Be warned. This chapter is ridiculously angsty and fluffy at the SAME. DAMN. TIME.

Chapter 15:Recovery

3 days had passed since the fight against the subspace attack, and NiGHTS still hadn't woken up, and Leon hadn't slept since he started watching over her; not because he couldn't sleep, he just didn't want to. He wanted to make sure that NiGHTS was fine, even if it meant never resting. His eyelids were now sagging slightly and he struggled to stay awake. He also couldn't help but think about his battle with the hybrid primid. Despite what the Smashers thought, he remembered everything that happened, and he felt terrible for it. He had caused all that destruction because he couldn't control himself, and he was afraid of what he would do if it happened again. He would hate himself completely if he hurt any of his friends. During those three days, everyone in the mansion had visited them, leaving things such as get-well-cards and balloons, and Dr. Mario came each day to change NiGHTS'' bandages. Peach walked into the room carrying a tray of breakfast food. Aside from Dr. Mario, she was the only one who came in that often.

"Hello, Leon,"she said softly.

He nodded."Hey, Peach,"he muttered drowsily. Peach sighed as she put the tray on a small nightstand.

"Are you sure you don't want to sleep for just a little bit?"she asked.

"No, I gotta make sure she's alright,"he said, voice now stern."It's my responsibility."Peach sighed again.

"Alright, then,"she said."As long as you at least eat."

"Thanks,"he said. Peach nodded at him, then left the room. Leon picked up a biscuit and took a bite out of it. Due to his intense drowsiness, he failed to notice someone else in the room, watching them both carefully from the ceiling corner. Leon finished the biscuit and washed it down with some bottled water. He sighed again while looking at NiGHTS. "This is all my fault. If I had just thought first instead of trying to attack that thing, you wouldn't be in this mess. Ugh, you must hate me now."He turned his head and reached for another biscuit. But before he could, he heard a groaning from the bed. His head immediately snapped to NiGHTS, who slowly opened her eyes. For the first time in three days, he actually smiled.

"Ohh, my back,"the jester muttered, then noticed Leon smiling down at her."Leon?"

"Hi, NiGHTS,"he said, then fell face-first on the bed, completely knocked out. NiGHTS tried to sit up, but felt a sharp pain go up her spine, forcing her to lay down with a hiss of pain.

"Good to see you awake, NiGHTS,"a new voice said. Blinking in surprise, the nightmaren quickly looked around the room, but saw no one around. "Up here."NiGHTS looked up and saw Sheik clinging to the ceiling. She fell down and landed on her feet gracefully.

"Sheik?"NiGHTS asked as she walked over."What's wrong with Leon?"

"You've been out for three days,"Sheik said."Leon has been watching over you ever since that primid knocked you out. He stayed awake the entire time you've been unconcious."NiGHTS looked at her in shock.

"He hasn't slept at all?"she asked.

Sheik sighed."Not a wink. He blames himself for what happened to you. Every time he almost drifted off, he slapped himself harder than needed. I think he was punishing himself because he thought he deserved it."NiGHTS slowly looked at Leon with wide eyes.

"I can't believe it,"she said softly.

"Unfortunately, that's not even the worst part,"Sheik said sadly, causing NiGHTS to look back at her."He thinks you hate him now."

NiGHTS gasped."I would never hate him! We've been friends ever since he got here! Wait a minute..."She paused, blinking."What happened to that humongous primid?"Sheik flinched slightly.

"I forgot about that,"she said, sighing."Do you really want to know what happened?"

NiGHTS nodded."Well, you obviously beat it,"she said."But by the way you flinched, I'd say something really bad happened."Sheik crossed her arms.

"Well,"she started."We're really not sure if it's good or bad, really."She looked NiGHTS in the eyes."After the primid knocked you out, we all thought you were going to die from getting kicked into that tree so hard. So-"

"That thing kicked me into a tree?"NiGHTS asked incredulously, then flinched from another shot of pain."That explains this serious pain in my back..."

Sheik nodded."Like I was saying, when Leon saw your condition, he completely lost his mind. And I don't mean in the usual way. His eyes glowed blood red and he started floating through the air. We didn't beat it. He took down the primid like it was just a regular-sized one all by himself. When Fox tried to measure Leon's energy level with his scanner, it cracked. Leon became more powerful than Master Hand, Crazy Hand, and Mewtwo combined. He also had a disturbing black aura around him. But the absolute scariest part about it was his voice. It was so distorted that it sounded demonic. Once he had defeated it, the land around their battlefield was charred completely black. It was one of the most frightening things I had ever seen. The strange thing is that he doesn't even remember doing any of it."When Sheik finished, NiGHTS looked like she was about to faint.

"All that because I was hurt?"she asked incredulously.

"All that because he thought you were going to die,"Sheik said."We all did."NiGHTS looked back at Leon, who was still completely out of it."You know what I find really impressive?"NiGHTS looked at her again."Even after he used that much energy, he still stayed awake for three whole days to watch over you. I can't say I blame him for being exhausted."NiGHTS looked back at Leon for a moment before smiling.

"Help him into the bed,"she said. holding the blanket up. Sheik smiled and nodded, then helped NiGHTS get the unconcious teen into the bed, and the jester made sure that he was comfortable."Thanks, Sheik."

"No problem,"Sheik replied, stepping back."I'll see you later."With that, she disappeared in a puff of smoke. NiGHTS looked back to Leon, then he did something that suprised her. Even though he was obviously still knocked out, he wrapped his arm around her, which made NiGHTS smile.

"Even when you're unconcious, you're still a caring maniac,"she said, then kissed his forehead, causing Leon to actually smile in his sleep. NiGHTS closed her eyes and went back to sleep as well.

XXXX

End of chapter

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