FA'E: Taka's Diary (Konaru is Guardian)

[Neiith]

Snapchat from username: 'cheesecakeforlolz'
Who's a hot mama NOW

[Taka Elsu]

Snapchat & the Accident

Blazing sun. A cement road that never seemed to end. Soft, whispering wind. The only disruption was a motorcycle that zoomed by at a reckless speed.

How did it get to this point? Life used to be so much simpler. Play a gig a day, wink at some fangirls, sign some posters... That was a lie, of course. Girls had always been a constant thorn in Taka's side. Kapu tormenting him, his nagging mother, Dawna's rollercoaster love. And then, of course, there was... her.

She'd always been there, for as long as he could remember. Copper skin, golden curls, big doe eyes and an unassuming grin. He couldn't seem to get that face out of his mind. He'd traveled the whole world, been chased by every type of beauty that existed. They winked, they giggled, they bought him drinks. Some were even so bold as to invite him to their place. But they all paled in comparison. When would he forget the smell of cheesecake and the sound of childish giggles? Could he forget it? It haunted him even during the sleepless nights.

Speaking of haunting, Kapu's presence grew ever stronger. He needed Kia more than ever, but he'd never admit it. She'd just laugh at him. She would probably hold onto Ra and smugly laugh at his weakness. Ra would give that condescending smirk and make some snide remark... Ugh.

You know... she's just mocking you...

A slithering voice whispered into the wind as he pushed his motorbike to the limits. Of course, he knew it wasn't the wind. It was Kapu. It was always Kapu. How sad was it that his sole companion was his deceased sister? She wasn't even really a friend. Acquaintance? Rival? Bane of his existence? He wasn't sure what to call her. Sometimes her presence soothed him, other times it tormented him. This was the latter.

He couldn't argue. He couldn't muster the strength to tell her she was wrong. Kia wouldn't do that. Kia wasn't the type of girl who would try to spite him. She was innocent, sweet, naive.

As he rationalized the sudden contact from his long lost lover, even he didn't believe his own thoughts. It was maddening. Why? Why now? Why after all this time? Why at all?

It was true, there was a time when he thought they might make up. It was a chance encounter, but it was enough to re-ignore the flames of lost passion. Was it his fault? Maybe he should've cancelled the tour. Is that what she wanted back then? For him to give up the life of a touring musician? Take up the life of a family man? Work a boring job, come home, kiss his wife, hug his children, sit on a couch and watch Captain Planet cartoons with his quaint little family...

That was never him. He had to make a difference. He had to go against the grain. He had to upset the status quo. He had to make something of himself! Was it his desire for something more to life what cost him his Egyptian Goddess? He'd never know. Never understand.

Yet, here she was, inserting herself back into his life after all this time. It was like some kind of cruel, twisted joke.

-CLUNK!-

A high tech smartphone went flying and shattered into pieces as the motorcycle's speed hastened. Insecurity. Confusion. Blazing, racing, flying. Almost as if the bike itself was in an angry rage. A smoke cloud was the only thing left behind as the young Fa'e took his bike to the limits. Faster. Faster. Faster.

Maybe the faster he went, the more he'd forget. But he didn't forget, couldn't forget. His mind was racing faster than the wheels of the bike, and it seemed this would continue on for an eternity. A never ending race on a never ending road. That is, until he heard the looming sounds of...

-BEEP BEEP BEEP!-

Wait... horns?

Both bike and truck swerved, but it wasn't enough to stop a purple-skinned, green-haired boy from flying off and tumbling into the nearby dirt and mud. The truck was dented, the bike in shambles.

"Stupid ******** snapchat..." were the last few words mumbled by the frazzled boy before he drifted into unconsciousness.

[Taka Elsu]

Captain Planet- Hospitalized!

"He's stable, Doc!"

It was dark and cold. Freezing metal and icy hands. What was that sound? Taka drifted in and out of consciousness as he tried to make sense of what was happening. Why were these people crowding around him? Stable? What did they mean? He was just riding his motorcycle... it was warm and sunny... the wind was zooming alongside him... and then...

"He's fading again. Transfer him."

News reporters shuffled outside the hospital trying to get a peek. Journalists jotted down every detail as the crowd gathered and whispered.

"What happened?"
"Who is it?"
"I heard he's famous."
"I bet it was attempted suicide!"
"Does he even have family?"
"I wonder who will inherit all this money, haha!"

