Surface R: Reunion

Part 02.2

::TREY::

"Trey, this is the last time I'm going to say this—stay still."

Corrin's using that tone again, the one he uses for the especially fidgety children but won't hesitate to use it on me if I get too restless. I'm leader, I shouldn't be wasting time being idle when everyone expects me to be everywhere. So he uses it on me to get me to stay put, making me wonder if he also has the power to manipulate people to obey. I collapsed back on to my bed, pouting.

"This is a waste of time. I should be taking care of stuff—"

Corrin cuts me off. "Rhys and Meeko are well capable of taking care of everything. They have before, you know. Remember last year when you took a scouting group into the mountains to check for that potential new base Jonah told us about?" He reminded me.

"You were gone a week then and we survived." Lori noted.

He's right.

"I still don't like sitting here."

"Heh," Lori laughs from another bed. "It's a tough job, Trey. But somebody's got to do it."

I forced a smile. Lori's got even longer to wait until Corrin gives him the all clear. It's still pretty amazing to think he'll be getting up at all.

"If you want something to do, I'll send in the kids. That'll keep you occupied and all," Corrin puts together his stuff. "It should take your mind off moping."

Lori looked indignant. "Who's moping?"

"Not you, for once. Trey."

I frowned at Corrin. "I happen to have a lot to think about." I say in my defense."

They both looked sceptical.

"Whatever it is, it can wait." Corrin said with finality. "You are not getting out of this bed until I say so, Mister Trent Everhart." When he says it that way, he means it.

I resign to my fate.

Actually, this might be just as well—I don't think I'm ready for Thomas's judgement. He has a strong personality and can be critical. And when he's critical, he can be scary. But only because I'm scared of losing his friendship and the very real possibility that my best friend hates me and might rather return than become what I've become.

"Trey, you're broody." Corrin grabs my attention back. Doesn't take too much, when it's him. "Please try not to stress yourself."

"Yeah man, what's the problem?"

"No problem."

"Could've fooled me," Lori snorted. "C'mon, talk."

Corrin cuts in. "He shouldn't be talking. His throat's pretty raw because of the large amount of smoke he inhaled—" he thwaps me lightly. "Did you think you were impervious to it or something?"

"Ow. I just did what needs to be done." I rubbed the back of my head. "How else were we going to get outta there?"

Corrin sighed, and I know he knows I had a point. "Well, be more careful." Suddenly, he's giving me a tight hug. It would be a first. I felt flushed, only vaguely aware to avoid igniting. But only cause never in a million years would I allow myself to burn Corrin. "I don't want to lose you, Trey."