Planet: Eteran

First Insurgency War

RAYAN

"How is he?"

Rayan waited outside in the second floor foyer while Dr. Matthey and Mom closed the door on the room James occupied. He counted his steps as he replied, "Last I left, sleeping, not sure if he still is." His fingers wound around the back of his head as he sighed and sat against the wall where the flurried storm blasted against the arched window across from him. Ava's silence on the other end dogged him with a sense of failure, though there was nothing he could've done to prevent James' sickness and stubbornness. "Sorry."

"Sorry?" Ava questioned. "Why would you say sorry? At least he's safe somewhere I know and... I don't know, not in the snow somewhere."

"How'd your parents take it?"

Ava hummed. "Well, Mom didn't take it well. James wasn't supposed to head out, but you know how he is," she said with a sigh. "Dad got antsy — I think he might go over at some point today."

Awesome... Rayan cringed where Ava couldn't see. He leaned off the wall. "Yeah, about that... are you sure you're twins?"

Ava broke out into a laugh, where the sound vibrated his heart. "Yes, Ray, though I will say I'm a minute older. Not sure if that changes anything." Her huff on the other end echoed with annoyance. "Thanks for taking care of him and not letting him leave."

He almost did.

Rayan leaped into attention when the door clicked open, and Mom and Dr. Matthey left. Mom gave him a smile and a subtle nod while Dr. Matthey turned to her and held her winter jacket close to herself.

"I'll call you later, Ava," he said, and she made a noise of confirmation as he hung up.

"Tell me if he changes," she said. "It'll take him a couple days to a week to power through this, so make sure he keeps himself hydrated and warm, especially in this weather." She swung the coat up her arms and zipped it up. "It's a harder winter this Quad, so... he probably won't be the only one."

"The one thing I don't miss," Mom joked as she led Dr. Matthey to the door. "Take care, Dr. Matthey."

Dr. Matthey nodded and left into the snowy storm with her head wrapped in a heavy hood, hat, and scarf; he wondered how she breathed in it. Rayan turned to Mom. "Is he awake?"

"No, barely woke up to Dr. Matthey's check-up," Mom replied. "If you want to go see him, you can, but try not to disturb him too much."

"I won't." He raced for the door, but skittered to a stop as Mom descended the steps. "By the way, Ava said... they're dad might come over."

"Garrett?" Mom questioned. "He is coming over later today."

Rayan readied himself for the confrontation as he slipped into the guest bedroom, one of many, but right next to his bedroom. Colours glowed from the I-Screen, but darkness bathed the rest of the room with the lack of dim lights. James' shape sprawled underneath covers as his breathing steadied and slowed. Rayan rounded the bed to examine him, where the ashen pallor plagued his best friend, though some colour returned to his lips. He dodged the empty bucket next to James' side of the bed. The water capsule sat on the bedstand, half-full. He sat down in the plush seat and grabbed the remote to switch through the channels, keeping the volume at its lowest.

James stirred, but twisted his face to the other side with a deep sigh. Rayan pressed his fingers into his brow and continued to watch the program in atmospheric silence. He rested the side of his head against his knuckle while the storm howled outside the blind-covered window. The inner room panel kept at a steady temperature.

It took an hour for James' dad to arrive.

Rayan headed out of the room to grab his sketchpad, and came to a faltering stop at the bannister as Mom and James' dad spoke in low voices. Mom noticed him first with a smile. "Rayan."

James' dad turned to him with sharp, unreadable hazel eyes. Mom stepped to the side with a swooping wave of her arm, and Rayan stiffened when he crawled up the split steps into the second floor foyer. Out of the way of Mom's friend, he kept close to his shadow as he entered the room without a hesitated step. Mom joined him off to the side as James' dad loomed over his side in one smooth examination.

"He's safe here, Garrett," Mom said with a grin.

"Thank you, Illiya." James' dad leaned closer to James, who breathed easier than before. Rayan hid behind Mom's arm to avoid the scrutinizing hazel which burned through his mind and stifled his voice. Mom left the room, and Rayan hesitated as James' dad sat down on the chair to observe his son.

Out of the sick room, Rayan fiddled with his fingers. "Should I do anything?" he whispered.

"You're keeping him company, that's all you need to do," Mom pointed out. "You don't have to worry."

Rayan flushed at Mom's words, and he sniffed. "I'm... not fretting."

Mom raised both eyebrows. "I didn't say you were fretting."

Rayan twisted his nose as Mom chuckled and patted him on the back. "Thanks for keeping watch for me, Rayan," she said.

Does... she know what James intends?

Rayan gazed into her eyes, but found no sort of deceit or hidden knowledge, though Mom knew everything. Her smile softened as she went back downstairs, and heavier footsteps behind him cast a shadow around his body. He whipped around to face Garrett Ranier, who stood a head over him, but never quite the height of Mom. His back hit the bannister as Mr. Ranier stared down at him.

Rayan released the tension and flattened his placement in his own home, returning Mr. Ranier's stare. Fists clenched, he refused to back down.

Mr. Ranier blinked, then released him from his shadow as he went to rejoin Mom downstairs. Rayan sank against the railing and steadied his shaking limbs at the sense of pressure James' dad expelled. He straightened himself out as Mr. Ranier stood at the front door with a nod to Mom.

