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It all happened so suddenly. As you stirred, your memories of what happened slowly trickled back to you. They were blurred fragments at first, much like your vision, but everything was slowly falling into place like pieces of a puzzle.
Your vision cleared faster when your eyes met his, and the more important pieces fell into place.
You were in terrible health. So much so, that the cause took longer to remember than your collapse.
Hrid was looming over you, and your vision cleared fast enough to see his clear worry, then his immediate relief when the realization hit that you were awake again. He sighed in relief before he could help himself, yet the prince was thoughtful to brush your skin with a feather touch.
You were in bed. Your immediate surroundings were warm and familiar, yet it was Hrid being at your side that helped ease you the most. Even then, as he tried to fuss over you and tuck you in, you knew him well enough that he wasn't quite brimming with this serene level of calm a moment ago, and you saw the faint tells of such in the way he acted. Not that you could fully blame him.
In fact, just before your collapse, you were certain his voice rang the loudest of all. Amidst various cries of your name or your title as summoner otherwise, you remembered how he called to you and ran to your aid. He ran swifter than his own horse in that moment, just in time to catch you before you could hit the ground. Even then, you remembered the warmth and worry he held for you, just enough to trust he'd protect you as your energy gave out.
How you got here wasn't the point now. With how gentle and dotting he was to care for you, yet firm and serious to make you stay put, you still saw cracks in his mask no matter how well he tried to hide his true thoughts on the matter. He knew exactly why you fell, as did you, but he focused far more on caring for you now , rather than scolding you for back then.
"It's good to see you awake again, as selfish as it is." He smiled warmly to you, yet his confidence faltered.
He knew when to hold his head high and carry himself equally in his demeanor and voice regardless, yet right here, with you, he couldn't even muster an attempt at the same stoic act this time.
You didn't protest it. Your entire body ached, but your shoulder throbbed the worst. You felt chills, aches and pain both dulled and sharp overwhelm you throughout your body. Even without the knowledge Hrid would remain firm to keep you in bed anyways, rather than work or play or whatever, you were in no condition to run off regardless. Even your head was so overwhelmed with nausea, dizziness and pain that you gave up before you started. The bed was far more inviting than willing yourself to ignore it all, and you accepted it gladly over the thought of falling over and kissing the floor.
Even without you telling him the scope of how much you were suffering, Hrid read enough from how you looked to understand. You still needed far more rest than this.
" You're still so warm, too… You're burning up even."
You felt his hand brush gently over your forehead, first with his open palm, and once more with the back of the same hand. No matter which side, the difference was enough to feel near chilled at the contact, and even as he moved to feel your cheeks the same way, his hand warmed gradually over each spot until he pulled away.
You were still so delirious that it took you longer than you were proud to admit to realize that Hrid didn't put his hand on your head again. Rather, he placed some cloth over your forehead that seemed to remain stubbornly chilled no matter how much of your body heat it sapped away.
You knew before that his affinity for ice ran deeper than just for battle or art. Right then, you gave him the rare chance to use it to heal you, in his own way. As stubbornly as the chill remained on your head, at the same time, you felt warmer and fuzzier deep down.
"There now… If you can, get more rest. You needn't hesitate on my account." His words cooed in soft, gentle tones to you, tones he only ever spoke to you or his family. You can still feel his fussing even when you saw and felt his gentle gaze, and in the process of it, the intense ache and pain in your shoulder was cushioned beside gentler, fluffier pillows.
You weren't up to protesting. Even if you were, Hrid gently shushed you and whispered barely-audible words of comfort to ease what remained of your resistance away.
"You are as stubborn as my sisters." Right then, he trusted in your health enough to chuckle a little, if half-heartedly. Even when worried, he still tried his best for you to lighten up more. It was something he was still working on even before you fell ill. "Even like this, you still focus on everything before your health."
Even without words, he saw well enough from the look on your face of what you wanted to say most. The thought was so strong that the look you gave was near reflexive.
"Hmhmhm of course, I can't entirely blame any of you. I realise I am just as guilty of the same. Still, I will accept being a hypocrite if it means ensuring you're all well."
Be it exhaustion or otherwise, you relented. You also knew deep down that regardless, he was also returning the favor to you right then, and nothing would've swayed him otherwise. He made little secret how much he still felt he owed you when the roles were reversed over what Surtr did to him.
"You've done far more than enough. The Order will surely understand, and I think you did far more than any of us expected of you in this state especially."
With him doing all he could to help you feel comfortable, warm and well-cushioned, you felt his hand take yours into his palm. He could feel the way your nerves trembled in ways you couldn't control, but he tried to soothe the tremors with gentle rubs from his fingers onto yours. Occasionally, little pin-pricks littered your hand every now and again, but Hrid did his best to soothe your chaotic nerves right then.
"And for what you already did for us, and for my people and I especially, I still owe you so much more."
You tried to squeeze his fingers, but your strength was barely there. He paused in the rubs just long enough to gently take hold of your hand for a moment. Your hand wasn't nearly as heated as the fever he felt from your face earlier, and there was a brief warmth the two of you held for a moment in either of your palms.
"So please… I ask for your trust. Let me protect you this time, and handle things in your stead. At least… let me repay a little of my debts to you."
You didn't doubt him. Reading between the lines, you knew what he was really asking for, even when he tried to still be modest and careful of his choice of words even then.
His guilt of failing the kingdom of Nifl had still haunted him even then. No matter what you did, even a fragment of this guilt may very well follow him to the end of his days.
Even when the two of you first met, he had many reasons to fear for your life against one who, at the time, was undefeatable. Your resolve ultimately pulled through, and he never doubted your strengths since the beginning, but at least a part of that guilt born from his failures cemented itself in the fear of failing you, possibly even losing you outright.
And no matter how strong you were, how much you held your head high as a summoner in any other time, right then was different. You were vulnerable. He couldn't remember the last time he saw you in such a weakened state, nor was he eager to recall it right then. Even while you were safe, cozy and stable, he was heavily cautious of leaving your side, and the way you were so light and limp in his arms following your collapse wasn't easy or readily forgotten either.
He wanted to do everything in his power right then to ensure your recovery. Had Gunnthra not specifically forbade him, he would've jumped at the chance of using his power to sap away your feverish chills onto himself, so reluctantly, he settled on her points to help nurse away your fever the more direct and fussy way as not to drive himself just as sick as you. He relented that to fall ill in a time you needed him most would've been highly unfair to you.
But he was also nervous, scared, timid… He was a bundle of nerves whose anxieties were through the roof, and yet, for your sake, he neatly tucked away the worst of it behind a far more calmer and careful facade.
"You're precious. To me, and the others. I don't think I can put it in enough words just how much so."
As he continued, he held your hand in both of his own. Even if just for that moment, the ways your body painfully turned on you became far less intense, especially as you were stubborn to focus on his gentle look.
"And that's why your well-being is important, too. Even the mightiest and sharpest of blades need time to maintain them." As he spoke, he was careful of how he handled you, putting your hand down against the bed with the same care as handling porcelain glass. "And even the most beautiful blossoms in the snow need time to rest before they bloom again. Please… give yourself that time, too."
Hrid's tone to you grew softer and gentler over time, and it eased you with all the comfort of a lullaby. Then again, while he had plenty of times before of being comforting and soothing to you, right then, you were too exhausted to trust your judgement of where Hrid's intentions ended and your burnout began coloring things differently. One way or another, you felt drained enough that dozing off would've been inevitable regardless.
And in the entire time your eyes grew heavier and your stubborn will weakened, Hrid was by your side, lulling you and comforting you the whole time.
You still held on to the way his voice whispered your name, long after you drifted off.