Beneath the Courage

Welcome Back

(Be jelly, I got a little savings bank XD)

Callem-

The loud knock at the door wasn't much of a surprise, even though it came around eleven at night. I'd been pretending to watch the news show with Parker, who had fallen asleep a little bit ago. Considering the force of the knock and also the impatience behind it, I was pretty sure that it had to be the shark. 

Getting up, I stretched my arms over my head for a moment, then sauntered to the door. Not bothering to check the small hole in it, I tugged it open. 

Oh. I'm actually right on my guess about it being Hice.   

The mer shoved past me before I even had the door all the way open. Mad, like always. I didn't doubt that it was because of Fri being here, but I'd think that the smaller mer would have told him. Clearly not. Unless it's something else. 

I followed him calmly. I wasn't worried that he would start attacking someone, but things could get bad quickly if my brother decided to step into the situation. The idea had my feet speeding up a bit, then putting myself in the doorway to the room Oliver and Fri were in just in case Mellac did bother coming to see what was going on. 

"What are you doing here?" Hice growled as I watched him stomp over to Fri's side of the bed. 

Oliver had been asleep, but was beginning to come around. He was on top of the blanket and his laptop was open and next to him, so he probably had just fallen asleep while working, again.

Fri hunched a little beneath the blankets at Hice's words, but didn't seem afraid of him. He's probably used to his temper. It was a sad thought, but I have been told that my brother holds such a temper, too, and that I am just used to being around him so I don't consider it as being so bad. 

"Well? Why are you here? You do realize how dangerous being around humans is?" Hice yelled. His hands were turning into fists at his sides and his gills were flaring. I was considering stepping in and at least putting myself between him and Fri until he calmed down, but then Oliver sat up and took our attention. 

"He's sick and he's coming in to my lab for some testing to see if we can figure out what's wrong." 

Hice bared his teeth, and this time, I did step in. Putting my body between him and where Oliver sat on the edge of the bed fastening his metal leg back on, I squared my shoulders but tried to not look aggressive. I didn't want to start a fight. 

"I found Fri floating in the ocean. He wasn't doing well so we brought him here to recover." 

Oliver appeared beside me as I finished speaking. 

"He needs more help, Hice. I don't know what's wrong with him." 

Hice's growls were getting louder as we spoke, but he held himself back from doing anything else, for now. Instead, he glared over at Fri, who was doing his best to sit back against the headboard of the bed. It was clear that he was struggling, but Hice didn't move to help him and Oliver and I didn't dare cross his path to do so. 

"Why did you not tell me, Fri?" He asked, his voice calming a small amount at the sight of his hurting friend. 

When Fri just looked down at the blankets pooled around his waist, Hice stalked over to him and grabbed his shoulder hard enough to clearly get Fri's attention back on him. "I asked you, why did you not tell me? All you did was keep asking to come with me, not that you felt so poorly!" 

Fri shrunk back against the headboard, but kept his eyes on Hice. "I said I didn't feel very good a few times..."

Hice snarled and turned toward the wall. I thought he might punch it, like Mellac sometimes did, but he spun back around after a moment. "There is a difference between not feeling very good and feeling so badly that you go off on your own and nearly get yourself killed!"