liveandforgive | ic contact (haven)

[PASSED that was what he had found on his chest upon coming back. he didn't die, right? who else had been subjected to the experiment as it were? if it weren't for the condition of his body and how he handled pain now, he may have bled out and died sooner. but this time he had more time. the wounds weren't closing entirely, but the blood that literally caked the entire front of his body beneath his clothing would be prominent if he were to open it up. clutching at his chest, the sound of those boots is definitely something that reaches his ears. still with his sword on him, high strung as he was, his grip settled on the handle.

he didn't draw it yet considering that he had no idea where this person was approaching from. an enemy? a friend? how many of those did he have here? the nightmare wasn't over, was it?

"Cloud."]

!

[or maybe someone was finally going to wake him up. his gaze turns to the origin of that voice, spotting Ciel above him from his position in the ruins. he didn't know where he was going to go with his injuries like this. find a way home? get to the people who made him and everyone else suffer? what could he do?]

Ciel... Ngh-- [nice timing for his chest and arm to throb]

--!

[His stance gives it away, and if that didn't, the hand on his chest spoke more than his voice ever needed to. Whatever that was beneath it, it must not be a pretty sight.

Kicking up her next step with more strength once she recovers from the brief shock, it won't take her more than an instant to reach his side.]

You shouldn't be out here if you're wounded. ...Easy, you should sit down at least.

[She's not hesitating to offer her own body as support, whether he wants it or not. Out here is risky, but... maybe the church? It's not that far away from here...]

[maybe it was the subconcious response to having someone else there, especially someone who was friendly, but it was a good as time as any for his body to feel weaker. he wasn't going to die here, oh no. but he'd been standing and walking and fighting for so long that he was afraid if he fell asleep he may not have woken up.

he wasn't ready to go. not yet--]

Can't find...--ah... [his sentence drifted off as he felt himself begin to collapse to his knee. but with Ciel by his side, he knew that when he needed support, this wasn't the time to be stubborn. and he wasn't really. ...except for when he was thinking of ways to get back home. which is why if Ciel wants to, feel free to catch him before he proceeds to go face first into the ground. it was amazing to think about. when he had none of his strength and proper endurance, he survived longer than he likely would have in his form now... he wasn't meant to die, it seemed like. despite all his brushes with death, the will to protect, the will to live prevented him from going on]

.... ...

Were you there...?

[his voice was weak, despite his eyes closing out of the necessity to find true rest. a weak sigh escaped him at that,]

Doesn't matter. You're...

["...alive now." is what he wanted to say. but he was out for now. if Ciel was to tend to anything, the wounds that she would find the most pleasant]

Edited 2013-11-26 03:50 (UTC)

[...It's ironic. Funny, sad, unsure which, really, that she would probably end up with a solid record on her hands, if she's to try keeping track of instances when she came across someone badly injured.

There's no time to think. Her body moves automatically, breaking his fall and allowing his head to nestle on her chest.

She doesn't really understand his question. She probably would if she thought about it, but he needs medical assistance immediately and that's priority. His consciousness has flicked out like a weak flame, but the wound must still be there. Frowning in concern, she gingerly sets him down on the ground, face up with his head in her lap, before carefully opening up his shirt to review the doubtlessly unpleasant wound his chest must carry.

...

--Ah.

Wasting no time, she closes her own eyes in immediate focus as she extends an arm over his torso. This needs to be cleaned and properly treated, at a better location at that, but for now, she can set aside a minute to cast a heal first, just in case that he was on the brink of a fatal wound. It'll give her a better idea too, once she takes him to the Church. The clinic's crossed her mind, but recalling their first conversation...

Mm. In the end.

Having the strength to carry things three times your weight never failed to come in handy. Either way, when Cloud comes around again, it'll be to the half-finished ceiling of the church, over a pile of blankets forming a makeshift futon. His shirt has been left open, but the word PASSED along with any potential hints of a scar are well hidden beneath meticulously wrapped clean bandages. He'll find no trouble to breathe, either, and can easily sit up if he wishes.

If he doesn't, he'll then hear the silence broken by the sound of trickling water. It doesn't last and it's not like pouring either. More like... drying something, maybe? It's calm otherwise, the church has the same peaceful stillness that he may remember from the first time.]

[whatever he's feeling is lost on him as he's held and carried by the blue-haired girl. numb to the world around him, he had no idea where he would end up. was he going to die after all? all he feels before everything truly fades and he slips was a sudden warmth. was that pain he felt before? where had it gone?

it was easy enough for Cloud to have thought that he may have actually lost in the end. when you stopped feeling pain, that meant you died, right?

...right?]

... ... ...

["No giving up!"]

--

[whenever he happened to hear that voice call out to him, it made for convenient timing as the acerbic swordsman awoke with a snap in his eyes. what was once dulled, faded mako in those rich blue eyes of his was now full of life and vigor as he bolted upright. all it took was a couple of seconds for him to calm down as he looked down at himself. the blood... the pain... it was gone?]

Oh...

[he was bandaged neatly. whoever did this was good. his eyes had been greeted to the half-visible sky above along with what looked as though the roof was in the middle of construction. to the sound of trickling water, his gaze wanders around to wherever the source was. he wonders if moving too much will cause him pain, but he remains seated there, wonder in his eyes as he gets his bearings]

This is...? [if he wasn't dead, or back home... the church?]

...You're awake, I'm glad.

[The feminine voice chirps up some distance besides him, as Ciel raises from where she's sitting, a clean and rinsed towel in her hand with a bowl of water in front of her. That explains the source of the noise, she's also got another bucket besides her.]

You were over-exerting yourself, Cloud, but your injuries should be taken care of now. Please don't move too suddenly though, you'll make yourself dizzy. I can't do anything about blood loss, unfortunately.

