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“Do you want another pillow? We have extra,” Prompto said, staring up at her from the foot of the bed, fidgeting in a way that, Selena thought herself unkind for thinking of, reminded her of the jittery otters that made burrows all along the coast, back home, tiny, anxious hands fiddling with each other. “Are you hungry? Do you have your medicine?”
But, this was her brother-in-law, roundabout savior in his own way. And most importantly, he was a good kid. Almost too much of a kid to be married to the walking disaster that she called brother, even.
“It’s alright,” Selena said, voice low and raspy, not quite painful but awkward after so many, many months of a ventilator connected to her throat. “It’s lovely, Prompto.”
Prompto gave her a panicked, awkward look, and then laughed, burying his face in his hands.
“It’s really not, honestly,” he said, with the air of someone sharing some dire truths that were best left a secret, “but it’s home.”
She raised a hand, beckoning, and then grinned a bit when he grabbed it – so, so delicately, like he was scared of hurting her, which was sweet, honestly – because he squawked when she tugged him into the bed with her. He still fit there, curled up against her side, the same way he had, back in the hospital.
“I’m sorry Nyx isn’t here,” Prompto said, face tucked against her side, “he was really looking forward to welcoming you home.”
“I know,” Selena replied, lips twitching in amusement. “Thank you for being there for him, Prompto.”
Prompto laughed.
“It’s the least I can do,” he said, sitting back up to look down at her with a small smile. “He’s always there for me too.” He paused, licking his lips. “And he loves you so much, it’s really… it’s really hard not to love you too, you know?” He looked away, cheeks slightly flushed. “I feel like I know you a lot better than I actually do, I’m sorry.”
“I mean, I am the best sister-in-law you’re ever going to have,” she said, lips twitching just slightly to the side in a very familiar smile, eyes dancing just so. “So that’s fair.”
Two days later, when Nyx burst into her room – they lived in a tiny apartment, but they’d cleared out a whole room just for her, for her release – and started asking about pillows and dinner and medicine, in the exact same worried tones Prompto had, she couldn’t help but laugh at him.
She refused to explain why.