Huzzah! A 2nd chapter? Wow!


It was overwhelmingly difficult to look at her. Unconscious, heavily bandaged with cuts and scrapes, lying in a medical ward bed in the middle of nowhere. Sitting in an uncomfortable chair and having to see her like this.

She was too vulnerable looking. It didn't suit her strong personality. Trixie lying defenseless; heartbreakingly noticeable how hurt she had gotten. It was a terrifying reminder of how breakable and human they were.

Eli bounced his leg nervously, feeling his nerves grow fidgety with guilt and concern. He only stopped when the rapid succession of his heel tapping on the floor became obnoxiously loud in the small, quiet room.

He took to rubbing his fingertips together, recalling the odd, sticky texture of blood on them.

Her blood. It was all her blood.

Eli abruptly stood and left the room. He had the sudden need to scrub his hands. Repeatedly.

Again.

888

He was back again the next day, sitting in the stiff chair next to the bed. It was usually him in here, unless it was the doctors checking on her. He thinks Kord visited at one point, but time was starting to haze.

Eli hadn't slept well since they had gotten there, gut rumbling with shame and throat constricted with worry.

To distract himself from rubbing his fingers raw, he kept fiddling with the corner of Trixie's blanket, twisting and twirling the soft material between his fingertips.

He took in the sight of her bright hair, realizing after hours of staring at her that he just noticed it cascaded off the sides of her pillow. She had a lot more hair then he really thought about her having. Even with her usual pigtails, he never considered how much there actually was. Probably because he never saw her with it loose and wild.

Its fiery orange color contrasted surprisingly well with his shirt she was wearing. What was that called again? Complementing colors or something? Eli couldn't remember, just knew the deep blackish blue looked nice with the thick locks sitting against it.

Was it weird that a girl was wearing his shirt? He hadn't really thought about it at the time. The doctor's had said they would need a replacement top for Trixie. Eli was the closest in size, Pronto only owning the one shirt he usually wore, but his shirt still seemed massive on her.

Eli suddenly noticed he was now toying with the sleeve of his shirt she was wearing.

Okay.

He just kinda made it weird.

He gently let go of the sleeve, almost wishing Trixie would have turned over and question his sanity. Or why she was wearing his shirt. Didn't matter which one was more awkward.

He should probably get some sleep.

888

The bruises were coming out deep and big along her jaw and temple. She had hit the ground pretty hard. They had slowly developed from a harsh red to a clash of deep purples and blues.

It crafted images of the night sky just after sunset in Eli's mind. When the horizon had just swallowed the last of the sunlight, and the stars were in full bloom overhead.

Too bad the simile would have been lost on her. She probably would have liked it.

He knew, in a few more days, the splotches of dark colors would become an earthy yellowish green before fading out of existence.

He wondered if she would be bothered by the bruises and scratches marring her skin. He hasn't noticed her being that particular about getting down and dirty. Eli figured she'd brush it off with the grace of someone who's probably busted a knuckle busting someone else's nose.

Eli smiled. That was a fun grocery shopping trip.

888

It's been another two days.

Eli was bold today. Or maybe he was desperate and sleep deprived, having now started playing with her loose hair and limp fingers. Picking up each digit individually, examining her chipped nail polish, turning her hand palm up and running his own fingers over her finger tips and life lines. He wanted her to react, even if she socked him, it would be a Trixie thing to do.

Not this.

He just wanted her to wake up.

"Come on, Trix…"

He slowly intertwined their hands, his overly warm and hers vaguely cool.

"Please…"

Eli laid his head next to hers.

"Please, wake up."

The knock at the door was his cue to leave. The doctors needed to do their routine check-up. It would take them at least an hour to clean and confirm none of her wounds were infected. They wouldn't allow Eli to use Doc to try quickening the process. Saying, with how exhausted the healer is from caring for all the other slugs, it could be dangerous for his slug and his teammate.

Eli gave her hand a gentle squeeze, leaving the room and hoping that next time, she would turn over and sock him.


So, I originally wasn't planning on adding on more to this, but several people asked and I kind of wanted to write something from Eli's point of view on it all.