Title: I Gotta Get Me Back
Rating: PG-13
Word Count: 376
Pairing: Team Underpants
Round/Fight: 1/A
Summary: "I gotta get me back, I can't be beat and that's a fact": (Part of "Free" prompt cycle; lyrics by Bryan Adams.)
Evin stared at the ceiling; the walls were a simpering shade of pale blue that screamed relaxation and he just couldn't take it any more.
Dumb. This was just dumb, and he was an idiot. Riders weren't supposed to make dumb trainee mistakes after their first year. His shoulder was slowly burning up, and movement jarred it white hot.
The door to the infirmary opened, but instead of Duke Baird and an end to his pain, Evin saw Dom walk in, holding a rough bandage to his arm.
"What are you doing here?" they both asked at the same time, eyeing the other one.
Dom ruefully held up his arm. "Stray knife cut in training, nothing big."
Evin tried to sit up, and grimaced. "I think my shoulder's dislocated."
Dom winced.
"I know." Evin sighed, turning his gaze back to the ceiling. "I don't know if I'm cut out for this, after all."
Dom sat on the edge of the bed. "Well, that attitude's not going to get you anywhere," he observed pragmatically.
Evin's good hand gripped the sheet in frustration. "People find out I'm Player-bred, and I don't have to wait to hear what they think about that; their expressions say it all."
"Why are you paying attention to their opinions?"
Dom's simple questions broke the situation down and the next words ripped out of his throat.
"Maybe they all think that because they're right!"
Evin slumped and bit his lip, hard, to hold back what felt suspiciously like tears.
"I don't think they're right."
Evin refused to look at Dom. "I'm an idiot, I made a rookie mistake, I've been two years in the field, and one of those as a full Rider, and I still can't manage to-"
"Protect your Group? Lead a raid against a spidren den when your Leader was injured? Defend towns from the immortals appearing all across Tortall? Prove that you're not just a name, not just a word?" Dom ticked off the list on his fingers. "I think that you've done more than enough, and you're only in your second year."
Evin turned his head, so he could look Dom in the eye. "You really think so?"
"You're Evin Larse, a Queen's Rider; of course I do."
