damned_institute | Day 49: Evening

Kirk had barely begun to dry when a nurse appeared to order them to the buses, but he left the warm shelter of the sheriff's office without complaint, and without even bothering to do up the buttons of his coat. The apprehension which had been edging around his thoughts all day was unignorable now, although probably only those who knew him could read it in the urgency of his movements. To the nurses he passed, he simply seemed like another patient in a rush to get out of the rain.

Last week's trip had apparently ended with everything exploding into mayhem at the end of the day, so fact that they were getting as far as the bus was a good sign — probably. Kirk for one would let himself relax once he was sure they weren't all about to be drowned. With this rain, there was little chance of gathering the crew again to discuss their findings, but he'd still rather get there soon enough to make sure they were all accounted for.

As luck would have it, Kirk's speed put him among the first dozen to board the buses. The nurse giving pat-downs before scolded him for not dressing properly, which he deflected with a grin and a cheerful suggestion of how else she could handle him. With how quickly she pushed him on the bus after that, it was too bad Kirk didn't actually have anything to smuggle back.

He chose a seat near the front, and settled in to look out the window for familiar faces. You had to hand it to Landel's staff — at the rate the prisoners were being rounded up, they'd be off in this hellish storm in no time.

[Roxas]

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Well, clearly that idea wasn't a popular one. Nunnally glanced back at him with brows slightly upraised, even though she honestly wasn't that surprised by his objection. "I cannot in good conscience simply sit idly by and wait for others to find the solution. If our limitations require that we venture out at night in order to accomplish tasks to help us find a way home, then I need to do so." For all the brave words, though, she had little idea what she could do. Exploration seemed to be the goal of many, and the building had already been mapped out. Would she even know what to look for if she tried it herself?

Still, though, she meant what she had said. It was the task of everyone to find a way home, and Nunnally couldn't help but try to help improve their situation. "It's possible to take naps during the day," she pointed out. "That would help with the fatigue. But better to be tired and working for a solution than sleeping well and willfully accepting captivity."

It was so easy to forget how much she had grown during their time apart. The reminder pained him, and he dropped his gaze for a moment or two while he tried to think of a way around the latest obstacle. It wasn't entirely fair of him to still want her hidden away and protected after a declaration like that, he knew, but after doing his best to accomplish precisely that for the past eight years of his life, it was even more difficult to accept that it might be time to revise his stance. She had matured-- more than he could have hoped for, in fact-- but that wasn't the same thing as being prepared for a place like this. She would be better prepared if he'd told her about even half of his journal's contents, but...

He looked up at her again, noting her determination and fighting back a (currently unwelcome) feeling of pride at seeing it. He was equally moved by the eloquence with which she'd presented her case, but-- no, he couldn't allow this. At the very least, she had to remain within the patient blocks, and that narrowed down their options to... precisely one option, in fact. He'd thought of it before, but thinking of it and having her accept it were two entirely different things.

"Euphy expressed an interest in reviving the patient-run clinic," he said slowly, not taking his eyes off of her. "As you may recall, a woman named Raine has since taken over, and while I'm not yet convinced she's suited for the position, I have been considering setting up an office of sorts nearby where I can work and meet with various people of interest."

Here he paused, still visibly reluctant even though it was his most favored solution. Depending on how things went, it was possible that this nighttime location wouldn't be easily accessible to Nunnally, and while he would be perfectly happy to escort her to it each night, that would leave them both exposed to attack for much longer than he was willing to accept. Having this office in either of their rooms was not an option, however, which meant... "Both the clinic and I would appreciate your assistance."

Nunnally had almost expected him to protest more, but -- if he had an idea, and one with which she could help, then that would make sense. A clinic sounded like a good idea, even; if nights were as dangerous as people claimed, then the injured would need somewhere to go for aid. And if it was Euphemia's wish to work with the clinic, then that was all the more reason for her to do so as well. It could be an enjoyable task, even, with Euphemia there to share it.

Even though she really didn't know very much about tending to the wounded, she could always learn. And if nothing else, perhaps they would need someone to fold bandages and tend to organization while the trained medical staff worked. (There was trained staff, was there not? It had sounded like that was true, from what she'd read.) And it would have to be in a relatively safe location, meaning that both she and Lelouch would keep out of harm's way if he planned to stay near. It seemed like a good solution for the both of them.

She studied him for a moment longer, then smiled and nodded in agreement. "I would be pleased to help, wherever and however I can."

Day 49: Evening - Bus 3

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