nysalogs | [Closed Catch All]

[The illness has gotten worse.

On some level, Yona is glad that she's moved to the clinic already; it would have been unfair to put the responsibility for caring for her on Slaine. On the other, she doesn't like not being in her own house (although that house doesn't yet feel like home, either).

She's of two minds about it.

When Slaine stops by the clinic that day, he won't find Yona resting in her bed, which is, uh, not that great. But if he pays close attention, he'll hear a slight rustling under the bed.

...sure enough, if he looks, he'll see her huddled down under there. Awkward!]

_{[There's a moment of panic when Slaine steps into the clinic, an arm full of lilies wrapped in modest brown paper, a little glass vase in a bag held in his free hand. Yona is nowhere to be seen but the sudden sound of fabric makes him pause, as he sets what he brought aside. Squatting down he peeks under the bed, worry etched onto his face. What was she doing under there?]}

...Yona?

Shh!

[She's a little more pale than before, and it seems she's lost a little weight (being sick will do that to you), but... she seems the tiniest bit more energetic than the last time he saw her, at least?

Yona brings a finger up to her lips.]

I'm hiding. Don't tell him I'm here, okay?

Hiding?

_{[Forgive him Yona, you're going to have to explain a bit.]}

From who?

That jerk Kan Tae-Jun!

[She puffs her cheeks out, like an angry, red-haired chipmunk.]

He keeps walking around outside my room, waiting for me to come out. He thinks he can do whatever he wants just because his father is the Fire Tribe's general!

[There's literally no one out there, so uh. Yeah...]

_{[Slaine...has no idea who that is, sorry Yona. Seeing as he just came in though, he knows better than you that there's no one out there. You're safe.]}

I just came now. There's no one outside your room, Yona. You can come out from under there.

[She starts to crawl out from under the bed - but then she pauses and draws back, hunching her shoulders.]

He's back! I can hear his footsteps!

[Except, again, there's literally no one there, and certainly no footsteps. Guess she's hearing things!]

Yona...there's no one there.

_{[Auditory hallucinations. That's the only explanation. Talk about worrying...]}

I promise. It's just you and me.

What...?

[Her eyes focus on Slaine for a moment before sliding away, lingering on the door, as if she thinks she can spot Tae-Jun out there if she stares hard enough.]

But... I can hear him. [Her voice is small.] I can hear him, Slaine.

Your mind is playing tricks on you. Sometimes the brain can cause you to hear things that aren't there when you're sick or stressed. Here...

_{[He offers a hand to her, gently.]}

I brought you a surprise. Don't you want to see?

My mind is...? [Her brows furrow; if that's true, what does that mean?] You mean I'm...?

[Crazy?

She looks uncertain for a moment or two before reaching for his hand, her fingers curling around his.]

...I do.

You're sick.

_{[He fills in the blank, not wanting to use the word she's probably thinking of. With her hand in his he shoots her a reassuring smile in a bid to coax her out of her hiding place.]}

Okay then, c'mon. Out from under there.

...

[If only it was that simple. Not every person who's sick is hearing things (or seeing them - she's sure she saw him outside), but... if it's only because of the illness, then she's not crazy, is she?

But what if it's not the illness at all? What if he's actually here? ...but what if he's not?]

I, um... [There's a moment of hesitation, but with her hand still in his, she finally comes out from under the bed in full without ducking back under it.] ...okay. I'm out.

_{[Success. She's finally out and he moves to help her to her feet, to guide her back onto the bed. He does so carefully, touch light, until he has her sitting.]}

You did it. See? It's just you and me. Here.

_{[He picks up the flowers gently, before setting the small bouquet of pink striped and yellow lilies wrapped in brown paper in her lap.]}

I thought these might cheer you up.

[Slaine gets her standing up, and then a moment later, he gets her back in place on her mattress. His touch is light and gentle, and that's probably part of the reason she doesn't fight it too much; she feels like if she wants to, she'll be able to break away.

Since he's being gentle, she has no reason to want to run.

Her eyes widen as he sets the flowers down, and she slowly gathers the bouquet into her arms so that she can breathe their scent in deeply.]

...they're beautiful... and they smell so nice.

[Her lips twitch up into the beginnings of a smile.]

Thank you.

_{[Seeing the beginnings of a smile on her face has him smiling on reflex, relieved to see that his efforts weren't for nothing. Going to the trouble was worth it. Taking out the small glass vase he sets it on the nightstand beside her bed, pouring a bit of water into it from a bottle he brought with him.]}

You're very welcome, Lady Yona. I'm glad you like them.

Mm. They're—

[Her voice falters, and her grip on the bouquet goes a little tight as her gaze snaps to the doorway again. ...footsteps. She swears she can hear footsteps, can hear Tae-Jun's voice, but...

...as always, there's no one there.]

—they're really pretty. [She forces herself to look away from the door and to look at the vase that Slaine is setting up.

Tae-Jun's not here. Just Slaine.

...

Slaine's here, isn't he?]

Where did you get them...?

_{[He turns to face her at the question, watching as she cradles the flowers to her chest.]}

There's a small flower shop not far from here. When you're better I'll take you there if you'd like.

...

[When she's better...?]

Can't we go right now?

I'm afraid not.

_{[His words are soft as he keeps his smile, leaving the little vase alone now that he's set it up. Quietly he reaches for the flowers, intent on putting them on display.]}

You're still sick, Lady Yona.

...but I want to go.

[Her arms tighten around the flowers, and she doesn't surrender them to him. Sorry, Slaine.]

I'm feeling better today than I was yesterday. Can't we go?

_{[Realizing she won't relinquish the flowers, he opts to set a hand lightly atop one of hers instead. It's hard, he thinks, to be sick and cooped up. There's an apologetic shake of his head.]}

Until you've a clean bill of health unfortunately we can't. I promise I'll take you wherever you want to go once you are though, okay?

_{[A lofty promise to make, but he isn't sure what else he can offer.]}

...we can't go because I don't know where it is.

[That... doesn't make a whole lot of sense. But, luckily (?), Yona keeps babbling, so he might actually get something of an explanation.]

Like you said, my mind is playing tricks on me... so this you can't take me there if I don't know where it is.

Lady Yona...

_{[This is...well it hurts to watch someone delirious and out of their mind.]}

I know where the flower shop is. We'll go when you're better. I promise.

Really?

[She loosens one arm from around the bouquet and holds it out to him, curling all of her fingers except her pinkie.]

Say that again. Say you promise.

SLAMS HANDS DOWN we're doing this

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject