Halt's Test (Gone Wrong)

Chapter 7

Halt woke up to find Healer Adriel leaning over him talking to Crowley, who was seated on his bed watching.

"Who're you?" Halt said rudely, but Adriel only smiled.

"I'm Healer Adriel."

"I'm not sick!" Halt protested, batting away his hands. Crowley sighed.

"Oh, yes, not sick indeed. You don't have a nasty cough, you didn't faint twice while doing tiny bits of exercise, and you didn't find it hard to keep your balance. But wait. All those things happened! So, if you're not sick, then you're weak and unfit to be a Ranger. You're sick, Halt." Adriel paused his ministrations to turn to Crowley as Halt rolled his eyes at Crowley.

"You said your name was Crowley?"

"Yes."

"Commandant Crowley?"

"That's me."

"So, you're his," he gestured to Halt, "boss."

"Sadly so." Halt muttered. He didn't like where this was going.

"Can't you order him to be sick or something?" Crowley shook his head.

"You see, Halt here never follows orders. He only works with threats."

"A disobedient Ranger?" Adriel had clearly not heard of that before. Both Rangers discreetly rolled their eyes as Adriel resumed his work. This time, Halt didn't try to stop him.

Fifteen minutes later, Adriel was packing away his materials into his basket.

"You both need sleep, especially you, Halt." Crowley chuckled at Halt's glare and ignored Adriel entirely.

Adriel frowned. "Great Commandant you are, letting your subordinates laugh at me." Crowley grinned, entirely unabashed at the older man's scolding.

"Technically, he's a senior Ranger, he's not necessarily my subordinate." Adriel sighed, rolled his eyes and walked out of the room.

Both Halt and Crowley burst into laughter as Adriel left, waiting till the door shut behind him, before they filled the room with chuckles.

"He knows nothing of Rangers." Crowley chuckled, leaning back.

"The Ranger here is too respectful." Halt shook his head.

"I'll tell Berrigan you said that." Halt looked suddenly alarmed.

"It's Berrigan, is it? Great."

Crowley grinned at the look on his friend's face. He was just teasing Halt, he wasn't going to actually tell Berrigan, but Halt clearly couldn't tell that as he stared at Crowley in horror.

"Well, Halt, you need to sleep."

"So do you." Halt rolled his eyes at the senior Ranger.

"Halt." Crowley said warningly, glaring at Halt. "You will sleep. Why don't you want to?"

"Nightmares." Halt said quietly, staring off at the ground.

"But you need to sleep, Halt." Halt looked at the floor, defiance gone.

"I know. But I find it really hard."

"Try, Halt. You need to or you'll get sicker."

"You need to sleep too."

"I'm not the one in danger of getting sicker."

"But you can still get sick."

"Just sleep, Halt." Crowley said firmly, sighing at his friend's stubbornness.

"No."

One long hour of bickering and three pillow fights later, both Crowley and Halt were fast asleep. The inn was empty, so they woke no one with their arguing and throwing pillows at each other, though it was rather loud.