sleepyhollowed | IC Inbox for redshiftrp

Hello, Kieran.

[Her voice might be soft, but her accent is as heavy and unmistakable as ever. She's working on the volume one needs to speak when talking on the phone, so forgive her if it's all over the place.]

I have learned to make personal calls, and thought I would make one to you. Are you better?

[If nothing else, the musical lilts and the stark changes in volume make for wonderful distraction from the fact that he's going to have to tell another person what happened.]

[Kieran finds the correct sequence of buttons that he needs to press to respond, sighs, and then returns Elleru's message (albeit with far less cheer).]

C-Congratulations, Elleru. And, uh, th-thanks fer thinkin' of me. I mean it.

[Monotone aside, Kieran truly is grateful that she thought of him. He wasn't exactly used to making a lasting impression on anyone, let alone a pretty lady.]

[But now here comes the hard part.]

As fer me feelin' better, I-I, I'm not coughin' or sneezin' anymore, so the cold's gone at least.

I'm in th-the medbay fer a different reason, though. N-Nothin' serious.

[Except it's very serious and Kieran is a terrible liar.]

[There's a quiet little gasp on her end.]

Oh no! It is not serious you say, but is bad enough for you to be in the hospital. Would it be impolite to visit? I will keep you company.

[Hnnnngh... no, it wouldn’t be impolite for Elleru to show up. It’s something that any supportive friend would want to do. It would most certainly be impolite to say “No, thank you, I’m a bit busy wallowing in self-pity, can we take a rain check for when I’m actually okay with my current shitty situation? Thaaaannnnksssss.”]

[So, even though he’s not feeling up to it, Kieran agrees.]

S-Sure. You can come over i-if you want.

I just. Uh. Won’t be good company is all.

You will not be the worst company I have had.

[That's... a compliment? It's supposed to be.]

I will see you shortly. Should I bring anything to you? A gift?

[...You know what? He'll take it. He's had way worse compliments in the past.]

Nah, you don't have to bring any gifts or anythin'.

[Why would someone want to bring him a gift? WHAT DO YOU SAY TO SUCH A NICE GESTURE LIKE THAT???]

Th-Thanks, though.

It is my pleasure, Kieran.

[Spoiler: she's bringing a gift anyway. Ami taught her how to make paper flowers, and everyone in Anchor might end up with a dozen or so of these things by the time she's decided she's mastered the craft. She knocks on the door (very polite by upright standards, or so she's been told) once she finally finds his room in the Medbay, and waits at the threshold to be told she should enter. She's working on those upright manners.]

I have arrived. I hope you have not changed your mind?

[Kieran has only been practicing maneuvering around the room for a couple of days now, but he's gotten better at it. He's at the point where he's not constantly bumping into things, at least. So when Elleru knocks, it's when Kieran happens to already be standing up, trying to mentally map whatever he can.]

H-Hang on! I'll get the door for you.

[It's a matter of manners, yes, but it's also a matter of proving he's still functional. Nobody else has really doubted that, at least not openly, but as time and anxiety has set in, Kieran's managed to tell that to himself more than enough.]

[It takes a couple of tries, but he manages to hit the handle, and the door slides open.]

Hello.

[He's not sure where he should 'look', so he faces straight ahead, eyes shut. It's to protect his eyes, sure, since he has no blink reflex now... but it's also to make things just a little less weird.]

[Elleru waits patiently on the other side of the door, her smile brightening when Kieran opens it for her -- not that he sees it, given his eyes are closed. Her own grin remains, but her brow knits in confusion.]

Hello, Kieran. [She's always going to put a little extra emphasis on that R, apparently. She offers him the paper flower, its fragility evident through touch, even if its vibrant, purple color is not.] You may open your eyes to see the gift I have brought you. There is no need to delay your surprise.

[Oh no. Oh no she's so nice and now he's going to have to explain that he won't be able to see this undoubtedly amazing gift.]

[Kieran clears his throat and turns his face away from Elleru, embarrassment dictating his movements even if there's no point in avoiding eye contact. He plays with the stem of the paper flower, careful not to damage the material, although he can't be sure as to what it is.]

I-It's not 'cause you brought me somethin'.

I'm, I'm here 'cause I c-can't see anymore. It's n-not that I'm sick or anythin', so, uh, s-so don't worry about that. As far as I kn-know, whatever's goin' around doesn't cause blindness.

