories?" He whispered, staring up at Doc.

"Well I wouldn't worry about that too much; X said you'll recover soon enough."

"Doc what if I don't?" Bdubs reiterated with a strained voice.

"Then..." Taking the ring from his hand, Doc slid it back onto his finger. He lifted his hand, kissing the ring with his eyes fixated on Bdubs. "I suppose I'd have to get you to fall in love with me again," he teased.

Bdubs broke into a fit of giggles, an unfamiliar feeling of butterflies fluttering around in his stomach. "That sounds really cheesy," he teased back. Although affection still felt slightly awkward, he found himself able to match his energy fairly well. He pulled his hand away from Doc to let it sit in his lap as he turned back to focus on the show.

Something clicked in his head as the scene unfolded.

"'Well that was unexpected.' 'What were you expecting then? A kiss on the cheek?'" He spoke alongside the characters. "Huh, I guess I do kinda know this show."

"I mean, you have watched this show like a hundred times," Doc pointed out. "Maybe when we get back home you can binge the show? It could help jog your memory a little," he suggested.

He shrugged. "I don't see why not. You'll have to remind me where we live, first," he laughed, leaning back against the bed.

"Will me reminding you that I'm kinda rich make you like me any better?" Doc teased. "Because we may or may not own a penthouse."

Bdubs shot up. "No shot, we do?! Wait, what's my job?" Something he did remember was when he was little and saw a cartoon character living in a lavish penthouse, he had dreamed of living somewhere similar.

"You're an interior designer. I work as a Redstone engineer," he explained.

He leaned back again, turning his head to the side to look over at Doc. "Can you be honest with me?" His husband nodded. "Does it... does it hurt a lot? That I don't remember you?"

"O-Oh, okay- um," Doc sighed, leaning his side against the propped-up part of the bed. "I-I mean, yeah. I love you, Bee, a stupid amount. It... feels weird to have you look at me like you only just met me. But, I know that in time, you'll have your memories, and you'll look at me with the face that I remember," he murmured.

"What face?" He asked.

Doc picked up the photo album, showing him a picture their friend xB had taken. They were leaning on a bridge over a pond, arms linked together. While Doc was smiling at the camera, Bdubs was gazing at him with a stupid grin. "I know it might sound silly, but after I saw this picture," Doc began turning two pages later. "I bought engagement rings within the following week."

The picture he was showing was one Bdubs had found himself constantly looking back to. They were holding up their hands with matching engagement rings to the camera, Bdubs' head on Doc's shoulder who was kissing his head. "I do look like I really love you," he admitted with an exhale. "I wish I could remember what that feels like."

"You will," the hybrid assured him, touching his shoulder.

Bdubs stared up at him, studying his features. Although the hugging, the hand-holding, and hand-kissing were awkward and unfamiliar, he didn't entirely hate it. Would kissing Doc help? At the very least, if he found the feeling familiar, it would be somewhat assuring.

"Bee?"

"Could-" Before he could ask, Xisuma entered the room.

"Ah, sorry to interrupt you two, but you're both needed for another check-up. With any luck, we'll have you guys out of here by tomorrow," he explained.

Closing the book, Bdubs got up from the bed and shut off the television. "Well, what're we waiting for then?"

-

The next day, discharged as promised, Bdubs found himself in an unfamiliar home, but that didn't surprise him at all. Just as Doc described, the penthouse was big and boy was it beautiful. Cozy modern furniture with a slight rustic charm that Bdubs didn't recognize yet felt immediately comforted by.

"Are you hungry? Maybe I can jog your memory with your favorite; my infamous shepherd's pie!" Doc offered, setting down their bags.

Agreeing, Bdubs followed him into the kitchen and sat at the island, watching him prep. "We just got here; are you sure you don't want to relax?"

"Ah, that's right. Something you should know; I get very antsy easily. Being stuck in a hospital for a while has got me itching to do anything. Plus, I love cooking for you." Bdubs found himself smiling, unable to contain it as he watched him begin to cook.

