damned_institute | Nightshift 35: General Store

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Nightshift 35: General Store - Ruins

(From here.)

Bridget managed to get through the doorway and over to a wall before his legs finally gave out. He felt cold, and knew that shock was setting in. Sliding down the wall, the staff falling to the floor with a clatter, he had enough presense of mind to sheild Kagura as best he could from his fall.

Back to the wall, breath sharp and shallow, he reached up and fumbled with the buttons on his coat, managing enough that the small pig would be able to escape. "Sorry... Miss Sohma." He'dlost too much blood now... All he had to do though was hold on until daylight. He could do that... right?

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Bridget tried to help as much as he could when Kagura moved him, but he kept blacking out. After a moment of silence, when he felt he might be able to string a few words together, he opened his eyes again.

"Miss ... Sohma?" He paused to try to catch his breath, which was starting to slow. "May be .... clothes... here. You... cold?" If he was freezing with his coat on, she must be even worse! That didn't seem right.

She was cold. Without her bristly coat to keep her warm, it wouldn't be long before she was shivering too, but a few minutes ago, that hadn't really been her greatest concern. She turned her head shyly at the sound of his voice. Despite the cold, she still managed to pink slightly in embarrassment.

"I... I'm sorry... I..." In the Sohma house, it never really bothered anyone for one of the zodiacs to show up in the nude from time to time. It just sort of happened. But here was definitely different and she wasn't sure what she could even do about it. When she'd searched before, she'd found cans and broken old boxes of food, but no clothes, and she'd already limped all the way back here on her chewed up leg. Besides that, she really didn't want to leave Bridget alone any longer than she had to.

There was a momentary silence as she tried to figure out what to do, then quietly crept over and lifted the right side of Bridget's coat. She scrunched herself up beside him as best she could on the dusty wooden floor, but was careful not to put her arms around. She rested her head on his chest, just below his right arm and pulled the half-side of the coat down over her, tucking her legs up close to her chest. It didn't cover nearly as much as she'd like, but she was too tired to care.

"'s fine." Bridget winced but shifted as much as he was able to offer her more of his coat. He knew that his own chill was more from blood loss than the actual chill in the air.

"Y-your leg?" He'd finally started to shiver, very minute tremors, but he took that as a good sign. Now all he had to do was try to stay awake.

Even if she wasn't in her pig form, it still felt safe to be with someone like Bridget. As long as she wasn't alone, she felt like she could make it through alright. She shook her head. "It'll be okay," she assured him, hoping he wouldn't fret too much. After the scare he'd given her, it was only his own health he ought to be worried about.

"You're shivering!" her hand clung to the fabric of his shirt. She couldn't even hold him to keep him warm. It was all she could do to stay beside him. If she were a normal girl, she'd be able to do more to help.

"G-good." He smiled weakly, eyes still closed. "Means... I'm not... done y-yet." He fell silent for a moment then tried to open his eyes again. "M-m-miss Sohma. I'm... sorry. For the ... mess." That didn't really come out right.

Even if it was girly and weak, Kagura couldn't help crying. Whether it was tears of relief or tears of quiet frustration at just how hopeless everything had become, she couldn't say for sure, but try as she might, she couldn't stop them.

"Don't be sorry!" she sniffled. "You were brave. Really really brave. You carried me all the way here, even though you were hurt even worse. You always protected me, even though you hardly knew me, even though I couldn't even tell you about my own secrets. You... you don't have to say you're sorry!"

That got his eyes open. Frowning, Bridget tried to look at Kagura, but gave up when it took too much energy. "O-of course I ...did. You...re m-my friend! Fr-friends look ... after ea... other."

He didn't like seeing her cry. He didn't like seeing any one cry, but especially not Kagura. "D-don' cry. We'll... be ...okay."

Kagura wasn't sure how to reply, it felt good to get some of the tears out, but she quieted, only sniffling occasionally into the side of his shirt.

"Next time," she said softly, "next time we'll run. We don't have to fight. I don't want to see you get hurt like this again." There were other people that could fight. She could defend herself from normal attacks, but the monsters here were terrible! How were they supposed to get through this? Even if they did run, every path was turning into a dead end.

Bridget smiled slightly and shut his eyes. "Run. R-right. I can.... run."

He wanted his yo-yos back. And Roger. He really could use Roger. He had up-to-date programming on first aid. He'd just upgraded his files before .... here. "You ... too. Don't want to s-see you ... h-h-hurt." His right hand twitched as a shot of pain lanced through his arm, but he managed to keep silent. "Y-you...re v-v-very strong M...miss Sohma."

She sighed, wiping her eyes on the hem of his shirt. No matter how far they ran, they were back in the same place in the morning. She didn't want to give up, she wanted to keep trying, but what if there was nothing left to try for? She didn't know if she believed she had that kind of strength, but it was kind of Bridget to say so.

Kagura leaned on her elbow so she could reach up and take Bridget's hand. The fingers were cold, but at least she could try to help warm them. His shivering was worrisome, whether or not he thought so.

Bridget could just feel her hand on his and, had he been in his usual stateof mind, would have blushed. As it was, he smiled and tried to hold her hand in a reassuring way. Fingers twitched. "S-sorry," he managed. "I-I can't... make a ... good p-pillo-w r-right now."

Shivering meant his body was trying to warm itself, which meant he wasn't falling into the last stages of shock from blood loss. He was still hovering in the middle, but at least he wouldn't die .... right away.

"Dummy," she sniffled, fingers closing around his as she offered him a little smile. "I told you, no apologizing."

If she couldn't raise his body temperature just by being beside him, she might have to go look again and see if they could find somewhere warmer, or at least some blankets. Much as she hated the thought of leaving him or of going anywhere by herself, she might have to if he didn't improve.

"R-right." Bridget smiled weakly. "N...no ap....ologizing." Hisheart was beating quickly, trying to compensate for the fact that his body just couldn't produce enough blood to keep all his systems up and running. "I... I m-might not... be able to... stay... a-awake."

She didn't know what to do to help him. If it would be better or worse to let him sleep, if she should do something more... she didn't have this sort of training at all!

"I need you to stay with me," Kagura said, her expression growing ever more concerned.

Right. Right, he couldn't leave Kagura to defend herself alone. That wouldn't be right. Strugglung up out of the haze his mindhad become, he forced his eyes back open.

"I...I'm here." His breath was still coming in short, shallow gasps as his body fought for oxygen even as he shook. "I-I need.... need you to ... listen c-c-carefu...lly M-miss Sohma." He paused for breath.

"F-find... bla...kets. C-clothes. A-any...thing we....we can... both use." He tried to think. "Go...Don't go ...f-far. Danger..." Eyes closing, he panted for a few more moments.

"I.... I can't m-move." If he tried, or if Kagura tried to move him right now, that would be worse and might well wind up killing him. "Y-you... Have to ... alone." He smiled again, the expression fleeting but warm. "I ... trust.You."

Kagura didn't want to go. Her leg hurt and it was cold and she was really scared to be alone out there. She might be a good fighter, but she was still a selfish child in many respects. She kept hoping that if she waited around long enough someone would come and save the day and everything would be ok.

But this wasn't a storybook. This was real. And nightmarish as it was, there wasn't going to be a happy ending unless she made it happen.

Hesitantly, she stood, taking the staff in hand and leaving Bridget with the coat for a meager amount of warmth. She had direction, if only a little, and when Bridget said he trusted her to do it, she had to swallow back her fears and do her best.

"I'll do my best," she promised, trying not to shake.

[[to here (http://community.livejournal.com/damned/472387.html?thread=38089795#t38089795)]]

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Nightshift 35: General Store - Ruins

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