Gabie didn’t notice the absence, just the presence that honesty hurt more than anyone leaving him alone to suffer. “N-no, no painkillers.” Gabie just managed to get out through gritted teeth, writhing as he tried to get away from the touches that felt like fire. “Thirsty,” water would help him, at least, if he treated this like a really bad cold he’d probably get through it just fine. It hurt to move, it hurt to not move, Gabie couldn’t find a happy medium between the two whatsoever, “water, please.” he was barely able to get that out before he let out another series of cries of pain, this was pain akin to what he’d experienced before but this time he knew he could opt out, which made it even worse. He could take the medicine, but it would cloud his mind and make him Jacob Brier’s toy again, make him something he didn’t want to be.
He must be partial cause of the pain himself. It only took him about a minute to realize this. Puppermaster felt even more stiff because of his touch. Thankfully Vio removed himself. Still, he felt terrible about it. "I am sorry," He muttered.
"Water? Okay, I will be back quickly." He nodded. Just like before, he zoomed out of the room then down the hallway. This time he went down the stairs into the kitchen area. He got a pitcher full of water as well as a nice plastic cup with cartoon flowers on it smiling. Yes, even as a superhero he loves the plastic cups with cartoons, video game characters, and animals on them.
As he went back up, Matei followed along. Vio just did not realize it as he walked in, poured some water for Puppetmaster, and handed it to him. The cat said nothing for it was silent and went to relax on the chair by the desk.
"Is there anything else I could do for you?" He asked. "Do you want me to leave or shall I stay?"
Gabie drank readily, when Vio returned. He managed to spill some of the water on his top, and it burned like fire as the cloth stuck to his skin. The rest of the water poured through the slit of his always unmoving lips, he swallowed without too much of an issue. This wasn’t pain Gabie hadn’t experienced before exactly, but the duration was new. Gabie could only expect that it would be on and off for the next week, with moments of relative achy peace in between. He sat up a little more as the pain waxed and waned, then settled on waning. “Thank you.” he said, it was a pathetic little croak that you could barely hear. “Vio, do you think Zaharia hates me? For what I did to him? Mr. Br- Ringmaster, I mean, he hates me for betraying him. I can only imagine what Zaharia will do when I am well enough to torture.”
Vio went over to quickly fluff the pillows as Puppermaster sat up. He added another just in case then walked back over to the opposite side. Sitting down on the corner, he kept his eyes on the henchman.
The question floated around in his mind. One minute he was there with Puppermaster in the resting room, and in the next, he was in a former fight as Zaharia, fallen and covered in blood. His mind filled with the Greater Council's words. All those times where he had to force himself to get up and to continue on, somehow winning in the end. Yet, he would be in a hospital or at home then having nightmares with Puppermaster and the Ringmaster. The horror never ending for days.
He didn't realize that his hand was gripping the sheets until he went back to reality. Relaxing his hand, he sighed. "No," He said, "He does not hate you, my friend, and he is not going to hurt you. Zaharia is not going to do anything to hurt or harm you in any way. I can guarantee you that, my friend."
Gabie nodded. “You’re very nice, Mr. Vio, but I don’t think you understand how much that hero must distrust me. He probably thinks I’m a monster.” he laughed, weakly, then moved back to lie down. “Thank you, though.” he said. His smile, permanently engraved on his face, seemed a bit more genuine now. He shifted a bit, trying to find a way to make the pain lessen and settling for lying on his back, head tilted to look at Vio. “Of what relation are you to Zaharia? Are you his manservant? Or perhaps, a friend or lover?” he asked, wondering what exactly Vio meant to Zaharia. Not to exploit that factor, but to make sure Mr. Brier wouldn’t be able to.
"I do not know. I mean, the only one who would know that is Mister Zaharia himself, isn't that so? Although, I don't think he sees you as a monster. He used to see himself as one, he was pretty scared at that time. Don't worry about it, okay?"
He is not going to reveal his identity now. He wants to, eventually he will have to, but just not at this moment. Vio does not want to Puppermaster to get upset at himself or anything or worry that he is going to torture him. Besides, the former henchman is in excruciating pain. Now is not the time.
Curling his bottom lip back, he gently bit down on it while in thought. No one really has asked him, Viorel, that sort of question before. Really the only person that knows is Suho, but his longtime friend is a different case. It's interesting to him. What should he even say? How should he respond?
"I suppose I am something like a servant to him. I have another job, I teach for the better part, but whenever Zaharia is not here, I keep the place warm and tidy," He smiled. "Well, anything he needs, I do my best to fufill."
A mere servant. Possibly a friend, but not to the capacity that they were on equal footing. Not someone to be missed. "I see." Gabie let out a pained groan, and shifted somewhat. He looked to Vio, and then down at his hands. He flexed a joint, then regretted that decision as pain flooded him again. Well, that was something to be wary of. "You must wonder why I hate the pain drugs. I regret that it ties into how I've hurt your employer. They cloud my mind and senses, make me bent to the will of my employer, Ringmaster. But they also keep the pain away. I wish I never got on them, wish I never had to deal with the pain. It's caught up with me, five years of excruciating deaths will do that to a man, even a shell of a man like me."
Vio slightly frowned. Not at Puppetmaster or anything, but rather himself. The slight difference in the henchman's voice alarmed him a little. Perhaps he should have worded his answer differently. It is difficult given that he normally does not have to go further than 'Oh I just work for the protection league' and flashing his ID. Besides, he is lying to someone he shouldn't be lying to, and yet for the time being, he has to.
Taking Puppetmaster's hand, he started to massage it as softly as he possibly could as the henchman spoke. His eyes squinted. Biting the inside of his cheek, he did his best not to show any signs of seething. All the times he has been thrown around, hurling over all the blood in his mouth, dragging himself up to stand….Puppermaster felt all of it too?
"You are a man. Probably more so than that utter disgrace who put you through this. You know, he isn't your 'employer', he took advantage of you," Vio stated. "And he isn't your 'employer' now, nor ever will be again. You will never have to associate yourself with him again."
