Halfway Done and Half There

Characters: Aikuen, Fira, Will

Locaton: Moldeep

Moledeep: Infirmary

Its about afternoon the day after Aikuen was discovered outside. He is still in the infirmary, sleeping away the day. Pillows prop him up in almost a sitting position, while still giving him the ability to lean back and rest. Last night he thought Will was leaving him for good, and that made him very sad and angry, and so he yelled at his son. That made him collapse from exhaustion, just before Will told the otter that he wasn't. Will is not longer in the room, went to sleep in the dibbuns hole right after the collapse. Aikuen mutters something and jerks a bit in his sleep.

Fira doesn't have a clue about Will. She got back after they were both asleep, poked her head in to look at Will, make sure he was still there and then she's been in the infirmary ever since. Sat by Aikuen's bed. She didn't sleep for a long time, too much to worry about but after a while all the adrenaline started to wear off and she dozed off into a rather uneasy if silent sleep.

Aikuen jerks himself awake, and breathes oddly, until he is settled down. He sighs and looks around and sees Fira. He sighs with relief, she is still alive. He smiles, and leans back into his bed to get a little more sleep. She seems peaceful, don't want to wake her, But there is a nagging feeling in the back of his head. He knows she didn't find Kentar, but she might have found Garnet though. He scoots over slightly and places a paw on her leg, the only place he could reach in his state, and gives it a little shake, "Fira... Wakey..." He knows she cant hear him, but he does it, more of habit.

Fira looks peaceful on the outside, just a little twitch of the whiskers on one side of her face every so often gives even a clue that she's dreaming. It's not good either. Death can bring up the worst memories, half of them just from the trip. The moment she's touched she jerks awake, a paw instinctively going for his and none too gently until her brain catches up with the sudden switch from dream to reality and thankfully fast enough that she doesn't actually hurt him. She sighs quietly, relaxing a little again. She remembers the paw again a second later, glancing down at it and then quickly to Aik. She stalls for a moment before forcing a little smile "Hey"

Aikuen winces a bit, as he paw his grabbed roughly. Besides that fact, he makes no other movement to do anything. He can understand she has been going through a tough time at the moment, and she is on the edge, or maybe past it. He grips her paw a little tighter, and looking into her eyes he says, "Hey..." He chuckles a bit and smiles at her, before he asks, "Are you okay, need me to get you anything?" He shrugs forgetting that he can barely move, without help. But if she said she needed something he would get it for her. Pain or no Pain.

Fira has gone over the edge and is currently half way down the cliff on the other side. She'll climb back up it yet, it's hard to break her completely, just mentally tire her out. She softens her grip a little, going to hold onto his paw a little more gently before she shakes her head "No, you should be resting. Concentrating on getting better again"

Aikuen nods a little bit, "Aye... But you come before me, so if you do need anything, I'm here..." He stretches a little bit scoots in closer, so he doesn't have to reach so much. He gives it an involuntary squeeze, and sighs, "Your... Taking this all pretty well..."

Fira smiles faintly, looks a little worried too "Can be worse" she really hopes it doesn't get worse but really she's just trying not to think about it all, block it out "I need you to get better so just stay right there and I'll get you some breakfast"

Aikuen smiles, "I'll stay put... And you don't have too, I'm not really hungry..." His stomach growls loudly, he hasn't eating in two days. He frowns, and shakes his head at his belly, "Stupid stomach..." He looks back to her, and laughs, "Apparently my stomach could go for some breakfast! Thanks, but please. Get some yourself, you look hungry." He grins, and strokes her paw.

Fira smirks just slightly, easier to concentrate on other things and pretend it never happened. Denial is a wonderful thing. She gets up again, going to give his forehead a little kiss "If I'm cooking I'm eating too. I'll be back in the minute, just try and rest" wandering off to the kitchen.

