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The first thing Sam noticed was he felt absolutely terrible like he lost a brawl with three super angry Gorillphants kind of terrible. A dull throbbing pain pulsed throughout his entire head and seemed to travel through his nerves to every fiber of his being. His eyes felt tired as if he hadn’t slept for days, his throat raw as if he had been screaming, and a high pitch whine in his ears seemed to make his headache worse with each passing second.
He opened one eye before slamming it shut; the brightness of the 2nd-floor lights pierced him like a hot branding rod, making his headache worse than it was before. Sam gently rolled from his back onto his side, hoping the new position would ease the pain; instead, it seemed to bring on a wave of nausea.
There were groans and gasps which a variety of pitch and levels of pain. Far off to the side, Sam could make the distinct whimper of “mommy” from Vince and the familiar low growl of Sofist when he was beyond mad and on a warpath.
There were new voices now and the heavy – almost overpowering – smell of medicine; the healers were here and judging by what Sam was hearing, whatever had happened wasn’t good.
Someone was grabbing him by the shoulders and forcing him into a sitting position, which made his nausea even worse. A vial that smelled of what could only be described as “green” was forced into his mouth, the bitter contents surprising him into swallowing. And after that, Sam didn’t remember much as the world faded away into blissful black.
The world was spinning when Sam came to in the infirmary but at least he felt much better than when he had woken up the first time. The deep body throbbing was now a dull headache and he felt somewhat rested even if he had slept in his Rose uniform, through his mouth was dry and tasted like he had been eating grass.
“Good to see you up Sam,” noted a voice. Sam moved his head to see Private Bradley sitting in a nearby chair. Sam felt his eyebrows rise when he saw that not only was Bradley out of uniform and in standard pajamas, but he had also had deep purple bruises as well as a nasty shiner.
“Yes I did get roughed up,” Private Bradley stated, noting how Sam was staring. “Looks like the Third Floor occupants gave the Patrol a real issue this time and I wasn’t the only one who was used as a punching bag.”
Sam slowly sat up; his body aching like it would after a long shift but nothing he couldn’t handle. Private Bradley handed Sam a glass of water which he nodded his thanks for and drank in one gulp.
“Do you remember anything Sam?”
Sam looked confused and opened his mouth but paused, his eyes widened. He remembered he had gone down to the Third Floor with the rest of the Patrol and noticed that along the way, they had lost Edd and then…..
“I remember the beginning of the Patrol, going into the Third Floor, not seeing Edd and – wait, where’s Edd!?” Panic and worry rushed through Sam as he struggled to get out of the bed, Private Bradley jumping up. If Edd was still down there then they were in serious danger, no matter how skilled they were.
“Calm down soldier,” Private Bradley warned, strong hands forcing Sam back down. “They are fine; they are actually in the infirmity right now. You can see them when you have answered my question.”
Sam took in deep breathes, trying to calm his racing heart. When he felt like he could talk, he continued from where he had left off. “Beginning of Patrol, Third Floor, not seeing Edd and then…. And then nothing. It’s like I’m missing part of my memory,” Sam finally admitted and was surprised to see Private Bradley nodding.
“Everyone on the Patrol seems to be missing part of the memory, not just you.” Sam winced at that, Sofist was going to be mad. “Apparently a Code Orange was sounded in the same time period everyone is missing their memories so it is most likely we had an attempted jailbreak.”
Scratch that, Sofist was going to be furious and take it out on someone’s hide.
“Can I see Edd now?” Sam asked fidgeting in the bed as Private Bradley made a note in his PAD. There was a grimace but it disappeared under the smooth mask Private Bradley always wore; Sam felt his heart sink.
“If the healer gives you the All-Clear, you can but Sam….” Private Bradley hesitated for a few heartbeats, but then seemed resigned. “Edd took a nasty blow when down on the Third Floor so when you see him, don’t overwhelm him alright?”
Sam nodded numbly and Private Bradley left to find an on-duty healer but not before he gave Sam a look of pity over his shoulder. Edd…..had gotten into a fight down on the Third Floor? He knew that the monsters on that floor were vicious magical abominations but to take down their best fighter? What was Lady Jaania thinking in housing them all together?
Private Bradley soon returned with a nameless healer who gave Sam the All Clear. Getting out of the bed slowly, Sam tested his limbs and joints. He was sore but a good night's sleep and some stretches would help.
Sam nodded to Private Bradley who led them out of the infirmity and towards Sick Bay, the place for more critical patient care as well as the medical care for all prisoners of Espina Rosa. Sam felt his heart sink even lower as he waited for the guard to clear them for entry.
