the storm finally found me

[uprisings]

Characters: The Summoner and YOU
Setting: Between the thirteenth floor and the infirmary
Format: I will follow!
Summary: The Summoner really needs a hug except for the part where his ribs are broken
Warnings: Mentions of violence and blood?? Rampant self-loathing??? Various existential and emotional crises?????

[He stays where he is for a long time after the Highblood leaves, staring rather blankly into the air. He has not felt this low since he was a child. Since before he met Pyralsprite, and that thought is… absolutely hysterical to him. He has fought his whole life and it took a week and two trolls to bring him back here, where he questions every single one of his thoughts, his movements, everything. He does so much wrong, how could he have forgotten that]

[So he laughs because what the hell else is there to do. He wants nothing more then to sleep the rest of forever away, but he can’t as his body is quick to remind him. He’s coughing violently into his hand before long, unsurprised when after the fit has ended there are speckles of blood on his palm. Fuck. He wanted to skip the trip to the infirmary, but if his lungs are punctured…]

[The climb to his feet is truly agonizing, and he knows walking will be worse. There are little things in him muttering that he deserves it and he just can’t bring himself to argue with it. Yes. Of course he deserves it. Whatever. How many flights is it to the infirmary? He should’ve paid better attention in the past]

[Ah well… The first push off is the worst, and then he’s moving out of the cathedral and down the halls, one arm wrapped around himself while the other uses the wall for support. He’s tired. Let’s get this over with…]

Comments

[lethechained]

[Did somebody say something about needing a hug--]

[Naminé's on her way the other direction when she climbs up the last few steps and out onto the floor he's passing through at the time, mind already focused on the drawing she'll be starting when she gets back to her room from the cafeteria. Her eyes are on the ground, but before long, she glances up and catches sight of the Summoner. Immediately, she stops, blinking. He... doesn't look so good.]

[uprisings]

[...yeah, probably not, especially since the second he sees her, the faint smile he tries to give her gets turned into a rather nasty, hacking cough. Welp lakjdf sorry Namine]

[lethechained]

[It's okay, it's not like she isn't already traumatized. The cough doesn't exactly help convince her that she's mistaken, so her expression very quickly becomes one of distress and she hurries his direction.] Summoner--?

[uprisings]

[Well hopefully not too quickly because the first real breath he gets to take is this horrible, shaky rasp before everything evens out again...]

Hello, Namine... [AND NOW she gets that faint smile... sobs]

[lethechained]

[It's all around pretty horrible to watch, and when she comes to a stop near him her hands are kind of far out from her sides, like she wants to do something to help but doesn't know what to do. She doesn't manage to return the smile because she's too busy looking him over.]

What happened to you...?!

[uprisings]

[He actually looks completely fine lskjdf All of his trauma is under his shirt so... except for being kind of grey-er then usual and maybe the blood on his hand, there really isn't anything to look over. But oh noooo don't sound so... distressed ughlkjsdf]

Uh... I... got in a fight...?

[lethechained]

[She pays a lot of attention to things because she has to tell apart people with identical faces, though, so she doesn't miss the unusual skin tone. Not having any visible wounds doesn't dismiss her concern. Being distressed is her job, okay--]

With who?

[uprisings]

[...welp, eyes averted. He doesn't want to talk about this, wow. Doesn't want to deal with it ever, but he'll have to at some point. Goddammit Highblood... Not that... Namine is really the one who needs to hear about it, so... dodging]

Another troll.

[lethechained]

--....

['Which one' is the first question that springs to her lips, but... yeah, she sees that dodge, there, Summoner. She does enough dodging herself to recognize it in someone else. She shuts her mouth again and it settles into a frown for a moment.]

... Do you need help?

[uprisings]

[Thank you for leaving it ); He shifts a little, moves back onto his feet and takes another sort of shaky breath. Right]

Uh... I think probably. I will be okay. I'm trying to, get to the infirmary...

