ANIME

[psychedelica]

[ it turns out that Hikage proving he could carry Steph was actually foreshadowing. Once her wounds had been treated (as much as they could treat them without any real doctors around), he'd scooped her up into his arms once again and brought her straight back to their room in the water dormitory. Warmth has been restored, but a chill still lingers in the air as the cold stone of the castle slowly regains its heat. He does his best to ignore his numb fingertips as he lays her down on the bed. After a few seconds, he takes a seat on it, himself, sitting beside her, looking down at her face.

He still hasn't really heard the story. The others were probably talking about it, but all of his attention was focused on her at the time. Why shouldn't it be? After all, their lives were connected at the moment. If she'd bled out on the floor, he would have "died," too, somehow. It's only natural. He tells himself this as if he needs to justify feeling any concern for her at all.

Was that why he'd been so nervous when they were separated, too? ]

Oi. Stephanie. Are you awake?

[ despite his brusque words, his voice comes out softer than he'd intended. ]

Comments

[psychedelica]

[ see, this is exactly why he ran away so fast. He doesn't want to hear it!! He needs to clear his head and cool off. It's pathetic, to be this afraid of dying again, to be this angry about things beyond his control, to be worried about some girl. All he is is a lost soul trying to move on in one way or another. All he needs to focus on is that goal.

Right.

He comes back not too much later with a glass from the kitchen and some water, as promised. It's practically freezing cold, but this time, there really is nothing he can do about it. Hikage shuts the door softly behind him, on the off chance she's fallen back asleep; he calls out in an equally quiet voice. ]

I'm back.

[vigilantics]

[ unsurprisingly, she's awake. he walks in on her examining her wrists, testing out just how much movement she has without pain flaring up. when she hears hikage reenter, though, steph drops her hands onto her lap. ]

Hey. [ ... ] Can I ask if you missed me now?

[psychedelica]

Don't you have more important things to worry about?

[ just casually gonna sidestep that one, thanks. He seems to have cooled down from before, thankfully, and he approaches her to hand her the glass, all business, as usual. Or, at least, he gets halfway to handing it to her, then stops, retracting his hand a little. ]

Wait. Can you hold things? I don't want to aggravate the injury.

[vigilantics]

Yes.

[ the response is automatic, and she even holds her hands out as if to take it from him. ]

I'm just tired, so it's fine.