Guilford had recently developed a particular distaste for hospitals. Everything was so cold and unfeeling. Everything was painted white, giving the area an air of lifelessness. He had spent much of his time here, recently, hoping and praying for Blanks' recovery.
She had always been a stubborn little thing, and her attitude wasn't changing now. Several times the doctors had informed him she wouldn't last much longer, and each time Blanks managed to pull through. Still, her condition wasn't improving.
Blanks lay rather still, holding Guilford's hand. There was silence in the room except for her shallow breathing and the beep of the EKG. Usually, just his presence was enough to satisfy Blanks. Guilford never wanted her to talk for too long for fear that she would overexert herself. Today was no different.
"Gil," Blanks said, finally speaking up. Her voice was soft, and fading. "I wish we'd met much sooner." She sighed as deeply as her lungs would allow.
"You're going to regret saying that," Guilford said, trying to lighten the mood for himself. "You've seen so much of me already, you must be getting tired or my company." Blanks laughed.
"Oh, alright," she said, teasingly, "I suppose I am tired of you. But only a little. I have high tolerance you know." Guilford laughed.
"High tolerance? It's a miracle you kept me around this long," he said. Blanks smiled again, but closed her eyes wearily.
"You know I love you, right, brother?" she asked, her voice growing increasingly softer.
"Of course I know that," Guilford said. "What kind of question is that?"
"I just wanted you to know that if you were in the hospital because you'd done something idiotic, I would come visit you, too." She laughed a little.
"You weren't being an idiot," Guilford said. "You were being you. You've always been worried about other people. That's why you've become such a great soldier." Blanks laughed at this, her laugh turning to a violent cough.
"Great soldiers aren't casualties of the first battle," she said, her smile never faltering.
"You're not a casualty of the first battle," Guilford said. Blanks' demeanor was unnerving. Even when wounded, she was usually cheerful. Today, her cheeriness was faltering. It wasn't completely gone, which was comforting. Still, it was worrisome.
"You're gonna do great things, brother," she said, opening her eyes slowly. "You'll lead the Britannian army, maybe even marry Princess Cornelia. That would be a wedding to see." Guilford felt heat rush to his cheeks.
"I'm not going to marry Princess Cornelia," he said, hotly. "You must be getting too much morphine." Blanks smiled devilishly.
"You may not get married, but you want to," she said. Guilford began to reply, but she cut him off. "Oh, don't try and lie to me. I'm not an idiot. You may not realize just how much you like her yet." Guilford sighed.
"And you do?" he asked.
"Yes," she smiled. "Just make sure she takes care of you, eh? I can't be your babysitter forever."
"Lynette," Guilford said, standing and kissing her forehead. "You are truly delirious." He laughed a little. "I'm going to see if I can sneak in some chocolate for you, okay?"
"Sounds excellent," she smiled. Guilford turned and walked out the door.
On countless occasions, he had been caught trying to sneak in food for Blanks. He felt bad; none of the food she was given looked very appetizing. The nurses had learned to check him for food every time he came in. However, as the nurses' awareness had increased, so had Guilford's skill at sneaking in food.
It was a matter of minutes before he was upstairs again, chocolate successfully smuggled past the nurses. Several doctors brushed past him in a hurry. Guilford paid them no mind, until he noted that they were heading towards Blanks' room. He picked up his pace, following after them.
Upon arriving at Blanks' room, he saw several doctors crowded around her bed, trying to stabilize her condition once more. Her heart rate was decreasing rapidly. He tried to push his way into the room, to be by her side, though maneuvering around the doctors proved to be a difficult task. His hand managed to find hers, the warmth from her fingers almost completely gone. Blanks glanced at him, tears escaping her eyes, and smiled.
"I love you," she mouthed. Then nothing. Her eyes closed, and nothing. Guilford felt nothing but numbness.