He slurred his words, a side effect of his wisdom tooth surgery.
"W-wha...wha' happened?" he mumbled.
Karen held his hand, her thumb tracing comforting circles on his palm. "You're ok, just had wisdom teeth removed."
Plankton blinked, trying to make sense of the world. "Teeth?" He says through thickness of his mouth. "What teeth?" The nurse then tells "Looks good. Just rest for a bit. The anesthesia can feel loopy."
A trickle of drool slid down the side of his mouth. He tried to lift his hand.
"H-here," Karen said, gently dabbing at the corner of his mouth. "You're ok. It's normal."
Plankton's eye closed, and he leaned into her touch, the world fading to comforting haze.
"Don't worry," she whispered, stroking him. "I'm here."
Within moments, his breathing grew even, chest rising and falling in gentle rhythm that told her he had succumbed to sleep.
His breathing deepened, mouth slightly agape. Karen watched the rise and fall of his chest, the soft snores that punctuated the silence. The steady beep of the heart monitor was an assuring metronome as she waited.
A droplet of drool had formed and was slowly making its way to the pillow. The nurse told it might happen.
It clung to the edge of his mouth before splattering onto the pillow. His mouth twitched in his sleep, and she wondered if he’s dreaming.
The nurse returns with water and ice chips, placing them on the tray. "He'll need these when he wakes," she instructed. "They'd help with the swelling and keep him hydrated."
Karen nodded. "How long til he's fully awake?" she asked.
"Could be an hour."
The only sounds the occasional snore from Plankton. Drool continued to escape, forming a puddle on the pillow. She wiped it.
She saw the gauze pads tucked in his cheeks. They looked out of place, despite the sleep medication lulled him to.
The door creaked open, and in stumbled SpongeBob. "Plankton! You ok?" he exclaimed.
"Shh, he's sleeping," Karen whispers. "They took his wisdom teeth."
SpongeBob's eyes widened further. "Wisdom teeth? Gosh, Plankton, sounds painful!"
Karen nodded solemnly. "But he's tough. He'll be ok."
Plankton stirred in his sleep, a low groan escaping his throat.
"Shh," Karen soothed, her voice gentle. "You're ok. Just rest."
SpongeBob tiptoed over. "How's he?" he asked, his voice barely above a whisper.
"Sleeping it off. The anesthesia wearing off."
SpongeBob nods, eyes not leaving Plankton. "What's with gauze?"
"Helps with bleeding," Karen explained. "It's normal."
SpongeBob's concern palpable. "B-bleeding?"
"It's ok," Karen assured him. "Just a precaution. He'll be fine."
SpongeBob’s gaze lingers. He gently took Plankton's hand, his own fingers wrapping around his. His grip was firm but gentle, a silent promise to be there.
The nurse removes the gauze, leaving his mouth open and vulnerable.
Finally, Plankton's eye flutters open, still clouded by the anesthesia.
"What...wha's goin' on?" he slurred, voice thick and groggy in confusion.
"You had your wisdom teeth out," Karen said.
"Mmph," he managed.
SpongeBob leans in with concern. "You had a little operation. We’re in the recovery room."
Plankton's eye widened slightly, and he tried to sit up, only to be met with dizziness that sent him back. "Mm...Krabby Patty...?" he mumbled.
Karen chuckled. "No, aren’t at the Krusty Krab."
The reality of the situation slowly dawned on him. His mouth felt like it was filled with cotton. He reached for the cup of water, but his hand trembled, spilling the contents onto the tray.
"Oops," SpongeBob said getting napkins. "Let me help you."
But Plankton's eye had already rolled back into his head, his hand dropping limply to the side, slipping back into the abyss of his drug-induced haze.
The nurse returned, checked his vitals again, expression unchanged by his state. "It's normal as it can take awhile."
SpongeBob fidgeted, eyes never leaving Plankton's face.
"Is he...drooling?"
Karen nodded holding tissue ready. "Just be careful not to wake him up."
"Oh, right. I just wanted to make sure he was ok."
Karen gave his hand a comforting squeeze. "He is. Just let him rest, we're here for him when he wakes."
They sat in companionable silence, only sound the soft snores and occasional dribble. "Is that...normal?" he asked, voice a mix of fascination and horror.
"It's a side effect of the surgery," Karen explained gently, using a fresh tissue to wipe Plankton's mouth. "It can stop when he's fully awake." The nurse checked on him again. "Almost ready to go?"
Karen nods. "Yes, let's get him home. He might be a bit out of it." SpongeBob nods, eager. "I'll help too!"
"Thanks, SpongeBob," Karen said. "But remember, he's going to need lots of rest and quiet. Now, let's get him into the wheelchair."
With Karen's help, they managed to get Plankton into the chair, body limply compliant. His eye remained closed, his breathing even. As they wheeled him out, his snores grew quieter. In the car, Karen adjusted the seat so Plankton could lean back, his mouth still a little slack, drool pooling on the gauze she had placed. His mouth remained slightly open, gauze in his cheeks bulging with each inhale. "Look at the drool," SpongeBob whispered.
