Post by skyeknight on Aug 8, 2016 14:45:15 GMT
The first thing Aqua was aware of was the beeping. Constant and annoying. She wrinkled her nose in annoyance. She tried to lift her hand to wave the noise away, like she often did with her alarm clock when she was off duty, but it didn’t want to move. It felt heavy and weighted. Frowning, her brow furrowed and she cracked open her eyes, instantly regretting her decision. It was bright. Far too bright for her eyes to handle all at once.
“Aqua,” someone breathed.
She turned, finding some relief as she moved her head away from the light. Her voice seemed stuck in her throat when she saw the person sitting next to her. Sitting in the chair, sooty uniform and ashy faced was Terra. Except he had changed. He didn’t look the same as he did before the fire. Instead of the warm blues she had grown fond of, sharp acidic yellow eyes watched her, almost fearful. His hair, a warm chocolate color, had become white as snow. Her mouth worked slowly and she rasped a few times before he shook his head.
He called in a nurse and she was put through a trial of exams. She shouldn’t be alive, they said. She had inhaled too much smoke, they said. Her lungs should have burnt from the inside out, they said. She should have 3rd degree burns on her back, they said. She was walking away with a fairly clean bill of health, yes, she did have smoke inhalation. They were keeping her overnight but she should be released fairly soon.
After the doctors left, she was alone with Terra. It scared her. He hadn’t said a word since she had woken up, just let the doctors poke and prod her like some lab experiment, only protesting when they tried to use iron instruments. There was an unreadable expression on his face. She looked down at her lap. Bandaged hands crumped the sheets before smoothing the fabric again. She felt like a small child, being scolded, except she knew what she had done was far worse than stealing from the cookie jar or writing on the wall.
“Terra?” she croaked.
“Don’t talk.” He scolded.
“You’re mad.”
“I almost lost you today,” he snapped. “I’m not mad. I’m furious.”
She couldn’t meet his eyes. It was his greatest fear – losing his partner. Again. She had almost let it happen to him. Terra was a strong person, but she could tell he grew very attached to the people around him. Perhaps it was because his family lived in the next town over or because he was just a very kindhearted person, but he and his family considered the police department to be extended family. Sending birthday cards, Christmas presents, and just random care packages for everyone to share. Apparently, his entire family was made up of police officers. Terra just got the unlucky stick and got assigned to one away from his family.
“Do you even realize what could have happened?”
“I… I don’t remember,” she whispered.
“What?”
She shook her head. She couldn’t remember how she got hurt. She just remembered running up the flight of stairs. She heard crying, then pain. After that, nothing. Terra leaned back against the wall. Again that odd look was back on his face. She squirmed. The heart rate monitor next to her readily displayed her comfort as the beeps increased a little. She had to admit; it was the first time a human had managed to make her feel a little cowed.
“Aqua, I don’t ask for much,” he said. “But when I give you an order, you obey it. Do I make myself clear?”
“Crystal.”
Terra nodded slowly. He walked over to her bedside, pausing to prop her up a little better with a pillow. It struck her as a little odd. One moment, he looked like he was going to break her in half, the next he was coddling her. He then picked up a cup of water, holding the straw out for her to make sure she drank. The water was a relief to her scorched throat. She almost couldn’t get enough of it but all too soon, Terra pulled the straw away from her.
“Get some rest. Boss says you’re benched until you the doc clears you.” He said. “So get ready for paperwork. Your favorite.”
“Goodie.”
“Aqua,” someone breathed.
She turned, finding some relief as she moved her head away from the light. Her voice seemed stuck in her throat when she saw the person sitting next to her. Sitting in the chair, sooty uniform and ashy faced was Terra. Except he had changed. He didn’t look the same as he did before the fire. Instead of the warm blues she had grown fond of, sharp acidic yellow eyes watched her, almost fearful. His hair, a warm chocolate color, had become white as snow. Her mouth worked slowly and she rasped a few times before he shook his head.
He called in a nurse and she was put through a trial of exams. She shouldn’t be alive, they said. She had inhaled too much smoke, they said. Her lungs should have burnt from the inside out, they said. She should have 3rd degree burns on her back, they said. She was walking away with a fairly clean bill of health, yes, she did have smoke inhalation. They were keeping her overnight but she should be released fairly soon.
After the doctors left, she was alone with Terra. It scared her. He hadn’t said a word since she had woken up, just let the doctors poke and prod her like some lab experiment, only protesting when they tried to use iron instruments. There was an unreadable expression on his face. She looked down at her lap. Bandaged hands crumped the sheets before smoothing the fabric again. She felt like a small child, being scolded, except she knew what she had done was far worse than stealing from the cookie jar or writing on the wall.
“Terra?” she croaked.
“Don’t talk.” He scolded.
“You’re mad.”
“I almost lost you today,” he snapped. “I’m not mad. I’m furious.”
She couldn’t meet his eyes. It was his greatest fear – losing his partner. Again. She had almost let it happen to him. Terra was a strong person, but she could tell he grew very attached to the people around him. Perhaps it was because his family lived in the next town over or because he was just a very kindhearted person, but he and his family considered the police department to be extended family. Sending birthday cards, Christmas presents, and just random care packages for everyone to share. Apparently, his entire family was made up of police officers. Terra just got the unlucky stick and got assigned to one away from his family.
“Do you even realize what could have happened?”
“I… I don’t remember,” she whispered.
“What?”
She shook her head. She couldn’t remember how she got hurt. She just remembered running up the flight of stairs. She heard crying, then pain. After that, nothing. Terra leaned back against the wall. Again that odd look was back on his face. She squirmed. The heart rate monitor next to her readily displayed her comfort as the beeps increased a little. She had to admit; it was the first time a human had managed to make her feel a little cowed.
“Aqua, I don’t ask for much,” he said. “But when I give you an order, you obey it. Do I make myself clear?”
“Crystal.”
Terra nodded slowly. He walked over to her bedside, pausing to prop her up a little better with a pillow. It struck her as a little odd. One moment, he looked like he was going to break her in half, the next he was coddling her. He then picked up a cup of water, holding the straw out for her to make sure she drank. The water was a relief to her scorched throat. She almost couldn’t get enough of it but all too soon, Terra pulled the straw away from her.
“Get some rest. Boss says you’re benched until you the doc clears you.” He said. “So get ready for paperwork. Your favorite.”
“Goodie.”