This is a Hospital not a Library

[Theo Chulainn]

The nurses where moaning about the mess again. But Acra didn't care. His room looked like a bomb of papers books and screws had hit it. Each hour it seemed the pile would grow. Wallace would be seen coming in and out the door with either tools, materials, papers, books and of course coffee. It was so ridiculous it was almost like a cartoon.

Inside Alaric sat on his stool frowning as he watched his younger brother tinker with the device in his hand. tightening a bolt softly as his eyes scanned over the papers in his lap before flicking to his laptop screen. " Brother you should rest....The caffeine intake is bad for you and your using so much pain killers so you can use your hands you could get addicted. Also your running poor Wallace into the ground with your crazy demands." He was granted with a grunt as an answer causing him to sigh. " Fine don't listen to me. After all i'm a fully trained doctor!" Throwing his arm's up in the air he picked up a paper. " Gibberish.... absolute gibberish."

[Shula Brighton]

Hurting and sore as she was, resting was just driving Shula insane. The other soldiers in the room with her were just as upset as everyoe else, one doing nothing but rant angrily between blissful periods of medicated stupor, the others wanting to do nothing buyt watch the news which had become nothing but a stream of growing despair.She still couldn't get in touch with her own family members, she didn't know if her house was even still standing or if it had been demolished or ransacked... the only comfort she had handy was Gustav's graduation ring. She turned the ring over and over in her hand, idly tracing the pale green stone's facets and the wat it was set deeply into the metal. The Amestrian dragon adorned one side, the symbols for lead and blood on the other.

As the nurse came by on her rounds, Shula caught her by the arm, giving her quite possibly the biggest puppy eyes in the history of human kind. After much begging and pleading, Shula was finally helped into the transport wheelchair, her portable oxygen tank strapped to the back. She honestly could not stand just lying in bed resting. She did enough of that as a child. As soon as the nurse had her situated, the small woman in the chair sped out of the room like her ass were on fire, zipping down the halls. True, she was in pain, and truem, she was supposed to not be moving until her ribs healed, and true, she was having a harder and harder time breathing even with the respirator. But DAMMIT she was bored as fuck!

The door to the room Acra was sharing was wide open already, and Shula wheeled herself inside quietly as Acra's older brother fussed. The area around Acra's bed looked like a disaster area, papers, books, pens and coffee cups everywhere. The hell was he up to? "Selamlar, Acra, Alaric... Recreating Central's library?"

[Theo Chulainn]

Alaric looked up at her statement. "SHULA!!!! He broke!!" Wailing overdramatically her hugged her side, though he had to kneel to do this. " All he dose is play with that thing, scribble notes and type up on that laptop. Most i got from this is this piece of scrap paper....your an alchemist...what code is this?" He asked handing her a piece of note lined paper. On it at the top was written in Acra's tidy curvy writing was: [pV=nRT] Underlined several times then under it was several calculations. "Is it alchemy code for being a boring fuckard?" He asked quietly.

During this Acra was twitching he was trying to get this part of the shackle right. The annoying dramatics of his brother was annoying him. Grabbing his sketch book he took aimed and fired. Taking great satisfaction as it collided with the side of his brothers head with a delightful thunk. " I'm trying to concentrate. Your voice is annoying so either leave or be quiet otherwise i will tell mum you smoked weed in uni." The threat worked, Alaric paled and nodded quickly leaving the room. Acra lifted his coffee cup taking his much deserved victory sip.

[Shula Brighton]

Shula giggled softly, remembering those kinds of mock fights with her own brother, and even the ones with Acra that occasionally ended with shoes and pillows being thrown at each other. She leaned against the side of her chair, her cheek resting against her fist as she looked over the "gibberish" Alaric had thrust at her. Pressure, volume, temperature... Something to do with gas?

Eyebrows raised delicately in thought as Alaric tromped out of the room, his little brother victorious. Well, that was amusing. She looked back up to Acra tand the doodad he was working on, his lap covered in formulae and equations. "At least you aren't bored... So what ARE you working on?" Shula smiled brightly, the insatiable fox-like curiosity that her family had come to accept over the years bubbling to the surface immediately. There was somehting shiny and interesting and someone else was working on it. She had to know.

[Theo Chulainn]

He placed the shackle down in his lap and turned to Shula. "Aww but telling you would ruin the fun." On his left knee was various charts about weather and on the table beside Shula was a diary. Open to a page that was detail analysis of her alchemy. If her curiosity over took her and she thumbed through the book it would be a diary of all the Alchemy Acra had encountered and depending on how much time he had, was a lengthy study on it. including at the bottom scribbled notes on how much energy and heat each use or attack made.

