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[Vinnie forced his head to stay up as the Shiny Venusaur crouched next to him, instinctually wanting to keep his (nonexistent) horns held high. It dismayed him a little that the dragon's defensive urge kicked in even around Bulba, but he couldn't quite help it. His pride was already pretty wounded - not only from having to rely on him for food, but from being pinned just the other day as well.

It was hard not to catch sight of the burns, however. Vinnie blinked. Through whatever convenient means, he'd heard about pretty much everyone turning into Charizards as well, so his first thought was that one of them must've lost control of their fire. There was a small surge of relief that he still hadn't managed to breathe a single ember himself - at the very least, he didn't have to worry about coughing a flamethrower at Bulba by accident.

Still, it warranted worry. It wasn't like the Saur he knew to let a burn go untended. He knit his brows.]

Bulba... How old's that burn?

Hm?

[The Venusaur blinked, already moving his hand to brush the towel up higher over the markings as if doing so would diminish their appearance. He had already known it was inevitable that they'd become a topic of conversation at some point- they both shared too many of the same spots. It was bound to get noticed sooner or later.]

Oh, ah...

[His smile dimmed into a more neutral expression.] ... About a week and a half, I guess.

[That... that was before people started changing. That burn couldn't have been from a novice Charizard. Vinnie's eyes widened - he was starting to have a bad feeling about this. Who made the burn, and why hadn't it been treated yet? His own queasy digestive woes took a backseat to this alarming mystery.

With a sternness born of concern, Vinnie stared him straight in the eye.]

What happened.

[Not a question. He needed to know. He felt sick and had a feeling he was about to feel sicker, but... this was Bulba. He couldn't not know.]

[Most of it, at least, were things that Bulba wasn't too afraid to admit. Mostly. Bulba turned his head a bit more towards his arm on the table, glancing down.]

Just a dumb scuffle.

[Which was not nearly enough of an explanation, surely. He sighed quietly, meeting Vinnie's look once more.]

Marie was being Marie. We had it out. That's about it.

Ah...

[Vinnie's face fell. He couldn't help it. The last time the two of them had a skirmish, it... well, it hadn't ended well. He knew Bulba wasn't one to pick such a fight either - that was the most disheartening part of it all.

Marie... he couldn't save him from himself. He wasn't in any place to be able to help him either. Guilt etched itself across his face as Vinnie stared at that patch of red skin.]

...I'm sorry.

[There had been a few moments where Bulba had felt like he needed to say something, and that he couldn't hold it in anymore. But there had been more fights. Then they were dragons. Now, watching the way Vinnie's face fell in his guilt, Bulba's resolve grew a bit firmer and he clutched the words more tightly to himself than before. Whether or not that was a stupid thing to do was not a current factor.

Blaming himself wasn't something Vinnie needed to be doing right now.

Bulba reached out to gently lay his hand on Vinnie's knee, his brows knit slightly in concern of his own.]

It's okay. I'm fine.

[Words that sounded more legitimate out loud. He was fine, even if he really wasn't. He was fine.]

Edited 2013-08-09 23:54 (UTC)

[Huff. Bulba obviously wasn't fine, or else he would've taken care of himself like he was always nagging Vinnie to do with his injuries. And Marie, what was he even thinking pulling a stunt like that again?

It was so easy to get agitated in Charizard form, and right now Vinnie's tail was starting to tap against the ground in an irate tempo.

Maybe this was what Bulba felt about him sometimes. It was only frustrating because he cared, dammit.]

What happened t'taking your own advice, huh? You should've put a Burn Heal to that ages ago.

Marie, he... [Vinnie grit his teeth for a moment, hesitant to know. The timing couldn't have been a coincidence. A week and a half ago had been when Bulba told him what he felt - given him a kiss, wanted to be with him. Did that mean...?]

Please tell me it wasn't about us.

I did. I've been keeping an eye on it.

[...He had just gotten to it later than he should have. The fact that it was still there meant... well. Probably that it would be there for longer, even once the redness faded.

His eyes drifted to Vinnie's tail briefly, taking it into careful consideration.]

I don't... think it was about us, per se. [This came with a hesitant, knowing look up at Vinnie. There really wasn't an us, but it wasn't about the potential of one either.]

... He thinks it's my fault though, that you wanted to leave. All the same stuff from the first time, really.

[That much he couldn't get around, because when had any of the starters' recent fights been about anything else but their friendship?]

[There was a loud slap! of Vinnie's tail against the floor. He glanced to the side, no longer able to keep staring at the red welt on Bulba's face. His eyes were filled with anger instead - at Marie, at himself. Without realizing, his voice snapped much harsher than he normally would've.]

Then he should've fuckin' taken it out on me! Goddammit...

I'm such a fuckin' idiot. You shouldn't've had to get blamed for that. I thought... tch.

[Bulba flinched slightly at the snap of both tail and voice, but quickly spoke up in a firm voice.]

It's not your fault.

[The Venusaur took in a deep breath and sighed.] He doesn't listen. That's not on you. This shouldn't have happened either, I just... got mad at him. For being stupid. That's all this is. [It's all it was, he told himself.]

[The tail had gone back to a light tapping, but he still couldn't meet Bulba's eyes. There were a slew of questions swirling inside him - if Bulba had told anybody, for one. But that wasn't fair. It wasn't right to place the onus on him, especially considering the unintended consequences of their last fight.

Vinnie wasn't part of the team anymore, and Marie had to fight his own battles. He didn't have that right. Maybe it was just for the best that he didn't know - that he just trust that at least Bulba learned from the past.

So he just nodded, even if he didn't look like he believed the starter's words completely.]

Yeah, he's... he can be a shit. I don't blame you.

[He paused.]

...S'long as you're okay.

[He could tell Vinnie wasn't really buying all of it, but this much would have to be enough, Bulba supposed.]

Yeah.

[Bulba lowered his eyes briefly, sorting through the tugs at his feelings. He was grateful and selfishly a bit pleased that Vinnie cared to the degree he seemed to. He wanted to be honest and say he didn't think he was okay, because he probably wasn't. Not really. He had to be though. He didn't want things to get worse.

So he nodded his head, giving the Charizard's knee a light pat.]

I'm okay. I'm sorry for making you worry.

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