Guava 27 and Trail Mix 9
Author: Casey
Story: Nothing is Ever Easy (NIEE) universe, During NIEE
Challenges: Guava 27 (don’t you cry for me) & Trail Mix 9 (waiting room)
Toppings & Extras: Sprinkles, Cherry (getting rid of contractions in narrative)
Word Count: 1734
Rating: PG
Summary: Aftermath of a battle leads to at least one good thing
Notes: Follow up to Kira and Bri from the other week. Marina requested a how they met and Kira fell for Bri. I had prompts that worked so here we are!
Kira sat silently in the darkened room, elbows resting on her knees. She listened hard, eyes closed to slits, waiting.
Light shown on her, but she did not move, focus entirely on trying to hear. “Kira, what are you still doing here?” her employer, George, asked.
“Waiting.”
“For what?” he asked, frowning.
“The Th...our current leaders will find the Freedom Fighters and there will be a battle and there will be causalities and we need to be ready.”
“Kira,” he said gently, “there could be weeks before that happens.”
“No, it will be tonight.” She sat up suddenly. She had been keeping an eye on the movements of both sides and there was no question in her mind that the young leader of the Freedom Fighters would make a stand. “There. Do you hear it?”
He stared at her like she had lost her mind. “Kira, there’s no way.”
“No, listen,” she said, standing, expression grave. “Here they come. Better send Justin to get the others. It’s going to be a long night.”
“How in the world...?”
“I pay attention to the greater world, George,” Kira said, already feeling weary. “I just hope they have a few people to help. This could get nasty.”
By now, the noise was obvious. Cries of pain, loud shouts and other noises she did not care to identify filtered into the building. George was immediately distracted by the noise and impending chaos. “Kira, send Justin and then get the place lit and open,” he ordered. “I’ll meet them. Hopefully we’ll have enough room.”
“We can always use the warehouse next door. It’s not perfect but it’s a place to start.”
He nodded and rushed off.
**
Kira knew that those lucky enough to have gotten a bed would be the most likely to survive, but she was determined to make sure as many as possible made it. At the moment, though, over a full day after the first injured had been brought in, she was in the main infirmary. She slowly made the rounds through the beds, trying to get through her beleaguered brain who still needed help. None of them had caught much sleep since it had started and she’d grabbed barely an hour before being woken again.
“Hey, gorgeous.”
She blinked, looking up, realizing after a moment that the weak voice had come from the man lying in the bed on her left. He had a bloody bandage stretching across his face, including covering one eye. “Can I get you something?” she asked, stepping over to him.
“Water?” he asked, smiling a little despite the horrendous pain he had to be in.
Kira forced a smile back. “Of course. I’ll be right back and then I’ll take a look at your injury, okay?”
“Makin’ me even more ruggedly handsome,” the man said and she could have sworn he actually winked with his one good eye.
She laughed before she could remember herself and hastily slapped a hand over her mouth, feeling guilty in a room of such agony.
His smile widened and he weakly reached up a hand to tug at her elbow. “Have to laugh, right?” he said. “Else you want to cry.”
She nodded. “I think I’m too tired to cry.”
“We’re a demanding lot, aren’t we?”
“You’re allowed, considering,” she said. “Is there anything else I can get you?”
“Just water. And your presence.”
Kira blinked, certain she had heard him wrong, but the almost cocky grin that stuck out from under the bandage told her otherwise.
**
The next time she even remembered the conversation was a couple days later. She had, at that point, gotten enough sleep she was not quite as dazed.
“Gorgeous!” the call stopped her and she looked around, ready to reprimand one of the Three soldiers. She was already annoyed that a group of them were taking up valuable beds but were almost fully healed. Then she blinked, recognizing the man waving weakly at her from his bed. “Sorry, I forgot to get your name last time,” he said, voice containing less waver this time, although his bandage looked no better.
Kira tried to remember if she had changed it last time she had talked to him and then reminded herself that that had been almost two days previous. “Wouldn’t have expected you to,” she said with a smile.
He smiled back crookedly. “I’ve forgotten a lot, so I guess that’s no surprise.”
“Oh?”
He nodded, waiting until she had come over. “Think my memory went.”
She grabbed the paper posted above his bed on his status, noting that she had actually changed his bandage and it had been done once but was due. “What do you mean?” she asked, hanging it back up.
“Don’t remember things, which seems kind of sad to me. I’m sure I had an awesome life so far.”
