Soldier breathed in and out slowly, starring at the clock on the bedside table. It was only 5 a.m. but he had woken up about half an hour ago and didn't feel like going back to sleep. He pulled the blanket tighter around himself and sighed softly, nuzzling a bit more into the pillow. He was… Comfortable; and the feeling was a bit surreal to say the least.

He could hear a conversation downstairs and two distinct voices. One was a bit higher pitched and spoke fast; sounding angry and agitated. The second voice on the other hand was lower and sounded extremely tired. The bickering went on for a few more minutes before fading and being replaced by footsteps climbing up the stairs. Jane quickly grabbed his helmet on the nightstand, shoved it down on his head and buried himself under the covers. He heard the door to his room open and instantly went silent.

Merasmus sat on the edge of the bed quietly and sighed, bringing a hand to his chest where his robe was torn and where his skin now bore a thin scar. He was exhausted, having used more magic in a few hours than he should have in an entire week, but he was also glad to be home. He carefully reached a hand out and touched Jane's shoulder through the blanket, making the man flinch a little.

"Jane, it's alright…"

He carefully peeled the cover off of the Soldier's face and gently brushed his finger tips across his cheek. The American backed away and looked up at him from under his helmet, prompting the older man to remove his hand from his face. Jane was extremely pale and his eyes were red and underlined with dark purple. There were traces of dried drool at the corner of his mouth and snot had dried off under his nose leaving a crust. His body was shaking slightly despite how warm the room was and the blanket he was wrapped in and the wizard could easily tell he wasn't at ease.

"Don't worry…"

He reached out for him once more and gently stroked his cheek, to which Jane flinched again. This time however the older man kept his fingers where they were, only moving to scratch behind his roommate's ear –a little attention he knew the man enjoyed greatly. Eventually the Soldier gave in and began to relax, exhaling softly and moving a bit closer. Merasmus carefully lifted Jane's head and placed it in his lap before going back to the ear scratching.

"-Did you sleep well?

-… Yes…

-No nightmares?

-…No… No nightmares…

-Good..."

Jane was speaking slowly and his voice was a bit croaking, but he did seem at least a bit more relaxed compared to earlier when he was forcefully put to sleep. The wizard smiled softly and began stroking his roommate's hair. Jane hesitantly wrapped an arm around his waist, holding weakly onto Merasmus and slowly opening his eyes.

"-… Who were you talking to downstairs?, he tiredly asked.

-The Bombinomicon, who else?

-… He sounded angry…

- He was, yes…

-Why…?

-I went out during the night and… Well, I came back much later than he expected me to."

Soldier blinked slowly before looking up, lifting a hand to touch Merasmus' chest when he noticed the torn robe and the scar.

"-… What happened?, he asked again.

-Oh, This… I had a little accident, nothing to worry about, the wizard answered with another gentle smile.

-…I guess the Bombinomicon was mad at you for that as well… For getting hurt, I mean…

-He was, yes… He's always mad at me for something anyway.

-…You two sound like an old married couple sometimes, you know?

-You think so?... You should have seen us five hundred years ago. It was even worse." The older man huffed out.

Jane made a soft sound in response; one Merasmus could only describe as a chuckle. It was a little weak, but the wizard still took it as a sign his roommate was feeling better. His face had regained a bit of its colors, too. Merasmus was about to say something else when his nose twitched. He hadn't really paid attention yet, but the stench of urine in the room was quite strong.

"-I believe you need a bath.

-… Yeah… I guess…"

The wizard moved Jane's head from his lap and got up, taking hold of his hand and pulling gently. The Soldier began to move his legs before suddenly stopping and starring at the ground with wide eyes, going livid almost immediately again.

"-Jane? Jane is everything alright?

-I can't… I can't… Walk…

-Of course you can, what are you-

-T-They broke my legs they… They broke… They broke them! They broke my legs! They broke my legs! They-!

-Jane!"

Soldier began to scream hysterically and to hyperventilate and Merasmus immediately wrapped his arms around him, rocking him back and forth as gently and slowly as he could. He hummed into his ear, holding him tightly while squeezing his arm reassuringly as the man continued to flail.

"Nothing is broken; I took care of it… I healed you…"

To further prove his words the wizard hiked the blanket up to expose Jane's legs. The Soldier starred at them and his erratic breathing finally began to calm when he realized they were indeed fine, only bearing a few old scars. He took a few deep breathes to compose himself and relaxed, letting his head fall back against Merasmus' shoulder. The wizard sighed and allowed Jane to lean further against him. He knew, unfortunately, that these kinds of flashbacks and breakdowns were to be expected now –not that there weren't any before, but now they were just going to be worse. The Soldier trembled slightly and sucked in a shaky breath.

