Chapter 6: Comfort

A week passed. And, Robbie thought, it was hell.

This was supposed to be his triumph. It was supposed to be his ultimate victory. And it was supposed to make him happy.

It did make him lazy however. He was becoming increasingly reluctant to leave his lair, even as the kids kept playing and making noise. He didn't care anymore. He sat in his chair and stared at the walls, unable to sleep.

It was ironic.

Eventually the hunger pangs in his stomach were too much. He exited his house, blinking in the bright sunlight that stung his eyes. Everything hurt. What little muscle mass he had previously was deteriorating, and it was more of a struggle than usual to lift the lid over the entrance.

He didn't even bother sneaking as he walked through the town. There wasn't a point.

"It's Robbie!"

Scratch that. There was a point. He just didn't care enough.

Trixie came running up, and pushed his legs, too short to shove him properly. She was glaring viciously up at him.

"What did you do with Sportacus, you jerk?!" she yelled. Robbie looked down at her, eyes blank. He didn't answer.

"WHAT DID YOU DO?!" she screamed, and gave his leg a solid kick. He grunted. It hurt, but he deserved it. There'd probably be a large bruise left. He still didn't answer. Trixie wailed in frustration and sorrow, attacking him with all she had until she wore herself out and Robbie started walking away with a limp. He headed back for his billboard. Ziggy and Stingy rushed over to Trixie and tried to calm her down.

He wasn't hungry anymore. He didn't care what his empty stomach was telling him.

Sportacus had to swallow back cries as he watched from behind a tree. He had seen Robbie for the first time in a week, and automatically hid, though he knew no one could see him anyway. It took a bit of magic, but it was the best solution. Invisibility was a useful thing, sometimes.

He grit his teeth and bared it while Trixie attacked Robbie ineffectually. He wanted to go out and help. But he couldn't.

As he continued watching, he saw Robbie walk away with a limp, and in that moment decided to follow him. Not because he missed him and wanted to see him again, he told himself. But because he was concerned.

He silently followed Robbie as he opened the secret entrance to his home and followed him in, sliding in just as the door closed. He watched as Robbie tried to lift the lid. It wouldn't budge. Was it his imagination, or did Robbie look smaller than usual? Sportacus tilted his head, analyzing. Robbie panted, managing to lift the lid only an inch before he had to drop it again. Robbie's face abruptly clouded over.

"Damn it!" he cried, allowing his legs to fail him, and slumping to the metal floor. He banged his forehead against the metal tube. Sportacus flinched, reaching out automatically to stop him, but remembered in time. He wasn't allowed. He watched helplessly while Robbie continued to abuse himself, and he shook with the effort it took to keep from breaking cover.

"I HATE THIS!" Robbie screamed, grabbing his head and seeming to curl in on himself. "I didn't mean to!" Everything that was ricocheting around in his head was pouring out of his mouth. He wanted to say it to that stupid girl. He wanted to apologize and he wanted Sportacus back. It wasn't the same without him. "DAMN IT, I DIDN'T MEAN IT!" he sobbed, and felt his body start shaking from the strain he was putting it through. He sobbed brokenly again. "S-Sportacus… come back…"

He yelped and flinched away when he felt a hand on his back, turning his head. His wide eyes got wider.

"Y-you…"

"I'm sorry," Sportacus said, smiling a little sadly. Robbie's eyes filled up with angry tears again.

"Why are you sorry?" he hiccupped, still not anywhere near being stable. "You have nothing to be sorry about." Sportacus paused.

"… Did you miss me?" he asked finally. Robbie sobbed brokenly again and abruptly turned around and clung to him.

"Y-yes," he mewled. "Don't… don't leave again…"

Sportacus smiled slightly into the chest he was being pressed against.

"Okay," he conceded. He let Robbie cry it out.

"I'm sorry," Robbie sniffled. "I'm sorry." Sportacus didn't reply, but hugged him and closed his eyes. Robbie suddenly hit his back lightly with a fist.

"You weren't supposed to just go, stupid!" the taller man said. "You were supposed to say no and fight it!"

Sportacus laughed for the first time in a week.

"Sorry," he responded. "I wasn't thinking." Robbie huffed.

"I could tell. You never think anyway."

"I think about you," Sportacus added gently. Robbie fell silent, but gripped him a little tighter.

"I can't change," Robbie whispered after a minute. Sportacus nuzzled his neck affectionately.

"I know. I don't mind," he replied quietly. "Just try not to break my heart. I need that." Robbie laughed shortly.

"I didn't think your heart got broken," he said. Sportacus paused for a moment.

"It does," he confirmed. "It's as fragile as any part of me. But…" He pressed against Robbie further, cuddling up. "Even if it does get broken, I seem to recall that Lazy Town has a resident mad genius who's good at fixing things."

"Ha," Robbie snorted. "Everything I fix ends up weird."

"Nah," Sportacus replied, looking up at him. "I'm fairly sure you've told me I'm weird before. You can't make me any weirder."

He pulled Robbie down and kissed him gently.

"Besides," he breathed when they came apart. He looked back into Robbie's gray eyes. "Neither of us needs fixed, right?" Robbie blinked, then smiled slightly after a moment, relieved. He put his forehead against the sports elf's.

"Right."

AN:

The end!

I hope you guys liked it. I know it wasn't much of a resolution. But... I like it. It seemed right. Neither of them really has to change, in the end, but they still changed. It's hard to describe...

Like usual, working on a few other fics. Not all necessarily SportaRobbie (gasp!). I have a humor crossover/recasting with Labyrinth. Another smut-fic (Creamy is up on AFF, so you know), and an interesting angsty thing that involves drugs, gay sex, and naive Robbie being strapped to a bed by a worried Sportacus. Taking The Fall influences me too much and I know it. But that's okay.

Mm, as usual, you can check my LJ for updates, snippets of upcoming fics, etc.

Thank you for reading (you guys are really too nice, 500+ hits last time I checked) and please leave a review.