Aikuen laughs, and settles in to take a nap. He smiles, and closes his eyes. He is glad that she came back unscathed. After what's been happening lately, if she even got a scrap, he'd probably lose it. Because he can no longer use Will to support him. And Kentar... is well... She, is his last and only support left.

Fira cares most about him, it helps that he will be alright. She just tries not to think of Kentar or Garnet and she worries about Will. She's also trying not to make concerning connections every time she sees Aikuen wind up confined to a bed. First thing's first though, breakfast. She doesn't take too long about it, somehow producing porridge out of the supplies and making her way back to his bedside.

Aikuen is dozing when she returns, but the smell of porridge slowly awakens him. He smiles and turns on his side to get a good look at her. He smiles some, and sits up fully so he doesn't dribble all over himself. When she gets close, he takes one of the bowls and places it in his lap. He then gives her a one armed hug around her middle, and looks into her eyes so she can see "Thank ye, For so many things..." He grins.

Fira smiles faintly and sits down on the edge of the bed, make the hug a little easier on him "Do wish you'd stop getting hurt, don't like seeing you having to lie about in bed like this," the little smile's still there and she tries not to look so worried.

Aikuen smiles some as he leans back in his bed, forgetting the porridge for now, "I'd wish the same thing... I hate it... But fighting, killing, and getting hurt... just seems to follow me, wherever I go... I really hate it..." sighing he reaches for her paw, and gives it a squeeze, "I'm sorry..." Its not much, but he can't say anymore than that.

Fira lightly rubs his paw, little more thoughtful for a moment before she just gives the paw a pat "Eat your porridge and get better. We can't worry about anything else right now."

Aikuen chuckles and picks up his bowl, "Oh aye... if anymore stuff happens to us, would put us under..." He takes a few bite full's of the porridge. He laughs and says, "I'm only doing this because its'... Fiancee's orders!" He winks at her, and takes a few more bites, "It's good, better then anything I've made before... But I can make a mean Hardtack!" He laughs.

Will had woken after a short nap not really feeling much better than he had before, thought his throat didn't hurt quite as much as it had last night and he'd revived his pack before he'd left Aikuen, and unpacked it again. After waking he lays in the dibbun hole a while not doing anything until he hears Fira walking around out in the hall. The rat smells the porridge the ottermaid was carrying to the infirmary. After cleaning himself up a little at the kitchen pump he helped himself to a bowl of poridge, before slowly making his way to the infirmary to join the otters.

Fira smirks just faintly, looks a little tired again "Hardtack isn't food. It's what you eat when you've ran out of food" she just catches sight of movement and glances up, spotting Will "Hey."

Will manges to smile a little waves at Fira,"Hi." He's not sure if he's welcome in here or not.

Aikuen shrugs, "I think it tastes pretty good..." He laughs, and looks to the Rattling, and frowns, "...Hey..." He goes back to his bowl. Still not very happy with Will, from his misunderstanding last night.

Fira glances between the pair, a little puzzled and concerned "Something else happened?"

Will just nods. He'd rather not try to explain it, he'll let Aikuen do that.

Aikuen nods slowly, "Nothing..." He sighs, "Okay... That's not true..." He puts down his half empty bowl, and rubs his head, "Last night... I overheard that Will was leaving... And I Assumed that we was leaving me for good ... I sort of yelled at him for it. Its turns out he was just leaving to get a healer..." He takes a deep breath, "I said I was sorry... but I'm still a bit angry..." he closes his eyes, and taps the bed on the other side opposite of Fira, "Come'mere ... son..."

Fira smiles faintly. It's just an misunderstanding, she can live with an misunderstanding, it's not the worst thing going on right now "Well if that's all ..."

The rat hesitates before walking over to stand by the other bed,though he doesn't sit down and he stays just out of reach of the otter. He's not afraid of being hit, he knows the otter too well for that. However, experience has taught him it's best to be prepared just in case.

