Set backs.

For a while Carlos sees nothing, his mind races from memories of his sister and his brother laughing, he pictures his moms soft chuckle, his dads snarky remarks. his dumb fights with Eusebio's his heart races he thinks he’s gonna die but slowly he opens his eyes, weakly he's in some room bandages on his side a glass of water and goggles near his bed and he reaches out chugging the water drinking it and after takes a deep breath.

When Carlos is done he looks around the room, it looks like a small guest room, the window next to his bed shows that it's nighttime. The pain hits him again, the side that was injured is wrapped up in the red stain coming through the white wraps. His stomach rumbles.

“How long has it been?” he thinks to himself. It hits him suddenly though, he was about to die, that bear almost killed him. It was nothing like the animals his dad or grandpa would tell him about when they would hunt.a tear runs down his cheek as a warmness is inside him, yes he's grateful very grateful to be alive.

The sound of bells ring outside the door and he hears someone sigh and mumble something to himself, the footsteps get closer to Carlos's door and he tenses up a bit. He holds his hand out a spark of purple forming from his forearm.

“Wait… is the one that saved me?” the door suddenly opens and a man steps in, in the nick of time Carlos lowered his hand and relaxed his poster.

“Oh you're awake” it's a fat man, big beard that's grey clear from age. He's wearing some button up. his gut giggles as he walks, the man's eyes drift to the goggles and raises an eyebrow.

“I umm, I'm glad I found you back in the forest nearby, where you were fighting?” Carlos looks sceptical but nods.

“i…” he pauses and nods. “Why save me?” He follows up changing the subject.

“Can I not wanna do something good before I die?” he laughs then coughs a bit, hitting his chest. For a second after he's done talking there's silence. Carlos looks him up and down, noticing his calm and relaxed posture before the man speaks again.

“I'm Jonny, Jonny Wayka. Can you tell me who you are?”

“I…” Carlos pauses trying to think of something so he doesn't give his name away.

“I'm Carlos just don't worry about anything else just call me Carlos”

“Dont trust me with your last name? That's weird, some places use their last names as greeting people or referring to someone but fine ill respect it” Carlos gulps thinking that he's onto him so he tries to think of something else again.

“Sorry im uhh roru, Carlos roru.“ Jonny looks confused but nods and extends his hand.

Nice to meet you.” Carlos eyes the hand but doesn't make a move to shake it.

“Sorry.” Jonny notices the closed off demeanor and scoots back a bit, Jonny can see this makes the tension in Carlos' shoulders relax. Despite that his eyes go back to the goggles once more.

“Why are the goggles? Got some infection or something?" Jonny couldn't resist making some remarks. He chuckles at his own small joke and grabs a seat sitting down at a good distance away from Carlos.

“Yeah I guess you can say that” Carlos’s hand moves to the back of his neck and scoots away a bit on the bed as Jonny sits down near him “I got a curse if someone looks in my eyes their lifespan gets shrunken by half.”

A pause.

Jonny then starts laughing, even patting his knee a bit smiling at Carlos.

“You're kidding right? That's just a property, but I guess if I did look I'd probably drop dead before I could help your ass.”

“I… yea I guess, thank you by the way. Thanks alot” the man nods and leans back in his seat putting his hands behind his head.

“Dont mention it but i think you owe me a real answer” the man stands up grabbing the glass.

“But I'll ask you later when you're feeling better, rest for now will bring you more water” the man does a little stretch and leaves, he leaves the door open and Carlos looks confused about what he wants but can he really say no to someone who just saved his life.

“I wasn't convincing enough?” Carlos sits there holding onto his side contemplating something before Johnny walks back in again and he sets the glass of water down on the nightstand near Carlos. “So uhh, What's your question?” Carlos says getting straight to the point he's more defensive now and the jonny notices and shakes his head.

“No nevermind sorry for bothering you, you almost died and im pushing you with all that.” he chuckles and takes a seat back down and Carlos looks down at himself and sighs

“I'm gonna keep you here if that's ok with you. I have a bath you can use, and i want you here because you need to be resting.” jonny says scooting away not wanting to make carlos more uncomfortable.

“No!, no” he lowers his tone a bit and waves his hand slightly but then wincing from the pain on his side.

“Im sorry and i appreciate it but i cant im only going to rest a couple hours ok, the ill leave” jonny shakes his head

“No can do, that bandage you have on it needs special attention i can let you leave but only if you set up camp nearby so i can help you out” he says his tone still soft.

“No i cant you asking too much of me” he stands up and groans holding onto his side stumbling as he tries to walk jonny stepping back allowing him.

