Steve returned home and found Herobrine still asleep.
His twin's face seemed less pale, to Steve's relief, but the rasping in his breathing grew even more pronounced.
Once again, Steve gently placed the back of his hand against Herobrine's forehead and felt the heat radiating off of it. The skin felt damp. A quick glance at the man's chest confirmed Steve's suspicion, coming faster and more labored than before.
Infection and fever?
"Great..." Steve muttered, discouraged. Still, he proceeded to pull out potions he just traded for in town. Gently propping up Herobrine's head, he slowly poured them into the man's mouth a tiny bit at a time to avoid drowning him. Easing his twin's unresponsive form back on the pillow, Steve considered him with worried eyes.
He was not sure at all if he was doing this right. What if he was not helping Herobrine at all? What if he needed something else, which Steve simply did not have?
His twin was not exactly human. He was powerful, Steve always believed that. But, looking at him now, he could not help wondering just how much of what Herobrine claimed to him was true?
Was Herobrine even really immortal?
Steve's blue eyes strayed to the stump of Herobrine's arm, where blood slightly stained the bandages, stubbornly seeping through.
Or maybe he was exaggerating his abilities and boasting as usual when he mentioned that he was far better than a common lowly mortal like Steve.
Steve checked the man's bandages to make sure they remained snug and left to do his own daily chores that he had left neglected this morning. Trying his best to ignore the Endermen, three of them this time, whose white eyes continued to follow his every move, Steve took care of his animals, milked cows, and poured feed for the chickens.
He just started to shovel away the dirty hay in his barn when a dull sound coming from his house followed by a muted oath, made Steve pause, his eyes snapping toward the house. Straightening, Steve waivered, then set his rake aside and forced himself to walk back to the house to check, his heart beating faster despite himself.
Was Herobrine awake? Steve's stomach tensed at the thought of facing the unpredictable man's reaction. Somehow, he doubted that Herobrine would be pleased to find himself here.
Hopefully he won't kill him just for seeing him like this! It wasn't Steve's fault that his servants decided that Steve's cabin was a far better place to take their master to recover than whatever place he must have prepared for his own safety.
Steve found Herobrine on the floor next to the bed, one shaking hand braced against the floor in a futile attempt to get up. He must have tried to get up and fell.
Glowing white eyes shot in his direction, at first opened wide with near panic and confusion, but narrowing when Herobrine recognized Steve standing in the doorway. Hesitantly, Steve dared to step closer and offered his hand. Herobrine's eyes narrowed even more.
"...I don't need your help, human." The man growled quietly. Steve stepped back. He stood and winced, watching Herobrine make another fruitless attempt to get up. Seething with frustration, the man glared at Steve.
"Leave! I don't need you!" Herobrine raised his voice at the mortal, who flinched and took a step back. Only to glance helplessly at the three Endermen, who peeked in and at the sight of angry Herobrine immediately teleported away just as the man opened his mouth.
Herobrine clenched his jaw shut.
So... THAT's who was at fault for him being here.
Herobrine scowled. His servants were wise to flee from his displeasure. And he would have told them off for their ludicrous ideas, had he any strength left. But he couldn't teleport after them. None of his powers responded to him, his body apparently too weak to even let him stand.
That this human saw him like this, helpless like a newborn kitten? Glimpsing pity in the human's eyes, Herobrine's anger instantly flared to rage. If he could, he might have felt tempted to slay this player for witnessing this humiliation! Luckily for Steve, at this point he could not have hurt even a chicken.
"You must be enjoying all this. To see me brought this low?" He bitterly challenged the human. At that, the miner seemed to sigh and silently left the room, his head sadly lowered.
Steve resumed his work, expecting to see Herobrine show up, his strength miraculously restored now that he was awake. His attitude certainly didn't improve any. Still as mistrustful and angry as always. Did he not see that Steve was only trying to help?
A half hour passed, but no one appeared. The house also remained quiet. Steve went back in to check, expecting to find the room empty and Herobrine gone on his way.
To his surprise he found the man still on the floor, slumped not far from where he saw him last. Glowing eyes opened and met Steve's. Noting the exhaustion and the silence that met him this time, Steve approached and once again hesitantly offered his hand.
"I'm only trying to help you, Herobrine." He insisted, keeping his voice mild.