"Thanks for taking care of my son," he said. "I hope he doesn't give you trouble when he comes to."

Mom chuckled. "I can handle him, Garrett, don't worry."

Garrett sent a glance at him, and he refused to retreat as he let out a familiar sounding huff before leaving the manor. Rayan groaned and leaned on the railing. "He hates me."

"Garrett is hard to crack, but he doesn't hate you. I will talk to him about his stubbornness, but that seems to run in the Ranier blood." Arms folded, her smile sank into a frown. "We've both just seen quite a fair bit of things that don't go away with time." A sigh escaped her lips, and the weary shadows returned to her eyes. "It may be a silly wish, but I hope you never have to go through what we have. I hope this will end and that you'll find joy in the things you create." Her smile returned, but an ancient hollowness filled it. "I'll be preparing dinner, call me if you need anything."

Rayan held onto the railing as she disappeared down the corridor.

I haven't seen her get like that in so long... it's getting worse, isn't it? Concern laced through his heart, but he returned to James' sick room as he laid on his back, a cloth draped over his brow. Rayan took the spot Mr. Ranier once occupied, scooting closer to keep his silent vigil on James, whose breathing softened as time went on. He straightened himself out when James licked his lips then opened his eyes with a small, soft huff.

"Welcome back," Rayan said.

"I didn't go anywhere," James said with a weak scoff before nodding at the screen. "What's with your romantic comedy binge?"

"Oh... I wasn't actually watching it." Rayan leaned on the bed, where their hands brushed. "Are you feeling any better? Mom's making dinner."

James released a strangled huff and dropped his arm over his eyes to hide the piercing hazel. "I just wish you didn't have to see me like this." He rolled over, another attempt at retreat as his hand escaped the reach of his. "I'm so... frustrated." Rayan frowned at the light sob on his voice while he trembled throughout his entire body, underneath the warm blankets.

"You're not feeling well, that's fine," Rayan said. "It happens... I'm not going to judge you." And I'm... I'm not going to judge you or hate you for the choice you make. It's your choice... I cannot change that. Rayan rested his hand on James' shoulder, then whispered, "Are you hungry, at least?"

James shook his head and kept his face hidden in the crook of his arm while his fingers ran through the dirty-blonde locks.

"Do you think you could eat something like soup?" Rayan insisted.

"Why are you doing this?"

James' question tossed his mind aside. "What... do you mean?"

"You could be doing literally anything else than watching me be a mess," James murmured as he twisted over to smother himself in the pillow. "You could be doing anything — paint, hang out with Ava, spend time with her."

"Oh, and she'd be totally impressed that I ditched her brother while he's sick and miserable when she can't be there for him right now," Rayan said at James' line of thoughts which pierced into his heart and he longed to wash steel through the mark. "I could do all those things... but I won't. I want to keep you company."

A heavy, annoyed breath escaped James as he peered at him from the side. "And you said I'm stubborn?"

"Because you are."

James rolled his eyes and onto his back, but never tried to hide. He spun his fingers in the air, and Rayan raised the volume on the I-Screen. Gentle music played throughout the speakers, and he put it in James' hands to relinquish control. "Your dad was here."

James stiffened. "He was?"

"Yeah, Ava called me to warn me ahead of time."

"Warning you?"

"Well... not warning me, just sort of telling me," Rayan mumbled.

James' pursed his lips. "What did he say to you?"

"What?"

"You wouldn't be telling me this if he didn't say something, so." James gave him an owlish blink. "What did he say to you?"

"Why?"

"Depending on how you respond, I'm going to have to get out of this bed, go back home, and give him what's what." He sat up with a heavy huff, leaning into his arms.

"He didn't say anything to me, I promise," Rayan assured, raising his hand to push James back down into the bed, but James swayed when he threw his legs out from under the covers to face him on equal ground. "You need more sleep."

"I need a shower is what I need." James pushed off the bed, and Rayan winced when he stumbled on both his feet. "I'll go back to bed after."

Rayan waited until he was in the washstation before leaving the room to join Mom downstairs. Stew simmered on the boiler, with another smaller pot left for James' soup.

"He's awake, he said he wasn't hungry," Rayan reported.

Mom poured the finished soup into a bowl and held out the platter to him with a grin. "Well, it's okay if he isn't, but I want him to get something into him." Rayan took the platter out of her hands. "Our dinner will be ready soon, so take that up to him."

Rayan returned to James, who had come out of the shower in fresh clothes and back in bed, head leaning against the pillow as he breathed softly. Rayan tugged out the bedside table from the holder, then asked, "You awake?"

"Barely." James lifted open his eyes. "I needed that shower." He dragged himself up to pull the table and platter in front of him. He dipped his spoon into the steaming soup, then sipped at it. "Thanks, Ray."

Rayan sat beside him. "No problem. I'll always be here if you need me."

James sipped the soup. "Will you?" His grins strengthened. "Come spring term it'll be varsity season... I'm going to need you to be there for me, seeing as the Vanguard and the Anchor have to be in perfect sync, as Jon says." He leaned closer. "Think you can handle that, city boy? I've made all other vanguard frontliners on the roster run away after the first game with me."

Rayan matched his lean and almost bumped brows with him. "Run? From you? Never. You'd have to chase me off the pitch to get me out of the frontlining position," he said, while the fire of Kestra lit in his weary heart at the future possibilities.