"I'm… Fine… , he whispered as if to convince himself, My legs… Are fine…"

He breathed in deeply again.

"-I'm… Fine…

-I told you everything was going to be alright…, Merasmus quietly said, Now come, I don't have enough magic left to carry you."

Soldier shivered and nodded slowly. He watched Merasmus get up and crawled closer to sit on the edge of the bed. The wizard wrapped his arms around him again to lift him up, holding Jane close to help him keep his balance. The Soldier clung to him with a soft whimper as his legs trembled when he tried his best to stand straight.

"There, hold on to me... I will guide you."

Jane nodded again and began taking small, uneasy and clumsy steps while holding tightly onto the wizard. Merasmus carefully guided him out of the room and to the bathroom which, luckily, was on the same floor and only two rooms away. The wizard opened the door and sat Jane on the side of the lion-feet-tub. He turned the tap on, filling the bathtub with warm water before adding a good dose of soap to it. The Soldier shed off his soiled boxers and beloved helmet and sat there naked, waiting patiently for the bath to fill as he watched Merasmus fold up his sleeves and dip a hand in the water. He observed the tattoos running along his arm; slithering all over his pale skin from his wrist up to his shoulder and felt a small pang of guilt hit him. Their presence was pretty much his fault after all –if it wasn't for him, the wizard would have never been forced to go to prison. Jane traced one of the tattoos with his finger, looking up at Merasmus with a tired and apolitical look on his face before the wizard gently took his hand and squeezed it.

"Jane, you do not have anything to reproach yourself with. I forgave you everything when I allowed you back in my castle, so do not worry. Everything is okay now."

He turned the tap off and smiled softly, wrapping his arms around the Soldier.

"I'm here to take care of you, not to blame you."

Jane held onto the wizard and slowly lowered himself into the bath. He felt the warmth engulf him and began to shiver hard, sighing in pure bliss. The hot water soothed the pain in his aching muscles and lulled him into a sense of peace and comfort, driving the bad memories away for a moment. Merasmus picked up the wash glove, doused it in soap and began rubbing slow circles over the Soldier's back to rid him of the sweat and filth all the while gently massaging his left shoulder with his other hand. The American closed his eyes and began sobbing quietly. After all the abuse and torture he had been put through, the sudden gentleness of the situation and the care provided by his roommate was overwhelming –in the best way possible.

"-Thank you…, he whimpered softly, Thank you…

-Shhh… It's okay…"

Merasmus buried his nose in Jane's short cropped hair and gently nuzzled him there. He rubbed and massaged his shoulder carefully, easing the pain out of the Soldier's worn out body as his hands roamed to rub and clean every inch of skin. Steam lifted off from the water to fog the only window of the bathroom and shielded the two of them from the outside world. Jane shivered a bit and sniffled, pressing his cheek to Merasmus' tattooed forearm.

"… So… You killed the BLU team." He said in a slightly shaky voice.

The sentence sounded a bit more like a statement than a question. The wizard loosened his grip on Jane's shoulder a bit and sighed.

"-I cannot really hide anything from you, can I?

-I know I'm an idiot, but I still understand some things…"

Jane shivered again and Merasmus made him lift his arm so he could clean his side.

"... What is it that betrayed me?, the wizard asked as he rubbed over the scarred skin.

-Well… You went out during the night and came back wounded and smelling of blood. After what happened to me, it's easy to understand what you were up to…

-I suppose, yes…

-… So you really killed them…

-I did… But I-

-You spared their Demoman, Scout and Pyro.

-Yes.

-I knew you would…

-You seem to know a lot about me lately."

Jane let out a soft laugh and leaned back to press his head in the crook of Merasmus' neck. The wizard couldn't help but smile contently. Soldier seemed to be making some rapid progress and his face had almost regained its natural color. His dark eye circles had also reduced a bit, and he wasn't shaking or shivering anymore. The wizard was surprise to see Jane wasn't any more affected by the death of his former adversaries. He used to talk about them as 'quite worthy opponents'; maybe he'd changed his mind or-… Oh… Yes. Merasmus remembered now; he hadn't mentioned the broken respawn. Jane probably thought the wizard had killed the BLUs once and had then allowed them to come back to life through the complex machinery. Well, it was probably better to let him believe this, anyway. Merasmus sighed softly and quickly finished washing Jane. He set the glove down, got up and helped his roommate out of the bath. He opened the cupboard and pulled out the largest towel he could find before tightly wrapping it around the Soldier to make sure he would stay warm.

"Now, dry yourself and will go and find some clean clothes for you, alright?"

