A Wolf in Vale

"Looks like we're in the same boat" Jacob replied solomnly "and you can always get some rest, I'll wake you if they call your name"

"Thanks..." Hira mumbled as she fell asleep on his shoulder, her hair pooling around her face.

"Don't mention it" Jacob muttered absently, folding his arms across his chest, trying not t wake the sleeping girl on his shoulder.

Half an hour later, a nurse comes out and calls for Hira.

Jacob stirred, having almost dozed off himself. He turned and gave Hira a gentle nudge
"Hira, you're up."

Hira groaned and shifted. "It's early, wake me up during business hours..." She mumbled.

Jacob turned to the nurse and shrugged. Before looking down at Hira, she wasn't kidding when she said she was tired.

Mumbling incoherently for a moment she wraps her arms around him. "Carry me..." She whispers.

Jacob cocked his head, before obliging, cradling the sleeping Faunas in his arms, he lifted her from her chair and carried her over to where the nurse was waiting. The woman looked less than pleased but a glare from Jacob forced her to swallow her protests.

"Xie xie." Hira mumbled into his chest, yawning quietly.

Jacob followed the nurse down the corridor. Slightly unnerved by the aesthetic of it all. The nurse turned another corner and opened a door
"The doctor will be right with you" she said, plastering a sickly smile across her face. Jacob grunted his thanks and carried Hira through.

"Hey Jacob... could you set me down on the bed thingy please?" Hira requested as she poked at his shoulder.

Jacob moved closer to the bed and set her down, smiling weakly. He stepped back and straightened his jacket
"You ok?" he asked.

"I'm okay... Just tired." Rubbing her eyes, Hira stretches and sits up. Looking around she waits for the doctor, tenderly touching the denim bandages.

Jacob dragged a seat over from the corner in order to sit beside the bed. Plonking himself down he casually leaned on the bed, looking up at Hira, smiling.

She absentmindedly scratches behind his ears. I wonder if I could put ice dust into a shotgun shell?

Jacobs ears twitch and his eyes glaze over slightly. He jerks suddenly and stares up at Hira, bewildered
"How did you do that?" he demanded.

She looks at him confused. "What...? What'd I do? Did I do something wrong?" She sounds concerned as she watches him.

"I don't know, I just zoned out" he explained. He shudders slightly "weird" he reached into his bag and pulled out an ammo cartridge before feeding it into Jernulv. "What's keeping this doctor anyway?"

"All I did was scratch behind your ears...and he's probably almost here." Just as she finishes the doctor walks in, walks over and replaces the denim bandages with actual bandages, then waves them out.

"his bedside manner was worse than mine" Jacob chuckled, swinging Jernulv back into its holster. Jacob frowned as Hira's words sank in "you scratched behind my ears?"

"Did I do something wrong?" She looks at him worriedly, fiddling with a buckle like before. "If I did I'm sorry..."

"No" Jacob shook his head reassuringly "it's just that my brain goes a bit fuzzy when someone does that" he shoved his hands into his pockets and stared at his boots sheepishly.

Hira giggles and then breaks out into quiet laughter, covering her mouth with her hand. "That's so cute!" She exclaims, dragging him out of the hospital.

"It's not cute" Jacob insisted, somewhat unconvincingly "it's embarrassing."

"It's very cute! Don't deny it!" She scratches behind his ears again, laughing while she does so. "Submit to my tickle scratches!"

The boy's pupils dilate as he is lulled into a dull stupor. He pulls away sharply, covering his ears with his hands
"Hey!"