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mtap-comics · 3 months

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Welcome back to my Bad Things Happen Bingo! I finally got my first Bingo! @badthingshappenbingo

Welcome back to my Bad Things Happen Bingo!

Fandom: My time at Portia

Pairing: Arlo x Female Builder

Summary: Elenya really just wanted to fix the railing of the platform of the hot air balloon ride so that no one could fall into the freezing water.

Word count: 6'301

Prompt: Drowning

Author's note: I had planned to write here a few things, but I think I will just leave this here and wish you a happy reading!

(Little "funfact": I was tempted to title this with "It Could Be Slippery")^^

Warnings: Drowning, Hypothermia, Pneumonia, Asthma

Read on AO3: Link

Frozen Depths

Patiently, Arlo waited outside Elenya's workshop. Relaxed, he took in the white, glittering landscape, the low winter sun warm on his face.

It was 4:15 p.m. and his little whirlwind of a builder was once again running late for their date. He could count on one hand the number of times she was actually on time, but he didn't mind.

He knew how much she loved her work, and how easily she lost track of time.

She was never more than 20 minutes late, though, so he expected her to show up at any moment. And no sooner had he finished that thought than he heard hurried footsteps from the direction of Peach Plaza.

He looked in that direction expectantly, and sure enough, Elenya's small figure appeared shortly afterwards. A warm smile immediately spread across his face. Seeing her was always the highlight of his day.

Today she wore a warm red hat, a matching scarf around her neck, a thick black coat and sturdy boots. A small weight fell from his shoulders as he saw her wrapped up so warmly. Since the onset of winter, he had been even more worried about her than he normally was, and when he saw her at her workbench the other day, wearing only sneakers and a hoodie, her hands already blue from the cold, he almost had a heart attack.

The lecture he had given her - after he had warmed her up properly - seemed to have worked, thankfully.

But as she finally arrived in front of him, still catching her breath, the next wave of concern washed over him.

"I'm sorry, Arlo..." She coughed briefly. "Mayor Gale had been holding me up."

"Hey, it's all right. Take a deep breath, okay?" Arlo gently gripped her shoulders and took a deep breath, encouraging her to do the same. Fortunately, she knew the procedure well by now and didn't need to be told twice.

After a few deep breaths, her breathing returned to normal and, relieved, he pulled her into a warm embrace. Even though they had her asthma under control with Dr. Xu's help, he was always worried that she might have an attack.

"It's okay, Arlo. I'm fine." Elenya mumbled against his chest, but didn't seem to mind his hug and cuddled up to him with a happy sigh.

"I know you are. But I'm always worried about you. But enough of that." He gently pushed her away from him and pressed his lips to hers instead. They were a little chapped and cold, but that didn't make the kiss any less wonderful. As soon as they had to catch their breath, he broke away from her again.

"Hey sweetheart, glad you could make it."

"Hey." Lovingly, she smiled up at him. "I would never miss our date. But..." An apologetic look appeared on her face. "I'll have to put it off a bit. Gale kept me because he wanted to ask me if I could fix the railing on the hot air balloon platform. During the last flight, one of the baskets must have crashed into it, taking part of the railing with it. I promised him I'd do it straight away to prevent anyone slipping and falling into the freezing pond. But it shouldn't take long! I just need..."

As she explained, her words became faster and faster, as if she was afraid he might get angry if he were to think about it too long, and he quickly used the best technique to calm her down. He gently pressed his lips to hers again and her rushed words instantly fell silent.

With a soft sigh, she leaned into the kiss and he couldn't help but smile a small satisfied grin. That just worked every time.

This time out of breath for a much better reason, Elenya looked up at him, her eyes wide, and he gently brushed a strand of hair from her face that had come loose under her cap.

"It's all right, sweetheart. Safety always comes first. But if you don't mind, I'd like to come with you. We can start our date with a little ride to the duck pond, you work your builder magic, and then we can warm up with a relaxing dinner at the Round Table. How does that sound?"

Arlo didn't need to hear Elenya's answer to know. The way her green eyes began to light up told him enough.

"Oh, that sounds wonderful. I'd just have to get the materials. I should have everything here, though. Can you saddle Rayna in the meantime?" Without really waiting for his answer, she scurried off over to her factory and he looked after her, smiling fondly.

He loved to see her in her element. She usually had such a quiet, gentle personality, but when it came to building things and helping other people, she blossomed like a beautiful flower. He could watch her work for hours without getting bored, so he didn't mind at all that it interrupted their date.

Just ten minutes later, Elenya had packed everything she needed and they were off at a leisurely trot towards the duck pond. Arlo held the reins firmly in one hand while Elenya sat in the saddle in front of him, her back nestled against his chest. He always loved the way her small body fit so perfectly between his arms, as if she was made for him, and couldn't help but pull her a little closer.

They didn't talk much on the way, just enjoyed the familiar closeness, and Arlo was almost a little disappointed when they arrived at the hot air balloon platform. Nevertheless, he quickly dismounted to help Elenya off the horse before she could try it herself. The snow was quite deep and he didn't want her to stumble.

"Let me help you." Wrapping both hands tightly around her waist, he carefully lowered her to the ground and then planted a soft kiss on her forehead.

"There, safely on the ground." Grinning, he looked down at his pouting builder and dodged her blow against his arm.

"I could have done it on my own." Crossing her arms, she glared up at him, but he had an easy solution for that too. As it happened, it was exactly the same as when she started babbling nervously.

After another deep, loving kiss, she was snuggled back into his arms, a happy sigh escaping her lips.

"I know you can do it on your own, but I didn't want to risk you tripping and landing in the cold snow. Now off you go. The sooner you work your magic, the sooner we can get warmed up at Django's."

Arlo's eyes softened with a touch of worry as he added, "Please be careful, though, okay? That platform looks really slippery." He glanced over at the platform, its surface glistening slightly in the sun. When wood glistens, it's never a good sign, and the chances of a thin layer of ice were very high.

"Don't worry, Arlo. I'll be careful. It's not the first time I've worked outside in this weather." Elenya gave him a quick, reassuring kiss, then grabbed her bag from the saddle and walked over to the platform.

Arlo followed her movements with watchful eyes, but when he saw that she could walk on the platform without any problems, some of his tension eased. He decided to watch her from a few paces back, so as not to disturb or accidentally startle her.

He watched for a few minutes as she sawed the frayed pipes straight, then measured the exact dimensions of the resulting gaps before cutting the new ones. To his relief, she moved away from the dangerous edge to do so and he let his gaze glide over the beautiful landscape.

The sun was already setting and both the water and the snow around him were glowing in all kinds of beautiful colours. If there was to be another clear day like this soon, he would have to take Elenya up to the church. The view from up there at this time of day was simply incredible and he just knew she would love this natural spectacle.

And maybe... he could finally use the ring that had been hidden in his room for a few weeks now?

He was just imagining how Elenya would react when a startled cry tore him from his daydream. In an instant, his eyes darted back to the platform and he was horrified to see the very thing he had been afraid of.

Elenya seemed to have lost her footing at last, and before he could give his own feet the command to move, she fell over the broken railing with a dull thud, followed by a splash.

Completely frozen, he stood there for a split second before his legs finally began to move. With her name on his lips, he sprinted to the platform as fast as he could, barely managing not to slip on the icy wood as well. Panicked, he leaned over the intact part of the railing, hoping to find Elenya swimming, albeit completely frozen, but instead he had to look down at her slowly sinking body.

Damn it, why the hell didn't she try to get to the surface?

He saw the answer a second later. The water was crystal clear, so he could easily make out the red streak coming from her head.

Fuck, she'd hit her head too!

As quickly as he could, Arlo tore off his jacket, sweater and shoes and hurried over to the shore to wade into the icy water. The freezing water was like a shock to his body, but he didn't have time to pay any attention to it. He was completely focused on saving Elenya!

Fortunately, the bottom of the pond was sloping very slowly, so he could easily run forward to where Elenya had fallen into the water.

After a far too long 30 seconds, he finally reached her, the water now up to his waist. She had completely sunk to the bottom by now and he took a deep breath to brace himself for the shock, plunging his arms into the water until he could grab her under her arms. His chest touched the surface and his front was completely submerged in the icy water, but the shock barely registered in his brain.

Without any effort, he lifted her up until he could free one arm and slide it under her knees. The light wind that hit his now wet torso cut into his skin like little knives, but he couldn't have cared less about that right now. Elenya showed no sign of life.

She lay lifeless in his arms, her face pale as chalk, her lips blue and her body not even shivering from the cold. He didn't think he'd ever run so fast in his life.

Breathless with panic, he set her down on the fateful platform and dropped to his knees beside her. He tried to feel her pulse on her neck, but his hands were numb with cold, so he decided to press his ear against her chest.

Holding his breath, he listened intently and after a few terrifyingly long seconds he heard it. Faint and slow, but there it was.

Thu-thump. Thu-thump.

Slight relief flooded through him, but there was still one huge problem. She wasn't breathing. Her chest wasn't rising and falling, and for a panicked moment he didn't know what to do. His brain was paralysed with fear.

Come on Arlo, you have to do something! She's dying!

Finally, his brain kicked in again and he frantically began to rip open Elenya's jacket to free her chest, then turned his attention to her head. Gently, he tilted her head back slightly to open her airway, squeezed her nose tightly with one hand and then, after taking a deep breath, pressed his lips firmly against her blue ones.

He really hoped they were only blue from the cold and not from lack of oxygen.

He pumped his breath into her as evenly as he could. Out of the corner of his eye he could see her chest rise and fall slightly, and after waiting 6 seconds he repeated the process. Each time he had to repeat it, his panic increased.

Why the hell didn't she start breathing? Was he doing something wrong?

"Come on, sweetheart! Breathe! Breathe for fucks sake!”

He had just completed his 12th rescue breath when he finally heard a sign of life. A soft gurgling sound came from her lungs and he hurried to turn her on her side. Coughing and gasping, gush after gush of water escaped from her and he gently patted her back, hoping to help.

For almost a minute, Elenya tried to get rid of the water she had inhaled, but then it finally seemed to be all out and her body slumped lifelessly again. For a brief, panicked moment, Arlo thought she had stopped breathing again, but the rattling sound coming from her lungs told him otherwise.

She was far from out of danger, but she was breathing again and, exhausted, he collapsed for a moment. Now that some of the adrenaline had worn off, he began to feel the cold seeping through his wet clothes, threatening to paralyse him, but he quickly forced himself to move again.

He had to get Elenya out of her wet clothes as best he could. He quickly pulled the jacket completely off her body, and with some difficulty managed to remove her stiff sweater and T-shirt.

Elenya didn't make a sound during the whole procedure, not even when he accidentally bumped against her head wound, and his premature relief quickly faded. He really had to hurry.

He quickly tore off his own wet T-shirt and socks and put on the sweater and shoes he had had the good sense to take off. He slipped his still-dry jacket over Elenya, hoping it would keep her torso, and therefore her heart, warm long enough for them to reach the clinic.

He briefly considered bandaging her head injury, but the cold meant that there was hardly any blood oozing out and he decided that this would only waste more time unnecessarily.

Sure that he had done everything in his power to keep Elenya alive for as long as possible, he gently lifted her back into his arms and ran back to Rayna. Without even glancing back at the platform and the items left behind, he lifted Elenya onto the horse and then hoisted himself behind her. He couldn't waste another second.

"Come on, Rayna, ride as fast as you can." With a gentle nudge to her side, he spurred the horse on, one arm wrapped tightly around Elenya, his hand resting on her chest to count every faint, rasping breath.

He hoped he wouldn't be too late.

The airstream pulled coldly at their bodies and he tried as best he could to shield Elenya from it. He kept casting anxious glances at her, hoping to see the slightest sign of life, but not even her body shivered to fight the cold. If her chest hadn't moved under his hand, he would have thought she was dead.

Even at the fastest gallop, it took them nearly 15 minutes to reach the clinic, and Arlo could feel the cold getting to him. His limbs stiffened and he found it increasingly difficult to keep his eyes open.

Shaking his head vigorously, he tried to keep the fog out of his head. He couldn't give in now!

Fortunately they had reached the gate to Portia by now and he steered Rayna to the left to speed up the hill. They finally arrived at the clinic with a hard stop and Arlo struggled to get out of the saddle. His pants had turned to ice with his legs and he found it difficult to move.

Nevertheless, he managed to lift Elenya safely back into his arms, for nothing in the world could make him drop the love of his life. He stepped stiffly through the door of the clinic and immediately attracted the attention of the two doctors.

Dr. Xu was the first to react.

"Oh God, Arlo! What happened? You two are frozen!"

It was only when Arlo tried to speak that he realised how much his teeth were chattering from the cold. "Elenya... she... she fell into the duck pond. Had to... get her out. Was... wasn't breathing. Help her... please."

"Of course! Quick, put her down here." Dr. Xu pointed to one of the beds and Arlo followed his request.

"Phyllis, quick, get all the blankets we have! And fire up the stove. We need all the heat we can get." The two doctors sprang into action. Dr. Xu set about freeing Elenya of all her wet clothes, while Phyllis dug out blankets from every possible drawer.

And Arlo just stood there, his feet frozen to the ground. The fog in his head, which he had managed to control on the ride, returned, blurring everything in front of him.

He didn't even notice himself swaying slightly on his feet until suddenly a small hand closed gently but firmly around his upper arm and pulled him a few steps over to a stool. Without resistance, he allowed himself to be lowered onto it, his knees buckling beneath him.

What was wrong with him?

Confused, he looked down at his hands. Why were they shaking so much?

Something warm suddenly wrapped itself around his shoulders and, even more confused, he looked up into Phyllis' worried blue eyes.

"Arlo? Can you hear me?"

He started to answer, but then he noticed what was wrapped around his shoulders. A blanket. But that wasn't right. Elenya needed it. He was fine.

He tried to pull the blanket off, but his arms wouldn't move.

"No... Elenya... needs..." A frustrated sound escaped him.

Why wouldn't his arms move? He had to help Elenya!

"Hey, Arlo! Calm down! Everything's fine. We're taking care of her. But you were in the cold water too. You need to get warm." Phyllis desperately tried to stop him pulling off the blanket and, to his confusion, she succeeded.

The more he tried to move, the more exhausted he became. The fog in his head thickened and he was only vaguely aware of Phyllis trying to get his attention.

What was happening to him?

He could feel himself tipping to one side, then everything went black.

~~~~~~

When Arlo came to, he felt exhausted. Pain throbbed behind his temples and his body felt stiff.

What had happened?

He sensed that he wasn't lying in his own bed. The mattress was a little too soft and he would never use so many blankets at once. Why were there so many blankets?

Then it hit him. The duck pond. The ice-cold water. Elenya!

He shot up, only to regret it immediately. The pain in his head began to pulse and with a groan he let it fall into his hands.

Fuck.

It took a moment for the pain to subside enough for him to lift his head. As soon as he did, Dr. Xu's worried face appeared in his field of vision.

"Arlo, you're awake. How are you feeling?" The doctor's eyes watched him intently. Arlo decided to tell the truth.

"Exhausted. My head hurts and everything feels a bit stiff. How long have I been out? What about Elenya? Where is she?"

He was about to swing his legs over the edge of the bed to get up, but Dr. Xu stopped him.

"Slow down Arlo. You were slightly hypothermic too. Gave Phyllis quite a scare. But you weren't unconscious for long, about 40 minutes. Elenya is... quite well, considering the circumstances. We're still slowly bringing her body temperature up, but she's already started to shiver again. Look, she's over here". Calm and understanding, Dr. Xu tried to reassure him, but when he realised that his words weren't having much effect, he stepped aside to reveal the second hospital bed.

Arlo finally noticed that the beds weren't in their usual places. Instead, they had been pushed as close as possible to the small stove that stood in the left corner, giving Arlo an unobstructed view of Elenya's trembling body.

An intravenous line disappeared beneath a thick layer of blankets, her hair was dry and a white bandage was wrapped around her head. But what struck him most was that her lips were no longer blue. Relieved, he slumped down. As he took in the details, he noticed a small device clipped to Elenya's finger - a tiny, pulsating light on it.

His gaze fixed on the device, he asked Dr. Xu, "What's that on her finger?"

Dr. Xu followed Arlo's gaze and explained, "It's an oxygen metre. It measures the oxygen saturation in her blood. It's at 94% right now, which, given the circumstances, is okay for now. We'll keep a close eye on it to ensure it stays that way."

Arlo found a glimmer of reassurance in the small, pulsating light on the oxygen metre, a tangible indicator that Elenya was still breathing fine.

"How... how is she otherwise? Will she be all right?" Anxiously, he looked back at Dr. Xu. He knew that just because her body temperature was slowly returning to normal didn't mean that she was going to get better.

Dr. Xu sighed heavily.

"Well, that depends on a number of factors. Can you tell me how long she hasn't been breathing?"

Arlo strained to remember what had happened. The pain in his head made it difficult to think, but he thought he could estimate the time fairly well. The answer terrified him.

"I think it took me about two minutes to get her out of the water and back onto the platform and start the rescue breaths."

Oh God, what if she had suffered brain damage?

But instead of being horrified, Dr. Xu's tense shoulders actually slumped slightly in relief.

"Okay, that's shorter than I feared. 2 minutes is a long time, but hypothermia actually has an advantage in this situation. The slowed metabolism means the body needs less oxygen, so 2 minutes is less critical than under normal circumstances. That's at least one less thing for me to worry about." The serious look Dr. Xu gave him made his heart sink.

"I have to be honest with you, Arlo. I can't promise you she'll make it. I've listened to her lungs and there's definitely some water left in there. That in itself is extremely dangerous, but with her asthma, I'm really just waiting for her body to react violently to it. If we're lucky she'll get a severe case of pneumonia which we'll get under control again, and if we're unlucky..."

The doctor didn't finish his sentence and Arlo was grateful. He felt like he was back in the freezing water again. He sat there in complete shock.

Was he going to lose his wonderful, loving Elenya after all?

He didn't even notice how his breathing quickened, or how his hands clenched in the top blanket that covered him.

Dr. Xu's words echoed in his head, a haunting chorus of uncertainty. Arlo wrestled with the dread, the fear that every breath Elenya took could be her last. He closed his eyes and tried to block out the images of a future without her, a future he never wanted to experience.

The room seemed to close in on him, crushing him with the weight of helplessness. "I can't lose her," he whispered to himself, his voice barely audible. He felt a hand on his shoulder and was torn from his dark thoughts. Helplessly, he looked into the dark eyes of Dr. Xu.

"Arlo, nothing is certain yet. We're going to do everything we can to help her. We won't give up on her."

With a nod, Arlo tried to dispel the dark thoughts. Dr. Xu was right. Elenya was still with him and he would do everything he could to keep it that way.

His eyes wandered back to the bed beside him. The flickering light from the stove cast shadows on Elenya's face. Arlo studied her features, memorising the curve of her lips, the way her eyelashes curled against her cheeks. As if in a trance, he followed the slow rise and fall of her chest, letting it help him to calm down.

He didn't know how long he sat there, his gaze fixed on Elenya's chest, ignoring everything else around him, but at some point the throbbing in his head became noticeable again and the exhaustion returned.

With a soft groan, he had to admit defeat to his body and let himself fall back into the pillows. In an instant, Dr. Xu was back at his side, a small vial of clear liquid in his hand.

"You should rest, Arlo. Your body has been through a lot today as well. Here," he held out the small vial, "this should help you sleep and relieve your headache. And don't worry too much about Elenya, Phyllis and I will be here to look after her the whole time. "

Arlo accepted the bottle gratefully, but made no move to drink the medicine. His eyes darted between Elenya and Dr. Xu.

"Can you tell me what else is wrong with her? What about her head? Could that be causing problems too?"

Dr. Xu sighed and tried to reassure Arlo.

"Well, her head isn't a major concern. The wound wasn't too deep; I suspect it's just a mild concussion. As for her other injuries, she had early signs of frostbite on her feet and hands. I applied a warming wound healing ointment and wrapped them for protection. I can't guarantee there won't be any nerve damage, but I'm reasonably confident. The warm saline solution we're using to gradually warm her up should help."

Arlo listened intently, but the emotional strain was draining him. His body begged for sleep, despite his inner struggle to keep a watchful eye on Elenya.

Sensing Arlo's inner conflict, Dr. Xu reassured him, "As I said, Arlo, we'll take care of her. Get some rest." Nodding, he gestured to the vial and Arlo complied. He downed the liquid, nestled back under the warm blankets, and soon drifted off to sleep.

~~~~~~

Arlo awoke to a state of chaos.

At first he didn't realise what was happening, his brain struggling to clear the fog of sleep. His body felt heavy and he wasn't sure where he was.

Two voices, urgent and desperate, pierced the haze of his confusion, telling him that something was terribly wrong.

He strained to remember what had happened, but only slowly did images begin to form in his mind. Snow glistening in the evening sun, Elenya hurrying towards him, the balloon platform and the duck pond.

The duck pond!

Alarmed, Arlo shot up in bed.

Elenya! Where was Elenya?

He looked around frantically until his gaze finally fell on the other hospital bed. Dr. Xu and Phyllis were scurrying around it, exchanging words he didn't understand.

What was going on? What was wrong with Elenya?