On his laptop was the wikipedia page up for the Large Hadron Collider. He smiled to her softly. " Hopefully though....It'll be a big step up in my alchemy." He scribbled a note in a blue note book. “It’ll make my currently alchemy look like a party trick.”

[Shula Brighton]

Leaning in closer, Shula couldn't keep herself from looking all around Acra's lap. Knowledge had always been a massive weakness of hers, and usually the more she was told no the more she wanted to understand it. There was the thingy he was messing with and the book on his thigh had... her fire array in it? And lots of scribbled notes all around it and more math. What was this? A soft, thoughtful smile spread across her lips. "Acra... I didn't know you'd looked into my fire." She leaned in closer, letting her fingers skim down the page, the girl shocked by how thorough it was.

There were notes bout how hot her lames had been and how they'd expanded in heat and range since she'd gotten better at it, how the antimony worked to protect her and the saltpetre as ignition... This was incredibly impressive. She'd summarized how it worked when she first started working in the office, but she'd never gone into detail about the in's and out's of it. Slowly she reached for the book, turning the pages in awe. She knew Acra was smart, but this was.... "This is amazing, Acra... How long have you been studying like this?"

[Theo Chulainn]

"This is amazing, Acra... How long have you been studying like this?" Chuckling softly he lifted up shackle and pulled it over his wrist. The large chunky cylinder looked like something a superhero would wear. It was extremely silly looking but he clenched his hand hissing a bit but grinned. " Perfect fit...." He said to himself. " And I was born amazing."

Sitting back he slowly turned a part of the shackle. Turning from one array to a different one. All they needed was the outlined circle to complete them. " Shame I’m not allowed to go outside to test this baby out." Sighing softly to himself he slid it off. " So Shu... What brings you here?"

Wallace walked in almost predicting that Shula would be there. Carrying a large coffee and a large hot chocolate with cream and chocolate powder. “ Hello Shula. How are you feeling today?” The kind grandfatherly look showered over Shula as he handed her the sweet drink and then Acra his coffee.

[Shula Brighton]

Born amazing, huh? Shula smirked, closing the book and watching Acra fasten what looked like a large chunky bracelet. They were pretty trendy the year before last, but they were kind of hard to coordinate with outfits and other accessories. She looked closer and saw the mix of arrays on it, but couldn't get a more detailed look as he rotated it on his wrist. "Very trendy," Shula said with a soft giggle. "Dunno if it goes with the PJ's, though."

"Shame I’m not allowed to go outside to test this baby out." He was a step or three ahead of her for a change, and it was impressive. Since Raistlin destroyed her fire bracelets she needed to find the materials to make new ones, but all of her tools were at home... which had probably been destroyed or ransacked by now. Dammit. Maybe once she got out of here and was okay enough to walk without the damn oxygen she could go to what was left and try to get her things. "So Shu... What brings you here?"

"Staying in bed all day is driving me nuts. Nobody in my room feels like talking, and I still can't get to a damn phone." She smiled again, trying to swallow her own pent-up anxiety and frustration at the state of things. Her knew her mother would be climbing the walls and that her grandfather was probably the only reason the Ishallan hadn't marched right into Central, found the hospital and demanded an explanation. Her smile brightened as Wallace walked into the room, friendly as ever despite the chaos, and handed her a cup of hot chocolate as though he knew she'd be there. Maybe he would have brought it to her room if she hadn't come, but dammit, more people should be psychic and greet you with chocolate! "Wallace! I'm alright... I'll be stuck here for a few days. I'm glad to see you weren't hurt, though."

[Theo Chulainn]

Wallace smiled. " As soon as it started I was packing Master Acra's research. Then i was helping Master Alaric pack up his doctor's office. We managed to get out here before the bombs went off." He taught for a moment. "Luckily Master and mistress Schiwatas and Master Erik jnr where in Xing on business. And the mansion seems quite unscathed by all this." He mumbled more to himself then anything.

Acra looked to her. Before moving the papers books and other junk and petted the bed beside him. "Come lay down Shu." He invited her over wanting her out of that chair. The site of her looking so frail made his stomach churn. "Wallace can help you up." Adding a little bit of bait to tempt her up. He removed the shackle placing it aside carefully. Maybe...just maybe a cuddle like they use too would let them forget what had happened for just a moment. And for that moment they could pretend the world was normal.

[Shula Brighton]

A tired, relieved smile spread as Shula looked up at the old butler, glad that the family he worked so hard to care for were all safe. It made her wonder a little if Wallace had any family of his own, maybe back in Creta? He had always been so kind to her... She really needed to find a nice thank-you present for him someday.