Mistrustful white eyes searched clear blue ones and found no guile. The harsh gaze dimmed, with what seemed like embarrassment briefly crossing the man's expression before it settled once again into the familiar flat look. Steve guessed that it was probably not easy for the other to admit that he might need help when he always prided himself on strength. "I don't need anyone!" Herobrine's scoffing words came vividly to Steve's mind.
"It appears... I owe you an apology." A quiet voice grudgingly admitted. With disbelief, Steve stared at the man and saw grudging thoughtfulness instead of earlier anger. "I assumed... But you did only try to help." Herobrine looked to his chest, drawing his hand to the bandages bound across his body.
So, he did notice that? A smile grew on Steve's face, his heart instantly lightening.
"It's alright. I understand." Steve reassured.
White eyes once again mistrustfully searched the human's expression, before Herobrine slowly nodded and wearily looked away. Stepping closer, Steve once again reached out his hand. This time, the other man silently took it, accepting Steve's offer of help.
Steve heard a stifled groan and labored breathing catching in pain as he pulled the man to his feet.
Guiding the wounded man back to his bed, Steve dared a curious glance at the man's pinched face. Pain shadowed Herobrine's expression despite his efforts to hide it.
"What happened to you?" Steve couldn't help asking, gently letting the man to sink into the blankets.
"I... do not wish to speak of it." Herobrine gloomily cut off.
Stifling a long-suffering sigh, Steve began checking the bandages again, concerned that some might have been displaced by Herobrine's earlier efforts. The whole time he felt Herobrine's eyes on him, strangely watchful.
"It appears... that I may need your help after all." Herobrine's reluctant admission drew Steve's eyes back to him. "If only for a short time... The weapons that were used against me... I have not seen such before. I must recover my strength before I can relieve you of my presence."
Steve readily gave a little smile. "It's fine. I do not mind. You can stay here as long as you need."
Mistrustful white eyes searched the mortal's expression and then tense shoulders slumped, relaxing. This mortal indeed did not plan to take advantage of his weakness. Whether it was due to his general good will or just naïve foolishness, Herobrine had to accept it, simply because at the moment he had no other choice. Weariness was already flooding back, pulling him inexorably to sleep so his body could continue to regenerate. And his dumb servants had fled, frightened by his ire, beyond the current range of his Call.
Steve, settling blankets securely around the dazed looking man, gave Herobrine a small encouraging nod and turned to leave.
"...Steve." An unusually quiet voice called before he left the room. Startled, Steve turned to find white eyes watching him, this time without the man's usual superior expression, just calm and thoughtful.
"... Thank you." The man told him. Steve blinked, barely able to believe what he just heard. Opening his mouth to say something back, that it was no problem at all, he stopped, seeing that Herobrine's eyes had already closed.
A bright smile lit Steve's face on his way out of the house. He didn't know if Herobrine really meant these words, or if he was simply incoherent, and would later regret them when he returned to his usual insufferable self. But for now, gladness filled Steve's heart and lightened his step. It felt so good for his efforts to finally be appreciated.
Herobrine lay still, listening to the sounds of the miner cheerfully working on something outside. Quiet daylight streamed through the windows, somehow peaceful. The rustle of tall trees that surrounded Steve's cozy cabin also felt soothing. Herobrine found the comfort of it all settling over his heart.
Perhaps... his servants did not make a mistake after all. He was closer to the edge than he realized. He needed help and Steve was perhaps the only one he knew, who would be willing to provide it without forcing Herobrine to accept a bargain with unfavorable terms.
With the Endermen gone, this mortal had the perfect chance to do him harm if he wished, but did not do so. Instead, he continued to show him... Kindness? He took him into his home, bound his wounds, all without asking a single thing in return. He even tried to make him comfortable by arranging his blankets.
Becoming aware of the unexpectedly soft, fleecy material that snuggled against the palm of his hand, Herobrine let out a soft, contented sigh.
Steve resented his unexpected visits and constant tests that pushed his patience. All this time, Herobrine waited, expecting the mortal to explode with angry words and reject him, or even attack him, turning against him just like everyone else. But Steve did not.
Perhaps he was wrong about him after all. He was not merely pretending to be a person too good to be true. He really was not like everyone else.
Despite his misgivings, Herobrine couldn't ignore the dimly familiar sensation rising in his heart. He recognized it, though he had not felt it toward anyone in a long, long time. A fragile sense of trust, grown stronger. And Gratitude.
He would make sure to repay the miner for this.