02 - open

[tophbeifong]

Toph knew she found the courtyard through various senses. She could smell the fresh air, hear the birds, and feel the warm sunlight and cool breeze. The hard stone from the castle faded into softer walkway stone as she moved out into the yard. When her feet touched the grass, she smiled to herself. No longer was the resonance of vibration from the earth surging out and back at her with all its strength. Instead, it met resistance and the grass muffled her senses as it tickled her feet, creating a sort of static for her until it gave way under her soles to let foot meet soil and allow the reverberations communicate to her nearly half a second later than solid ground.

It was a strange sensation, but she welcomed it. It calmed her, and she continued to smile while she moved to what she thought was a nice spot.

She breathed calmly and evenly as she took her stance. One move, another, and then a third, and a perfectly shaped chaise rose up from the ground. She felt proud of herself as she moved to it and lay down, body lying comfortably against the contour of the grass-covered reclining seat.

Once decidedly comfortable, Toph pulled a flask from her belt and took a drink from it. Nice, cool water. She'd stolen the idea from another castle inhabitant and had made one out of a chunk of metal ripped from her bed frame. He used his for naughty juice; she used hers for water.

Toph felt a little guilty. Most of the castle was trying to figure out how to get out of there. She, though, wasn't putting so much effort into it. Sure, she wanted to leave, but what could she do? She'd promised a new friend that she wouldn't go far without eyes to help her spot the monsters she couldn't detect. While she wanted to do her part of the exploring and searching for a way home, she didn't want to be useless in a fight against a flying shadow with claws.

There were very few times that Toph would admit her blindness to be a hindrance. A skirmish against the monsters that moved without contact or sound was one of those very few times.

"I'll just wait for a friend," she told no one before closing her eyes and laying her head back against her arm.

Comments

[tophbeifong]

As moot as it may be, she still felt bad over it.

After a few seconds of silence, she turned an ear towards the older, trying to pinpoint him. She couldn't see him that well through the sand of the fountain, but she could hear the occasional breath he took.

"You okay over there, Space Brain?" she asked quietly, wincing at the echo.

"Or do I- OW! Do I need to come over there and make you cheer up?"

[stillshinigami]

Duo snorted a laugh at the nickname, rubbing a hand down his arm. He was sore all over. His back, his sides, his legs. He shook his head and waved, despite knowing Toph couldn't see him.

"H-hey. Don't you worry about me kiddo. I'll be just fine after a while." Throw that mask right back up. As much as he wanted to let down his defenses he wasn't about to, not easily.

"Concentrate on getting better."

[duomaxwell]

Duo glanced over his shoulder, staring at his double with an unreadable expression. He knew what he was doing. He knew because it was the exact same thing his double did all the time. But calling him on it would have just been met with animosity. He wasn't going to.

"... we'll all feel better after some sleep."

[tophbeifong]

"Sleep does sound amazing," she agreed, taking the rag away and offering a muttered thanks before taking the time to wash her face with it and continue wiping down her exposed arms and legs. While that destroyed her beloved healthy coating of earth, it also depleted the smell of sweat and blood and musty old castle.

"Maybe we'll try to find the tracks later. With more people. And better preparations," she suggested.

[stillshinigami]

"We'll have to. Yeah. Sounds like a good plan." He said, still a bit dismissive as he pushed himself to his feet, wobbling forward once he got there. His eyes landed on his double and his expression faulted for just a moment, frowning. What's the look for? What? He shook his head and turned towards the corridor back to the living space.

"Strength in numbers." And wobbling again he knelt against the seat he'd been sitting at.

[duomaxwell]

He didn't say anything to his double. There was no point. Berating him for something he did himself would just be dumb and hypocritical.

"Yeah. Strength in numbers," was all he said as an echo, sounding numb and exhausted. He really did just want to sleep for eternity.

[tophbeifong]

Toph followed the older's voice until she'd made it from the sand to the hard ground. The echo made her smirk, or would have if she had the energy to do so.

"You two are too alike for your own good..."

She turned her head towards the older, studying his breathing and his heart rate and the way he wobbled.

"Are you okay over there, Space Brain? Can you walk?"

Even if he could, how far could he go? She wasn't too sure that between her and the younger, they'd be able to get him back to bed. She wasn't sure SHE could get all the way there, either. How far were they? She hated not being able to "see".

Should they go get help? But that would mean at least one of them was alone, and as weakened as they were at the time, that meant extra vulnerability. She didn't suspect any of them were up for that.