Jane nodded and watched as Merasmus disappeared into the corridor. He did as he was told and began drying himself, leaning against the wall as he rubbed the towel over his body. The door to his own room –which was next to Merasmus' own- was wide open and he could hear shuffling inside as the wizard searched for clothes. The castle was completely silent in fact aside from those noises; and it triggered a rather odd feeling to course through Jane. As much as he tried to shake it off, the Soldier couldn't help but feel a heavy gaze on him, as if someone was watching. He hadn't noticed before; probably because Merasmus was there and talking to him but now the eerie thought that he was being observed began to grow in his mind. He shivered, looking around but there was no one. His breath quickened and soon enough Jane felt himself break into a cold sweat as the feeling increased in intensity. He looked up at the window but it was fogged and he couldn't see anything.

"Merasmus…?" he called in a weak and shaking voice.

The wizard didn't answer and the sound of a cupboard being open and unfolded clothes falling out of it in a heap could be heard. Jane shook his head and swallowed in an uneasy breath. There was definitely someone watching him, he was sure of it now. He looked up at the window again and felt his own blood freeze. There, behind the foggy panel of glass, was the silhouette of a head peering down at him. Jane wanted to scream but the sound just curled up in his throat and refused to come out. He tried to call for Merasmus, tried to shout again but found himself unable to make a single noise. His breath came out in short gasps and sweat rolled down the back of his neck. He looked up at the window again.

It was gone.

"What…?"

It was… gone? This fast? Or maybe he had just hallucinated it? Jane brought a trembling hand to his forehead, not daring to take his eyes of the window. He didn't feel feverish… Maybe he was just tired? …Yes. He was… Probably just tired.

"Jane? Are you alright?"

The Soldier turned to face Merasmus who was standing in the doorway, a pile of neatly folded clothes in his arms.

"I'm fine I just… I'm still a bit… I thought I saw something, but it's gone."

Merasmus was about to ask where before Jane pointed at the window. The wizard nodded and approached carefully, holding the pile of clothes with one arm as he lifted his other hand. He wiped the steam off the glass surface and looked outside. As expected there was nothing, no movement nor any sign of life.

"-There is nothing outside, the wizard informed his roommate.

-I probably just hallucinated it, don't worry…"

Merasmus sighed and walked back to Jane.

"In that case, we should get you dressed before you catch a cold. I do not want you getting worse…"

As he spoke he handed the Soldier a white undershirt which the man hastily put on, followed by a pair of clean boxers, some black sweatpants and his trusty helmet. A thin blanket was thrown over Jane's shoulder to complete the attire before the wizard gave a small nod, urging the rocketman to follow him. He closed the door behind them and led Soldier across the hallway, down into the living room and sat him on the luxurious sofa.

"-Now stay there and rest, he said as he arranged the cushions around Jane, I will make you some breakfast.

-Ah- No thanks, the younger man replied as he shook his head and placed a hand over his stomach, I don't feel too well for the moment… 'Might throw up if I eat anything…

-Are you sure? You don't even want some coffee?

-Well… Yeah, okay. Coffee sounds pretty nice, Jane answered with a small smile.

-Coffee it is then."

Merasmus immediately set off for the kitchen and turned the coffee machine on, keeping an ear out in case Jane called for him but the man was perfectly calm and comfortably lying in the sofa amongst cushions and pillows. Soldier intertwined his fingers, laid his hands across his chest and relaxed as he felt it rise and fall slowly. Rain began pouring outside, small droplets hitting the windows and he closed his eyes to better enjoy the gentle sound surrounding him. He suddenly heard another voice come from the kitchen; but it wasn't Merasmus'. It was higher pitched, with a distinctive Mexican accent. The Bombinomicon began a rather calm conversation with the wizard which Jane didn't really listen to. He did hear apologies from both parties at some point however, probably about the argument from earlier. The two spoke a bit more before the Bombinomicon floated away and the Soldier could smell the aroma of hot coffee and hear Merasmus take a mug out of the cupboard.

He stayed still and only opened his eyes again when he heard footsteps approaching. He sat up, scooting to the side so his roommate could sit down and thanked him when the hot beverage was handed to him. He blew carefully before taking a few, long and slow gulps as Merasmus gently rubbed his back.

"-How does it feel?

-Great… Really great…" the Soldier sighed in bliss as he set his coffee down.

He rested his head against his roommate's shoulder and relaxed, closing his eyes and nuzzling a bit closer. Merasmus wrapped an arm around him and held him quietly. Jane took another sip and hummed appreciatively as the warmth caressed his throat.

"… Where are the raccoons?, he finally asked when he realized none of them had yet jumped onto the sofa to join him.