Acra moved the papers aside and put them back on the bed's tray before patting the space of bed next to him. Finally, something comfortably familiar that always comfrted her, even if she never said enough how much she loved it. "Wallace can help you up, he added, mostly to tease. Dammit, the thing about someone being your best friend and being that close to you was knowing what your secret buttons were, and Ishvalla help her, the button that was her pride was the size of a small village. She gave him a brief look, gripping the armrests of her chair as she moved forward, putting her feet on the floor.

Come on, Bright Eyes, you know how to do this. You don't need--"Ah!" Shula let ouf a soft yelp as she stood, the stitches in her side straining and aching. Oh holy hell that hurt, but finally she was standing, and pressed her palms against the side of Acra's bed, panting. Okay, maybe she did need some help. She looked up at Wallace, biting her lip as she tried to push pride aside and quietly pleading for a hand up into bed. Gently helped up, Shula winced as she got comfortable on her uninjured side, the tubing around her nose stretching to the tank it connected with.

"Fancy... meeting you up here," Shula panted with a soft, exhausted smile.

[Theo Chulainn]

" Always a pleasure." Acra responded smiling as he softly spooned to her side. He said nothing of Wallace having to help her. He knew just having to ask was hard enough on Shula let alone having it rubbed into her face. No he just closed his eyes and for one brief moment let his mind go numb. His bandaged hand were aching from how much he had pushed them. Alaric was right. He should of rested them but instead he forced himself onwards to finish what he had started before the war. At least they weren't infected. But the painkillers and antibiotics that where being pumped into his body were preventing that.

He frowned as he ran his hand down Shula's side. Had she lost weight? Well by no means had he ever considered her fat but she seemed thinner. Then again he bet she wasn't eating the crappy hospital food either. Seriously what man in there mind decides to serve the sick, injured or dieing man food worse then what they serve on an airplane? It was insane. Giving a soft sigh he tapped her cheek just below the oxygen tube. "Hopefully we will be out of here soon right?"

[Shula Brighton]

A small, tired sigh blew through pursed lips as Shula shifted slightly to get comfortable on the bed next to Acra. As he cuddled up close to her back and pulled his arm around, she couldn't help but smile softly; this was what she needed. This comfort, this familiar feel, and smell and warmth. This feeling of safeness, and for a moment she closed her eyes, ignoring the itchy tubing around her face or the puffs of oxygen it forced into her tired and aching body. For just a moment she could pretend that things were normal again, that things were like they had been and should have stayed. They'd gotten off from work and gone out for drinks with a few of the other officers from the office and had some pub chow for dinner. They'd come back to Shula's place just to carry on with the conversation they'd been having and caught the tail end of some terrible movie on her limited channels to pick from, and now they were snuggling together. It was just as it should have bee--

Her breath hitched in a small hissing wince as Acra's hand slid down her side, the broken ribs and stitched up tissue still very tender under their bandages. "Careful around there," she whispered with a small smile. "I don't wanna pop one of those and start bleeding on you. THat'd be pretty gross." Shula tried to laugh quietly at her own expense to put Acra at ease, once again growing comfortabl against his chest as she nodded. "Yeah, we'll all get out of here soon. maybe they'll give us paid leave to recover... Maybe somewhere warm and gorgeous, like Esparia.... I've never seen the ocean, so maybe go there for a vacation..."

[Theo Chulainn]

Acra chuckled softly. "Sorry. I'll be careful." He said softly. Nuzzling her blond locks laying a few kisses on it. Just laying back he had almost fallen asleep. He was tired, oh so very tired. Staying awake and pushing himself to finish his work. Now he felt like he could finally rest. Poor Shula had gotten hurt. He had failed his promise to protect her and now she had paid the price. But now...with his new alchemy he will be able to forever protect her and the people he cared for.

"Yeah, we'll all get out of here soon. maybe they'll give us paid leave to recover... Maybe somewhere warm and gorgeous, like Esparia.... I've never seen the ocean, so maybe go there for a vacation..." He chuckled. His family owned plenty of hotels that had private beaches. And he could easily get a room. He played with her hair softly. " Maybe I will take soon...though not Esparia...very anti Alchemist." Murmuring softly against her forehead. " Xing is nice this time of year."

