Jordan's p.o.v.

I heard Wag, but I also heard another person talking with him.

"You don't have to if you don't wish to, Waggles. I am just getting a bit antsy is all." That must be Martha.

What are they talking about?

"No no, I wish to. But I'm unsure if it is proper for me to do such an intimate thing since we have just began this love."

"Forget being proper, do whatever you want to me, my strong wizard." Martha swooned.

Oh god. Wag had accidentally called me.

"Eww! Oh gods, turn it off Sparklez!" Tom pressed his palms to his ears and made a face of disgust, and I heard a noise of confusion come from the device.

"Waggles? Why is your wrist talking?" I heard Martha ask.

"I'm un-...oh. I have um...accidentally called Jordan. So, hello Jordan. How are you?" I could practically feel the awkwardness in our call.

"I'm doing fine, and I'm assuming by the sound of it you are too."

"Oh my god, at least turn off your communicator before you go dirty talking to Martha!" Tom groaned at the thought.

"So sorry, it won't happen again. Uh, goodbye!" The call ended, and Tom sighed in relief.

"Well, we know they shared sleeping bags together..." I laughed and Tom shook his head in disgust.

"No wonder Steve didn't go...if I had to listen to that all day, I'd kill myself. That reminds me, did Steve ever build Wags wizard tower back?"

"Yeah, but I haven't got a chance to see it lately. Maybe we should go and check it out after you start eating again."

He sighed grumpily and pulled the white covers back over his bare chest, turning around and facing the opposite direction of me.

"Tom...you know I'm only keeping you here so you can get better," I said to my boyfriends back.

"I know that. I just hate sitting here and taking up space. It's so boring."

"You wanna continue our game of questions?"

He murmured a yes, but didn't turn back around. He was being difficult. And it was adorable.

"Ask me something then."

He stayed silent for awhile, his steady breathing the only thing I could hear.
"Can you...tomorrow, can you bring that blanket here?" He was barely audible, his voice shy and embarrassed.

"The one you made for me? Sure, but I'm making sure Steve or Champ stay here while I'm gone."

"Jeez, it's not like I'm in prison or something..." He sighed dramatically.

"Just keeping you safe, don't get offended. Anything else you wanna ask me?"

I didn't hear a sound in the room, just the faint beeps every minute or so from the machines. Maybe he'd gone to sleep.
I turned over to face the wall and gathered some covers on my body. My eyes began to droop, then close altogether. I was looking forward to sleep. I didn't sleep well anymore when I shared the tower with guard Tom. I was afraid that maybe he'd snap and try to kill me in my sleep. Maybe I was just being paranoid. He never said anything anymore, just the occasional good morning or good night. I didn't want to feel bad for him, but I couldn't help it. He's been through so much.

"Sparklez...can I ask you something really...odd?"

My eyes opened a bit, and I responded with a hazy 'sure'. Although I didn't seem like it, I was intrigued by what he wanted to ask me.

"Do you think I've changed? Like, personality wise? I mean, I know I'm gay now but...I just feel like I've been acting differently. And it's kinda weirding me out. I love you and all but...I feel like I'm slowly turning into you. Like, even my thoughts are sounding like you. What uh...what do you think?"

He thought he was acting like me? That's not true. Tom acts like Tom. He's shy, kind, smart. He's so sensitive and sweet, always willing to help out.
Oh my god. He is turning into me.

"That's...I think you're right. You are turning into me."
I was horrified. I'd turned my boyfriend- the clumsy, dumb, insensitive butt- into me.

"Well, I guess Nade was right about something. What do I do?" I felt him shift on the bed, and I turned to see him staring at the ceiling with a scared expression on his face.

"Uh...I don't know. I mean, I want you to be a good boyfriend and all but...I didn't want you to give up your personality. I'm sorry I didn't realize that I was forcing you to act like me."

We sat in silence for a few moments, thinking about what we'd just discovered.
Then I had an idea.

"You've been spending way too much time with me. That's what's wrong. You need to spend more time with Nade and the Modesteps, maybe that will help." I sat up from the soft bed, and Tom did the same.

"Okay, so what do you mean by that? Where is this leading?"

"I have an idea. What if we spent an entire month without eachother. No calls, texts, letters, nothing. And then when we get back to eachother, it will be at our wedding. That sound good to you?" I thought it was a great idea, but Tom seemed horrified at the thought of me leaving him for a second.

"I barely made it without you for three days! Let alone a freaking month! And the last time we split apart for a long period of time, you got addicted to meth! I can't go without seeing you for a month! I can't survive on Tucker's stupid couch for a month..."

