Silence and cold stone walls were Krory’s only answer for some time… after a while he could hear a door open and close, followed by routine, but purposeful footsteps clacking here and there to rifle through equipment and paperwork. And then suddenly Krory’s door opened, and the head nurse entered, absent-mindedly, carrying a chart. When she lifted her head and saw Krory awake, her eyes widened and then narrowed sternly.
"Arystar Krory! You’re awake? Who has released you? I didn’t give anyone permission to do so! That was very dangerous! Are you aware you were having wild outbursts and tore at your bandages and knocked one of my nurses to the floor?" She sighs in exasperation just as Nurse Erica enters the room carrying a tray full of pancakes and orange juice and other things that filled the room with warmth and wonderful smells. Her eyes met with those of the head nurse. "Fuchō-san…!" Erica says as she freezes in place. "I-I-.. I know this looks bad, but he’s not dangerous! He woke up and spoke to me last night!" She sets down the tray on Krory’s night stand and holds his hand to comfort him. "So he spoke to you, that gives you permission to disobey my orders?" Asked the head nurse, glaring slightly. "No, Fuchō-san. Gomen’nasai." Nurse Erica bows her head. The head nurse stands there, looking over Erica and then Krory and after what seemed like forever but was really only a minute or two, she broke her stare. "See that it never happens again." "Hai, Fuchō-san. Arigato gozaimas." Erica bows her head again as the head nurse leaves. Erica then turns to Krory and kneels by the head of his bed. "I’m so glad to see you." She says as she squeezes his hand gently with both of hers. She chatters at him happily. "Have you tried getting up yet? I’m sorry you had to see that. I said I would take care of it. Here, I brought you breakfast." She takes the tray from the night stand and carefully sets it in on Krory’s lap. The smell of fresh warm pancakes and butter and strawberry jam was overwhelming. "All of your friends will come by soon to see you. The head nurse is probably giving them permission right now." She reaches out instinctively and strokes his hair, but stops herself when she sees it startles him. "I-I’m sorry. It’s kind of a reflex.." She goes quiet for a moment as if remembering something, and then changes the subject. "What can I do for you this morning?"
As the head nurse reprimanded him, Krory could only bring himself to blanch somewhat in shame, despite actually having no recollection of what she said he had done. He tried his hardest to repress a relieved smile, or at least to keep it out of sight. The head nurse's scolding, scathing as it was, was familiar, felt of being home. He lowered his gaze to his hands as he felt his lower lip trembling with the start of a tearful smile. The sun was up, its light flooding his room and warming the air. Home, home, he was really home, at long last. When the head nurse left, he realized the sound filling his ears was a terribly loud growling and gurgling that... seemed to be coming from his midriff. He realized what Nurse Erica had done for him in light of the head nurse's tirade, and looked up in surprise.
"Thank you so much," he said softly, trying to keep his voice steady. "Thank you, you've already done so much for me, and I... I don't know if I could ask too much of you. Will the head nurse be upset with you later for this? I didn't mean to cause you trouble, de aru." His gaze drifted down to the tray on his lap and he took a fork in his left hand, just feeling the slight weight of it, the cool metal against his palm. "Though... if it isn't too much to ask..." he murmured, "Could you help me stand before I eat, de aru? How long has it been since I walked on my own?"