Doc began to hum a song and Bdubs' eyes lit up. "Hey, that's my favorite song!" He realized.

The hybrid grinned. "Yeah, and it's mine too! Actually..." Pulling out his phone it took him a few seconds to play the same song out of his speaker. He came around the island and took Bdubs' hands, pulling him to the center of the kitchen. Guiding one hand to rest on the creeper's shoulder and holding his hand, Doc put a hand on his waist. "Let's see if your muscle memory still works."

Once Doc began to dance, Bdubs did indeed find his feet moving without much thinking. He hummed along with the song as they danced around, his eyes locked with Doc's. "Our first dance. We spent weeks upon weeks practicing our dance because we wanted it to be perfect," his husband quietly explained.

When the song began to fade, Doc dipped Bdubs. The music slowly stopped as he brought him back up, leaving the two to stare at each other. "Yesterday, I was going to ask if I could kiss you," Bdubs admitted. "If that's something you want," he quickly added.

"From the moment I woke up all I wanted was to kiss you again," Doc whispered.

As Bdubs let go of his in favor of carefully holding his face, Doc gently held his wrists. "But, only if you genuinely wanted to, and not because you feel obligated to." When Bdubs explained himself, Doc smiled, agreeing it wouldn't hurt.

Doc leaned down and Bdubs hesitantly pressed against his lips. He found the hybrid practically melting against him, sliding his hands down to hug him. Although he didn't recognize the feeling, he found the kiss sweet and it filled his stomach with butterflies.

When they parted, he draped his arms over his shoulders, burying the frown that formed on his face in the crook of his neck. Despite the action feeling foreign, it seemed like the right move.

"I love you," Doc whispered, holding the back of his head.

Bdubs sighed. "One day I'll be able to say the same," he murmured.

Pulling back, he found a sad smile on Doc's face. "And until then; don't stress about it, alright?"

-

That night, Bdubs learned Doc could be somewhat of a hypocrite.

After much back and forth deciding over sleeping arrangements - Doc offered to stay in the guest room but Bdubs argued that after being away so long he deserved to stay in his own room - the two settled on sharing their bed.

"I promise to keep my distance," Doc grinned as Bdubs laid down.

He lightly laughed. "With a bed this big I can't imagine it'll be hard!"

Exchanging goodnights, the bedside lamp by Doc was turned off and Bdubs snuggled under the comfortable blanket, his back to the hybrid. It didn't take him long to drift off, but he didn't stay asleep for long.

When he woke up it was still dark out, but he found the other side of the bed empty. Curiosity got the best of him and he climbed out of bed and left the room. He snooped around until he heard the sound of crying, causing his heart to drop.

Sitting on the floor with his back against the couch, Doc was clutching a picture frame as he quietly cried.

His heart panged with sympathy as he recognized the picture frame from earlier.

The image was of the two on their wedding day; matching white suits, each with a hand on the bouquet of blue and yellow flowers and lips connected. Doc was protectively holding the frame, tears streaking his organic green cheek.

From his hiding spot around the corner, Bdubs debated revealing himself to comfort him. However, he wasn't sure if Doc wanted space. Although it killed him to see him so sad, he reluctantly headed back to bed.

He waited and waited, and after far too much time, Doc finally returned to the room. The moment the bed dipped he rolled over.

"Sorry, didn't mean to wake you," Doc apologized, climbing into bed.

Before he could make up his mind, Bdubs moved closer to him. "Are you okay?" He asked.

Instead of a verbal response, Doc reached over to touch his cheek. Bdubs scooched closer to snuggle in his embrace. "You sure this is okay?" The hybrid asked.

He sleepily hummed, indeed finding cuddling with him to be more comforting than he expected. Doc draped an arm over him, protectively holding him as he did with the framed picture. When he kissed Bdubs' forehead, his heart skipped a beat. He hummed again, closing his eyes and falling back asleep.

