Euden made sure to keep an eye on Ishida Uryuu as the young dragon toyed with his food rather than eating it. Even Urahara Kaito didn’t eat quite as much as Euden expected, given the amount of food he’d already seen Midgardsormr put away; was it a factor of size — both Urahara Kaito and Ishida Uryuu were human-sized, after all — or was it related to the mysterious circumstances that had injured the younger one?

(‘It doesn’t matter now. It’s over and it won’t happen again,’ Ishida Uryuu had said.)

(And yet he couldn’t help but worry for them.)

“Not hungry? Or… is there something wrong with the food? Do you not like it?” Cleo asked as she glanced between the two dragons and the rest of the table. “Is there something else that I should have made?”

Urahara Kaito shook his head and said, “No, no, it’s all fine, thank you for making it.”

“It’s good,” Ishida Uryuu agreed quietly, not quite looking over at Cleo as he spoke. “I’m just not… uhm…” he hesitated and cast a sidelong glance at his companion.

“He needs to eat small, frequent meals for a while,” Urahara Kaito finished smoothly, then took another bite of food. “I’ve rather gotten into the habit of eating like that too, though I don’t need to.”

“I can do that,” Cleo agreed with a nod, the tension slipping from her shoulders and a small smile appearing as she spoke. “I’ll leave some snacks out in the kitchen for you, and if you ever need anything, don’t be afraid to ask!”

Ishida Uryuu blinked and nodded slightly. “Thank you.”

::Perhaps you should offer them some dragonfruit?:: Midgardsormr’s deep voice echoed through Euden’s head as the dragon focused his attention on Euden. The peculiar sensation of someone else peering through his eyes rose to the fore, and he could sense Midgardsormr’s thoughtfulness as he took in the two much younger dragons. ::They could both use the boost, though the youngest needs it more. Whatever harmed him also drained his strength to the dregs.::

::You can tell that?:: Euden asked in surprise, then bit back a quiet oath as Midgardsormr pressed forward and something rose up in response, some… some sense that he couldn’t quite put a name to but that expanded his senses well beyond what he was used to.

Midgardsormr directed his attention to Ishida Uryuu, and Euden frowned at the odd… something that he was sensing. It was almost like staring into cloudy, fractured ice, with strange glints of subdued light and color that he had no name for.

Whatever it was, it didn’t feel healthy, and a single glance at Urahara Kaito solidified that impression.

Where Ishida Uryuu was fractured, clouded ice, Urahara Kaito was a crystal, shot through with traceries of flaws but only more beautiful for it. The glints of light and nameless color from him were… stronger, bolder, a midday sun compared to Ishida Uryuu’s foggy morning.

::Dragonfruit will help them?:: Euden asked as he set his fork aside and began to rise, feeling more than hearing Midgardsormr’s agreement. At the curious looks from his friends, he smiled and said, “Midgardsormr thinks that dragonfruit will help, so I’m going to get some.”

Ishida Uryuu and Urahara Kaito exchanged puzzled looks, and Urahara Kaito asked, “Dragonfruit will help what?”

“Both of you, but especially Ishida Uryuu,” Euden answered as he headed towards the kitchen and the pantry beyond it; dragonfruit were nothing but tasty fruit for humans, but they still benefited from being stored just like any other foodstuff… or so Cleo had said.

Either way, it meant he knew exactly where to find the small basket of dragonfruit that they’d harvested on their way to the castle.

::Two of those,:: Midgardsormr insisted, directing Euden’s attention to the small number of bright red dragonfruits that they’d found alongside the more common green ones. ::One for each. The elder could handle more, but that’s the most I’d give the younger one until his powers heal.::

Euden made a thoughtful noise and scooped up two of the brightest red fruits before turning back. ::What about the greener ones?::

::He’d need to eat many more of those in order to gain the same benefit,:: Midgardsormr explained. ::But if you ever find one that’s red with soft green spikes coming off the scales, consult with me first before giving it to either. Those contain the most power, and an infusion like that might cause more harm than good at this stage.::

::How can you tell?::

Midgardsormr considered the question as Euden walked back through the kitchen, then finally said, ::Those fractures you perceived are a sign of great damage to his very being. Urahara Kaito has had time and peace to reforge himself after whatever happened to him, but Ishida Uryuu… he is young and fresh from the wounding. It will take time and care for him to recover, and part of that requires that he does not put undue stress upon those fractures.::

Euden mulled the answer over, wondering what in Ilia’s name could harm a dragon so deeply and brutally.

(Dragons were supposed to be sacred!)

(Who would dare…?)

He paused at the door to the kitchen, taking a moment to shake off his growing anger; it served no purpose here, and the two young dragons were wary enough that any sign of him trying to be protective would just ruffle feathers. And if he overstepped their boundaries too often, he’d chase them away from the relative safety of the castle before they were healed.

No, the only way to handle them was with kindness, care, and an open hand. If he was lucky, they’d decide to trust him, decide to stay, but he couldn’t push for it; they had to know it was an option, but they also had to know that leaving was an option.

Which meant…

Which meant Ishida Uryuu was right.

He needed to stop protesting Urahara Kaito getting involved. If the dragon wanted to offer his services, Euden needed to accept that and work to give the other whatever information he needed to do his work. No matter how much he wanted to see the Capital and his Father with his own eyes, he needed to accept that he couldn’t do everything. If everything was fine, the delay would cost nothing; if there was trouble, though…

Leif had spent many tireless days pounding the value of information into his head, alongside swordsmanship. He’d be disappointed to know how quickly Euden had discarded many of those lessons once things went poorly.

It would only be a few days.

He could… he could manage that.

But first, he had a wounded dragon to tend.

(One step at a time.)

(He could do it.)