Chapter Text
The enforced slumber dredged up dreams of the past. Fire in the sky and distant roaring. Panicked days in the infirmary working to save lives. There were always more than she had time for. Someone was always choosing which patient got seen first. Women and children first. The ill before the healthy. And gods the bodies. So many people, so many stories, cut short with the crash of Bahamut’s bombardment. A single night took so much from so many and Kaira’s work was to dig in the viscera. To retrieve as many fragmentary lives as her two hands could.
It was on a night like that she’d been sitting on the docks of Limsa after her shift. Staring out over the ocean as she fumbled with her cigarettes. Her shaking hands nearly dropped the entire pack before she managed to get one between her lips. She snapped, trying to summon up even a spark of magic, only to find there was nothing to grasp. Her aetheric reserves were dry. The ethers in the infirmary were assigned on a surgery by surgery basis. There weren’t extras to waste on igniting tobacco. Tears stung the corners of Kaira’s eyes as she took notice of her hands. Stained in the crimson of so many and only half cleansed. She didn’t even have the strength to do that after the last two days. Exhaustion ate at her in ways she’d never known.
And then there was a crackle of flame. The cigarette lit and she took a long, slow drag to make sure it caught properly. “There’s my dear sister. I was worried when you didn’t show up to the rendezvous.” Rinyn slunk up and took a seat next to Kaira. “...you look tired. Tired and hollow. I haven’t seen you get this hungry in ages. This is no time to starve yourself. There are lives on the line.” Kaira felt her stomach turn and she just let her eyes drift back to the water. Watching the coils of smoke rise as she puffed the little luxury she had away into nothingness.
“I won’t do it.” Kaira replied bluntly, her tone flat and unexpressive. She didn’t even spare a look to her sister. She knew how Rinyn felt already.
There was a soft sigh from the black haired sister, “You could save so many more if you just consumed the aether of one or two. They’re not using it anymore. Just take it from the soon to be corpses who won’t make it. Think how much they’d appreciate their doctor if she could work round the clock…?” Kaira grit her teeth hard enough to bend the filter of her cigarette.
“You make it sound so easy to decide. But that’s not… Numbers are not the only thing that matter here. I swore an oath to do no harm.”
“And what harm is there in killing a dead thing, even if it doesn’t know it’s dead yet? They’re doomed anyways. You can’t save them.”
“That doesn’t mean I get to use them like pawns! They’re not our playthings you f–” Kaira’s words were cut off by a sharp slap across the face. One that sent her to the rough wood of the dock and snapped her smoke in half. All she could think was that there wasn’t time enough to bear the bruises of a proper beating right now. Without anything in reserve it would take her days to recover. Weeks if Rinyn was feeling particularly displeased with her behavior.
“You were born to lead people. To make these hard choices for the chattel of the world. But instead you’ve become like them. Weak and soft. I should feed you to the currents and let them grind this out of you against the towers…” She’d just wanted a fucking cigarette. “But this is a… rather sensitive moment. So I will return in a week’s time for our usual date. Wear something nicer than those rags. Or else.”
Kaira was left laying there, staring at the sky, as her sister departed. One hand over her mouth as the gaping hollow in her chest yawned wide, aching horribly. Tears raced down her cheeks. Was she truly this helpless? Were there no ways to escape this hell? How much would be required to pay the price for the sin of her family’s blood?
The door of the hospital clattered open and a familiar face stepped out, “Doctor Shiane?” One of the nurses, Shiori, a sweet brunette of a keeper with big brown eyes to match her hair. Carrying a bottle of something that she offered over to the prone healer. “Baderon’s donated his entire stock to the relief effort. Or at least most of it. When I heard you were wandering off again I knew you needed a drink. And look at you. If you’re going to cry, always better to do it into your cups!”
Kaira sat herself up and wiped her eyes, “I… okay… I could use the aether, at the least. Would you mind… sitting with me…? I don’t want to be alone right now.”
