[But, it's less important now. Though Daisy's question is a frustrating one.]
I... can't remember. I've lost around two years here, I can't even remember how I met her. Since I've been back, she's offered more help to me than I've been able to return.
She knows I'd be willing.
[And Daisy, you've already given away something for damn near sure, even if it's the confirmation of something already suspected.]
[No, it's a genuine question. If strength and self-possession is an act, Saya already has it down. And yet never asking for help is in itself an act of weakness. It implies being afraid of being found out.
It would be interesting if it didn't come with the idea that, right now, there's obviously something to be worried about.]
Well, she hasn't asked me for anything, and neither have you. So why don't we go and see her.
[Daisy settles in for her nap and when Chase opens the door to Saya's bedroom (dark, stark, very clean) she looks up from her nightstand.
The room is pretty dark but the lines of her body are obvious and unclothed, and one of her legs is at an angle that even for Saya and her awkward holding is impossible. There are smudges of darkness along her body that are clearly where she's been hurt, but the blood looks...wrong, even in the dark.]
[He leaves the bag he's brought with him on a chair by the door, left open just enough for the hall light to sharpen outlines inside. And it's no longer a mere curiosity that she hasn't asked for help, it's insane.
[It's dislocated funny, because she had to shift to bring it back here and the shift isn't working right; it needs to be reset, like it's out of place]
Not enough to need a transfusion. I'll need to eat later.
[That's what dislocation is, but this is more than a popped knee. Those perfect legs, Saya, and he's looking at them with nothing but concern, running priorities.]
Any dizziness or loss of consciousness? [A small flare in the darkness, he clicks on a pen flashlight to check her eyes, for signs of blood around her mouth.] I need to know what happened in as much detail as possible.
[Her eyes are paler than usual, but the pupils are the same size, she doesn't have a concussion. There is no blood around her mouth but when he shines the light there she opens her mouth again and quickly moves her jaw strangely, and spits out a piece of brightly colored cloth]
The clown threatened Rosella so I went to see it. It turned into a spider, like it knew -
[There's a pause and Saya takes Chase's hand and puts them on her leg. It's nothing sexual.]
We fought. I got a bite in but he did this to my leg. The shift couldn't fix it. You need to put it back in place.
[He can't check the recoil in time, but his hand stays where she put it, on skin that feels warm (if too warm) and skin that seems reassuringly human (if blue-hued underneath).
Hemocyanin - he'd picked up the copper base but been put in mind of sea creatures, or aliens: forgoing the self-absorbtion of much of the human race in imagining foreign life forms with the same pathological base. Like early maps placing the maker's country in the centre of the earth. He'd thought of crabs, lobsters, the insects of the ocean, and forgotten her fear of water. The dislike of cold.]
I should get you to the hospital. [He snaps out of the thought and moves, pressing the palms of his hands down to feel their way up around the swollen joint.] This could have a fracture we won't know about.
[Most people think of sea creatures, because of hermit crabs, and because most people only see the ooze when they kill a spider, there's never enough blood.]
I don't worry about broken bones.
[Her hands are on his, like they can guide her leg back into place]
[And, leaning down, he wraps his arms around her, keeping her as close as possible for the lift. It's only a few degrees difference, but the range of movement will be important in a minute.]
[He checks her hip again, holding the leg still now it's less supported by the other. As confident as he can be in his own skill, he doesn't like playing this blind.]
But if you mean the position, I think so. [He bites his lip.] Want to brace yourself on something?
![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
[action]
[But, it's less important now. Though Daisy's question is a frustrating one.]
I... can't remember. I've lost around two years here, I can't even remember how I met her. Since I've been back, she's offered more help to me than I've been able to return.
She knows I'd be willing.
[And Daisy, you've already given away something for damn near sure, even if it's the confirmation of something already suspected.]
I see plenty of patients with unusual needs.
[action]
[Daisy looks at him for a long, long minute, and stands up]
The rest of us, we don't go. We don't need to. But she's more fragile than we are, in a lot of ways.
[action]
[No, it's a genuine question. If strength and self-possession is an act, Saya already has it down. And yet never asking for help is in itself an act of weakness. It implies being afraid of being found out.
It would be interesting if it didn't come with the idea that, right now, there's obviously something to be worried about.]
Well, she hasn't asked me for anything, and neither have you. So why don't we go and see her.
[action]
[Daisy looks at him and reaches into her pocket, and pulls out a key]
I'm sure I don't have to remind you about doctor-patient confidentiality.