Some of them were fans, some had never heard of him. Some were young, some old. There was laughing, hushed giggles, and spiteful jokes. Staring and gawking.

Humanity is disgusting.

Kapu seethed as she frantically paced back and forth. Well, more like floated in a circle. She was a ghost, a mere shadow of her former self, she could do nothing for her injured twin now. It was fight or flight, survive or die, and everything depended on his will to live. This was Taka! Captain Planet! Hero boy! Never-Give-Up Taka! He'd be fine, right...?

[Neiith]

Kia had the internet. She knew what was being said about Taka right now - that the accident was deliberate, that he was on drugs, that he'd been drinking, all kinds of bad things -and it made her pretty annoyed. The whole drive in she'd checked the phone obsessively, refreshing at every red light, checking for fresh news. No. No... i]Nope.

Moterbikes should be illegal. She scowled at one as it went wizzing past and her mood didn't improve as she got closer to the hospital and the chaos outside. Kia barely paid attention to where she parked, some place that had a ticket machine and gates of financial doom, she left the car and stormed inside the hospital. No fan or journalist or anything else was getting in her way right now.

Once she had elbowed and shoved, waving flowers in the face of anyone who didn't move fast enough, Kia headed for emergency, not even waiting to ask where he was. Kia still had the ring and she held it at the first nurse who tried to stop her.

"Taka." She demanded as she waved the ring in the poor nurse's face. "Now."

Seconds later she had her goal. Some private room in the intensive care, windows with curtains half closed, already a scattering of flowers around the room.

Taka looked awful.

She froze as she caught sight of him and shut the door, her anger fading somewhat enough to shut the door quietly, sinking in the sight of a pale body hooked up to machine and under stark white hospital sheets.

"Idiot..." She breathed, stepping closer, reaching out to grasp the railing at the end of the bed. Kia wanted to shake the stupid bed for all it was worth and then take his pillow. Something in her stopped her though- she honestly was a bit too shaken by the sight for violence, so she made due with throwing her own flowers hard at the wall beside his head. "Idiot! I will buy you a car."

[Taka Elsu]

Ugh...

Taka's head throbbed as he looked around a blurry room. His eyes were hazy and watering from the dull pain. He was finally starting to remember. He was on his way to visit his home after a long tour. His phone beeped... it was Snapchat. He assumed it was one of his many fans- he offered a special V.I.P. Snapchat now, and they all adored it. He never got why his motorbike or sleepy selfies got them so excited, but whatever. But it wasn't a fangirl. It was Kia. Out of nowhere, Kia sent him a Snapchat! Where did she even get his username? The sudden contact sent him into a dazed state, and then....

That's right. He crashed. More like got plowed over by a massive truck. At least he wasn't dead. Probably.

As his vision started to focus, he noticed blankets and flowers, white walls, and a massive supply of IVs hooked up to him. Uh, wow, no. The great rockstar Taka couldn't be seen like this! Even if his very life was depending on it, who cared.

He groaned and threw the blanket to the floor, unknowingly revealing his bare chest, and started ripping out the IVs one by one.

"Get. Off. Me. You. Stupid. Machine," he grumbled outloud. Taka assumed he was thinking to himself, but in his confused state, didn't realize he was actually saying every word.

"Stupid machine. Stupid bike. Stupid fans. Stupid me. Stupid.... stupid KIA!"

And that's when he saw her. Of course- he wasn't alone in here. He'd felt another presence, but paid it no mind. It was surely a doctor or nurse, right? Or a fan? But of course not. It had to be Kia. She had to be here, staring at him, seeing him in this disasterous state... WHY?! He'd rather have broken every bone in his body than be seen by Kia. How embarrassing.

He had to say something, right? Make a joke. Tell her he was prettier than her even in this injured state! No... that would be dumb. Ask if she'd like to go for a motorcycle ride, that would surely make her laugh. Or maybe it would just make her mad... hmm. Just say hello! Right, that's easy enough. Hello, Kia, fancy meeting you here!

But those weren't the words that came out of his mouth. Instead,

"Uh... uh... wh... it's.. you."

Good going, idiot.