With difficulty, he managed to hoist his heavy legs over the edge of the bed. They didn't really want to carry him, trembling beneath him, but he didn't have time for that now. Something was wrong with Elenya and he needed to find out what it was.

~~~~~~

An hour later, Arlo found himself sitting in the chair next to Elenya's bed, a fluffy blanket wrapped around his shoulders and a warm and, according to Dr. Xu, invigorating cup of tea between his hands.

With a heavy heart and full of worry, his gaze was fixed on Elenya's chest, which was slowly rising and falling with a terrible rattling sound. A transparent mask lay over her face, fogging up with each breath and providing her with extra oxygen.

Arlo couldn't remember exactly what had happened in the last hour, but he knew that Elenya's temperature had suddenly skyrocketed overnight and that Dr. Xu and Phyllis were struggling to get the fever under control. In addition, her oxygen saturation was deteriorating and she was plagued by violent coughing fits.

The sound of her painful coughing and unconscious whimpering still rang in his ears, and he was incredibly glad that Dr. Xu had finally found something that both lowered her fever and suppressed the coughing urge.

According to Dr. Xu, what he feared had happened. Severe pneumonia. And it came on quickly. Elenya's vulnerable lungs and weakened body barely managed to clear the dirty lake water from her lungs.

With a sigh, Arlo drank the last of his tea, placed the cup on the small table beside the bed and took Elenya's right hand between his own as carefully as he could. The palm and each finger were individually wrapped in bandages to protect the skin from further damage, and he hardly dared to apply even a little pressure.

The exhaustion of the previous day still coursed through his body; according to Dr. Xu, he also had a slight fever, but that wouldn't stop him from watching over Elenya. He carefully lifted her hand to his lips and pressed a feather-light kiss to the back of her hand.

"I'm here, sweetheart. I'll take care of you. You just rest."

What followed were 8 days of stress, worry and fear. Each of her terrible coughing fits tore a hole in his heart.

Day and night, Arlo watched over Elenya, sitting at her bedside, talking to her, soothing her hot forehead with a cool cloth and chasing away any terrible fever dreams. He left her side only to eat, shower and occasionally sleep for a few hours in the other hospital bed.

Dr. Xu and Phyllis took turns so there was always someone with her. Visitors also came regularly, but Arlo hardly noticed them. He was far too focused on Elenya and every little change.

Her eyes opened from time to time, but each time they were glassy and she seemed oblivious to everything around her.

This was almost more worrying to Arlo than if she were just lying there unconscious. To see her normally bright green eyes so dull and empty frightened him. Dr. Xu said it was probably due to the high fever, but what if she had suffered brain damage from the lack of oxygen?

What if she never came back to him fully again?

He quickly tried to push that thought out of his mind and turned his attention back to Elenya's face. He was alone in the clinic at the moment, the two doctors taking a much-needed rest after the past few exhausting days. This morning, Dr. Xu had finally been able to remove the oxygen mask without her oxygen levels dropping back to dangerous levels, and so he was finally able to look at her face in full.

Her face was pale and sunken, with two red spots high on her cheeks the only colour left, deep shadows under her eyes and her dull hair framing her head.

Her face blurred before his eyes and he rubbed his eyes in frustration. He had barely slept the last few nights. His dreams had been haunted by blood-stained water and blue lips, and only Elenya's hand between his could bring him out of the nightmare.

His body seemed to have finally reached its limits, and without being able to do anything about it, his burning eyes closed. He briefly considered lying back in bed, but decided against it. He wouldn't get any decent sleep anyway.

Instead, he pulled the chair a little closer to the bed and let his head sink onto the mattress next to Elenya's hand. His back would pay for it, but he didn't care right now.

As soon as he closed his eyes, he fell asleep.

~~~~~~

Something rough tickled Arlo's cheek. He wrinkled his nose and tried to shake it off, but it refused to budge. In fact, it pressed a little harder against his cheek and now he realised it was more of a caress than a tickle. Confused, he opened his eyes.

His vision blurred and it took him a moment to realise where he was. During this time, the something did not stop caressing his cheek and he closed his eyes again for a moment to savour the feeling.

He almost fell asleep again when he finally realised what, or rather who, was caressing him so tenderly.

All at once he shot up in his chair.

With wide, disbelieving eyes, he stared up at Elenya's face and sure enough. There they were. Those beloved green eyes, tired but clear, looking straight at him.

"Elenya..." Still in disbelief, her name left his lips like a breath.

He couldn't believe his eyes. She was awake! And now she smiled at him! It was weak, but it was a smile, and it made her look so much healthier that it brought tears to his eyes.

Then it had indeed been her fingers, still wrapped in bandages, that had gently caressed his cheek.

"Elenya..." Her name left his lips once more as he stood up, ignoring the pain in his back, and then carefully sat down on the edge of the bed, the need to be as close to her as possible overwhelming him.

"You're awake." He cupped her left cheek gently with his hand, and with a barely audible sigh, Elenya nuzzled into his palm. The familiar gesture loosened a tension in him and he couldn't stop a few scattered tears of relief.

At last she was with him again. His wonderful builder.

A worried, hoarse sound escaped Elenya at the sight of his tears, her face twisting in pain and he quickly tried to calm her down. Her throat was sore from the many violent coughing fits and Dr. Xu already predicted that once she woke up, it would be a while before she could speak again.

"Shh, everything's fine. Don't try to talk. I'm just so glad you're finally getting better." Still cupping her cheek gently in his hand, he leaned down and pressed his forehead lightly against hers.

He closed his eyes for a moment, relishing the feeling of her closeness, soaking it in. He felt each of her warm breaths on his lips and he didn't think he'd ever felt anything so wonderful. Another weight was lifted from his shoulders.

A light touch on his thigh made him open his eyes again to see Elenya's eyes looking at him with love. Only with great difficulty did he manage to suppress any more tears.

Instead, he finally did what he should have done in the first place. He sat up again and reached for the glass of water that was always ready on the bedside table.

"Here, would you like some water?"

At Elenya's slight nod, he gently pushed the straw between her lips and softly reminded her not to drink too fast. With small sips, the glass slowly emptied, but before half the water was gone, Elenya's lips went slack again and her eyes threatened to close. Arlo could see her trying to fight her exhaustion in frustration and hurried to put the glass back down.

"Hey, it's all right. You've been really sick the last few days and you need to rest. I'm here, okay? I'll take care of you." He gently pressed a kiss to her forehead in the hope of calming her down a little, but she still didn't seem willing to go back to sleep.

With heavy eyes, she looked up at him pleadingly, but he didn't know how he could help her.

"What's wrong, sweetheart? Are you in pain? Shall I get Dr. Xu?" Full of concern, he looked down at her, ready to run off immediately if she answered his questions in the affirmative. But Elenya just shook her head gently and tried to speak again, but only another painful sound left her lips and Arlo quickly tried to stop her.

"Shh, please don't speak. You'll only hurt yourself. "

He desperately tried the next question. "Are you cold?"

Elenya hesitated briefly at this question, but then nodded cautiously.

He finally seemed to be getting somewhere, but when he asked if he should get her another blanket, she answered in the negative again and instead tapped the mattress next to her with her trembling right hand. And finally, Arlo understood what she wanted from him.

"Oh, of course. Nothing I'd rather do. But we have to be careful, yes? Let me know immediately if I hurt you."

Arlo rose from the bed and then carefully slid his arms under Elenya's legs and back to gently push her to the other end of the bed. Just as carefully, he laid down beside her under the covers and gently pulled her into his arms, making sure the IV in her left arm couldn't slip.

Once he had his arms firmly around her weak body, she relaxed in his arms and her head nuzzled against his chest with a contented sigh. Only then did he notice that he was wearing the soft grey sweater that she both loved on him and loved to wear herself. Every time he wore it, he could hardly remove her from his chest, not that he would ever mind.

Happy that he had unknowingly been able to offer her even more comfort, he pulled her a little closer to his chest and enjoyed the feeling of finally holding her in his arms again. The fear and anxiety inside him finally calmed down. Gently, he pressed a long kiss to the top of her hair and whispered, "Sleep well, sweetheart. I've got you."

#bad things happen bingo #bad things happen bingo: drowning #my time at portia #mtap #mtap arlo #my time at portia arlo #mtap female builder #mtap builder elenya #arlo my love #hurt/comfort

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mtap-comics · 6 months

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I wrote a little story that has nothing to do with my Bad Things Happen Bingo (still hurt/comfort thought because my brain can’t produce anyting else). If you are looking for something short and are also craving a warm hug from Arlo, maybe you can give it a go!

Chapters: 1/1 Fandom: My Time At Portia (Video Game) Rating: Teen And Up Audiences Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings Relationships: Arlo/Builder (My Time At Portia), Arlo/Female Builder (My Time At Portia) Characters: Arlo (My Time At Portia) Additional Tags: Pre-Relationship, Mental Breakdown, Crying, Stress-Crying, Mutual Pining, Hugs, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Touch-Starved, Elenya (Builder), Elenya really needs a hug, and Arlo will give her one, Fluff Summary:

Elenya found herself at a loss, standing in front of her garden gate, her gaze unfocused on the spot where two agents of the Free Cities Debt Collection Agency had been moments before. What was she supposed to do now?

#my time at portia #mtap #mtap arlo #my time at portia arlo #arlo my love #mtap female builder #mtap builder elenya

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mtap-comics · 7 months

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Welcome back to my Bad Things Happen Bingo!

Fandom: My time at Portia

Pairing: Arlo x Female Builder

Summary: Elenya was tired. No, scratch that. Elenya was exhausted. She didn't think she'd ever been as exhausted as she was at that moment.

Word count: 6'581

Prompt: Worked Themselves to Exhaustion

Author’s note: I'm not really sure what I have to say to this one. I had these three scenes in my head and tried to tie them into one story. Not sure I managed that that well, but I hope you enjoy this anyway!

Oh, and I'm sorry for the rushed end, but I saw how many words I had already written again and needed to stop myself.^^

Warnings: Fainting, Crying, Lots of comfort, Migraines

Read on AO3: Link

Drained by Duty

Elenya was tired. No, scratch that. Elenya was exhausted. She didn't think she'd ever been as exhausted as she was at that moment. A bad migraine had been throbbing behind her temples for hours, every muscle in her body ached, and she wasn't sure how she was even standing upright.

The last few days, or rather the last few weeks - since Ursula arrived in their little town, to be precise - had been the most exhausting she had ever experienced.

It all started five weeks ago when Ursula hired them to build a bridge into Somber Marsh. Or rather, two bridges, as she couldn't resist building the more difficult route and leaving the easier one to Higgins.

The entire operation had cost her three weeks of continuous work, and that in winter, which this year was only reluctantly giving way to spring. So she spent most of her time either in the mines, replenishing the iron ore that was constantly running out, or behind the tree farm, assembling the parts of the bridge that had already been completed.

Alone the way from her workshop to there cost her more than an hour every day, time that she could otherwise use much more usefully. For example, to complete all the other open commissions she still had.

Every night she woke up after only a few hours of sleep - if she managed to fall asleep at all - feeling guilty that she was taking much longer than usual to complete the villagers' commissions. Just because she had a little more work to do than usual didn't mean she could leave the others in the cold!

Arlo had tried to convince her to give the urgent things to other builders, but that felt even more like failure to her than anything else. She had promised to help the people, and she would!

So every night she had slipped out of Arlo's arms to do as many commissions as she could out in the cold and sparse light of her work table.

At the thought of Arlo, a small part of her tension disappeared and her heart filled with warmth. Without him, she would probably have collapsed days ago.

They had only been married for two months, but in that short time Arlo had become an integral part of her life. And she never thought she could fall even more for this wonderful, selfless and kind man than she already did.

Every day he had made sure she ate at least two full meals a day and had at least tried to get her to sleep. And this despite the fact that he himself had a lot of extra patrols and other work imposed on him by Ursula.

She knew how concerned he was about her, that he had noticed how little she slept and how much she was exhausting herself. Knowing that had only stressed her more over the last few days, as she didn't want to add to Arlo's workload by making him look after her, but she didn't knew what to do about that. The only thing her brain was still functioning in was 'work'.

Even now she could feel his piercing, worried gaze at her back.

They were currently standing together with Ursula and Mayor Gale in the latter's office, discussing the next steps regarding All Source. Arlo stood much closer behind her than he usually did in Ursula's presence, as if he was afraid she was going to collapse at any moment, and if she was honest, he probably wasn't that far off.

Just an hour earlier, Elenya had installed the fan that was supposed to remove the toxic gases from the ruin where the final key was located. And if she was honest, she couldn't even remember how she'd managed to do that, let alone make it back to the mayor's office. Somewhere on her way back, Arlo had picked her up and led her somewhere, no doubt very worried at her lack of response. It wasn't until Ursula showed up at the office that Elenya realised where she was.

Something about the woman's aura always made Elenya afraid to show the slightest weakness. So she stood up as straight as she could, ignoring her aching body, and tried to follow the conversation. But that quickly proved to be a futile effort.

The migraine reared its ugly head, making it impossible for Elenya to form a single clear thought. The roaring in her ears drowned out every sound around her, and her vision kept blurring.

What was being said? She didn't know. She was sure that if Ursula hadn't been standing two metres away from her, she would have lost the strength to fight against her protesting body. It took all her willpower to keep herself upright.

How she would have liked to just lie down. Closing her eyes against her headache for just a brief moment.

Blurredly she could see how Gale apparently nodded in conclusion, as if they had come to an agreement with the plan, and shortly after Ursula's outline disappeared from her field of vision.

The click of the door echoed through the room and, like a signal to her body, the last of the strength she could muster for the meeting dissipated. The roaring in her ears took over, her eyes closed and her legs gave way. She could faintly feel strong arms catching her, but then everything went black.

~~~~~~

"Damn, I should have taken better care of her. Should have insisted on taking a break."

"This isn’t your fault Arlo. I should have done something. Especially about Ursula."

Two familiar voices filtered through to Elenya. One as warm as a roaring fire and the other full of fatherly warmth. But both full of deep concern.

What had happened?

A splitting headache kept her from focusing. It settled over her thoughts like a fog, and the two voices around her vanished into it.

She tried to turn her head in the direction of the voices, but a heavy blanket of lead lay over her, preventing her from moving a single aching muscle. For a moment, her awareness slipped away.

Then, as if out of nowhere, a soothing, cool hand touched her forehead, bringing some relief from her raging headache. The fog that clouded her thoughts lifted just a fraction.

A curse echoed beside her and more confusion spread through her. What was going on?

"Sorry about that, boss. But damn, I think she's got a decent fever too." The hand on her forehead stroked down to her cheek, and she would have liked to lean into the familiar, loving gesture, but not a muscle would stir.

"There's nothing to apologise for, Arlo. If there's a time to curse, it's at a time like this." There was a brief pause, during which the thumb on her cheek drew gentle circles in her skin. "Shall I send for Dr. Xu? I'm really worried about her."

There was another pause as the now warm hand moved back to her forehead and then gently stroked through her hair.

"No... I think she just needs a lot of rest. Dr. Xu won't be able to do much for her. I'll take care of her. Like I should have been doing for the past few days..." At the guilt-soaked words, an instinct stirred in Elenya that had become ingrained over the past few years.

What was Arlo blaming himself for again, and what could she do about it?

With difficulty, she finally managed to open her eyes. An unfamiliar ceiling appeared above her and a confused sound escaped her.

Immediately, the voices that had been talking stopped and familiar blue eyes entered her field of vision.

"Elenya! Thank God you're awake. How are you feeling?" Full of deep concern, Arlo's eyes darted over her face as a second head slid into her field of vision, which she recognised as Mayor Gale's.

So she was still in his office. Probably lying on one of the sofas against the back wall.

"Sweetheart?" Gently, the big, rough hand went back to her cheek and turned her gaze back to Arlo. Only then did it occur to her that she had probably been staring dumbly at the mayor instead of thinking about Arlo's question.

She struggled to find the right words, to tell him how much her head hurt and how exhausted she was, but it was difficult to form even a single clear thought. What finally escaped her lips was not at all what she had in mind.

"Cold..."

And it was only as the word slipped from her lips that she realised it was true. A chill had taken hold of her limbs, and with the last energy her body could muster, she began to shiver.

Confused, Arlo looked at her for a moment. He probably hadn't expected to hear those words any more than she had, but then he jumped up and began to take off his jacket and then the grey sweater he was wearing underneath.

He held the sweater out to Gale.

"Can you help me dress her in this?"

"Of course."

Confused, Elenya watched the two of them. She just couldn't follow their quick movements.

Then Arlo knelt beside her again and slid his left arm under her back. Slowly he lifted her into a sitting position, but her aching head didn't like the movement at all and she let it fall weakly against his shoulder. Soothingly, Arlo stroked her hair with his free hand.

Then a second pair of hands joined in, manoeuvring her arms into the sleeves of the sweater, and a moment later the soft, warm fabric was pulled over her head. She would have liked to help, but her muscles just wouldn't move when she told them to.

"There, now you should be warmer." Lovingly, Arlo whispered these words into her ear, and soon the warmth of the sweater reached her and mixed with his familiar, wonderful scent, a calm spread through her, causing her eyes to close.

Completely exhausted, she collapsed further into Arlo's arms, burying her face in his shoulder. More of his scent rose to her nose and she felt sleep trying to take her.

The arm around her shoulders tightened and she had expected Arlo to urge her to stay awake. Instead, warm lips pressed against her forehead and equally warm words filled her ears.

"That's it. Get some rest, darling. I'll take you home." A second arm slipped under her knees and a moment later she was in the air, pressed tightly against Arlo's chest. Unfortunately, the movement caused her head to fall off his shoulder, hanging uncomfortably backwards, but she had no strength to lift it back up.

Fortunately, she didn't have to stay like that for long, because two smaller, but just as careful hands came to the back of her head and guided it back to Arlo's shoulder. With a grateful sigh, she curled up even closer to the warm chest and let the fog in her head take over. The two voices around her blended together and soon everything went black.

~~~~~~

Elenya awoke sluggishly. She felt as if she had slept too much and too little at the same time. Her limbs were heavy, her thoughts emerged from sleep only with difficulty, and for a moment she simply lay motionless in bed.

How had she gotten here? She couldn't remember getting into bed. And where was Arlo?

Searching, she opened her eyes. The space beside her was empty. Confused, her eyes continued to wander to the clock on the wall.

10:30, it read.

For a moment she stared at the hands of the clock until the information finally reached her brain. Startled, her eyes widened.

Oh no, it was already so late! Why hadn't Arlo woken her up!? What if Ursula needed her help again? Or someone else? And what about all her open commissions?

Without her realising it, she shot up in bed, her chest heaving up and down in panic. If she hurried, maybe she could still get everything done!

Quickly, she threw off her covers and jumped out of bed. With quick steps she hurried to the door of their bedroom, but before she could reach it, a terrible pain stabbed through her head and she became dizzy. Desperately, she tried to hold on to the chair by the door, but she lost her balance more and more, and with a loud crash, the chair fell to the floor with her.

Completely disoriented, she was left on the floor. Her head was pounding like a jackhammer, and the vibrations from the hurried footsteps rushing towards her didn't help. The door to the bedroom burst open and a frantic Arlo stood in the doorway.

"Elenya!" Horrified, he threw himself on the floor in front of her and helped her to sit up. "What happened? Did you hurt yourself?" Full of concern, his eyes wandered over her body, but Elenya had no time for such questions.

She had to get up again!

Desperately, she tried to get her legs under her so that she could stand up, but her muscles began to shake and her dizziness returned, causing her to fall back to the ground. Arlo's strong arms caught her before she could hit the ground again.

"Whoa, hey! Slow down! Easy! What's going on? Elenya, calm down, please!" Panic welled up in Arlo's voice as he tried to stop her next attempt to get up. Firmly gripping both her wrists with one hand, he placed the other against her cheek, gently guiding her gaze to him.

Firmly he held her gaze.

"Sweetheart, what's wrong? Talk to me, please."

For a moment she could only stare back. Her chest was still rising and falling in panic and she could feel her heart racing in her chest.

"I... I'm way too late. I have to... I have so much to do... And wha... what if Ursula needs me? I... I can't rest now..." Stuttering and desperate, she managed to get the words out as tears welled up in her eyes.

She couldn't take it anymore. She could feel her body reaching its limit, every single muscle aching, but she couldn't give in now. Portia still needed her.

Arlo's expression in front of her became incredibly sad and suddenly she found herself in his arms. They were still sitting on the floor, but now she was sitting sideways between his legs, his strong arms wrapped tightly around her upper body.

"Oh, sweetheart... Everything's alright. You can rest. You don't have to do anything for the next few days."

Full of sadness and love, Arlo spoke the words against her head, his cheek pressed firmly against her mop of hair and his arms tightening around her body.

She... she could rest? She didn't have to work?

An incredible relief released all the tension in her body and with it the last chance to hold back her tears. Incessantly they flowed from her eyes and seeking shelter she buried her face in Arlo's chest.

"Shh, everything is alright. You are okay. I got you." Arlo whispered softly into her ear, his strong arms keeping her from falling apart. And so she let out all the pent-up emotions and stress of the last few weeks. Cried against his chest for minutes until not a single tear was left.

In the end, her head hurt even more and exhausted she slumped in his arms. Soothingly, Arlo stroked her hair before stopping suddenly and placing his hand against her forehead.

"Oh sweetheart, I think your fever is even higher than it was yesterday. Come on, back to bed with you." Arlo pulled away from her, stood up and gently lifted her into his arms. Unfortunately, her head didn't like that at all and, overcome by terrible pain and dizziness, she buried her head in Arlo's neck with a whimper.

Immediately, Arlo stiffened beneath her and the arms around her body tightened.

"Oh no, what's wrong? Did I hurt you?" Full of concern, Arlo's voice filtered through to her through the static in her ears, but she couldn't answer. Even in the darkness of Arlo's neck, it felt like the world was spinning around her and her stomach began to churn.

With another whimper, her hand that held Arlo's T-shirt tightened.

Oh God, please don't throw up... please don't.

"Sweetheart, what's wrong? Come on, talk to me." Desperately, Arlo tried to catch a glimpse of her, but she didn't dare move a muscle. Thankfully, Arlo didn't seem to dare move her either, and after a seemingly endless minute, the world finally stopped spinning and her stomach settled.

Completely exhausted, she went limp in Arlo's strong arms, knowing that he would never let her fall. The world blurred around her and for a moment the only thing that existed was the incredible pain in her head.

