Work Text:
Makkari:
Makkari didn't know what made her want to go see Sersi and Ikaris. She just knew that she wanted to go see a couple of her siblings - at least, that's what she told Druig when she left his bed that morning. The truth of the matter is that she had full intentions of finding Kingo just long enough to leave some obnoxious trinkets she had found in his home, but something told her to see Sersi.
Whatever led Makkari there, she'd later tell Druig, must've been a version of a Guardian Angel for Sersi.
When Makkari made it to the house, Ikaris was nowhere to be found. And until Makkari let herself in, neither was Sersi.
Where is she? A rock drops in Makkari's stomach as she walks through the living room of the small cottage.
Finally, Makkari finds her friend under a heavy blanket in the main bedroom. And while the room itself is clean, Sersi looks as if she's not bathed, eaten, or slept. Her eyes are vacant but teary as they look at Makkari.
Makkari walks over to the bed and squeezes Sersi's shoulder. Thankfully, Sersi makes eye contact with the other woman.
"Ikaris," Sersi signs. She pauses to wipe her eyes. "He left."
Makkari's heart crumbles in her chest. Many things go through Makkari's mind to say, but she settles on "When?"
"Two weeks ago," She replies. "I kept myself busy the first week. I was so sure he'd come back, so I kept everything clean. But he's not been back." More tears leak out of Sersi's eyes.
Makkari nods and signs, "Do you want to go back to Druig's village with me?"
Somehow, Sersi's face goes even paler. She props herself up against her pillows and steadies her hands before replying, "Druig doesn't want to see me."
"I think he would agree with me that you don't need to be alone right now."
Makkari sees a look pass over her friend's face and Makkari has a flash of regret over how she phrased her words, but she also knows that Sersi needs help.
It takes another day for Makkari to coax a full meal and a bath out of Sersi. Makkari didn't want to delay their journey longer than necessary, but she also knew that moving Sersi at super speed would not be good on an empty stomach.
"Ready?"
Sersi nods and they're off to Druig's village.
Druig:
When Makkari sets Sersi up in her own home in his village, worry doesn't adequately explain his feelings.
"He abandoned her?!" Druig angrily asks Makkari. He knows he projects the anger - Sersi whimpers in her sleep. His chest rapidly rises and falls while his fists clench.
"Who knows why he did what he did," Makkari replies. "But we do know that she's where we can take care of her."
Druig sits down next to Sersi's bed on the floor. Makkari knows he's feeling more than just anger, she can feel it. "When I had gotten there, everything was immaculately clean. But not her." It had taken what seemed like forever to get the knots out of Sersi's hair.
"Did she want to come here?" Druig might've held Sersi for hours while she cried (he truly thought she'd dehydrate - or that he'd be smothered by the profound sadness she projected in hulking tidal waves), but the question popped into his head still.
"She was scared of you still being angry," Makkari replies. "But I could tell she wanted to see you."
Druig smiles. Then Sersi whines in her sleep and he rubs his chest while wondering if one could die from abandonment. "I wonder what he said to her," Druig says. He grinds his teeth at the mere idea.
Makkari notices she always notices and smooths her thumb over Druig's jawline. Druig's anger calms ever so slightly before Makkari withdraws her hand. "She wouldn't tell me that," Makkari replies. "She just said that he'd left."
Makkari's hands pause in the air a moment after she finishes the sentence. She can feel a charge in the air; like there's a pressing question to be asked, but neither of them wants to press the issue. Makkari feels the harsh vibration of Sersi sobbing again in her sleep hit her skin. Druig softly hushes their sister (teammate? Colleague? Who has time for the semantics) and smoothes her hair back.
"Sersi will need water when she wakes up," Druig signs. "Can you fill up my water skin?"
Makkari nods and finds the skin on the table before speeding off in search of the river.
When she leaves, Druig sighs deeply. Sersi has calmed for the moment, but Druig decides to get comfortable since something tells him Sersi will need better rest to shake off the fugue state she arrived in.
Makkari shows back up with a full water skin and places it back on the table before sitting on the ground next to Sersi's bed.
"What are you doing?"
"Sersi will want both of us here when she wakes up."
Sersi:
Sersi wakes up in a different bed. She feels someone breathing next to her, and for a moment she almost thinks that her and Ikaris are somewhere else. But then the moment fades. Sersi looks to her side and sees Druig asleep next to her; Makkari is on the floor, sitting vigil.
Sersi isn't in their her the cottage.
As it comes back to her, and Sersi begins crying all over again. Ikaris is gone. Makkari turns around and her face softens before she hugs Sersi. Sersi is at a loss to do anything except cry, which seems to be the story of the last few days. She can feel Druig's presence, choosing to stay back but still be a silent support.
All Sersi does is cry.
When she's finished crying, Druig and Makkari stay.
Druig smooths her hair back affectionately and Sersi can tell he wants to ask her what exactly happened, but is too polite to say.
