She choked. The savory chicken broth went down the wrong pipe. She slammed the spoon down on the tray, coughing violently, her eyes watering.
"Nikki!" A-01 was out of his chair fast. His large hand hovered over her back, unsure whether to strike her or scan her.
"Water," Nikki wheezed, pointing to the glass on the bedside table.
A-01 grabbed it and held it to her lips. Nikki took a huge gulp, the cool liquid soothing the fire in her throat. She took another, and another, until her breathing leveled out.
She pushed the glass away, wiping her mouth with the back of her hand. She looked at him.
A-01 was crouching by the bed now, his blue eyes wide and searching. He didn't look like a General. He looked like a child who had just asked why the sky was blue, only to be told it was because the atmosphere was dying.
Nikki pressed her lips into a thin line, her chest tightening.
"That's a hell of a question to ask over soup, A-01," she whispered.
