forum Cinderella AU // OxO // Closed

Started April 17, 2020 by @ElderGod-Icefire

tune

Nathaniel nodded in greeting and lay his head back down. "I'm worried about him…" He said softly. "Usually I'm the one who gets hurt, not him…"

Ellis nodded a little bit. "Yeah. I'm…I'm worried too." He was worried about Lloyd, and about himself. About being exposed.

Nathaniel huddled a bit closer to Lloyd and closed his eyes. Lloyd stayed quiet and still for now. "Do you think he knows any more than we do?" He asked. "What happened, that is…?"

Ellis shrugged helplessly. "I don't…I don't know." he replied slowly, looking at Lloyd. "I hope so."

"Me too…" Nathaniel sighed and fell quiet. After a few minutes, Lloyd started coming to a bit more. He whined softly and opened his eyes groggily. "Hello…?"

Ellis bit his lip a little bit, letting Nathaniel speak to his brother first. He fidgeted a little bbit.

"Lloyd? You okay? Does anything hurt?" Nathaniel asked worriedly. "No, no… m'alright, Nathaniel. I'm okay… just a bit sore…" Lloyd sighed and tightened his grip on Nathaniel. "Did we find the… the guy…?" Lloyd asked.

Ellis let out a breath. "We didn't find him. I can't…I don't know who shot you." he said quietly, looking at his hands and wishing he could be more useful.

Lloyd nodded. "That's fine… I'm sure we'll find him…" He lay his head back down tiredly. "Dad said you're not allowed to go out alone anymore." Nathaniel informed Lloyd, to which Lloyd sighed and nodded in resignation. "That doesn't surprise me…"

Ellis ran a hand through his hair again, the blond strands sticking up in messy tufts all over his head by now.

"I still need to go get my books, though…" Lloyd tried to get up from the cot, but Nathaniel immediately pushed him back down. "Absolutely not. You can't even walk. Wait until Anton gets here, at least. He's supposedly coming to check on you." Lloyd sighed again.

"I can get your books, if you like." Ellis piped up. "If you tell me where they are, i'm sure I can locate them." he wanted to help.

"Really? That'd be great… I don't think I'll be allowed to leave at all until I'm healed and I've got nothing to do…" Lloyd sighed. "Are you sure?"

Ellis nodded. "Of course." he replied. "Just…give me a list or something." he pulled his device from his pocket, holding it so he could write down what Lloyd wanted.

Lloyd nodded and fished a list of book titles out of his pocket. "Here… I've already gotten it written down. Didn't want to forget any of them." He held the paper out to Ellis.

Ellis put the device away, taking the paper. "Oh. Alright. Thanks." he replied with a quick smile, scanning the list.

"No, thank you. Be careful, will you?" Lloyd closed his eyes again. "Wouldn't want to see you get hurt, Ellis…"

Ellis nodded a little bit, standing and tucking the paper into his pocket. "Of course." he replied with a quick smile.

Lloyd nodded as well and soon drifted back into unconsciousness. Nathaniel stayed with him, remaining silent for now.

Ellis headed out to get the books, chewing on his lip a little bit, anxious and hoping that Lloyd would be alright.

When food was brought into the infirmary, Nathaniel refused to eat. Lloyd was still resting and wasn't hungry, but he tried to encourage Nathaniel to eat something to no avail. The boy insisted that he wasn't hungry either despite the quiet rumbling of his stomach.

Ellis came back after about an hour, setting the bag of books down. "I found them." he said with a quick smile, sitting down and letting out a breath.

Lloyd looked up at Ellis and smiled weakly. "Thank you, Ellis… It means a lot, really." Nathaniel was the one sleeping now, or at least pretending to sleep. He was still refusing to eat.

He nodded. "Yeah, of course. No problem." He replied, smiling softly over at Lloyd. He still wondered if the prince would ask how Ellis had gotten him back here.

Lloyd was a little curious, but still wasn't too concerned. Perhaps he just weighed less than he thought? Perhaps Ellis was stronger than he looked? He didn't want to be rude by asking. "I'm not quite sure how I'm to get around… I've been provided with crutches, but I'm not decided on whether or not I'll use them."

Ellis nodded a little bit. "Well…I don't know how else you can get around." He replied with a shrug. "I mean…I guess a wheelchair is a possibility as well."

Lloyd shook his head and considered for a few seconds. "No… perhaps I could fly?" He suggested.

"I don't think that's a good idea." He replied. "You won't be able to fly everywhere, and you'd get tired too fast."

Lloyd sighed. "But having to be pushed around in a wheelchair is humiliating… I'll just have to find some other way to get around."
(Lloyd: injures himself further by refusing to use crutches or a wheelchair)

"Lloyd, you'll just hurt yourself more." Ellis cautioned, shaking his head and frowning.
(lol)