I'm Fine

Day Off

When Mush opened the door he saw Feister was sitting up in the bed while playing with the tip of one of her braids. He walked up to the bed and sat on the edge. Feister didn't look at him and the two of them sat in silence, until Mush asked, "Wanna play war?" Feister looked up, but didn't say anything. She looked pretty tired and Mush was hoping that he could somehow wear her out enough to get her to sleep. "We's haven't played in awhile."

"Maybe later," Feister replied quietly. In all honesty, she really wasn't in the mood to play war. She was however, tired, really, really tired. But she didn't want to go to sleep. in fear that she would get a nightmare. Oh, who was she kidding, Feister knew very well she was going to get a nightmare.

"Ya look beat Feisty. How bout ya get some sleep," Mush said, trying to get her to just get a little rest. Throughout the whole strike a million thoughts ran miles in Mush's mind if Feister was ok. Did she eat enough? Was she getting any sleep? Was she still alive? And a billion other things Mush didn't want to think about ever again. He was just glad Feister was back in the safety of the Lodge where he could keep an eye on her.

Now, it's pretty obvious Mush had always had a protective streak for Feister. Even at a young age he always made sure she was doing ok. Though he always brushed it off thinking it was just him looking out for her like a brother would for his little sister. But as time went by that all quickly changed, feelings and other emotions came in, and that protectiveness became stronger.

It probably drove Feister crazy more often than not, but if she was safe and sound by the end of the day, Mush could sleep easily. So when Feister went to the refuge he was a complete and utter mess there ever was. Kid Blink was the one who mostly slapped some sense back into Mush, getting him to eat and sleep a bit. But the only thing that would put Mush's mind at ease was knowing Feister was safe, and now that she was, new worries came into play.

"I's told ya I's ain't tired," Feister replied firmly.

"Tell that ta the bags under yer eyes," Mush replied. When Feister didn't answer Mush knew he had her there. He took both her hands into his and said, "Feisty, I's know ya stayed up all night. Ya shoulda told me. I's woulda stayed with ya if yer nightmares were that bad."

"Speakin' of eyes, how yers?" Feister asked changing the subject. She glanced up to see the sinner on Mush's eye was still there. It wasn't as bad from when he visited her at the Refuge, but it was still pretty bad.

"Good compared ta the one I's gave that goon," Mush replied with a laugh. But Feister didn't reply. Usually she'd laugh, make a smart comment before laughing some more. Those were the moments Mush loved the most, hearing Feister laugh and getting her to smile. Now she was a completely different person, the refuge had taken its toll, and there was no telling what would happen. "Feisty, I's know ya stayed up all night. Ya shoulda told me. I's woulda stayed with ya if yer nightmares were that bad," Mush said, changing the subject back to the matter at hand.

"I's fine, alright!" Feister snapped. Mush sighed, he knew he shouldn't push the matter anymore than he already has. The more he'd push her to talk, the more she'd bottle up.

As a few minutes passed Mush couldn't help but notice the wounds on her arms. He knew her injuries were bad. After all, he was the one who helped her clean them up, but he didn't think it looked that bad. There were some small bruises that were so close together it looked like a big one from a far, not to mention the cuts that criss crossed over the each other.

Taking that into consideration Mush couldn't help but think that most of this was his fault. If he had just kept a closer eye on her maybe this wouldn't have happened. If he hadn't walked up next to Jack when Weasel and the goons showed up and just stayed next to her, maybe she would've made it out along with the others. But then again, she did save Crutchie.

A couple of hours passed slowly in silence. There were a few times when Mush tried to get Feister to talk. But she barely said anything. Only a simple nod and that was it. There was also the times where he tried to get her to eat something. Even just a small bite. But she wasn't hungry. And when he wasn't trying to get her to talk or eat, there was the matter of sleep. Again, that didn't happen.

───── ･ ｡ﾟ☆: *.☽ .* :☆ﾟ. ─────

"C'mon Mush, this is Feisty we's tawkin' bout here," Jojo said trying to cheer up said boy. It was night time, and after a long day of selling, the boys were talking to one another about the day's events.

"I's dunno," Mush replied. The way Feister had acted that day was well...she wasn't her loud and feisty self. Instead she was quieter than a mouse. On the bright side Mush (with the help of Jack) finally got Feister to go to sleep, and while Mush wanted to stay next to the bed to make sure Feister didn't get any nightmares, Jack thought that wouldn't be the smartest idea.

It would most likely make Feister relent in anything Mush told her to do, and then both of them wouldn't get any sleep. It was already hard enough to deal with one stubborn newsie, even more so with that newsie being a girl. But two newsies who didn't get enough sleep? Well, let's just say it wouldn't be a pretty sight.

"Jojo is right." Which made Jojo and Mush let out a small yelp when Finch appeared out of nowhere. Well actually Finch was in the bunk above (Mush's to be correct) and leaned his head was over the edge while he held onto the side of the bunk so he wouldn't fall to the floor. "Fore ya know it she'll be yellin' at the top of 'er lungs, an' back ta 'er old self," the older boy finished.

"Bird brain has a point, Mush," Jojo added. "This is Feisty we's tawkin' bout here. Knowin' 'er, she'll open up soon."

"I's just real worried bout 'er," Mush mumbled as he twisted his cap with his hands.

"We's all worried bout 'er," Finch said, right before falling onto the ground and landed on top of Romeo, who groaned as he said, "If you people would stop landin' on me I's wouldn't be this short!" Some of the boys laughed as Finch got up and helped Romeo.

But Mush was lost in his own mind. He wondered how he was going to handle this one. Feister is stubborn, maybe too much for her own good. Mush knows that better than anyone, and he knows that it won't be easy to get her to open up about what happened in the Refuge. That is, if he can get her to talk about it.

It wouldn't be an easy task seeing as Feister isn't the best when it comes to her emotions. But, nothing about Feister was easy to deal with. She does what she wants, and it usually gets her into trouble, leaving Mush to dig her out of whatever mess she gets into. Mush can't even count the times where he had to hold Feister back from soaking from someone, or the times he had to cover her mouth before she could run it.

Though it was playing with actual fire, Mush wouldn't let Feister soak someone (even if they really deserved it) but that's also one of the reasons why Mush fell in love with Feister in the first place. She's always had spunk, and never backed down for nothing. But now that she's been to the Refuge, who knows if Feister will ever be feisty again.