-

"And... there we go." Bdubs watched as Doc fired up a DVD on the television; their wedding. He was hoping watching back the footage might help him somehow, but he wasn't sure if watching the wedding would cheer up Doc or make him feel worse.

Regardless, he found the hybrid was excellent at hiding his emotions, as it was hard to read what he was thinking when he sat near Bdubs on the couch. "We watched this for the first time the day we got back from our honeymoon," Doc quietly explained as he draped an arm over Bdubs' shoulder whilst the film began.

Bdubs awkwardly leaned against him, too nervous to make the slightest movement as if he was on a first date to a movie theater. He tried to focus on the wedding video, which he found was half filmed professionally, half filmed by friends.

"Are you excited Bdubs? Nervous?" A voice from behind the camera asked. He sounded familiar, but Bdubs wasn't sure who it was.

"Terrified," Bdubs on-screen bitterly laughed. "I'm going to make myself look like an even bigger fool in front of Doc's parents!"

"Don't say that! You look amazing and it's going to be amazing." The cameraman moved to stand next to Bdubs in front of the large mirror, leaning his elbow on his shoulder. His dirty blond hair seemed vaguely familiar, so he looked at Doc.

"And that's...? I know it starts with G but that's all I got."

Doc nodded. "Grian."

When the perspective switched to Doc, - who explained was being filmed by Beef - he seemed even more stressed than Bdubs. He found himself laughing at the Doc on screen who was fretting over every last detail, terrified he forgot something.

As the ceremony commenced, Doc gave his vows first. Butterflies filled Bdubs' stomach as he listened intently. "You really love me, huh?" He breathed, not processing he said it out loud for a moment.

"A lot," Doc whispered.

He hummed. "I bet I do too." When he smiled up at Doc, he caught the corner of his mouth twitch.

Bdubs felt compelled to kiss him but didn't move.

He heard himself talking and realized it was his turn to start his vows. His heart skipped a beat and began to race.

The words felt... familiar.

His lips moved, syncing silently to the word said behind the screen. "I can't believe I remembered some of that," he breathed. This time when he glanced back at Doc, he saw him rubbing tears out of the corner of his eye.

Pursing his lips, Bdubs pulled him down into a tight hug. His heart jumped as Doc squeezed him tightly and buried his face in his shoulder. "I'm sorry I don't remember, but I know that I love you," he whispered. "Thank you for being so patient with me these past few days."

"Of course, I'll always be here for you," Doc mumbled into his shoulder. "Memories or not, you're still my Bdubs."

When he pulled back, Doc held his face and Bdubs wasn't able to hold back. "I saw you crying last night. This must be hard for you," he blurted out.

Doc flinched. "Ah, sorry you had to see that," he chuckled. "I'm just- it'll-"

"Doc," he whispered, pleading him to be honest. He didn't need to have memories of Doc to know that he wanted to comfort him.

The hybrid pressed their foreheads together. "I miss you, Bdubs. I miss you," he sniffled.

He sighed. "I know I'm not the same as before, I know my amnesia is... an obstacle, but I'm still me like you said. Besides, I don't need my memories to know how lucky I am to have you." Something about the way Doc's thumb rubbed on his cheek felt comforting and familiar, not just because he did it a few days prior.

-

After dinner the two sat outside on the balcony, silently listening to the natural music of the city. Bdubs hugged his knees, his face tilted up. The cool breeze was refreshing and despite the occasional shouting down in the street and horn honking, it felt peaceful.

Relaxing.

Familiar.

Looking to the hybrid on his left, he found him gazing off across the city with half-lidded eyes. Bdubs found himself reaching over, unable to give himself a moment to think as his fingers slipped between tufts of hair. For some reason, it felt like the right move. Fully closing his eyes, Doc leaned into his touch, turning his head more towards him.

"I love you." The words flowed effortlessly from Bdubs. It was less of a declaration and more of a revelation. He loved Doc. More specifically, he remembered he loved Doc.

