IC Inbox;

[flyingsolos]

Text | Voice | Action

Comments

[purrtagonist]

[he doesn't see her until she's already in the kitchen, scooping up the bowl and placing it aside. he immediately jerks back, eyes widening in shock. . . which quickly melts into something akin to shame]

[he looks away, and rubs the back of his neck (or. . . what he thinks is the back of his neck, but is in reality closer to the back of his head), hand slipping into his pocket]

I could've. . . I was going to get that.

[flyingsolos]

I was working on getting my speed and stealth back up to par.

[ with a faint smile as she glances around for a rag. ]

It didn't burn you, did it?

[purrtagonist]

[he's already reaching for one, and then crouching down to mop up the mess instead of giving it to her]

Wouldn't know if it did.

[he sounds a bit. . . wry. but judging from the splatter and how it is concentrated on the floor and his shoes, he's probably okay]

[flyingsolos]

... So you really can't feel anything, huh?

[ This sickness has been especially rude to him, hasn't it?

Rion's going to busy herself with filling him a new bowl, in the meantime. ]

[purrtagonist]

[just makes a face in response to that, before he stands and dumps the soup-soaked towel into the sink]

[flyingsolos]

If it's anything like the rest of this sickness... there's a good chance you'll be able to feel things by next week.

... I know you've already had to deal with a lot.

1/2

[purrtagonist]

[deep breath in. . .]

[purrtagonist]

It's okay.

[slow breath out]

Everyone gets sick. It's annoying, but normal. I overreacted.

[flyingsolos]

You're frustrated. That's normal.

[ She would have probably cried by now. ]

[purrtagonist]

Yeah, because nobody likes being sick. But I haven't dealt with anything that everyone else here hasn't also experienced.

[tilts his head towards her]

. . . are you feeling better?

[flyingsolos]

And I'm sure they've been frustrated enough to punch things, too. You don't have to compare yourself to them.

[ But to that, she smiles reassuringly. ]

Yeah. I'm a little tired still, but I can actually move around without feeling like I need to sleep for a week to make up for it.

[purrtagonist]

[pulls up a small smile for her]

Good. I'm glad to hear that.

[flyingsolos]

And now it's my turn to fuss over you. You'd better be prepared, Akira.

[purrtagonist]

[not much to fuss over, he thinks. but he knows that'll just get him into an argument, so. . .]

After lunch, I think I'm just going to go nap again.

[flyingsolos]

Can I walk you back, then? When you're done, I mean.

[ She doesn't really want to get in the way of him resting and recovering, but it's been a good few days since she's seen him. The last phase of her fever had been bad enough to keep her firmly in bed. ]

[purrtagonist]

. . . of course. You can stay while I eat, too. Do you want some?

[he isn't about to send her away]

[flyingsolos]

Might as well. I kind of forgot what it was like to have an appetite.

[ Being sick is terrible, 0/10, do not recommend. ]

1/2

[purrtagonist]

[it comes highly not recommended by Akira too, to be quite honest]

It feels pretty awesome, I'll tell you that much.

[he reaches up to open a nearby cabinet and fetch her a bowl]

[purrtagonist]

[. . . and winds up opening the door and smacking himself in the face with the door]

[he jumps, but it's more out of surprise than pain]

[flyingsolos]

Akira?!

[ oh god what-- ]

Are you okay?? [ Is he bleeding? God, why is she even asking, he can't feel it-- ]

[purrtagonist]

[HE JUST]

[LOOKS]

[SO ANNOYED as he carefully, gently closes the cabinet door]





[. . . anyway yes he's bleeding, from a tiny cut over his eyebrow, but nothing serious]

[flyingsolos]

...

[ spare rag get. ]

Hold still for a minute.

[ And she's just going to pat at that cut. She hadn't thought about it before now, but... losing his touch is actually a worse thing than she realized. ]

[purrtagonist]

Huh? Am I--

[but before he can ask his question, Rion's hand touches the lines of his jaw, and the rag dabs at the cut on his forehead. he freezes in place, putting two and two together to think ah, I must've cut myself, before the belated realization sinks in]

[her hand is on his cheek. he can see it, in the corners of his vision. but he can't feel it. there's no brush of warmth, no gentle caress that makes him want to melt, or tilt his head into her palm for more. there's nothing but cold, empty numbness]

[something funny crosses his expression, his brow furrowing, eyes slipping shut. but he falls silent and doesn't move, which allows her to easily clean his new scrape. it clots fairly quickly, sooo no bandage necessary, really]

[flyingsolos]

[ It's hard to miss a look like that, especially when she's this close and focused specifically on his face. When his eyebrows furrow, Rion almost asks if it hurts.

But that can't be it.

Then...

Almost guiltily, because he seems a little pained, she lowers the rag and her other hand. ]

I'm done.

[ But the look in her eyes is one of soft concern. She might have... made things worse, huh? ]

[purrtagonist]

[Akira's eyes fly open when she speaks, and although Rion drops her hand, he somehow manages to snag her by the wrist before she can go too far. his grip isn't tight, but it's still firm]

[for a moment, he just stares at her hand in his, quietly disappointed at how he can't at all feel the shape of same underneath his fingertips. but then he draws her hand back towards his face, presses her palm against his cheek, and tilts his head into her touch]

[he can't feel it, but. . . he doesn't want her to go]