"We spent all morning on the couch under the blanket again," Orla told Ronin when he got home.
By we, of course, Orla meant Nod.
Ronin had been back on duty for almost three weeks now, and he was still coming home to Nod hiding under his blanket. Some days he couldn't get Nod out from under it until bath time. Actually, Nod had missed a few baths over the past few weeks because he had refused to come out, and the temper tantrum that would ensue over forcing the issue hadn't seemed worth it.
Ronin really couldn't blame him for being angry; he never should have let Barnet take him. He had just been hoping that Nod would get used to him being back on duty a little faster than he was.
"He ate breakfast after you left, but he hasn't eaten anything since then, so he's probably ready for lunch," the daisy jinn said.
"Thank you Orla," Ronin unbuckled his belt and put his sword away.
Ronin bid her goodbye and finished taking off his armor and putting away his weapons before going to kneel down near the end of the blanket he guessed Nod's head was at.
"How was your morning buddy?" Ronin asked, dropping his hand to rest on where Nod's head should be.
The blanket wiggled, and Nod pushed at his hand crankily from under it, but didn't say anything. Nod's understanding seemed to be improving, but he still wasn't talking. At least he was signing when he wanted things.
"I got you something," Ronin opened the bag he had brought home.
Nod shifted again, but didn't come out from under the blanket.
Ronin didn't get Nod toys often. Most of the toys he had, had been gifts from other people. Eben had been coming over to play regularly though, and Ronin thought the boys might like a few more toys to add to their games, and he knew Nod would like adding more birds to his menagerie.
Finn's father, Kendon, was a wood worker. He usually made furniture, but Ronin knew he liked to make toys when he got the chance, and Ronin had asked him to make a set of wooden birds for Nod to play with.
"This is a nuthatch," Ronin pulled the wooden toy out of the bag and set it on the coffee table where Nod could see it if he pulled his head out from under the blanket.
"Here's a warbler and a finch," Ronin set the brightly painted birds in a line, "and a swallow and a junco."
There were over a dozen in all, including two types of humming bird and a duck with two ducklings. Ronin was hoping that the prospect of playing with them would coax him out from under the blanket, or at least cheer him up a little.
After all the birds were in a line, a little hand reached out and plucked a cardinal off the table. A moment later a blue tree swallow disappeared under the blanket as well, and Nod rolled onto his back, sticking his feet in the air to make a tent of the blanket. A perfect cardinal's whistle came from under the blanket, followed by the chirping of a swallow.
"How about some lunch?" Ronin smiled and patted the boy's head through the material, relieved that he seemed happy with his new toys.
A hand shot out for the junco and the appropriate whistle followed. Ronin took that as a yes and got up to get lunch started.
Lunch got eaten in the living room, and in Nod's case, under the blanket. Ronin was sure there were going to be crumbs ground into the cushions, but Nod's mood seemed to gradually be improving, which was more important than any cleaning Ronin would have to do.
Nod imitated birds in-between mouthfuls, or at least Ronin hoped it was between mouthful or the couch really was going to be a mess. They were always local birds, and Ronin wasn't bad at guessing which ones. Nod would keep going with the same call until Ronin got it right. Even if it was only a little game, it was nice to be playing with Nod.
Ronin was almost done with dishes when someone knocked on the door. Since Ronin had started working from home in the afternoons, it had become increasingly common for messengers and couriers, along with an occasional captain, to show up on his doorstep. Nod didn't like strangers coming into their home much, but he did better with that then he did with Ronin being gone all day.
At the sound of the door Nod, who had stuck his head out to rearrange his birds on the coffee table, immediately ducked back under his blanket and curled into a ball. Ronin sighed softly and went to answer the door. Hopefully, this would be quick.
Captain Orion was there with a sizable stack of papers. Orion was their oldest active duty Leafman and handled the basic training for all their new recruits.
"Mid-season reviews for the graduating group," Orion handed off the stack of papers to the general.
"Anything noteworthy?" Ronin stepped back to let him in.
"Your blanket is moving," Orion replied mildly.
Ronin glanced at the couch where Nod was wiggling again under his blanket, "it does that sometimes."
"Also, you seem to have acquired a flock," Orion's lips quirked up in a grin.