Only when she suddenly felt a soft mattress and pillows beneath her did she realise that Arlo had been trying to get her attention. Full of worry and almost panicking, he leaned over her, his left hand gently rubbing her cheek. Trembling, she reached for that very hand and squeezed it reassuringly. Immediately, Arlo's shoulders slumped in relief.

"Oh, thank God. What happened? Did you hurt yourself when you fell?"

"No... My head... I think..." It took her a moment to find the right word through the pain. "Migraine."

The panic disappeared from Arlo's eyes, instead the worry deepened and he sank down on the bed beside her.

"Oh no, my poor darling. How bad is it?" He lowered his voice to a low rumble, for which she was grateful. It wasn't until there were no more loud noises that she realised how much they had hurt her head.

"Bad. Really bad." She rarely got migraines, but this one topped all the others she'd had. The vision in front of her right eye kept blurring, the soft light shining through the curtains stung her head, and she just wanted to curl up into a ball to hide from the world and the pain.

Arlo let go of the hand she was still clutching and stood up. "I don't like the sound of that. I'll just get you a cold cloth and then see if we have anything else for the pain, okay? I'll be right back." Still keeping his voice low, he planted a soft kiss on her forehead and then disappeared into the bathroom.

Elenya let her eyes fall shut. How she would have loved to just go back to sleep, to sleep away the pain, but it was that very pain that kept her from doing so. It kept penetrating her head and she felt a new flood of tears leaking from her eyes, making everything worse. But she couldn't stop them. She didn't have the strength anymore.

A soft sob broke from her throat and she heard muffled, rapid footsteps hurrying towards her. Moments later, the bed beside her lowered again and a familiar, rough hand gently wiped away her tears.

"Oh, sweetheart. It's all right. We'll fix you up." Like a warm breath, Arlo's voice brushed over her, comforting her and letting her relax a little.

"Hurts..."

"I know, darling, I know. Here, this should help a bit." Something wonderfully cold settled over her hot forehead and eyes, and almost instantly the pounding in her head calmed a little. Quivering, she took a deep breath.

"That's it. Try to breathe nice and easy. I'll just see if we have any more of Dr. Xu's medicine for your migraine, okay?"

The edge of the bed beside her rose again and Elenya tried to follow Arlo's advice. As best she could, she breathed deeply in and out, trying her best to fight the pain.

The cold cloth on her face felt wonderful, especially as it blocked the last bit of light from her eyes. Together with the controlled breathing, she actually managed to doze off and forget the pain for a moment.

Only a gentle touch to her hand brought her out of her light sleep and with a questioning sound she turned her head slightly to the left.

"Here, sweetie, this should help." The washcloth on her face was removed and for a moment she wondered how that was supposed to help, but then an arm slipped under her shoulders and slowly pulled her up.

She was about to open her eyes when Arlo stopped her gently. "Shh, keep your eyes closed. I'll help you." Another questioning sound escaped her, but then she felt something being held to her lips. Judging by its shape, it was a small vial, and after a moment's hesitation, she opened her mouth slightly.

She knew what Arlo wanted to give her. A mixture from Dr. Xu that worked wonders for her migraines, but unfortunately tasted disgusting. According to the doctor, adding honey would counteract the effect, so there was nothing he could do about the taste.

Arlo slowly poured the liquid into her mouth, and as soon as it touched her tongue, she cringed in disgust. The taste was nearly impossible to describe. Bitter and sour at the same time. To top it off, it tasted like three day old socks smelled.

Simply disgusting. But it helped, so she forced herself to swallow the liquid and then slumped exhausted against Arlo's chest as soon as the bottle was empty.

"That's it. You'll feel better soon. Here, I've also brought you a glass of water." After a brief clinking of glasses, something new was held to her lips and she drank the refreshing water greedily.

Relieved, she noticed that the water both washed the horrible taste out of her mouth and calmed her stomach a little at the same time.

"There you go. Drink it all down. You've been asleep for almost 16 hours, you really need to drink something. I'd prefer you to eat something too, but we'll have to wait for the painkiller to kick in first, won't we?" Still whispering softly, Arlo's words brushed gently over her.

Elenya found it difficult to follow his words. Dr. Xu's medicine had a habit of making her tired within seconds, and combined with her ongoing exhaustion and the pain in her head, the world around her began to blur.

A brief jolt ran through her body as she perceived the words "slept for 16 hours", but it disappeared as quickly as it had come. Instead, she snuggled closer to Arlo's strong chest, who was still holding her upright with one arm, and let out a sleepy murmur.

"It's okay, sweetheart. I'll make you something to eat later. Get some rest." Gently she was laid back into the pillows and after a brief splash of water the washcloth, now wonderfully cool again, was placed back on her forehead. The last thing she noticed before falling into another deep sleep was a long, tender kiss against her temple.

~*~*~*~*~*~

Arlo's heart ached as he looked down at his sleeping Elenya. The pale cheeks and deep shadows under her eyes, which he knew were hidden beneath the washcloth, were so unlike the otherwise vibrant, happy woman he had married so recently. Her desperate sobs still rang in his ears, and the memory of her collapsing in front of him would haunt him for a long time.

If only he had taken better care of her.

He knew how much she had built, farmed and fought over the last few weeks, and that she had barely slept at night, but he simply didn't knew how to help her. He couldn't do the building for her, nor all the tasks Ursula had given her. Not that he didn't try, but he quickly realised that Ursula was not to be trifled with.

Gale also felt that there was something wrong with this woman, but neither of them could put their finger on it, so they decided to play along for the time being. With whatever it was.

The only thing he could do for Elenya was to make her eat breakfast and dinner and pull her into bed with him late at night, even if he woke up alone in it in the morning.

But now, thanks to Gale, they had three days of undisturbed time in which he could nurse his little builder back to health. Never again would he allow her to work herself to exhaustion. No matter who he had to fight.

With one last lingering kiss to her temple, he left the bedroom as quietly as he could, picking up the overturned chair as he went, and retreated to their kitchen. He would have felt much better if Elenya had eaten something now, but he also knew how nauseous her migraine made her, and she wouldn't have been able to keep anything down anyway. So he settled for preparing her a sustaining soup for later and hoping that she would be able to keep it down.

And so the rest of the morning and part of the afternoon passed very slowly for him. He tried to distract himself with paperwork, but his anxious thoughts kept wandering back to his sick builder and eventually he gave up and slipped back into the bedroom.

Elenya was still lying there as he had left her, which was just further proof of her exhaustion. She hadn't even turned her head, so the washcloth was still untouched on her forehead and eyes. By now it was completely warmed by her feverish forehead, so he filled the basin he had left on her bedside table with fresh, cold water, pulled the chair to the edge of the bed and then dipped the warm washcloth into the cool water.

Wringing out the excess water, he gently wiped Elenya's face with it before placing it back on her forehead. A soft sigh escaped her lips and with a gentle smile, Arlo watched her sleep. He regularly dipped the washcloth back into the cold water as soon as it got too warm, and each time Elenya relaxed more.

He would have to take her temperature later when she was awake. The cold washcloth seemed to help her, but if it was too high, he would have to resort to one of Dr. Xu's tinctures. Too high a fever would only prevent her from getting the rest she needed.

He didn't know how long he sat there like that, watching over her sleep, but just as he had freshly soaked the washcloth and then gently clasped her hand in his, it twitched in his and a soft moan escaped her. Instantly he straightened up more and watched her face intently.

"Elenya, sweetheart, are you awake?" Tense, he watched as her eyelids fluttered a few times before her eyes opened completely. Confused, she looked up at the ceiling and Arlo hurried to stand up and lean over her.

As soon as her eyes caught his, a slight smile formed on her lips, easing a small part of his worry.

Her smile always managed to put him at ease.

"Hey." Tenderly, he returned her smile. "How are you feeling? How's your head?"

Her attempt to answer him came only as a croak from her throat and he quickly reached for the glass of water he had already refilled and placed on the bedside table. Gently, he lifted her head slightly and held the glass to her lips.

The glass emptied quickly and, pleased that Elenya had drunk so much again, he put it back and then looked at her expectantly.

After a quiet clearing of her throat, her soft voice finally sounded. "As if I'd been run over by a dee dee. But my head is better. It's just everything else that hurts now."

"That must be the fever. You've really overexerted yourself. But don't worry, I'll take care of you." Arlo's heart swelled with love and concern as he watched Elenya struggle with her weakened state. Gently, he reached out and brushed a strand of hair from her forehead.

"You've been pushing yourself too hard, sweetheart," he said, his voice filled with concern. "I know how much you care about the town and its people, but you can't help anyone if you don't take care of yourself."

Elenya managed a weak smile as she looked up at him. "I just... didn't want to let anyone down."

Arlo leaned in and pressed a soft kiss to her forehead. "You could never let anyone down, Elenya. You're Portia's heart and soul. But you have to promise me that you'll take it easy from now on."

She nodded, her eyes filled with gratitude. "I promise."

Gratefully, he kissed her softly on the lips and then moved on to something else that was just as important to him.

"I have made some soup for you. Would you like some? You haven't eaten for almost 24 hours and I'm sure you'll feel better with something in your stomach." He watched Elenya carefully, hoping that her nausea had passed and she would agree. And to his relief, she did.

With a grateful smile, she nodded at him and then tried to sit up, as if she wanted to get up. But her attempt to push herself up with her arms didn't go well and halfway through her muscles gave way.

"Woah hey, what are you doing?"

Arlo quickly caught her and looked down at her with concern.

"Getting up." Came as a hoarse, quiet reply while she leaned her head exhaustedly against his chest.

"Oh no, you're not. You stay nice and comfy in bed and rest. Here." With one arm holding Elenya tightly against his chest, he used his free hand to reach for his own blanket and puff it up behind Elenya so she could lean against it. With ease he pulled her up a little higher until she could sit comfortably.

Satisfied with his work, he straightened up and laughed softly at the pout that had formed on Elenya's lips.

"There, you stay here and I'll heat up some soup for you, okay?" Arlo pulled Elenya's blanket back up to her shoulders when he saw that she was shivering slightly and pressed a gentle kiss against her warm forehead to placate her a little.

With a surrendering sigh, Elenya nodded and snuggled a little deeper into the blankets surrounding her.

Glad that Elenya was willing to listen to him, he quickly made his way to the kitchen to heat up a plate of soup for her. He also filled a glass with juice, hoping the extra vitamins would help her get back on her feet more quickly. Loading everything onto a tray, he brought the items to Elenya and placed it on her lap.

"Here, sweetheart, this should make you feel better. Do you need help eating?" Tenderly, he met her indignant gaze at his words, but it soon became apparent that they were not unfounded.

Determined, she reached for the spoon and dipped it into the soup, but her whole arm shook so much that the soup fell right back into the plate. He let her try three times, her expression growing increasingly frustrated, before he stopped her.

Gently, Arlo grabbed the hand holding the spoon and took it from her.

"Let me help you, sweetheart. Please." He looked at her as gently and openly as he could, reassuring her that he didn't think she was weak, and after a while she finally complied.

"Okay."

"Thank you."

Pleased that she was letting him help, he pulled the chair a little closer to the bed, sat down and began to feed Elenya the soup spoon by spoon. It wasn't long before both the plate and the glass of juice were empty, and satisfied that she had eaten so much, Arlo set the tray down on the floor.

Elenya's eyes were already closed again when he turned back, and he hurried to remove the blanket from behind her back and gently lay her back down into the pillows. He had just sat down again when her eyes half opened again and looked at him tiredly.

"Thank you, Arlo." Coupled with her warm smile, those words filled him with love and he couldn't help but press another long kiss to her lips.

"Anytime. I love you, sweetheart."

"I love you too." With a happy smile, her eyes closed again, but it seemed she couldn't find rest. Worried, Arlo put his hand to her forehead to see if her fever had risen any further, but as far as he could tell it was unchanged.

Her eyes struggled to open at his touch and he looked at her with concern.

"What's wrong, sweetheart? Do you need anything else? Do you have a headache again?"

"No, it's just... can you hold me for a while, please? I'm really not feeling well." Tears welled back up in her eyes and Arlo's heart broke again at the sight.

"Of course, darling."

He quickly stripped off his uncomfortable jeans and joined her in bed. Carefully, so as not to hurt her, he pulled her towards him until her head rested on his chest, just above his heart. He wrapped his arms tightly around her upper body and intertwined his legs with hers, hoping to give her a sense of security. As long as she was in his arms, nothing could happen to her.

And indeed, it didn't take long after that for Elenya's breathing to slow down. Relieved that she was now getting some more sleep, he enjoyed the feel of Elenya's small body in his arms and, to his surprise, dozed off for a few hours himself.

~~~~~~

It was already dark when Arlo awoke from his light sleep. By the looks of it, he too had needed a few hours of extra rest.

Elenya was still sleeping peacefully in his arms, her head still directly over his heart, and for a while he watched her tenderly. Unfortunately, his bladder soon made its presence known, so he carefully pulled away from her and slid out of bed.

As Arlo moved around the room, he couldn't help but cast a loving glance back at Elenya, asleep and peaceful. He knew she needed this rest and it eased his worries about her health.

He quickly did his business in the bathroom, put on an old pair of sweatpants so he wouldn't have to walk around in his underwear, and then went into their living room.

However, just as he was about to step into the kitchen to prepare some herbal tea, a sudden, heart-wrenching scream that sounded a lot like his name pierced the silence of the evening. Arlo's heart leaped into his throat, and he rushed back to the bedside, nearly stumbling in his haste.

"Elenya! Sweetheart, wake up!" Arlo called out, his voice filled with panic. He gently shook her shoulder, trying to rouse her from the nightmare.

Elenya's eyes snapped open, and she gasped for breath, her body trembling with fear. Tears streamed down her cheeks, and she clung desperately to Arlo, as if he were her lifeline.

"Shh, it's okay," Arlo whispered, his voice soothing. He wrapped his arms around her, holding her close, as she continued to tremble. "It was just a dream, Elenya. I'm right here. You're safe."

It took a while for Elenya's sobs to subside, her emotions still fragile from the stress of the past weeks. Arlo held her through it all, murmuring comforting words and pressing kisses to her forehead.

Once she had calmed down, Elenya buried her face in Arlo's chest, her fingers clutching the fabric of his shirt. "I... I dreamt that you were gone," she whispered, her voice quivering.

Arlo's heart ached at her words, and he tightened his embrace. "I'm right here, my love. I'm not going anywhere."

For a moment he wondered if the sudden lack of his heartbeat under her ear was the cause of her nightmare, but decided not to think about it any further. That would not help him right now.

Elenya was still clinging desperately to him and isolated sobs escaped her. "There... there was so much blood and... that awful laugh..." Her voice broke with every other word and Arlo was afraid she was going to cry again.

"Shh, it's alright. I'm here. It was just a dream." Gently he rocked her back and forth, but she wasn't finished yet.

"It was him... That mysterious knight... He... he killed you."

At those words, everything inside Arlo tightened painfully. Subconsciously, he tightened his arms around Elenya even more and curled around her, shielding her from the world.

The mysterious knight had been a looming threat in their lives, a shadow that refused to leave, and he knew how much she feared him. Ever since their first encounter a few months ago and the realisation that neither of them could really do anything to counter him. And he didn't blame her. If he was honest, he was also afraid of the next encounter.

But unlike him, she was still primarily a builder, not a fighter. Of course, she could easily keep up with them in combat, but that didn't mean her heart could.

In all the years he had been fighting for the Civil Corps, he had seen and experienced quite a bit, and he was glad that his sweet, loving Elenya had been spared this so far. But now such things hit her all the harder, and he wished nothing more than to be able to protect her from all the evil in the world.

He pulled her a tiny bit closer to him until there was not a bit of air left between them and pressed a long kiss to the mop of her hair.

"It was only a dream. I'm here. Everything's going to be all right. We'll get through this. Together."

He didn't know how long they sat there like that, ignoring the cramp in his back from his twisted position and just concentrating on holding Elenya tightly in his arms. She was still trembling slightly and her tight grip on his t-shirt had not yet loosened, so he continued to rock her gently from side to side and whisper comforting words into her ear.

Eventually, though, her tense posture relaxed and she sagged in his arms. A low murmur sounded against his chest, but the words were too faint to make out, so he pushed Elenya slightly away from him and gently lifted her face.

Her eyes were red and swollen from crying, dark shadows still under them, and yet his heart swelled with adoration at the sight of her. Gently, he pressed a kiss to her forehead.

"What was that, sweetheart?"

"Thank you Arlo and... sorry. I didn't mean to..." A soft hiccup interrupted her and he hurried to immediately dispel her thoughts.

"Hey shh, there's nothing to apologise for. I'm always here for you, just like you're always there for me." Arlo kissed her again, gently, but with a promise to always support her. Only when they needed to catch their breath did he pull away, gently wiping away the last traces of her tears.

With a happy sigh, she leaned into his gentle touch, her eyes only half open again, her emotional outburst taking its toll on what little energy she had managed to replenish.

"Everything will be alright. I know it."

#bad things happen bingo #bad things happen bingo: worked themselves to exhaustion #my time at portia #mtap #mtap arlo #my time at portia arlo #mtap female builder #mtap builder elenya #arlo my love #hurt/comfort

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mtap-comics · 8 months

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It's beautiful :D

for the arlo simps ;)

#mtap arlo #mtap #arlo #my time at portia #arlo my love

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mtap-comics · 8 months

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I'm curious and have a question to all the Portia Builders out there: What's the highest level you ever reached in a play through?

Wondering how long people play in one safe game. :D

Mine is level 60 in my first play through where I did almost everything you could do in the game. At least of what I know. :D

#my time at portia #mtap #mtap builder

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mtap-comics · 8 months

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I know it's an old post, but I just have to reblog it here, too. (And I can refind it faster)

This is just my most favourite fanart I have ever seen of Arlo and I just love it so much. Thank you for sharing your beautiful art!

A little pose practice from random sources with my new favorite husband from my new favorite gaming obsession. I like when Arlo falls asleep on my armchairs instead of literally any other soft surface in my house, there’s a bed and a sofa but he likes the armchair i guess

#my time at portia #mtap #mtap arlo #arlo my love

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mtap-comics · 9 months

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I just love this so much! Haven't read "Between Wrenchees and Wonders" yet, but his one here is so cute already. I thought a few times of doing something similar (or well, almost the same) with Arlo and my builder Elenya and their first meeting, but haven't gotten around to it yet.

Maybe one day I will have the time for that!

Bells in The Wind

Read on Ao3.

Published:2023-08-02 Words:1,633 Chapters:1/1 Category: F/M

Alright, this was part of my original fic "Between Wrenches and Wonders" because I had started writing a whole story including how they met and everything, and scrapped it because I didn't want it to be too long. I was going through notes and stuff and found this and thought it was cute, so here you go. I have more cute stuff like this but I'm not sure if I want to post it because re-reading my cheeesy writing makes me go ick. Unrelated to MTAP, I am also working on a series of novels. I gave up working full time to persue writing (bad idea, i know), but since I believe all writing should be free for people to read, my upkeep of writing is donation based. If you're intested, you can check out my ko-fi. The first book is linked there an is completely free to read.

He often carried confidence. He spoke with resolve and conviction, and when he made a decision, there was no turning back. He was always sure of himself, and that often made it easier for others to follow his lead. He had unshakeable inner strength, and it was this quality that enabled him to be a successful leader. It was with these qualities that Arlo made a name for himself in Protia, someone people could look up to. To them, the young Captain was typically unphased and always available to provide assistance. He calmly accepted any challenges sent his way, never letting them overwhelm him.

And he had the uncanny habit of getting his thoughts across unconventionally. Even though it was unconventional for him to kick open the commerce guild door, he often lived off the high of his responsibilities. "Pres!" He shouted as his boot heel hit the aging wooden door. "I have a job for you!"

Arlo's bold entrance into the Commerce Guild's office had drawn the attention of everyone present, including the woman standing there with her arms crossed. He couldn't help but feel like a fool for kicking in the door, but there was no turning back now. As his gaze met hers, he felt a jolt of surprise at the sight before him; a woman he hadn't seen before.

With her small frame and curved hips, she commanded attention and had an undeniable aura of charm around her. Her bangs framed her mint green hair, highlighting the spark held in her hazel eyes. Arlo felt taken aback by her beauty, his composed manner faltering for a moment as he took in the sight of her.

"What do you require?" Presley's voice cut through the haze of Arlo's daydreams, and he shook his head to refocus. He looked to the man in front of him, regaining clarity on the task at hand.

"Ah, a bridge," he stammered, feeling a slight heat rise to his cheeks. He fished out the papers and diagrams from his pocket that had been sent over by the Mayor. "We need a bridge to Amber Island."

The woman continued to stare at him, her expression unreadable but with a hint of interest in her eyes. Arlo pushed away the distraction and passed over the documents.

Presley glanced at the papers and nodded, pushing his glasses further up his nose and turning towards the woman next to him.

Presley glanced at the papers and nodded, pushing his glasses further up his nose and turning towards the woman next to him. "This looks like something you could do, my dear."

Her voice was like a warm summer breeze, carrying a subtle hint of amusement and confidence. She raised an eyebrow as she reached out to take the papers, holding them close to her face. "Really now?" Her eyes flickered back towards Arlo, a playful glint dancing within them. "That was quite an entrance for a bridge."

Arlo felt a rush of embarrassment as he scratched the back of his head, feeling the weight of her gaze on him. He had meant to make a bold impression, but now he couldn't help but feel like he had overdone it.

Presley took a step back and motioned to the young woman standing next to him. "This is Bernadette, the new builder." He grinned mischievously and playfully added, "And this is the overly excited captain of the Civil Corps."

Arlo felt a surge of embarrassment at Presley's description but managed to maintain a smile. He was used to his friend's teasing remarks, and this time was no exception.

Bernadette's gaze stayed steady, her face showing a tranquil and composed facade. A hint of inquisitiveness lit up her eyes as she inspected Arlo—so there was a name to the attractive face, which made him more curious.

Stepping forward, Bernadette extended her hand toward him. Her voice was soft yet filled with a sense of confidence as she spoke, "Nice to meet you, Captain."

Arlo couldn't help but notice a slight curve to her hips as he shook her hand, and he found himself taking a step back ever so slightly, hoping she wouldn't notice his momentary fluster. "Likewise," he replied, trying to keep his tone steady despite the way her presence seemed to affect him. There was something refreshing about her presence, and he couldn't deny the spark of attraction he felt.

“Can I get my hand back?” she queried, and as Arlo followed her gaze to their hands still connected, his cheeks flushed a rosy hue. His heart raced with the realization that he had been holding her hand for longer than necessary. He meekly released his grip, feeling both abashed and entertained by his own embarrassed state. “Of course, sorry about that," he replied, striving to sound carefree.

"Arlo, why don't you take Bernadette to see where the bridge is going to be built," Presley suggested suddenly, and Arlo wished he could have stayed quiet.

The idea of spending more time with Bernadette stirred up a blend of emotions: he was excited, yet apprehensive. What if his infatuation was revealed when they were alone? He felt embarrassed for being so flustered by her, chastising himself internally for his lack of composure.

Arlo uttered "Sure, I can do that" almost instantaneously, trying to disguise the internal turmoil he was feeling. He tried his best not to show it as his eyes flicked over to Bernadette's face.

As they walked along the path towards the river, Arlo couldn't shake the feeling of awkwardness that hung in the air between them. He stole glances at Bernadette, trying to think of something to say that would break the silence. He mentally scolded himself for his lack of conversational skills, feeling regretful for agreeing to walk with her when he seemed incapable of holding a proper conversation.

"Uh, so, uh... where did you study? I mean, to become a builder?" Arlo finally mustered the courage to ask, hoping it would lead to a more engaging conversation.

Bernadette looked at him with a small smile, her eyes crinkling at the corners. "Nowhere, actually," she replied. "I'm mostly self-taught."

"Oh," Arlo said, feeling a mix of surprise and admiration. He had assumed that someone as skilled and determined as Bernadette presented herself to be would have received formal training.

Arlo looked around the riverbank, tongue-tied and searching for something to talk about. The quiet was oppressive, and it didn't help that he wanted so badly to have a real conversation with Bernadette.

He finally mustered the courage to ask her why she had moved to Portia. She stared out to the horizon before responding.

"I needed something new," she explained, her voice barely audible over the sound of the river. "A fresh start."

He nodded in understanding; he too had made his own journey to Portia in pursuit of a higher purpose, becoming part of the Civil Corps. He couldn't help but admire Bernadette's bravery in leaving behind what was familiar and embracing the risks associated with a new life.

They continued to walk along the riverbank, the awkwardness slowly fading as they found common ground in discussing their respective journeys. Arlo discovered that despite their different backgrounds, they both shared a passion for their work and a drive to make a positive impact.

"It's really quite pretty out here, isn't it?"

Arlo's eyes followed Bernadette's gaze to the serene river before them. The sun's golden rays shimmered on the water's surface, creating a dance of light that painted the scene with a touch of magic.

"Yeah, it really is," Arlo replied, a hint of awe in his voice, even though it wasn't the river he was thinking about.

Bernadette nodded, a thoughtful expression crossing her face. She reached into her bag and pulled out an old journal, its pages filled with sketches, notes, and ideas. She had an analytical look on her face as she went surveying where she was supposed to build the bridge.

As she went to close the notebook, a pencil slipped from between the pages and fell to the ground. Both of them instinctively reached to grab it, their hands brushing against each other in the process. Arlo felt a jolt of electricity at the contact, causing him to briefly lose his train of thought.

"Sorry," Bernadette said, her cheeks slightly flushed. "I didn't mean to drop it."

"No problem," Arlo replied, trying to hide the flustered feeling that had taken over him. He picked up the pencil and handed it back to her, their fingers brushing once more.

She smiled, a glimmer of amusement in her eyes. "Thank you."

For an instant, they were standing in a strangely comfortable silence. Arlo was mesmerized by Bernadette's genuine smile and the air around them, and it felt as if there was something being left unsaid.

He nervously asked, trying to get the conversation back on track, "Erm, do you visit here often?" Too late he realized how redundant the question was, wishing he hadn't said anything.

She emitted a light laugh that sounded like tinkling bells in the wind. "No, I haven't had the chance to explore this area since I arrived." Wrapping her notebook closer to her chest, she directed her gaze to the river one last time. "But I believe I have all that I need to start my project." As she said this, she began walking backward slowly while adding, "It was wonderful meeting you--" Suddenly, she stepped back too far and lost her balance; before he could help her, she tumbled onto the ground with an exclamation of surprise.

"Her voice was filled with joy as she declared, "I'm alright!" She pushed herself up onto her arms and, upon seeing the expression on his face, burst into laughter.

#my time at portia #mtap #mtap arlo #I really love it #I'm a sucker for soft fluffy things

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mtap-comics · 9 months

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Welcome back to my Bad Things Happen Bingo!

Fandom: My time at Portia

Pairing: Arlo x Female Builder

Summary: Elenya takes a hit for Arlo. The latter, of course, is /not/ pleased about this at all.

Word count: 7,389

Prompt: Anger Born of Worry

Author’s note: I'm sorry you had to wait so long again. I had some stressfull weeks which resulted in a really bad writers block, but I finally manged to finish another fill. I hope the length of it makes up a little bit for it, though! :)

There will be a lot of angst in this one, probably the worst of all the works so far, but the ending is as cavity-inducing as you now it from me. :D Please notify your dentist in advance.

Now I won't keep you any longer and wish you a happy reading!

Warnings: Lots of Angst and lots of Fluff, Blood and Injury

Read on AO3: Link

Scars of Sacrifice

Sweat stood on Elenya's forehead. It was the height of summer and together with Arlo and Remi she was standing in front of a tunnel in the middle of the Eufala Desert. A small earthquake in the desert had revealed an old tunnel, and Arlo had immediately ordered that no one was to enter it until the Civil Corps had thoroughly examined it.

Elenya helped Arlo and Remi on the dangerous expedition, even though she wasn't an official member. She was glad that Arlo, even though they had been married for over a year, still allowed her to help in such matters and trusted her ability to fight. He still worried about her, of course, but he also knew that Elenya was not one to be kept away from adventure.

Trouble always found her, even when she wasn't looking for it.

They had faced many challenges together since they first met in Portia, and their love for each other had only grown stronger through those experiences. Just as this one was about to do.