[K i a]

Kia had barely sat down in the chair nearby when the stupidhead started to wake. Oh, he was waking up, was he? Well- let him! She had to have words (but admittedly some of her anger and thunder was gone now that he looked so wrecked) and Kia stood up again.

When she realised this wasn't going to be instant, though, Kia flopped back down in the chair and picked up her phone again. Her eyes weren't really reading the screen, her texts only half thought out and half assed as she replied and held conversations, her real attention only on Taka as he struggled to wake up. All he had to do was twitch one eyebrow and her brown eyes would snap to him, entire body tensing, legs ready to stand.

The magic 'hold it up' ring kept nurses as bay as they went on their rounds. Kia let them reassure her that he was perfectly fine- or he would be- and she agreed.

"Yes. He will be." It was almost a threat from her perspective. Almost. She wasn't sure why she was feeling so angry about all of this, why it mattered this much to her, because Taka had more or less made it clear that he had better things with his life. Of course he did. Deep down Kia agreed- she'd always been very impressed with his new life, the music he did, the life he lived, and how many people he made happy. Deep down, though Kia didn't want to admit it, she'd always known he was more of a superhero as a rock star. And ... deep down Kia felt like if he'd been with her then he wouldn't have been a superhero. She would have ruined that for him. Clipped wings. Kryptonite. She would destroy the hero and be a villain if she stayed with him.

Better to support him.

"You have to have moterbikes." She muttered, irate now, that emotion much easier for Kia to cope with than anything else. "Moterbikes are villains. I will buy you a Kia."

It was a joke. Sort of. Kia had been endlessly amused by the line of 'Kia' cars and had threatened to buy Tiegan a Kia ever since Tiegan had started driving lessons. 'So Mama can watch over you and you won't get in backseats with boys in Kia.' Kia always got a good giggle out of that. Tiegan didn't.

Actually... Kia was starting to wonder if it'd be girls in backseats with Tiegan. Even halfway through her teenage years Tiegan had cut off all her hair and liked to dress like a boy. Kia had even found Taka's music on Tiegan's phone.

"You should see her Taka. I think she is more like you." Kia said quietly as he muttered something about machines. "She dresses a bit like you. Don't tell her I said that. I always want her to look pretty."

Taka continued to mutter, time passing between it, and as he muttered his voice grew.

Then, suddenly, he was awake. Flinging IV lines and stuff all over the place. Shouting almost. Kia had stood but when she heard 'STUPID KIA' spat out she stepped back, away from the rising fa'e, almost out of self-defense.

And there he was. Competely awake. Like stupid Kia was a stupid magic spell to wake up the sleeping superhero.

"Um." Kia muttered. The thunder was gone... why did she feel so sad suddenly? "Sorry. It is me. Do you want me to g-"

She was cut off by the arrival of nurses- probably alerted to Taka's escape attempt by the alarm that had gone off when he tugged off the pulse monitor- and stepped back towards the door. Kia was half tempted to go. She could yell at him in snapchat. Email. Something where she didn't suddenly feel really small and kind of villiony. What was she doing here anyway?

Taka Elsu

[Taka Elsu]

"W-wait-" Taka started to dash towards Kia, not even thinking about it, before he was slammed back into the bed by what felt like an angry herd of nurses. "OOF!"

"SIR! Please, you are not yet well."

He was scowling at them and about to tell them how wrong they were. It would be easy to escape. He was still half-Fa'e, after all, he had enough strength to toss them to the ground and make a run for it. It would be easier if he still had wings, of course. But he had to get away. From the nurses, from the fans, from Kia, from everything. He needed air. He needed to be alone. He just needed a break from everything.

Just as he was about to break their hold off, he froze when he caught a glimpse of Kia's face. She looked... sad? Why? Was it because of him? Because of how awful he looked? Because of what he said? He wasn't even a part of her life anymore. She didn't need him, didn't care about him. So why...?

And just like that, he reluctantly allowed the nurses to pin him down and reattach the IVs that he had so angrily removed. He winced with each p***k, as it seemed they were quite rough and annoyed this time around. Oh well. He probably deserved it.

"Miss? I'm sorry, miss, but it's next of kin only..." One of the younger, meek nurses whispered nervously as she grabbed Kia's arm and attempted to escort her out the door.

Taka snapped up and gave them his best "don't you dare" stare as he grumbled at them, "Don't touch her. She's...!" He seemed to struggle for the right words, what was she to him? Ex-fiancee? Girl of his dreams? Girl he lost because he's an idiot?

"She's family," he muttered in embarrassment and shifted his gaze from the nurse and his ex-lover, as his purple cheeks flushed slightly.

It was always this way. Kia always took his breath away, made him stumble, made him gasp and guffaw and generally act like a fool. Why would it be any different now? Even from all the time they'd spent apart, he couldn't stand to see her eyes wide with sadness and uncertainty. Even though their love ended a long time ago, he couldn't even form coherent thoughts with her in the room.

"Oh-! I see! Is she... your... wife-" One of the nurses started but shut up instantly when Taka gave her a look that dared her to finish that sentence.

Ugh.

He groaned out loud, both confused and frustrated, and shoved his head in his hands. He would just pretend he wasn't here anymore. He didn't want to see any more concerned nurses. He didn't want to see any more shocked fans. And he certainly didn't want to see Kia's upset face. It made him want to punch himself in his stupid face. He was the only stupid one here.

As the nurses had finished their duties and began to leave for their next duty, the quiet nurse began to approach Taka, a curious and intent look in her eyes.

"You're... are you... are you Cap'n Plan*t?!?" She barely managed to squeeze the words out, her hands shaky but excited.

Taka groaned again, louder, his head still in his hands with messy hair covering whatever annoyed face he might have right now.

"I just have an uncanny resemblance to another dude with green hair and purple skin, okay?"

It was enough. He was sick of it. He didn't want the attention right now. Normally, he was all grins and jokes and practically soaked in the light of his adoring fans. But he was in pain, his injuries were throbbing, his skin prickling from the needles. He was a messy wreck. Most of all, his heart was wrenching and confused at the sight of Kia. He didn't know what to think anymore. He just wanted them all to go away! Except the other Fa'e in the room, of course. He never wanted her to go away... not really.

The nurse squeaked in surprise and scattered out the door, shooting a smile at Kia and whispering, "Let us know if there are any changes, miss!" before shutting the door and effectively locking them in the room together.

[Neiith]

((Doing this on a phone. Let's see how well that works... lol. ))

Kia froze. Guilty as charged. She wasn't next of kin... That would be his Guardian. Flashing rings apparently wouldn't work anymore.

"Right..."

She tugged it off her finger as she readied herself to grin and back off. Really. Kia had gotten herself here and wasn't getting in and delivering (or throwing) flowers mission accomplished? The warm metal band was slid carefully into the coin purse in her wallet where it lived.

Kia's eyes snapped up to Taka as obvious surprise flittered across her face. Wait. What? He wanted her to stay? Was he sure?

"Of course you want me here, " she decided, trying to muster some of the old confidence, "Why wouldn't you. It's me."

Well. Half her. Half her was gone into Nozomi.

Kia wasn't sure why she was feeling so anxious and uncertain. Why she was sad. She sat down next to him again and tried to grin. The phone in her pocket chimed and Kia glanced at it. Ra's face and bare torso stared back from his contact id. She'd been sending messages to him earlier without thinking much about it. Strangely enough now it seemed almost like an invasion of this room.

So she ignored it. Shoved the phone back into a pocket.

Kia muttered, "Does it hurt? " while she took in the owwies. It must. They needed to give him the pain killing drug. "I could get them to get the drug for you. Make the wings flame and scare them."

For emphasis she made the tips of her wing crease flame a little. Why did she have trouble looking him in the face? Kia wasn't used to feeling so uncertain. Even the sight of his bare chest made her flustered.

"You've been ..." ... working out. Kia couldn't say that. Nope. She flushed and stared at his wall of flowers instead. "... getting a lot of flowers."

[Taka Elsu]

After Taka was sure the annoying nurses were completely gone, he lowered his hands with a sigh and hesitantly peered over at Kia. He was almost positive she was going to leave despite his insistence that she was family, but there she was. Sitting right beside him. Almost as if nothing had changed.

For a while, he didn't say anything. He couldn't find the words or the strength, and just stared at Kia as if she were a ghost that might disappear. As if he was in another nightmare and would wake up to the sound of incessant phone calls from his contract manager. But there she was- smiling, carefree, breathtakingly gorgeous Kia.

He grinned at her and tried to puff out his chest to seem like he was completely unphased by all this.

