Kwazii whimpered and Barnacles jumped awake.
"Kwazii?" Barnacles ask. Kwazii opened his eye's to see a very tired Barnacles sitting beside him. "do need something?" Barnacles ask softly.
"pain... away." Kwazii whimpered. Barnacles leaned forward and kissed his forhead.
"I know you want the pain to go away, but I can't do anything for it." Barnacles said. Kwazii whimpered and reached for his paw. Barnacles took it. Kwazii whimpered again.
"huh-hurts... bad..." Kwazii wheezed. Barnacles sighed.
"I know it does Kwazii. I know it does." Barnacles said. "Peso can't do anything for another hour." Barnacles said. Kwazii could feel the tears running down his face. Barnacles wiped them away, careful of his bruises. "hey on the bright side you get your shoulder brace off today." Barnacles said.
"shou... lder... don'... hurt." Kwazii said. "arm... hurt. he-head... hurt. ra-ribs... on fire." Kwazii replied.
"I know everything burns, Kwazii but in a few more weeks it'll all be over." Barnacles comforted. Barnacles kissed his forehead and wiped his face gently with his sleave. "you up for a visit from your sister?" Barnacles ask. Kwazii instantly smiled.
"yes." Kwazii said. Barnacles opened the door and Dashi walked in and over to him.
"hey how are you?" Dashi ask. Kwazii smiled.
"been... better." Kwazii smiled. Dashi smiled slightly.
"the Octo-pod really isn't the same without your energy running around." Dashi said.
"lau... ghing... hurts." Kwazii said. Dashi nodded.
"I just thought I'd stop by before Shelly and I went out on a date." Dashi said. Kwazii glared the best he could.
"tell... 'Shelly'... paws... ta... himse... self." Kwazii said. Dashi laughed.
"ok I'll tell him you said to keep his paws off me." Dashi smiled. she waived goodbye and left. Kwazii's eye's flittered closed in one of his rare moments of sleep. Barnacles was gone, another rare moment, and would probably come back in a moment. Kwazii felt his tail twitch and felt a twix of pain. the door opened but he didn't bother to look seeing as he couldn't turn his head.
"who... there?" Kwazii weezed.
"it's me." Barnacles replied walking over. "trying to sleep?" Barnacles smiled.
"need... ta do... some... thin'. so... bored." Kwazii said.
"I can't do anything about that either." Barnacles said. a few minutes later Peso came in.
"this may hurt since you haven't moved since the Captain moved you down here." Peso said.
"k." Kwazii said. Peso injected him with pain killers then stood by his side.
"i'm going to pull your shoulder brace off now." Peso said.
"k." Kwazii replied. Peso pulled it off carefully and Kwazii bit his tongue in pain. Peso warned him to be careful with his arm and make sure to rest then he left. Kwazii reached his hand out to Barnacles who stood just out of the way. "l-love... ye... bear." Kwazii smiled. Barnacles smiled.
"I love you too Kwazii." Barnacles replied. "go ahead and sleep. I'll be here when you wake up." Barnacles said. Kwazii smiled once more and closed his eyes. Barnacles smiled and only once he was sure Kwazii was asleep, closed his eye's too.
*next day*
Kwazii opened his eye's and saw Barnacles sleeping with his head on the bed sitting in a chair. he held on to Kwazii's paw even in his sleep and Kwazii smiled, deciding to be as quiet and as still as possible so he could get the sleep he so despritly needed. he hadn't had a full night's sleep in almost a month because he'd spend all night up with Kwazii. at first Kwazii had refused and was upset with thinking he was hurting Barancles, but after a while Kwazii relaxed and realized this was Barnacles way of showing he loved him. Kwazii watched him sleep peacfully and felt a little bit of pride in himself knowing that he caught someone he didn't deserve and yet he stayed. he felt Barnacles stir and watched him sit up and rub his eye's.
"mornin'." Kwazii said. this was the first time in week's he'd been able to get out that word without stoping to breath in the middle and both noticed.
"good morning Kwazii, why didn't you wake me when you woke up?" Barnacles ask.
"ye looked... tired." Kwazii replied.
"so?" Barancles ask. Kwazii smiled.
"like ta... watch ye... sleep." Kwazii said softly. Barnacles smiled softly and shook his head.
"you have an excuse for everything don't you?" Barancles ask.
"almost." Kwazii smiled.
"you sound better." Barnacles said.
"don' feel... better." Kwazii admited.
"are you still in pain? do I need to get Peso?" Barnacles ask.
"no." Kwazii said quickly. "let'im... sleep. don'... hurt too... bad." Kwazii added.
"you must feel atleast a little better." Barnacles said. Kwazii smiled.
"good day." Kwazii said. "ribs... don' hurt... this mornin'." Kwazii said. Barnacles smiled brightly.
"good that means your getting better." Barnacles said. "are you hungry?" Barnacles ask. he hadn't eaten anything solid in a few days, mostly soup.
"no." Kwazii replied. "if ye are... go eat." Kwazii said. Barnacles looked a little worried.
"i'll watch over him if your hungry Captain." a voice drifted in. they looked over to see Dashi.
"Dashi?" Kwazii ask. she nodded.
"I heard you guy's talking. i've been up a while." Dashi said.
"if you wouldn't mind Dashi." Barancles said. without another word she walked over and sat down beside Kwazii. after a moment of hesitation, Barancles left the room.
"what's... wrong?" Kwazii ask. Dashi smiled softly he could always read her like a book.
"it's nothing you need to worry about Kwazii. I'm fine." Dashi smiled. Kwazii studied her a moment then he smiled too.
