I Promise You'll Get Better

Eighteen // Interlude 3

"What in the name of the seven seas were you thinking?!"

Shellington had precisely nought point five of a second to duck as a pillow flew across the Med Bay towards him. Sitting upright in her bed, eyes burning into his, was Dashi.

"I..." He hesitated. "Dashi, I - "

"I can't believe it." She exhaled, head falling into her hands - and quickly descended into a coughing fit. Shellington rushed to get her some water, which she snatched out of his hand and gulped back desperately. Her breath rattled in her chest as she sank back against the pillows, sweat beading on her forehead. Shellington sat next to the bed and reached for her hand, but she jerked it away.

"Note to self," she muttered. "Shouting is not a good idea. Even if extremely justified," she added, shooting him a sharp look.

"Dashi, it worked," he began, paws twisting in his lap. He'd already received quite the reprimand from her cousins, but hearing it from her was far worse than he could've possibly imagined. He hated seeing her so upset. "The antidote, it - "

"Tell me," she interrupted, "did you even stop and use that massive brain of yours before you went and injected yourself with the very thing that's been eating away at me for the past two months?!"

"It was a small dosage - "

"It. Was. Still. Poison," she gritted out, raking a paw through her hair. "Shel, I... I don't know where to begin. You gave me the fright of my life, you know that? I wake up, I see you in the bed next to me, unconscious, Daphne tells me everything - "

He looked away, cheeks burning. He hadn't factored in being taken to the Med Bay if things went wrong. He'd hoped he would be able to get the antidote in before the effects of the poison took place. Maybe he'd put too much in? It was a tiny amount, but even so...

"You scared me," Dashi repeated, and oh heavens, there were tears in her eyes. "Shel, what if it had been worse? What if - you - oh, I can't..."

Her shoulders bunched as she buried her head in her hands. "You're an idiot. You've got the most incredible mind of anyone I've ever known, but you're also the biggest idiot I've ever met, you know that?"

"I know. Dashi, I..."

"If you'd ended up going through the same thing as I am now," she said quietly, "I wouldn't be able to forgive myself, because I'd know you were trying to help me."

"I am trying to help you, Dashi - "

"The thing is, who knows if it's actually worked?" she continued, head snapping back up, and he winced. "Who knows if it's worked, or if this is just a lapse before it starts killing you too?"

"I can run further tests - "

"You will do no such thing."

"I didn't mean - "

"Shel, just - just look at me."

She grabbed his hands, squeezing them so hard he thought his bones would shatter. He stared back at her, taking in her ghostly pallor, the dark smudges beneath her eyes, the jutting of her bones against her skin. A lump rose in his throat, but he swallowed it down. He couldn't cry. He wouldn't cry.

"Look at me," she repeated softly, "and realise that I cannot have this happen to anyone else. Ever. Especially you, you silly sea otter."

She cupped his cheek, rubbing a thumb across his skin. "Promise me you won't be such an idiot again."

"I promise," he murmured, and when he leant in to press his lips against hers, she let him.

They stayed like that for a while, foreheads resting against one another, eyes closed. Eventually, she shuffled up on the bed to make room for him, and they curled up together, her head buried in his chest, his face nestled in her hair.

"I'm still mad at you, by the way," she said, voice muffled. "I just also really like Shel snuggles."

"Shel - snuggles?"

"Shel snuggles." She nodded solemnly. "I think I came up with the name when I was full of painkillers. Not my best, but it works."

"What do I call cuddles with you then? Dashi snuggles?"

"No. That doesn't work. Only Shel snuggles. It can apply to us both."

"OK. Shel snuggles."

"I've said snuggles too many times now. It sounds wrong."

He laughed. "It's a bit of a strange word, isn't it?"

"Yeah. Especially when it means something so soft."

"This is adorable in a very gross way," Danielle's voice drawled, making Shellington jump.

Dashi yelped, snatching out her second pillow from beneath their heads to lob at her cousin. "Danielle, get out! This is a private conversation!"

"Hey, don't shoot the messenger!" she exclaimed, catching the pillow one-handed.

"You're not passing on any messages, you're being nosy and you're interrupting."

"Actually, I am." Danielle turned to Shellington. "The Captain and Peso want to see you up in the HQ whenever you can. I think they both think you're well enough for a proper telling off for being such a complete and utter moron."

Shellington groaned. "You and your lot have already done that enough."

"And we'll do it a thousand times more if we have to." She flicked her hair. "HQ. Whenever you can. Enjoy your snuggles."

"Get out," Dashi muttered, rolling her eyes. Danielle winked, blew a kiss, and glided away.

"See?" She nudged him as they sank back onto the now pillow-less bed. "You know you've messed up when you get a joint telling off from all six of my cousins."

"I know," he chuckled. Then, smile fading, "I'm sorry, Dashi. For scaring you. I really, really am."

She kissed his nose. "I know you are. Just... let's not talk about it anymore for now, alright?"

He clasped her tight in his arms, smoothing her hair. She sighed, settling into him once more, eyes fluttering shut.

"Shel, when you hold me, it feels like everything's going to be OK."

"Everything will be OK, Dashi," he replied, but her slow, steady breathing indicated that she'd already fallen asleep.

"It will be OK," he repeated anyway, lips brushing her forehead. "I promise."

A/N: what is this?! A chapter that ends on a happy note?! What a rarity. But the real question is... was Shel's idiocy worth it? Will things finally look up for Dashi? Find out in the next chapter, which should be out... soon. :)