[ As her coughing had subsided, she'd finally allowed the warming bubble she had sustained to dissipate. Initially, she offered no response to his request that she lie down, having had something more odd than blood, chestnut and red rose petals in her throat. It necessitates a pinch to draw whatever it was from out of her throat. A near-gag later, there's what appears to be fair portion of prickleless stem between her fingers and her eyes are half-lidded for her efforts.
Lying down sounds like a good idea now that she can maybe begin to attempt to catch her breath, so she does, and on her side like he'd asked with her mask at rest beneath her chin. It's almost entirely her blood she smells; it's certainly all she tastes, and that... is that fine? It's not. The roots are piercing her lungs and her body is trying to heal the wounds, making her hot, too hot.
Still, she can muddle through her thoughts. She's been listening to Hoshina speak, thinking, watching him. Kind of hates how far away from her he is right now. She didn't want that, she just... didn't want to risk hurting him if the scent of his blood in the air got to be too much. ]
Hmm?
[ Just loud enough to be heard. How? That's what she's asking, bloodied fingers fiddling with the hem of her dress. Pulled up a little? Just enough to allow a little circulation. She's cold, but she knows she's hot. ]
[ Seeing her start to lie down, on her side like he asked, drew a small smile from his lips, head tipping aside, his bowlcut bangs sticking in place from the sweat glazing his forehead. As he sat there, contemplating getting up, wishing his muscles to move, Shiro meowed and used him as a stepping stone to climb up and walk across the window sill.
Watching as Nao pulled and gagged those stems out, making him swallow and chew what was left in his own mouth, not wanting to have to do the same and possibly throw up (he didn't have much of a gag reflex after all.) After he was done clearing his own throat, he pushed himself forward, crawling over to the bed, feeling up to the basin at the skin on his way and grabbing a sodden wet cloth. ]
You're origins are shutting down. The fever is heating you up to unnatural temperatures. You need to cool off before unrepeatable damage is done and you pass out, nao-chan... here, lemme help you... Please?
[ Though he asked, he had no intention of waiting for a response. Making it to the side of the bed, he knelt up and with one hand, brushed her bangs aside, squeezing some of the cool water from the flannel directly onto the forehead, smoothing it over her skin with his fingertips. ]
Don't jump... It's gonna be cold, but you need to cool down, sharpish.
[ With that said, Soshiro pressed the wet, cool cloth against her thigh, wiping across it like he was bathing her, slipping it between her legs then down under her knee, holding it there with a squeeze, trying to cool her pressure points fast. ]
[ Cold? Hot. Cold..? Hot?? The sensations muddle for a brief moment as she blinks slowly at him, her eyes ultimately resting half-lidded. He's closer now. That's good, what she wants. She just needs to rest a minute before she pulls enough of herself together to speak and speak the right things.
Nevermind that she can't really afford a minute, or can she? Even in this state, she's grasping her threads, quietly redirecting the energy her body would otherwise command to heal the injuries being inflicted upon her. It's the only way any attempt at cooling her down can succeed and the only reason she knows this is thanks largely to Kanemaru-kun. He's why she recognizes what Hoshina's doing. That, and the fact that Hoshina asked her to let him help her rather than told her what to do is why she does little more than tense about the clotch, where it's moved. (Some small part of her knows it wasn't a question, but he posed it as a question and it's excuse enough for her to take it.) ]
Two.
[ She doesn't marvel at how rough her voice sounds, choking back another cough and swallowing defiantly. She inhales sharply, gold-amber eyes searching briefly for his. (She shouldn't be saying this. She shouldn't say --) ]
This body, at one point if you took prints, would've registered two names.
[ Would've. ]
Once upon a time, Detective-san. [ She sighs the words and reaches... to try to boop his nose with her pointer. Stupidly, stubbornly. It's important!! ]
[ The fact that she didn't fight him off or try and say nothing cheeky or playful, let him know she was suffering. He didn't feel good by any means, but he didn't feel worse, which was enough for him to stop focusing on himself and solely on her.
Moving the cloth from under the back of her knee, he gently took hold of her ankle and raised it up so he could bath the rest of her leg before dipping it back in the sink to cool back off, considering she'd heated up the fabric. ]
Huh? Two?
[ Two what, exactly? Soshiro covered his mouth and coughed, a wilting petal splattering in his palm. That was better than the live ones from before, at least. Grabbing the wet cloth again, never minding to wring it out, as he knelt over closer to her face, gently dabbing her throat and across her collarbone, watching the water run down her skin and onto the bed beneath her. Softly, he brushed her hair back from her face as he listened.
