| Canon Story | ||||||||
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| Its Like Cancer | ||||||||
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| Artist | Writer | |||||||
| David Hopkins | Candy Dewalt | |||||||
| Previous | Next | |||||||
| Arc XIII: One Way To Win | Arc XV: Hell Is That Noise | |||||||
Artisan Sunspot, a yumar IT worker, rushes to the hospital when he hears that his raccoon roommate Vinci has been admitted due to health issues. While trying to enter Vinci's room, he encounters Jeremy, a nurse who refuses to let him in since he's not family. Under duress, Arty is forced to admit he and Vinci are actually partners, and Jeremy's fellow nurse Joann allows him in. But not before Artie and Jeremy engage in further hostilities with each other.
Vinci admits he had a feinting spell at work and the doctors took a biopsy on a suspicious lump on his head. Arty and Vinci argue over the severity of the episode, Arty taking it deadly seriously with Vinci laughing it off. Vinci's attending doctor Aurthor Sullivan comes back with news: the lump had cancer cells in it.
Vinci agrees to chemo therapy and prepares for an extended hospital stay. He makes friends with Joann and seems to be content, but Arty has another run-in with Jeremy who continues to make homophobic remarks about him and the two come to blows. Jeremy points out his dad is one of the hospitals' biggest patrons and that Arty had not risk upsetting him or he'll get the yumar banned from the building. Arty reluctantly backs down.
Vinci continues to be jovial despite his predicament, and Arty continues to deal with what he perceives as his boyfriend not taking his situation seriously. Vinci also tries to make nice with Jeremy, but his overtures are not returned in kind. When Arty says he wishes Jeremy had cancer instead, Vinci tries to talk him out of such thoughts but this only angers Arty more.
A flashback shows Arty's troubled relationship with his dad, who didn't support his artistic skills and angrily denounced him when came out as gay. Arty also had the misfortune of stumbling on his father's corpse after he committed suicide. Vinci wakes Arty from a troubling dream and they comfort each other, reaffirming their love.
Catching an infection, Vinci has a bad episode and regresses in his health. When he admits to Arty that he might not survive the treatment, Arty flees in anger and sadness, revealing that he feels Vinci will leave him just like his dad. Jeremy comes by to administer some drugs for Vinci, and keeps making condescending remarks barely masking his disgust. Vinci doesn't react and remains positive and friendly to Jeremy, which just angers the nurse more.
Vinci has a bad reaction and Jeremy calls Code Blue. Arty attacks him, claiming Jeremy poisoned Vinci, which Jeremy denies. Seeing Vinci, looking sickly and telling Arty he's scared, Arty instead bolts from the hospital and passes out later in a drunken stupor, still planning to get revenge on Jeremy.
He is visited by his father Mr. Lucas in his dream, who warns him that Arty's anger is like a cancer and that's causing Vinci to be sick. Stuck in hell for his sins, he tries to prevent Arty from going down a similar path. His father also clarifies that Jeremy is innocent and has not harmed Vinci. Arty rushes to Vinci's room while Mr. Lucas talks with Jack and Farrago.
Arty almost makes it to the door before Dr. Sullivan stops him. The story then jumps 8 months later, with Arty visiting a cemetery, talking over a headstone. He's greeted by Jeremy who makes a seemingly negative comment to him, but it turns out he's joking and they've become friends. What's more, Jeremy is now is a relationship with Joann.
Arty continues his conversation with the grave, apologizing for not visiting and saying how difficult things have been. He is relieved that he has let his anger go, and then he's joined by Vinci, revealing he was visiting his father's grave.
Characters[]
- Artisan Sunspot
- Jeremy Campbell
- Richard Nicolaides
- Aurthor Sullivan
- Joann
- Farrago
- Jack
- Trixi (mentioned)
- Tet (mentioned)