welnares | 04; action

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04; action

[More than a month later, Oscar shows up that night at an edge of the lake closest to the village. He lays on his side against the wet grass, having dragged himself out, his lower half still submerged. His hands are limp in front of his chest.

Blood trickles down his head and spots his neckline. The incision is thin, if jagged in the areas he'd turned away, and spreads from temple to temple. His head pounds from the loss and previous abuse, though he's too drugged to do anything about it or the rain, which has let up somewhat.

He lies there, soaked to the bone with blood smeared on his face, weeping through tired eyes.]

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[Grune keeps odd hours and wanders where whim takes her, and so it isn't surprising that she's out by the lake late at night. What is surprising, however, is the sight of someone taking a nap halfway in the water. She thinks that's something of an odd place to sleep.

Her umbrella shielding her from the rain, she wanders closer.]

Hello?

[Wait a minute.]

Oscar?

[Oscar's head lulls back to look up, his blurred vision capturing Grune's image. She has a distinct shape, even if everything is unclear. And she's the one person he isn't surprised to see, because Grune, he thinks, has a spontaneous presence.

Surreal.]

Always . . .

[She's always there.]

[He mumbles something, but she can't quite tell what it is, and so she walks over to kneel down at his side, heedless of the mud now standing her dress. She also holds out her umbrella so he doesn't get quite so wet.]

Oscar, did you fall aslee--oh, my.

[Aaaaaaand finally she notices the blood. Immediately, she calls up Nala's power and sets to work.]

[The drizzle suddenly stops. His vision is still blurred but clears up after Nala sets to work, and Oscar groans groggily as he tries to push himself up. Although his arms are wobbly, he manages enough to sit upright using his elbows, then turns so that his weight goes to one side.

He'd say something, except his head is spinning (maybe he should have stayed down . . . ) and his mind is currently frazzled beyond coherence.]

[It's a good sign that Oscar can move now, but that doesn't mean Grune is going to break off her healing, even for a second. She'll keep going full force--which means he's getting a pretty respectable amount of healing.

She has just enough attention to say:] It's all right, Oscar. Everything is all right.

[With his body on the sure way to recovery, his senses calm and his mind slows, the racing thoughts falling to a more acceptable, regular pace that doesn't make his head feel as though it's about to implode. No, he can hear Grune's words with absolute clarity and has sense to be comforted by them, because hers are comforting utterances.]

. . . All right. [He repeats in a breathy voice as he slumps back, eyes shutting closed:] It's all right.

[He reopens his eyes, searching.]

. . . Grune . . .

Yes, dear?

[My, she needs to use a lot of Nala's power right now....]

It's cold . . . and dark. Why are you out?

[It's a murmur, dazed as he is.]

Oh, because it's so interesting outside right now, I thought going out for a walk would be a lot of fun.

[She almost asks what he thinks, but then she realises that maybe he's too tired for too many questions.]

But this isn't fun for you. . . [His gaze trails, his eyes unseeing in spite of his returning clarity.] Sorry.

[She pauses in her healing long enough to brush some of his sodden hair away from his eyes.]

That's all right. Looking after you is much more important than having fun. So you don't need to say sorry, okay?

Mm . . . I suppose so.

[He gives a short sigh, Grune's healing a warm blessing against the cold.]

[There. That should be enough to get him on his feet, at least.

She leaves off healing to hold out her hand.]

All right, Oscar. It's time to go home.

[Mesmerized, Oscar takes the hand. His is wet from the lake and the weather, and his grip is far from the tightest thing – but she's given a caring hand, and his heart thumps at the kindness.]

. . . Yeah.

[Though somewhere in his mind, he wonders where home is.]

[Carefully but steadily, she helps pull him to his feet. Then, making sure not to aggravate his injuries, she circles an arm around his waist. Balancing the umbrella is tricky, but she manages it all the same.]

There we go. Ready?

[Her arm steadies him well, considering their even height. With a glance between her and the umbrella, Oscar swallows, then nods. To emphasize, he takes the first step forward, testing the burden of his weight.

It isn't really bad at all. He's just a little sluggish.]

That's it. Keep on going--I know you can do it.

[Luckily for Oscar, she always takes it slow, so this pace is no problem for her.]

[She knows. How does she know? They barely know each other. But it's nice, to know that she knows, somehow, because there's a lot that he and the others don't know between themselves. So with focused determination, Oscar keeps on going.

For once, his mind doesn't wander to voice a thought or a question.]

[And Grune never stops encouraging him.]

There. Just one step at a time.

[It takes forever. So it feels to Oscar as he gains momentum, though never quite the swiftness his regular stride carries. But as he becomes more attuned to the pace and rhythm, Oscar affords himself to think – just a bit.]

How . . . how are the others?

Oh, everyone is just fine. We've all been having a wonderful time together--but I know everyone will be so happy now that you're back. It just wasn't the same without you.

[One foot in front of the other....]

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04; action

ABSOLUTELY THE LATEST.

saving the best for last, of course.

Of course, of course. :D;;

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