"Uh-huh," Ronin replied absently, already distracted by the report he had been handed.
Orion left him to it, heading into the living room to sit on the far side of the coffee table from Nod. He picked up the wooden cardinal and examined it closely.
"This is a really nice humming bird," he said, turning it over in his hand.
The blanket stirred, and it was possible the boy was watching him from under one of the folds.
"Look at all the detail," he smiled slyly, "just like a real humming bird."
A cardinal's whistle came from under the blanket.
"Even the color is right for a humming bird," Orion fought off a grin.
"Cardinal," Nod said firmly.
Ronin jumped at the sound of his voice; it seemed like ages since he had last heard it. Nod was still hidden under his blanket, and Orion looked highly amused.
"No, it's a humming bird," Orion shook his head.
"Cardinal," Nod repeated.
"Look at all the red on it," Orion held the bird up, "it has to be a ruby throated humming bird."
"Cardinal!" Nod insisted, finally poking his head out from under the blanket.
"Huh," Orion eyed the toy, "I guess you're right."
He set it on the table within reach of Nod and picked up the chickadee, "this one is the humming bird then."
Ronin realized he was staring and went back to his reports. Orion had enough great grand children to fill at least two units. If he wanted to play with Nod, Ronin wasn't going to interfere, especially if he could get Nod talking.
Orion misnamed every single bird on the table and by the time he got through all of them Nod had slid off the couch to sit on the floor across from him, stuffed chickadee in his lap, giggling madly every time Orion got it wrong.
"Alright, I know when I've been beat," Orion stood up, "Ronin, do you need anything else?"
"No," Ronin looked up, "thank you."
"You're welcome," Orion's smirk told Ronin he knew he wasn't thanking him for the reports.
Nod waved goodbye and went back to playing with his toys. Ronin let him play while he finished reading. He was tempted to go play with him and try to get him to talk more, but he didn't want Nod to become irritated or frustrated and stop trying to talk all together, so he let him be. If he wanted Ronin to play with him, he wouldn't hesitate to crawl all over him until he did.
Ronin had just finished up, and had a slightly longer mental list than usual of new placements he expected trouble from during their first season, when Nod climbed into his lap, nearly knocking over the water sitting next to the reports. Ronin had to juggle both boy and cup for a moment while Nod settled himself in his lap.
As soon as Nod was settled, he pushed the reports out of the way, making room for his wooden birds. He dumped them in a pile on the table, then pointed to the door.
"Eben's not coming over today," Ronin told him, as that seemed to be what Nod usually wanted when he pointed to the door.
"Who?" Nod demanded, pointing again.
Ronin frowned for a moment, then realized what he was asking, "oh, that was Captain Orion."
Nod gave him a look that clearly said he had great doubts about the competency of Ronin's officers, then started picking up birds and setting them in a row in front of them.
"Finch," Nod told him as he set the bird upright on the table.
"That's right," Ronin grinned down at him.
Nod went through all the birds, giving them their proper name as he set them upright in a row, and Ronin didn't even have to fend his enthusiasm over each declaration. When he had finished all of them, Ronin hugged him tight and covered his face with kisses until the boy was squealing with laughter.
"You're brilliant, you know that," Ronin told the boy proudly.
Nod gave him a confused look.
"You are the most clever, bravest boy I know," Ronin cuddled him close.
Nod gave him a shy grin, then chirped and went back to playing with his birds, using the piles of paper as mountains for them to climb. Ronin didn't interrupt him, not even when he decided to use Ronin's cup for a bird bath.
Ronin glanced over when Nod jumped up from his spot on the floor of the study suddenly and trotted out the door and down the hall. He was probably just going to get more toys; he already had all his stuffed animals arranged in a circle around where he had been sitting and his wooden birds lined up on the edges of the built in shelves.
There were piles of picture books scattered around the room, and a stack of papers for Nod to draw on. While Nod's crayons were mostly contained in a basket, there were a fair number of them scattered across the floor, and Ronin had to be careful not to step on them. More and more of Nod's toys were migrating to Ronin's study, which he supposed made sense as it was where they spent most of their afternoons now.