“Oh. I’m sorry!” she said. “Do you remember anything?”
“I’m Bri,” he said and then looked at her hopefully.
“Well, that’s something,” she said, distracted as she pulled her bag around to get at her supplies.
“I think you’re missing the point.”
“Hm?” Kira said, bringing her gaze back to meet his eye.
“That was your chance to introduce yourself and you missed it. So let’s try again. I’m Bri!”
Unable to help herself, she smiled. “I’m Kira.”
“I feel like I should ask for a last name, but since I can’t remember mine, I feel like it would be rude to ask.”
She did not particularly like the fake last name she was using and often had a hard time remembering it, so that worked for her. “Your positive attitude will help with your recovery.”
“It comes naturally, I think.” He glanced at the soldiers on the other side of the large room. “I also think I was on the losing side.”
That got her attention. “You do?”
“Yes. The soldier over there keep shooting me nasty looks.”
Kira sat back, halfway through changing the bandage, and studied him.
“You just got very sad looking. Does my face look that bad?”
“No, it’s just...”
“If I’m on the losing side, and I heal, I get sent to prison.”
She looked away, glancing at the chart and noting the little cross in the corner that did, in fact, donate that he was a Freedom Fighter.
Bri grabbed her arm and tugged, much like he had last time. “I’m not afraid of it,” he said, smiling. “I don’t know anything to tell them. At least, I’m alive, right?”
“Excuse me,” she muttered, refusing to look at him. “I have to go get something. Someone will be over to finish with your bandage in a moment.” Kira got up and fled the room as quickly as she could before the tears started falling.
**
The next night, she stood just inside the doorway to the surprisingly quiet infirmary. They had discharged the group of soldiers and transferred as many people in out of the warehouse, but the room was still near silence as the patients rested.
“Go home, Kira,” George said softly, appearing at her elbow. “We have more long days ahead of us. Justin can keep an eye on this bunch for the night.” He hesitated and then sighed. “We’ve lost most of those we’re going to lose.”
“I’m not tired.”
“I don’t believe that for an instant.”
She smiled faintly. “I’ll leave in a few minutes. Just need to do one more check.”
“Kira.”
“I’ll be fine.”
After a moment, he patted her on the shoulder and left. Her eyes were drawn to the sixth bed down along the north wall, where Bri lay fast asleep. She waited until she was sure that George was gone before making her way over and pausing over his bed, unable to help herself. She had avoided him all day, staying to the far side of the room. To his credit, he had not tried to pull her back.
“I hit a cord yesterday,” he said, speaking up so suddenly she jumped, thinking him asleep.
Kira took a deep breath before nodding. “Yes. My parents...ended up on the wrong side of the Three’s men. I still don’t know if my brother survived or not.”
Bri reached out and grabbed her hand, pulling her down to sit on the edge of his bed. “I’m sorry.”
“Don’t be. It’s not your fault.”
“Still. I like to make people happy, not sad.”
“I just hate it, that’s all,” she said. “That the Freedom Fighters lost. That my brother could be dead too. That you’re going to go to jail for no good reason.”
“I fought for the wrong side. It’s a decent reason, although I must be pretty stupid since I got caught.”
She let out a thick laugh, turning away, although his grip on her hand kept her on the bed. “You almost got your face sliced off, Bri, that’s a good reason.”
“So you do remember my name,” he said cheerfully.
“How can you be so damned happy?” she asked.
“Because I’m alive,” he said simply. “I’m alive today and I’ll be alive tomorrow and that should be good enough for anyone. Everything else is just a bonus.”
Kira glanced at him, free hand reaching out, almost unbidden, to push some of his hair out of his face. “That’s a good way to look at life.”
“Figure what else do I have going for me.”
She smiled. “Being alive is a big thing.”
He grinned back, an expression that should have been eerie in the half-light but somehow came across as just joyful. “You know, you’re right. I don’t suppose you ever have time off?”
“These days just to sleep, but before you lot, I had a lot of time off,” she said and then eyed him. “Why?”
“I was just thinking, if you had a few minutes, here or there, we could talk. You could tell me about what’s going on.”
“Bri, I didn’t know you,” she said, reaching up to feel his forehead for a possible fever.
He batted it away. “I just mean in general. Like who I was fighting for and what’s going on in the world. Things I should know, you know, to live.” He now positively beamed at her. “Please?” he asked, drawing the word out like he was maybe three years old.