Ciel...

[his gaze turns to see Ciel there. he remembered now. he wasn't fairing so well. but his wounds... they didn't hurt at all. but he wasn't about to agitate anything just in case. while he still sat there, not about to get up just yet, he turned his gaze down to himself again]

Have you...been looking after me all this time?

[kind of an obvious answer, wouldn't you say, Cloud? he didn't even feel helpless either. but if anything, he was feeling that he had lucked out considerately so with the kindness that this woman shared with him. for all his bad luck, it seemed that just as much good luck waited for him at the end of the perilous road]

[She chuckles quietly in response, also appreciative of the fact that he's enough wits to stay put.]

It hasn't been that long, maybe a few hours at most.

[Straightening herself, she hangs the rinsed towel on the rim of the bucket.

That correction made:]

How are you feeling?

Ah... [only a few hours... why did it feel like longer? just that tired it seems; after the ordeal he and the others went through, who could blame him?]

I... I was...in a massive pit. Full of monsters with everyone else.

[Lily, Makoto, Zoro, Kaine, everyone that he came across... had they made it out alright? he didn't know. he wasn't prepared to go out and find out just yet though. but the tension was still there. if he hadn't passed out when he did though, his blood would have likely still been crawling beneath his skin, itching to keep fighting to survive. but he did survive...]

Take it slowly, we've time.

[standing up and pausing to pour him a glass of water, she then makes her way to his side before getting on her knees and handing him the glass.]

An arena? I thought there were less people than usual, yesterday, and the timing is just about right...

[a small and thoughtful crease does appear on her brow. A... test, then?]

[he nods, acknowledging the water with a silent 'thanks' before drinking from it. fortunately he lucked out and didn't choke on the water from drinking it so fast. but he definitely needed that. with a relieved sigh, he answers her]

Mm... It's just like you said. This time we were stripped of our usual strength. Even our weapons were gone... I tried to protect whoever I could find, but...

[he doubts that everyone made it out alive. as faithful as he wanted to be in everyone else's strengths. this was a game to the people of Haven]

They seem to do that often. It's ultimately in everyone's best interest, to know basic melee combat without having to rely on powers or more specialized weaponry. [she comments calmly with a small nod. she's all but gotten too used to "stripped of your powers" thing, after all these years.]

Please pay heed to your own recovery first, you can't help others if you don't keep your own self in shape. You can check in with the others you recognized here, once you've healed up more.

[That said, her stare does stray to his phone, left at his sides since she picked it up while taking care of his wound. He could always call, too... but hm.]

Yeah... I might have been unlucky when it comes to getting ambushed. [if the injuries that, despite healing, Ciel had come across when first finding him] Had to get a little creative to survive.

[her words would have been frustrating to him at any other time. on one hand, it made him feel powerless and incapable of managing the simplest of things. but...it wasn't his fault, right? his anger was best directed towards the people responsible for all of this. his gaze, while initially lowered to collect his thoughts and try not to let himself get consumed by feeling useless, did eventually stray as well]

Looks like there's still some work to be done on the inside too...

[despite that, it was still in better shape than the one he used to frequent back home. the church, that is. his mako-infused gaze, now admittedly full of much more life than before, was taking in his surroundings some more. speaking of something left to be done though... he never even got around to the most important thing! turning to the woman at his side, while he wasn't exactly in a smiling mood just yet, his tone of voice spoke volumes to his gratitude]

Thank you, Ciel. I might have-- [no. knowing him? he would have been a goner eventually] ... You saved me.

[spiky blonde hair, righteous attitude... HM

she wouldn't ask, either way. his wounds were his business: as long as they were healed, that's all that mattered.]

Luck is something no one can particularly claim to have much of here, in any case. [her expression doesn't change, but there is a lighter note to her tone.

at that, though, she also turns around, following his gaze briefly to take another look at the interiors that she's come to know quite well, despite their blank and unpolished states that still left much to desire.]

There isn't any pressing rush, I'm sure we'll finish it someday.

[...]

[b-blink.]

--? Ah, that's... I only did what I could, Cloud. You're welcome, but it's nothing to...

[...put that much sincerity into? It's caught her a little off-guard, is all...]

[good thing Cloud's not much of a teaser, otherwise he coulda gone a mile with her reaction. so he'll just offer a hint of a smile]

Well, I'm still grateful. Can't say I'm ready to go just yet. [go as in die] I'll figure out a way to make it up to you.

[since he can't really pay her, or give her free delivery service...or much of anything here, well. it's the thought that counts?]

[that would have been rude and not very shounen either, so!!

she offers a sheepish smile. and don't be so morbid, come on...]

Really, you needn't make any more out of it. I would've done the same to any other injured, although I do admit I was more concerned since I recognized you right away. If you insist, however, I ask that you take plenty of rest time to recuperate and avoid exerting yourself until you're fully healed. I'd worry less, and you'll be back to top form with less complications, too. Would that be a reasonable request?

[to her words, he looks down at his fists, clenching them momentarily as if to test just how well he was feeling by how tightly he could ball them up. the smile on his face never left as he took her words to heart. in the long run, she was right. he was used to pushing himself. ...and no doubt he may have tried to speed things along. but...]

Alright. [he looks back to her again] You got a deal.

Thank you, I'm glad to hear it. Should I fetch you a clean shirt? The one you were wearing has been washed and is being hung to dry right now. I'm sorry for taking the liberty, but even if it's a dark color, blood gets hard to wash out of fabric if you leave it like that for too long...

[...And then her expression goes from genuinely soft and content to sheepish and meek. So what if those housewife-ish chores are what she can't seem to stop herself from doing...]

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