The Last Ship (18+)

Chapter Fifty-Two: Hole

'Zio?'

The room was eerily silent. Fex and Luna sat next to Zio's still body. Upon entering, it had become clear he was near death. The burns that went up his side were blistered, his chest hardly healing, and his breathing was slow paced, painful sounding even. No one even understood how he had made it this far before bleeding to death.

Luna had woken not long after Zio had been brought down. The headache she had was smothering. The hybrid had even forgotten how she had made it back or that Zio ever had been left behind in order to save her. Fex had come to get her, himself relieved to see her awake, but afraid to tell her what was actually happening. No one had the healing hand within their hive. The Hollows did not have this one often. The three had been left alone.

Luna's head was lowered, her hands clung to one of Zio's as she sat quietly next to him. Her and Fex were waiting on some sort of movement, words to come out, the silence to end, for Zio to say everything was okay when it wasn't. The blonde shifted. Fex seemed to be at a loss for words himself, "F-Fex, he's hardly breathing. H-His chest.." She brought her hand forward before lightly resting her palm against Zio's shoulder.

Fex hissed loudly as he turned his head. The dark male looked down before shrugging his shoulders, 'Perhaps it was wrong for me to bring you in here, Luna.' He whined out, taking her hand in his, 'I'm not certain he will wake my queen.' The Irinaut looked around the room, his fins lightly ruffled, 'You shouldn't have to see this.'

The hybrid was silent as she clung to Zio's own hand. Her golden eyes shimmered as she cried quietly. Not a sound came from her as she looked at her wounded love. The queen found herself at a point of uncertainty, "I'm not going anywhere, Fex. If he wakes up I want to be here. I won't leave him alone again." Luna spoke softly as she squeezed Zio's hand. 'I just want you to wake up...'

Zio heard her voice. At least, parts of her voice it seemed. The soft echoes of Luna's mind ran through his. His eye fluttered open. The large alpha was blinking rapidly, his breath hitched as he inhaled deeply, 'Na..' He looked at her. Parts of his leeches were damaged from the burns, but not enough to kill them. His hand clung rather weakly to hers as he spoke, a whine escaped his throat, 'Hurt.' That was all he could get out. He panted heavily as his hand clung to hers. Zio struggled to even turn his head. Heavy damage had been taken by him. Part of his eye had been severely burned over, swelled shut. The life was escaping him.

Luna had inhaled deeply as Zio's thoughts ran to hers, 'Zio? Z-Zio I'm here. We're here.' The room was completely silent. The only sound that was beginning to build was the hybrid's rapid breathing, 'I know it hurts Zio. I know. They're looking for a medic right now. S-Someone with at least some healing ability.' Luna though, knew the truth. There was no healer. The trait was near gone. Few leeches had this.

Zio smiled weakly, 'I'm very tired, but not a fool.' The pale skinned male's inhales were short, rasp. The alpha Irinaut pulled her hand up, gently kissing the top. 'Tired. Had to ' The pale male reached his hand out and clung to it.

Luna choked up a bit. He hardly inhaled, his breath was cold against her hand. The queen broke her silence as she let go of Fex's hand and moved overtop of Zio, "No! Zio, don't you talk like that. Look, we're gonna fix it. Y-y-your gonna be okay. You can't leave me. Not now. Not after we made it here." Luna reached her hands out as she held his cheek. She leaned forward and pressed her forehead to his, "Don't say that. P-Please don't say that. You're going to be fine."

"Luunnaa." His voice cracked, a soft deep, voice came from him as he struggled. The first word he had ever physically spoke. Zio kissed her softly before his breathing finally stopped, his eyes closed, his hand loosened and fell down.

Luna's eyes widened as she clung to his hand, the male had gone stiff, still, and the color already fading from his body. The hybrid's body had tensed, "Zio? ZIO! No. N-No! H-He's going to decompose. Fex, h-he's not breathing." The blonde grabbed his face, "We need something, there has to be something!" Luna's golden veins began to pulse, a glow came from her hands, her eye now encased in the vibrant yellow glow.

'Luna..' Fex grabbed her wrist. The male knew how quickly their kind began their transition. 'Once the color leaves his Hollows, he is gone. Please, we need to go.' The ruby eyed male hissed out, keeping himself turned away from Zio.

"NO!" Luna yanked her arm back, the yellow glow flowed to her fingertips, her eyes filled with tears as she spoke, "Z-Zio, I-I can't lose him now." One of his Hollows had already began to shrivel into nothing. Luna didn't have time to think when her body was telling her she needed to react. She pressed her hands to the open wound on his chest. Luna wasn't certain what drove her, but the Hollow had linked to her completely, awoken to it's power as a odd transfer began. She winced a bit, but noticed the wound was regenerating skin. Slowly, but it was. Luna gasped softly, suddenly pressing her hands to the wound as a glow pulsed from the hybrid's palms before shooting her back into Fex.

Zio's back arched. A electrical glow began to pulse through him. Vibrant white pulses shot through his blackened veins. The male's knuckles cracked as they tightened before falling limp again. The male's chest wound had began to close at a slow rate. As it fully closed in a formed scar, the burn began to fade into the same.

Fex clung to Luna, looking over her with worry that she was really hurt. Her breathing had quickened. He hadn't reacted quick enough to stop her. 'Luna, how did you remember? You lost that Hollow..when those ants shot it off you.'

"I had to do it before to you, Fex." Luna braced her hand to her chest, "I remember you losing your breath like he did. I..I don't know how this Hollow triggered it, but I-I had to try."

'How much do you remember?'

"Does that matter right now?" Luna looked over at Zio, "I-I don't know if he'll wake.." Luna turned her attention to Fex, her eye clouded over as Zio's had been from the burn, her cheek blistered, and her breathing a bit harsh. It was healing at a quickened rate, but at the cost of exhaustion. Her eyes had become heavy and their vibrant glow had faded, "I owe you two as much as you feel you owe me. If you think for a moment that I'm letting that go, you're wrong. I'll always do my best to give back to those who have given so much for me." Luna braced her hand to her chest.

'Well said.' A faint, weakened voice spoke out, but it wasn't Fex. Zio rested, looking at the two of them with tired eyes. Only one had regained color. The other fully blinded. The male looked at the two of them as his eyes locked on Fex's own, 'You kept your promise.'

"Oh god, Zio?!" Luna had immediately moved to embrace him. Her weight fell against him as she buried her face into his neck. The hybrid clung to him, unable to control her sobbing now. He could hardly sit up or even move, but he was talking. Zio was alive, "I thought we had lost you.."

Fex himself shifted. The large male moved forward before hugging Zio as well. The male's made a soft hum together. Somewhat similar to a clicking sound as their foreheads pressed together, 'I can't believe you are alive.' The Irinaut whined out, his eyes sparked as the Hollows danced with their own deep reds, synchronizing with Zio's as they spoke to one another. Fex braced his hand tightly around his hand while Luna clung from the opposite side.

All three were together. Even in his weakened state, Zio had never felt more whole. The pale skinned male clung to the two of them. Luna's cheek and Fex's hand, he didn't plan on letting go of either of them. They were all together again. They were whole.