His husband's eyes flew open. "You mean it?" He softly laughed in disbelief.

"I love you," he repeated more firmly. "You always cook for me, care for me, put me first, I just hope I've always done the same for you. And if I don't; I promise to start from now on."

"Oh Bdubs, you're always so sweet to me. You look after me all the time," Doc assured him, gently taking his wrist to move his hand so he could kiss his palm.

"Even if my memories never fully come back, I'm glad I'm able to remember this feeling," he murmured as Doc kissed his forehead.

The hybrid sniffled and the tears quickly followed. "I love you too." His voice cracked as he pulled Bdubs into a protective hug. Closing his eyes, Bdubs tried to recall anything else he could about his husband. As a result, he ended up with a small headache but luckily could faintly recall a time the two walked hand in hand through a forest trail in the fall.

"When exactly did we go hiking that time in the fall?" He suddenly asked, now curious about the memory.

"Hiking in the fall? We did that for our first anniversary." Doc pulled back, hope washed over his face. "Did you- are you-?"

This time, Bdubs gave in to the urge to kiss Doc, pressing their lips together for only a moment before cracking a smile. "Slowly, kinda painfully, but yeah," he laughed.

Doc hesitated before kissing him. "Don't force yourself."

He nodded as he yawned, and Doc helped him stand up. "I think we should get ready for bed," Doc noted, keeping a hold on his hand as they headed back inside.

-

At first, when Bdubs once again snuggled against Doc to sleep, the moment his husband held him he stiffened. It was easier before when he was already mostly asleep. He wasn't sure how he was allowed to move or adjust without bothering Doc. However, after careful shifting of limbs, he found himself feeling comfortable with him.

"Something I think has been helping me," he quietly began, hesitantly pinching Doc's shirt. "Is seeing how affectionate you are and knowing we have history. I can tell you're something really special to me."

A kiss was pressed to his head. "You're special to me too," Doc said through a yawn. With a hum, Bdubs relaxed and fell asleep to the melodic tune of the creeper's heartbeat.

-

Laughter, the sounds of waves, the feeling of sand between his toes.

A familiar cologne, a warm hand holding his.

The taste of salt on his tongue.

The smell of rain.

Despite the discombobulating dream of senses, Bdubs sat up in bed with tears in his eyes. Doc's arm dropping into his lap caused him to jump.

The hybrid let out a soft groan, squeezing Bdubs as he stretched. Through his confusion, Bdubs pushed his arm off of him and scrambled out of the bed. While the other was still waking up, he took deep breaths and grounded himself. "Hm? Bdubs? Everything alright?" Doc sleepily asked, glancing his way.

"I-I remember... a beach. Going to a beach with you. Maybe other people were there? I think it- it rained? B- But why did it make me cry?" He rubbed circles on his temples.

Suddenly, Doc climbed out of bed and rushed to his side to hug him. "Hey, hey it's okay! You were stressed from overworking so we went to the beach with Iskall and xB, but then it rained and you broke down because you felt like nothing good was happening lately. So to cheer you up I got you to dance in the rain," he quickly explained, holding Bdubs' side against his chest.

"Sorry, sorry, didn't mean t- I'm just-" Bdubs' brain felt like a soup being aggressively stirred, unable to settle to form coherent thoughts. He pried himself out of Doc's hold and stepped away, however, he held onto his hand as an attempt to keep himself grounded.

It was as though he was a computer overloaded with information, unable to process or compute. He tried to understand what his mind was trying to tell him, yet as he did the world around him seemed to crumble away. Lightly, he shook Doc's hand, who seemed too worried to realize he could hold his hand back. "You're Doc, you're... my husband." He muttered the reminder to himself as he realized he shouldn't be standing and slowly knelt on the floor, the other quickly following suit.