He blinked and opened his deep violet eyes when she booped him on the nose. Keeping them open as he listened with a shake of his head and a smile. Detective-san, really now. ]
I always knew there was more to you than what meets the eye, Nao-chan.
[ The left corner of her mouth tugs slightly upward, half-lidded gold-amber greeting his deep violet and catching his smile. See? It was super important and now that her hand's mission has been accomplished, she allows it to drop and settle atop her stomach. ]
Think 'bout me much?
[ There's something more to be said, but the words die on her lips as her stomach interjects and its muscles contract suddenly, painfully. She clenches her teeth, pressing her hand and digging her fingernails through the fabric of her dress into her skin to distract from the combined pain. The roots that had been working to pierce her lungs had slowed with her initial confession, but their grasping has not. It's weaker, more sporadic than steadfast and determined, but it hasn't halted completely.
Flowers are still growing in her chest, a weight that hangs heavy and dips down from her lungs through the black hole that is her stomach into her unending Hunger.
It dulls and she gasps, not quite relaxing completely, but the direction is there. It happened so fast; and yet, it seemed like a forever.
Right then. She shouldn't -- ]
One's legally deceased.
[ -- and yet, she does. She wills herself to push past the pain and tension attempting to seize her yet again, to rebel against the disease, to speak these small, monumental truths to him. Just a few when she wants to tell him everything. ]
This [ -- and she blinks twice rapidly -- ] is and isn't my true eye color. I [ -- and here, she trails off, her eyes flickering briefly to his lips, where they linger a second too long before returning to find his eyes -- "I really wanna kiss you," that's what she wants to say, but those red words are swallowed in favor of attempting a deep breath ] -- my favorite ice cream is those little balls from that place, Dippin' Dots.
[ Finally, she pauses to let herself try to breathe, to wait and see. She should be looking inward. Instead, she's looking at him, and how. ]
[ She seemed to be settling a little, even if neither of them was out of the woods yet. At least it hadn't affected either of their sense of humour. He chuckled then softly, as he let the cloth rest against her forehead, gently caressing the side of her face with the back of his fingers, chasing a stray droplet of water as it ran down past her cheek. ]
Yeah, I do... More than I'd usually care to admit.
[ Well, if getting things off their chest was helping kill the flowers, he didn't see the harm in letting slip another little secret, huh? Seeing her wince as she holds her tummy, the way the plants will writhe and move around inside her, coating her organs and choking the space between them? Yeah, he feels helpless and it sucks. ]
Woah there, easy huh, nice slow breaths, like you told me to take. Okay so... You have two names this name and a dead one, that makes you pretty damn interesting Nao-chan. Like a secret agent or something.
[ He's trying to keep the mood light, so she doesn't slip into shock or anything. Hoshina tilts his head when she mentions her eyes, fascinated by the idea that her eyes are some other colour, that she hides for some reason. ]
Oh? What colour are they then? Are they as rare as mine, huh? And well then, soon as you're feeling better, we'll see about getting some Dippin' Dots style ice cream balls yea? Sound like a deal?"
[ He was surprisingly gentle and compassionate when trying to keep her from choking down on the petals, vines and blood she'd been coughing up. ]
[ She's breathing, and with a surer steadiness than moments earlier. It would be easy for her to go to sleep like this, listening to the sound of his voice, the backs of his fingers caressing the side of her face. She doesn't. As the roots shudder and fail, vines and leaves beginning to shrivel and wither, she hangs on his every word, his touch. She reaches, even, to catch his fingers and turns her cheek into them, eyes closed, clenching, unclenching as she tries to redirect her focus from the internal movement, the persisting pain.
Death isn't a painless affair, not even for intrusive plants, vines, and flowers.
Did he say... that he thought about her? That they'd see about getting some Dippin' Dots style ice cream as soon as she was feeling better?
He has no idea what he's saying. Couldn't possibly know, not when it came to the ice cream. The reason why that particular ice cream is her favorite, she hadn't told him that, had she? She hadn't realized until he offered that... that she really wants someone to go with her to get some. Wouldn't undo the past, couldn't bring anyone back, but to have someone go with her, maybe... maybe if it was him, she could finally do that. ]
No take-backs.