Somethin' else happened, instead.

[There that should cover most of the answers to the questions he's been getting without going into the gritty details, right?]

[Kieran can't see the way Elleru's head tilts further to the side, her smile still worn up until he says she can't see -- that something happened and that he is blind as the result. She is a priestess of her people, not a guardian or a hunter; however, she cannot help the protective streak that rises in her, her temper flaring at a single, damning thought. Something happened to Kieran, who has been nothing but kind to her. Too kind, perhaps. Was it his kindness that allowed him to be hurt? Did someone take advantage of what they saw as a weakness? He did not blind himself, surely, and he assures her the sickness does not rob one of their sight.

She jumps to the immediate conclusion that someone must have done this to him, and it's a good thing he can't see, or he'd bear witness to the fury that fills her eyes, her pupils little more than slits. A low rumble rattles its way out of her throat as she clasps her hands over his, careful not to crush his gift.]

Who has done this to you?

[The hairs on the back of Kieran’s neck stand on end when he hears the beginnings of that rumble and the pressure of Elleru’s hands on his. He’s confident that she’s not going to do anything to him, but he has a feeling that anyone who manages to get on her bad side is in for a world of hurt.]

Th-They ain’t around anymore! It was, uh, i-it was people from back where I’m from! They showed up outta the blue and just... y’know.

[His brow furrows. How can he explain this without getting into gruesome detail?]

They got back at me. F-Fer somethin’ I did. As far as I know, th-they’re dead now. A c-couple of my friends, they, uh, they t-took care of ‘em.

[There's a moment of silence where Elleru contemplates if Kieran is telling her the truth, but she seems to accept his explanation, giving his hands one more reassuring squeeze as the last of her growl reverberates through the air. She's not sure why uprights would do something so horrible to one of their own kind, or if what Kieran did was worth being blinded, but she can see how nervous he is already. He has been wounded, and she need not remind him of that further... for now.

Her voice softens, nothing but sweetness for Kieran himself.

What is it I may do for you, Kieran?

[She may not be a guardian, but he needs to be protected, clearly. But how?]

Edited 2019-11-18 19:28 (UTC)

I don't... it's...

[Elleru is being so nice about everything and Kieran has no idea how to deal with it. He has no idea what she can do for him--he has no idea what he can do for himself at this point. It's a new, terrifying aspect of life that he's never had to deal with before: both this new way he has to find his way in the world, and in the fact that he actually has a healthy sum of people who care enough to want to help him.]

[This new affliction is overwhelming on all fronts, and he's not equipped to deal with any of it.]

[Kieran's tone is quiet and his head hangs low when he responds.]

...I don't know.

[Oh, oh no. He sounds so... uncertain and afraid, and Elleru can't help how her heart bleeds for him in that moment. One hand trails from his up his arm, running along him to the shoulder, then neck, then finally coming to rest at the side of his face, contact kept the whole way so he could feel her intent in lieu of seeing it. When she speaks, her frown is practically audible.]

It is all right, Kieran. [She rubs a thumb along his cheek and lets out a soft warble, which might be her way of shushing someone comfortingly.] We will find what I may do for you together. You will help me as I help you.

[It’s hard for Kieran, his nature as panicky and nervous as ever, to remain still when Elleru runs her hand up his arm and to the side of his face. If he didn’t trust her so implicitly, he would’ve flinched back and away the moment her touch started traveling, but he remains steadfast, stiff at first but then relaxing once her palm comes to its final resting place. One thing he can’t help, however, is the way his cheeks heat up, and how he’s positive that the tips of his ears are blazing red. The embarrassment is enough to keep his back straight and his jaw set for just a couple of seconds before he surrenders to that innate need for comfort and relaxes his stance so his face presses into Elleru's palm.]

[It makes him long for the few moments back home where he'd gotten the chance to enjoy a woman's touch. Not in a way that's based in any romantic or sexual overtones--Lord knows he lacks any sort of meaningful experience in that area--but in that gentle warmth that's missing when it comes to any sort of companionship with his male friends. They were always too rough, too overtly callous, too abrasive when it came to Kieran's innate benignity. It's an unfortunate societal byproduct of his time: men were expected to be hard, tough, and mired in emotional stoicism unless surrounded by their most intimate of friends and family, but that simply wasn't him. Still, Kieran had no such outlet, nobody he could bond with and trust that deeply, platonic or otherwise.]