~~~~~~

The tunnel entrance was ancient and the air inside was thick and musty. It was hard to tell how old the tunnel was. Had it been dug before the Age of Darkness, or had it been dug by the people looking for relics a hundred years ago? They'd probably never know, but it wasn't really important.

It was more important to make sure that there was no danger coming from this tunnel. Who knew what had been hidden here all these years?

Cautiously and attentively they followed the tunnel, Elenya at Arlo's request slightly behind the two men. And indeed, it wasn't long before they encountered the first giant worms. They shot out of the ground as if from nowhere, but the three of them made quick work of the four cell worms.

After a quick check from Arlo to make sure everyone was OK, they pushed deeper into the tunnel. The air became increasingly stuffy the further they went, and Elenya was glad she had taken one of Dr. Xu's tinctures for her asthma before they left. It was really hard to breathe in here.

For the next 5 minutes they encountered a few individual worms now and then, and so far that seemed to be the biggest threat coming out of the tunnel. But Elenya didn't dare hope that something much worse wasn't waiting for them.

Arlo and Remi were getting nervous as well. Arlo looked back at her more often, as if to make sure she was all right, and each time she tried to smile at him reassuringly.

Anticipation was building inside her and she couldn't decide if she wanted the inevitable to happen sooner or later. With every step they took, the tension in the air grew.

After a sharp turn, a large cave suddenly opened up in front of them. An unnatural light shone from it and Arlo immediately stopped them with a wave of his hand.

"What...?" Remi started to speak, but Arlo pressed a finger to his lips, silencing him instantly.

"Shh." With a hand signal he told them to listen more closely and Elenya strained to follow his request.

At first she heard nothing, but then... The shuffling of feet and something being dragged across the floor.

It sounded like...

"Miner variants." Remi whispered her thoughts and tightened his grip on his hammer.

"Yes, and at least six of them." Arlo confirmed, his voice barely more than a breath.

Six against three then. That shouldn't be a problem for them. After all the hours she had already spent in Ingall's Mine, these monsters were more than familiar to her.

Still, an unpleasant anxiety spread through her. Her heart began to pound and sweat made her hands slippery. Almost painfully, she gripped the hilt of her sword.

Could they really take on so many at once? What if, for once, they were intelligent enough to lunge at one of them at the same time?

She did not notice how her breathing quickened until familiar blue eyes slid into her vision and instantly a part of her fear vanished. They looked at her with concern and determination, silently telling her that they were in this together, no matter what danger lay ahead. Arlo's unwavering support gave Elenya the strength she needed to face whatever challenges lay ahead.

Without exchanging words, they formulated a plan. Arlo motioned for Elenya to take cover behind a large rock formation while he and Remi strategically positioned themselves on the opposite side of the cave entrance. She admired the coordinated movements between the two, a testament to the time they had already fought side by side together.

With a nod of reassurance, Elenya took her position, her heart still pounding, but now with a newfound sense of determination. She knew that Arlo and Remington had her back and she would do everything in her power to protect them as well.

With one last deep breath and a signal from Arlo, the two Civil Corps charged into the room. They surprised the monsters and quickly defeated the first Miner Variant before engaging in a battle with two of them each.

That left one more, which continued to look bewildered between the two fighting groups. This was Elenya's chance. She could always take on one of them.

At first she tried to sneak up on it as quietly as possible, but then she saw it turn its attention to Arlo and lunge at him, so she quickly jumped in between, deflecting the scythe with her sword.

The screech of metal against metal filled the cave as Elenya parried the Miner Variant's attack, pushing back against its immense strength. Her heart raced as she engaged in a fierce dance with the creature, every clash of their weapons echoing through the chamber.

Arlo and Remi were locked in their own battles, the sounds carried over to her. But Elenya couldn't afford to be distracted by their fights. She focused solely on the relentless Miner Variant in front of her, its glowing eyes filled with malicious intent.

She had fought many of these monsters before, but these seemed a little different from the ones in Ingall's Mine. Bigger, paler, and most of all... faster .

With each of her blows and parries, the monster managed to match her every move. It was as if this Miner Variant had an uncanny understanding of her fighting style. Frustration welled up within Elenya, mixing with the adrenaline coursing through her veins. She needed an opening, a chance to end this battle.

Suddenly it came - a fleeting weakness in her opponent's defence. Elenya seized the moment, her muscles reacting instinctively as she aimed her strike at the creature's exposed side. But in a blur of motion, the Miner Variant evaded her attack and countered, its scythe arcing towards her chest.

Fear tightened around Elenya's heart as she twisted her body, narrowly avoiding the scythe's deadly arc. The close call sent a shiver down her spine and her senses heightened. She knew she had to think fast, her life depended on it.

Every muscle in her body tensed as she observed the Miner Variant's movements, her mind racing to decipher its patterns. Taking a calculated risk, she went on the offensive, delivering a quick series of blows to the creature's legs. With precise, lightning-fast movements, she tried to impair the creature's mobility. The Miner Variant stumbled, its scythe momentarily off balance, and Elenya saw her opportunity.

She lunged forward, her sword gleaming in the dim light, and struck with all her might. In one swift motion, the blade sliced through the air and found its target, piercing the creature's torso. The Miner Variant let out a guttural roar, its body jerking in pain. Elenya stood, breathless and trembling, as the creature crumpled to the ground, lifeless.

Her chest heaved, a mixture of relief and exhaustion washing over her. This had been much harder than she was used to.

How had these monsters become so strong down here? There was nothing in here after all.

The clank of a sword snapped her out of her thoughts and she remembered with a start that the fight wasn't over yet. She quickly glanced over at Remi, who had also finished off one of his opponents and was still busy with the second, but didn't seem to need any help.

Then her eyes wandered to Arlo and it was as if time stood still. He, too, had already killed one monster without any problems and, slightly turned away from her, was fighting the second, but that was not what made her freeze in horror.

No, behind him, completely unnoticed by the three of them, a seventh Miner Variant had crept up. As if in slow motion, she saw it raise its scythe high above its head, ready to strike a fatal blow.

A deafening buzz filled her ears, all-encompassing panic gripped her, and she tried to yell a warning to Arlo, but no sound escaped her throat. Without her knowledge, her feet began to move.

Slowly, the scythe lowered and pure desperation made her speed up.

Oh God, please don't let her be too late!

Suddenly Elenya crashed into Arlo's side and time jumped back to normal speed.

With a dull thud, they both hit the ground. For a moment she thought she had prevented the worst, but then it hit her. The pain .

It spread across her back like fire. Tore at her body and had the impact not knocked the air out of her lungs, she would have screamed. But she couldn't. Instead, the pain overwhelmed her and everything went dark.

~*~*~*~*~*~

Arlo didn't know what hit him at first. One second he was delivering the final blow to the monster in front of him and the next he was on the ground, a familiar weight on top of him.

The impact knocked the air out of him and it took him a moment to catch his breath.

What?

Confused, he looked first at the Miner Variant that had suddenly appeared where he had been, as if from nowhere, and at the way Remy was driving it away with his hammer, and then at the shock of black hair resting on his chest.

Elenya.

A surge of fear shot through him, coupled with the terrible realisation of what must have happened. Desperately, he called out her name, in the hope of some kind of response that would alleviate his growing dread.

"Elenya! Please answer me!" His trembling right hand reached out to gently shake her shoulder, but as soon as his fingers made contact, a small whimper escaped her lips and his heart clenched.

His fingers met something warm and sticky, and far too much of it.

"Elenya..."

As carefully as he could, he pulled out from under her, eliciting pained whimpers that tore at his heart, but he needed to know what had happened. He made sure to lay her on the floor in the same position she had been on top of him.

When he finally knelt beside her and could examine her back, he wished he could turn back time. A deep, long cut ran from her left shoulder down the middle of her back, stopping just short of her spine. Blood flowed in streams from it.

His stomach turned and horror rendered him immobile.

Oh God...

For far too long a time he stared at the horrific sight before him. Time in which Elenya lost precious blood.

By the time he was able to shake himself from his stupor, her blood was already spreading across the floor and he desperately pulled everything out of his waist pack until he had compresses in his hands. With both hands, he pressed the compresses firmly against her back, desperately attempting to stem the bleeding.

A faint cry of pain tore from Elenya's throat and a stream of apologetic words flowed from his mouth.

"I'm so sorry, darling. Everything will be alright. Please hold on. I'm sorry... I'm so sorry."

But the blood refused to let up, the metallic smell rising into his nose, and he pressed harder, his actions fuelled by desperation. Elenya's cries faded to silence.

"Please, please hold on. You can't die. Please don't..." Fear ate him up inside.

How had this happened? Why hadn't he noticed the presence of the Miner Variant? And, most agonising of all, why had Elenya chosen to throw herself in harm's way?

Fear, horror, confusion and anger mixed within him, overwhelming him like a searing wave. Unbeknownst to him, tears of despair fell upon his hands as he fought desperately to save Elenya's life.

Only Remington's shocked voice managed to break through the chaos consuming him.

"Arlo!" His best friend dropped to his knees beside him, his expression mirroring Arlo's own horror.

"Remi, help me," Arlo pleaded in a strained, shaking voice. He needed someone else to be there with him, his normal control slipping with Elenya's blood through his fingers. His mind raced, trying to remember any knowledge of first aid that might help them in this situation. But panic threatened to overwhelm him, and he fought to keep his focus on saving Elenya.

Despite his shock, Remington sprang into action. He dug into his waist pack and pulled out all the first aid supplies he could find.

"Come on, we need to get her jacket and T-shirt off. Otherwise we can't bandage her." Remi tried to pull his hands away, but he resisted.

"I can't! She's losing blood way too fast!" Pure panic filled his voice. Elenya was about to bleed to death and he didn't know what to do.

"Okay, okay, I'll have to cut off the jacket then. We can leave the T-shirt on. You keep the pressure on, I'll work around you." Quickly, Remington pulled out a small knife and started cutting what was left of Elenya's jacket.

Meanwhile, Arlo never let up the pressure on Elenya's wound. The compresses and his hands were the only thing keeping her from certain death.

Once the jacket was out of the way, Remi grabbed a fresh pile of compresses and instructed Arlo to remove the ones that had completely bled through. With Remi's guidance, they managed to wrap several bandages tightly around Elenya's torso, stopping most of the bleeding.

"We need to get her out of here, back to Portia," Remington said, his voice steady despite the turmoil in his eyes. "I'll take her horse. You carry her. We'll ride as fast as we can."

Arlo nodded, his friend's words a lifeline in the midst of the chaos. Gently, carefully , he lifted Elenya into his arms, cradling her as if she were the most precious thing in the world. Which she was. At least to him. He could feel her shallow breaths against his chest and prayed with every fibre of his being that she would hold on.

With Remington leading the way, they hurried out of the cave and mounted their horses. Elenya was carefully placed in front of Arlo on his horse, supported by his strong arms. Her head rested against his shoulder and he could feel her feverish skin against his neck.

"Stay with me, Elenya," he whispered, his voice choked with emotion. "Come on, sweetheart. You can make it."

The ride back to Portia was a blur. He barely remembered passing the bridge or the gate. Not even the people calling out to them anxiously as they raced through the streets. All he could focus on was the gentle up and down of Elenya's chest under his hand. They couldn't lose a second. It could be Elenya's last.

Twenty minutes after they had set off, they finally reached the clinic at the top of the hill. Remi helped him carefully lift Elenya off the horse, and then they rushed through the door of the clinic.

Inside, two pairs of startled eyes locked on them, quickly widening in shock at the sight of the bloodied Elenya in Arlo's arms.

"Arlo, Remington, what happened? Quick, put her down here." Quickly, Dr. Xu scurried over to the bed behind the room divider and instructed Arlo to lay Elenya down on it.

Hesitantly, he complied. The fear and desperation in him didn't want to let her go, wanted to keep her safe in his arms, but reason quickly took over. As carefully as he could, he placed her on the bed and turned her onto her stomach so that she wouldn't lie on her wound.

At the movement, a pained whimper escaped her, tearing at his heart and at the same time flooding him with slight relief. As painful as the sound was, it told him they weren't too late. Her consciousness was still aware of something.

A horrified gasp went through the room as Elenya's back came into view of the two medics. The bandages that Remi and he had applied as best they could were now completely soaked through, and the mere sight of them made Arlo dizzy.

Oh God, how much blood had she lost by now?

For a moment all he could do was stare at Elenya's back in utter horror until Dr. Xu shooed him away. Or at least tried to.

He tried to force his legs to move, but another overwhelming wave of emotions had overtaken him, leaving him motionless. Paralysed, he stared down at the petite figure of his wife, his everything, who had risked her life to save his.

A hand wrapped around his upper arm and pulled him a few steps away, but he barely noticed.

Dr. Xu's voice broke through Arlo's trance, sharp and authoritative. "Arlo, I need you to step back. We need to tend to her injuries."

Arlo tore his eyes from Elenya's still form, his heart pounding in his chest. He nodded, feeling a mixture of guilt and helplessness. He stumbled back, his legs feeling weak beneath him. Remington stood at his side, a supportive presence in the midst of the chaos.

"Come on, let's give these two some space so they can work undisturbed." Without waiting for a response, Remi pulled him out of the clinic and over to their headquarters.

Arlo wanted to resist, couldn't bear to leave Elenya alone, but Remi's gentle but firm grip on his upper arm wouldn't budge. Only when they were standing in the middle of the large room of their headquarters did Remi let go of him.

Not knowing what to do with himself, Arlo stopped. Completely lost, he stared unseeingly into the air before him until two strong hands placed themselves on his shoulders and brown eyes bored into his. There was deep concern and tension in them as well, but Remi was far more composed than he was.

"Arlo, everything is going to be fine. Elenya's strong and Dr. Xu and Phyllis know what they're doing. She'll be fine, okay?"

Arlo nodded weakly, his voice barely above a whisper. "I know, Remi. It's just... seeing her like that, covered in blood... I can't shake that image."

Remington's grip on Arlo's shoulders tightened reassuringly. "I understand, Arlo. But right now you need to take care of yourself as well. You're covered in her blood and that's not going to help anyone."

Arlo's gaze drifted down to his blood-soaked clothes and a shudder ran through him. He hadn't even realised how much of Elenya's blood had gotten on him during their desperate struggle to save her. The reality hit him like a punch to the gut, and his stomach churned at the sight.

"You're right," he managed to croak, his throat tightening. "I need to clean up."

Remington patted his back sympathetically. "Take a shower, get the blood off you. I'll bring you some of my clothes."

Numbly, Arlo made his way to the bathroom. His movements were mechanical, his mind still clouded by the terrible events of the day. As he turned on the water and stepped into the shower, he felt the warmth seep into his skin, but he couldn't shake the coldness that seemed to have settled in his bones.

The blood was diluted now, swirling down the drain with the water. But even the sight of it disappearing didn't lighten the weight on his chest. He couldn't get the image of Elenya's injured form out of his mind, and the realisation of how close he had come to losing her was suffocating.

On top of that came this incredible anger. By now he didn't know whether he was more angry at her or at himself. How could he have missed the seventh Miner Variant? Why hadn't he noticed it sneaking up on him? And why, why had Elenya thrown herself in between?

Arlo abruptly turned off the shower, stumbled out and collapsed on the bathroom floor. His breath came in ragged gasps and he covered his mouth with his hand, fighting the urge to vomit. The blood, the fear, the helplessness, the anger - it was all too overwhelming.

Remington's voice echoed in his head, urging him to take care of himself. Arlo pressed his palms against his temples, his heart racing as he concentrated on the sound of his own uneven breathing. Slowly, his pulse began to steady and he pushed himself to his feet.

