Counter-Cultural Love

Soldier in the Ruins of Hope Part 2

Groans echoed through the room as Gadget regained consciousness. His amber eyes fluttered open, and he rolled onto his side, chest sore from laying flat on his stomach. He had no words for how much he disliked that button on his monitor.

No.

Words.

He understood it was for safety, but he did not like someone making him pass out. 'It left Nadia unprotected', was his first reason to hate the feature, but Gadget knew he also disliked it because it hurt his pride, his dominance. He was an Alpha Male, trying to establish his own pack, and every time he was zapped into unconsciousness, the less dominant he felt.

Nadia! He realized. How long had it been? Gadget ran -no- very quickly stumbled over to her, peeking his muzzle over the bed, and filling his nose with her scent.

Warmth radiated off of her, as if the constant beeping wasn't enough, she was ok.... for now.

Raising his eyes over the covers, he saw her bandaged face.

He longed to see those eyes again, those pools of sun-enchanted blue, gazing into his own, amber eyes. He cooed to her, a loving, calming wolf sound, and let out a soft bark. "Arroo?" He cooed softly, waiting for minutes to see if he would see her eyes, then backed away and whimpered.

He saw the moon through the corner of his eye, full and round, and wondered if Nadia was up there, with the fallen soldiers. He wondered if she was looking down, at him, spending time with the dead because she knew she would be too. A small cry burst out of Gadget's teeth, he crept closer to the moon. He felt the adult in him stir once again, calling him to try and call out to her.

Gadget howled, full and mournful. His heart pouring into his voice.

The sound resonated throughout the whole ICU and summoned a nurse that had been strolling through the halls.

"What's wrong?" The blue bird nurse, named Naomi, rushed in. She saw Gadget crying at the window and Nadia on the bed. She stepped closer to him, he turned around, snarling at her as if she was about to knock him out. "Calm, Agent." She touched his shoulder, smiling soothingly to him. "Look, she's alright, she's still here, there's nothing to worry about."

Gadget finally calmed down after about five minutes, and Naomi left. Gadget yawned, it was past midnight already, he made his way back to Nadia's bed, and laid his head down. He began whispering to her; he did this for quite a while longer, before his speech began to slur from his exhaustion, and fell asleep next to the girl he loved.