"You won't be at Tucker's, you'll be at Nades. I'm sure your friends will take your mind off of me, I'll be doing the same with Lady Ianite. Come on Tom, I want you to have your personality back. Please? It won't even last that long and then we'll be together for the rest of our lives. What's one month gonna hurt?" I took his hand in mine. His IV nudged against my hand causing him to wince.
"Sorry..." I let go of his hand quickly. He laughed quietly and took my hand with his good one.

"It's cool. I'll do it. But it's gotta be after I get out of this damned bed and that stupid wheel chair. I'm not wheeling down the aisle..."

My watch beeped, signaling that it was morning and that it was time for Tom to eat something.
"Breakfast time, my crippled anorexic love."

He feigned hurt, but then laughed at my cruel but true joke. "But mooooom. I dunt wunna eat." He spoke in a little kid voice.

I stretched my arms our from myself and yawned loudly, making Tom yawn as well. "Great, now I have your disease."
I punched him in the arm, and he snickered. This was Tom. This was his personality.
"Apple or cookie?" I asked him as I rummaged through the box of snacks Champ had left us.

"Neither, please." He laid back down and pulled the covers over himself.

"Tom, please. Just pick something. Remember what you promised?" I tried to guilt trip him.

"Ugh, fine. A stupid cookie, I guess." He grumbled and turned back over so he could face me.
I handed him the cookie, and he looked at it with great hatred.

"Tom..." I said in a pleading tone.

"I don't wanna..."

I remembered yesterday when I gave him the apple. He stared at it for a good ten minutes, before finally taking a small bite out of it. He seemed pained when he ate it, like it tasted horrible. I can't imagine what it feels like for everything you eat to be gross.
What's a good bribe to get him to eat this?

"Would you rather me feed it to you while pinning you down on the bed?" I gave him a flirtatious look, but I wasn't good at making sexy faces, and he laughed at my attempt to be desirable.

"I could go without the pinning part, but damn would I love you to feed it to me." He smiled with mischief in his eyes.

"Alrighty then." I hopped back up on the bed, and straddled myself on Toms legs. I was trying not to injure him even more, so I steer cleared of his hips. He smiled even more, and his hands wrapped around my waist, pulling me closer to his face.

"Feed me," he whispered as our lips brushed against eachother. I pressed the cookie to his mouth, and he took a huge bite of it. That's a bit surprising. But instead of actually biting the piece and letting go of the cookie, he held it in his mouth. I gave him a questioning look, and he wriggled his eye brows.

Did he want me to eat the cookie too?
Oh what the heck, I've done worse things than share a cookie with him.

I ate the other end of the cookie, wafting in the fresh scent of chocolate between our lips. He didn't seem to show an ounce of distaste for it, but he was only focused on me at the moment. I felt his hands press my face closer to his, and we kissed. It was like heaven. He tasted like chocolate and cookie dough, I felt like I was on cloud nine. We pulled away for breath, and I watched him swallow the rest of the cookie. "You know, I'm still feeling a bit hungry. Wanna share another?" He smiled deviously, and I laughed.

I had found a way to get him to eat.

~

Twenty three cookies later, I was so full I could barely stand. Tom had fallen asleep in my arms, his faded blue hair tickling my neck. He hadn't vomited once since we had eaten the cookies an hour ago.

I was so proud of him.

Yesterday when I had given him the apple, he'd thrown it up almost immediately. Now seeing him full and happy made me wanna cry. It was an odd thing to cry about...but he was okay, and that made me wanna cry tears of joy.
Champ came in a little while later, telling me the news about everyone coming back. Another thing he informed me about, was that almost everyone had an injury. He's been treating them all day at Tucker's place. Apparently, they hadn't been able to get to Urulu, they hadn't even been able to get past the forest. They had camped out in the middle of the week, and in the middle of the night were attacked by Mianite guards. They retreated and came back here, and Champ says that they were all busted up and tired from the attack. So basically, the mission was a failure. They said maybe next week they'd try it again. Champ said he'd be gone all day, so I'd have to watch Tom.

I decided to go get that blanket that Tom wanted so badly, I asked Steve to watch him and he gave me a grunt of acknowledgment. He was still acting really blank and emotionless since Martha left him.
I kissed Tom on the forehead for goodbye, and then I left back to my towers to retrieve the blanket and some clothes to wear for the next couple of days. I was going to be staying at Champs until Tom healed, so it was going to be awhile.
I reached the doors to the towers and opened them up, they creaked slowly as they moved. I went up the endless flight of stairs and reached my room, opening the door in a rush. I grabbed the blanket and a couple of shorts and shirts, putting them into a black drawstring bag. A heard the door creak behind me, and I instinctively grabbed the sword that I had holstered on my waist.