[Shula Brighton]

Acra's breath was warm against her skin, giving her a small shiver as it caught a few small hairs under her bangs. She closed her eyes, snuggling against his chest and breathed as deeply as she could, her body protesting and coughing slightly from it. There were plenty of rules against this, and the nurses would pitch a fit if they came in here to find them snuggling like this... You weren't allowed to be involved with people in your company in the military, especially not if you outranked them. Acra was her best friend, but meant the world to her; knowing he'd been hurt had hurt her, especially since she'd disallowed such a thing.

The nurses could bitch all they wanted; Shula already knew at this rate they'd have to strap her to the bed to keep her there until she got too weak to move on her own. And then she'd just see if someone would sneak her out of the bed for her. Shula nodded softly, even though she'd never been to Xing or knew how pretty it was. "I wouldn't mind that... You know how much I like Xingese food." She sighed out softly, tiny hands moving in front of her and beginning to clutch to the front of Acra's shirt fabric.

Despite the heavy drugs and body begging for nothing but sleep and rest, Shula had been having a hard time sleeping or resting well. She'd wake up startled and forget where she was for just a few moments, still lost in the haze of the horrible dreams that had begun to bleed into her unconscious mind. Shula clutched a little tighter, letting herself feel safe here. "Acra..? Don't.... Please don't leave me alone again... Please?"

[Theo Chulainn]

Not caring for the trouble he could get in for it he gently held her closer. His fingers combing her hair lightly. "Acra..? Don't.... Please don't leave me alone again... Please?" And the guilt wash over him like a bucket of cold water and a kick to the balls. He kissed her forehead and buried his face into her hair.

He had ran to Apos's helicopter when he first heard the order. 'Return to central! The helicopter will be leaving in ten minuets.' So while on the run he had rang Wallace who was in central to move his research to a safe place and help Alaric move to where he would need to be. The steps up to the helipad where long and endless. He had kept glancing around for Shula. But the fire dancer was so short he could easily miss her in a crowd of people all wearing the same uniform. For all he knew she could of gotten a earlier helicopter or told to get a later one. As his foot slammed down on the top floor and he pushed open the door. He could see his fellow alchemists on there with a few other footmen. No small blond. As he headed to it he paused lifting his phone. Should he ring her....? Looking behind him he was about to single one moment to the pilot when his arm was grabbed and he was dragged on by force. The way they weren't waiting. He guessed there was no one to wait for.

He sighed softly. " I'm sorry Shu...I should of waited for you..." A soft sweep of bang to tuck it behind her ear. He grabbed a sheet of paper. With minor difficultly seeing his was pinned down by his dear best friend. He took a biro too a drew the circle before tapping it. The paper sheet curling itself into a flower which he managed to hook into her hair. " We will be on that beach soon. I promise." Squeezing her a little tighter he whispered. " And I will never leave you again."

[Shula Brighton]

Candy hearts and paper flowers... Lonely days and skies of blue. Candy hearts and paper flowers... Will always keep me close to you. Shula smiled a little as Acra hooked the paper flower into her hair, not bothering to see what he'd grabbed when he made it. The song from her childhood pinged in the back of her mind, her subconcsious doing whatever it could to make her waking mind calmer. Anything to keep her from seeing what kept replaying as soon as she closed her eyes, or hearing it. Anything to not twitch every time somebody dropped something and make that fear creep back up on her. Anything to let her forget the last few days for just a moment.

"I'm sorry Shu...I should of waited for you..." Shula let out a soft sigh, shaking her head slightly. It was nobody's fault she'd been left behind; nobody even knew she was missing, and if they did she didn't have a radio until she pilfered one from someone else who couldn't use it anymore. She never got the orders and they didn't even know she was alive to be left somewhere. So she'd kept on with her objective, to keep pushing in toward Aerugese lines, incapaciate as many of them as humanly possible, and do what she could to keep them from pushing in. She'd never known they had won and that Aerugo had been retreating until Spade told her so. "It's okay, Acra. You couldn't have known where I was." She nuzzled against his upper chest softly, too tired to cry anymore. "Just... between what happened at South and then a part of a bulding deciding to drop down and hug me, I don't think I've ever been so scared in my life."

But they'd go to a beach somewhere soon. She needed to think of that. She'd never seen the ocean, or found seashells, or seen a seagull in person. There was still so much to see and do and the world was such a big place. "And I will never leave you again." Shula shut her eyes, fingers still holding on tightly to Acra's shirt. He said he'd stay near her, and by hook or by crook she'd hold him to that promise. "Thank you... And if you get hurt again at all I'll kick your ass from here to Xing." Shula nuzzled his chest again, her lips brushing against the fabric on his skin very faintly. Acra often kissed her hair and forehead, sometimes the tops of her hands even. But never anywhere else, and she never dared return the gesture. But things like this where she could come as close as she dared... "Think Wallace could find a change of clothes for me, too? When we get out of here it'll be safer in civvies."