-

Doc's stress levels were through the roof. First, he woke up to find Bdubs anxious and crying. He had no idea what was wrong with Bdubs and he wasn't sure if he could do anything for him. All he could do was clasp his hand and watch as he took deep breaths. He was too scared to even say anything, worried it would somehow cause more harm than good.

Finally, Bdubs took one more heavy breath before relaxing. Blinking, he looked over at Doc, searching for something in his face.

Then he saw it.

It had been too long since Doc last saw the softness and sparkle in Bdubs' eye. The look only Doc had the privilege of being the receiver of. His warm smile melted Doc into a puddle, a stupid grin on his face as his husband cupped his face in his hands. "That's right," Bdubs whispered. "You're my Doc."

A few tears escaped his eye as he held his wrists. "You alright?" He managed to ask, finding himself also able to finally breathe properly.

Bdubs nodded. "I'm still unable to recall the day of the earthquake at all, but besides that, I think I've got it all back?" His husband pressed their foreheads together and Doc didn't hesitate to hug him. "I'm sorry for forgetting you," he whispered, kissing his head.

"It's not your fault," he insisted, his heart fluttering from the affection.

Suddenly, Bdubs began to laugh. "Although, it's nice I was able to fall in love with you so quickly again."

"Awe you really love me that much?" Doc teased, pecking his cheek.

Bdubs hummed. "I do, yeah." He softly kissed the hybrid, who eagerly reciprocated.

He had his Bdubs back, and he couldn't be happier.

-

When Iskall learned of Bdubs' recovery, they were overjoyed, naturally. They had found themself unable to return to the hospital, their emotions too much to bear. A part of them cursed themself for not making any sort of attempt, but another part of them reasoned it wouldn't have mattered what they did, Bdubs would end up back with Doc regardless.

They weren't sure if they would ever get over their crush, nor did they even know how. Perhaps a solution would be to separate themself from Bdubs, but they knew he'd grow worried.

"Maybe it would've been better if I lost my memories," they mumbled as they sat at their desk, eyes trained on a framed photo of Bdubs and Iskall in middle school. The boy had his arms wrapped around Iskall's neck, who was slightly bent over, in the process of lifting him onto their back.

Their phone began to ring and they sighed into a small smile.

No, they wouldn't give up their memories with Bdubs for the world. After all, he was their best friend.

"Hey Bdubs!" They cheerfully greeted, picking up the call.

-

"What're you doing?" Doc lightly laughed, drawing Bdubs' attention.

After catching up with Iskall, Bdubs had sat in the living room with the photo album in his lap. His eyes had been closed, lips moving to form words without sound.

Seeing Doc, his face grew hot in embarrassment. "I-I was just um-" His voice shrank. "Testing myself to make sure I remembered everything in here."

With a soft smile, the hybrid moved closer to sit on the couch beside him. He slid the book out of his lap and closed it, placing it on the table beside the couch. Kissing Bdubs' temple, he took his hand and then kissed the ring. "Perfect memory or not, you've got nothing to worry about," he assured him.

"What if it happens again? Now that it's happened once I'm worried it can," he confessed, leaning against Doc. "I don't ever want to forget everyone again. Especially you."

A kiss was pressed against the top of his head. "I highly doubt it will happen again, however, if it does, then I'll just have to convince you to fall for me again. Although I'm sure that won't be so hard." As he teased him, he wrapped arms around Bdubs, burying his face in his shoulder.

Giggling, he pushed his forehead with the heel of his hand, moving Doc back to give him room to turn around on the couch. "Don't you dare deny it!" Doc added with a laugh. "I've got an irresistible charm."

"Yeah, yeah whatever. Well if I remember correctly, it's you and your charm's turn to clean the bathroom." With a grin, he booped his nose.

With a roll of his eyes, Doc kissed his cheek before standing up. "I love you, Bee."

"Love you too Doc." As he watched him leave the room, he pulled a throw pillow into his lap to hug it.

He looked down at the ring on his finger, grinning like mad. No, Bdubs was most confident he'd never forget his Doc again.