[ back to where we started ] — open; waking up

[michael t.]

ALL I FOUND THE SPACE BETWEEN THE SPACES
STANDING IN THE NOTHING, AND TIME RECLAIMS YOU

Frustration. It had rolled off of Michael in ever-present waves as of late, as if the dealer was in a perpetual state of on edge. And in a way, he was. So many of his crewmates had been injured in such a short time, and he couldn't help feeling useless. Even if Roan was frustrated with the constant work being piled onto his shoulders, at least he had something to do. He could patch up their wounds and nurse them back to health, working his hardest to make sure they remained alive. Michael, meanwhile? He wasn't designed for healing, nor was he really designed for fighting. Even if he had been, it seemed as though he constantly arrived just a moment too late. He would never show up just when his crewmates needed him the most. Instead, he would arrive a few minutes later, when their blood had already been spilled against the sand, or the floor of the jungle. At that point, all he could do was shout for Roan and the sages, and pray that things would be alright.

Danny had been one of the several poor unfortunate souls that had fallen prey to Caesar's warpath of revenge, and his case had hit Michael particularly hard. The thief was beginning to like having the kid around, enjoying seeing him grow and become stronger by the day. It seemed like he would always have some amount of anxiety lingering around him, but he also seemed excited for the future. He had completed his division ceremony, and his friendships with Vayne, Lumia, and Marianas put Michael at ease. He had figured that the other had a bright future ahead of him, and that nothing would change that. Then, Caesar had happened. The dealer had heard about the attack in the aftermath, and had quickly gone running to the temple to see the damage done, his heart sinking when he saw the canine laid out. Roan had already gotten to work at that point, and Michael was more than sure his nephew would make sure Danny survived, but... what of that bright future?

After that, he made a habit of visiting every couple of hours, for several reasons. Danny wasn't the only one that the bobcat wanted to check in on, not to mention he had to make sure that Roan actually got some rest. The medic had been running himself ragged as of late, and Roxie was far too busy with her captaining duties to constantly check in on him and see if he was actually getting any sleep. So, Michael had taken on the role, occasionally checking in with small snacks, some extra herbs he had picked up, and sometimes even sweet treats, meant to cheer up the patients. However, every time he visited, it seemed as though Danny was still asleep, much to the feline's chagrin. However, he tried not to give up hope. The other was fine, he just needed some rest.

When Danny finally did wake up, Michael had been conducting one of these visits, in the middle of a conversation with Roan. He had been trying to convince the other to get some sleep, when he suddenly heard a sharp gasp, and the sound of shifting from nearby. His ears immediately perked up, and the thief turned, heading over to where Danny had been formerly passed out. The male's mismatched eyes seemed to gleam with delight when he saw that Danny was awake, and he said with a rough chuckle, "Hey, Danny... I knew you wouldn't be taken out that easily. You took your sweet time waking up, though..." He then questioned, his head tilting to one side, "How are you feeling? Can you talk...?" He wouldn't be surprised if the answer was no, considering the state the other's throat had been in when he had first been brought in.

— Reggan