[action]
[Or he doubts it, not by his estimation. He already owes her enough.
In answer to Daisy's question, he stands and holds a hand out for the key.]
[action]
I'll just stay here and take a nap on this ridiculously comfortable bed.
[Saya is making her sleep on the couch ;;]
[action]
[And that's true. It means he'll try not to wake her, later.
In the meantime, time to open Bluebeard's forbidden door.]
[action]
The room is pretty dark but the lines of her body are obvious and unclothed, and one of her legs is at an angle that even for Saya and her awkward holding is impossible. There are smudges of darkness along her body that are clearly where she's been hurt, but the blood looks...wrong, even in the dark.]
Daisy.
[action]
[He leaves the bag he's brought with him on a chair by the door, left open just enough for the hall light to sharpen outlines inside. And it's no longer a mere curiosity that she hasn't asked for help, it's insane.
What happened should be the obvious question.]
I thought you were sick.
[action]
[She opens her mouth then and makes a motion with it, and a piece of something falls out]
I suppose it's pointless to tell you to leave.
[action]
[He can feel the press of his own pulse under his collarbone, but he moves closer anyway, close enough to crouch beside the bed.]
You can evict me for trespassing, if you like, once I make certain you can stand.
[action]
[She looks at him and almost frowns]
Fine.
[Once he gets closer, it's clear that whatever is on her is blue, and oozing from her cuts]
[action]
[Fine is enough permission for him to lean over her, though he doesn't touch, assessing the leg that looks snapped, the rips in her skin.
Blue blood isn't the strangest thing he's seen here. He lifts a vividly stained part of the sheet she lays on.]
How much blood have you lost? If I have to source hemocyanin I'll need to make those calls first.
[action]
Not enough to need a transfusion. I'll need to eat later.
[action]
Any dizziness or loss of consciousness? [A small flare in the darkness, he clicks on a pen flashlight to check her eyes, for signs of blood around her mouth.] I need to know what happened in as much detail as possible.
[action]
[Her eyes are paler than usual, but the pupils are the same size, she doesn't have a concussion. There is no blood around her mouth but when he shines the light there she opens her mouth again and quickly moves her jaw strangely, and spits out a piece of brightly colored cloth]
The clown threatened Rosella so I went to see it. It turned into a spider, like it knew -
[There's a pause and Saya takes Chase's hand and puts them on her leg. It's nothing sexual.]
We fought. I got a bite in but he did this to my leg. The shift couldn't fix it. You need to put it back in place.
[action]
[He can't check the recoil in time, but his hand stays where she put it, on skin that feels warm (if too warm) and skin that seems reassuringly human (if blue-hued underneath).
Hemocyanin - he'd picked up the copper base but been put in mind of sea creatures, or aliens: forgoing the self-absorbtion of much of the human race in imagining foreign life forms with the same pathological base. Like early maps placing the maker's country in the centre of the earth. He'd thought of crabs, lobsters, the insects of the ocean, and forgotten her fear of water. The dislike of cold.]
I should get you to the hospital. [He snaps out of the thought and moves, pressing the palms of his hands down to feel their way up around the swollen joint.] This could have a fracture we won't know about.
[action]
[Most people think of sea creatures, because of hermit crabs, and because most people only see the ooze when they kill a spider, there's never enough blood.]
I don't worry about broken bones.
[Her hands are on his, like they can guide her leg back into place]
[action]
[Which is to say he can, but it will hurt. If she were any species he could measure, he might say it would hurt too much to take.
Still, his hands measure out the job of it.]
[action]
As it is you understand that if you tell anyone, it won't end well, but I refuse to have more doctors involved. If you won't, I'll call Rudy Cooper.
[action]
[He stands and walks around her, not happy with this, but not going to assume he knows the pain threshold of a spider woman.
Then he closes the door.]
I'm going to move you into a better position, first. And I work better in an environment where no one's threatening me.
[action]
[She looks at him a long time]
I like you. So you know.
[She sits back, relaxed as much as she can manage]
[action]
I like you, too.
[And, leaning down, he wraps his arms around her, keeping her as close as possible for the lift. It's only a few degrees difference, but the range of movement will be important in a minute.]
[action]
Good?
[action]
[He checks her hip again, holding the leg still now it's less supported by the other. As confident as he can be in his own skill, he doesn't like playing this blind.]
But if you mean the position, I think so. [He bites his lip.] Want to brace yourself on something?
[He'd say hug a pillow, but.]
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