With trembling hands, he reached for a towel and wrapped it around himself, noticing that Remi had left some clothes on the counter for him. Barely controlling his emotions, he dried himself and pulled on the simple t-shirt and sweatpants. With one last look in the mirror to make sure all the blood had been washed away, he left the bathroom.

Outside, Remi was waiting for him with a slight smile.

"Better?"

Arlo nodded curtly. It was an outright lie, but Remington was just as worried about Elenya and he didn't want to burden him with his out of control emotions.

"I'm glad to hear that. I'll take a shower as well, okay?" Remi demonstratively showed him another bundle of clean clothes and Arlo nodded again. He couldn't get a word out of his tightened throat.

With one last worried look, Remi disappeared into the bathroom, leaving Arlo alone with his inner turmoil. The training dummy, silent witness to his torment, caught his eye. Without even thinking about wrapping his hands or putting on gloves, he unleashed his pent-up emotions on the inanimate object. Each punch carried the weight of his anger, fear, and despair, as if he could physically beat away the tormenting 'whys' that plagued his thoughts.

The room seemed to shrink around him as he sought refuge in his relentless assault on the dummy. The dull thuds of his fists against the worn fabric filled the space, mirroring the cacophony of questions that echoed in his mind. Each blow was a futile attempt to find answers, a way to rationalise the incomprehensible.

His knuckles split open, but he didn't notice. The pain in his hands was nothing compared to the agony in his heart. Blood mixed with sweat, staining the dummy and his hands in a gruesome display of his inner turmoil. Yet, he didn't care about the pain or the mess; he needed an outlet for the overwhelming emotions threatening to consume him.

Time became a blur as he lost himself in this frenzied assault. He didn't know how long he had been at it when suddenly two strong hands closed around his upper arms, pulling him away from his desperate endeavour. Arlo fought the grip with all his might, every fibre of his being yearning to return to the only solace he'd found in this moment of chaos.

"Arlo! Stop!" The voice, barely recognisable through his tumultuous thoughts, penetrated his consciousness. Remi's familiar voice made him stop and clarity returned to his thoughts.

Arlo's laboured breaths filled the room as his arms fell powerlessly to his side. His eyes were wild, a storm of emotions swirling within them. He felt vulnerable, exposed, as if his soul had been laid bare. The 'whys' still echoed, but now there was another question fighting for dominance: "Why couldn't he protect her?"

As if in a trance, he followed the drops of blood dripping from his hands to the floor.

Drip, drip, drip...

Another pair of shoes slid into his field of vision and he recognised them as Sam's.

When had she come in?

Confused, he lifted his gaze slightly from her shoes to her green eyes and was greeted with deep concern. A sad smile sat on her lips.

Shame crept up his spine and for a moment he tried to control his emotions, to get into his 'captain' mode, but quickly realised he didn't have the strength. Instead, his shoulders slumped even more and he let Remi lead him over to one of the yellow armchairs without resistance.

He could hear Sam disappearing into the bathroom as he was pushed into the chair and a short time later Sam was kneeling on the floor in front of him, one of his bloody hands in hers, cleaning his cracked knuckles. The cleaning burned like fire, but instead of complaining, he welcomed the pain. It distracted him from all the terrible feelings that were eating him up inside.

No one spoke a word while Sam tended to his hands and there was a tense, worry-filled silence in the headquarters. Remi, meanwhile, wiped the blood from the floor and the training dummy, and a new wave of shame and guilt washed over Arlo.

Not only was Elenya badly injured because of him (he tried to banish the "maybe even dead" thought from his mind immediately), no, his teammates now had to take care of his mess as well. Couldn't he do anything right today?

15 minutes later, his hands were cleaned and bandaged, and the three of them were sitting squashed together on their couch. There had still been no word from either of them, and Arlo was grateful to his two friends. Nothing anyone could say to him would help him now. Only Dr. Xu telling him that Elenya would be fine would be able to quell his fear.

He didn't know how long they sat there. His thoughts were solely on his wife, who was fighting for her life one building away. All alone, without him.

His heart tightened painfully for the hundredth time today and with a low groan he buried his face in his bandaged hands. His emotions threatened to overwhelm him again when the door finally opened and an exhausted Dr. Xu entered.

All three of them were instantly on alert as they watched Dr. Xu walk over to them and drop into the chair beside them.

Before any of them could say anything, the doctor began to speak.

"First things first, she's going to make it."

Immediately, a heavy weight was lifted from Arlo's heart. She was going to make it.

"But it was damn close this time. Really close. Elenya had lost so much blood that her body went into shock and her heart threatened to stop..."

Arlo felt like his heart was going to stop. His sweet little builder had really almost died? The horror must have been written all over his face, because Dr. Xu hurried to continue speaking quickly.

"But we managed to stabilise her! We had enough blood to replace most of the blood she had lost. I cleaned and stitched the wound on her back and bandaged it tightly. She was really lucky. A little further and there would have been a risk of nerves in her spine being severed. But as far as I can tell at the moment, she should recover almost completely. However, I cannot promise that she will ever regain full use of her arm. The cut did a lot of damage to her shoulder muscles."

Exhausted, Dr. Xu sank further into the soft cushion of the chair after his explanation, letting his words sink in for the three of them.

Arlo didn't know what to feel. The strongest was relief, followed by pain at the thought of what Elenya would have to endure over the next few weeks, and then there was that anger that wouldn't let go of him.

She might have risked her career for him. What if she could no longer move her arm enough to pursue her passion for building? How could she risk that just to take the fall of his own inattention?

Remi snapped him out of his thoughts.

"Can we see her?"

Immediately his attention snapped back to Dr. Xu. The latter gave a deep sigh.

"Phyllis is taking care of her right now. I just wanted to let you know in advance that she'll be fine. But I think Arlo can go and see her. I'm sure you're dying to see her."

He didn't need to be told twice. Without really paying attention to the others, he jumped up and a moment later was standing in the clinic, his gaze fixed on the room divider behind which he could hear Phyllis working.

Suddenly completely conflicted about whether he even wanted to know what was behind it, he approached the hospital bed with hesitant steps.

The first thing he saw were Elenya's feet, covered by a light white blanket. The closer he got, the more came into his field of vision. He quickly saw that she was turned onto her right side, large pillows behind her back ensuring that she couldn't turn onto her back and onto her wound.

He stopped at the foot of the bed. Now he could see what Phyllis was doing. She was gently wiping the dirt and blood from Elenya's face with a basin of water and a soft cloth. She had already braided Elenya's long black hair into a loose plait to keep it out of the way, giving Arlo a clear view of her pale and slightly sunken cheeks.

Seeing those beloved features, as unhealthy as they looked at the moment, relieved him a little more and he let his gaze slide down to her shoulder. Her left arm was resting on a large pillow and her entire torso was wrapped in thick bandages, but now they were pristine white and another weight fell from his heart.

The only blood left was covering Elenya's forearm. Phyllis had probably not yet had time to clean it.

An uncontrollable desire to touch Elenya suddenly overcame him and he cleared his throat softly to get Phyllis' attention. Startled, she turned to him.

"Oh, Arlo, I didn't hear you come in. I need a moment, then you can sit with her." A warm, reassuring smile graced her lips, but he couldn't wait any longer.

"Can I maybe...?" It was only at the sound of his raspy voice that he realised how long it had been since he'd said anything, but didn't let it faze him. His hand pointed first to the soft rag in her hand, then to Elenya's blood-encrusted arm. Confused, Phyllis looked at him for a moment before she seemed to understand what he was asking. Her gaze softened even more.

"Of course. You just have to be very careful not to move her shoulder. It was very difficult to sew the wound and the stitches are very fragile." She handed him the cloth and made room for him.

Silently, he sat down on the chair beside the bed and dipped the cloth into the lukewarm water from the basin on the table beside the bed. He wrung out the excess water and then wiped the last bit of dirt from Elenya's forehead as gently as he could.

Once the spot was clean, he pressed his lips gently against it and whispered against her forehead: "Hey, sweetie. I'll watch over you, okay? I'll take care of you."

With the same tenderness, he continued to clean every bit of dirt and blood from her skin until she was as clean as she could be. Phyllis took the basin of dirty water from him, checked once more that Elenya was lying correctly and that the IV needle in the back of her hand hadn’t slipped, then left him alone.

Once more he pressed a long, warm kiss against Elenya's forehead and then leaned back in the chair to watch over her healing sleep.

For four days he sat there almost non stop, four long days in which Elenya didn't stir. Soothed the light fever she developed with a cool cloth, tried to dispel any bad dreams and whispered loving, encouraging words in her ear. And then, on the morning of the fifth day, he had just come into the clinic, freshly awakened from a fitful sleep in his old room, her eyelids finally fluttered open and her beautiful green eyes appeared.

~*~*~*~*~*~

Elenya awoke in confusion. Where was she?

The first thing she noticed was that she was lying on her right side. Nothing unusual at first, she usually slept on her side, but then there was usually a muscular, warm chest beneath her, with a strong, reassuring heartbeat beating beneath it.

But there was no heartbeat under her ear, and the mattress she was lying on was definitely not hers. There also seemed to be several pillows behind her, preventing her from rolling over. In general, there were a lot of pillows around her. Her left arm also appeared to be resting on one. This, together with a tight bandage around her upper body, kept her in a stable position.

What was going on?

There was only one way to find out.

With difficulty she managed to open her eyes, and instantly all the tension that had built up inside her disappeared as her eyes fell on the familiar redhead in front of her.

Arlo was here, so at least she was safe. He was rubbing his eyes and didn't notice that she had woken up, but as soon as he lowered his hands and his gaze fell on her open eyes, his features lit up.

"Elenya, sweetheart! You're awake!" Joyfully, his slightly hoarse voice echoed through the room and his warm hand came to rest gently on her cheek. He leaned closer to her.

"It's good to see those beautiful eyes again. I was so worried. How are you feeling?" A warm but strained smile graced his lips and for a moment she could only stare at him.

Deep shadows lay under his eyes, his face was pale, and his normally bright blue eyes seemed dull. And she thought she hadn't imagined the bruised knuckles she'd just caught a glimpse of. What had happened?

She could barely remember. They were in the desert, that much she remembered, but what had happened after that? What had made Arlo so worried?

Elenya tried to ask him, but her mouth was completely dry and her tongue stuck to the roof of her mouth. A strangled sound left her throat.

"Oh, I'm sorry, darling. Here." Arlo seemed to realise immediately what her problem was and reached for the glass on the table next to the hospital bed on which she must have been lying. A straw rested in it, which he now gently slipped between her lips.

She sucked greedily at the straw, enjoying the way the cool water moistened first her mouth and then her dry throat. Before she could empty the glass in quick gulps, though, Arlo pulled it away from her again. A protesting sound escaped her.

"Slow down, sweetheart, or you'll get sick. You've been unconscious for four days, your stomach needs to get used to liquids again." He stroked her hair apologetically, but his words made her forget her lingering thirst.

Four days? She had been unconscious for four days ? That would explain at least one thing. No wonder Arlo looked so exhausted. Worry must have been eating him up inside.

"Arlo?" She was startled by the weak, exhausted tone of her voice. Was that really her?

"Yes, sweetheart?" His hand slid from her hair down to her cheek, and with a soft sigh, she snuggled into his warm palm.

"What... what exactly happened?" Her second attempt to speak wasn't any better, but Arlo had no trouble understanding her.

"You want to know what happened?" To her surprise, his face suddenly twisted with anger and he withdrew his hand. "You almost died, that's what happened! Because you were a bloody idiot!" He was seething.

"How could you be so careless? I took you with me because I know you can look after yourself. But I didn't expect you to be stupid enough to get between me and the sharp scythe of a Miner Variant. What the hell were you thinking?!"

Furious, Arlo paced in front of her bed, running his hands through his hair and breathing heavily.

Concern rose in Elenya. She had never seen Arlo so angry, let alone at her, and she didn't know how to handle that.

At the mention of a scythe, however, images finally surfaced in her mind that would explain quite a bit.

"Why the hell did you do that? Why?" He stopped in front of the chair.

"You could have died, for fuck's sake! And it would have been my fault..." His voice broke on the last words and he collapsed on the chair, crying.

Her heart broke in two at the sight and she was overcome with guilt.

She didn't regret what she'd done, but she'd never wanted to put Arlo through that kind of pain.

"Arlo..." She wanted to reach for him, wipe away his tears, but even the slightest tensing of her arm sent terrible pain from her shoulder to her spine, and with a shocked gasp, she quickly dropped her hand back to the pillows in front of her.

Like fire, the pain spread down her back and she couldn't stop herself from whimpering.

Oh God...

"Elenya, stop! Please, don't move. You'll open your stitches!" Quick as a flash, Arlo shot back up from his chair. Anger still radiated from him, but his touch was all gentle and careful as he placed his large hand on top of hers, stopping her from moving any further.

Not that she had any intention of doing that again.

She struggled to breathe through the pain, tears streaming down her face as the agony refused to subside, taking her breath away.

"Hey, shhh, you're okay. Come on, take a deep breath. You can do this. Just breathe." Gently, Arlo's free hand stroked through her hair and she desperately concentrated on the sensation of his warm hands.

After several agonising minutes, the pain gradually subsided, leaving her utterly exhausted and her muscles limp. Arlo still clasped her hand in his and used his other hand to gently wipe away her tears. With great effort, she managed to flip her hand beneath his, offering a weak squeeze as an apology.

"I'm sorry, Arlo. I didn't mean to cause you so much pain." Her voice was so weak and she could feel her body fighting to stay awake, but she really needed to talk to him about it.

There was so much pain, fear and anger in his eyes and she wanted, needed , to calm at least some of it.

"No, I'm sorry. I didn't mean to yell at you like that..." Arlo pulled the chair closer to the bed and sank into it, exhausted, never letting go of her hand. "It's just... I don't understand. Why would you do something like that? What were you thinking?" Confusion and distress etched his face, and another tear slipped from his eye.

How she longed to wipe it away.

"To be honest... I wasn't thinking at all. I just saw you being attacked from behind and I... just acted. One moment I saw the raised scythe, and the next... searing pain, and then nothing..." Her voice weakened with each word, but she fought the exhaustion. She couldn't sleep now. Arlo needed her.

He flinched slightly when she mentioned pain and then ran a stressed hand through his hair.

"That was so stupid of you. Besides the big scar you will now bear forever, Dr. Xu said you might never get full use of your arm again. If that happens, you might never be able to build anything again, and all of this just to protect me. I just don't understand how you could do something so stupid..." Desperately he looked at her, confusion still deep in his eyes.

Before she could answer him, what he'd said hit home. For a moment, Elenya's world stopped. She might have to give up her profession? But... what would she do then?

For a split second, she regretted what she had done, but then that thought immediately vanished again. If she hadn't done what she had, she might have lost Arlo forever, and she couldn't bear that. She would rather not swing a hammer for the rest of her life than live without Arlo for even one day.

And she decided to tell him just that.

"I love you, Arlo. So very much. I'm sorry I caused you so much worry and pain, but I'd do it again any time. I can't imagine my life without you. I would rather not be able to work another day than have to be without you." Just thinking about it brought tears to her eyes, but Arlo was quick to wipe them away.

"Oh, my sweet, idiot builder. I don't want to spend a day without you either. But that's what almost happened. For a moment, I thought I had lost you." A brief flicker of despair crossed his face, but it quickly disappeared, replaced by a look of love. Gently, he pressed his forehead against hers.

"I love you so much, darling. Please always remember that I can't lose you any more than you can." A short pause. "But thank you for saving my life."

For an eternally long moment they looked deeply into each other's eyes, lost in the familiar feeling of love, until Elenya's last reserves of strength were used up. Without her consent, her eyes kept falling shut, but she kept trying to fight it.

She didn't want to sleep again. Arlo was here with her.

But he, of course, saw her exhaustion and, after a gentle kiss against her forehead, moved away from her.

"You need to rest, darling. Sleep."

"But..."

"I'll be here when you wake up." Arlo, as always, seemed to know exactly what was going on inside her and so she finally gave in.

Her eyes closed, Arlo's gently smiling face disappearing behind her eyelids, but exhausted as she was, sleep wouldn't come.

She felt strangely cold. Not physically cold, but mentally. As if something was missing. But what?

With a soft sigh she opened her eyes again. Maybe Arlo could help her? He always knew how to make her feel better.

Concerned blue eyes met hers as her vision finally focused.

"What's wrong? Are you in pain?" Arlo's voice dripped with concern and she hurried to deny his question.

"No, it's just... I don't know... I can't fall asleep." Seeking help, she looked at him. Her head was swimming with exhaustion and she could feel her body crying out for sleep. But then why wasn't it coming?

The worry didn't leave Arlo's gaze and thoughtfully he looked at her. For a long time he said nothing, until suddenly he started to take off his sweater.

Confused, Elenya watched him. What was he up to? Not that she ever minded him taking his clothes off, but that usually didn't help her fall asleep.

As he held the soft, grey garment in his hands, he slid it as gently as possible under her head and adjusted it until the collar of the sweater was directly under her nose. The fabric was still slightly warm against her cheek, and with the familiar scent now rising directly into her nose, something inside her settled. The empty feeling inside her disappeared and her eyes closed in relief.

It seemed she had missed Arlo .

"Thank you..." The words left her lips like a soft breath, her mind already half asleep and only vaguely aware of Arlo's warm lips pressing against her temple.

"Anytime, sweetheart. Sleep well, my heart."

#bad things happen bingo #bad things happen bingo: anger born of worry #my time at portia #mtap #mtap arlo #my time at portia arlo #mtap female builder #mtap builder elenya #hurt/comfort #arlo my love

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mtap-comics · 9 months

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I love your fics 😭😭😭

They were a pretty big inspo for me to write my own. Well..everyone I've read pretty much was but I really like yours tho!

Thank you soo much!!! I'm glad I could inspire other people to write for this little fandom. :)

I sadly hadn't had time to read through your story yet, but it's on my "Marked for later" list and I hope I have some time soon to read it!

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mtap-comics · 9 months

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So, the Hulu Brothers just stood in front of my workshop to tell me that I'm their best friend, showed me their "Ultimate Move" and tthen gave me a t-shirt to show me that I'm now one of them... :DDD

Never had that happen before in my other two play throughs. It really pays off to try to make friends with everyone. :D

#my time at portia #mtap #hulu brothers #how many of you guys had that happen too?#I've never seen that t-shirt before #not even the wiki has it listed

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mtap-comics · 10 months

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Can someone tell me, what the hell is going on here? It was my birthday and 2 hours before my planned birthday party started, almost every villager started to show up in front of my workshop! I don't think I have ever seen that happen before. I mean, I made an effort in this play through to befriend as many people that I can (as you can see below), but that was really strage. (the presents were already delivered before that) :D

#my time at portia #mtap

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mtap-comics · 10 months

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No one asked for this, but if you have such a problem as I have and you want to hear Arlo say "I love you" to the builder in game, you just have to line up your birthday with your wedding day! Or, if you want to go all out, you can also try this:

I just started a new safe game where I will try this. Not sure if it's possible to romance someone that fast, but I will try. :D

Will probably have to sacrifice the training dummy quest for it, though and use all my Gols for roses., but I think it's worth it. :DD

#my time at portia #mtap arlo #yes i do have a problem #i know #but i love that fictional man just so much #mtap #my time at portia arlo

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mtap-comics · 10 months

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He will procede to do that for about five days! Really love that bug, I'm always happy if I can trigger it :D

I had a mission with Arlo that canceled a play event and now he won’t stop following me 😂

#funny bug #my time at portia #mtap arlo

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mtap-comics · 11 months

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If you plan to visit Amber Island, please refrain from cutting down the trees. They are the natural habitat of the Madcrabs.

#my time at portia #mtap #amber island

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mtap-comics · 11 months

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Welcome back to my Bad Things Happen Bingo! This time after only three weeks!

Fandom: My time at Portia

Pairing: Arlo x Female Builder

Summary: Elenya knew the perfect birthday gift for Arlo. All she had to do was dig it up in the abandoned ruins. That shouldn't take too long, right?

Word count: 7,653

Prompt: Forgetting to Eat

Author’s note: As I promised last time, this one is a lot fluffier than the last. You probably need to call your dentist again after reading this. I once again sneaked a marriage proposal into this. It's cheesy. You are warned.

Oh, and I've read so many times through this that I'm not sure anymore what I even wrote. So I hope everything still makes sense and wish you a happy reading. Take enough time for that, it once again got way out of hand.

I'm not yet sure wich prompt I should write next, so if you have a special wish, let me know. There are still 13 fields left.

Warnings: a little Angst and lots of Fluff, Fainting, Unintentional Eating Disorder, Sweet Arlo

Read on AO3: Link

Lost in Preparations

On a warm autumn day, as the leaves were just beginning to change their colour, Elenya stood in front of her worktable with slumped shoulders. Arlo's birthday was already in two days and she had no idea what to give him.

Last year, she had given him a multi-function knife, which he had been very thrilled about. She knew how much he liked functional gifts. Spaghetti and spicy food were also always a safe bet.

But now that they had officially been a couple for 10 months, she felt the pressure to top last year's gift. But how ?

Maybe a new waist pack? No, she had just made him a new one a few weeks ago, after his old one had broken.

A new leather belt? Hmm, he could always use those, but that was just way too simple. Just like a bouquet of roses. He got those from her regularly anyway. She just couldn't help herself. No matter how often she gave him roses, each time his eyes lit up with joy and her heart filled with warmth at the sight. The deep, passionate kisses that always followed afterwards were one of her favourites too, leaving her heart racing and her cheeks burning with heat.

Just the thought of it brought a smile to her face, and for a moment, she stared dreamily into the air. She really loved Arlo and would do anything to make him happy.

But then she remembered why she was thinking about this in the first place and shook her head firmly.

Damn it, none of this was getting her anywhere. What could she possibly give him?

