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“So? Maybe we need a change. Things get stale after a while.”
“Yeah, but … we just got used to Keys being here. Now there’s a second Keys, one who has the potential to be even more annoying.”
“You don’t know that. He could be just fine to get along with.” I wink to soften my words. “Besides, I think you’re just jealous. Now we got another guy with a pierced dick for Bunny to play with. You’re not the only one anymore.”
Kendrick growls in the back of his throat, but his smirk betrays him.
I glance at my watch and see that we’ve chatted almost until breakfast time. The others will be up soon. Bunny never misses breakfast.
“Need my help with the eggs this morning?”
“Nah. I got it.”
Since Kendrick usually cooks everything himself, I decide to set up the clinic for the day. We don’t usually have routine patients, but one of Bunny’s rescues from a few weeks ago is due for a follow-up.
***
Callum Biggs is a thirteen-year-old runaway who Bunny found living on the streets. She offered him a place in the Burrow, but the poor kid’s got major PTSD and can’t be around Kendrick without having a panic attack. I guess his stepdad has a similar build, and just the sight of our muscly friend is enough to send the kid into a spiral.
Callum got into a fight with some other street rats and wound up on the bad end of a set of brass knuckles. Bunny rewarded his attacker with a broken nose and concussion, courtesy of her baseball bat, and brought Callum here for me to set his jaw. Now I just have to check up and make sure everything’s healing like it should be.
He shows up at the Burrow’s back door with a fresh black eye, and I sigh as I let him in and escort him to the clinic. While I get out an ice pack, he explains what happened this time.
“Yeah, I know. I shouldn’t have gone back to that alley, but I dropped something and had to go get it. I guess the guy’s friends followed me, and they jumped me. I got away, though! So, y’know, I guess a black eye isn’t so bad.”
“What did you drop?”
He looks down at his hands. “It’s stupid.”
“Tell me.”
“It was the last birthday card my mom got me. Before she married the asshole.”
I feel for Callum. He’s tough for his age, but still maintains a sensitive side. “Bunny would have gone back for it. You didn’t need to go on your own. Why didn’t you just let us know?”
Callum shrugs. “I didn’t want to bother you guys for something so little.”
I put a hand on his slender shoulder and give it a squeeze. “It’s no bother. If you need anything, just let us know. You know Bunny loves you, and she’d be upset if you got hurt worse than just this black eye.”
“I’m sorry.”
After giving Callum some ice packs to take back to the shelter Bunny set him up in, I clean up the clinic and go back to the cafeteria, where breakfast is already in full swing. I offered to let Callum stay and grab a bite, but he’s still too scared of Kendrick. Maybe next time.
From the looks of things, Kendrick found a new table and chairs somewhere in storage—or ran out and stole them while I was with Callum. The other four are seated around the table, Bunny next to Neil with Kendrick and Keys on the opposite side, chowing down on scrambled eggs and bacon.
Bacon? Kendrick must be in a better mood. We never get bacon.
I sit next to Kendrick after filling my plate. I take note that Bunny’s sitting a little closer to Neil than probably necessary, animatedly chatting with him while wearing a crop top and skintight black leggings. I only catch the tail end of her conversation, but something about … mages unleashed? I raise an eyebrow at Keys, who just smirks back.
“… and you have an avatar that’s basically your in-game persona. You can be different classes, but your gear changes depending on what class you’re playing. I have a level two hundred Battlemage who controls fire.” Neil is in the middle of explaining something to Bunny using the salt and pepper shakers and condiment bottles as props. “My friend Bunnyluv69, who I thought you were when you rescued me, has a healer. So, if I take damage, she can stand back and heal my avatar until the fight is over.”
Bunny chews on a piece of bacon as she makes the ketchup bottle dance over to the salt and pepper shakers. “So the … boss, you said? It has spells and abilities that you have to dodge?”
“Yep.”
It finally registers in my hungry brain that they’re talking about that stupid game Keys is always playing. Neil must play it, too. I hide a smirk of my own as I start eating. From what I recall, Keys taught Bunny all about the game months ago. She has a level who-knows-what barbarian that, like Bunny, clobbers her enemies with a massive club. Bunny’s totally playing dumb to flirt with Neil. It’s cute, but I hope Bunny gives Kendrick some attention later on. He’s already stressing about having yet another guy in the Burrow full-time.
After we’ve demolished the eggs and bacon, I interrupt Neil and Bunny to check out Neil’s eye and hand. Thankfully, those were the worst of his injuries from last night. He’ll have some swelling in his hand for a few days, but it’s already looking better, and his left eye is no worse than a black eye. I don’t have the equipment to check his retinas, but a quick check of his pupils convinces me that he’ll be okay, at least for the time being. He seems to be seeing all right, and he insists he’s not experiencing any dark spots or flashing lights to indicate a detachment. I declare him fit to be up and about but warn him to take it easy on the bending and heavy lifting for a while.