"It's just a side effect of the surgery," she said, handing SpongeBob a fresh tissue. "Make sure to keep his mouth clean. We don't want to get too messy." SpongeBob nodded, expression earnest as he took the tissue and began to dab at Plankton's mouth. Plankton's head lolled to the side again, and he let out a snort.
"It's okay, Plankton. We're almost home." she whispered, her voice gentle. Sponge Bob whispered, "I never knew Plankton to be so...so drooly." Karen's eyes remained on the road. "It's a side effect of the surgery," she reminded him. "It's nothing to be too concerned about." Sponge
Bob nodded, his gaze lingering on Plankton's slack jaw. "We're home," Karen whispered, her voice barely audible.
Sponge Bob nodded, eyes glued to Plankton's still form. "Must we wake him?"
"Wait til we get him inside," Karen said, her voice soft. "He'd be more comfortable in his own bed."
They carefully maneuvered Plankton out of the car, his body still limp with sleep. Karen settled him into his bed, pulling the blankets up. "Leave him be," she said. "He needs his rest. He'll be ok," Karen assured him. "Just let him sleep it off." "I'll keep an eye on him," Sponge Bob offered, pulling up a chair. "Thanks," she said with gratitude. "I'll just be in the next room."
Sponge Bob nodded solemnly, taking his post by Plankton's bedside. He knew Plankton’s surgery had to have been tough on him. He reached out and touched Plankton's arm. "Rest up, Plankton," he whispered. "I'll be here when you wake.."
Plankton stirred slightly, a soft groan escaping. His eye remained closed, but his hand twitched. SpongeBob leaned in closer, his heart racing.
"You ok, buddy?" he asked.
Plankton's eye opens, tongue thick and unresponsive. He tried to speak, but all that came out was slurred mumble.
"Wha...wha's...goin' on?"
The words were barely discernible, muffled by the gauze in his mouth and the thickness of his own drool. Plankton's trying to make sense of the shadows that surrounded him.
"You're home, Plankton," Sponge Bob said softly. "You had your wisdom teeth removed."
Plankton's mind raced as the fog of anesthesia slowly lifted. "T-teeth?" he slurred barely above a whisper.
SpongeBob nods. "You had your wisdom teeth out. It's ok, you're going to be fine."
He sat in the chair by the bed, watching the steady rise and fall of Plankton's chest. The gauze in his mouth was still soaked with drool.
As the light outside began to fade, Plankton stirred again, his eye fluttering. The pain in his mouth was a dull throb now, and the drugs had left him feeling groggy and disoriented. He tried to sit up, but the effort was too much. SpongeBob jumped to his side, his hands gentle as he put Plankton back down onto the pillow.
"Easy," he said.
Plankton's eye searched, the fog of anesthesia still clouding his thoughts. "Sponge...Bob?" he managed to croak out.
"I'm here, Plankton," SpongeBob said, his voice filled with gentle concern.
Plankton's eye searched SpongeBob's face. "Why...are you...here?"
"I'm here to take care of you got wisdom teeth out, remember?"
Plankton's mouth felt like it was filled with soggy seaweed, thoughts jumbled. "Wisdom teeth?" he mumbled, his voice barely audible.
SpongeBob nods. "The surgery went well."
Plankton's gaze grew distant as he tried to piece together the events of the day. "What...what happened?"
Sponge Bob took a deep breath, preparing to explain it again. "You had to have your wisdom teeth out. Remember? You've been out of it all day." "My...my teeth?" Plankton repeated, still slurred.
Sponge Bob nods solemnly. "They had to take them out."
Plankton's eye grew even wider. "My...my...precious..."
Sponge Bob gently pushed him back. "It's ok. You don't have to worry. They're gone."
Plankton filled with panic. "Gone? How could I forget?"
SpongeBob looked at him with a mix of confusion and concern. "It's the medicine," he said, his voice calm. "It messes with your memory a bit."
Plankton's eye searched the room again, desperation growing with each passing second. "But...but I can't forget!" he slurred. "I can't forget about the...the...what was it again?"
SpongeBob leaned in closer, his voice filled with patience. "Your wisdom teeth. You had them removed."
Plankton's mind a jumble of half-formed thoughts. "Wisdom teeth," he murmured, words tasting foreign on his tongue. "Why would I forget something so...so..." His voice trailed off, and he frowned, his tiny brow furrowing.
Sponge Bob's gaze was steady and reassuring. "It's normal. I never knew you could be so... drool-y." Plankton shot up. "Drooly?"
"Don't worry," SpongeBob said. "It's a temporary side effect." Plankton's eye narrowed, and he managed to slur out, "You better not tell, I'd hate for my reputation to be ruined.."
"Don't worry," Sponge Bob promised. "Your secret's safe."