No Matter What
Disclaimer: All the characters of Psychonauts belong to Double Fine and Tim Schafer and are copied without permission. This story has been made for fun and now profit.
Writer's note: This idea came to me this morning and I couldn't help but wanted to show how Raz would react and how he would handle it. This story is one of my actual first Psychonauts story, so it might feel a little out of place. I hope you enjoy it.
One-Shot
Lili sat alone, looking out over the camp of Whispering Rock. She hadn't been feeling well over the past few weeks. As much as Lili had tried to hide it, Raz knew she wasn't herself. She knew he'd already guessed something was off about her. It was when they had returned from a recent mission that he noticed that her bruises from the mission to rescue her father had not gone away. That had been three weeks ago. Even when almost a month had passed, the marks had remained. Lili had an appointment a few days prior to this day and she still couldn't understand how it could have happened. What would she tell Raz? What would he say? Would he not care? Would he.. Would he still love her?
Lili was so focused with her thoughts, she almost didn't hear Raz's presence behind her.. Almost.. She turned and saw him standing only a few feet away from her.
"H-hey.. Raz."
She tried to not sound so weak, but Raz seemed to pick up on it quite easily.
"Lili.."
Raz sat beside her, letting his legs swing off the edge.
"This isn't like you.. Talk to me.."
"Raz, I'm fine.."
"No.. You're not.." Raz responded softly.
He took her hand in his.
"I know you, Lili.. You were never like this before.. Something is obviously bothering you.."
Lili sighed, which seemed to be the fifth time that day.
"It.. I.."
She trailed off. Raz's concerned increased and he tightened his grip.
"Lili?"
"I went to a doctor.. T-they.."
She swallowed the lump in her throat as she tried to keep from herself from crying.
"T-they said it's Leukemia.."
Raz stared at her. His blood ran cold as his heart dropped into his gut. He held her hand tight shaking.
"L...Lili.. I.."
Raz could feel his eyes starting to burn as if someone had kicked sand into them.
"I'm going in next week.." Lili responded, wanting him to not worry.
"T-they said there's a type of therapy they're going to try.."
Lili stopped as she noticed Raz was trying to comprehend what Lili had just revealed to him.
"Don't worry, Raz.. They said they caught it before it got worse."
Raz looked at her, his sadness and distress evident on his face. Finally, Raz seemed able to find his voice.
"Lili.. I.. I had no idea.."
He held her close in a tight hug.
"I promise I will be here for you if anything happens!"
The determination in Raz's voice made Lili's confidence grow, and she smiled.
"Hey Raz?"
"Yeah?"
"The camp is having a summer ending dance.. Are you still going?"
Raz blushed but smiled as he continued to hold her.
"As long as you're there.. I wouldn't miss it.."
Lili smiled, the first honest smile Raz had seen in weeks.
X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X
It had been a few weeks since Lili had started her treatment for her illness. It had taken her father's pleas to allow Lili to stay at the camp with him while she was recovering and would go in every few weeks. However, when Truman walked in to check on Lili he froze in the doorway to the guest room.
Lili was huddled in the middle of her bed, tightly clutching the auburn locks that had gathered in a heap on her bed. Truman hurried over to her and pulled her into a tight hug as she sobbed into his chest.
X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X
Lili sat dejectedly in her room. Her tears flowing freely down her cheeks as she stared at her reflection. Her long auburn hair was completely gone. She now wore a scarf to hide where it had been weeks before. Lili sobbed into her hands. She knew the dance was tonight but she could never go. She had told Raz she couldn't. It would be wrong for her to go in this state. Raz would understand. Even if he could be stubborn at times, he would understand.
Lili was interrupted from her thoughts as she heard a muffled knocking and her father going to answer the door.
Lili walked to the door and peaked out, mainly out of curiosity. It was when she heard her father call her downstairs that she finally left the room.
"Lili, Someone is here to see you." Truman explained.
Lili was shocked to see Raz standing in the commons room of the conference building.
"R...Raz? W-what're you doing here?"
Lili was fighting to not sound so weak and.. Afraid? Why was she so afraid? Because of what he would say? If he didn't want her to be with him, she would understand. It would be for the best. It-.
"I'm here to tell you something.." Raz responded, cutting through her thoughts.
"I-I know you might think I changed my mind about you because of this.. But I didn't.."
What Raz did next left her and her father speechless. As Raz removed his aviator hat, tears formed in Lili's eyes as she saw Raz's auburn hair had been replaced with completely bare skin.
"I will always love you, Lili.." Raz confessed, taking her hands in his own.
"I don't care how you look or what happens to you.. You are still my Lili.."
Lili felt tears flow from her eyes and Raz gently brushed them away with his thumb as he gingerly placed a hand on her cheek.
Raz smiled reassuringly as he held her close.
X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X
Lili and Raz walked into the main hall, paying no to everyone's stares as they entered the room. It didn't matter. It would be only them. As the dance was formal, Raz was dressed in a flannel shirt and dark pants. Lili wore a laced up grey blouse and a long skirt. Everyone gathered around the two as they danced. Lili smiled as she rested her head against Raz's chest and Raz held her close as they danced together. For the first time in a long time, she was no longer afraid. She knew that no matter what happened, Raz would always love her.
The End
Author's note: This story was based on the song called 'Skin' by Rascal Flatts.
**Lyrics~
Sara Beth is scared to death
To hear what the doctor will say
She hasn't been well, since the day that she fell
And the bruise it just won't go away
So she sits and she waits with her mother and dad
And flips through an old magazine
Till the nurse with the smile stands at the door
And says will you please come with me
Sara Beth is scared to death
'Cause the doctor just told her the news
Between the red cells and white, something's not right
But we're gonna take care of you
Six chances in ten, it won't come back again
With the therapy we're gonna try
It's just been approved, it's the strongest there is
And I think that we caught it in time
And Sara Beth closes her eyes.
She dreams she's dancing
Around and around without any cares
And her very first love is holding her close
And a soft wind is blowing her hair
Sara Beth is scared to death
As she sits holding her mom
'Cause it would be a mistake for someone to take
A girl with no hair to the prom
For just this morning, right there on her pillow
Was the cruelest of any surprise
And she cried when she gathered it all in her hands
The proof that she couldn't deny
And Sara Beth closes her eyes
And she dreams she's dancing
Around and around without any cares
And her very first love is holding her close
And a soft wind is blowing her hair
It's quarter to seven, that boy's at the door
And her daddy ushers him in
And when he takes off his cap
They all start to cry
'Cause this morning where his hair had been
Softly she touches just skin
And they go dancing, around and around
Without any cares
And her very first true love is holding her close
And for a moment she isn't scared