"You need to eat," Is all he says. "You've been asleep about two days."
Makkari nods in corroboration.
"Two days?" Sersi says and signs at the same time.
"It's understandable," Makkari replies. "How long had it been since you slept a full night?"
Sersi flinches. Exhales. "Three days?"
She feels Druig's soft gasp next to her. Makkari's face doesn't change aside from a shade of worry flashing through her eyes. Sersi is sure that's concerning, but how was she supposed to sleep when her brain was stuck running scenarios that couldn't happen and her body was used to a steady presence next to her?
"What happened?" Druig asks verbally.
Sersi lets out a shuddering breath. Makkari squeezes Sersi's ankle in support and simultaneously wants to squeeze Druig's throat. "Ikaris left," Sersi signs. She doesn't trust her voice. "He told me that he needed some time. And then flew off."
Sersi breathes heavily to keep from crying again. She's cried so much, she just needs a break from the sadness.
"Would you like to stay for a while?" Druig asks. "It's no problem at all, we'll have a place ready for you in no time."
Sersi wants to say no. She wants to be strong, but then she remembers the cottage and how empty it was. "Yes. Please. I don't think I can be alone."
Druig smiles and resists the urge to rub his chest again because How can someone feel this much despair and still hold a conversation?
Sersi is wondering if she just overshared. Because, after all, even though she hadn't bathed or eaten or slept when Makkari came, they didn't need to know just how deep the wounds went, right?
"Sersi!" Druig says verbally. Sersi flinches and looks at the two sets of worrying eyes. "Sorry," He says and signs. He pauses for a moment and squeezes her hand kindly. Then Druig pauses.
"Druig and I were just wanting to know if you wanted one or both of us with you tonight," Makkari signs. She gives a meaningful look to Druig, one that tells Sersi they wanted to ask something else, but weren't sure how to choose their words.
"I only need one person," Sersi replies. The last thing she needs is multiple people bearing witness to how bad things can get at night.
Makkari nods and thankfully decides not to question further.
Later that night, Druig is laying in a pallet bed next to the mattress, not wanting to overstep. Sersi hates it. She takes her hand and fumbles in the dark for Druig's hand until she finds it and he squeezes gently.
"Druig?"
"Hm?"
"Why are you in the floor?" Sersi asks, staring at the ceiling.
"I don't want to make you uncomfortable," He replies. Sersi hears him shuffle around on his pallet.
Sersi smiles a bit. "Could you share the bed? Assuming Makkari is okay with it, of course."
"Of course I can," Druig replies quickly. Sersi hears him shuffle again, this time dropping her hand so he can stand up. "Makkari won't care, if you are worried about that. She was glad I was there earlier." Druig settles at her side and takes her hand again.
Sersi sighs in comfort. She didn't want to admit it (even though she knew neither of her siblings would judge her for it) but part of the reason she struggled to sleep was how unused she is to sleeping alone. I can't walk this road with you behind me -
"Sersi?"
"Yes?" The woman in question curls her legs up.
"What did Ikaris say to you?"
So that's what he wanted to ask earlier. Sersi is thankful for the gentle tone accompanying Druig's blunt question. Nevertheless, her shaky inhale can be heard and Druig can feel her squeezing his hand. "He told me he was leaving," Sersi begins before the feeling of sadness washes over her. "He told me he had a conflict he needed to consult with Ajak on but that I couldn't come." A tidal wave of abandonment washes over Sersi and pushes her under. A sob breaks through her lips, and then two more.
"It's okay," Druig whispers. "You don't have to tell me anything else." Druig almost regrets asking, but this also gives him and Makkari important insight into just what Ikaris did.
Makkari:
Sersi finally tells Druig and Makkari the full story about a month (give or take. After all, what was a month to beings who lived thousands of years?) into her time at the village.
"He told me how I had been a distraction," Sersi told them. Even without her hearing, Makkari felt the hurt rolling off Sersi in droves. "He said that he couldn't walk his road with me trailing behind him." Sersi looked down at her food. "He said he didn't want me with him, either. He took off his wedding ring, and then flew away."
Makkari could feel the fury coming off of Druig, too. Even if he never showed it to Sersi, instead settling on being uncharacteristically soft.
"Did he do anything else?" Druig asked after a beat. Makkari knew the question had multiple meanings, so she carefully watched Sersi's reaction.
"No," Sersi replies quickly. "He'd never hurt me like that."
No, Makkari remembers thinking, he'd only hurt you emotionally.
Later that night, Druig and Makkari are sleeping in a separate room. Sersi insisted on trying to sleep on her own. Druig softly blows on Makkari's face, which causes her to give him a dirty look.
"What are you thinking?" Druig cups Makkari's chin and wipes a tear she didn't realize fell.
"Do you think I'd be able to find Ikaris?"
"What for?" They both knew why.
"Not to kill, just maim or seriously injure."
Druig understands, he would love to join her. "But do you really think that will help Sersi?"
They both knew the answer to that, too.