Sky Returns {Completed}

Exhaustion

Two months later

"This is stupid." Husky growled, his head leaned against his hand as he sat at a table, Seto placing a plate of food in front of him. He raised an eyebrow at the Mudkip, wordlessly asking for him to continue as Jerome tried not to fall asleep from across the table. Husky glared at Seto. "Don't give me that look. For the past two months we've been going from town to town, trying to get people to sign up for this worthless war that hasn't even happened yet, against people who some don't even know exist or think they're harmless! Do you know how many stares I get when I tell them we're fighting against SQUIDS?!"

"Hey, it's not like you haven't made any progress at all."

"We have literally fifteen recruits, out of the twenty something villages we've visited in the past two months. I'm exhausted, Jerome's exhausted and misses Mitch, and I know you're exhausted from looking after the recruits and making sure they don't get in any trouble!"

Seto shook his head at him, turning and continuing to stir the soup he was making on the stove. They had rented this place out, and still had a week remaining before they would want them to fork over some more money that they didn't have. It was hard finding places that were cheap enough to allow eighteen people to stay for the low price they had to offer. All Sky had given them were a few gold coins from his tomb that were able to get them a couple thousand, and even though it seemed a lot at the time, they were down to a few hundred now. "Sky needs us to do this." He muttered, and Husky slammed his fist down on the table, knocking over Jerome's glass of water as the Bacca jumped awake, having fallen asleep in his chair. He looked around wildly, then glared at Husky halfheartedly before he began to clean up the shattered glass.

"He needs us to do this, huh?!" He shouted, glaring at Seto who stared back eveningly. "Where the hell has he been since he sent us out here to do this?! He's been off doing god knows what with True and Deadlox!"

"They're trying to get allies from leaders in other Kingdoms. We need funding."

"What are you talking about?! We don't need funding! He gave us those gold coins, we're bound to have more!"

Seto stared at Husky, then looked away. He kept stirring the stew, but Husky's burning eyes never left him.

"... Right?"

Seto didn't say anything, setting down the spoon as he began to put the soup in fifteen bowls and cups that were waiting to be used. Husky stood and grabbed Seto's arm roughly, so hard that Seto was sure he was going to have a bruise. "RIGHT?!"

Seto glared at him. "Let go of me." He said lowly, and Jerome stared at them from where he was knelt down on the floor, throwing away the last of the glass. Husky and Seto glared at each other angrily, Husky's grip still tight on Seto's arm, refusing to back down or break.

"What the hell are you hiding?" Husky growled.

"If I tell you, you'll leave and we need you." Seto growled. "Trust me, I hate admitting it, but for things to go right, we need you here with us."

Husky glared at him, before he felt a hand on his shoulder. He turned his head and glared at Jerome, who stared back eveningly.

"Husky, his skin is turning purple."

Husky blinked, caught off guard, before he glanced down at Seto. Seto wasn't wearing the robe he wore over a dark purple shirt that had no sleeves, because it was hot in the kitchen. Husky saw dark purple beginning to bloom around the hand that was gripping the sorcerer's skin, and his eyes widened briefly before he released his grip. There, imprinted on Seto's arm was a dark hand print that had been made by Husky's hand. Husky stared at it, before he looked down at his hand, as if he was shocked by his own strength. Seto brushed passed the Mudkip and the Bacca, grabbing his robe and pulling it on as he opened the door and stepped outside.

"RECRUITS, DINNER!"

They heard cheering as Seto stepped out of the way, and Husky and Jerome ducked into the nearest hallway. They watched as the fifteen recruits, of all colors, genders, and sizes, raced into the room, grabbing their own bowl or cup full of stew before they piled back outside, laughing, chatting, and eating. Husky and Jerome watched, well, Jerome watched while Husky kept staring down at his hands. Jerome looked at him at some point, and when Husky felt his gaze, he muttered; "I didn't mean to hurt him..."

Jerome didn't say anything. He knew they were all tired, Seto especially. He looked after the recruits and made sure they didn't get into any shit while Husky and Jerome were out trying to recruit more people, dealing with mockery and even bullying from some grown people who wanted to make their lives hell. They would come home, cranky, upset, making his life even more difficult. He cooked, cleaned, dealt with their sometimes nasty tenants, and sometimes only got a few hours of sleep before he would have to get up and start making breakfast.

"I can't keep going like this." Husky muttered, and Jerome only sighed in reply as the last recruits ran out.

"We gotta." He muttered, before he and Jerome went back to their seats at the table. They kept eating, and Seto walked in and began to wash the dishes, knowing he would have a lot to do when the recruits would finish eating. Silence fell over the room, and no one said a single thing for the rest of the night.