Or they could set up camp. The fountain was relatively safe, wasn't it? But the older Duo really seemed like he could use a good, comfy bed. While Toph was perfectly fine with the hard ground, she knew not everyone was as tough as she was and needed their fancy mattresses.

[stillshinigami]

There was nothing more to say. He didn't have the energy to protest or make a snappy retort so he just. Offered an affriming "hmmMM" and started walking. Could he make it? Yes. He was okay right up until he tripped over the strap of the medical kit he'd asked for.

"Well... looks like someone was listening after all..."

[duomaxwell]

At first Duo was just too damn out of it to realize what the other was talking about. But a glance down actually earned a half smile, still tired but at least slightly more hopeful than he'd been a moment again.

"Well. I'll be damned. Guess the fountain likes us."

[tophbeifong]

"What is it?" Toph had heard and "seen" the man fall, but she didn't even notice what he'd tripped over in his attempts to walk.

From the sound of it, it was something good, though.

[stillshinigami]

Now that he was on his knees anyway, he flipped over onto his ass and reached over to grab the pack and open it up. Had everything he'd expect. Gauzy wrap, peroxide and other types of things.

"A med kit. Like I asked for before." To answer her question.

Absently he realized just how tired he was. He fell! Tripped! Duo Maxwell doesn't fall right over. He chuckled absently and grimaced.

"Heeh. I don't think I can stand up again." He said with a mirthless laugh. Oh goddamn.

[duomaxwell]

"... seriously?"

He didn't need to ask the question twice, or even really wait for an answer. If he said he couldn't get up then he was probably in worse shape than he realized. Duo let out a sigh and bent down to grab his arm, hauling his double to his feet with a grunt.

"Sleepin' out here might be a bad idea, man... we should try to get to our rooms."

[tophbeifong]

Toph located and grabbed the med kit. She stumbled a bit- the weight was unexpected. She righted herself and moved to follow behind the men.

"Probably a good idea."

The safety and security of the rooms sounded better than the actual sleeping part, in her opinion.

The med kit interested her. What was in it that had them so excited? Why did it rattle, and why did it weigh so much for being so small?

[stillshinigami]

Once he was actually on his feet? Once the soreness in his lower back and legs were a non issue? He could at least walk. Pretty sure it'll go away in a day or so, and getting enough sleep wasn't much of a problem for him.

"Yeah. Seriously." He grunted a bit once he was back up, rubbing his backside with a wince. Begrudgingly, he continued on whilst limping on the worst of his two ankles. It wasn't so bad he couldn't recover from, and his room wasn't too far.

[duomaxwell]

Duo kept close to his double to make sure he didn't fall again, but his attention was split between him and Toph. That med kit was heavy, but she seemed able to carry it pretty well even in her condition.

He lacked anything more to say, though, and lapsed in to an unusual silence with that numb, tired feeling settling over him once more. Goddamn he just wanted the fucking day to end already.

[tophbeifong]

Heavy indeed. There was a strap, and she considered making use of it, but the thought of anything touching the raw, open wounds made her shiver visibly. Instead, she merely held it in her arms aching though they were. This would be SO much easier if she wasn't already exhausted and near dropping. She'd make it, though. She wasn't Toph Tough for nothing, right? She just needed something to distract her from... the less than delightful problems of the day.

"Hey, Loud Mouth, you okay over there?"

Well, she couldn't just call him by his name, could she? Then everyone would be confused!

[stillshinigami]

Duo snorted at the nickname under his breath. It gave him a bit of renewed vigor at least for getting back. He stepped a bit too hard on his left leg. The bad one. Aah. He took another step and made lightly.

"Eeeh. This way." Christ there had better be pain killers in there. Aspirin? Maybe even something to clock him out for a few hours while he slowly dies of gangrene. Once there, he opened the door to his room and stepped inside.

"You guys can stay in here if you want... nobody's been in these beds for weeks."

[duomaxwell]

"Eh?"

He wasn't sure why he responded to that. Maybe because he'd heard her calling the other "Space Brain" earlier and figured that by process of elimination "Loud Mouth" had to be him.

Or maybe he was just delirious enough to answer to anything right then.

"Oh... uh... yeah, I'm just..."

Tired as hell. Fucking exhausted. Too damn numb to feel anything.

"... tired."

He followed his double to the room, looking at the untouched beds and the relatively clean areas around them, contrasting the things sitting near Duo's bed. How long had he been without roommates? And where had they gone? Questions for a time when he wasn't so dead on his feet.

"Thanks, man..." he said, turning so he could take the first aid kit from Toph, finally getting a good look at her wounds now that they were clean.