[Theo Chulainn]

He nodded holding her close and sent a quick message to Wallace. " He should bring some over later for you." He played softly with her hair. "Hopefully we will be out soon." He knew he was only staying sane thanks to his research. He would bet all his fortune that Shula was close to climbing the walls to get out.

He gave her head a pat as he shuffled up slowly. holding her with one arm and reaching into the top draw. He pulled out a bag of cheeto's to snack on. "Seeing the hospital food is terrible. I got Alaric to sneak snacks in." He popped the bag open taking one and popping it into his mouth. " Want some?" Munching on a few more he couldn’t help but let out a content sigh. Oh junk food…what would the world be like without precious E numbers and flavourings….oh wait like Creta, HA!

[Shula Brighton]

Wallace could get her some clothes. Her house was so close to Central that it had probably caught fire in the explosion, and if not, been ransacked by now. Shula sighed inwardly. Most of it can be replaced if I try hard enough... She wondered for a moment where the butler would find clothes for her, though at this point she didn't care if they were Acra's clothes from when he was eleven. They'd probably fit just fine and still be too big, given his height. But anything would be better than being stuck in these awful pale green wrap top and yoga pant jammies or worse, her bloody and ripped up uniform. Sure the hospital could probably wash it, but still... Ick. "That'd be awesome... Not picky, just something to wear."

Acra sat up slowly to dig out a bag of Cheeto's. The look of sheer satisfaction from the artificial goodness on Acra's face was priceless, like a teenager sneaking treats and hiding them from his brother. Though something told Shula that wasn't too far-fetched now that she thought about it. "Want some?" Shula smiled weakly and gave a faint shake to her head, looking away from the food. "Thanks, but... I just haven't really been hungry lately." Hospital food was nasty, but since she'stopped her monthly treatments, Shula had severely lost her appatite; now that she was in the place she hated most and felt like death warmed over? Food wasn't happening. She'd pick at her trays and force down a few bites, but her weight was now severely under what was healthy, her doctor threatening to tube-feed her if this kept up. Shula curled her arm under her head and closed her eyes. "I'll eat in a little bit..."

[Theo Chulainn]

He nodded and chuckled. "Guess that means more for me." chomping down on another cheesy curled creation of god. All he needed now was beer. Maybe him and Spade could slip out for a beer or two later when the nurses and doctors turned there back. " You better....Your looking like a stick...or a twig." placing the bag down and curling up he gave a yawn. His caffeine buzz was slowly wearing off.

Gently pulling her to his chest he flicked his eyes to his work with a smile. " Soon Shu....I'll take you to the beach....so you can wiggle your little toes in the sand..." He mumbled something lightly. Though it was interrupted with a snore. He was out like a light making soft snores. His exhaustion had kicked in and now he would sleep like a log for hours. Not even kicking him the side would wake him up now. His hair flicked across his eyes and a relaxed smile graced his slightly parted lips. Letting out a steady stream of breaths before lazily sucking in air.

[Shula Brighton]

Shula was losing more weight than she knew was healthy and she knew it. She was glad her damn uniform was so concealing and that off hours she'd started wearing her saris more, or her coworkers might have seen how gaunt she had become, or how the edges of her bones stuck out. Then again, Acra had rubbed his hand down her side through the thin PJ top, so he'd probably felt it then. She sighed inwardly as Acra laid back down, his voice quieting to a murmur as the man fell asleep. The gentle smile on his face was so sweet, and seemed so at ease despite the current, well, everything. Acra will always be Acra.... Best news I've had all week. She smiled faintly, gently moving a hand up to pet his cheek as he slept, brushing her thumb across the smooth skin of his cheek.

Exhaustion was setting in on her, her own body aching from not being hooked up to her pain meds. But she was so damn scared. She didn't know why she just couldn't breathe anymore and rather doubted it was just because of her ribs being broken and the bleeding from the building. Somehow that man had screwed with her and this was his fault... Shula closed her eyes and sighed lightly, feeling a familiar stinging in the corners of her eyes. Acra...I don't want to go to sleep. What if I don't wake up again? Or worse, this is all just a dream from the stupid meds? Shula moved her hand from Acra's cheek to her lips, kissing her fingertips as a small, sad smile moved across her lips. But... It's at least a nice dream. And if I don't wake up from it and die right here... Soft fingtertips pressed against Acra's lips faintly, transferring the small gesture.

Stay by my side always..

[End Topic]

[Sponsored content]