[ She breathes the words a little shakily, her body suddenly racked with a small coughing fit as beads of sweat begin to roll at a quicker pace down her head despite the cool towel resting atop her forehead.
No petals this time, just a dab of blood at the corner of her mouth as her fever breaks. That, and a bit tighter grip on his fingers. ]
I promise… And if they don’t have them here, I can wish for them for you.
[ He promises and he intends to keep that promise.
It’s hard, though, watching her suffer. Sure, it’s taking his mind off of his own pain and suffering, but it's horrible watching her fight through it. Smiling when she says ‘no take-backs’ to him, nodding and cupping her cheek in his hand as she nuzzles into it.
He was struggling, feeling his chest bubble with thick, wet clots of blood. Groaning as he noticed she was sweating more, so he dragged himself to the sink again, wringing out the cloth and wetting it again, this time, when he returned to her side, Hoshina slipped onto the bed behind her, laying on his side to spoon her as he draped an arm over her, lazily dabbing the cloth at her head and neck, hoping to sooth her even though he was feeling it again himself. ]
We just… need to break the fever… We’ll be fine come morning… I just know it.
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no subject
Lying down sounds like a good idea now that she can maybe begin to attempt to catch her breath, so she does, and on her side like he'd asked with her mask at rest beneath her chin. It's almost entirely her blood she smells; it's certainly all she tastes, and that... is that fine? It's not. The roots are piercing her lungs and her body is trying to heal the wounds, making her hot, too hot.
Still, she can muddle through her thoughts. She's been listening to Hoshina speak, thinking, watching him. Kind of hates how far away from her he is right now. She didn't want that, she just... didn't want to risk hurting him if the scent of his blood in the air got to be too much. ]
Hmm?
[ Just loud enough to be heard. How? That's what she's asking, bloodied fingers fiddling with the hem of her dress. Pulled up a little? Just enough to allow a little circulation. She's cold, but she knows she's hot. ]
no subject
Watching as Nao pulled and gagged those stems out, making him swallow and chew what was left in his own mouth, not wanting to have to do the same and possibly throw up (he didn't have much of a gag reflex after all.) After he was done clearing his own throat, he pushed himself forward, crawling over to the bed, feeling up to the basin at the skin on his way and grabbing a sodden wet cloth. ]
You're origins are shutting down. The fever is heating you up to unnatural temperatures. You need to cool off before unrepeatable damage is done and you pass out, nao-chan... here, lemme help you... Please?
[ Though he asked, he had no intention of waiting for a response. Making it to the side of the bed, he knelt up and with one hand, brushed her bangs aside, squeezing some of the cool water from the flannel directly onto the forehead, smoothing it over her skin with his fingertips. ]
Don't jump... It's gonna be cold, but you need to cool down, sharpish.
[ With that said, Soshiro pressed the wet, cool cloth against her thigh, wiping across it like he was bathing her, slipping it between her legs then down under her knee, holding it there with a squeeze, trying to cool her pressure points fast. ]
no subject
Nevermind that she can't really afford a minute, or can she? Even in this state, she's grasping her threads, quietly redirecting the energy her body would otherwise command to heal the injuries being inflicted upon her. It's the only way any attempt at cooling her down can succeed and the only reason she knows this is thanks largely to Kanemaru-kun. He's why she recognizes what Hoshina's doing. That, and the fact that Hoshina asked her to let him help her rather than told her what to do is why she does little more than tense about the clotch, where it's moved. (Some small part of her knows it wasn't a question, but he posed it as a question and it's excuse enough for her to take it.) ]
Two.
[ She doesn't marvel at how rough her voice sounds, choking back another cough and swallowing defiantly. She inhales sharply, gold-amber eyes searching briefly for his. (She shouldn't be saying this. She shouldn't say --) ]
This body, at one point if you took prints, would've registered two names.
[ Would've. ]
Once upon a time, Detective-san. [ She sighs the words and reaches... to try to boop his nose with her pointer. Stupidly, stubbornly. It's important!! ]
no subject
Moving the cloth from under the back of her knee, he gently took hold of her ankle and raised it up so he could bath the rest of her leg before dipping it back in the sink to cool back off, considering she'd heated up the fabric. ]
Huh? Two?
[ Two what, exactly? Soshiro covered his mouth and coughed, a wilting petal splattering in his palm. That was better than the live ones from before, at least. Grabbing the wet cloth again, never minding to wring it out, as he knelt over closer to her face, gently dabbing her throat and across her collarbone, watching the water run down her skin and onto the bed beneath her. Softly, he brushed her hair back from her face as he listened.