Desperately, her gaze wandered over her workshop until her eyes lingered on her recovery machine. Suddenly she remembered when Arlo's eyes had also lit up so joyfully. Namely, when he had seen the finished relic of the soldier with lance in the museum, when she set it up there.

That was it! Why hadn't she thought of that earlier?

He had even told her that he would like to have a soldier for himself, but simply had no time to look for the relic parts. But she still had two days time and, if she remembered correctly, she should already have a large portion of the parts.

Excited and with renewed energy, she scurried over to her chest where she kept her relic parts from Abandoned Ruin 2. She was pleased to find that she already had 4 of the 5 parts she needed. All that was missing was the lance.

A glance at her wristwatch told her that it was just after 2 pm, which meant that she still had half a day to find that very part. With the new, improved relic scanner they'd had for a while now, that shouldn't be a problem.

Thrilled that she had finally found a great gift idea, Elenya quickly packed her bag with her drill and enough water to last her through the day. Arlo's stern words about staying hydrated were forever embedded in her brain. However, the thought of taking some food with her didn't occur to her, as she could hardly wait to get Arlo's gift.

He will get the best birthday present ever from her!

~~~~~~

Exhausted and resigned, Elenya stood deep in the Abandoned Ruin, surrounded by stone and ore. Sweat trickled down her back. It was now 10 p.m. and she still hadn’t found the missing lance. Only other relic parts and lots of iron ore, which she could use very well, were piled up in her bag.

Although she had grown accustomed to mining by now, eight hours at a stretch was not to be underestimated. Despite the drill being much faster than the pickaxe, it was heavier, and she felt the burning sensation in her arms. It was becoming increasingly difficult to keep the drill steady, and her body was demanding a rest.

Damn , if she didn't find the relic soon, she would probably really have to switch to roses. Which she absolutely didn't want to do.

Daring one last try, she activated her relic scanner and looked around in all directions. She was about to give up completely when finally, far in the back, the eagerly longed-for reading appeared.

Soldier with Lance Piece 3

She had found it! With a soft, delighted squeal, she raised her drill and, forgetting her exhaustion for the moment, drilled her way to the relic.

It took almost another half hour before she was finally able to triumphantly collect the lance. But now she finally had it, and just the thought of Arlo's hopefully joyful face was worth all the effort.

Now truly exhausted, she pocketed the relic and made her way outside. It was just after 11 p.m. when she finally got back to her workshop and her overtired brain just managed to remind her to put the relic parts into the recovery machine so it could work overnight.

After a quick shower - because even in her tired state she didn't want to go to bed as dirty as she was - she snuggled under her blanket and was asleep within seconds.

~~~~~~

Elenya awoke the next morning to a ray of sunlight tickling her nose. Grumbling softly, she buried her face in her pillow and tried to go back to sleep when she realised what that sunbeam meant. Startled, she shot up.

Oh no, how late was it already?

A glance at the clock next to the bedroom door told her that it was already 10 a.m., and for a moment, she just stared at the clock.

Had she seriously slept for 10 hours? This had never happened to her before! And then, of all times, when she had absolutely no time for it. She still had to finish Arlo's present after all.

As quickly as she could, she finished the most necessary things in the bathroom, and then rushed outside to check on her recovery machine. Fortunately, it had finished overnight, and in front of her now stood another model of the soldier. It was then that she finally noticed what she hadn't thought of at all yesterday.

The thing was huge. Well, not huge huge, it just reached her hip, but definitely too big to just put it in your room. Where was Arlo supposed to put it? His room at headquarters was small, but cosy and not made for such big statues.

With a deep sigh, she raked through her hair. What was she supposed to do now? She had been so sure she had found the perfect gift, after all.

Desperately, she ran through her options in her mind, but she couldn't think of anything. Only the loud growling of her stomach brought her out of her thoughts and she realised how hungry she was. She had not eaten anything since breakfast yesterday, after all.

Continuing to think about gift possibilities, she went back into the house to make herself something to eat when her eyes fell on the small llama figurine standing on her tea table behind the sofa. Oaks had given it to her after she had helped him build his own little booth to sell his carvings…

That was it! She would just carve a smaller version of the soldier! Arlo would surely be just as happy about it as he was about the original.

Buzzing with excitement, she quickly grabbed an apple from the bowl on her small dining table and scurried back to her work table, far too eager to make herself something properly to eat. She still had a good 12 hours to carve and paint the soldier. And if she tried really hard, she could even make the arms and legs flexible. She would only need small joints for that, or maybe even just....

Completely absorbed in her work, the day passed by unnoticed for Elenya.

The first two attempts she made ended up in the firewood pile shortly after, but then she finally got the hang of it and gleefully carved two arms, two legs, a head and the torso. She forged the lance out of copper to make it look more realistic, and before she knew it, she was painting the individual body parts in the glow of the small lantern at her work table.

While doing this, she had to stop every now and then because her hands were shaking terribly, but she tried not to let that distract her. She was so close to completing the gift that she couldn't take a break now. Instead, she took another sip of the apple juice she had gotten in between and continued with the delicate work.

Shortly before 12 p.m., she was finally finished. Proudly, she looked at her work. The original relic stood right next to it, and she had to say she couldn't have done better. The two looked absolutely identical.

Well, except for the size. Then again, that was the whole point of her work.

Satisfied with her work, she wiped her face in exhaustion and then stood up on trembling legs. A slight headache had spread behind her forehead and she just wanted to go to bed. A voice in the back of her head begged her to please eat something, but she was far too exhausted for that. She just managed to set an alarm for tomorrow - because there was no way she would oversleep on Arlo's birthday - and then she slipped away into dreamland.

~~~~~~

The next morning, her headache was gone, but the trembling in her hands continued. She was nauseous and her stomach protested the lack of food. But she could not eat anything now. She wanted to invite Arlo to a leisurely breakfast at Django's, where they could enjoy some quality time together. They hadn't had time for themselves in a while, so she didn't want to spoil her appetite beforehand.

And she could probably hold out until then. She would quickly freshen up in the bathroom, change into something nice, and then make her way up to the Civil Corps headquarters. That would take about an hour, but at this point, it probably wouldn't make much of a difference.

However, the trouble began as soon as she got out of bed. The moment she stood upright, an overwhelming dizziness took hold of her, causing her to grab onto the bedpost for support. It lasted for almost a minute before the room stopped spinning. Relieved, she let go of the bedpost.

Okay, that seemed a bit excessive to her now. She hadn't eaten for a day, her body should be able to handle that. Besides, it would all be worth it. She couldn't wait to see Arlo's face when she gave him her present!

With the image of Arlo's shining blue eyes in her mind, she got ready as planned, ignoring the warning signs of her body, and after a glass of water to calm her stomach, she headed outside.

And there, on her worktable, was the little soldier, just as she had left it. It looked even better in the daylight and she was really proud of her work. The model was about a third of the size of the original, so it fit perfectly in Arlo's room.

As carefully as she could with her shaking hands, she slipped the figurine into her bag. Time to bring Arlo his present.

~~~~~~

Completely out of breath, Elenya arrived at the top of the hill. Never before had the way up to the headquarters been so difficult for her. The dizziness from earlier had returned on the way and left her completely disoriented. At times she couldn't even see the path in front of her, but fortunately she didn't have to. After almost two years in the small town, she knew the streets like the back of her hand and thus didn't let herself be distracted. Just a little more and then she would finally be able to eat something.

In front of the orange doors that now were the last thing to separate her from Arlo, she took a few deep breaths to appear as normal as possible and then pushed them open. She tried to be as quiet as possible in case Arlo decided to sleep in for once, but she needn't have bothered. To her surprise - or not really, they were talking about Arlo here after all - he was already sitting behind his desk going through some documents.

Leave it to the Civil Corps captain to work on his own birthday.

Unnoticed by him, she approached his desk with quiet steps, a loving smile on her lips. However, he seemed oblivious to her presence, even when she stood directly in front of him. For a moment, she contented herself with observing him. She let her eyes glide over the tousled red hair that hung slightly in his forehead, continuing over his long lashes and the rest of his handsome face until her gaze lingered on his lips. She could see them silently forming the words that were written on the paper. The mere sight of that beloved face released a tension in her that she hadn't even noticed. Unfortunately, this also had the effect of bringing back the dizziness and she decided not to postpone their breakfast together any longer. With fond, amused words, she addressed him.

"Didn't I tell you to take the day off?"

Startled, his head snapped up to her and his eyes instantly began to light up as he realised who was standing there in front of him.

"Elenya! Sweetheart, you're here. I didn't hear you at all." Faster than she could look, he had rounded his desk and his wonderful strong arms pulled her into a warm embrace.

With a happy sigh, she snuggled against his chest, her arms wrapped tightly around his waist. There was simply no place more wonderful than in Arlo's arms. She could have stayed there forever.

"I'm so happy you're here. How long have you been standing there?" Curious eyes greeted her as she lifted her head, not leaving his embrace though, and lovingly, she smiled at him.

"Not long. I didn't want to disturb you. But I hope you don't plan to work all day. After all, I have something nice planned for you."

Sheepishly, he grinned down at her. "I'm sorry. Mayor Gale had given me these documents yesterday, asking me to look them over when I had time, so I thought..." He trailed off.

"Did he mention they were urgent?" She raised an eyebrow challengingly, and with delight, she noticed a faint blush spreading across his cheeks.

"No..." Embarrassed, he disengaged a hand from her back and rested it against his neck instead. A soft laugh escaped her at the cute sight, it was always nice to see when she could catch him off-guard, but her painfully contracting stomach quickly brought her back to her plan.

"Does this mean I'll have you to myself all day?" Hopefully, she looked at him.

Immediately his gaze softened and the hand on the back of his neck gently cupped her cheek instead. "Yes, as long as you want, sweetheart. I'm all yours. Whatever you have planned."

"Good, because I want you to have a really nice birthday. Starting with a birthday kiss, if that's what you want." Arlo's eyes darkened at her words and his face lowered to hers.

"I would never say no to something like that." His words brushed against her lips like a soft whisper, and she closed the remaining distance between them. His warm lips greeted hers and for a moment she lost herself in the deep kiss, her dizziness and racing heart receding into the background.

Eventually, they had to come up for air.

She slowly broke away from him, careful not to let her dizziness show, and smiled lovingly up at him.

"Happy birthday, Arlo, I love you. I also have something for you." With trembling hands, she reached into her bag to carefully pull out the small replica of the soldier.

Damn, she really needed to eat something soon.

Taking a deep breath to hide the telltale trembling of her hands, she then held the statue out to Arlo.

Wide-eyed, Arlo looked at her gift.

"Is that...?" Carefully, he took the little soldier from her hand, but she had more and more trouble following his movements and words.

Did he like her gift?

She couldn't tell. She could see his mouth moving, but the sudden roaring in her ears drowned it all out and black dots had begun to dance through her field of vision.

Was that a smile on his lips?

Something that looked like her name left Arlo's lips and his brows furrowed in concern, but the shadows over her field of vision grew larger and larger until nothing remained but darkness.

