PoV: Scar

I knew something was up with Cub from the start. He was lying. He was quiet. There's blood on his labcoat.

Then he started panicking.

And then he collapses.

'Cub!' I can't catch him, just falling down next to where he's now unconscious on the ground.

'Meeting dismissed. What happened?' Xisuma says, running over as I fumble for a pulse. Normal. He's breathing too. But he wasn't before he collapsed.

'Breathing and pulse normal but he just... just collapsed...'

'We should get him to a bed somewhere private... do you know where one is? Can you carry him?'

'Yeah.' I lift him off the ground, ignoring the fact it's never been this easy, he's never been this light, he's lost weight, something happened. 'This way.' I hug Cub closer. I have to force down my terror, focusing on not dropping him and just keeping him safe in my arms as I lead the way over to our coral shops. I lay Cub down on a bed inside and start searching for injuries, removing his lab-coat for a better look.

And freeze.

'Bandages. Now,' I demand, lying Cub's lab-coat on the edge of the bed, unable to stop staring at the deep scratches down his arms. 'Our parrot. He did this and... shit, they're completely untreated...'

'Let me look.' Xisuma moves closer, carefully taking Cub's hand, . 'Alright, I can handle them.'

'I should've checked on him... I know I should've checked...' I take a couple breaths as the emotion rises up, just to continue speaking. 'Of course they hurt him in Demise... what have they done to him?' I can't wipe my tears fast enough as I start sobbing. The moment Xisuma finishes bandaging up Cub's arms, he hugs me.

'It's alright, Scar. There's nothing that won't heal.'

But why didn't he heal himself?! I want to scream back, but I can't get a single word through the tears. I should've done more. I should've checked on him. I shouldn't have just let the Vex convince me he was fine. I knew he wasn't fine. This isn't the worst.

'False told me the Vex stopped her worrying about other hermits and convinced her to obey them. This isn't your fault.' Xisuma tries to convince me. I shake my head.

'They hurt him.'

'I can't see any other injury... and False said-'

'No... No, they bully Cub. They'll- they'll have treated him worse...' Xisuma keeps comforting me, until his communicator buzzes.

'Oh great.... I need to go, but if anything happens, message. And what should I tell the others?'

'Nothing,' Is the only word that comes out. I don't want to tell the hermits Cub's hurt, if he's uncomfortable with it.

'Of course.'

And Xisuma leaves.

—------

I don't know how long I stay with Cub before I stop crying. Or before he wakes up. I'm just holding his hand, occasionally speaking when the silence gets unbearable. He barely moves. With every second I wish more and more that he'd wake up, explain everything.

'What happened, Cub?' I whisper, squeezing his hand. 'What did they do to you?'

'Scar...'

He's awake.

'Cub?' He holds my hand back, then lets go. Then holds it again. 'What happened?'

'I...' He stops moving his hand. 'Sorry.'

'I know the Vex did something during Demise. And I know you didn't want to talk about it earlier. But we- me and Xisuma- we saw what Jack...' The memory of those unhealed cuts rises in my mind, 'And you were pretending everything was ok, but I know it wasn't, Cub. And...' I take a deep breath, realizing I'm rambling. 'And you're hurt... and... what happened, Cub?'

'I... fell unconscious,' Is all Cub replies, noticing the bandages on his arms.

'What happened?'

Silence, for a moment. Cub sits up, slowly. There's pain in his expression. Physical, but more mental. I squeeze his hand, sitting closer, trying to look him in the eyes.

'Cub?'

'The Vex took over. But I was still conscious,' is all he says. Then closes his eyes, wincing. The Vex are talking to him. Or hurting him. Again.

'Ignore them, Cub. Focus on me. As much as you can. I'm right here. Always.' I try to hide my utter horror as the truth of what he said creeps in. He wouldn't have been able to control his actions. At all. Or his words. Or anything. He couldn't do anything. For the whole of Demise. Cub's eyes are still closed, his breaths shallow. He starts clenching and unclenching again, over and over. 'I'm right here, Cub. I-it'll be fine. It'll all be ok.' But I can't convince myself of that. 'Just breathe. Deep breaths, Cub.' He glances over. Tears run down his cheeks, there's terror and pain in his eyes, as he just shakes his head.

'I can't.'

'You can, Cub. You can do it. You can get through this. And next season we're going to ignore the Vex and I'll make sure they never, ever, hurt you again, Cub, because you're my best friend and they're fucking monsters for doing this to you. But you're so, so, strong Cub, and you'll get through this, and we'll be better than them... if they try anything, Cub, I'll fight them with the passion of a thousand Scars...'

'They're- they're taking-'

He stops talking, stops breathing. Like before. He's stuck staring at the ground, before glancing up at me, a plea for help in his eyes.

'Cub, I'm here.' I put a hand on his shoulder. 'I'm right here. You'll be ok.' Cub hugs me, his claws dig into my back. But I just hug him back. 'I'm here, Cub. They don't control you. Fuck the Vex, Cub. Say it. Fuck the Vex.'

He can't. He's shaking, and sobbing, just clinging onto me like I'm the only thing left in the world. The only noise he manages is a muffled scream. I hug him tighter. He screams again, and again. Each noise burns deep in my memory, fuelling my rage at the Vex for what they've done.

Disobedient Cub. We taught him. He deserved it. His fault. His fault. His fault. He killed you. Let you die. Blame him. He deserved it. The Vex hiss in my mind. He deserved it.

'No he didn't,' I spit back through the tears. 'Of course he didn't.'

We bring justice. Punish disobedient Vexling. He DESERVES IT.

Cub screams again, louder, as wings tear through his back. I feel his claws drawing blood down my own, but I don't let him go.

'HELP!' I yell, praying anyone is near enough to hear. 'HELP!'

Cub falls unconscious. And I'm left sobbing, not letting go, and screaming for help that doesn't come. 

 I edited through this so many times

Still, this isn't finished...

We still have a second concept to shove into 1 oneshot!