Kira felt herself smile back before she could think twice.
Story: Nothing is Ever Easy (NIEE) universe, During NIEE
Challenges: Guava 27 (don’t you cry for me) & Trail Mix 9 (waiting room)
Toppings & Extras: Sprinkles, Cherry (getting rid of contractions in narrative)
Word Count: 1734
Rating: PG
Summary: Aftermath of a battle leads to at least one good thing
Notes: Follow up to Kira and Bri from the other week. Marina requested a how they met and Kira fell for Bri. I had prompts that worked so here we are!
Kira sat silently in the darkened room, elbows resting on her knees. She listened hard, eyes closed to slits, waiting.
Light shown on her, but she did not move, focus entirely on trying to hear. “Kira, what are you still doing here?” her employer, George, asked.
“Waiting.”
“For what?” he asked, frowning.
“The Th...our current leaders will find the Freedom Fighters and there will be a battle and there will be causalities and we need to be ready.”
“Kira,” he said gently, “there could be weeks before that happens.”
“No, it will be tonight.” She sat up suddenly. She had been keeping an eye on the movements of both sides and there was no question in her mind that the young leader of the Freedom Fighters would make a stand. “There. Do you hear it?”
He stared at her like she had lost her mind. “Kira, there’s no way.”
“No, listen,” she said, standing, expression grave. “Here they come. Better send Justin to get the others. It’s going to be a long night.”
“How in the world...?”
“I pay attention to the greater world, George,” Kira said, already feeling weary. “I just hope they have a few people to help. This could get nasty.”
By now, the noise was obvious. Cries of pain, loud shouts and other noises she did not care to identify filtered into the building. George was immediately distracted by the noise and impending chaos. “Kira, send Justin and then get the place lit and open,” he ordered. “I’ll meet them. Hopefully we’ll have enough room.”
“We can always use the warehouse next door. It’s not perfect but it’s a place to start.”
He nodded and rushed off.
**
Kira knew that those lucky enough to have gotten a bed would be the most likely to survive, but she was determined to make sure as many as possible made it. At the moment, though, over a full day after the first injured had been brought in, she was in the main infirmary. She slowly made the rounds through the beds, trying to get through her beleaguered brain who still needed help. None of them had caught much sleep since it had started and she’d grabbed barely an hour before being woken again.
“Hey, gorgeous.”
She blinked, looking up, realizing after a moment that the weak voice had come from the man lying in the bed on her left. He had a bloody bandage stretching across his face, including covering one eye. “Can I get you something?” she asked, stepping over to him.
“Water?” he asked, smiling a little despite the horrendous pain he had to be in.
Kira forced a smile back. “Of course. I’ll be right back and then I’ll take a look at your injury, okay?”
“Makin’ me even more ruggedly handsome,” the man said and she could have sworn he actually winked with his one good eye.
She laughed before she could remember herself and hastily slapped a hand over her mouth, feeling guilty in a room of such agony.
His smile widened and he weakly reached up a hand to tug at her elbow. “Have to laugh, right?” he said. “Else you want to cry.”
She nodded. “I think I’m too tired to cry.”
“We’re a demanding lot, aren’t we?”
“You’re allowed, considering,” she said. “Is there anything else I can get you?”
“Just water. And your presence.”
Kira blinked, certain she had heard him wrong, but the almost cocky grin that stuck out from under the bandage told her otherwise.
**
The next time she even remembered the conversation was a couple days later. She had, at that point, gotten enough sleep she was not quite as dazed.
“Gorgeous!” the call stopped her and she looked around, ready to reprimand one of the Three soldiers. She was already annoyed that a group of them were taking up valuable beds but were almost fully healed. Then she blinked, recognizing the man waving weakly at her from his bed. “Sorry, I forgot to get your name last time,” he said, voice containing less waver this time, although his bandage looked no better.
Kira tried to remember if she had changed it last time she had talked to him and then reminded herself that that had been almost two days previous. “Wouldn’t have expected you to,” she said with a smile.
He smiled back crookedly. “I’ve forgotten a lot, so I guess that’s no surprise.”
“Oh?”
He nodded, waiting until she had come over. “Think my memory went.”
She grabbed the paper posted above his bed on his status, noting that she had actually changed his bandage and it had been done once but was due. “What do you mean?” she asked, hanging it back up.
“Don’t remember things, which seems kind of sad to me. I’m sure I had an awesome life so far.”