"What? These little scratches! Ha ha ha! Captain Planet laughs in the face of- OW OWOWOW OWWW."

He doubled over in pain, as if the injuries were reminding him they were nothing to scoff it. He tried to laugh it off and barely managed to mutter, "Maybe just a little..." before wincing at the sting of pain from a mere chuckle. He did get practically mowed over by a truck, after all. He could play tough, but he really just wanted to cry to his mommy- not that he'd ever admit that to Kia, of course.

"The flowers?" He glanced over at them as if their very existence surprised him. He'd been so distracted with pain and Kia's presence that he hadn't even noticed. It wasn't a shock that they were nearly all from his fans. Not even his manager had bothered to drop by?! Gee, how sweet.

"I'm sure my manager will just make me repay everyone with neverending autographs... heh, what a pain." He spoke in a softer tone now as it seemed to lessen the pain.

That's when he noticed crumpled, damaged flowers beside the bed. Bent stems, flower petals, and a near wilting state- it was obvious they had been thrown at a wall. What kind of weirdo threw flowers at an injured patient?!

Wait...

"Are.. those..?" He grinned sheepishly at Kia, not sure if he was flattered by the fact she had brought flowers, or concerned about why they were tossed to the floor in a mess.

[Neiith]

Kia relaxed somewhat for a moment as her grin was mirrored by the idiot in the bed. He might have been working out (she kept her eyes away from the evidence for her own heart now) but he was still looking pretty awful and banged up. Bruises were the only thing that wasn't actually completely covered up. Beyond them she had no clue how bad he was actually injured.

She cringed at his pain. Okay. No fun. That was not fun.

"Maybe I should get pain medicine." She wondered, almost standing, though Kia's eyes drifted to the setup. She was sure that sometimes people got little button things for pain medication. Things they pressed. Didn't they? Kia's eyes roamed over the bed as she wondered aloud, "Do you have a button to press?"

The urge to cuddle up to him on the hospital bed- carefully- was rising. Kia wasn't sure where it was coming from. Deep down she just wanted to climb up there, cuddle him, and ...well, maybe not. It made her flustered to even think about it. When had he gotten so much more grown up and so much more... mature...?

Well, of course he did, he was a superhero rockstar. Didn't they need to be like this?

"Yes. For all your fans." She agreed. They would like that. They would have to wait though. Kia would make them wait and she would make this manager wait too if she had to. If only because he was Tiegan's daddy... they all had to wait till he was healed. Or else. "They will wait."

At that thought (unnoticed by her) the tips of her wing crease flared again with little curls of heated flame evaporating into the air and blackening the white wall behind.

"Those, what?" Kia blinked several times before turning to follow his gaze. Part of her was offended that they'd have dirty walls in a hospital - what was with the sooty black marks, ew!- but she was too busy swallowing down embarrassment (and still lingering sadness) under arrogance. Mostly put on. "That is what I do to you when you fall off a moterbike again."

Of course she wouldn't seriously do that.

It didn't stop her wings from doing their little angry flare again though.

[Taka Elsu]

Taka wasn't stupid. He could sense the dramatic increase in temperature from Kia's wings. For his safety and the safety of those around him, he decided to ignore it. After all, he'd rather not add 'burned by angry ex' to his injury list.

He shrugged at her concern for his pain, and of course winced again. "It's no big deal... I'm fine! I have a gig in a week, so--!"

Horror struck across his face as the thought of having to cancel it crossed his mind. He couldn't cancel his gig! He would just struggle through it. He eyed the hand covered with bandages and decided to test this theory. If he could just flex his hand, wiggle a couple fingers, that was all he needed to perform.

"AHHHHH!"

That theory didn't turn out to be very sound as he collapsed into pain again. Apparently the bandages were all there for a reason. He saw a form not too far listing all his various injuries and stitches, but was too scared to read it. Also, the very thought of moving again made him wanna cry like a newborn Fa'e. He considered asking Kia to read it to him, but the embarrassment of his situation made him decide against it.

Okay. One more time. He was Taka! The Great Captain Planet! A mere injury could not win against his Fa'e might!

He was proven wrong once again as he collapsed with a groan in pure defeat. He was suddenly regretting racing his motorcycle like an impulsive idiot.

