Just something seriously angsty before I do something that's been long-awaited as a special thing for my 100th chapter (which will be the special thing) :D

Now suffer >:3

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[Sabre's POV]

As I sit awake in bed again, my spacesuit outfit's helmet off, I just stare in the mirror at myself. My withered image.

...I'm getting worse. Soon enough, I won't be able to just hide it under the suit anymore. How I've been using all of my energy to pretend like I'm fine around everyone else is going to catch up to me, and everyone's going to notice I'm... I'm getting weaker.

I sigh, and run a hand through my extremely thinned hair. It became like that a long, long while ago. Before Rainbow died. I would call myself lucky that he didn't notice, but... he didn't notice because he shattered himself soon after it happened.

I've been turning paler since I broke out of Shadow's control after Void first corrupted me. I used the tinting on my spacesuit's helmet to my advantage so nobody would see it, and if someone did notice I could blame that on the tinting too.

And, finally... I'd started becoming frail when I started living in this village. It's been harder to do the simplest tasks like picking up and moving things, and not to mention how my eyes have sunken in, bringing out the dark circles under them. It's been really difficult, hiding it from everyone, especially Time and... Dark. I have to act like I'm normal and energized, and not... this. And now, it's more important than ever. I need to stay strong for Time, he needs me right now because of the drain he went through.

...I just hope I can hold out for a little bit-

"S-Sabre...?"

I quickly turn my head, and see Time standing there in the doorway, leaning against the doorframe. Just my luck.

"Oh, Time- You shouldn't be up..." I say, quickly sitting up straight and trying to look as normal as I can.

"...Sabre, w-what..." Time says, slowly walking into my room. "What's happened to you...?"

"What are you talking about?" I ask. It... It's hurting to sit up like this. "I'm okay, you should really-"

"Sabre, do not lie to me." Time says sternly, reaching my bed and sitting down next to me. "W-What's going on?"

I just stare for a moment, trying to think of something to say. But... I have nothing. It's just like how I was saying... I can't hide it anymore.

I slouch again, taking the pressure off my already aching shoulders and spine. I rub one of my eyes with my hand, trying to figure out a way to let him down gently about this.

"You're not gonna like it..." I say.

"Just tell me, Sabre. Clearly there's s-something wrong." Time says.

I take a deep breath, knowing there's no easy way to say this.

"Well, long story short..." I start. "I'm... sick. Always have been since I got here, way before you met me."

"Sick? H-How...?" Time asks.

"In my world, there's these diseases that do... this, to us." I say, motioning to myself. "I'm one of the people unlucky enough to have one of them. I got diagnosed pretty soon before I went through the portal that led to this world. In fact, that's the reason I went through the portal in the first place; I couldn't handle it. I couldn't handle the thought that this was happening to me. Especially since I had no one to help me through it."

Time looks at me, confused and worried. I think I see tears starting to form in his eyes.

"Wh... C-Can't we figure something out once this is all over...?" Time says. "Surely there s-something we can do..."

"We can't, buddy." I sigh, knowing what's coming.

"Why- Why not?" Time asks. "For every disease, t-there has to be a cure. Once this i-is all over, everyone can h-help you."

"Nobody's gonna be able to help me, Time." I say. "Nobody can 'cure' me. It's not gonna happen."

"Why n-not?!" Time says. He's getting panicked about this. "Why can't we get s-someone to cure you?! Surely th-there's something!"

"We just can't..." I say, feeling the tears pricking at the edges of my eyes.

"Why?! Just tell me!" Time says.

"Time, it's- It's..." I say.

"What I'm sick with... it's terminal, Time."

I look up at Time Steve, and he's just... frozen. We just stare for a few minutes.

"...Wh-What...?" Time says, starting to cry.

"Yeah, people could get something to help, but it won't cure me." I say. "I'll just keep getting worse, no matter what. That'll just be prolonging my suffering. This is going to kill me soon enough."

Time stays silent, tears streaming down his face as he quietly sobs. He suddenly pulls me into a hug, crying into my shoulder. I let myself lean against him, just... tired.

"I-I can't lose y-you too..." Time sobs. "I-I just c-can't..."

I weakly hug him back, slowly rocking back and forth a little with him. I shed a few tears as well, hating to see Time so upset over me... that he had to see me like this... that he had to know...

We stay like that for a while. Then, Time hugs just a little tighter.

"...How l-long?" He asks.

"Hm?"

"How long d-do you h-have...?" Time repeats, his voice shaking.

"I... I dunno, buddy..." I reply. "When I first got here, it was two and a half years. But between the amount of time I spent corrupted that I don't know and the Darkness seeming to speed up the disease... I just don't know."

Time shudders in our shared grip. He lets out another sob, yet doesn't make a sound.

"...I just hope I have long enough left to fix all of this..." I say. "And save as many others as I can..."

Time leans back from the hug, and looks up at me. His tear-filled eyes are heartbreaking... I wish he didn't have to know.

"And spend a little longer with you and the people here, in this village..." I continue. "And... and try to get the Leaders to hear me out... so I don't die with them hating me..."

Time and I silently cry, leaning against each other, for a while longer. It would be peaceful if it wasn't for the tension.

I hear Time whisper.

"P-Please don't leave m-me here... Just... s-stay..."

...

"...I don't know if I can do that, buddy..."