Nightshift 46: Autopsy Room 2

[contentincloset.livejournal.com]

[from here]

The hallway was dark again when he stepped back through. Had that creature retreated once Kurogane had left the area? Possibly, but Kurogane did not trust that he would not return again. It hadn't proven hostile, or attacked, however Kurogane had the feeling that a fight would be difficult no matter what he faced right now. He had no weapons, no light, and a man who should have been dead. The sad part was that, of those three problems, the most troublesome was the last. A normal magician would have at least made himself somewhat useful!

"Either move on your own or I'll throw you over my shoulder!" he warned, then turned along to the right. There would be a wall to his left, so he would have to take the right length of wall to get anywhere.

Comments

[not-rly-fai.livejournal.com]

It was easy to lose track of time and movement as he was all but dragged along by the other man. But sure enough, every time he slipped, something kept him from falling. It was easy to fall into old habits, to let someone be there and keep him safe, but at the same time, he wasn't sure he could stand it. He couldn't draw anyone else in.

Aiden was right, in a way. He'd chosen to stay out of things and that's how it should remain. It took a moment to gather his strength, but he steadied himself and pushed against the body that held him up, a silent answer to the angry man's demands. If Aiden wanted him to choose a side and stick to it, he couldn't keep dragging Yuuhi along like so much extra baggage.

"Then I'll do it myself," he said, forcing his voice to remain as collected and calm as he could. It still came out raw and ragged, but at least it was there. "If you want me to stay out of it then... then stop dragging me back in. It's none of your business."

[contentincloset.livejournal.com]

"You'll just fall over again," Kurogane snorted, but did stop a moment when the magician at least tried to support himself. Good, he was trying at least. That counted, he guessed. "And the only thing I'm dragging you to is your room," he replied to the later comment, anger coming back to his voice, "You're already 'in', if that's what you think it is, and nothing's getting you out of that. I told you before, you can't go back once you're involved in things. We could do it in that Shura Shara whatever country easily, but it's different here. You can't just pretend!"

Back then, there had been language separating them, and Fai had sat silently aside for the better part of a year. He'd known then how to keep his distance an not get too involved. Even Kurogane had managed it while still being able to communicate with the people in that world. But he'd chosen that path beforehand, not after. Not somewhere in the middle when it was too late to go back and change things. Here the magician kept falling in an out - saying he wasn't involving himself yet doing so anyway. He was so weak it was infuriating!

"Now stop wasting time," he said, turning again to go, "there was something in here earlier, and it wasn't a patient." Kurogane moved his hand along with wall, feeling the way when suddenly his foot caught on something and tripped him forward. He brought his hands up to brace the fall, but found them slamming into a hard surface a fair bit above the floor. "What the...!" he sneered before pushing up. A table? In a hallway?

[not-rly-fai.livejournal.com]

Now was really not the time to be having this conversation. It would be a lot easier to say things like he meant them when he was coherent and not bleeding profusely. It'd become a slow, but steady drip as the blood from the wound in his neck rolled down his chest and the blood from his eye dribbled down his chin and fell to the floor, leaving a trail of evidence behind them. While he wished he could say each passing moment brought consciousness and clarity, he only felt weaker. More vulnerable. The arguments didn't make sense. The children weren't here any longer. Why couldn't he just go back? What was he involved in that Aiden thought was so important? Was it something he didn't remember? Something Robin ought to know?

He couldn't be sure, and focusing on anything aside from staying upright was difficult, if not impossible.

"Doesn't... matter..." he trailed off, trying to form thoughts and voice them when he could barely manage a whisper. His head fell forward for a moment, but was jarred up again when Aiden knocked into something solid. At least it hadn't been a straight fall, but when the other man let go to catch himself, Yuuhi toppled over, upper thigh hitting the table before he fell forward, off balance, and hit the top of the table on his side. While it seemed strange that Aiden would lose track of his surroundings, everything felt off tonight. His fluttered a few more times before he let them close and let himself fall into unconsciousness.

[contentincloset.livejournal.com]

Tables weren't supposed to be in hallways. Not so far as Kurogane knew, so did that mean he'd taken a wrong turn? He knew it would be possible given the darkness of the place, but he had thought he would have been more careful than that! With this mistake they could end up lost for who knew how long, even if Kurogane had a good enough idea of where they were! He shouldn't have let finding the magician get him so bothered!

Which reminded him... with a curse, Kurogane felt along the table until he touched skin. More proof that the magician was wearing less than was normal, but not enough to make Kurogane refuse to support some of his weight just yet. If they got to a place where there was light however, Kurogane would not be keeping his cool if what he suspected was true.

"Oy, pull yourself together," the ninja ordered, giving what he hoped thought was Fai's shoulder a firm shake. There was little resistance for an answer, but no movement on the other's part. "I said get up!" came a second order, this one louder and accompanited by yet another unceremonious yanking of the magician's arm. This time though, Kurogane realized quickly the reason for the lack of a response. The other man's weight hung limp with no support save for Kurogane's own hold. Kurogane may have panicked a moment over hat fact, but after pulling the arm back into position over his shoulder, he was able to feel for the face and mouth.

"Still breathing..." he muttered in some semblance of relief, then looked up. Fai was out and the pathway he'd thought he was on was not there anymore. Kurogane may has well have been back to where he'd started from that night! Only now he had what amounted to dead weight hanging off his shoulder. Huffing out frustration, Kurogane swung his free arm out, looking to his anything, and found a wall left of him. Wherever the hell it took him, he would go, because that was about all the strategy he could muster now.