“The elusive Dr. Shiane finally comes to the table once more? What a privilege. You are planning to speak, right? Not just stare out at the horizon stone faced looking all self serious? I’m not about to drink alone.” Shiori laughed softly and took a seat as the redhead took the bottle and drank. Fortified wine of some variety. Bitter and sharp and awful, but her companion’s smile made it go down easier. Big and bright and beautiful, even if a bit exhausted.
“...I’m sorry I missed our date last week. My sister was in town and she… ah… she…” Kaira’s voice cracked and she steadied herself with more of the liquor. Pounding the boozy wine hard enough to make her stomach twist angrily at her lack of food. “...she was in town to see me…”
“Next time you tell her to fuck off, yeah? I’ve waited too long to let you slip my damn line again. And you… is that…?” Shiori leaned in and stared at Kaira’s face. Close enough to make her blush bright red even as the brunette grit her teeth in frustration. “...that’s why you were crying when I came out here. Damn you, Kaira. I told you not to leave without me. What if she’d actually hurt you again? There are so many people relying on you now. You can’t just let her get away with this.”
“I’m… sorry Shiori… I don’t…” Kaira stumbled over her words. She couldn’t grasp the form of the pain that bubbled up in her chest over what Shiori was saying. It was like trying to hold broken glass. Jagged and painful and she just wanted to let go of it. “...I don’t have the strength.”
“Then you better fucking find it, yeah? The patients need you. The other doctors need you. And if we can help you, just… fucking let us next time. We’re all tired of seeing the bruises on you. I’d report her to the damn yellowjackets but they’re about as useful as a fart in the breeze when it comes to familial disputes. Feckless bastards.”
“...will you walk me home again tonight…? Even if I’m an idiot who can’t keep a date, I still…” Kaira offered the bottle back with a sad smile, “I still want you. Gods help me do I want to have that life we talked about. Couple of kids and a small practice.”
“There’ll be no damn life if you let your sister kill you!” Shiori snatched the wine back in a huff and took a swig, “Stand up for yourself you sweet idiot. No one else can do it for you. Now let’s get you some rest so you can be back on your feet and saving lives, just like you were meant to.” The brunette stood up and offered Kaira her hand. “Time to get up, doctor. The world is waiting.”
Kaira took that hand in her own. Squeezed it tight. But it felt wrong. Shiori’s hands were soft and this one wasn’t quite right. Her chest hurt. Gods, all of her hurt. The memory blurred as her eyelids fluttered open. Big blue eyes staring up into a familiar set of green ones. “...Aellae…” Her voice was a hoarse croak as the scorching of her skin made even that small word like sandpaper on her throat.
“I’m here. I’m here. I’ve got you. You’re safe now, kitten, I promise.” Her Mistress’ voice had the trembling cadence of someone getting relief after a long, painful wait. “She’s gone, for now, everyone’s safe, you did it. We did it. You’re in one of Alexandria’s hospitals. Well… what passes for one in a place that uses the kind of healing they do. It’s… more of a bed in a storage closet… but you’re safe and you’re healing and I’m here.”
Kaira looked around the room. It sure fucking was a closet. There was barely room enough for her and the bed, but it was stocked with shining soul cells. Though there were also a couple of empty ones. “Did you…?” She glanced between the vacant containers and Aellae curiously.
“The damage was… extensive. You really did need those souls. Your fur’s still short in a few places but you have all your skin back, at least.”
“Water?” Aellae almost pushed a cup of water into Kaira’s hands before just rising from the little stool she’d been given and gently pouring it into the hrothgar’s mouth herself. Carefully feeding Kaira a few gulps of clear, cold liquid, before letting her take a breath before the rest of the glass went down. “Thanks. I’m not… quite so infirm that I can’t hold a cup, though, right?”
