Doze

FanFiction for the RPG Maker game Ib by Kouri.
Spoiler Warning! You should not read this, unless you're familiar with all the possible Endings!

His eyes felt heavy.
And every muscle in his body hurt, like they were overstretched and ready to snap any second. Yet, he also felt sleepy.
Garry focused his attention on his arms and legs, willing them to keep him from falling to the ground and loosing his consciousness. He had to keep fighting, to stop himself from loosing hope.
The young man was not delusional. When he had handed the living painting his rose in exchange for that of his younger companion Ib, he had known exactly, what this action might cost him.
But he couldn't have possibly acted any different, not when he knew that the same thing that was happening to him now would have been Ibs to endure, had he refused.
His death was almost certain, should Ib not manage to get his rose back while he struggled to merely stay awake. Yet, this was the exact reason why he was still fighting.
Ib had brought back his rose before.
Back then, he had been alone and frightened more then he had ever been in his life. And he hadn't known just how important the flower that he had picked would prove to be.
How easily he had lost it to the lady in blue, scared and trying to get away.
The pain he was feeling now was the same as it had been then. Increasing, ever increasing and drowning him with each petal that she had ripped from the stem of his blue rose.
He remembered well, how he was oh so willing to give up then, terrified but ready to give in, just to be rid of the pain.
But then...
Ib had retrieved his flower. She had granted him a second chance  to escape this cursed gallery.
She had risked her own rose and by that extension her own life, to get his back. Without even knowing him.
He might not live by the code of honor, that heroes in tales of old used to follow, devoting their life to their saviors in gratitude, but he was grateful none the less and in the back of his mind, he was always aware that he was in this child debt.
Garry knew that he was not the bravest of men, nor the most skillful or particularly heroic. He had felt so grateful to have been saved and so ashamed at the same time.
He needed the presence of the little girl, to keep his own sanity in this place.
Memories of his family and acquaintance flickered through his mind, memories of what his life outside this bizarre world of living art was like.
He had not been strong enough to try and fight the first time he had lost his rose, to get back to the people in his memories and he felt ashamed for that as well. Now, however, it was different.
His rose, the blue rose that he had given Mary to save Ib, it wasn't really his own rose anymore. In his mind, it belonged to Ib. She had gotten it back and although he had held on to it, having it tied to his own life force and all, it wasn't really his to give up anymore.
Ib was struggling to get it back a second time, and all he could do was to hold on for as long as he could, to make her efforts worthwhile.
He could not leave her alone, not now.
Garry knew, who he was. And part of that was being a coward, someone who got scared quickly. He could not fight for himself, but he would do so for a friend. And Ib hat become just that, during their time here.
As much as he had needed her presence, she also needed his. Not only because he possessed the muscular strength that she was lacking in her nine year old body, but also because they both kept each other company.
She had given him a reason to be brave. In the back of his mind a rational thought lingered, that this was merely a basic instinct in all living creatures; to protect their offspring – or the younger in general – from harm. Maybe this was true, and maybe he would have felt protective with any other person by his side too.
But the person he had been so lucky to meet was Ib and she needed to get out here. More then he did. She was to young to never smile again.
The young man could not quite pin down what exactly he had given her, but he had seen her eyes. They look in them told him that he was needed just as much.
An other wave of pain hit him and Garry grit his teeth. With some effort he was able to push himself up enough to be able to reach the wall and lean on it for support. He needed all his strength and had to preserve it as best as he could.
Ib would make it out of here alive. His head shot up. Had he heard her call out? But the hall was quiet. It must have been his imagination.
A thought flashed through his mind and Garry fumbled to get his lighter out of his pocket. It had helped them before. He should have given it to Ib.
After a few tries he finally managed to get it out and looked at the silver metal in his hand. It felt cold.
The pain in his body increased once again, if that was still possibly and all Garry could do was hope that Ib would look out for her rose. She had to. She just had to.
His eyes felt heavy.