“I'm here if you need anything though ok let me help you every once and a while at least please.” Carlos stays quiet but walks out struggling as he does so the pain is immense but he pushes himself so he can leave. Jonny watches, sighing feeling bad but he knows he shouldn't push him so he sits down and looks at himself thinking about something then Carlos finally leaves.

“That boy is clearly going through something, I want to help but not so soon ill ease into it” he looks more confident while Carlos stumbles out of Johnny's place that looks like a general store outside of the town with a beautiful view of the clear night sky and the distant town.

“Hmmm” carlos thinks then stumbles out past trying to get far but only gets barley out of view up a hillside him sitting down leaning back He's too weak and he knows he he doesn't want to except help especially off someone he just met and someone he can barely trust, carlos thinks this but does he mean it carlos is conflicted because he wants to trust him because he saved him but his fear for other people gets the better of him the only person he's trusted left to quickly being the woman in the facility and it hurts carlos to think about because he probably killed her Carlos groans the pain and the the fact that he wants to trust him gets the better of him he stands up and walks back struggling like before he walks inside and stumbles the man seeing him rushing over and helping him up.

“Pain got too much?” he ask slightly teasing and carlos groans

“I… ugh” he looks away feeling embarrassed but Carlos stumbles to falling onto his knees Jonny seeing this grabs him to support him. Carlos does resist for a bit but when he brings him back to the bed setting him down carefully he relaxes.

“Sorry you shouldn't have asked something so big of you” he pauses before adding bluntly. "I'm guessing you had some sort of trauma?"

“Im not getting into it im just letting you help me when im healed i dont want anything else form you ill pay you back one day just cant right now.”

“Im helping you because I wanna. I'm not seeking anything in return, I'm not that type of person” he coughs and Carlos pauses looking away.

“Thank you” Carlos mutters.

“Is it ok if i make you some tea im good with herbs i can put im something to get your energy back up” carlos looks conflicted again

“No its ok but thanks again” Jonny sighs and nods understanding standing up and walking out closing the door but before he says “

If you need anything then ill be in the shop if the pain gets worse tell me "Carlos nods and sighs feeling bad he thinks back to when he used to be such a talkative kid and so positive and adventurous especially with Eusebio.

“Where did that kid go” A couple hours later Carlos sits up touching the bandage, wincing from the pain the bandage feels squishy on the inside but the pain isn't directly on the wound it's farther out Jonny walks in and looks at him.

“Sorry but it's about time i replace the bandage” hes holding a bowl of some crushed plants and herbs and Carlos scoots away.

“No”

“Hey relax im not gonna hurt you” he raises his hands and Carlos still stays stiff scooted away on guard.

“Ugh seriously if you dont let me help you its gonna get infected, i dont know what happened to you but you cant keep it in im helping you right now i must have been bad so i wont push on it but seriously carlos” he sighs and puts the bowl on the side.

“Sorry. How about I teach you how to do it ok?” Carlos looks surprised and nods. Jonny grabs the bowl and stirs the mixture “Remove the bandage first” after he grabs a cloth while Carlos struggles a bit not wanting to comply but he takes it off his eyes showing shock as he looks at it its covered in the same paste as the stuff jonny has on the night stand

“Now use cloth and clean it off, its about it got cleaned” Carlos wipes it away and Jonny walks away and comes back with water

“Can you stand?” Carlos nods and sits up getting off the bed. Jonny hands him the water

“Clean yourself make sure none of that paste is there” Carlos nods and pours the water all on the injury and winces a bit as he goes at it with the cloth getting all the paste and after he sits down and takes a breath.

“Nice work now apply this stuff but only a little bit not as much as before” Carlos looks at the paste and smells it making a disgusted face.

“What even is this stuff?”

“Cow dung" Carlos' eyes widen then he glares at Jonny.

“Im kidding im kidding” Jonny laughs and Carlos groans looks at the paste with a disgusted look still.

“Dude seriously, whats in this” Jonny sighs and shrugs.

“No sense of humor. Anyways its a mix of some herbs and some flowers i grow out here they have special properties that help boost healing. And I make a good buck off of it” he laughs a bit and stands up. While Carlos eases up a bit.

"I'll show you when you're healthy, I'll bring you some water” he walks out then pauses at the door sensing Carlos uncertainty.

“You don't have to use it if you want but know this, I have no reason to poison you or harm you in just looking out for someone in need” he walks out and carlos looks at it with a conflicted face but makes the decision to not use it Jonny ends up coming back with more bandages and water and he looks disappointed that Carlos didn't use it.

“Right..” he walks over and holds out the bandages this close Carlos sees a little hurt in his eyes.

