ic contact;

[orangehoodie]

VOICE | TEXT | VIDEO | ACTION | ETC.

Comments

8/15 handwritten. red. 6 minutes after planned meet up time.

[lowres]

4th and pine

[inretribution]

[He knows exactly what that color of red is. He's seen it plenty in both of his lives.]

what happened

[He's already making a mad dash in that direction

[lowres]

[Nadia doesn't respond. She's clutching an arm and sagged against a wall, just a few allies off of 4th street. Red soaks her dress, one of her thicker tennis dresses, and she is just focusing on breathing. Her legs are shaking too badly to move, and her phone's been crushed a few feet away. Strangely enough, her purse is untouched beside her.]

[inretribution]

[Terror washes over him, but it's a familiar enough feeling now that he pushes right through it, skidding to a halt beside her and gingerly putting his arms around her to support her up, dropping the shirt he was carrying (he was wearing it, but it had gotten too warm) to free his hands. Pulling her close results in another outfit ruined (the third one, he takes note at the back of his head) but he doesn't even care.]

Nadia! Nadia, can you hear me? Nod once if you can hear me. It's Ken.

[lowres]

[Nadia nods! She's lucid, thankfully. She smiles at him, but it's shaking and weak and scared. Her hand clutching her arm is covered in blood.] You came. [She rests her body against him, head on his shoulder.] I... [Her voice is faint and it sounds like she's going to cry, but she's so happy he came it still feeds into it.] I think... I'll be all right. I can't call the hospital. I-- It doesn't hurt badly even, but I-- [She's pale and there is quite a bit of blood on her dress.] This isn't how I wanted to welcome you home.

[orangehoodie]

Of course you're going to be all right. I'm here.

[He's frowning very deeply as he looks her over, checking for other injuries. There's so much blood it's making his head spin, but he's still thinking quickly and clearly.]

Don't be stupid. [He doesn't even bother to check who's around. He reaches immediately for his Evoker while crouching, helping her to the ground.] I'll heal you.

[lowres]

It isn't bad... [It isn't as bad as it could've been at least. She lets go of her arm and the cut is deep enough that it's worrying, but not bad enough to kill her, she thinks. She wobbles when she sees the blood on her hand though.]

You don't have to... Ken, I... 911...?

[orangehoodie]

I don't trust them with you. [Nemesis has yet to fail him. He holds her very close and presses the muzzle of his Evoker to his head. He makes sure she can't see since it'll scare her but he pulls the trigger without hesitation, muttering "Diarama" under his breath.]

[lowres]

[The pain ebbs and Nadia sags forward, her shoulders dropping and her head falling forward. With her cleaner hand, she grasps his shirt.]

I'm sorry...

[orangehoodie]

[He grasps her hand in his. It's trembling just a little.] What happened?

[lowres]

I don't know. I was coming to meet you and--

[And somebody dragged her down an alley and threatened her and she tried to run and when they grabbed her arm, they sliced her open. They cursed and freaked out and ran when they saw she was bleeding but--

Nadia can't even process it yet.]

I got you dirty...

[orangehoodie]

[He shakes his head several times. He drops his Evoker and wraps his other arm around her and pulls her close. If she had blood on him before, there's definitely more now. He doesn't give a fuck.]

You're not hurt anymore, right? [His voice is tiny.]

[lowres]

[She shakes her head against him.] This is a terrible welcome home...

[She wants him to be happy and here she is getting hurt and scaring him. She feels the blood everywhere, and she's upset at herself for letting herself get hurt.]

[inretribution]

I'm just glad I was here to find you. [He doesn't want to think what would've happened had he not been in Locke to heal her. He pulls back after several seconds and pushes her hair out of her face.]

Can you stand? I'll call Susan. She can take us home.

[lowres]

I can... I think I can walk. [She can barely look him in the eyes. When she does, she wants to stuff her face back in his shoulder.

Tears build up in her eyes. He saved her again. Her lower lip trembles and she throws herself into him, wrapping her arms around him.]

[orangehoodie]

[Oof! She's very close. She usually asks first, because of how he is, he knows. He's not even questioning it, knowing how scared she must be. He rests a hand over her hair and the other around her back and sits back so he can support her.]

I'm so glad you're okay.

[lowres]

You came for me.

[orangehoodie]

Of course I was going to. I was worried, you were late.

[lowres]

[She sniffs into his shirt, shaking her head. Her fingers are trembling.]

You were gone, I didn't know if you were still tired and--[No she's not moving for anything.\

[orangehoodie]

I'll always come if you call me. [He won't make her move. He makes sure his Evoker is somewhere close in case he needs it, but he only shifts so he's sitting better and he can pull her almost onto his lap.]

[lowres]

[She's content with it. She just wants to stay attached. Ken is the only one who would hold her.]

I--I--I was so scared...

[inretribution]

I know. [He pets her hair.] You're safe now.

[lowres]

[She buries against him. She just wants to stay close.]

[orangehoodie]

[He holds her. He'll only let go of one hand once to find the shirt he dropped so he can drape it over her shoulders like a safety blanket.]

[lowres]

I'm sorry... I should've been paying attention...