“Oh, certainly not. But I like feeding and watering my kitten. And I know she enjoys it just as much.” In that moment Kaira was very glad that she had fur to hide her blushing cheeks. But that didn’t stop her from giving a reflexive rumbling purr. Aellae dragged a finger down the bridge of her snout, “That’s my good girl. We’ll get you upright soon. But you haven’t eaten anything in a couple of days. So you’re going to stay in that bed until I give you permission to get up.”
“Oh no! Forced to be cared for. My worst nightmare.” Kaira put one hand to her forehead in mock despair. “Truly, could there be anything worse in this life than being bedridden with your Mistress there to care for you?”
“I can think of a few I’m going to do to your smug ass when you’re fully healed. Now scootch over so I can cuddle you.”
“Hey wait the bed’s not–!” The protests fell on deaf ears and soon enough there was both a larger than average hrothgar and a larger than average miqo’te sharing the same tiny mattress. Kaira’s back was up against a wall or a shelf or something, jabbing her right in the lower back and Aellae was tucked right into her arms. Whatever she was going to say was lost in the expression she saw on Aellae’s face. Fear and relief and joy all warring for space. “...sorry I signed up for the Arcadion without talking to you first.”
“Like I’d have told you not to go…? I love seeing you in your element. And no one died. You got to really show your stuff and everyone had an excellent time. Oh, I promised I’d ping Yaana and the whole crew when you woke up. Let me just…”
Aellae fished a linkpearl from the pockets of her robes and held it up, activating the enchanted little thing in the palm of her hands, between their heads. “Helloooooo~! Guess who’s awake, my lovelies?”
“That idiot’s up?! Tell her that I’m going to break her ribs the next time I hug her!” Yaana was the first to chime in, “Hey, BB, Eutrope, Honey, she’s awake!”
“Hmh… glad she lived. Maybe I’ll get her a little something for making my life so interesting. What do you say, Kaira, want another hit of Honey…?” The drawl of the Arcadion’s queen bee was always recognizable. “Or maybe you’d prefer hell to heaven?”
“B. if you so much as touch her, without my permission, I will take that feral soul back faster than your ratings fell when you lost it.” Kaira watched the vein on Aellae’s forehead grow two sizes that day. Understandably so. “Do I make myself clear, young lady?”
“Spoilsport. Offer’s open, though, kitty cat.”
Then there was a rougher, louder voice, “OI! Champ. Ya made it! Knew ya could do it. Metem says there’s gonna be another ceremony to give ya the belt, on account of ‘interruptions by interested parties’. Once yer healed up, that is.”
“That’s great news. I don’t think anyone ever actually handed me that belt… when was the last time I got a new belt anyway? Feels like it’s been a few years.”
“Not my department. But we’ll see ya soon as Aellae says yer good for visitors. Wouldn’t want to interrupt ya givin’ yer pet a physical, now would we lasses?”
There was a chorus of laughter from the far end of the linkpearl. And from Aellae. Kaira was wondering if she had the strength to dig a hole and climb into it for a little while. Face in her hands as she whined quietly. “Oh fuck you.”
“What was that, champ? Ya gotta speak up. All th’ bombs really did a number on my hearing.”
Aellae stepped in to answer for the mortified hrothgar, “I’ll be very thorough so you might be waiting awhile. Don’t wait up.” And then the connection closed. She gently prised Kaira’s hands away from their face before planting a kiss on that sweet feline snout of theirs. “So you see, they’re all fine and everything’s really kind of… turned out fabulously. All there is to do is for you to relax.”
“...what about Eutrope…?” There was a twinge in both their expressions at the mention of Yaana’s older sister. “Is she… how’s she taking it…?”
“Seems fine. We’ll go see her first thing when you’re healed. I already made sure she had contraceptives and all that. So it’ll just be a check in, really, but you need to recover or we’re not going, got it?”
“Understood, Mistress. I’m bedridden anyways, until you say otherwise.”
“Good girl.”