Her legs buckled and the last thing she noticed were strong arms catching her.

~~~~~~

When Elenya came to, she was lying on a soft surface, her legs propped up on several pillows. Someone patted her cheek lightly and called her name anxiously.

"Elenya, sweetheart, open your eyes. Come on, please."

What had happened? Where was she?

"Elenya, please." The voice became more desperate and with great effort she tried to follow the request. She didn't know what was going on, but she didn't want the warm voice to worry any further either. With difficulty, her eyelids fluttered open.

"Oh, thank God." A relieved sigh escaped the red and beige blur above her, and the hand that had been patting her cheek, gently cupped her face instead.

The hand was wonderfully warm.

"Sweetheart?"

The blur above her slowly focused into a face and she could make out Arlo's concerned look.

"What...?" She tried to ask what had happened, but the right words escaped her before she could say them. A veil lay over her mind, keeping her from grasping a clear thought, but fortunately Arlo didn't need to hear any more.

"You suddenly fainted. What happened? Are you hurt? Or sick? You feel slightly warm and your heart is racing."

Elenya could hear the words, hear the deep concern in them, but the meaning behind them remained hidden from her. Her body felt so heavy and without her noticing, her eyes fell shut again.

"No, no, no! Keep your eyes open. Come on, sweetie. You can do it." The patting of her cheek was back.

A low grumble escaped her and if she'd had the strength, she would have pushed the offending hand away from her cheek. Why wouldn't he let her sleep? She was so tired and nothing made sense anymore. Surely the world would be much clearer after some sleep.

But Arlo didn't seem to see it that way. He now started to shake her shoulder too and the tone of his voice became more and more alarmed. She still couldn't understand what he was saying, but she didn't like the panicked tone and wished she could do something to alleviate his fears.

What was he scared of?

But before she could open her eyes and ask, a terrible pain stabbed through her stomach and with a whimper she put her trembling hand over it.

"What's the matter? Is it your stomach? Please, talk to me." A large, warm hand settled over hers on her stomach and almost instantly the pain subsided. Instead, nausea set in and a loud grumble rang out, which her addled brain had trouble placing.

Arlo froze beside her at the sound. "Sweetheart?" he asked her hesitantly. "When was the last time you ate?"

Confused, she did open her eyes now. Arlo's still deeply concerned gaze greeted her.

Eaten ? That's right, there was this thing.... Weren't they going to have breakfast together?

She tried to find an answer to his question, but this time, too, the words escaped her before she could find them. Panic settled in.

What was wrong with her? Why couldn’t she think ?

Helplessly, she looked at Arlo.

"Shit! Okay, I'll just get you some juice. Keep your eyes open, okay? Don't fall asleep, I'll be right back." Hastily, Arlo jumped up and disappeared from her sight.

Juice? What was she supposed to do with that?

Her confusion only seemed to grow stronger with each passing minute, and with it her panic, so she tried to focus on what Arlo had told her to do.

Keep eyes open. That should be easy, after all.

…

Or not. Her head began to throb the longer her eyes were open and the world blurred before her, worsening her nausea.

Elenya's eyes threatened to close just as Arlo thankfully reappeared in front of her, a large glass of orange liquid in his hand.

"Here, drink this, you should feel a lot better in a second." Gently, his left hand slid under her head, lifting it slightly, then held the glass to her lips with his other hand.

The thought of getting something in her stomach made her feel even more nauseous, but Arlo didn't let that stop him. He persistently tipped the glass until she surrendered and drank the sweet juice.

The juice burned like fire in her stomach, but the more she drank, the less nauseous she felt. Arlo held the glass to her lips until it was empty and then gently placed her head back on the pillow beneath her. His hand didn't go far, though, and slid down her neck until his fingers pressed gently against her pulse.

Without breaking the contact with her skin, he lowered himself onto the coffee table in front of the sofa on which she was lying, his worried blue eyes watching her face intently and she just stared back. Lost herself in the beautiful blue she had instantly fallen in love with and always managed to calm her down. So much so that at first she didn't even notice how her heartbeat slowed down and how the trembling of her hands began to subside a little.

It wasn't until Arlo let out a relieved sigh and his tense shoulders fell, that she noticed that the veil over her thoughts had also thinned and her brain was finally starting to function again.

"Arlo..." Like a mere breath, his name left her lips and with a trembling hand she tried to reach for him. Unfortunately, she still had no strength at all and limply it threatened to fall back onto the couch.

But Arlo, the wonderful, ever observant man that he was, quickly reached for hers with his free hand and squeezed it gently.

"I'm here. It's all right." The hand on her pulse slid up to her cheek and gently his rough thumb caressed her cheek.

"I'm so sorry..." With horror, she realised what had just happened and ashamed, she turned her face into his palm, trying to hide from him.

Oh God, how could she have let something like this happen?

She had thought she had more time before she had to eat something, but her body must have had enough of her bullshit. She had hoped for a leisurely breakfast with Arlo, but instead, she had fainted before his eyes and frightened him. What a way to ruin his birthday.

"I'm sorry... I didn't mean to..." She tried to sit up, wanting to show him that she was better now, but immediately the world started spinning and with a groan she fell back.

Oh God...

"Woah, hey, don't move!" Startled, Arlo caught her head just before it could uncontrollably fall back onto the couch and gently placed it back onto the pillow.

"Please stay down. Your blood sugar must have been dangerously low. The juice will only help for a short time. We really need to give you something real to eat. When was the last time you ate something?" Still full of worry, he looked at her questioningly and now that she could think a little better again, she tried to answer his question.

"I... I had an apple yesterday around noon..."

Arlo's eyes widened. "And the day before yesterday?"

She thought hard. Right, what had she actually eaten before that? She had eaten breakfast and then thought about what she could give Arlo, and then....

She was horrified to realise that she hadn't eaten anything for almost two days, instead of just one, as she had thought this morning. Oh God, how could she have forgotten?

"Elenya?" Arlo seemed to have noticed her shock, for he worriedly guided her averted gaze back to him with his hand on her cheek. Ashamedly, she looked at him.

"I had breakfast the day before yesterday..."

He looked back in complete horror as he came to the same conclusion as she. "You haven't eaten for two days?! What on earth were you thinking!" His horror quickly turned to anger and agitated he jumped up. “How could you be so careless?!”

In distress, she involuntarily flinched, and tears welled up in her eyes. She knew she deserved his anger, but she still felt weak and frightened from the whole ordeal, with a terrible headache pulsating behind her forehead. The tears spilled over.

Immediately Arlo was back at her side, his warm hands gently cupping her cheeks and wiping away the tears.

"I'm sorry, sweetie. It's going to be alright. I didn't mean to yell at you like that. I'm just so incredibly angry at you. But that can wait. I'm going to make you something to eat first and then you'll start feeling better. Okay?" His words and touch were so gentle that only more tears flowed from her eyes.

She didn't deserve his kindness. She had wanted to give him a nice birthday and instead he now had to cook for her and take care of her because of her own stupidity.

A sob escaped her.

"I'm sorry, Arlo... I'm sorry. I didn't mean to..."

"Shh, it's okay. Everything's going to be okay. Don't worry about anything. I'll take care of you," he whispered, gently wiping away her tears and showering her with love until her tears finally dried up.

Unfortunately, her emotional breakdown left her even weaker, and her eyes threatened to close.

"Oh no, don't close your eyes! You can't sleep yet. You have to eat something first, sweetheart. Come on, I'll help you sit up. Maybe it will be a little easier for you," he pleaded.

Elenya slowly opened her eyes again and looked tiredly at Arlo. She felt weak and dazed, but his words and loving touch made her feel safe and secure. She nodded weakly and let him help her sit up.

Arlo supported her carefully, not letting go until he was sure she could sit on her own. "Okay?" he asked gently.

“Yeah… I think so.” She still felt like sleeping, but doing so sitting upright was a lot less comfortable, so she should be fine for now. Even if her head protested strongly at her new position.

Arlo smiled lovingly at her and gently stroked her cheek. "Good. I will just make you something to eat now, okay? If you need anything or you feel lightheaded again, call me immediately, alright?"

She smiled back and felt her heart fill with love and gratitude. She sometimes really didn't know how she deserved someone like Arlo.

After a soft kiss to her forehead, he headed over to the small kitchen at the back of the room, beneath the platform leading to Remi’s room and soon after, she could hear the soft clinking of bowls and pans.

For the next few minutes she let the sounds envelop her, reassured with the knowledge that Arlo was near her. As long as he was there, nothing could happen to her, even if she herself wasn’t even able to lift her arms right now. She had really put herself completely out of action.

Her peace was unfortunately disturbed, though, when goose bumps began to spread all over her body. She suddenly felt terribly cold and her body started shivering.

God, what was wrong with her now?

Desperately, she wrapped her arms around her upper body, hoping to retain some warmth, but it felt as if there was not a bit of warmth left in her body. She hadn't really wanted to disturb Arlo, but the shivering was using up more energy than she had available right now, so she called out weakly for him.

"Arlo?"

Almost immediately, the redhead was back at her side.

"Yes, darling? What's wrong? Are you feeling dizzy or nauseous? What do you need?" Concerned, his blue eyes looked at her.

"Cold..." Was the only thing she could get out, but thankfully Arlo didn't need to hear more. Full of worry, his gaze wandered over her trembling body, seeing the goosebumps on her bare arms.

"Oh no, wait a minute. I'll be right back."

Quickly Arlo disappeared from her field of vision and to her aching, overtired brain it felt as if he had only been gone for a second before he returned with a grey bundle.

"Here, this should warm you up. I like to wear it when it's cold."

He carefully unfolded a grey sweater and held it out in front of her. "Let's get you warmed up, sweetheart," he said softly, his voice filled with concern. Gently, he helped her sit up a little straighter and guided her arms into the sleeves of the sweater. With each movement, he made sure to be gentle and mindful of her weakened state.

As he pulled the sweater over her shoulders, she instantly felt the comforting warmth enveloping her body. The soft fabric provided a shield against the cold that had been seeping into her bones. However, she still couldn't help but shiver, her body struggling to regulate its temperature.

Noticing her continued trembling, Arlo's brows furrowed with worry. "Hang on, sweetheart," he reassured her, his voice filled with determination. "I'll make sure you're truly warm." He vanished again and came back with a soft blanket and tenderly draped it over her shoulders, tucking it around her for added warmth.

As the cosy sweater and the comforting blanket cocooned her, Elenya inhaled deeply, taking in the familiar scent of Arlo that lingered on the fabric. The warm, earthy fragrance had a calming effect on her frayed nerves, easing her worries and bringing a sense of security.

The combination of the enveloping warmth and Arlo's scent had a soothing effect on her. It even managed to ease a little bit of her headache and with a happy sigh, she snuggled a little deeper into the softness.

“Better?” The soft and loving smile Arlo gave her warmed her even more and grateful, she smiled back.

“Yes, thank you. I feel warmer now, and your scent... it's incredibly calming." She closed her eyes for a moment, savouring the feeling of his presence surrounding her.

Smiling proudly, Arlo leaned down to place another soft kiss on her forehead, his lips lingering briefly against her skin. "I'm glad, sweetheart. You're safe and warm here with me."

With a final, tender touch to her cheek, Arlo walked back towards the kitchen, leaving Elenya filled with love and warmth.

Oh, she knew that. She even knew it back when she talked to Arlo for the first time. At first she had thought it was because he was the captain of the Civil Corps and thus radiated a certain underlying sense of security, but she quickly realised that there was much more to it. Just hearing his warm voice filled her with a deep calmness and his strong presence magically drew her in. She had rarely felt so safe and protected as when he was there.

For the next ten minutes, Elenya struggled to keep her eyes open. First, the comfortable warmth and Arlo's scent invited her to sleep, and second, her aching head begged her to please close her eyes. But she resisted. She had already ruined Arlo's birthday enough; she couldn't scare him again by falling asleep again. Besides, she didn't want to wake up disoriented like that again. The feeling of not being able to think properly was one of her worst fears. That was also one of the reasons why she never drank alcohol.

Fortunately, she didn't have to hold out much longer, and Arlo came back to her with two full plates. He carefully placed them on the coffee table in front of her and then disappeared into the kitchen again to bring her another full glass of orange juice.

Curiously, she looked at the plate in front of her. On it piled up a stack of crepes with fruit sauce, which looked really delicious. For himself, Arlo had made some crepes with mushrooms and cheese, which looked equally good.

"Here, sweetheart, I hope you like them. I'm not as good a cook as you, but I think I can make some decent crepes." Chuckling softly, he carefully sat down to her left and seeking his closeness, she leaned against his shoulder.

"These look wonderful. Thank you so much, Arlo. I'm just sorry I made you cook on your birthday..." Apologetically, she looked up at him, but Arlo waved it off.

Gently, he cupped her cheek with his left hand and stroked it soothingly with his thumb.

"Don't worry about it, okay? I love taking care of you. Don't get me wrong, I'm still furiously mad at you, but for now, I'm just glad you're with me and not unconscious in a ruin somewhere. Now let's eat. You need to get your strength back." With gentle movements, he helped her free herself from the blanket and then handed her a fork he had brought with him.

Unfortunately, her arms were still so weak, and her hands were shaking so much that she could barely hold it. Quickly, Arlo's hand closed around hers so she wouldn't drop it.

"Oh, sweetie, you're still shaking so much. Come, drink some more juice. I think you still need a lot more sugar." Gently, he took the fork from her again and handed her the orange juice instead. She could hold the heavy glass even less, of course, but Arlo's large, warm hand closed securely around hers, and with his help, she managed to bring the glass to her lips.

In amall sips she drank the sweet liquid. This time, too, the juice burned like fire in her empty stomach, and she had to force herself to swallow. As she sipped the juice, Arlo's concerned gaze never left her face. He could see the effort it took for her to consume even a small amount, but he remained patient and supportive by her side.

Once she finished the juice, Arlo set the glass aside and picked up a forkful of the crepes from her plate. He held it up to her lips, urging her to eat.

"Come on, sweety, take a bite. You need to regain your strength," Arlo encouraged softly, his eyes filled with affectionate concern.

Elenya hesitated for a moment, feeling shame creep up her body at the prospect of needing to be fed, but she trusted Arlo. She opened her mouth, allowing him to feed her the delicious bite of crepes. The flavours danced on her taste buds, and a faint smile tugged at the corners of her lips.

Maybe it was because she hadn't eaten in so long, but she had never eaten crepes so good. Arlo surprised her again and again with his cooking skills.

As Arlo continued to feed her small bites, she couldn't help but feel grateful for his unwavering support. Despite her mistakes and shortcomings, he remained by her side, taking care of her in the most loving way possible.

"You're doing great, sweetheart. Just a few more bites, and you'll start feeling better," he whispered, his voice filled with encouragement.

Elenya nodded weakly, a mixture of gratitude and exhaustion evident in her eyes. She couldn't express in words how much she appreciated Arlo's care and understanding. It was in moments like these that she realised how lucky she was to have him by her side.

As she savoured the last bite of her meal, she leaned against Arlo's shoulder, feeling a sense of contentment wash over her. The combination of food and Arlo's comforting presence had worked wonders on her weary body.

"Thank you, Arlo," she whispered softly, her words carrying a depth of emotion.

Arlo's arm wrapped around her, pulling her closer to him. He placed a gentle kiss on her temple and whispered, "You don't have to thank me, Elenya. I’m always here to take care of you."

Overjoyed, she snuggled even closer to Arlo's side, while he began to eat his breakfast as well, not loosening his arm around her shoulders.

In the pleasant silence that followed, Elenya felt more and more energy returning to her body. The headache remained, unfortunately, but her hands finally stopped shaking and her arms no longer felt as if they were made of jelly.

Relieved at this development, she wrapped her arms around Arlo's waist and pressed herself a little closer to his warm body. Arlo immediately put his fork aside at her movement and gently lifted her face with his now free hand. Relieved eyes met hers.

"Hey, feeling better?" Attentively, he watched her.

"Yes, much better. My head hurts terribly, but I don't feel so weak anymore. Thank you." She couldn't help but thank him again. Almost all her life she had to take care of herself, so even after almost a year of relationship, sometimes it was still hard for her to accept Arlo's care for what it was. Love.

"I'm glad to hear that, but I don't like that about your head." Concern mingled back into his gaze and his hand on her cheek went up into her hair to gently massage her head.

"How about we lay down in my bed and you rest for a bit?" Arlo suggested, his voice filled with concern. "Hopefully, your head will feel better if you sleep for a while." He leaned forward, pressing warm lips against her forehead, lingering there for a moment. With a relieved sigh, Elenya closed her eyes, feeling a sense of comfort wash over her. The soft, circular movements on her scalp eased a part of her headache, and Arlo's gentle touch seemed to dispel any pain she felt.

As she contemplated the idea of sleeping, a wave of guilt washed over her. Uncertainly, she looked back up at him. "But it's your birthday... I can't just sleep away half the day."

"Don't worry about that. As long as you're here with me, I don't need more," Arlo reassured her, his soft lips now pressing against hers. The warmth of his kiss enveloped her, and she responded with equal affection. Her heart overflowed with love for Arlo, the wonderful man who chose to love her so gently.

Breaking away from the kiss, Arlo looked at her with gentleness in his eyes. "Come on, let's lie down for a bit."

He stood up and gently slid his arms under her knees and back, carefully lifting her into his arms. Elenya couldn't help but feel a sense of comfort and security as he cradled her against his chest. Resting her head on his shoulder, she felt the rhythmic beat of his heart lulling her into a state of tranquillity.

With unhurried steps filled with tenderness, Arlo carried her towards his bedroom. He carefully laid her down on the bed, making sure she was nestled in the soft blankets and pillows. Then, he helped her out of her uncomfortable jeans, before removing his own pants and snuggling up with her under the covers. She found herself quickly enveloped in his strong arms, her head pillowed on his chest just above his heart, while their legs entwined.

Arlo's right hand came up to gently massage her head, instantly relieving all tension from her body. However, he wasn't quite ready to let her sleep yet, and with his next question, the tension resurfaced.

"Elenya," he began softly, his voice filled with worry, "before you fall asleep, will you please tell me why you didn't eat for two days? How could this have happened? You scared the hell out of me." The arm around her shoulder tightened, and Elenya, feeling ashamed, hid her face in his chest.

It was never in her mind to scare him like that, and she couldn't quite tell if her explanation would only make things worse or better.

She tried to look at him apologetically, but his hand continued the soothing massage, so she settled for speaking against his chest. Taking a deep breath, she gathered the strength to explain.

"I'm so sorry, Arlo... I really wanted you to have a wonderful birthday, including the best birthday present ever..." She explained how she had spent almost an entire day in the abandoned ruins, followed by another day making a smaller version of the soldier. She confessed that she had become too caught up in her work and the excitement of finding the perfect gift, completely forgetting to eat.

Arlo's hand had stopped massaging her head during her explanation, so she lifted her head to look at him uncertainly. His expression was unreadable, leaving her anxious.

"And this morning... I thought I had more time before I had to eat. I was going to have a leisurely breakfast with you, but... everything got out of hand."

Arlo's expression softened as he heard her voice breaking on the last words. He cupped her cheek tenderly with his hand. "Oh sweetheart, your well-being is more important than any celebration. Why did you push yourself so hard?"

Tears welled up in Elenya's eyes as she spoke with a trembling voice. "I don't know, Arlo. I got caught up in my work, trying to make everything perfect. And I guess I forgot about taking care of myself. I didn't realise it had been two days until now, and I'm so sorry. I really didn’t want to ruin your birthday."

A single tear escaped her eyes, and Arlo gently wiped it away. "Oh sweetheart, you didn't ruin anything. I'm just glad you're okay. But please, never do anything like that again. I don't ever want to see you fainting in my arms again, especially not because of something that can be easily avoided. It hurts me to see you like this." He held her gaze seriously, yet full of love. "But I might have an idea that could make today the best birthday ever and ease my worries for you."

Elenya's ears perked up at his words, and she propped herself up slightly on his chest to get a better look at him. Curiosity filled her voice as she asked, "What is it?"

"Marry me," he replied, a smile tugging at the corners of his lips.

Her breath caught in her throat.

"I...what?"

"Marry me. You would make me the happiest man in the world, and at the same time, I could always take care of you from now on. Can make sure you eat a proper breakfast and don't go to bed without dinner. I can't imagine anything better than waking up next to you every morning and falling asleep next to you in the evening. I want you by my side for the rest of my life. So, will you marry me?"

Speechless, she looked up into Arlo's hopeful face. He wanted to marry her! She could hardly believe it. Her heart raced in her chest and she struggled to find the right words through the resulting throbbing in her head.

"Arlo... I... I don't know... I don't know what to say."

A loving smile settled on his lips. "How about yes?"

"Oh God, yes. Yes! Of course I'll marry you!" Overjoyed, she pulled herself up against him and passionately pressed her lips to his. Never in her life had she been so happy as at that moment. Even her exhaustion and that damn headache couldn't dampen her joy.

Arlo returned her kiss with equal passion, his hands gently cradling her face. The kiss deepened, and for a moment, they existed solely in their love for each other. Only when they needed to catch their breath did they break away, but Elenya kept her head close, looking deeply into his beloved blue eyes.

"I love you, Arlo. So much. You make me so incredibly happy."

"I love you too, Elenya."

For a moment they lost themselves in each other's eyes, but then Arlo's face grew serious again and concern mingled back into his gaze.

"Come on, lie back down, sweetie. I can see how much your head hurts. You need to rest."

With a sigh, she agreed with Arlo. The longer she kept her head up, the stronger the throbbing became, so she let him manipulate her until she was safely back in his arms, now lying almost completely on top of him, her head buried in his shoulder. His left arm was wrapped tightly around her shoulders while his right gently massaged her head again, hoping to soothe her enough to fall asleep.

And surrounded by Arlo's warmth and scent, she felt herself drifting closer to sleep. However, an urgent question intruded on her mind, demanding an answer.

"Arlo?"

"Yes, darling?"

"How did you like my present, by the way? I didn't really catch that earlier..."

A soft chuckle rumbled through the chest beneath her.

"I love it. You did a wonderful job. But then, you are an incredible builder. My sweet, incredible builder."He pressed a warm kiss to the top of her head. "But now sleep, sweetheart. I will look after you."

And so she did. Enveloped in Arlo's strong arms, his warm chest beneath her and surrounded by his scent, she could think of no better place to sleep.

#bad things happen bingo #bad things happen bingo: forgetting to eat #my time at portia #mtap #my time at portia arlo #mtap arlo #mtap female builder #mtap builder elenya #hurt/comfort #fainting #arlo my love

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mtap-comics · 1 year

Text

Welcome back to my Bad Things Happen Bingo! After 8 Weeks I'm finally able to post the next prompt.

Fandom: My time at Portia

Pairing: Arlo x Female Builder

Summary: Elenya and Remi successfully freed Arlo, Sam and Mint from Ingall’s Mine and defeated this strange AI without any significant injuries. But then why were there black dots dancing in her field of vision?

Word count: 6,992

Prompt: Doesn't Realize They've Been Injured

Author’s note: I'm really sorry it took me so long again, but I hope the lenght of it makes up for it. That prompt was also the most requested one, so I hope I did it justice. I really struggle with actions scenes and I'm still not happy with it, but I think you're not here for that, anyway, so... :D

I'm also sorry in advance for what you are about to read. You will probably know what I mean when you get there.^^ You can thank my past self for that scene, who thought it a good idea to implement that damn sweater in every one of those works.

But now I won't keep you any longer and wish you a happy reading!

Warnings: Blood and Injury, Angst and Fluff, Nightmares, Mentions of death

Read on AO3: Link

Black Dots

Adrenaline was rushing through Elenya's body.

She had been fighting her way through Ingall's Mine with Remington for almost an hour now. Worm after worm stood in their way, locked doors had to be repaired and even a human-like creature tried to stop them from rescuing Arlo, Sam and Mint.

But at last they seemed to be getting closer to their goal. In front of them were lots of dead worms and in between, Sam's boxing gloves.

While Remi picked them up, she propped herself up for a moment on the handle of her hammer. Remi had given it to her because it was better than her simple iron sword, and while it was pretty fun to fight with, it was damn heavy.

Her arms were burning from the effort, and she was going to have some nasty sore muscles tomorrow, but she didn't care much about that right now. The main thing was that she could see for herself that Arlo was actually alright.

Even though he had assured them that nothing had happened to them in the cave-in, she couldn't shake the anxiety that had been consuming her since the collapse. Never in her life had she been so afraid for someone as when they were standing in front of the huge pile of rocks and there was no sign of life from the three of them at first.

Only a few weeks before, Arlo had given her a heart knot after he had accidentally broken her nose and she had accepted it overjoyed. Her nose has since healed without any lasting damage, while her relationship with Arlo flourished. Rarely had she felt as happy as when she was around Arlo, and that he felt the same way was something she would never have dreamed of before.

But for the time being, they decided to keep their relationship a secret. They knew how quickly such news spread around the village, and they wanted to enjoy their privacy, at least for a while. Fortunately, this wasn't too difficult, as their daily routine didn't change much. Only the two of them knew that their dinners together had changed from friendly to romantic, and the intimate hugs and tender kisses took place behind closed doors.

The last few weeks had been just perfect, so of course something had to burst their pink bubble.

With a deep breath, Elenya straightened up again and with a confirming nod to Remi, the two walked deeper into the mine. Not much longer, and hopefully she would soon be able to embrace Arlo again.

Another closed gate and a few scattered worms stood in their way, but they weren't any more of an obstacle than the others, and finally the three missing ones came into view.

Deep below them they stood, crowded together behind a rock and in the middle of the room was a...

"What on earth is that?" Remi's horrified voice rang out from beside her, and she looked up at him in equal horror.

"I don't know, but I don't think it's friendly. Quick, we have to help them!"

As quickly and quietly as they could, they hurried down the steel staircase that wound once around the room. The closer they got to the floor, the better they could see the construct that threatened their friends. It seemed to be an AI robot, consisting of a round body with a giant drill as its base and 3 long arms with huge, sharp-looking claws as hands.

It looked angry and damn dangerous.

"Remi!" Sam was the first to spot them and at her delighted exclamation, Arlo and Mint turned to them as well.

Elenya's eyes swept over the group, but stopped worriedly at Mint's head. A bloody bandage was wrapped around his head, but the engineer stood upright and his gaze was clear, if frightened. An encouraging nod from him reassured her, and she finally let her gaze drift to Arlo.

Like the other two, he was covered from head to toe in dust and a small scratch adorned his cheek, but otherwise he did indeed appear to be unharmed and a huge weight fell from her chest. Exhausted, her shoulders slumped, and when she heard his voice, she could have cried with relief.

He was alright!

"Just in time, come on, we need to handle this thing!" Relief mixed with determination showed on Arlo’s face and with a soft sigh, Elenya straightened her shoulders again.

Her arms burned from the exertion, and her exhaustion caught up with her now that some of the tension and adrenaline had worn off, but she didn't have time to sit down. The danger was not over yet.

Immediately Arlo's worried gaze turned to her, but she waved him off. He could probably see her exertion of the last hour, but they had no time to rest. For the moment, the robot seemed content to stand silently in front of them, but who knows when it would feel threatened by them and attack. It was better if they struck first.

With one last deep breath, they nodded to each other and the four of them attacked the robot while Mint backed further away from the fight.

A new wave of adrenaline allowed Elenya to swing her hammer with the same force as before, but even this seemed to do no good. The robot was extremely fast and they had to dodge more than they could actually attack, but even when they did manage to land a hit, their efforts didn't even seem to leave a scratch.

Desperately, she tried to smash the joints of one of the arms with her hammer, hoping that would slow it down, but the material just wouldn't budge. Frustrated, she examined the robot.

Damn it, this thing had to have a weak point! Only where?

"Elenya! Watch out!" Startled, Elenya backed away from the robot at Arlo's warning shout, and just in time. Because the robot jumped up, pulled its arms to its body and rammed its drill tip into the ground, spinning wildly around itself.

Unfortunately, she didn't manage to pull herself completely out of its reach and her brown leather jacket was caught by one of its claws. She was knocked to the ground.

A brief pain in her left side was accompanied by three startled yelps, but she barely noticed. Because just as the robot stopped spinning, she saw it from her vantage point on the floor. A weak point.

One of their attacks must have had an effect after all, because under one of the three arms something had come loose that looked a lot like an energy source. If she could destroy it, then this fight would finally be over.

Gathering all her strength once more, she straightened up and used the time that Arlo, Sam and Remi were trying to distract the robot from her to grab her hammer, duck under the swinging arms and slam the hammer into the power source with all her might. The force of the blow vibrated through her arms, but her attack had paid off.

The robot suddenly went completely still and then collapsed. Amazed, she looked at the now lifeless pile of metal in front of her, and it took a moment for the reality to sink in that the battle was over.

Wide-eyed, she looked to the three Civil Corps members standing on the other side of the robot, who looked at her just as dumbfounded until Sam let out a whoop.

"Woohoo! You did it!" Proudly, Sam came over to her and clapped her shoulder approvingly. "I knew you had it in you, kid."

The heady feeling of a battle won rushed through her body, and laughing, she thanked Sam for the compliment.

The feeling didn't last long, though, and exhaustion quickly took over. With trembling muscles, she set her hammer down on the ground and then propped herself up on the handle to catch her breath. Mint had joined them again in the meantime, and she left it to the four of them to figure out what the robot was all about.

It was only a gentle touch to her shoulder that made her look back up, and her gaze immediately met familiar blue eyes that looked at her with concern.

"Hey, are you alright? Are you hurt?" Arlo's soft voice enveloped her like a warm blanket and she would have liked nothing more than to snuggle against his strong chest and let his arms wrap around her. Instead, she hurried to stand up straight so he wouldn't worry so much.

"Yeah, I'm fine. Just pretty exhausted." A tired smile settled on her lips and Arlo's gaze softened.

"I'll take your word for that. You fought really well. Remi was just praising you to the skies." A proud smile settled on his lips and she felt her cheeks redden.

God, she always felt like a teenage girl whose crush had just smiled at her when she got a compliment from Arlo.

Before she could sheepishly thank him, though, Remi came over to them and took the heavy hammer from her.

"Come on you two. Let's get the hell out of here."

"Oh God, yes, please. I've had enough tunnels and sand for now." Accompanied by Arlo's soft chuckle that followed her words, they followed Mint who, tracking a draft of wind, led them out of the mine.

For a moment, she was able to keep up with the group, but the further they went, the more her adrenaline level dropped and the heavier her legs became. Black dots danced in her field of vision and an overwhelming tiredness came over her. Exhausted, she stopped.

Damn, she had apparently exerted herself a lot more than she had first thought. But she couldn't rest yet. She had to at least make it home.

With a vigorous shake of her head, she tried to dispel the dots and hurried to catch up with the others again before anyone noticed how far behind she had fallen.

A bit of her energy returned when they finally found an exit and the warm evening sun greeted them. Finally they were out of that dark mine.

Elenya didn't pay much attention to where they came out, instead fixing her gaze firmly on Arlo's back. The sight calmed the still not completely disappeared anxiety inside her and her steps felt a little lighter.

Only Mint's delighted "Mayor Gale!" made her look up and with astonishment she realised that the very same man was running towards them together with Gust, Albert, Paulie, Dr. Xu and even Higgins.

Concerned, the group stopped in front of them and naturally wanted to know what had happened. Arlo, of course, immediately took on the task of summarising what had happened, but Elenya had trouble following the conversation. The black spots were back and she discreetly moved away from the group.

For a moment she let her eyes fall shut and took a few deep breaths. The better oxygen intake seemed to help, because when she opened her eyes again, the black dots had disappeared and she could just see the others heading back towards the city.

Only Arlo turned to her and she hurried to catch up with him again. Now that they were no longer being watched, a warm look graced his face and she instantly felt better. With a smile, she stopped in front of him.

“I'm glad we got out of that ordeal without anyone getting hurt. I didn't get to say this earlier, but thanks for sticking your neck out and coming to our rescue back there.” He smiled at her and she felt how finally the rest of the anxiety drained from her body.

It sometimes shocked her, how a simple smile from him could make her feel so at ease.

She opened her mouth to answer him. Wanted to tell him how glad she was that he was okay, that he wasn't buried under all those rocks, but no sound came out.

Her head suddenly felt a lot heavier and her tongue wouldn't cooperate.

What was wrong with her?

Arlo's face contorted with concern when she didn't answer him and he took a step toward her.

"Elenya? Is everything all right? You're really pale." His right hand lifted, gently coming to rest against her cheek, and it was as if that touch snapped her body out of a daze.

Pain suddenly ripped through her like a burning fire, blazing up her left side. With a pained gasp, she pressed her hand against the aching spot, only to encounter something wet. Confused, she looked down at herself.

What...?

She couldn't see anything on her dark jacket, but when she removed her hand from her side, it came back smeared with blood. Quickly she pressed it back.

Oh...

Arlo, who had followed her gaze, drew in a shocked breath at the sight. "Elenya! You're bleeding! What happened?" He grabbed her hand in panic, pulling it away from the wound so he could see better, and she had no strength to fight back.

Nausea had mixed with the woozy feeling in her head and the black dots dancing before her eyes became more and more. Her legs buckled.

Before she could hit the ground, though, strong arms caught her and once again her name left Arlo's lips in alarm. As carefully as he could, he lowered her to the ground and suddenly she found the blue sky in her field of vision instead of Arlo's worried eyes.

"Damn! What happened? Talk to me, Elenya. Come on." Frantically, he set about opening her jacket. Each movement of the fabric sent new waves of searing pain through her side, and with a whimper she tried to push his hands away.

"I know, I know. I'm so sorry, sweetie, but I need to know where you're hurt. It'll be over in a moment." Arlo’s words sounded pained and she wanted to tell him it wasn't his fault, that it was okay, but her tongue still wouldn't obey her.

The black dots in front of her eyes became bigger and the world started spinning, intensifying her nausea and so she closed her eyes with a low moan. But when Arlo suddenly let out a loud curse, they shot open again.

"Bloody hell!" Out of the corner of her eye, she could see him begin to rummage wildly in his waist bag.

Surprised, she tried to catch a glimpse of her now free abdomen, but she had no strength left to lift her head.

Was it really that bad? Why hadn't she noticed it until just now?

She didn’t get any further with the train of thought.

Two hands suddenly pressed firmly on her injury and for a moment her world consisted only of pain. A weak cry escaped her and Arlo's eyes appeared in her field of vision, both hands not leaving her side.

"I'm sorry, sweetheart. But I really need to stop the bleeding. You've already lost way too much blood. Please hang in there, okay? It's going to be okay." Comfortingly, he briefly pressed his forehead against hers and then turned to look at the departing group, not letting up the pressure on her wound.

"SAM! Bring Dr. Xu back here! Now! Elenya's hurt!"

Startled, Elenya flinched at the suddenly loud words, sending a new wave of pain through her body. Tears gathered in her eyes and desperately she placed her left hand on Arlos, who she realised was pressing a bunch of compresses tightly against her side.

"Shh, sweetheart, it's okay. Help is on the way. It's going to be okay." Warm lips pressed against her forehead, but she was barely aware of the touch.

The fog in her brain grew thicker, the nausea increased, and more and more loud voices gathered around her until all that was left was a loud roaring in her ears.

Her tears overflowed, cold sweat spread all over her body and she felt her heart pounding in her chest.

What was happening to her?

She was terrified. She didn't know what was happening anymore. All around her, voices were talking in panic, hands were tugging at her jacket, her whole abdomen was on fire and the only familiar thing she felt was the big hands under hers.

But when they also disappeared and were replaced by others, she lost herself in her panic. She tried to fight back against the hands, tried to get away from all the voices, but only more pain shot through her body, making her cry out weakly.

Where was Arlo?

The voices grew louder, frightening her even more, but then they were back. The warm hands. They softly cupped her face, gently brushing away her tears, and an even warmer voice broke through the roaring in her ears.

"I'm here, sweetheart. I'm here. Nothing is going to happen to you. You're safe. I promise. But you need to stop moving, please. Dr. Xu is trying to help you. Everything is going to be okay."

Relieved, she opened her eyes with difficulty and directly met Arlo's beloved blue eyes. His face was upside down, as he was kneeling behind her head, but that didn’t diminish the effect he had on her. Immediately, all the tension disappeared from her body, along with the voices around her, and all that remained was Arlo.

“That’s it. You are doing great, sweetheart. Just keep those pretty eyes on me.” His voice was pitched to a soothing tone, his worry and panic well hidden behind a mask and it managed to calm her racing heart. Sweet words and pet names left his lips ceaselessly, enveloping her in a blanket of comfort, while his thumbs caressed her cheeks, effectively brushing the tears away that didn’t stop flowing from her eyes.

Her eyes drooped.

She barely noticed what happened to her body anymore. The pain had faded to the background, leaving a weird pressure behind, the roaring back in her ears droned out Arlos voice and his face vanished behind black dots.

Her eyes closed.

“No, no, no! Keep your eyes open, sweetheart. Come on, look at me!” Frantic, Arlo softly patted her cheek, tried to get her attention, but she couldn’t hold on any longer.

Her world got dark and the last clear thought that ran through her mind was:

Well, there goes their secret relationship.

