"OH MY GOSH! LLYWELYN! YOU LOOK SO TERRIBLE!" Mira shouts as she flings herself at him, wrapping her arms around his neck.
I wince and try to pull her away, but she's surprisingly strong. "Mira, be careful! He's hurt! You're going to hurt him more!"
"OFF OFF!" Llywelyn croaks, trying to push her off. "GET OFF! MAU'REH! I'M IN PAIN!"
"Sorry, sorry!" Mira says, but she doesn't let go. She just loosens her grip a little. "I'm just so happy you're okay! I was so worried! You were so brave and strong and you saved Sarah! You're my hero!"
He groans and rolls his eyes. "Mira... I swear to the Void, if you don't get off me right now, I will—"
"You're too weak to do anything." She giggles and kisses his cheek. "You're so cute when you're helpless."
"Don't—don't kiss—Sarah get this fis'ia pebble-brain off of me!"
"She's the reason we're still alive, Llywelyn." I sigh and let go of the golem. I've never been able to move the woman by force, and it doesn't seem I can start now. "Mira, could you please let him breathe? He's not well."
She pouts but relents, releasing him and stepping back. "Fine. But you owe me an even bigger hug when you're better."
"Then I'm going to die. Immediately."
"No, no, you can't die!" She gasps and puts her hands on her hips. "You have to mate with Sarah first!"
I nearly choke on my spit. "What—Mira—!"
His heartrate spikes, and he chokes on air as his veins flare a bright bluish-pink. "MIRA! Nishi'an—!"
I sigh and press my hand to my face. "Mi—"
"I told you not to tease them." Xilukulkas. His gentle voice comes from the door and I lower my hand to see his tall, imposing figure in the entryway. There's a woman next to him I don't recognize. She's small and humanoid, with brown skin and pink eyes. She's wearing a white coat and has a data tablet in her hands. "It's very rude to tease those who are recovering from injuries."
Mira pouts and crosses her arms. "But I'm not teasing! They were mating in the rubble, I saw it!"
Llywelyn covers his face with his hands and whimpers.
I feel heat flush up my neck and into my cheeks. "We. Definitely. Were. Not."
Xilukulkas' lips twitch, but he doesn't say anything. He looks at the woman next to him, and she shakes her head and walks forward. The woman turns her pink eyes down to Llywelyn, who's peeking through his fingers at her.
"Hello, Llywelyn," she says, her voice calm and professional. "I'm Dr. Niyola. I'm the one who operated on you. How are you feeling?"
He lowers his hands and looks at her with a wary expression. "Like I've been hit by a building. What d'you mean 'operated'? Akutwas—"
"Are very difficult patients." She smiled down at him. "I am an expert. Fear not. Every one of your complex organs are in their proper places. You have suffered extensive damage to your body from the overexertion, and some damage to your internal organs due to the lack of oxygen and the prolonged strain, but I don't believe it will be permanent. Still, seeing you conscious again is a relief."
"Not to me." He mumbles, glancing at me. I avoid his gaze. "Do I. Have to do anything special?"
"Well, yes." She taps away on the data pad. "You'll need to stay in bed for at least a few weeks, to allow your body to heal. You should not be moving around too much. Especially not straining yourself. Your heart and lungs need rest."
"A few weeks?!" He exclaims, and tries to sit up. He immediately gasps and falls back down, his face contorted in pain.
"Llywelyn!" I cry out and grab his hand and face, trying to soothe him. "You have to listen to her! You can't just—!"
"I'm not staying in bed for weeks! I'll go insane!" He snaps, his veins glowing furiously.
"You'll go dead if you don't." Dr. Niyola says, her tone matter-of-fact. "Your body is not used to this kind of stress. It's a miracle you're alive at all. You need to recover."
His veins glow brightly, and he closes his eyes, lips pursing for a moment, before he murmurs. "Y—you... hetchki. Let. Go. My face."
I realize, suddenly, that I'm... cupping his face. In both hands. And I'm leaning over him. And we're...
Not. Alone. While I do it. In fact, the whole room is staring at us.
My face burns. I pull my hands away from him as if I've been bitten and sit back down, looking at my own hands. I can't bring myself to look at anyone else.
I—I don't know. What I will do if anyone says anything.
"See? I told you!" Mira chirps. "They want to—"
"Mira." Xilukulkas' voice was firm but kind. "I think we've embarrassed our friends enough. We should give them some privacy to recover. I'm sure they're both tired."
I nod, grateful for his intervention. I am tired. And I don't want to talk about this anymore. Not now. Not with them.