“Oh. I’m sorry!” she said. “Do you remember anything?”
“I’m Bri,” he said and then looked at her hopefully.
“Well, that’s something,” she said, distracted as she pulled her bag around to get at her supplies.
“I think you’re missing the point.”
“Hm?” Kira said, bringing her gaze back to meet his eye.
“That was your chance to introduce yourself and you missed it. So let’s try again. I’m Bri!”
Unable to help herself, she smiled. “I’m Kira.”
“I feel like I should ask for a last name, but since I can’t remember mine, I feel like it would be rude to ask.”
She did not particularly like the fake last name she was using and often had a hard time remembering it, so that worked for her. “Your positive attitude will help with your recovery.”
“It comes naturally, I think.” He glanced at the soldiers on the other side of the large room. “I also think I was on the losing side.”
That got her attention. “You do?”
“Yes. The soldier over there keep shooting me nasty looks.”
Kira sat back, halfway through changing the bandage, and studied him.
“You just got very sad looking. Does my face look that bad?”
“No, it’s just...”
“If I’m on the losing side, and I heal, I get sent to prison.”
She looked away, glancing at the chart and noting the little cross in the corner that did, in fact, donate that he was a Freedom Fighter.
Bri grabbed her arm and tugged, much like he had last time. “I’m not afraid of it,” he said, smiling. “I don’t know anything to tell them. At least, I’m alive, right?”
“Excuse me,” she muttered, refusing to look at him. “I have to go get something. Someone will be over to finish with your bandage in a moment.” Kira got up and fled the room as quickly as she could before the tears started falling.
**
The next night, she stood just inside the doorway to the surprisingly quiet infirmary. They had discharged the group of soldiers and transferred as many people in out of the warehouse, but the room was still near silence as the patients rested.
“Go home, Kira,” George said softly, appearing at her elbow. “We have more long days ahead of us. Justin can keep an eye on this bunch for the night.” He hesitated and then sighed. “We’ve lost most of those we’re going to lose.”
“I’m not tired.”
“I don’t believe that for an instant.”
She smiled faintly. “I’ll leave in a few minutes. Just need to do one more check.”
“Kira.”
“I’ll be fine.”
After a moment, he patted her on the shoulder and left. Her eyes were drawn to the sixth bed down along the north wall, where Bri lay fast asleep. She waited until she was sure that George was gone before making her way over and pausing over his bed, unable to help herself. She had avoided him all day, staying to the far side of the room. To his credit, he had not tried to pull her back.
“I hit a cord yesterday,” he said, speaking up so suddenly she jumped, thinking him asleep.
Kira took a deep breath before nodding. “Yes. My parents...ended up on the wrong side of the Three’s men. I still don’t know if my brother survived or not.”
Bri reached out and grabbed her hand, pulling her down to sit on the edge of his bed. “I’m sorry.”
“Don’t be. It’s not your fault.”
“Still. I like to make people happy, not sad.”
“I just hate it, that’s all,” she said. “That the Freedom Fighters lost. That my brother could be dead too. That you’re going to go to jail for no good reason.”
“I fought for the wrong side. It’s a decent reason, although I must be pretty stupid since I got caught.”
She let out a thick laugh, turning away, although his grip on her hand kept her on the bed. “You almost got your face sliced off, Bri, that’s a good reason.”
“So you do remember my name,” he said cheerfully.
“How can you be so damned happy?” she asked.
“Because I’m alive,” he said simply. “I’m alive today and I’ll be alive tomorrow and that should be good enough for anyone. Everything else is just a bonus.”
Kira glanced at him, free hand reaching out, almost unbidden, to push some of his hair out of his face. “That’s a good way to look at life.”
“Figure what else do I have going for me.”
She smiled. “Being alive is a big thing.”
He grinned back, an expression that should have been eerie in the half-light but somehow came across as just joyful. “You know, you’re right. I don’t suppose you ever have time off?”
“These days just to sleep, but before you lot, I had a lot of time off,” she said and then eyed him. “Why?”
“I was just thinking, if you had a few minutes, here or there, we could talk. You could tell me about what’s going on.”
“Bri, I didn’t know you,” she said, reaching up to feel his forehead for a possible fever.
He batted it away. “I just mean in general. Like who I was fighting for and what’s going on in the world. Things I should know, you know, to live.” He now positively beamed at her. “Please?” he asked, drawing the word out like he was maybe three years old.
Kira felt herself smile back before she could think twice.