"So, you're sure a combot can get through the hallway doors just with its hand?" Bunnie asked.
She stopped, coughing. She clutched her shoulder, wincing.
Rotor looked up from where he was busy putting water on the back of his legs and wrapping them in his torn jacket. His burns did not look any better, but Bunnie had told him he had to take care of them if he had any hope of living and keeping his legs. Then Sonic would have two cyborgs on his hands.
Rotor's eyes softened when he looked at her. He sat down next to her and cleared his throat. "A-are you alright?" He patted her back and good shoulder. He couldn't help but notice how fragile her bones felt beneath his touch.
Bunnie was shivering. Chills ran through her body. She looked up at him, her eyes feverish. She smiled and nodded.
"The fog that cruiser sent down…" Rotor tried. "We make it here…it's supposed to kill plants, b-but it's bad for us too. Especially since you have an open wound…I…I guess my body has grown used to it over time…"
"Ah'll be fine," she shivered. "This is no time to be sick. You an' me still need to keep plannin'."
"You…you need to be strong enough to break out though…" he said, his voice soft. "I'll keep pl-planning…you get more water and sleep, and we'll try for tomorrow…"
"But, Rotor, Ah—" Bunnie started.
Rotor fisted his hands. Resolve flashed in his eyes. "Y-you n-need to take c-care of yourself t-too. We'll have a b-better chance if you're well." He took the remaining strips of his jacket and began running it under the water feeder. "H-hold still."
Bunnie watched him, for once quiet. She crossed her arms to keep warm, smiling at Rotor. "You sound like you're the one in charge now, sugah-boy."
His cheeks reddened. He took the wet strips and began binding up her shoulder. He pulled her back so that she leaned against him.
"You know, if we wait t'move…" Bunnie said, closing her eyes. "They mahght come for us in the nahght…"
"We-we can just fight then, right…?" Rotor said. "But they probably won't."
Bunnie tried to sit up. "Rotor, we gotta get that message out-"
He pulled her back gently. "I'm not finished." He tied up the strips of cloth, biting his bottom lip.
Bunnie let her eyelids droop, showing the purple arches over her eyes. She shivered again and coughed. "Ah guess Ah am sick…Ah might be weaker tomorrow though…"
"Shh." Rotor kept watching her. He held still. The metal of her arm was cold against his fur and skin, but her back felt hot and sweaty. Her messy, clumped curls fell against her shoulders and brushed his arm.
Rotor hesitated for a moment. Neither one spoke. Bunnie closed her eyes.
"Have you been to Arktica?" he said. He murmured the words and for once he did not trip over his tongue.
Bunnie shivered, but she did not respond for a moment. She was exhausted.
"…No…Ah haven't…" she said.
"The towers are made of ice," he said. "They…they're like pillars of diamonds…or sometimes one whole diamond that's been broken into shards. The sun t-turns them rose and gold and blue, and…and the air is so cold, it will burn your lungs if you breathe too hard…" Rotor's pale eyes glistened. "And the nights are dark…" he cleared his throat, as if catching himself. "N-not…not many Mobians live there…"
"It sounds beautiful, honey…" Bunnie whispered. She was relaxing more and more. "Would you go back?"
"…no," Rotor said. He hadn't meant to, but he started toying with one of the curves of Bunnie's curls with the tip of his finger.
"Why not…?" She asked, barely a whisper.
"It's…it's a long journey…"
Bunnie didn't respond. She seemed to be sleeping.
Rotor looked down at the curl around his finger. "Besides…I haven't had much use for beautiful things lately…it's—it's easy to lose them when you're a slave…here…and…"
"Oh, Rotor," Bunnie murmured, a hint of sass in her tone. "In that case, you just treasure what you have when you have it. In the end, we can't really keep anythin' anyway…"
Rotor blinked. He fisted his hand around the curl.
"You're right," he said.
