voidseeing | [Accidental Voice/Action]

[The journal pops open as it hits the ground, the camera pointed straight upwards into the trees. There's nothing to be seen other than branches and leaves, and at first it may seem like just an accident... but the sounds that it picks up make it very clear this isn't just someone being careless and letting their journal fall out of a bag. In fact, the very first thing that anyone will hear is the sharp report of a gunshot, followed immediately by yelling.]

Law! Behind you!

On it. Room. [There’s a flash and the branches and leaves are now washed out by a blue glow. There’s the sound of a growl, the snap of electricity, and then an explosion.] Watch out! They’re swarming!

[Two more gunshots echo over the journals.]

Damn it... how many of them are there?

Can’t tell yet, Gai. [More explosions, and the crack of wood being torn apart. Then the groan and thud of trees crashing down.] They’re still coming out of the woodwork.

[Another shot.]

Guess we should be honored they felt we needed this much of a welcoming committee.

Goodness knows I’m flattered. [Metal clanging.] Perhaps this is what they think consists of therapy. [A crack.] Ugh. Well, if they’re offering, who am I to refuse? I’ve got a few issues to work out…

Too bad I prefer my therapy to be one on one.

[Another clang, then a thud. There's another wash of light, this time silver rather than blue-- a light that should be very familiar to a certain Shu Ouma if he happens to be looking into the journal while all of this is going down.

The sounds of combat continue for a while longer, at last dwindling down to an almost painful silence. This silence lingers for a long moment, heavy, until Gai's voice finally breaks it, exhausted yet triumphant.]

... they'd better not charge us for that session.

[Anyone who happens by the Battle Dome after this little spectacle will be treated to the sight of a battered and exhausted Gai and Law surrounded by droid fragments and damaged trees. They're in surprisingly good spirits considering what just happened, though some healing would be very much appreciated right about now.]

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

[This isn't Elizabeth having second thoughts at all, though. If she had been unable to handle the stress that came with being attached to Gai, she would have been gone a while ago.]

Didn't I tell you that I'm too stubborn not to worry anyway?

You've got a point.

[He takes another experimental breath, wincing again. Yep, that's definitely no mere bruise.]

Ugh... I could've done without remembering how much of a pain cracked ribs are.

Think we both could.

[Law finally speaks.] Though I'm thankful neither of us has a concussion. Hate those...

Well... ah...

[Elizabeth goes back into her med kit and pulls out a small book from the library on injury care. She flips through it (several other passages are bookmarked with different colored ribbon, but they all appear to be for treatment of severe injury). Eventually she comes to it and reads.]

A bandage isn't going to help in this case, you both need painkillers. So you can continue to breathe properly. I think I have something...

[At least she'd ditched the heroin the minute she'd read about the horrific side effects. Now she has tamer, less addictive, painkillers. Like morphine!]

[She finds the vial and a very serious-looking syringe and starts preparing to fill it. Every motion suggests this isn't her first time doing this, too.]

[Gai is no stranger to painkillers, that much is for certain, nor to needles and injections. Though if Elizabeth looks closely at his face, she might notices the slightest hint of discomfort on his face of a sort that doesn't seem to be from the pain he's currently in.]

More morphine?

[He's torn between being relieved and being uneasy, though he's trying to hide it.]

I do have pills. [Elizabeth is all ready to go with the injection, though. And she's just holding it there like it's the most natural thing ever.]

But they're not as strong. And this would be faster, but if you have an issue with needles...

[It was a legitimate fear, after all.]

[She's holding it far too close to him for comfort; Gai's eyes are fixed on the syringe, his breathing speeding up enough to be noticeable.

Did she say something to him? He isn't exactly paying attention to that...]

[Elizabeth's eyebrows come together when she takes note of Gai's breathing. He's hyperventilating, clearly. And obviously, had Elizabeth known he would react like this, she never would have brought it out.]

Alright, alright. [Elizabeth has the cap back on it and into the bag in a few seconds. She casts a quick glance at Law, thinking that Law must think she was the worst doctor and girlfriend ever, and then reaches to stroke Gai's hair.]

I'm sorry. I was on auto-pilot.

[Gai's reaction is instinctive-- when she reaches for his hair, he brings his arm up in an attempt to knock her hand away as he shrinks back against the tree trunk. Wherever he is mentally right now, it's not right there with them.

He may be looking at her, but it's clear he isn't seeing Elizabeth at all.]

Pills would be good, I think. I can take care of his ribs as soon as I'm done with mine.

[Thaaaaaat's not a good reaction. Also, it's not a reaction he's seen before. It's concerning.]

[Elizabeth pulls her arm back when Gai swats at it. Yes, pills would be good, and Elizabeth is grateful that Law can somehow fix his ribs. But Elizabeth can almost see Gai spiraling. He would never push her away unless he didn't know it was her.]

[It was going to get worse if Elizabeth didn't bring him out of it, though. Obviously touching him didn't work, and her next thought is to shout until he snaps out of it. But maybe shouting would only make it worse.]

[So she looks at Law again, half apologetic, half nervous, because she's about to sing in front of him.]

Wild flower blossoming-- I beg of you, tell me this so I know too...

[He doesn't mind the singing. Knows better than to interrupt, or do anything except settle and wait. They all had their demons and he's grateful it's only her and him witnessing it.

Honestly this is probably the best way to deal with this.

So he waits and lets her sing. The rest is in Gai's court for the moment.]

[Slowly, gradually, the recognition returns to Gai's eyes as Elizabeth sings. He's still shaken, to be sure, but he's no longer lost in his own mind and seeing something that isn't there, whatever that something might be.

He shuts his eyes and takes a few deep breaths in an attempt to ground himself. There's a part of him that's embarrassed over having so little control over something he thought he'd managed to put behind him years ago, and he almost doesn't want to open his eyes and see the looks on Elizabeth and Law's faces.]

[Elizabeth can actually sing past the first two lines this time--she learned all the words after that afternoon. She keeps on it until Gai closes his eyes. Then she reaches for Gai's hair again.]

Ibuprofen, wouldn't you say Mr. Law?

Ibuprofen will work perfectly, Miss Elizabeth.

[Carrying on as normal. If Gai wants to acknowledge what happened, Law for his part will allow him to bring it up on his own terms. Otherwise it's business as usual.]

[Although the contact with his hair causes a slight flinch, this time he doesn't shrink away from her touch and instead just focuses on his breathing. In, out, in, out, nice and steady and even.

He doesn't want to address it, honestly. He'd rather act like it never happened, but at the same time, he feels guilty for no doubt upsetting them both.]

... sorry about that.

There's nothing to apologize for, it's alright. [Elizabeth smiles and tries to match her stroking to Gai's breathing.]

I'll just go get something for you to swallow these pills with. [She stands up so she can head to the Battle Dome's vending machines.]

Don't worry about it. [Law's voice is quiet as he takes his hand off his ribs.]

When you're ready, I can take care of your ribs if you want.

[At last Gai opens his eyes and manages a shaky little smile at them. He still looks pale and shaken, but at least he's aware of his surroundings now.]

The sooner the better.

...oh, right. Then I'll leave it to you, Mr. Law. [Elizabeth settles back down onto the ground, out of the way so Law can work. She seems eager enough to see Gai returned to health, but... well...]

[Some medical help she turned out to be.]

Don't blame yourself. You didn't know.

[This is directed at Elizabeth. It isn't hard to tell that she's feeling guilty over this, even if she won't say anything about it.]

I didn't know.

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