"Captain, it is just me. Can you please come to my room for a moment? It is urgent." Guard Toms words were rushed together, as if he were in a hurry about something.

"Uh sure." I followed him down the stairs and into his room, my weapon still in my hand I case he tried anything.
I saw what the problem was. Aura, the little owl that he kept as a pet, was making pained sounds as she laid on a small pillow on Toms desk. She tried weakly to flap her small wings, but they hardly moved. Something was wrong with her.

"She has been like this all day and I do not know what is hurting her. Please, can you see what is wrong with her?" He stared at the squeaking little owl, his eyes watering. He loved this small owl.

"I'm not good with animals...but I'll try." I walked over to the small winged creature on the pillow and looked her over. Her wings seemed fine, and so did everything else. What was wrong with her?

Let's see...Jerry never had any health problems, did he? He was just a slime and he never really got hurt...except for that one time. He had a rock stuck on the bottom of him and I had to remove it.

Wait.

I looked closer at the little owls foot, and immediately saw why she was so pained. A small piece wood was lodged in her foot. I gripped the small piece of wood and pulled it out of her foot, and she made another pained squeak.
"What is wrong with her? Is she ill? Is she dying?" Tom stayed at the door of his room, tears threatening to spill.

"Nah, she's fine. She's just got a little splinter in her foot. I got it out, see?" I held up the small chip of wood that had been lodged in the little owls foot.

Guard Tom let out a shaky sigh of relief and walked over to the small owl. "Oh thank goodness, I thought she was dying...I do not know what I would have done if she had been..." He gave a soft pat on the owls head, and she purred at his touch.

This was kind of saddening. The only thing that didn't really hate him at the moment was hurt.

"Tom...I know everyone has their moments. Moments of weakness and moments of emotion...and I get that you were having one that day. Tom forgave you so...I guess I should too. If you still wanna be friends, I'm fine with that."

He nodded and continued to pet his small little creature. "I would like that Captain. I miss our friendship. If I may ask...what is wrong with Mr. Syndicate? I thought he was getting better." He picked Aura up gently and cradled her in his hands.

"He uh...he got sick. I'm probably gonna be at Champs all day for the rest of the week so I can keep an eye on him." I began to leave the room, when he spoke again.

"What do you mean he is sick? What is wrong with him?"

"He has...he has a disorder. He can't eat without getting sick, so he won't eat at all. So until he starts eating normally, he's gonna be at Champs. I really have to go, I promised him I'd come back as soon as possible."

"O-oh. I hope he gets well...goodbye captain." He sat Aura back on her pillow, a solemn expression now on his face.
He felt guilty.
I just nodded a goodbye and left in a hurry, the blanket and my bag in my hands.
~
Toms p.o.v.

"I shoulda done somethin Syndy. I shoulda begged her to come back to me."

So Steve was a mess to say the least.

"Steve she's gone. There's no use worryin about it now. You need a new lady friend, someone who'll take your mind off it. Any hot chicks in the outback?" I stuck another potato chip in my mouth and waited for Steve to answer. I'd been eating and Sparklez was happy. I gotta admit, that him and I eating a cookie while making out was pretty inspiring.

Steve brought me a bag of potato chips, still completely unaware that I had the disorder. I don't think anyone told him yet, which I was glad for. I don't want him thinking I'm weak or something.

"Syndy, ye wouldn't go and bang another lady if ye got dumped by Sparkley boy, would ya? I just ain't got the heart to do it. She was me partner. Now she's gettin love from that little wizard boy. He ain't even a man..." He shook his head at the thought and sunk back in his chair.

"Chicks just like talking about feelings and all of that crap. Sparklez loves that shit, he feeds off of it." I laughed and he chuckled a bit.

"I wish I had what ye have Syndy. Sparkle face is a great companion, perfect for ye. Maybe I just ain't meant for this love get up." He rubbed his temples.

"I don't know, Steve. I'm not good at comfort and all that, especially with a friend. With Sparklez I usually just kiss him and he lights up like a freaking Christmas tree." I popped another potato chip in my mouth and Steve chuckled.
"What's so funny? You have that look, like you know something I don't. Whatchu thinking about Steve?" I flicked a potato chip at his head and he dodged it.

