This is the first Sly Cooper thing I've written in years and look at that, it's self-indulgent OCxCannon. I used to be afraid of posting this sort of thing but I've gotten over it, so enjoy this super fluffy short oneshot.
There is a melancholy silence over their camp, one that made Sir Galleth's skin crawl. He couldn't deal with pacing around any longer, he had to see her for himself, know the damage the vicious enemy had inflicted.
He approaches the tent she's been held for the last few days, no one permitted to enter but the apprentice medic, Clove. She's standing guard outside, just as she'd been instructed.
"May I see her?" Galleth asks the young apprentice, a pleading note to his voice. Clove is reluctant, shaking her head sadly.
"I'm sorry, she doesn't want any visitors, especially you." That hurts and Clove can see it clear as day on Galleth's face. Disappointment as well as a touch of guilt, mixed with a good dose of sadness. His tail droops and that's the final straw, the medic giving in with a sigh. "But for once, maybe I can disobey my mentor's orders. Go in."
She steps aside, letting Galleth enter the tent. He gives her a grateful smile, bowing his head as he goes inside.
His precedence isn't noticed right away and that worries Galleth. His medic...no, his lover, is laid out on the ground among a nest of blankets, unmoving. He approached quietly, taking a seat by the weasel's side. The entire right half of her face is bandaged, the extent of her injuries hidden from view.
The guilt settling in his stomach is stronger now and Galleth was so overwhelmed he almost up and left right there. But she stirs before he can try, her uncovered eye twitching open.
"Galleth?" Her voice is a confused whisper and the knight immediately grabs her hand.
"Aye, Jolenta, it is I."
She frowns, struggling to sit up. "You're not supposed to be here."
"Yes, but I am." He helps her, despite her insistence otherwise. Once she's sat in a cross-legged position she averts her gaze, focused on the wall of the tent.
"Knew I couldn't trust Clove to keep you out, she's too soft." It's said without bitterness, Galleth knows too well Jo would never talk serious ill of her beloved apprentice. Galleth squeezed her hand softly.
"It was not her fault, I was quite persuasive." He says. "Though it hurts me dearly that you would forbid me from visiting."
"I don't want you to see me like this." She admits, running fingers over her bandaged flesh. "When we changed my bandages yesterday I saw my reflection for the first time since the accident. I'm hideous." Her expression crumpled, tears gathering in her eye. It pained Galleth to see the normally spirited medic so upset and he embraced her, tight and comforting.
"I'm sure that is an overstatement." He utters tenderly, stroking her tuff of orange hair. "You could never be hideous to me, Jolenta. No matter how deep your wounds." Her tears are falling now but it's for a different reason. She returned the hug, burying her face in the raccoon's shoulder.
"Promise?"
Galleth puts his hand over his heart. "On thy mother's life."
Jo sniffs, wiping her nose on her sleeve before scooting back slightly.
"Alright," she reaches up, beginning to unwrap the bandages concealing her face. Galleth keeps his expression neutral as the extent of the damage is revealed but inside he was seething, at himself and for the one who did this to his treasured medic.
The full bandage drops into her lap and she looks dead ahead, full wound on display.
"Well?"
It's worse than he expected, the knight unable to help the startled gasp that leaves his mouth. Jo's face is burned and blistered, many patches of fur missing. Her right eye isn't much better, shut and swollen. Even her ear didn't escape the acid attack, sections taken out of it, leaving a shredded mess behind.
Jo takes one look at Galleth's shocked face and turns away, frowning as she covers the scarred flesh with her hand.
"That's what I thought." She's reaching for fresh bandages when Galleth takes a hold of her chin, forcing her to look at him. Before she can get out any words he captures her lips, stealing a quick kiss.
It's as the weasel's processing the action that Galleth gently bumps their foreheads together, voice low and full of love.
"You're as beautiful as you always have been, my darling."
The genuineness of the statement was enough to send Jolenta to tears again, smiling for the first time since her accident.
"Thank you." She gets out, holding him close. "Thank you."
"It's the truth." He states proudly. "Your scars are something to be honoured, a testimony to your bravery and courage in battle. Unlike my cowardice." His mood switches to one of anger, directed at no one but himself. Jo cocked her head to the side.
"What do you mean?"
He looks away, shamefaced. "If I had listened to your plan instead of running in headfirst like a complete idiot you never would have been put in harm's way."
"Galleth, listen to me, this is as much my fault as it is yours. I thought I could take on those enemies instead of staying back and doing my job." She sighs, shaking her head. "Always knew my reckless side would come back to bite me in the tail one day."
Galleth chuckles, good natured and happy. "It is that 'reckless side' that first drew me to you, my dear." He nuzzles her uninjured cheek. "Don't you ever change."
Jolenta hums, returning the gesture. "I promise."
She allows Galleth to help her replace her bandages, the knight doing so with a gentleness she didn't know he possessed. Once complete they curl up together on the floor of the tent, spending the night re-telling tales of old and plotting revenge on all who'd wronged them.
I have a couple other stories with these two in the works so feel free to tell me what you think :)