Ronin went back to work, looking up a few minutes later when Nod returned with his arms full of blankets and pillows. He dropped them on the floor, then marched back out the door. Ronin watched him repeat the trip several times, first toting the pile of blankets from the living room, then all the pillows he could find, including the ones from the couch, then the pillows and some of the blankets from Ronin's bed. Finally, Ronin heard him dragging something down the hall.
Ronin pushed his chair back and leaned to the side to see out the door. Nod was dragging the futon mattress that had been folded beside the couch down the hall.
"You want some help with that buddy?" Ronin asked.
"No!" Nod huffed, nearly losing his balance when he pulled too hard and the mattress slid more than he expected it to.
It had been a week since Nod had started talking again, and he still wasn't really putting sentences together, but Ronin was more than happy with his one word replies for now. It was progress and that was all that mattered.
Ronin considered, then shrugged and shifted back in his chair, "let me know if you change your mind."
"No!" Nod repeated, tripping a little in his attempt to push the mattress through the door.
Ronin wanted to laugh, but thought maybe he shouldn't. He ducked his head over his reports to hide his smile.
With a last push, Nod managed to get the mattress through the door, and tumbled down on top of it. Unfazed by the fall, the boy popped back up and dragged the mattress to the spot in front of Ronin's desk, then plopped down on top of it. He sat looking around for a moment, then chirped and sprang back up, dragging it to a corner of the room and sitting on it again.
That proved to be unsatisfactory as well, and the boy tried another spot. The process repeated itself several times until Nod finally settled on the far corner behind Ronin's desk. There was just enough room for the futon to lay flat when it was pushed flush against the corner.
Ronin tried to focus on his paperwork, but it was hard with Nod making trips back and forth across the room to collect blankets and pillows, then meticulously arranging them in the corner. It didn't take Ronin long to realize Nod was rebuilding his nest.
An unreasonable surge of happiness passed through Ronin. Nod's nest had been his little sanctuary, and the place he went when he wanted to feel safe, but he hadn't shown any interest in rebuilding it. Now that he was, Ronin really wanted to help him, but the boy seemed adamant that he would do it by himself.
Once Nod had finishing building the nest, he took a big blanket and stood on his tip toes, tucking the edges under the books on the highest shelf he could reach. They weren't heavy enough to hold it though, and it slipped free.
"Let's try putting some more weight on it," Ronin said, pulling a few heavy volumes off the shelf behind him and rearranging the books on the shelf Nod had tried to hang the blanket from so more of them could be stacked on top of it.
Nod watched him with a critical eye, nodding in approval when the blanket stayed in place. He picked up the free corner closest to the shelves on the other side of the corner and stretched it out, holding it in the spot he wanted it.
"Here," the boy demanded.
"Got it," Ronin grinned and stacked books on top of it to hold it in place.
Nod left the last corner hanging loose and went to gather up more books, pulling the heavy ones off the bottom shelves and carrying them to Ronin's desk. Some of them were so heavy he had to use two hands to carry them.
He stacked them as high as he could reach, then tried to get the last corner of the blanket under them and encountered a problem; they were too heavy for him to lift. He looked up at Ronin expectantly, and the general was only too happy to help him out, lifting the books and tucking the edge of the blanket under.
Nod examined everything carefully, then gave a happy chirp and crawled inside. Ronin crouched down so he could see the boy.
"Is it all good?" he asked.
"Yes," Nod grinned at him, "good."
"I'm glad," Ronin smiled.
Ronin sat back down in his chair and carefully slid free a few papers that had been trapped under the stack of books. Nod whistled cheerfully inside his new nest for a few minutes, then crawled out and started collecting his toys to put inside it.
Maybe Ronin would get him a little potted luminescent to put on one of the shelves so he could have more light under the blanket.
Ronin had just settled back into working went Nod tugged on his pant leg. He looked down to see the boy leaning out of his nest and holding up a book.
"Read?" Nod asked hopefully.
Ronin hesitated; he had a lot of work to get through, but Nod looked so eager to have Ronin read to him.
"Okay," Ronin took the book and pushed his chair out of the way.
Ronin couldn't quite fit under the blanket, so he sat on the floor beside the nest, and Nod sprawled across the pillows so he could see the pictures.
All in all, it was a good afternoon, and much better than doing paperwork.