castleinthemist | 02

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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.

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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.

"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.

"... 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.

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.

Duo rummaged through the bag and found the sack with the needles, but first went for the disinfectant He sat next to her, ripping out a soaked cloth in the stuff and started dabbing gently at the wounds to start with, handing the needles to his double.

He sat close so Toph could either lean into him or grab and squeeze his arm if she wanted. It was gonna hurt.

Duo took the needles, frowning and swallowing hard. He really didn't want to do this. He hated hurting people that didn't deserve it, but having to do it to some one to save them...

It still made his stomach turn, even trying to justify it like that.

"This... this is gonna hurt... a lot. And I'm really sorry." he said slowly, prepping the needle and sitting down behind Toph, taking in a shaking breath before starting.

Hurt was an understatement. That freaking stung, so much so that at first she forgot how to breathe and couldn't make a sound. She knew she had to stay still, but her body lurched anyway... or, as far as it could with the big wall of muscly pilot keeping her from moving too much.

Her hands dug into the mattress, and the metal in the bed creaked but couldn't do more than that because of her separation from it. Probably for the best. She didn't want to accidentally send one of the boys into the wall purely on reflex.

Her teeth and eyes clenched against the sting and she tensed, maybe she even growled in protest, but she didn't complain and didn't yell. At least not out loud. Her head, though, was full of all the bad words she'd learned outside of her parents' home.

'cause damn, that HURT.

Duo held her steady, an arm out in front of her under her arms to brace her. He stayed calm as he could, though her holding it in? He could relate to that as it was something he did out of sheer stubbornness. Strong kid. Tough as nails, and he meant that literally.

When it was all over, he gave a sigh of relief. "You're done, Toph. Good job." Something similar was said to him. Sally. When he was coming out of surgery for his ribs.

He took from the med kit a few large square bandages. "Here, bro."

Sucky part was, now? Once they got Toph onto another bed? It was his turn.

Duo was able to work quickly, at least. It certainly wasn't easy or pretty, and his hands were shaking badly, but whatever nausea he was feeling he managed to swallow down and shove away in order to get the job done.

He took the bandages quietly after cleaning his hands off, putting them over the stitched areas gently. He did not want to do that again, but they really didn't have a choice.

The bed wasn't cutting it for her. She didn't tolerate it, and instead simply sank against the wall with a blanket. She was cold, but more comfortable on the ground, against her own element. Plus, the stone felt soothing on her shoulders.

After a while, it was hard to tell if she was asleep or not. Although her eyes were open, they were droopy. If she wasn't fast asleep, she was on her way there, no doubt about it.

Duo settled in against the bed frame and wall himself once he finished unwrapping his own wound. It was still raw and bloody. And so much for those pants of his! looks like they were becoming shorts later on.

All and all he wasn't looking forward to this, and he clenched his teeth, watching his double cleaning off the needle used on Toph.

"Do it quick man. Done and over with."

Duo watched Toph carefully for a short time before his double spoke to him, getting his attention again.

He didn't talk. It was easier to keep the nausea at bay if he didn't. Mouth shut, teeth clenched, swallowing hard against the bitter taste rising in the back of his throat.

Again he worked as quickly as he could, but his hands were shaking worse than before, proving more difficult than he wanted it to be.

Duo seethed, hissing air out his teeth as Duo worked on his wound. It was a tedious job and long. Needle does in, thread follows, and his double was not a quick and efficient field medic like he needed. When it was done, he fell back into the bed panting and sucking in a breath of air.

He soon sat up again, weakly and stiffly. He looked to his double, swooning slightly at the light headedness.

"There any pills in that bag?" He wondered aloud. He could use something.

"Here."

The word wasn't so much spoken as it was grunted, the bottle of pills put in his hand. Duo stood and with something that might have been 'back in a sec' he stumbled out of the room. Wherever he went was far enough away that he couldn't be heard well, which was probably better for everyone considering he lost his stomach pretty quickly and noisily.

He returned, looking pale and shaken but not as ill as he had appeared earlier.

"Sorry..."

He heard, but he ignored it. He didn't know what it was, but his double sure had a problem with his stomach. Duo swallowed the pills and set the bottle down afterwards. He lay back onto his pillow, propping his leg up on a rolled up bunch of blankets. As Duo neared him however, he took the boy by the wrist and gently pulled him over to sit on the bed.

Could he have walked, he'd probably gotten him into a different bed but... Better than the floor. He scooted over.

"Don't start with that, bro. C'mon. Sleep. Take some pills and go to sleep."

He didn't protest it. He didn't have the strength to, even if he wanted to. But the bed looked better than it ever had,, and he could have slept for days and only felt better for it. Everything ached. His whole body felt as though he'd been thrown against the rocks outside and left to die.

The only answer he gave was a tired noise as he went for the pills, swallowing them down quickly. He fell over on his side then, curling up with a groan. He couldn't fall asleep fast enough.

He rubbed his double's shoulder briefly, then with some effort pushed himself over onto his side so they were back to back and he was facing the wall. There was enough space, although he was sure he'd be in pain in the morning.

After a while he realized how uncomfortable that was to lay in so he rolled back onto his back and settled there, letting his double curl up against him. With an arm behind his head, he yawned quietly and fell into a deep sleep.

Edited 2012-03-13 13:41 (UTC)

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