~~~~~~

Elenya awoke a short time later to a world of pain. Her body was being jolted, sending wave after wave of pain through her body and she wondered what was going on.

Where was she? What happened? Was that... a humming engine?

She could feel strong arms wrapped around her upper body, a warm chest pressed against her right side and her head seemed to rest against a shoulder. The familiarity of the body holding her managed to quell the panic that wanted to rise in her. But what it couldn’t quell was the pain.

It was licking at her whole left side like flames, burning her up like nothing she had ever felt before. She only realised her constant whimpering when the hand who had been holding her waist came up to rest gently against her cheek, the thumb rubbing soothing circles against her skin and a soft voice spoke right beside her left ear.

“Shh, you are okay, sweetheart. We’re almost there. Just hold on a little longer. You are doing so great.” Warm lips pressed against her forehead and she tried to concentrate on that point of contact instead of the pain, but then the DeeDee she supposed she sat in, jolted even more and with a cry of pain, new tears flowed from her eyes.

“Hurts…” Her voice was weak, barely more than a whisper, but Arlo heard her.

The arm around her shoulder tightened even more and the hand cupping her cheek softly wiped her tears away.

“I know, sweetheart, I know. But we are almost at the clinic, I promise. Soon you will feel a lot better.” Pain and worry sat deep in his voice and she felt bad. Even though she couldn’t recall what happened, she hated when people had to worry about her. But the pain was all encompassing, taking over her mind and she couldn’t do anything to reassure him.

The world started to fade again. She could hear how Arlo tried to keep her from passing out again, but she lost the fight against the darkness.

~~~~~~

Elenya woke to a deep voice, who seemed to be telling a story.

“Did you know that Remi grew up here in Portia, before he moved out to Lucien? We were best friends back then, too and because he was 2 years older than me, my parents gave him the task to keep an eye out for me. Not that it did much good, as I'm sure you can imagine..”

The tale went on, but the words blended together in her mind, leaving her with a sense of security. She didn't know where she was or what had happened, but she knew that as long as the owner of that wonderful voice was with her, she was safe.

“... and well, that really didn’t go well for me. You should have seen the face of my mother. I don't think she has ever been as angry in her life as she was at that moment.” A warm laugh ran through the room, washing over her like a soft summer breeze and instinctively her head turned to the source of it.

To her dismay, the laugh immediately stopped as she did that, but then a big hand softly cupped her left cheek and with a happy sigh, she nestled into the warm palm.

“Hey there, sweetheart. Can you hear me?” The warm voice was back, whispering softly somewhere above her head, and with a confirming humm, she snuggled even more into the hand.

“That’s great. Do you think you can open your eyes for me?” The thumb resting on her cheek started to stroke the patch of soft skin underneath her eye, as if he wanted to encourage her, but she scrunched up her face in protest.

She didn’t want to open her eyes. It was nice and dark behind her eyelids, she felt like she was floating on a cloud and she wasn’t really sure she could open them even if she wanted to. Her eyelids were as heavy as lead, and even just snuggling into the warm hand took a lot more effort than it should have.

The warm laugh was back, filling her with happiness.

“That’s okay, sweetheart. I’m just glad you’re okay. You really had me worried.” Warm lips pressed against her forehead, lingering there for a moment and she almost fell back asleep when the words registered in her brain.

Worried? Why was he worried? Where was she anyway? What had happened? Should she be worried too?

These questions sparked a panic in her that she couldn't explain, but the warm voice was quick to reassure her.

"Shh, sweetheart, you're okay. Just get some rest. I'm here." Another long kiss was pressed to her forehead and the hand on her cheek went up and began to gently stroke through her hair. Soothed by the words and the caresses, she fell back into an exhausted sleep.

But the dreams that greeted her there were anything but restful.

She found herself in the middle of an underground labyrinth, full of crossroads and endless tunnels. Wherever she looked, there was only sand and stone, illuminated by a single torch ominously fixed to the wall directly in front of her.

Where was she? What was this place? And how did she get out of here?

Frightened, she looked around.

A sudden gust of cold wind woke her from her panic-stricken stupor, and startled, she reached for the torch that was threatening to be extinguished by the gust of wind.

No! This was her only source of light!

She quickly shielded the flame from the strong gust of wind with her body, her heart racing in her chest.

Oh God, please don't go out....

Fortunately, the gust of wind disappeared as quickly as it came, and relieved, she dropped her tense shoulders. At least she still had light.

But her relief didn't last long.

"Why are you just standing here like a fool? Aren't you going to save him?"

Terrified, she flinched. Where did that voice come from? What did it want from her? And who was she supposed to save?

Frantically, she looked around in all directions, but couldn't make out the voice's origin.

"Come on, what are you waiting for? He doesn't have much time left." A sinister laugh echoed through the empty tunnels. "Or do you want the light in his pretty blue eyes to die out forever?"

Blue eyes? Oh God, did it mean...? No, please no...

Full of panic, she started to run. She ran as fast as she had ever run before. Ran through the endless corridors until she hit a dead end and was forced to turn around.

God, how was she going to find him in all those tunnels? He could be anywhere.

She ran even faster.

"Yes, that's it. Run! Run for his life!" The eerie voice chased her. Laughed at her maliciously when she ran into another dead end, and the panic in Elenya grew.

A stabbing pain had started to spread in her left side, and completely out of breath she stopped in front of the next dead end. Desperate tears flowed incessantly from her eyes and in hopelessness she sank to her knees.

How was she supposed to find him? She didn't even know which corridors she had already walked down and which not. She was completely lost.

"Oh, are you giving up already? What a pity. He would have still had a chance. But whatever. Then I guess he'll have taken his last breath soon." A false, pitying sigh echoed over her head and with renewed energy she straightened up again.

No, she couldn't give up! She had to save him!

Ignoring the pain in her side, she ran again. And then finally, after two more dead ends, she saw a strange light in the next tunnel. That had to be him.

Pulling together the last of her strength, she ran even faster until she could see the scene before her, bringing her to a horrified halt.

Oh no...

Another dead end opened up before her, but this time it was different. A cave-in blocked the way and under the rocks he lay. Arlo.

His familiar shock of red hair lay on the ground in front of her and on shaky legs she approached him, her heart threatening to jump out of her chest.

Please don't be dead. Please don't.

She dropped to her knees in front of his head, the torch falling to the ground beside her.

"No... Arlo..." Paralyzed, she stared at him. His eyes were closed, blood was running down his face from a wound on his forehead and from the corner of his mouth, a grotesque contrast to his pale face, and further down she didn't dare look. For everything beyond his shoulders was covered by huge rocks.

"No..." With trembling hands she tried to feel a pulse, pressing her fingers tightly against his neck, but... there was nothing. Desperately she tried the other side, but there too.... nothing.

"No, no, no. Please, Arlo. Please, you can't..." Deep sobs shook her body as she desperately tried to find a sign of life when the eerie voice suddenly sounded again.

"You're too late. You let him die." Another cruel laugh followed the mocking words and pure anguish coursed through Elenya.

No, it couldn't be! She had to save him!

Desperately she tried to lift the rocks from his body, ignoring the growing pain in her left side, but it was useless. She was too weak.

Sobbing, she collapsed back next to his head. Tears streamed down her cheeks and completely shattered, she pressed her forehead against Arlo’s.

"I'm so sorry, Arlo. Please come back to me. Please. You can't leave me alone, please..." With each sob his name left her lips, praying that he would just please wake up. But his eyes didn’t open.

Suddenly, a gentle, warm wind brushed her cheeks, softly drying her tears, and a beloved voice echoed through the tunnels this time.

"Shh, I'm here, sweetheart. Everything is fine. I'm here. We are safe. I've got you." The warm wind enveloped her more and more, bringing with it a wonderful scent, and suddenly she was no longer in that awful tunnel, but standing in a green field, beautiful flowers all around her and the sun shining warmly in the sky.

"I’m here, darling. Get some rest. I'll take care of you."

Her head snapped to her right in wonder.

Arlo was here! And his eyes were open. Warm and full of life, he looked at her, a loving smile on his lips, and tears of relief escaped her eyes. Big, calloused hands cupped her face tenderly, brushing away her tears and she let herself fall into his strong arms.

The pain in her left side was still there, but if Arlo told her it was okay to rest, she was going to do it.

Her world plunged into warm darkness.

~~~~~~

Elenya woke again to a deep, warm voice, but this time it seemed to be reading from a book. The voice was calm and steady, rumbling deep in the owner's chest, and it filled her with a deep calmness. Together with the wonderful scent that rested right in front of her nose, she felt warm and safe.

For a while she hovered in the state between sleeping and waking, letting the warm voice envelop her until more and more of her senses woke up. She could feel a large, rough hand gently holding hers, the thumb of that hand softly caressing her fingers. Could feel her face buried in something soft, something soft from which emanated that wonderful smell.

Instinctively she buried her nose even more in the soft fabric, inhaling deeply the familiar smell and letting out a happy sigh.

Mmm... Arlo...

The latter didn't seem to have noticed that she had woken up, so she tried to gently squeeze his hand. Unfortunately, her body was so exhausted that she hardly had any strength, so her fingers only twitched slightly.

But it seemed to have been enough, because immediately the voice died away, the hand pulled out of hers, and she could hear a chair being pushed back. A short time later, a large, warm hand came to her cheek and happily she snuggled into the palm.

"Elenya? Sweetie, are you awake?" There was hope and concern in his voice and she wondered what had happened.

Why was he so worried?

To get to the bottom of this question, she opened her eyes. It took her a few tries before her eyes would even stay open, her eyelids much heavier than usual, but when she could finally see clearly, she was rewarded for her efforts. Arlo's face greeted her, his blue eyes full of warmth and love.

“There you are.” A fond smile graced his lips and sleepily, she smiled back.

The hand that had been cradling her cheek moved up and started to pet her head, which elicited another happy sigh from her. For a while, they just stared at each other until the soft look on Arlo’s face turned to concern.

“How are you feeling, sweetheart? Are you in pain?” The hand in her hair drew back and she whined in protest.

Why would he stop? That had been the best feeling in the world!

Longingly, her eyes followed the retreating hand. Maybe if she stared long enough at it, he would put it back?

“Sweetheart?” At Arlo’s concerned voice, her gaze snapped back to him and she remembered that he had asked her a question.

Right. He had asked her if she was in pain. But why would she be in pain? She couldn’t remember getting hurt…

Strained, she went through her memories, hoping to find out what had happened. But the only thing she could remember was a lot of sand. Sand and Remington, oddly enough.

Looking for answers, she glanced up at Arlo, who was still looking at her with deep concern.

“What…?” Speaking was a mistake. That single word sent her into a coughing fit, sending a sudden pain through her left side and Arlo instantly had a glass of water in his hands, holding it carefully against her lips. With his other hand, he slightly lifted her head so that she could drink better. Gratefully, she drank the cool water, relishing in the way it wetted her dry throat.

“Slowly, sweetheart. Don't choke on it.”

When the glass was empty, Arlo carefully set her head back into the pillows, pressing a soft kiss to her forehead as he did so and set the glass back to where it came from.

Elenya didn't notice much of that, though. The pain in her left side distracted her far too much. The pain was not too strong, rather dull, and she suspected that a lot of painkillers were responsible for that, but she still wanted to know what exactly she was dealing with.

Carefully, she raised her trembling right hand, but before she could make contact with her side, she was stopped by a large, warm hand.

“Don’t.” Apologetically, Arlo gently lifted her hand to his lips and pressed a loving kiss to it, mindful of the IV needle she now realised was inserted into the back of her hand.

“Dr. Xu had to fix you up with a lot of stitches. He won’t be pleased if you ruin his hard work.” A short pause. “Again.”

Stitches? And what did he mean by "again"? What had happened, and why couldn't she remember anything?

Desperately, she looked at Arlo.

"Arlo...what happened?" Slight panic mixed into her voice and Arlo quickly put his hand back to her cheek to soothe her.

"Hey, don't worry about it. Everything's fine. What's the last thing you remember?"

Good question. A few separate images flashed through her hazy brain, but they just didn't make sense. There was sand, a strange robot, she thought, and a mop of green hair.

"I... I don't know. There is sand... and Remi? But... I don't know..." A single, frustrated tear escaped her eye, but Arlo quickly wiped it away.

"Shh, it's okay. Dr. Xu already said you might not remember. You lost a lot of blood, so that was to be expected. I'll tell you what happened." Careful not to disturb her, he sat on the edge of the bed and raised her right hand, which he still held tightly, to his lips once more, pressing a gentle kiss on each finger. Immediately warmth spread through her body and her troubled thoughts calmed down.

"So, Mint, Sam and I were in the new Eufala tunnel when it suddenly collapsed. The debris blocked our way out, so you and Remi tried to reach us through Ingall's Mine. I'm afraid I can't tell you what happened along the way, but you found us just in time. An old robot, consisting of 3 long legs and a giant drill, had been awakened by the construction work and was anything but friendly to us. The four of us, mostly you to be precise, managed to defeat it and Mint found us a way out of the mine. We had just told Mayor Gale what had happened, he was waiting for us outside, and everyone had left for the town, when I suddenly noticed how pale you were. I didn't know what was wrong, so I reached out for you and then..." A haunted look settled on his face and he swallowed hard.

"God... You just collapsed in my arms. I thought... Fuck, you scared the shit out of me. There was so much blood everywhere, which you couldn't see on your dark jacket, and when I finally uncovered your stomach, there was this huge gaping wound on your left side. I don't know how you were even able to walk with that." The painful look on his face made Elenya feel bad.

Even with his narration, she still couldn't remember, but it must have been terrible. She didn't mean to cause him such pain. But before she could say anything, Arlo continued.

"Fortunately, Gale had brought Dr. Xu with him, so he was able to help you quickly. I don't know what would have happened if he hadn't been there. You had already lost so much blood and I could barely stop the bleeding myself..." His voice broke on the last words and apologetically she squeezed his hand gently. She didn't want him to think about it too much.

"We don't know exactly how you were injured, but we assume that a claw from the robot got you. Your skin was shredded more than it was cut and it took Dr. Xu a long time to patch you up. There will be a scar, but it should be straight and even."

The gentle, loving look was back on his face and the hand that had left her cheek during the recounting came back and with his thumb he stroked her cheek tenderly.

"Nothing that would make you any less beautiful to me." The words and the affectionate smile brought a blush to her face and, embarrassed, she hid her face in his hand.

Damn it, he couldn't just throw something like that in the room!

Apart from the fact that she hadn't been worried about that at all. What concerned her much more was the fact that it had taken so long for anyone to even notice that she was hurt. Why hadn't she said anything?

She asked Arlo the very same question.

"I don't think you had even noticed it yourself. God, I was so angry with you at first. Why hadn't you told me you were hurt? You were almost bleeding to death! But then I remembered your face. You looked so confused when you saw the blood. I think your body was so pumped with adrenaline that you didn't feel anything. Only when the excitement was over did your body allow anything else to register. But please don't worry too much about that, okay? I'm just glad you're feeling better and you're going to get back on your feet."

Warm lips pressed against hers and Elenya happily returned the kiss. It was gentle and at the same time a little desperate, but no less wonderful for that. Enveloped in Arlo’s wonderful scent and warmth, her body relaxed and an incredible exhaustion spread through her. Her lips no longer wanted to obey her and a frustrated grumble escaped.

She couldn't be exhausted again! She had only just woken up. Who knows how long she had already been asleep.

With a soft chuckle, Arlo broke away from her. "It's okay, darling. Get some rest. Your body's been through a lot." Gently he began stroking her hair again and with a sigh she gave in.

Exhausted, her eyes closed and she buried her face back into the soft fabric still lying next to her head. Before she fell asleep, though, the thought of what that fabric actually was returned to her mind.

Curious, her eyes opened again and met a grey bundle, which she guessed from the smell was a sweater from Arlo. Puzzled, she looked up at the owner, who was watching her intently.

"Arlo?"

"Yes, sweetheart?"

"Why is there a sweater of yours lying there?"

To her further amazement, a slight blush came over his face and eagerly she waited for the answer.

"Oh... you were suddenly having terrible nightmares. You had started writhing, opening your stitches again, and Dr. Xu and Phyllis just couldn't calm you down. You were calling out for me in your sleep, so Dr. Xu dragged me out of the shower I had been in, and luckily I was finally able to calm you down. I don't know what you were dreaming about, but it must have been terrible. It broke my heart to see you so frightened. I tried to stay by your side all the time after that, but Sam and Remi made me eat and sleep, so I thought maybe a sweater with my scent on it would keep the nightmares away." The blush on his face deepened and her heart swelled with love.

She couldn't remember the nightmares either, thankfully, but she did remember the feeling of safety and security emanating from Arlo's comforting scent.

Lovingly, she smiled up at him. "Thank you, Arlo. That really helped me a lot. When you're around, I always feel safe and protected."

She could literally see his chest swell with pride at her words and couldn't help a soft giggle. After all, she knew his strong protective instinct and loved him for it.

But she also saw what he was trying to hide from her. The guilt. The guilt that he had not protected her. Of course that was nonsense and she would try to talk him out of it when she was no longer so exhausted, but she hoped that showing him how safe she still felt with him would be enough for now.

But now she was finally losing the battle against exhaustion and so she buried her face back into the wonderful smelling sweater and closed her eyes.

"I'm glad you feel that way. I will always protect you, I promise. Now go to sleep, darling. I'll be here when you wake up." A warm, lingering kiss against her temple was the last thing she felt before she fell into a restful sleep.

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