-I let them out this morning when I came in… Do you want me to let them inside?"

As he spoke the wizard began to rise into a stand but Jane pulled him down and shook his head.

"I guess they're still in the forest… They'll probably come back by themselves for lunchtime..."

Merasmus simply nodded and sat back next to the Soldier. He allowed the man to lean against his form again as he finished his coffee and gently stroked his hair. Jane nuzzled into his chest and sighed.

"Do you think… Do you think Lieutenant Bites is in Raccoon Heaven now?" He quietly asked.

Merasmus didn't answer, taken slightly aback by the question. He stayed silent, unsure what to answer or if he had even understood the words correctly. Jane took it as an opportunity to continue.

"-What if he wasn't a good enough raccoon and didn't go to Heaven? I mean, he chewed on the furniture and the carpets a lot; and he ate the sour cream I left out for other raccoons and-

-Jane; please; don't worry… Lieutenant Bites did cause a lot of trouble, but he was a… Uhm… 'Good raccoon'… I am sure he is in… In…

-Raccoon Heaven?, Soldier asked with watery eyes.

-Yes… 'Raccoon Heaven'…, Merasmus replied, a bit skeptical about the existence of such a place.

But if pretending it did exist could make Jane feel better, he could go along with it. The American let out a breathy sigh and clung tighter to the wizard.

"-I hope they have sour cream up there… And garbage bins to rummage through and lots of space to run around…

-I am sure they do, Merasmus assured as he stroked his roommate's hair, I am sure they do…"

He let out a soft yawn and stretched his arms a bit.

"-You're tired?, the Soldier asked as he rested his head against the older man's shoulder.

-A bit, yes… I haven't slept yet.

-Oh…"

Jane quickly set his coffee down on the nearby table and pulled Merasmus against him and leaned back, still holding him until they were both lying on their side and embracing each other. The wizard didn't try to resist, instead opting to remove his skull-hat and the Soldier's helmet so he could rest his chin atop his roommate's head.

"-I could have also gone to sleep later, you know.

-No… I want you to stay with me; and you need your beauty sleep.

-My 'beauty sleep'…" Merasmus laughed softly.

He pulled Soldier closer and began stroking his hair again.

"You idiot…"

Jane smiled and pressed further into the touch.

Merasmus was actually quite quick to fall asleep. He was exhausted and almost out of magic, after all. Soldier took a bit longer but was eventually lulled to sleep by the sound of rain falling on the roof, his roommate's warmth, and the soothing feeling of comfort and security.

The burst of fire and sudden scorching heat was as unexpected as it was destructive. Every single page of the Bombinomicon was set ablaze at once as the book was consumed into a roaring whirlpool of bright flames. The old, yellowed paper burned away in merely seconds while the leather cover instantly blackened with a revolting smell similar to burning hair. When the magical entity weakened to the point it wasn't able to mystically float around anymore, it inevitably fell to the ground with an almost silent sound. The dark figure immediately took the opportunity to stomp the ashes, scattering them across the floor with a few swift kicks until there was nothing left but just mere scraps of burned paper.

As the adrenaline rush from the unexpected encounter slowly began to fade, it realized its fingers were trembling slightly around the Zippo and half-empty deodorant spray can. It hastily put the gear away in its backpack and carefully made its way to the living room. The figure was dressed in an old, far too large hoody, washed out jeans and thick leather boots. Its face bore a handful of cigarette burns on the left side while the skin on the right side seemed to have been severely burned and scarred. Its right eye was entirely white and the skin had slightly receded from it while the right part of its lips had been sealed by a particularly severe burn.

With a small shudder of apprehension it entered the living room, only to find the RED Soldier and his mystical roommate asleep on the sofa. The two were embracing each other closely, snoring softly and staying completely still as they rested together. The figure slowly shook its head and silently rummaged through its backpack. The pair looked so peaceful like this; almost innocent in their sleep. The RED Soldier was clinging tightly to the wizard and holding him with his arms around his chest, his head tucked in the crook of his neck. The older man on the other hand had a hand flat against the rocketman's back and held him in a gentle and protective manner. The figure sighed softly.

It looked just like the way it would hold onto Dell, and the way Dell would embrace it.

The figure pulled the Pistol it had retrieved from Dell's personal belongings out of its backpack and inspected it briefly; sighing and aiming it between the RED Soldier's eyes.

"I don't care about your warnings, it whispered slowly in a hoarse and damaged voice, I don't care about your punishment."

It placed a trembling finger on the trigger carefully.

"I don't care if everything just repeats itself."

Merasmus' eyes shot open as he heard the loud bang.

"Now at least, we're even." The BLU Pyro whispered.