"Ye can't stop talkin about that boy, can ye?" He tipped his straw hat over his eyes and laid back in his chair.

"Shut up. Not like I can help it." I stuffed a handful of chips in my mouth, causing crumbs to go everywhere.

"Why are ye in this bed Syndy? Why were ye throwing up when I found ye? Haven't been around enough to ask, just worried about ye mate."

"Er...maybe Sparklez can explain it better."

"I don't wanna hear it from Sparkly britches, I wanna hear it from you. What's wrong with ye Syndy?" He asked me in a stern tone. He's just like my dad, filled with tough love.

"I uh...I have a disorder called anorexia. If I eat food I get sick...I don't really like to eat it anymore. I didn't eat anything for three weeks and uh...that happened. Champ says my body failed on me or something. I just don't like food anymore...they won't listen to me. I mean, I am eating these chips right now but...I don't think they're technically considered food. They don't taste like complete shit and they don't make me gag."

"So ye think all food ye eat taste bad? And that ye get sick because of it?" He looked at me with disbelief.

"Basically. They're forcing me to eat stuff and it taste awful. But Sparklez says it's for my own good so...guess I should trust him."

"You should, I know you better than you know yourself." Sparklez poked his head in the door, his goofy grin wider than ever.

"What took ye so long? We got so bored we started talkin about feelings..." Steve pulled his hat back up from his face and looked to my boyfriend as he walked through the door.

"Sorry, had some stuff I had to fix." He sat down a black bag that was stuffed full with what I assumed was clothing.

"You got my blanket, boy?" I asked him in a police officer voice. He grinned and tossed me the knitted blanket I'd made him. I caught it with one hand, the other in my bag of potato chips.

"Am I free to go officer?" He asked in an innocent voice.

"For now..." I murmured as I stuffed more chips in my mouth.

"I better go, ye probably want some privacy. I'll be at me house if ye need me Syndy." He stood and tipped his hat, turning to the door and leaving.

"Im glad you're eating something. I was so worried about you..." He sat on the end of the bed, his eyes glancing at the bag of chips.

"Yeah well, they don't taste horrible. Steve brought em' to me, I don't even think he knew what I was in here for till I told him."

"You know...you're starting to act like yourself again. You aren't using big words, and your accents thicker."

"Really? Didn't realize. Maybe it's Steve making me like this. He's a homey, too bad he's falling apart. Martha's killing him. I can't help the dude. I'm not good with feelings."

"Yeah, I know. Took you a month to admit you had any for me," he laughed at his own joke.

"You sassin' me boy? Do I need to take you down town?" I used my stern officer voice again.

"Oh please, you can't bring me down town if you can't even make it to the bathroom," he sassed as he unfolded the blanket.

"Alright son, I'm gonna have to do a full body search to make sure you're not carrying any dangerous items. Get over here so I can search." I held out my arms and he smiled out of the corner of his eye at me.

"Fine, let me get the blanket first." He spread out the blanket and scooted over next to me, pulling the blanket over us.
I pulled him in my lap and his head leaned against my chest while my chin rested on his head. He sighed and I felt his body relax. He must be tired.

"Spread em! And don't hold back on me, I've got my eye on you, punk!"
He did as I said and spread his arms out, and I wrapped my around his waist. He laughed quietly and put his hands back down.

"This is nice," he sighed.

"I'm gonna have to confiscate these pants for evidence. And this shirt. And the rest of you. Take em' off!"

He only laughed at my commands.
Dang, thought he'd follow that order.

"Sorry officer, I sorta need these so my boyfriend won't get any ideas. He tends to get bothered when I'm without clothing. I wouldn't want him getting even more hurt because of my lack of clothes."

"I'll let you off with a warning, since you're so cute. But you will be punished for resisting my sexiness. You are hereby sentenced to a whole day of cuddling with Syndicate."

He snorted at my words. "I guess I should have just given in, sorry officer. I'll never be able to live with myself." He moved closer to me, and I gripped him tighter.

"I love you," I whispered in his ear.

"I love you too," he yawned tiredly.

"Alright, I'll let you sleep. Goodnight Sparklez." I kissed his head.

"Night Tom..." His eyes closed, and I heard his light snoring minutes later.

I felt warm feeling in my stomach and chest. I loved this. I loved him and how much we loved eachother. Was that weird to say?

Nah.
~~~~~~~
Hope you enjoyed the chapter! Leave a favorite or a comment if you did, thanks!
- Lee