The days passed slowly. A week after the vision with Luke and R'lissea, the latter didn't appear for a few days. When she returned, she was extra gentle, spending more and more time at my bedside. It was impossible to ignore her attention, and I reluctantly responded. When I finally sat up, she smiled for the first time I could remember.
"Easy, Xiv. Take it slow. It's been a few weeks, so your muscles are going to be tired."
I nodded and started to rise before stopping and looking at her.
"Xiv?"
"It's just a nickname. 'Xiviyah' can be a bit of a mouthful sometimes. It's not a big deal. Just something friends do," she replied casually. Too casually.
"Friends...?" I said it slowly, finding it clumsy in my mouth. It tasted bitter. "I…don't like that word. it doesn't mean what I thought it did."
Her smile faltered before it snapped back. I didn't meet her gaze.
"What do you say we go for a walk today? The sun's pretty warm, and I think some fresh air would do you good."
