Archive of Our Own

Syringeon tightened the screws on the arm restraints as Banban tried his hardest to get out.

“S-Surgeon please, don’t.. don’t do this to me..!” Banban pleaded, tears streaming down his face as he struggled.

The Surgeon rolled his eyes and turned towards his table, extracting more Givanium into his syringe. He turned back around and held it to the side of Banban’s head.

“This won’t hurt a bit.” Syringeon lied, before the needle pierced Banban’s skin, and his eyes shot open, sitting straight up right after.

He hyperventilated as he looked down at his hands and arms. He felt the sides of his head, and wiped away the tears that had streaked his face beforehand. His breathing slowed down, and he brought his knees up to his chest, resting his arms and head on them.

I thought I had gotten over those dreams, He thought to himself, before starting to cry again, shaking as he tried to muffle his sobs. If only that god damned surgeon didn’t choose me to be the subject of his torture. Maybe then I’d be normal. Maybe then I wouldn’t have my “issues,” as he called it.

Even though he blamed Syringeon, he couldn’t help but think it was his own fault in a way. Would it have been different if he refused the offer to be the main mascot of the kindergarten? It definitely would have been different if they decided not to use him altogether. He had a whole identity crisis, and had to be isolated for days. If only he could just accept who he was. But that was difficult. Everything about him was difficult.

Banban sighed, wiping his face again, and tried to fall back asleep. But instead, he just laid there staring at the ceiling for who knows how long. But then he remembered something, or should I say, someone. He remembered who was always willing to listen, even though they had their ups and downs.

Stinger Flynn.

His holding cell was not far from Banban’s. He could easily go down the hallway and see him. But why bother, he was probably asleep anyway, because he was always asleep. Why? Nobody knows.

But Banban was getting desperate. He needed someone to actually listen. Last time he tried to talk to someone about it, he tried talking to Banbaleena, who just brushed him off and called him dramatic. He didn’t even bother trying to talk to Jumbo Josh, Opila Bird, or Captain Fiddles. They’d all just look at him like they didn’t understand, or like he was crazy.

He hesitated for a moment, but eventually he got out of bed, put on his party hats, and opened his door, making his way down the hall. Butterflies filled his stomach as he approached Stinger Flynn’s door. He took a deep breath, and knocked on the door. To his surprise, he heard a “Who is it?” come from inside the room. “It uhh.. It’s me, Banban..” he said nervously. He heard Flynn move over to the door, and open it, letting Banban inside.

“Why are you awake so late?” Flynn asked, sounding slightly concerned. Banban’s face heated up. “Well um.. I uhh.. I- I had a bad dream..” he admitted, looking down at his feet as his tail wrapped around his leg. “I thought I could come to you since uhh.. s-since you’re the only one who actually cares to listen to me.” He felt like a child saying all this.

Stinger Flynn’s gaze softened as he listened. “I am sorry about your bad dream. I am glad that you feel that you can come to me to talk about your struggles.” He consoled. “What was the dream about? If you are comfortable with sharing it, that is.” Flynn asked.

Banban swallowed hard, “Well uhm, it- it was about the Surgeon. I was in the lab again, bolted to that awful chair.. He was about to inject me with more tampered-with Givanium, but I woke up right before anything worse could happen.” He explained, trying not to start crying again. “I thought I had gotten over those dreams,” he continued, “‘cuz the last one I had that was like that was a good 6 months ago.”

Flynn thought for a moment. “I remember you mentioning those kinds of dreams to me in that time period. You had said you were sure you had gotten over them. Have you been thinking about them lately?” He questioned. Banban thought for a second, “I guess I have been thinking about them. I think the nights where I couldn’t sleep were usually caused by thinking about them.” He answered, realization settling in.

“Hmm.. Do you think that might be the cause?” Flynn queried, tilting his head slightly to the side. “Now that I think about it, yeah. I- I think so.” Banban answered. “I’m sorry I came in here so late. I just wanted to talk to someone about it, I apologize for bothering you.. Thank you for listening anyway..”

Banban turned around and was about to leave, before he felt a tentacle on his shoulder. He turned around and looked at Stinger Flynn, wondering what he was doing. “You do not have to leave, Banban.” He stated, slight blush forming on his face. Banban’s shoulders relaxed and he began blushing as well. “I- um- w-what do you mean?” He asked. “You can stay the night with me if you wanted to. I would rather have you sleep soundly with someone rather than stay up worrying all night by yourself. Although, you do not have to if you do not want to.” Flynn answered.

Banban just stood there for a moment. Then it hit him. The person who he constantly argued with, yet who he could vent to any time, offering to let him stay? He was surprised, but at the same time he wasn’t. “I mean, if you’re alright with it..” Banban murmured, a small, awkward smile forming on his face. “I’ll go get my pillow ‘n stuff from my room.” He was about to walk off, before Flynn interrupted. “You do not have to sleep on the floor, you know.” Banban raised an eyebrow, and was about to ask what he meant before he realized. “W-Wait, so you’re saying..” “You can sleep with me? Indeed. Unless you would want to sleep on the floor, which you’re also welcome to do.” Flynn teased.

“N-No I just- uhh..” Banban stuttered, blushing nervously. “I mean.. sure, why not?” He shuffled back over to Stinger Flynn, standing next to him. Flynn got into his bed, and motioned for Banban to climb in next to him. Once he did, Flynn pulled the blanket over the two of them. “Again, I’m sorry if I bothered you..” Banban said, yawning right after. “Don’t be sorry. You did not bother me, I was not doing anything important in the first place.” Flynn reassured. “May I put my arms around you?” He asked. “I’d like that..” Banban consented. Flynn blushed softly as he caringly wrapped his tentacles around Banban’s sides. “Is this okay?” He asked. “Mhmm..” Banban answered tiredly.

Flynn used one of his free tentacles to take Banban’s party hats off of his head, placing them on the bedside table. He then shut off the lights. Banban scooted closer to Flynn, putting his arms around him. “Goodnight Banban.” Flynn whispered. “Goodnight Stinger.” Banban whispered back, before the two drifted gently to sleep.