Natsumi couldn't sleep.
She just couldn't! Damn did she try, but her most recent conversation with the red frog that lived in the backyard had kept her mind otherwise occupied. She didn't want to worry so much, she felt stupid for it!
Giroro's smart enough not to be in any real trouble! He's fine! She kept reasoning with herself. But, from the looks the rest of the platoon's been giving the tent he slept in, and herself oddly enough all week... Well… It didn't sit well with her.
Every now and then, Natsumi found herself looking out the window beside her bed. Straining her eyes just to catch the dark maroon tent in the yard. Good god, what was she doing? Desperately she tried to screw her eyes shut and just force sleep.
But, she just couldn't... Not with the memory of that horrid coughing. Buzzing in her mind like a pesky fly she couldn't swat away!
Finally, she gave in. And with a mighty 'FUCK IT!' she threw the bed sheets away from her, shoved on her slippers and headed out her bedroom door. Just angry at herself.
What's wrong with her? Why does she even care so much about this guy? He's an IN-VA-DER! And here she is, quietly heading down the stairs to the living room, going to the backyard just to check and make sure that this dangerous, gun-toting Alien was okay!?
Her pride was practically screaming at her the entire time she trudged her way to the backyard. But, she put up an effort to ignore it. As another part of her mind just screamed back images of that little episode the Corporal had, where she could've sworn she saw something red or even… Pink flying out from his mouth, that he was desperately trying to shut up.
She was concerned. And she couldn't help it.
She slid the doors open, quietly. She just wanted to check on him, not wake him up in the middle of the night. Him never knowing she was there, would be just fine with Natsumi! It was then she heard the all-too-familiar cough, emanating from the Corporal's tent.
She took the advantage to quickly scramble to the tent, without the worry of being heard by the very perceptive soldier. But, she couldn't help but note that the coughing had gotten worse.
It was horribly ragged and harsh, it hurt her own throat just listening to it. It sounded excruciating and rough, like a car that's wheels were far too low, and grinded mercilessly against a rough road. She didn't know how to put it... It was difficult to fully explain!
It felt like an eternity before it finally ceased, Now replaced with heavy but, battered breath. Natsumi was by the tent now, but unsure whether or not to sneak a peak in, just to see how bad it was.
But, fearful curiosity had ate at her. She just HAD to know, had to see what the soldier was so hellbent on hiding from her.
So, carefully she lifted the flap. Praying to whatever god that was up there, that Giroro didn't catch her. But, what she saw… Well it confused and admittedly scared her.
There was the Corporal. Of course. He was lying on his side, his back to her. What caused her to raise an eyebrow, were these little pink things that filled the room. Petals perhaps? But, they were slightly stained with red, and that's what freaked her out.
She let the flap fall down, silently. She was startled, to be sure. She just didn't know what to think, what to guess or even to say. What could she say? There were only questions. So many questions!
Why were there petals all over Giroro's tent floor?
Why was his coughing getting worse?
What could she say? Should she say something?
Was that blood on those weird petals?
Why won't he say anything? Why was he lying?
If he was lying the whole time about it… Was this really her fault?
It felt like her fault… But, why?
She wanted to wake him, if he wasn't already. She just wanted to shake him for some answers, dammit! But, would he even answer her questions? Without lying? Maybe if she could corner him in the conversation, be blunt and let him know what she knew.
Or maybe she just shouldn't say anything! A part of her mind interrupted her previous cesspool of alarming thoughts, Trying to calm the young woman. After all, Giroro was tough! She already knew that of course, she had told herself that an abundance of times already just today. And he sure acted like it was nothing, so it must be nothing right?
Heck! For all she knew, the Corporal really just had a bad cough! And the petals? Probably were there for awhile! She's rarely ever been in the stuffy tent anyway! So they were probably a common thing for him! For whatever his weird reasons may be...
Nothing to lose her mind over, right?
… But then, there was a quiet sob that broke her train of thought.
'Was that… Giroro…?'
She listened in closer, hoping she was wrong. She had to be! When has that hard-boiled amphibian ever expressed any kind of anguish? Much less tear-up!? She sure as hell never saw that! So that couldn't be what she was hearing!
...Right…?
But, then another rang out, much to her surprise. 'He was… Crying!? The tough, respectable, no-nonsense, Battle-hardened SOLDIER, Giroro… Was Crying? THAT GUY!?'
And that did it. That was the last straw for her to break the camel's back. She resolved to just damn his want of privacy and secrets, damn his stubbornness, and just damn the consequences in general for what she was going to do!
"Giroro?"
