Why are you here?

Look After Him - Part 1

Radlynn awoke to the smell of waffles. She shifted where she lay and screwed her eyes shut tight. "That's weird," she thought. "Dad only makes waffles on Fridays." Maybe it was Friday and she just had it wrong? Her eyes cracked open and she realised, no, she was not in her bed at home. She was on Radley Madish's couch in another dimension. How did she even forget that?? She sat up and yawned.

"You awake?" A gruff, deep voice asked. Radlynn looked over at the kitchen.

"...Shida?" Well she hadn't been expecting him today.

"Yep," he replied. "I thought you'd never wake up, you're almost as bad as Radley."

Radlynn frowned. "What're you doing here?"

"Radley called me and told me what happened," he replied. "I had to come over, obviously. I can't just leave him like that."

"Where is he anyway?" She asked. Shida sighed.

"Sleeping, he looked exhausted." He replied, setting the waffle he'd been making onto a plate. "He'll get up eventually. I'd rather not bother him after what happened with his eye." He added. "Anyway, you hungry?"

Radlynn stretched and stood up from the couch. "Yeah," she looked at him. "...I didn't take you for the cooking type. I thought fort onion would have chefs or something."

Shida huffed in amusement. "Yeah it does, but I still needed to cook for myself before that," he paused for a second before adding "you humans judge quickly, don't you?"

She opened her mouth to answer, then closed it. She supposed he had a point. She walked over to the kitchen table and sat down. "...do you even know many humans?" She asked.

"I mean- I've talked to quite a few." He answered. Shida turned around and slid a plate of waffles over to Radlynn. "Now eat, you're gonna help me look after everything while Radley's eye heals up."

She stared at him. "I am?" She asked. "Why? Radley isn't that hurt, is he?"

"I'm sure he'll recover but..." Shida sighed again. "Knowing Radley, he'll just keep working while he's hurt. He'd work himself to death if I wasn't around to keep an eye on him. That, and I think he deserves a break, what with you being around and all."

Radlynn tilted her head at him, ignoring the slight guilt trip Shida was giving her. "...how long have you known Radley?" She asked.

"Huh? Oh god, I don't even know. Feels like my whole life, honestly," he chuckled lightly. "Maybe...twenty eight years?" Shida moved some waffles onto a plate for himself and sat down.

She hesitated, then asked. "Radley mentioned that he hadn't seen you for years," he looked at her. "...what happened with you two?"

He sighed. "After our plan failed, Radley...god he was so mad, he blamed me for it," he glanced aside. "I should never have left him." He murmured, more to himself than anything. Radlynn didn't reply. Shida looked at her. "Can I ask you something?"

"Of course."

"...look after him for me. I can't leave Fort Onion alone for too long, and Radley seems to like you," he hesitated before adding "he's never been much good at making friends, or looking after himself." 

"I mean-" she shifted where she sat. "I can try. It's just Radley doesn't seem to open up easily, y'know?"

"I know just," he sighed. "Just keep an eye on him, make sure he's not acting weird, encourage him to talk..." They locked eyes, but this time it didn't unsettle Radlynn too much. "Be gentle with him, alright?"

"I will." She smiled, just a little.

"Good, now," he relaxed. "Eat up. You're gonna be busy today."