Aikuen sits up and smiles, "Well yah... that's all" He looks to Will and tilts his head, "Come on mate... I'm sorry... We got too stick together... I should have realized what you were doing the first time...I'm an idiot!" He laughs and grabs Fira around her middle, then holds out his bad arm to his son, "Get up here, so i can give yah a hug!" He winks at the rattling

Fira eeks as she's grabbed but she's happy enough to move up close to Aik, little tired smile for Will too. Everything might even look fine to an outsider.

The rat hesitates a moment longer but assuming Fira had read him the note he'd left them on the tablet and the otter is no longer mad at him he figures it's alright and he climbs up onto the bed to be with his pa and step-mum.

Aikuen grabs him and pulls the rattling close, wincing a bit, then he brings Fira closer to him and says, "I love you both, so very much... Makes the last few days... bearable!" He laughs and gives them both a shake in his arms. He is pushing the past behind him, or at least tries to fill it with happier moments, like this one. Aik leans back in the bed, bringing them with him, "I'll be out an about in a couple of days, so what's going on..." As long as its not looking for Kentar or Garnet, he thinks. He does miss them, and wish he could help them, but he can't...right now.

Fira flops down next to Aik as she's pulled over, she has to prop herself up on an elbow then so she can still see the both of them. Goes to give Aikuen a quick little kiss on the cheek though "Love you too. You're going to be taking it easy though, even when you can walk again" she hasn't given up the search at all. She's planning to go back out again and search the river some more, she just needs more time to get further.

Will hugs Aikuen back tightly, though trying not to hurt him. He keeps his good eye turned toward the otters naturally and his ears swivel about toward any sound per usual. He chuckles a little, "Sounds like your gonna not gonna be allowed t do very much for a while, Pa. I think we just got th shed left t finish fixing outside, an th kitchen maybe and th sleeping hall an' th bedrooms might need some work still .... I think that's everything .... Oh, and th smithy outside but K- we might not get t' that for a while."

Aikuen gives Fira a longer kiss back, "Take it easy? I am the picture of taking it easy!" He stifles a laugh, but then bursts out with it. He winces when Will hugs him, but he doesn't mind, and takes his bad paw and rubs the top of Wills head, "Eh... Sure" He knows what he is talking about, and nods a bit, "But the other stuff we can do, in short order... But I'm gonna be lazy a bit, she demands it!" He laughs and kisses her again. He chuckles, "And guess what Will... I have a present for you... I was thinking about it on our trip... I'll need some moles to help me... But I'll think you'll like it!"

Fira relaxes a little, quite happy with the kisses, quite happy in general. Yeah there's a lot of bad things to sort out but she can't do much about it right now and she can't help but enjoy the moment. She moves her feet up onto the bed as well, just resting her head against Aik lightly. Watching the conversation for the moment.

Will cock his head at Aikuen, "Sooo I'd guess there will be digging .... what is it?"

Aikuen stick out his tongue toward Will, "You will find out soon enough! And its not just digging, there is also a building that needs to go up... I wont say anymore... Nope, cant make me!" He laughs, and looks to Fira, nuzzling, and holding her close. He closes his eyes, and rests. This is nice, he thinks.

Fira shuffles up close to Aik, resting an arm over him. It's nice. Just lying there besides him and there's Will there too. One very strange family. Missing two stoats. She didn't sleep well the night before so with the nice happy peaceful feeling and the warmth from Aikuen she's soon dozing off. She'll search again later when she's less exhausted.

Aikuen is also soon dozing, holding his son, and his fiance close to him. He has a small smile on his face, as he lightly begins to snore. He should be able to walk again in the morning, but he will do what she says, and take it easy. His other wounds might take longer, including his bad paw, which still needs to have the bones reset. He involuntarily squeezes them both, as his dream leads to Kentar again. And he wishes, that the stoat, his best friend, was still alive.

Will pokes the older otter to ask when the surprise is but he's already asleep. The rat shrugs and settles down with the otters. He pulls the blankets from the other bed over onto himself to form a sort of nest as he drifts off to sleep.