5 Danev

I hated the infirmary at Citadel. When you come in, there's no guarantee you're going to get what you came for, or, more accurately, what you were dragged in for. And when it came to Luke and me, that was more often than not. I talked to Luke and turns out it wasn't just me who was put in a higher age group for combat training. Luke was being paired with 13 and 14-year olds while I was being put up against 15 and 16-year olds here. I'm fucking 14 and they're kicking my ass. Street tricks can only keep me on my feet for so long before I'm overwhelmed in terms of size and training. Yes, maybe it did make sense. We were learning. Learning how to beat bullshit odds that we more than likely would face in an actual battlefield, but when it came to the present, it hurt like hell.

I managed to somehow get some attention at this infirmary even if that attention meant a rag, some ice, and instructions to hold it against the bruise covering most of my left shoulder. It looked like shit and hurt like shit too. Aside from the terrible service, there was some spirit awful décor fit for a 5-year-old: fire nation clowns hanging from the ceiling with fire coming out of their ears while holding red and black balloons. I've never been to the Fire Nation, but this décor wasn't doing the country any favors. I was situated in a small room with 3 other beds, all empty at the moment. Slow day. Guess the students were too busy focusing on Luke and me to turn their attention to one another. I heard the door to my small room open and saw who it was entering.

Well. I guess there's one good thing about the infirmary. "Wow." The nurse said upon seeing my mangled body on this same bed once again. "What does that make it? 5 days?"

"Aww. You counting the days now? How sweet, but it's been 11 days. I remember my last time here very well." I took a sword near a, well, important organ, and, needless to say, I've never seen a professional such as a nurse so flustered.

"Apparently you don't remember so well, but that's probably the case with half the times you're here. You took that hit to the side of your head, remember? Can't blame you if you don't."

"I thought they took me straight to the barracks."

"Nope. Got a good luck at you first. I'm the only reason your head doesn't hurt beyond belief right now. Speaking of which, how is your head."

"Hurting beyond all belief now that you bring it up." I said, giving her that same grin I always gave her when I was brought here."

"Aww. Poor baby." She said mockingly, giving me a fake pair of pouty eyes.

She was a nurse, yes, but young. Very young. I was pretty sure she wasn't a real nurse, but just a student in the combat medicine branch. Her name was Zaydi, and I could've sworn I saw her in passing before.

"So. When do you think I can get out?"

"Depends on your shoulder. How's it feel?"

I gave it a flex in a stretch. There was some lingering pain, yes, but more or less, it felt fine.

"Feels fine, doc. I'm ready to get back out there before I become institutionalized."

She chuckled. "It feels fine because I force fed you ginger tea while you were writhing in bed. It's amazing what the human body can resist when adrenaline is flowing through you. Once that wears off, though, well, the human body becomes quite the vulnerable thing. Tell me how you feel a few hours from now." She finished as she checked a few last items before heading out.

"Which time would you say was the worst?" I asked, hoping to get her to stay a while longer.

She closed the door in front of her, and moved back towards the center of the room, leaning on the wall, thinking. "Probably that first time where you and your buddies got dragged in here."

I had almost forgotten about that. Aden and Meeko. One dead, the other comatose.

She continued. "One was dead when he was brought in, the other near dead. You were unconscious at first. Had a nice big hole in your leg. Took a while to patch-no wait. The second time was definitely worse."

"I do remember the second time better."

"Had a hole in your side from a spear, an arrow right below your knee, and the cut from a sword across your chest. How's that scar looking, by the way?"

I lifted my shirt for her to get a look. It wasn't the dark red it once was, but the cut was still obviously there. Big. Impressive too, I'd say.

"Well." She said. "At least you're going to have some stories to tell your grandchildren."

I laughed. "Was that your idea of a joke, Zaydi? I'll be lucky if I get to see the actual battlefield at this rate."

"Oh, quit your whining. Yes, they're beating the shit out of you, but you're not going to die. Not here. You have an entire continent of people who want to do that for you."

"Gee. Thanks. Just the pep talk I needed."

I tried thinking of something else. To change the subject. But she had got me thinking about Aden again. Somehow, she knew just what I was thinking about.

"Do you want to see him?"

"Aden?" I asked, confirming the subject of her question.

"No. The Fire Lord. Yes, Aden. Let's go."

I couldn't help but laugh when I saw him. I hadn't seen him since the day I left the military district with the request for Riu and Aden didn't have a full grown blonde beard last time I saw him.

"Wow. Thanks for taking care of him." I said, making sure to emphasize the sarcasm.

"Alright. Don't blame me. I'm a woman. How the hell should I know how to shave?"

"You're right. You're right. I'm sorry." I said, raising my hands in defense. "I shouldn't blame you for his shitty condition."

"Thank you." There was a pause as we looked at his body a while longer.

"But you could at least bathe him. He smells like shit. What is that?"

"That is the smell of shit and piss combined. Now, if you would be so helpful, fetch some sheets while I change your friend here."

When I came back with new sheets for his bed, the old ones where piled on the floor with an all to foul stench rising from it. I did recognize that smell, just never in a place like this. I smelled it in the streets of Citadel too many times. The smell of the last remains of the dead. I remembered those times as I made the bed with Zaydi, watching two people from my old and new life right next to each other.

"Well. You always complain about how bad of a patient I am, but at least I never shit myself like this."

She turned to me, a devious grin on her face as she finally got Aden's legs onto the newly made bed with my help. "You're kidding, right? You were worse."

"What? Nooo."

"Yeah, but I doubt you'd remember. I've changed you more times than I can count now."

The idea of that threw me off. "Wait." I said aloud, gathering my thoughts. "You-"

"Changed your diapers once a day" she finished.

"Well?"

"Well what?"

"Well. You changed him. You changed me. I just want to know-"

"Who among you two impressed me more? Do you spend a lot of time thinking of what's down there?"

"What? No. I-"

"I suppose I can't blame you. You've been on the street with him for 13 years in a gang of boys with no women. I always wondered how-"

"That's not what I mean. Just-"

I could feel the heat rushing to my face. I tried to dismiss it, but it wasn't doing any good. I had dug myself a hole and was already shoveling the fresh layer of dirt.

"I'll help you out before you make a bigger ass of yourself. He doesn't have an impressive scar like you do." And with that, she left.

She still didn't answer my question. I looked over at Aden's newly changed body. Had a thought, but immediately decided against it. I wasn't going to go there. Not now. Not ever. I had an answer that was good enough for me.