Boy Meets Ai

Chapter 54

Chapter 54

The sound came in muffled. He still couldn't hear that well. Seiko sat with Oaklee's head on his lap. She had been passed out since the fight ended. Blood trickled from their wounds and formed a pool that stained the white linen seat under the canopy. He rested his hand on her cheek, letting the cool elixir wash over him. Gabriel had told him that he needed to wait until he was at least 80% of his max hp before switching the pain dampeners back on. It was too much of a shock on the system otherwise. The archon suspected that the Ai was suffering some kind of sensory overload. They felt the pain the same as a human, but it may have been worse. They had no tolerance for it, no frame of reference.

"She is likely rebooting her systems. It wont be easy but I'm sure she'll make a full recovery."

As they sat under the canopy, all he could think about was the look on Ogun's face. The slight smile that crept across it before that attack ripped him clean in half. Seiko was so focused on winning. He had forgotten the fact that a fatal blow could put his opponent in a coma. It didn't even cross his mind until Gabriel came to retrieve them from the destroyed stage. The archon knelt over Ogun's broken body with a concerned look in his eyes. Shinobu and Hendricks were more worried about their friends. They had rushed over to them, practically screaming in mixture of tenuous relief and sheer panic. Before he knew it, they were whisked off the tiles. The whole time though, he never let go of Oaklee. She was in even worse shape than him. They had won, but he was numb to the fact. A real battle, as Ogun called it, had taken its toll on the boy. All he could really feel now was the weight of Oaklee resting on him. When would she wake up? Would she be, okay? He couldn't live with the thought that she would be damaged because of his idea.

As if in response, her eyes fluttered open. Her honey-gold pools gazed up at him. Relief filled the young man. He felt overwhelmed with gratitude.

"Oaklee! Are you ok?! I was so worried!" Hendricks slid on his knees to her side. He looked over her anxiously before receiving a heavy bonk on the head from Shinobu.

"Idiot! Give her some space."

Seiko couldn't help but smile. She was back.

"Tell me we won." She said.

He nodded. Seiko felt her relax into his arms. Hendricks looked like he was on the verge of tears.

"We weren't sure what happened. You weren't waking up and... and..." his voice hitched in his throat.

"I'm fine you don't have to worry."

"Are you sure?" He asked.

She took Hendricks' hand tenderly in hers and nodded. His cheeks turned a rosy shade of pink at her touch. They inadvertently locked eyes just long enough to make it uncomfortable. Embarrassed, the bard chuckled, cleared his throat and stood up in a hurry. Oaklee sat up slowly. She looked drained.

"I told you we could do it together." She smiledat her partner.