"Oh. Okay." Mira says, and I can hear the disappointment in her voice. "But I want to talk to them more. They're my best friends."
"Would it please you to dine with me? I have a new variety of sweets I'm sure you'll enjoy," Xilukulkas says, and I can hear the smile in his voice.
Mira gasps. "Really? Oh, yes! Thank you, Master!" She says, and then I hear her footsteps running to the door. "Bye, Sarah! Bye, Llywelyn! I'll visit you later!"
"Please do not." Llywelyn mutters.
Mira giggles and then the door slides shut behind her.
Xilukulkas' hand touches my shoulder. I look up at him, and he gives me a gentle smile.
"Sarah, my dear, are you recovering well? Is there anything you need?"
"I'm fine." I say, and I mean it. "I... I'm just a bit tired. And... sore. But I'm okay."
He nods. "I'm glad to hear that. It is a burden but..." He reached over and took the clipboard from the doctor woman, and handed it to me. "If you are willing, I believe that Llywelyn will only tolerate you caring for him in the next few weeks. He'll require hydration. The doctor will explain it to you, but it will be a difficult task. I will not force you, however. If you do not wish to—"
"Don't assign my nishi'an nurse right in front of my like I'm not awake! And I don't need help! Just leave me the damn water and I'll do it my—"
"Llywelyn, if you wish to become an invalid again, then please, continue to argue," Dr. Niyola interrupts him. "Otherwise, you will listen to—"
"Maybe I'll—!"
"Then I shall assign Mira the duty." Xilukulkas' voice cuts through Llywelyn's with a calm finality. "I'm sure she'll be delighted to tend to your needs."
Llywelyn's mouth snaps shut. He glares at Xilukulkas and his veins flare up a pretty blue-pink. "Pith'yank-quio."
"Language." Xilukulkas says, his tone mild.
I clear my throat and look at the clipboard. It has a list of instructions and schedules. "I... I'll do it. It's fine. I don't mind."
Xilukulkas gives me a grateful look. "Thank you, Sarah. I knew I could count on you."
"Wh—! Y—! Ritzah!" Llywelyn snarls at me. "You! I said I don't need help! Just—! I'm not drinking a damn thing! I won't need to!"
"Then you'll die, Llywelyn." Dr. Niyola sighs. "Your body has been pushed beyond its limits. You have sustained damage to your organs, including your kidneys. You must have water with such frequency that I would rather have treated you submerged if this place had such faculties."
"It will in the future." Xilukulkas hums and glances down at Llywelyn, bowing slightly. "Forgive me for not realizing that medical pools differ so much from recreational ones."
Llywelyn huffs, and turns his face away from all of us, his veins pulsing a frustrated blue. "Whatever. I don't care."
I can't help but frown. "Isn't the IV already giving him water?"
Dr. Niyola shakes her head. "It was enough when he was unconscious, barely, but it will be insufficient for a conscious body. I don't wish for him to slip unconscious again." She looks at me with those bright pink eyes. "If you are willing to accept the duty, then the clipboard you have in your hands will explain in detail how to pour the water over him. But you must be diligent. He must remain wet at all times. The sooner you begin, the better, in fact." Her gaze turns to Xilukulkas.
The man nods then and smiles. "We shall leave you two alone, then. Llywelyn, I know you will not die, so I will simply say that I am very pleased you are well. And Sarah, I thank you again for your dedication." He bows once more, and then turns to follow the doctor out of the room.
The door slides shut behind them, and I'm alone with Llywelyn.
I look at him. He's still staring at the wall, his jaw clenched. I can see his hands gripping the sheets, his knuckles white.
I bite my lip. "Llywelyn—"
His hand reaches out and grabbed mine. His veins pulse bluish-purple, and he keeps his face turned away from me. He murmurs, barely audible. "Tell them. That I—put up a fight. It'll be good for my reputation."
I stare at him. I don't know what to say. I know he's trying to sound flippant. To make a joke. But I can hear the strain in his voice. The vulnerability. The fear.
And... I don't know what to say.
So I bring up his hand and kiss his knuckles. Gently. "Thank you."
He tenses, and his eyes flicker to me for a moment. He quickly looks away again, but he doesn't pull his hand away from mine.
"I. Just. Don't want you to get in trouble. That's all." He mutters, but his voice is soft. "I'm not... weak. And I don't need help." His grip tightens on my hand.
I swallow. "Yeah. I know."
"You're an idiot." He hisses, before he pulls his hand away from me. But he doesn't do anything else to fight me when I stand up and move to prepare the water.
I know what he really means.
But he's also...
Not wrong.