[lethechained]

[He's welcome, even if she's worried that he's dodging like that. fgbjgbjgkdbg--]

Oh-- of course. I can go with you...! [Because he says he'll be okay NOW, but what about in a few floors? Needs more backup, man.]

[uprisings]

[lkjsdkfljsdf NO IT IS ONLY HIDEOUS ROMANTIC FAILURE NAMINE. DO NOT EVEN WORRY ABOUT IT!!!!]

U-uh... oh. Um, okay. If you... want to. [Guh, he'll never get used to these humans and their kindness. But okay, if she wants to be his back up, he really has no reason to object right now]

[lethechained]

[HIDEOUS ROMANTIC FAILURE IS APPARENTLY PRETTY WORRYING WHEN IT'S HIDEOUS TROLL ROMANTIC FAILURE geez.]

[Firm nod! She is so okay with being his back up, he has no idea. There will be no faceplanting on her watch.] I do. [That's a pretty determined look, there.]

[uprisings]

[YES........ YES TROLL ROMANTIC FAILURE TENDS TO FAIL WAY HARDER THEN HUMAN ROMANTIC FAILURE WHOOPS]

[Faint heh...] Thank you...

[And with that... he is going to push off the wall and continue... trudging along ksjdf]

[lethechained]

[THIS IS A VERY ACCURATE STATEMENT]

You're welcome. [And she'll just keep pace with him, close by in case something possibly faceplant-inducing should occur.]

[uprisings]

[He actually does pretty good for awhile!!! If only because he is determined not to faceplant. Faceplant would literally be the worst thing in the entire world with this particular injury]

[But... exhaustion is hard so maybe after the second flight of stairs, he leans rather suddenly and rather heavily against the wall, one hand gripping sort of uselessly for grab onto for balance. Uuuugh sudden dizziness nooooo this can't be good]

[lethechained]

[She's relieved to see him not IMMEDIATELY fail, especially since she's not quite sure how well she'd be able to help him up if he did fall on his face, being as she is, in fact, a twig.]

[Naminé notices immediately because she was being careful to keep an eye on him at all times and she starts, surprised by the suddenness of the motion. Once she's had a second to recover, she edges closer, obviously ready to help him stay upright if he needs the assistance. Is she going to have to learn to catch collapsing trolls with gigantic horns and not get decked by said horns--]

[uprisings]

[No no. He's doing alright. He got like the perfect angle to go limp against the wall with, so he's staying up pretty well. Mostly he is just trying to breathe a little deeper then he has been. Gotta clear his head if he is going to go anywhere else]

[sobs everything... hurts... lakjsdlkfjasdf He may have smacked his head against the wall once... just now... for good measure you know]

[lethechained]

[She's still gonna hover, sorry man. Worrying is what she does.]

[...How is smacking one's head against the wall a good anything fdjgbdfkgjdf--] Are you okay--? [Well, she means 'okay to keep standing without assistance', not... you know, okay okay.]

[uprisings]

[shh he's just really frustrated at everything in the world so smacking his head against the wall helps. YEP. THAT MAKES SENSE]

[Looks down at her and... smiles faintly. Eheh... he kind of forgot you were there for a second Namine, whoops]

Fine. A little, dizzy I guess.

[lethechained]

[It is so very helpful.]

[She does her best to smile just because he does, but her eyes are still worried. No big deal, it's not like she's never been forgotten before or anything.]

Do you need to rest?

[uprisings]

[Eheh...]

Probably... But uh, I'm not... there yet. [He's just... so tired aughlskjdf]

[lethechained]

[SO MUCH FROWNING.]

You're sure? [She will hold him up if necessary--]

[uprisings]

[LKSJDF NO DON'T FROWN AT HIM. He's just... trying to smile a little better so she stops... that... lsdfkj]

Pretty sure. Unless... we are, here. And I am just uh... more confused. Then I thought.

[lethechained]

[... Okay, well, that guilts her into smiling back but it SO DOES NOT REACH HER EYES]

We're not. [Which means he's at least not hallucinating, so that is a good thing?!] You're not confused. It's still a few more floors.