Raizen sat propped near the window, a blanket over his legs and a book perched in one hand. The cover read Fishing Mastery. He had a pen tucked behind his ear like he meant to interrogate the fish personally.

Sunlight slid across the floor in a bright rectangle. The Med Wing was quiet again. He turned a page, underlined a sentence, and nodded like he had found a combat principle hiding under fish scales.

The door opened.

Obi stepped in without knocking, boots soft, grin there.

"You save a mountain and come back as a fisherman. Beautiful arc. Very artistic"

Raizen closed the book on a finger. "It was on top of the stack. I need some stuff from here. Kori said it would be useful"

"Kori says many cruel things" Obi flopped into the chair and leaned back like he owned it. "Also, I brought the most important thing"

"Food?"

"Me" Obi put a hand to his chest. "And yes. Food. But mostly me"

He dropped a cloth bundle on the bedside table and its warm smell made Raizen smile.

"Bread with things inside" Obi said. "I asked for the name. The baker said that it's a surprise. I respect that"

Raizen took one. The first bite earned Obi a nod of approval.

"Mph... Sho-" Raizen said mouth filled, tapping the book. "You came to mock me"

"I came to visit my lost brother from the mountains" Obi draped an arm across his forehead and spoke toward the ceiling. "I searched the snows. I crossed five valleys, and swam three oceans... The doctors at the front desk said room 14. I asked: is he alive?"

Raizen blinked, then smiled despite the ache in his ribs. "The wolves at reception are a menace"

"They are" Obi sat up, eyes bright. "One of them asked if I washed my hands. Twice"

"Good wolves"

"Terrifying wolves. I almost fled"

Raizen slid the bookmark into place and set the book down. "How's the smithy"

"On fire" Obi said, delighted. "Not literally. Yet. But business is hella good. People want braces and buckles and little hooks for reasons they refuse to explain."

"Cinderette?"

"Possessive" Obi widened his eyes. "If I stay late, she turns off the lights and stands in the doorway like a statue. Just watching. Around her, my right to have an opinion is being canceled"

"That sounds supportive"

"It is supportive in a way that suggests I should never disappoint her" Obi rubbed his jaw. "Also, she fixed my sign. It now says Obi - Smith. She removed The Magnificent. I am in mourning"

Raizen tried not to laugh and failed a little. It hurt. He didn't mind.

Obi pointed at the book. "Fishing"

"Mhm"

"You from a fishing village?"

"Mhm"

"You ever catch anything that wasn't a boot?"

"Once" Raizen said. "It was a very proud day"

"I'm proud of you now" Obi said. He leaned over and squinted at the chapter title. "Fishing Rod Spool. Disgusting. How's the pain"

"Manageable"

"Eh... Skill issue"

"I cannot turn it off"

"Still skill issue"

They ate in companionable silence for a moment. Outside the window, the training yard sat empty, lanes chalked and waiting. A nurse walked past, glanced in, and nodded like a general taking inventory.

Obi finished his bread and dusted his hands.

"By the way. You have fans"

"No I don't"

"You do. I heard one of the doctors saying, and I quote, the tall quiet one is very polite, but annoyingly stubborn"

"That is not fandom. That's complaining"

"Every fandom has its haters"

Obi leaned forward, elbows on knees. He lowered his voice like the walls might gossip.

"A girl is outside your door" he said.

Raizen looked at the door, then at Obi. "Which girl?"

"Let me check my notes" Obi scratched his temple. "Saffa. No. Saffi. Inventor. Sparks. You know the one. She has been pacing the hall like she is trying to wear a groove into it. She approaches the panel. She retreats. She approaches again. She pretends the plant is interesting when someone looks at her. It's really not interesting."

Raizen found the edge of his blanket and smoothed it with his thumb. "Maybe she needs the lab key"

"Maybeee... She needs to see if you still breathe when nobody is watching"

Raizen said nothing to that.

Obi's grin softened. "Relax. I won't ruin anything. I am merely a messenger of drama. Also truth"

"Did you talk to her?"

"I tried. She said hi and literally nothing else."

Raizen looked at the closed door. "You should tell her to come in"

"I shouldn't tell her anything" Obi replied. "She is deciding what she wants."

He sat back and looked around the room like he might appraise it for ironwork. He pointed at the window.

"Good view. You can see the Spire if you lean"

"Oh, but I did."

"Of course. On a scale of one to disobeying doctors, where are you"

"Doing well on both"

"Excellent. I was staring to get scared that you forgot about freedom"

"What you're thinking about is more rebellion than freedom"

Obi's gaze landed on the stack of manuals Kori had delivered. He whistled.

"Mechanisms of precision. Prosthetic load balances. Fishing basics. This is a wild syllabus"

"I'm bored"

"You are alive"

"More or less..."

Obi's joking eyes stayed, but some other thought had moved in behind them. He scratched his cheek and looked at the door, then back at Raizen. For a heartbeat he was very still, like a hammer held above a nail that mattered.

Raizen followed his look to the door. The panel light glowed a patient green. He could almost imagine Saffi leaning on the wall.

"When you leave, tell her the door is open" he mumbled.

"I will tell her the door has always been open"

Obi replied. "It sounds more accusing". Then he pointed at the book. "Do not let the fish win while I am gone"

"How in the -"

"Oh! I almost forgot."

"Surprise me" Raizen rolled his eyes.

"You might want to check out what I found" the reply came, but this time there was no joke under it.

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