Thanks.

[His voice barely rises above a whisper, but then he clears his throat.]

Sorry, I'm bein' rude. Wanna come in? I don't... uh... I can't really offer much outside of some food, but yer welcome inside.

[Kieran can't see the way Elleru beams as he leans into her palm, but she certainly does, pleased her bid to comfort him seems to have worked. She can't fight away all his fears and uncertainty, but she's determined to try. Even if she helps him only a little, that's still more than not at all; she will take what progress she makes, however small.

She removes her hand from his face, the one holding his hand tightening approvingly.]

Your company is all I seek this day. Come. We will sit, unless you would like me to lead you somewhere. We could walk.

[Kieran's head immediately perks up at the prospect of a walk. Just the idea of leaving this place is enough to excite him.]

Really? You'll go outside with me?

[Somewhere in the back of his mind, Kieran can't help but feel utterly disheartened over his exponential enthusiasm over a walk of all things. As if he's been relegated to drawing as much pleasure as possible from the things he'd taken for granted now that he's lost just a smidgeon of his autonomy. Just a couple of weeks ago, going outside was only a matter of opening up a door and stepping through. Now he needs to wait until someone is around to guide him, and make sure they have the time, and that was assuming he could get over his initial misgivings over being a burden to his friends, despite their insistence otherwise.]

[But he has to put that aside. Elleru's made a gracious offer, and he can't turn it down.]

I-I ain't sure if I'm dressed to go, but I'll do it.

[He's wearing a simple hospital gown--shirt and pants, thankfully. As a bonus, not only is the gown clean, but for the first time in a while, so is he, thanks to those robots.]

[There's just the matter of finding something for his feet.]

[Elleru lets out a single, chirp-like chuckle at Kieran's. reaction.]

You are dressed enough. And if someone says you are not, they will speak to me.

[She's not wearing shoes either, after all. She gives his hand a little tug.]

If you are ready, then let us go.

[Kieran’s face lights up in a grin, his misgivings from moments before giving way to the excitement of some sort of adventure.]

Okay, yeah! Lead the way!

[He’s still holding the paper flower close to his chest, unsure what to do with it, so his gait is a little more awkward than usual, but that’s okay. Kieran is used to awkward. It’s almost comforting in its familiarity.]

Where’re we headed to?

[In good news, Kieran is nearly Elleru's height, so their gaits line up well enough for them to walk at a good pace; she keeps her steps even, a little slower than normal to help him keep up as she leads the way.]

To the park. It is my favorite place. You have been there?

[Although Elleru's steps are smooth and even, Kieran takes a little while to match. He thought he'd gotten used to the manufactured smoothness of Anchor's floors, but without his sight to help him balance and accommodate his movements, the lack of minute bumps and slopes is amplified by what feels like hundreds of times. It just doesn't feel natural--he'll be glad for when they actually make it to the park. Nature, no matter how manmade, will always have those tiny imperfections that are predictable in how unpredictable they could be.]

Yeah! A few times when I was finished with work over at the ranch and needed a break. I didn't get a chance to look around too much, though.

It, uh, it's different than I'm used to seein' back home. There ain't much need fer parks when you got all that nature surroundin' ya.

[Thankfully, Elleru is keeping an eye out for Kieran, watching him carefully as he walks. She doesn't release his hand, but she's absolutely ready to catch and carry him to the park, if need be.]

I, too, live in the wilderness. I am not used to it being isolated as it is here, kept in one or two areas, as in a city. It is very different. Not bad, but... different.

[Kieran nods. He totally gets that feeling.]

That’s a good way to put it.

[Back home, cities represented the antithesis of freedom. They were closed in, suffocating, and mired in bureaucracy. Kieran had learned to dislike the very notion of cities, but his short time in Anchor has definitely made him a bit more open to the concept. Especially if he could still have a taste of the outdoors.]

D-Do you mind tellin’ me more about where you lived?

I lived in the woods at the base of a mountain. It was a colony of my kind.

[And that's a term she's coming to realize might mean something different to uprights than it would to her people. She continues.]

Each of us there had our dens, and our roles to play. Some are priestesses, like me. Others were born to protect our people, and some, our lands. The forest could be a very dangerous place for someone who was not of our kind, but we could always see the way home.

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