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 Posted: Mon Feb 19, 2007 11:54 am
"No, I don't mind. He hasn't been able to run for a while."
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Posted: Mon Feb 19, 2007 11:58 am
Emelyn took the two dogs, then, and sheparding them, went through the village proper to the cafeteria and the entertainment center, to get the things that Lucas would need. She made herself hurry in the task, though her thoughts wanted nothing more than a long, wondering walk. It would do Lucas little good for her to pander to her 'hermitage' tendencies of reflection, so it wasn't long before she rapped her knuckles softly on his duplex door and pushed it open again.
"Here," she said, letting the dogs in and closing the door to about an inch of air. "I didn't know quite what you'd want, so I just wrapped up a few things that they had on the line today." And she set the stick on the bed.
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Posted: Mon Feb 19, 2007 12:05 pm
The dog hesitated at first to leave Lucas, but headed off at her beckoning. It was good to be out again. Along the way he did what needed to be done and ran happily next to Reuben. It had been too long since he'd been outside.
After Emelyn left, Lucas contemplated moving to the door and locking it. Then she would be unable to bother him anymore and he could trust her with Dasher. He wouldn't have to worry about the dog anymore. But he cast that thought aside. The fear of cutting off his friend was too painful and frightening.
After lapping some water and downing his pills, his hands traveled back up to his bandages. When Emelyn walked in the wrappings were lying across his lap. Only the gauze was stilling being held against his eye with his hand. He hadn't yet gathered up the nerve to pull it away.
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Posted: Mon Feb 19, 2007 12:07 pm
She looked at him for a long spell, her hands fisted at her sides. It was only that silence, coupled with those taut hands, that betrayed how unsure she was, how pained. Her voice she kept purposefully clear of taint.
"Would you like... help?"
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Posted: Mon Feb 19, 2007 12:08 pm
"Yes." He had to choke it out.
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Posted: Mon Feb 19, 2007 12:16 pm
She came close to him, kneeling down so that their legs were touching in several places. She came close enough so that she might kiss his cheek- but in the end, only replaced his fingers over the gauze with hers, gently sheparding them away not unlike she'd manuevered the dogs earlier, with a soft touch and hope that nothing more would be needed. Then she gave him a moment, and pulled away at the gauze. She wanted to close her eyes to it, but knew how much that would hurt him. So she kept her face a complacant pate, and set the gauze down in his lap, as if it- not the sewn together mess that had once been his eye- was the thing to focus on.
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Posted: Mon Feb 19, 2007 12:24 pm
Releasing his hold on the gauze, his throat locked up, and he waited for her to remove it. When she did, he stopped breathing. His heart pounding against his chest, he studied her face, trying to read some kind of reaction. Something to gauge how bad it looked. Finally fingers lifted back to his face. Running a padded finger over his eyelid, he made out the stitches that were there. They had actually sewn it shut, too. Releasing his breath slowly, he reached out to grab Emelyn's upper arm to steady himself.
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Posted: Mon Feb 19, 2007 12:25 pm
She let him hold on to her, and didn't say a word. With the hand that was not connected to the arm he held in grip, she touched the side of his face that had been unmarred- running it down the length of his jaw in a silent, soft apology of what had been done to him.
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Posted: Mon Feb 19, 2007 12:33 pm
He leaned into the petting, eyes clenched shut. How bad was it? His mind wanted answers, but his voice would not come to him.
Wasted both emotionally and physically, he then leaned forward, resting his aching head against her shoulder. Finally he surrendered himself to sleep. He welcomed the temporary escape. Tomorrow... he would deal with it then.
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Posted: Mon Feb 19, 2007 12:37 pm
"Lucas?" She whispered, but his breathing was the only response. She pulled back to see that his other eye had closed, and he seemed to have surrendered to something- sleep, exhaustion... emotional or otherwise. She debated calling the labs to come and get him, but could only imagine the terror of his reaction if he woke up to find himself there. It would be better to leave him on his bed, and wait for him to wake up. If he was truly in danger, the labs would come and get him regardless of her care-or lack of it.
It took longer than Emelyn would have supposed to get him to the tousled covers- likely because she tried to execute a great deal of care in getting him there. He'd been through enough to warrant less jostling on her part. Only then, panting a little herself, did the hedgehog start to put his duplex... back together, and wait for him to awaken.
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Posted: Mon Feb 26, 2007 2:40 am
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Posted: Mon Mar 05, 2007 1:16 pm
After Ambrose had left, Lucas took his time standing up again. Finally he rose, now in a hurry to find the bandages before Emelyn returned. It couldn't be pleasant for her to see his eyes and he knew she would never say anything. Finding them wrapped up and sitting at his desk chair, he gathered them and moved to the bed. There he got to work trying to rewrap it, but it wasn't easy. He couldn't recall how it had been before and he was sure it looked a mess. When each attempt failed, either not being on tight enough to prevent it from sagging or slipping, or too tight that it caused more pain in his head, he set the bandages to the side. Instead he arranged his hair, letting his longer bangs hang over his eye. He supposed that would do, but he was sure he looked ridiculous.
Sighing, he picked up his book again and tried to read. He didn't realize it, but he just kept reading the same sentence over and over. The conversation with Ambrose was still playing over in his head.
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Posted: Mon Mar 05, 2007 1:22 pm
"Knock knock." She accompanied the words with the action itself, then counted to five and gently pushed open the door. She figured that would be enough time for Lucas to keep her out, were he really set on it- and soon enough that he knew she wasn't going to leave him without a good excuse.
The dogs rushed in around her legs- Reuben heading for the bed, sniffing around the edges of the canine-like man's scent. He was not a possessive dog by his nature, but even so, the primal need to sense territories was innate, and he filled his nose with the delicate proof that this was another 'dog's' home.
"I come bearing canines," Emelyn said softly, as much of a smile as she could manage on her muzzle-like face. "And a treat." She held up a brown paper bag, its top folded over twice. Inside were fresh berries from the cafeteria. She'd done a little research on dholes, not willing to ask Lucas about them herself- and had discovered that the four footed carnivore was fond of the sweet treat. She didn't know if Lucas was, but regardless, it was safer than bringing him anything that would further remind him of what he'd become.
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Posted: Mon Mar 05, 2007 1:30 pm
He tilted his head up as she knocked and tried to return the smile when she entered.
Dasher squeezed past her legs right behind Reuben. He wasn't thrilled that the other dog entered his place first, but he was happy to see Lucas again. Leaping onto the bed, his favorite spot in the place, he flopped down on top of Lucas' thighs and made himself comfortable.
"A treat, huh?" There was a sarcastic response on the tip of his tongue, but he bit it back. Instead he scratched Dasher's head. "Thank you, Emelyn. I'm sure he needed the walk."
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Posted: Mon Mar 05, 2007 1:32 pm
She lifted her eyebrow, pausing a long moment before dropping the bag on the bed.
"Yes, a treat. I'm good to hermits. ...And you're welcome." She reached down and gave the dog an idle pat.
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