Once cleared, Private Bradley led Sam towards one of the private rooms, and sitting there, looking bright-eyed and free any of bruises insight, was Edd. Relief had Sam’s knees go weak and he stumbled towards the bed but stopped when Edd turned to face him.
It was the same face; lacking the paleness that Sam had come to associate with his closet friend but that wasn’t what stopped him. It was the blankness in those eyes like he didn’t recognize Sam at all.
“Edd?” The name came out weak and high-pitched.
Edd tilted his head to one side and the question that left his lips made Sam fall to the ground in despair.
“Who are you?”
“Amnesia, either brought on from the Third Floor occupants or from long term effects of Dumplings cooking”
“Possible blow or even blows to the head from unknown assailants”
“Lingering unknown woodland poison found in their system”
“Long term medical leave in Swordhaven’s hospital until further notice”
“Either they get better and can return to duty or not at all”
These words swirled in Sam’s head, taking on a mocking tone as time wore on. Private Bradley had tried to warn Sam and he was now paying the price as his heart felt like it was breaking in two.
Edd had been found unharmed but unconscious on the Third Floor so the healers had originally through some monster had struck him from behind. It wasn’t until he woke up, asking where he was and who was that growling bear-man looming over him that the healers realized that something more serious was going on.
Several healers had taken a look at him and found him to be in physical health. His mental health, however, was another story. The conclusion that the healers had come to was that it was either a combination or one of the two possibilities: Edd being attacked by some unrestrained undead creature or that he had fallen victim again to possibly the worst cook in Greenguard.
As he already had his first case of amnesia from Dumpling’s cooking, there were rumors that Dumplings would be forced to take a two-week “vacation” to get his act together or not return to Espina Rosa ever again.
Regardless of whatever the news was or which rumors had enough truth in them, Sam felt as if his world had just ended.
Edd had looked at him with blank dull eyes like he was a complete stranger and there had not even been a spark of recognition or understanding when Sam came back, day after day, to talk to them. Telling them the stunts, achievements, training, pranks and late-night snack runs for real food they had done together over the past two weeks.
When a doctor from Swordhaven’s hospital had come to pick Edd up and when Sam had hugged him, there had been no reaction. Edd just stood there, arms hanging uselessly at their sides and looking awkward and unsure of what he was supposed to do. Sam didn’t even stay to see them leave as he had run off to cry in the bathroom.
Sam stabbed the gray mush with his spoon as if it offended him. The “meal” in front of him was partially offending as when he tried to pull the spoon out, the mush let out a slurp sound that caused the spoon to sink deeper. He grabbed the bowl with his other hand and tried to wiggle the spoon out but it bent from the force of his grip.
Sam just let out a sigh and wrote off the dinner as a lost cause. Maybe if he was feeling adventurous he could try and sneak into the kitchen to grab some fruit. He looked up, a question on his lips, but froze. There wasn’t anyone sitting with him at the table, not anymore since-
Sam closed his eyes, as he tried to bury the new wave of hurt from the ever-present ache pulsing in his chest. The days when the ache didn’t hurt were far and few in between to the point where he wondered if he could request medical leave, even if it was just for a day to have some fresh air and bright sunshine.
With his appetite now gone, Sam just nibbled on the watery salad until dinner was over. He didn’t say much to his fellow friends and patrol mates as he passed by them, some of the bolder or more curious ones just gave him a side glance. But none of them asked if he was OK, or bothered to see where he was going.
The feeling was both relieving and exhausting. Feeling more tired now, he went to his bunk and crawl under the covers, trying his best to hide from the rest of the world.
As he slowly drifted off to sleep, a single word escaped his lips like a sigh, maybe even like a prayer.
“Edd.”
“I knew it,” Edd whispered, excitement making their brilliant colored-eyes glow in the dim light of the kitchen.
Sam watched as Edd quietly pulled some pots out to reveal a box of high-quality crackers. Sam covered his mouth, trying to suppress the giggle. Edd had been hinting that Gaston had stashes of real food hidden around Espina Rosa to avoid eating Dumpling’s cooking.
Grabbing the box and placing the pots as they were, Sam and Edd snuck out of the Second Floor kitchen, making their way to Supply Closet #5. Barely used and rather empty, the closet proved as a rather pleasant respite for the patrolling soldiers to take naps and eat contraband items in peace.