"... Jesus, Toph..." he muttered, setting the kit down and gently pulling her closer by her upper arm, looking them over. The bleeding hadn't stopped so much as it had slowed, revealing just how deep some of the gashes were.

[tophbeifong]

She wasn't too sure what this "Jesus" was, or what it had to do with her. The word meant nothing to her, but the way Duo had said it made her turn her attention to him. She winced visibly as he pulled her over. She relented, giving in to his urging and standing near him.

"What is it?"

Quite obviously, she couldn't see what he was looking at, and because she had eventually become numb to the air on her wounds and the blood still soaking the clothing near her shoulders, it had slipped her mind completely.

Suddenly uncomfortable with him so close, she tugged her arm away. Although it took too much effort to lift her other arm to point, she nodded her head towards the older.

"I think he needs help," she told him, immediately regretting the nodding. "Y-you can get him. I'm tired." Dizzy, too, because she collapsed right there, or, rather, sat down far more quickly than what was normal. She hit the ground with a grunt before merely leaning back against the bed and closing her eyes as she relaxed her legs in front of her.

[stillshinigami]

And Duo? He just saw the bed and sat on the side, reaching down to pull his boots off and glancing bleary eyed at Toph. Nobody could decide who was hurt worse. It would be funny if it weren't so sad. He Looked down at his feet, a bit of dried blood smeared down into his sock, and he pulled that off too. Goddamn it stung.

He looked at his double pleadingly. "Help her, man. Or bring her over here so I can do it." And he could. Possible. He could do something!

[duomaxwell]

Duo just stared after her, mouth slightly open, obviously taken aback at how quickly she had pushed him away. He was just showing concern, what the hell was wrong with that?

"... your shoulders aren't gonna stop bleedin' unless we do something about it, Toph," he finally stated after a long pause, voice coming out as slightly more edged and irritated than he had meant it to. He could force her over to his double so the could both help, he knew he could, but what good would that do besides pissing her off?

[tophbeifong]

She meant no ill by it. She was only concerned for her friend. He'd been hurt, too. She couldn't tell how much, but remember how he'd struggled to get back to the room. She hadn't had that much trouble, herself, so she assumed he was worse off than she and subsequently wanted him treated first.

Besides, what were they implying? That she couldn't take care of herself? That she needed special treatment? That she, with her unseeing eyes and short stature, was in need of more looking after than the able-bodied man?

Luckily for them she'd just been too tired to argue. She listened to him, too out of it to notice the tone of voice which she normally wouldn't have ignored, and taken great issue with it. Instead, she merely sighed and relented.

She turned to the younger, drooping forward to lean her elbows on her knees.

"But is Duo okay? And don't try to lie to me because I'll be able to tell. Then you'll be in real pain," she threatened, sans her usual force and fierceness behind it.

[stillshinigami]

"Toph... we both need some help here. And it's gonna hurt probably." He grimaced at the thought of it. His wound was still bleeding as well, and he felt woozy himself. Chances are he couldn't sew himself up on his own.

"Bro, you're gonna have to do it. I'll light it for you." He said, grabbing the candle at the bed side table and lit it with the flint in the drawer. He'd really not like to get any worse than he needed to.

He could hold out for that long anyway.

[duomaxwell]

"... none of us are okay after that," Duo answered honestly, scowling as he said it. "I'm just... slightly more okay than you two. Enough to help. Alright?"

A sharp sigh and he looked at his double, making a face that bordered on looking almost ill. He didn't want to, but he knew how bad infections could get. He'd seen his fair share of them, living on the street. It was the only reason he knew how to do stitches in the first place, after all.

Not that he liked doing them.

"Okay..." he muttered quietly after a moment, swallowing hard. Maybe this time he wouldn't get sick after it was done.

Maybe.

[tophbeifong]

Toph grimaced.

Light it? Of course.

In her world, stitches weren't exactly common. Normally, it was cauterization. While she'd never had to experience that, she had been present for one and smelled the burning flesh, searing blood, the scream of the patient, and the squeal of hot blade on open wounds.

... but these guys were smart. They knew a lot. Maybe they knew best about this. She wasn't happy about the idea, but first off, she was too tired to argue, and second, well... she didn't exactly feel like bleeding out.

With a loud sigh, she rose to her feet with the help of Bending; she didn't have the energy to get there herself. She stumbled over towards the older's voice, finding a place beside him, and pulling herself up. She pulled her feet onto the mattress with her and held on to her ankles.

"Get it over with," she muttered, clearly NOT in happy with the situation.