[Neiith]

A gig in a week. A concert. Kia wasn't sure she was happy about this. Neither were her wings, for that matter, and she got even more annoyed when her phone's ring cut into the weird atmosphere in the hospital room.

"Ra- I'm not answering right now." She told Ra's contact image as she rejected his call. Why she was annoyed- Kia wasn't actually sure. Was it because Taka was injured? Was it because Taka was stupid? Was it because she really didn't know why she cared and why this all made her feel so many things? Was it because she still really liked Taka and she didn't like how uncertain and small he made her feel right now with all his famous and with all his lovers that the newspapers always talked about?

It made it hard to think.

So Kia didn't bother.

Instead she rose up, wings brushing against the side of the bed, and headed for his chart.

"I don't think you will do anything. Stop moving and press the button for pain."

Why did that statement make Kia happy? Why didn't she want him to play? She really loved that he was a rockstar. She collected everything she could and was really happy usually. Usually. Sometimes jealous. Usually happy.

"See-" She explained as she picked up his chart. "You got the hand injury- they did surgery on it. Nerve. Also..." It was weird. Kia really wanted to be sympathetic right now. Somehow she was finding it hard. "...you got ribs that are hurt. You hit your head. Fractured bone in leg and arm. Bruising everywhere. Also -" Kia frowned as she squinted at the chart. Something about skin in the ... something region. Pelvic? No... she wasn't sure. "Why do they write it in another language? I don't understand where your skin has stitches. But there are stitches somewhere."

Kia had managed to get rid of her sadness and her smallness. Maybe it was easier to be angry than it was to be sad. Maybe it was more familiar and easier. She dropped the chart as he lay there in obvious pain. The sun finally dropped low enough at this point to cast a glow across her, a rich warm orange glow, that made her skin, her hair, her wings glow as she read the chart with a furrowed brow.

"You need pain relief." She decided. The energy had returned and so had her fiestiness. Kia had a purpose now. "Not a gig. Not concerts. Can not do them."

It was just as she was deciding this for him that her wings really gave a wonderful big flare of energy. Kia's life usually revolved around being outside for this time of day, or at least in a place designed to withstand her wings (such as Ra's complex), but hospitals were not designed to be flame resistant.

Whatever beauty had been in Kia's 'sunset glow' vanished pretty fast as the curtain around Taka's bed, one of the walls, the end of Taka's bed and the empty bed nearby suddenly caught alight. Suddenly everything was glowing.

The hospital exploded into noise, panic, alarms, as Kia's angry face drained of blood.

"Woops..." She muttered. Oh. She forgot about that. Maybe being angry instead of sad wasn't the best idea.

One of the oxygen spots caught alight. There was a sudden explosion of water- a little too late- that started to drown the smaller fires and anyone in the room... except for the oxygen fire. That had clearly gotten into the wall already and although it couldn't be seen- Kia could sense that the fire building up inside that wall was going to be a bit of a problem.

"Woops."

She hurried forward, to grab Taka, a little guilty as she tried to ignore the end of the bed (and his chart) that was now charred sheet and bed frame.

[Taka Elsu]

Taka was going to tell Kia she couldn't tell hm what to do. He was going to inform her that he WOULD be on that stage, he would sign autographs, and he would pose. He was going to do what he did best-- he wasn't really sure what that was exactly, but it seemed to work with the fans. He was going to tell her that he didn't need her permission and that he was perfectly capable of taking care of himself, and had been for some time! Never mind that he lived off junk food and bourbon, and barely slept 3 or 4 hours a night... He knew what he was doing! I mean, what was she, his mother?

He was going to say all this, but suddenly couldn't form any speech. He just gaped at Kia like she had sucked all the air out of him. It was as if she was glowing like an angel. Really, it was more along the lines of fire, but to him she looked like an angel. A phoenix angel. A phoenix princess angel? Hmm. That could be a song. A phoenix princess angel....

That was going to send them all to their doom.

The room was suddenly boiling with a heat that wasn't there before, and before he had a chance to even take in what had happened, he felt his already-injured feet being singed with fire. He yelped and was soon dragged to the floor by Kia in an attempt to rescue him from her own fires. Of course, he was still hooked up to the machine with IVs, so it the valiant effort just ended in them crashing to the floor together with the machine toppling next to them. The whole room was soaked from the emergency sprinklers, clothes, hair, floor, everything.