Opening the box, Sam and Edd dug into the crackers, taking their time to savor real gluten and wonderful salt. Dumpling’s cooking had hit an all-time low and as a result, many soldiers were becoming desperate to find legit food in the prison.
“You think Dumpling actually eats his own food?” Edd asked, licking their lips from the crumbs. Sam pretended to be analyzing the salt on his cracker rather than on Edd’s surprisingly pink tongue.
“Honestly, no idea. If he can eat his own cooking then he was the stomach of a Ratman. Those things can eat anything.” Sam replied, nibbling on his cracker.
Edd nodded, shoving two crackers into their mouth. Even with his mouth full and looking like an overstuffed golden Cabal, Sam still couldn’t keep his eyes off Edd. The bad habit had gotten him a few teasing remarks from his fellow soldiers, Edd included.
And tonight, tonight Sam was going to tell him why.
“Actually Edd,” Sam began hesitantly. “There was another reason I asked for you to come with me tonight.”
“So just it’s not for the cover should we get spotted by Sofist since stealing food from the cafeteria to avoid Dumplings cooking since stealing is ‘evil’,” Edd teased. “I knew you just weren’t with me for my good looks.”
Sam felt his heart sink as he protested. “No! It’s not like that, I….I mean…”
Edd bumped Sam’s shoulder with his, eyes soft and apologetic. “Sorry, didn’t mean to tease you, Sam. But there was an opportunity and I had to take it. Go on.”
“Remember back in the cafeteria when you got promoted to be on the Third Floor Patrol, how I said that I looked up to you?”
“Yes?” The voice is calm but there was some hesitation like Edd couldn’t see where this was going. Sam swallowed loudly, his mouth unbelievably dry right now.
“Well, that’s true. I do look up to you. You have changed Espina Rosa for the better because that’s the kinda person you are and it’s amazing. How you are able to do the things you do and still want to do right.”
“Such flattery Sam, it's making me blush.” Sam did a quick side glance through his visor and indeed, a small pink blush stood out on Edd’s pale face.
“Well, it’s also more to that. You are the first person that I can consider a true friend but….”
“But?” Edd echoed, raising an eyebrow. Though the face was neutral Sam could see the underlying concern in those vivid colored eyes.
“There’s more to it than that. Can I ask you to close your eyes?” Sam asked and Edd looked baffled but they did as he has asked, closing their eyes and sitting perfectly still.
Sam felt as his heart was going to beat out of his chest. It was now or never. Holding onto the last sliver of courage, he closed his eyes, moved forward, and clumsily placed his lips on Edd’s. Those lips jerked but stayed where they were.
Pulling back, Sam opened his eyes to see a rather stunned Edd, eyes wide and mouth open a small bit. Sam bit his lip till he tasted something copper. This seemed to spurn him into jabbering.
“I like you a lot Edd, like a lot a lot. A surprising a lot because you’re so amazing and-“ the words stumbled out of Sam’s mouth until a sharp pain made him wince and stop; he had just bitten his own tongue. Edd hadn’t said anything yet or move past looking stunned, Sam looked towards the door. Maybe he could make a break for it-
“Wait, wait, wait,” Edd grabbed Sam’s hand, stopping him cold. “So…you like me. As in, more than a friend kinda ‘like’ right?”
Sam didn’t trust his voice but nodded. Edd let out a loud breath and looked conflicted, his lips thinning into a line.
“Sam, I am flattered but….I don’t feel the same way." Sam closed his eyes, trying to hold back tears. "I care for you deeply, but as a friend. But I won’t hold this against you or let this affect our friendship in a negative way. How you feel for me, it’s a part of our friendship now. I promise you.”
Sam let out a broken laugh, his heart cracking but also feeling relieved at the same time. Sam opened his eyes to see Edd looking sorrowful and Sam decided that Edd shouldn’t have that kinda expression on his face; it didn’t look good on him.
“No, that’s fine. I mean I kinda knew this was a possibility but…” Sam faltered, unsure if he should continue.
“You were hoping I felt the same way,” Edd nodded in understanding, his eyes sympathetic. Sam felt his eyes widened as a thought struck him. Had this happened before to Edd? That, someone, confessed but they didn’t feel the same way?
“This….this doesn’t change anything right?” Sam asked, fear making his body go cold.
Edd shook his head, his eyes and smile soft and kind as he reassured Sam. “No, of course not. I am flattered Sam, really I am, and you are an important friend to me. I’m just…..not looking for a relationship right now.”
Everything about Edd screamed honesty and Sam let out a sigh of relief, his body sagging.
“Promise?”
“Promise”