We haven't moved out of the cave yet. It's clear at this point we won't until every injured person is recovered.
I settle down on a low, stone bench carved into the side of the cave wall.
Eric sits down a moment later. He leans his back against the wall, crossing his arms over his chest. His expression is relaxed.
I glance at him, and then look back down at the floor, wondering what he wants to say.
"...Do you know how long it'll be until we go back?" I finally ask.
I can guess that it'll be until the people are healed, but Eric and Mia are the ones who can understand the aliens well enough to have an actual timing.
If even the aliens know.
He glances at me and then nods. "Probably another week."
"That's a long time." I sigh.
"...Is it?" He glances my direction. "You really want to go back to pushing around that rock so soon?"
I make a face at him.
"I just mean...now we only have a year..."
And.
It's a little too easy to get comfortable in this cave. It's nice here. It's cool and the food is good, it feels like we can rest a little. And I don't trust that. Because these are the same people who sent us out to be attacked by the beasts in the first place. The ones who think it's fine to treat us like we're just cattle.
It feels wrong.
Like we shouldn't be comfortable.
...But I'm also. Impatient.
In a year, we might be on our way home.
That's the plan.
A year until we escape and go back home.
But at the same time, it's not just some appointment. It's a deadline. We have to make it happen.
And if it doesn't work...
What if something happens and we miss the chance?
Or, what if we're too slow?
I don't want to know the answer.
I'm afraid of it.
"Hey..." Eric nudges me, and I snap my gaze back up to his.
"Yeah?"
"It'll be fine." He murmurs. "We'll be able to go home."
His tone is firm. Confident. Reassuring. Like he actually believes what he's saying, and he expects me to as well.
And...he's probably right.
Mia is the kind of person that will get it done, and Eric is the kind of person who'll help her.
It's not like I'm the one who will be doing all that much to help.
Even if I want to, if I can't understand the language, there's not much I'll be able to glean even in the most sensitive of areas.
So. If Eric and Mia are comfortable with the time frame, I should be too, right?
But still, the idea that there might be problems in the future that we won't know about until it's too late...
I swallow. My hands shake, but I clench them into fists and hide it by shoving my hands together on my lap.
"I know." I whisper. "I'm not...worried." I lie.
He raises his eyebrow, giving me an amused look. "Really?" His voice is soft.
"Yeah." I reply, trying to keep my voice from shaking.
He stares at me a moment, then sighs. "You can't fool me. I can tell when you're scared."
"...Yeah. Well. You're not as good as Mia at cheering me up, either."
His lips twitch into a grin. "That's because you don't like me."
I scoff and cross my arms. "Who ever said that? You're the one who doesn't like me." I retort, though there's not any bite to the words.
Eric snorts and leans his head against the wall. He closes his eyes. "...It's funny."
"What?"
"Just. How you're able to make it so I forget how miserable I am."
"...Is that supposed to be a compliment?"
"Take it or leave it." He murmurs, his tone dry.
"...Fine, you're a little better at cheering me up than before, too."
"Hmf."
His lips twist into a faint smile.
I can feel my lips curving up in a small, amused smile. I don't know what I was so afraid of a second ago.
"Hey." I murmur. I'm not sure why I say it. I guess I just want to be able to talk for a little longer, to not be alone in the quiet of this cold cave.
Eric hums to let me know he's listening, but he doesn't open his eyes. His arms cross behind his head and he looks relaxed, content. At ease with the world and everything in it. I wish I had half the self control he seems to possess.
"Are you...worried?" I murmur, keeping my voice soft.
"Every moment." He replies without a moment of pause.
My breath catches.
He continues, eyes still shut. "But, I won't let them break me." He sighs. "If I can keep moving forward and do my best to help others, that'll be enough for me. As long as I'm alive and can help, it'll be worth it." He murmurs, a note of conviction and passion in his voice.
It sounds so...determined. Like he knows exactly what he's going to do, and nothing will sway him.
He opens his eyes and looks over at me. The determination is there too. In his gaze. In his expression.
For a moment I feel like a coward for being so afraid, and then I push the thought away and swallow.
"...You and Mia are way better at saying cool things."
Eric snorts.
"When you put it that way, it makes it sound less so." He mutters.
"But it's true." I insist, frowning a bit. "...It makes me want to do better." I admit. "Be more like both of you. I wish... I wish I could be as brave as either of you. You and her both. I'm...scared all the time."
I glance away and take a deep breath. I don't know how to say it. I don't know how to explain how I'm feeling. I'm not good with words, and they always come out awkwardly when I'm trying to talk about things that matter.
Eric is quiet. He seems to be thinking about what I've said.
"I think you're plenty brave." He says after a long moment.
I blink and look at him.
"...What?" I can feel myself blushing, but I try to hide it. I don't want him to think that I care or anything like that. That would just make this even more awkward than it already is.
Eric raps his knuckles on my head. It's light, but I still startle. "Don't fish for compliments, you idiot."
I scowl. He's not wrong, but...
I slap his hand away, my face still burning with embarrassment. "Shut up." I grumble.
Eric just smirks at me. I roll my eyes.
He looks away and out into the room, leaning back and getting relaxed again.
We're quiet for a while after that. It's comfortable. Not too awkward.
The only sounds are the quiet noises of people walking past us and talking amongst themselves.
Eventually Eric breaks the silence, though. "Do you really believe that?"
"Believe what?" I reply, a little too sharply.
"That you're not brave enough?"
"...Yeah. I do."
It feels like I'm always scared of everything.
He's silent a moment.
Then he ruffles my hair.
I flail, as is only natural for such a sudden assault.
He's grinning. It's the sort of smile that has too many teeth. The one that says 'I'm going to annoy you'.
I shove him. It doesn't accomplish much.
He's still smiling.
"Cut it out!"
"Nope. Can't stop now that you're so mad."
Before I can respond though, an empty can bounces off of his head.
Hestia has come to my rescue, it seems. She's scowling at him.
Eric doesn't seem particularly upset, but raises his hands in surrender. "Alright, alright."
I glance over at her and she's still frowning at him, glaring.
I laugh, a little startled.
"Thanks."
Her gaze snaps to me. Her expression softens and she looks a bit shy, like she wasn't expecting that. Then her lips twitch into a faint smile and she gives me a small nod.
She then just...scurries away down the hall somewhere. Presumably to Mia.
It's.
Silly but...
I don't feel so nervous anymore.