I walked carefully towards the 'steps' and looked down. There was a rope there. I reached out and grabbed it, willing my muscles to cooperate so I wouldn't fall. I put my other hand on the rope and braced myself to attempt to climb down. Just as I lifted my foot to step off the landing, a pair of massive arms encircled my waist.
"Hold on there, young lady," a voice boomed behind me. I looked back and saw the Elder, standing behind me.
"Does Akisame know what you're about to do?" he asked. I sighed and hung my head.
"No," I said. "He's in the clinic; I just can't stand to be inside anymore." The Elder stroked his beard thoughtfully and hummed.
"Perhaps a bit of fresh air would be good for you," he mused, lifting me up and dropping down to the lower floor with a loud thud. He carried me outside and set me on the porch, taking a seat next to me.
"Thank you," I said, smiling at him.
"Did you sleep alright last night?" he asked. "I thought I heard you shuffling around." I blushed.
"I didn't mean to disturb you," I said.
"You didn't," he said. "Just an observation. Was something wrong?"
"I guess I just got used to someone being in the room with me," I said. "I kept waking up reaching for someone."
"For Akisame?" he asked. I shrugged.
"I guess," I said. "I would get cold and look for him to warm me." Hayato chuckled.
"Why didn't you say anything?" he asked.
"I wouldn't want to bother him," I said, waving it away. "I just got cold and looked for my usual heat source."
"You could have gotten Sakaki," he pointed out.
"Sakaki is a bed hog," I pouted. Elder laughed at this and patted my shoulder. He then stood up.
"Call one of us when you want to come in," he said.
"Okay," I replied, watching him walk back inside. I sat on the porch, enjoying the cool breeze. I lay on my side, watching as a pair of birds danced around together. My eyes began to drift shut, soothed by the gentle bird song and the smell of grass.
"I heard you tried to climb down the rope."
I rolled onto my back and saw Akisame standing behind me, scowling down at me.
"Yeah," I said.
"What were you thinking?" he asked.
"That if I spent one more moment stuck inside I'd launch myself out the window," I replied. Akisame's eyes went wide, and then he began to laugh.
"I guess I should have just brought you with me," he mused, sitting down and putting my head in his lap.
"Then I'd still be cooped up inside," I complained. He smiled and pushed my hair back from my face.
"It's a good thing the Elder found you when he did," he said. I yawned and nodded.
"Looks like you need to go back to bed," Akisame observed.
"No," I huffed. He arched an eyebrow.
"Oh?"
"I don't want to go back inside," I declared. "You can't make me!" I giggled.
"I very well can," he said. I yelped and rolled off his lap, falling off the porch and landing in the soft grass below.
"Nooooooooooooooooo!" I cried, continuing to roll away from him in the grass. He laughed and stood, watching as I rolled to the middle of the yard and stopped, lying flat on my back and looking up at the bright blue sky. Akisame walked over to where I lay, panting. He dropped down on the grass beside me, lying on his back. I rolled over and cuddled into his side, pillowing my head on his chest. He looked down at me and chuckled.
"You have no shame," he teased.
"Not a one," I declared, guilelessly. I glanced toward the door and could have sworn I saw Sakaki, Apachai and Shugure peeking out at us, but when I looked again, they were gone.
"Did you sleep well last night?" he asked. I paused, wandering if I should say something like the Elder had suggested. He sighed and stroked my hair.
"You might as well tell me the truth," he said.
"I kept waking up looking for you," I admitted. "Anytime I got cold I would reach for you."
"Would you like me to stay with you tonight?" he asked.
"That's a lot of trouble," I said.
"It's no trouble," he said. "I must confess, I found myself waking several times to check on you."
"It's funny how quickly you get used to something," I said.
"Indeed," he agreed, running his fingers through my hair. I sighed and closed my eyes.