"trouble... paradice?" Kwazii ask softly. Dashi nodded. "do I need... to kill'im?" Kwazii ask. Dashi laughed and shook her head.
"no. we'll work this out. he's just worried." Dashi said. "so how long before you get that stupid neck brace off?" Dashi ask.
"week." Kwazii replied. "neck... stiff." Kwazii added. Dashi giggled then she stopped. he sounded like a toddler but she didn't say anything, the last time someone, Shellington, commented Kwazii was upset and refused to talk to anyone for a week and Barnacles chewed Shellington out for that.
"it's good thing your strong." Dashi added. Kwazii smiled.
"puffin'... me chest... hurts." Kwazii said. Dashi smiled and puffed her chest for him he let out a dry chuckle. "I look... better." Kwazii joked. Dashi faked hurt.
"how dare you say your sister isn't pretty." Dashi said. Kwazii smiled.
"Dashi... pretty." Kwazii replied. Dashi smiled. a few minutes later Barnacles came back.
"sorry I took so long. there was a fire in the kitchen. the Vegiemals fell asleep cooking again." Barancles said as he walked in. Kwazii gasped.
"what did you do, jump in?" Dashi ask looking him over.
"Tunip was still in the kitchen. I went in and got him. it's just some smoke." Barancles said. they chatted and Dashi left.
"Bear... ok?" Kwazii ask. Barancles nodded.
"nothing a little shower can't take care of." Barancles said.
"Tunip?" Kwazii ask. Barnacles nodded.
"he's ok too." Barnacles replied.
"good." Kwazii said. he reached up and paw and scratched lightly at the neckbrace.
"Kwazii stop that." Barancles said.
"itches." Kwazii replied.
"I know but scratching will make it worse." Barnacles said walking closer. Kwazii stopped but stuck his tongue out at Barnacles. Barnacles chuckled. "Tweak says to tell you the Gup-B misses you. she couldn't even get it to start for the test run this morning." Barnacles said. Kwazii smiled.
"Gup-B... me ship." Kwazii replied. Barnacles smiled.
"yes I know." Barnacles replied.
"go... shower. ye... stink." Kwazii said. he was upset he was reduced back to these short two word sentences but he was happy he wasn't weezing anymore. Barnacles laughed.
"alright." Barancles said. he went and got some of his clothes and showered in Kwazii's shower, afraid of leaving Kwazii alone long enough for him to shower in his own. when he got out Kwazii was snoozing so he decided to work on his paperwork, he had neglected for the past month. he looked up when Kwazii made a noise and realized something. Kwazii looked different without his eye patch on, both of his eye's worked fine, he just like to be reminded of his Pirate days. Kwazii had a bruise all the way around his right eye, in a perfect rock shape, so he had to get used to using his left eye again, which he hated. Barnacles shook his head, personally he thought Kwazii's eye's were beautiful, he didn't understand the point of covering one up but it was Kwazii's choice. Barnacles managed to finish all the paperwork he had and layd down on the cot he brought in and slept for a few hours. Barnacles woke up to Kwazii screaming. he jumped up and hit the Octo-alert. "Peso to medical bay! ASAP!" Barnacles shouted. he scooped Kwazii up and raced to the medical bay.
*Kwazii's room hours later*
Peso had tried to fight Kwazii, but wasn't able to, so Barnacles had to hold him down. right now he was sedated giving the impression of him sleeping peacefully. Dashi came in.
"is he okay?" Dashi ask. Barnacles nodded. "what happened?" Dashi ask.
"he moved in his sleep and jammed his cast into his ribs. he nearly broke them again." Barnacles said softly.
"Captain, are you ok?" Dashi ask.
"I fell asleep instead of watching him like I should have been and he got hurt again." Barnacles said.
"it's not your fault, Captain." Dashi said. Barnacles didn't reply so Dashi turned a left. Barnacles sat holding Kwazii's hand tight while he sat deep in thought. a whimper drew him out of his thoughts and to the slightly stirring cat. Kwazii's eye's slowly opened. he opened his mouth but Barnacles stopped him.
"don't try to speak." Barnacles said. he handed him a notebook and pencil.
what happend?
Kwazii ask.
"you screamed your throat out about three hours ago." Barnacles said.
why was I screaming?
Kwazii ask.
"you hurt your ribs again." Barnacles said sounding guilty.
how? did I rebreak?
Kwazii ask.
"your arm with the cast rested on your ribs to long but no you didn't break them." Barnacles said softly.
whats wrong Bear?
Kwazii ask. he looked concered.
"you got hurt because I fell asleep." Barnacles said with a sigh.
don't be so hard on yourself Barnicales Barnacles.
Barnacles laughed.
"there's an eraser." Barnacles said.
don't want to put pressure on my chest.
Barnacles nodded.
"I've got something on the way for you. it's for writing and playing with so you don't get bored." Barnacles said. Kwazii gave him a small smile.
I love you Bear.
Kwazii wrote looking up. Barnacles smiled.
"I love you too." Barnacles said. Kwazii scruntched his face slightly. "whats wrong?" Barnacles ask.
I haven't showered or bathed in a month. I smell and it's bad when you know you smell.
Kwazii said. Barnacles smiled.
"you'll be fine till your chest is healed." Barnacles replied. Kwazii reached up with his good arm and pulled down on Barnacles uniform. Barnacles yelpped and came down his arms went out and kept himself from falling onto Kwazii's wounded body. "Kwazii-" Barnacles tried but was stopped when Kwazii pressed their lips together. Kwazii broke it off then looked into Barnacles eye's. he smiled and that smile told Barnacles everything he needed to know. Barnacles smiled back and pulled him back into a kiss.