He blinked and opened his deep violet eyes when she booped him on the nose. Keeping them open as he listened with a shake of his head and a smile. Detective-san, really now. ]
I always knew there was more to you than what meets the eye, Nao-chan.
no subject
Think 'bout me much?
[ There's something more to be said, but the words die on her lips as her stomach interjects and its muscles contract suddenly, painfully. She clenches her teeth, pressing her hand and digging her fingernails through the fabric of her dress into her skin to distract from the combined pain. The roots that had been working to pierce her lungs had slowed with her initial confession, but their grasping has not. It's weaker, more sporadic than steadfast and determined, but it hasn't halted completely.
Flowers are still growing in her chest, a weight that hangs heavy and dips down from her lungs through the black hole that is her stomach into her unending Hunger.
It dulls and she gasps, not quite relaxing completely, but the direction is there. It happened so fast; and yet, it seemed like a forever.
Right then. She shouldn't -- ]
One's legally deceased.
[ -- and yet, she does. She wills herself to push past the pain and tension attempting to seize her yet again, to rebel against the disease, to speak these small, monumental truths to him. Just a few when she wants to tell him everything. ]
This [ -- and she blinks twice rapidly -- ] is and isn't my true eye color. I [ -- and here, she trails off, her eyes flickering briefly to his lips, where they linger a second too long before returning to find his eyes -- "I really wanna kiss you," that's what she wants to say, but those red words are swallowed in favor of attempting a deep breath ] -- my favorite ice cream is those little balls from that place, Dippin' Dots.
[ Finally, she pauses to let herself try to breathe, to wait and see. She should be looking inward. Instead, she's looking at him, and how. ]
no subject
Yeah, I do... More than I'd usually care to admit.
[ Well, if getting things off their chest was helping kill the flowers, he didn't see the harm in letting slip another little secret, huh? Seeing her wince as she holds her tummy, the way the plants will writhe and move around inside her, coating her organs and choking the space between them? Yeah, he feels helpless and it sucks. ]
Woah there, easy huh, nice slow breaths, like you told me to take. Okay so... You have two names this name and a dead one, that makes you pretty damn interesting Nao-chan. Like a secret agent or something.
[ He's trying to keep the mood light, so she doesn't slip into shock or anything. Hoshina tilts his head when she mentions her eyes, fascinated by the idea that her eyes are some other colour, that she hides for some reason. ]
Oh? What colour are they then? Are they as rare as mine, huh? And well then, soon as you're feeling better, we'll see about getting some Dippin' Dots style ice cream balls yea? Sound like a deal?"
[ He was surprisingly gentle and compassionate when trying to keep her from choking down on the petals, vines and blood she'd been coughing up. ]
no subject
Death isn't a painless affair, not even for intrusive plants, vines, and flowers.
Did he say... that he thought about her? That they'd see about getting some Dippin' Dots style ice cream as soon as she was feeling better?
He has no idea what he's saying. Couldn't possibly know, not when it came to the ice cream. The reason why that particular ice cream is her favorite, she hadn't told him that, had she? She hadn't realized until he offered that... that she really wants someone to go with her to get some. Wouldn't undo the past, couldn't bring anyone back, but to have someone go with her, maybe... maybe if it was him, she could finally do that. ]
No take-backs.
[ She breathes the words a little shakily, her body suddenly racked with a small coughing fit as beads of sweat begin to roll at a quicker pace down her head despite the cool towel resting atop her forehead.
No petals this time, just a dab of blood at the corner of her mouth as her fever breaks. That, and a bit tighter grip on his fingers. ]
no subject
[ He promises and he intends to keep that promise.
It’s hard, though, watching her suffer. Sure, it’s taking his mind off of his own pain and suffering, but it's horrible watching her fight through it. Smiling when she says ‘no take-backs’ to him, nodding and cupping her cheek in his hand as she nuzzles into it.
He was struggling, feeling his chest bubble with thick, wet clots of blood. Groaning as he noticed she was sweating more, so he dragged himself to the sink again, wringing out the cloth and wetting it again, this time, when he returned to her side, Hoshina slipped onto the bed behind her, laying on his side to spoon her as he draped an arm over her, lazily dabbing the cloth at her head and neck, hoping to sooth her even though he was feeling it again himself. ]
We just… need to break the fever… We’ll be fine come morning… I just know it.