Apparently, the nurses were so busy either trying to put out the fire or making sure it wasn't spreading to any of the other patient's rooms. No one batted an eye at the awkward entanglement of two Fa'e on a wet floor, one of them shirtless and bandaged.

And wet. Very wet.

Taka glared at Kia from behind his dripping and tousled hair. He muttered in an annoyed and exasperated tone, "You know, I know you hate me, but you don't have to kill me."

The fires had been reduced to mere sparks now, and nurses rushed about in a mad panic to save papers, file emergency reports, and chug espresso shots before they lost their minds. Taka and Kia were left alone in the room, silent aside from drips of water and flames dying out, because in the hospital panic, no one had even noticed the situation. The IVs were technically still intact and pricked into his skin for the most part, so no emergency alarms were sound on that end.

Just two wet Fa'e, one of them looking very much like a grumpy, wet puppy. There was really no other way to describe it. Grumpy. Wet. Puppy.

[Neiith]

Fire... Fire...

Kia felt it. She loved it. Warm tingles that made her skin all happy like that feeling that sometimes happened after a long happy stretch of muscles. She wanted to stretch all slow and easy. Arch her body. Sigh. Almost by pure instinct, her fingers dug in a little to Taka, her face flustered, pupils dilating, obvious pleasure on her face. There were just some ... some reactions... Kia could not help. With their history no one could have blamed Taka for possibly noticing that kind of reaction. Not that Kia could help that.

Fire.

There was just no time with more important things to do (like keep Taka from burning) so while nurses made fire die and the sprinklers soaked the two from head to toe (or bandage to bandage) Kia kept one arm tight around Taka and the other shielding him from her own wings that had folded awkwardly to one side of her with the haste of her Taka rescue.

"I forgot." She muttered sheepishly. Kia hadn't forgotten for a long time... yet somehow today she forgot. Sunset. The day was already dying and the darkness approaching. It wasn't just flushed cheeks- even without the sunlight Kia hadn't really lost the glow. The chain reaction had started- light seemed to almost come from inside her. From the pores, eyes, hair, skin and heat in her wings. No longer did this moment of the day cause Kia pain. No... that was reserved for the hour before the sunrise when the wings had to regrow themselves from scratch in the space of an hour. That part was agony. This part was not.

She tried to focus. Couldn't do the wing burn inside. Too dangerous.

"Let me fix something..." Kia was focused on the fire in the wall. It was crawling and creeping, seeking fuel and air, almost suffocated. With almost a feeling of guilt she finished that job. Suffocated it completely. The nurses had put out the other fires and they were alone in seconds- the nurses had looked pretty flustered.

"Danger over." Kia tried to grin. That grin vanished as soon as it appeared and although the sprinklers had failed to douse the obvious pleasure she had for fire... Taka's words more or less dumped a big killjoy all over Kia and ruined the moment. She literally seemed to dim as her face fell.

Why would he think she hated him? Instead she only looked sad again. Was it because he hated her? Why didn't anyone like her anymore?

Kia stood up quickly. Water had slowed the prickling heat in her wing joints but not for long. She picked him up with a surprising amount of gentleness for her in a princess carry, very careful of IV lines, and dropped him into the sodden bed. "I don't hate you. I can't help burning things. Nurse will help from now."

She bent over the bed (and over Taka) to press the nurse button. It seemed to work... which meant they would come back. Take Taka somewhere else. All would be fine.

She tried to avoid his face. Even Kia couldn't resist a quick glance, her own brown eyes kind of sad, catching his grumpy puppy face. Why did he gave to be cute and mature and muscled? Would be easier if he wasn't.

Kia stepped back and headed for the window. With a shove she had it open and crawled up onto the ledge. Time to burn her wings. They couldn't do it in here. The hospital roof should be OK.

"I'll go up there now." With a gesture at the rooftop garden ( and the sky/heavens) Kia jumped.

It was a little difficult to make the flight up- she fell straight down from Taka's window for around ten feet before she managed to get the aching wings to work with the help of the sun- and half climbing up the wall, half flying, Kia made her way up to the rooftop. Once there she collapsed onto the concrete and lay there as the late afternoon sunlight started to really set her entire form into a brilliant heated glow.

Still in Taka's room, the phone began to vibrate again, dancing around in a puddle of water on the floor from where it had toppled out of her bag.