“Here just, put this on ill guide you” Jonny says sitting back down in his seat while Carlos still stays distant and grabs the bandage and slowly starts to follow his instructions After he's finished he leans back and looks at the ceiling while Jonny watches him then stands up pushing the water to him.

“Drink, at least do that your body needs the water” he walks to the door leaving it open as he leaves. Carlos looks at the water, grabbing it, sniffing it, then takes a small sip, his eyes widened with satisfaction and he chugs the water, finishing it dry, then eventually falls asleep. He shifts in his sleep mumbling clenching his fist, he shoots up sweat falling down his forehead, he looks around and touches his side, the pain is still there but it's something he can handle.

Carlos stands up and looks around peeking out the window seeing its morning and looking out he sees the flowers Jonny was talking about its blue, green at the edge of the leaf, something Carlos never seen before. He touches his goggles and takes them off rubbing his eyes. The goggles were on for so long left an outline Carlos yawns, stretching his legs. He's use to moving so all that rest makes his legs tingly, wanting to move

“Crap i forgot to shoot out some lightning yesterday.” he looks a little panicked then remembers “The bear fight took a lot out of me, and i was practicing aftershock for a while before that but, i think i over did it in an actual fight” he shakes his head and puts the goggles back on before he walks out the room. he sees Jonny at the shop front writing in a little book. Carlos pauses and only a couple seconds pass before Jonny notices his presence and looks up from his notebook.

“Goodmorning, wait you shouldn't be walking, hows the injury” he closes his book and stands up looking at Carlos. Carlos, feeling obligated to respond.

“I'm fine, it hurts but I just wanted to walk around” Jonny shakes his head clicking his tongue

“You need your rest, but I can't stop you, just stay inside the store so I can watch you.” Carlos doesn't respond his body language still showing he's closed off but he starts walking around the store looking around at all the stuff he has a lot of the same stuff carved wood stuff for finishing rope bandages etcetera Suddenly Carlos stomach rumbles loudly and Carlos pauses in his tracks.

“Hungry?” Jonny asks and after a second Carlos nods “You want a sandwich?” Carlos looks confused tilting his head but he doesn't say anything Jonny looks confused.

“So yeah? No? It's like bread lettuce and meat" Carlos shakes his head.

“Well, I have one if you wanna eat” Jonny pulls out something wrapped in paper and Carlos, being interested, walks over but keeps his distance. Jonny unwraps it revealing exactly what he said, bread lettuce, meat. Carlos looks at it and his stomach growls again.

“Here” he pushes it towards Carlos

“Have it, please” Jonny smiles while Carlos looks at the sandwich and reaches out then pauses

“Are you sure? I mean i have food in my b-” he remembers that when he encountered the bear he dropped the bag and now has no idea where it is.carlos looks disappointed the hunger getting to him lightning flickers around his shoulder witch Jonny sees looking at it with awe, Carlos is still lost in thought having not noticed the lightning flicker. Jonny looks between Carlos' shoulders then at Carlos' face

“Uhh, you said a bag right?” carlos looks at him snapping out of it nodding

“yeah…” he pauses wanting to say more but it doesn't come out of him Jonny smiles it clicking in his head but he keeps it to himself

“Sure then just take it and when your able to do your fighting again, go look for it people don't dare to go to deep into that forest anyways” Jonny looks confused now

“Wait, what were you even fighting in there?” Carlos looks around trying to find an excuse

“That's none of your business” he shifts and starts to walk back to the room, Jonny seeing this he sighs looking a bit disappointed.

“Geez” he says and looks around then walks back to the room while Jonny still looks shocked at seeing the lightning and how the energy felt after Carlos enters the room and closes the door walking to the window looking out of it looking at the grass and tree leafs move. He touches his chest then the bandage.

“I cant go soft now not after everything those monsters did to me, not after what they took from me.” he looks at his hand. “But I was the same way towards Hana..” he shakes his head.

“This is nothing but a setback. I want to trust him, but I can't ” he takes a breath and sits on his bed, his stomach growling again. A while passes and Carlos stomach growls he stands up and opens the door and sees the sandwich on the side wrapped up. Carlos looks around then grabs it, closing the door silently, his hunger getting the better of him. He opens it, smells it then eats it slowly, his eyes widening at the flavor and he eats it with a small smile on his face. This act keeps happening in the morning afternoons nights water and food will be at his door and slowly Carlos' beliefs and his view on him slowly start to change because of Jonny's kindness and wellbeing. The small conversations he makes, the small acts he does and just in general the huge help he's been to Carlos slowly warms him up to Jonny. And that the fact that Jonny is his caretaker for the moment.