savetheearth | xx3 voice

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xx3 voice

[ The voice on the other end of the feed is shaky and weak. It's difficult to make out the words because of the hum of other noises -- clicks of cash registers and the squeak of sneakers, the shuffle of plastic bags. ]

Please... I....

[ There's more static and muffled noises - she's talking but it's not clear what she's saying, there are noticeably a lot of pauses and sharp inhales. ]

I can't -- it hurts -- please, help... some...

[ There's a crashing noise and the feed continues to run, all the noises that were there before sans Colette, who has gone silent. ]

[ ooc: Long story short, Colette has passed out in an alley beside a popular super market. Her bags are dropped on the floor and she's on the ground. I'd like for one person to find her!! If you'd like to just throw up that you're doing so in the subject line. Otherwise, Colette will be responding once she's come-to and probably been dragged to a clinic or hospital. ♥ ]

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Why are you apologizing? I don't even get it myself just yet.

[ A beat. ]

Or understand what happened to you. Just that I knew it was you.

Eheheh... honestly, I don't understand what happened to me either. I can hear really well, now! So well it actually kind of hurts. But there's... something else, too. I can't really explain it, but it doesn't feel like it's tied into the hearing thing.

[ She sighs, softly. ]

It's kind of cool, thinking about it.

[ There's the sound of a shift over the line. ]

You said you didn't experience anything out of the ordinary for a long time, didn't you?

[ But to have it happen like this... ]

Does it still hurt?

[ Briefly, she wonders what he's doing. He wasn't hurt too, was he? Oh no... ]

Um, it still... hurts. But not as much. I think it's something I'm just going to have to get used to.

[ A constant pain... she can deal with it, she thinks. ]

But you're right! I was worried about that. I should be thinking of this as a good thing.

[ What "good" it was seems stretched a little thin, to him. He's at a crossroads where he doesn't know how to justify what he wants to say. Doesn't know how to react in a way that that was still true to himself but wouldn't cause her harm in the long run, too. ]

Sorry, that I reacted like that. My heart was really racing, because I thought...

[ Well, nevermind what he thinks. ]

Is the pain connected to how you hear things now? [ His tone softens. ] Should I switch to text?

N-No... it's okay. I... I like the sound of your voice. It makes me feel better.

[ Something that might normally be embarrassing to say, but it's not said to flatter. It's just the truth, it's comforting, even if it's sharp and ridged and probing against her head, like everything else.

She'd rather deal with the pain than not hear him, though. ]

I can just hear really well! I'll get used to it. It's like... it's almost as if someone turned up the volume on everything, and there's no static at all. It's very strange.

Really? [ It's a simple word with a bunch of simple, honest meanings behind it, as if he's genuinely surprised. Like he's let go of a lot just by saying it — did she really like it that much to endure it, could he even let her, was it really okay to keep speaking — even when what follows is just a slow exhale. ] You can tell me if it starts being too much.

It... sounds exhausting. Are you someplace quiet?

[ And more importantly, someplace safe. ]

Yes! Well, mostly yes... this room is quiet. I'm in the hospital.

[ She lets out a soft laugh. ]

That probably doesn't sound very good, huh? But it's only because they're being cautious! I can hear other things going on in the hospital though.

[ It's an answer he should have expected but it still renders him silent for a moment. This was... good. It was. She would be fine. ]

No — no. I'm glad you made it there. Really. You probably need the rest, right?

[ If anything, he's genuine about it. ]

Other things... what stands out?

Um... well, everything.

I can hear it all. It's a little confusing.

[ They're similar, then, aren't they? Hearing, or feeling, things they should be? Confusing messes of things? White noise, and tight chests? ]

... A lot confusing. Talking, noises, sounds of people breathing and moving...

Even people breathing? No way. All because of a pulse... it sounds way more serious than what happened to me.

Y... Yeah. Even people breathing. It's... it's very strange.

And it doesn't go away.

If I could switch you, I would.

[ It's quiet, a habit that's meant to keep things like that to himself, even when he knows it won't escape her, this time. ]

Are they going to keep you there?

[ No... nothing like that will escape her, ever again. She hears it but decides to keep silent on it. She'd never wish this on him -- not anyone, but especially not him. ]

Yeah... for a little while, at least.

Would you...

[ She pauses. He's probably busy, right? She doesn't want to bother him, doesn't want to keep him from anything. ]

Aah... um, never-mind! Eheh...

[ Part of him is soothed over that she had the chance to recover somewhere, and part of his heart goes out at the thought of having to remain somewhere so clinical and unfamiliar. ]

Would I — what?

Um...

[ Shoot. Well... she might as well ask. ]

Would you come visit me? When you have free time! If you have free time! It's okay if you don't want to.

...You didn't have to worry about asking me something like that!

[ All in all, he actually sounds relieved. ]

I thought that maybe they wouldn't let you have visitors.

I'm sorry!

It's all right. Only a few people are allowed to visit though, and I'd really like it if you were one of them.

I'm getting ready to leave the library now, if you're up to it. Are visiting hours over anytime soon?

[ Because once he gets there, he's not going to be in much of a hurry to leave... ]

I don't think so! You may have to ask at the front counter, though.

... Thank you.

I'll see you soon, okay?

Okay.

I'll be waiting.

[ It's about an hour later, give or take, when Banagher steps foot in the hospital. Once he left the library, he couldn't quite decide if he wanted to walk quickly or slowly, and he ultimately ended up at a pace that wasn't quite either. Like a drift. A pace that cooped him up in his own head with a vaguely nervous feeling, like claustrophobia, which was a far cry from the clarity that'd struck through him earlier. A clarity she must have felt too — like a blare of sunlight, beautiful and golden and limitless, a recognition that suddenly intensified enough to burn, and hurt. Wax wings and such, a realization enough to humble him. He hadn't meant to react like he did, much less drag her right into the middle of it, and he's feeling foolish for it, but not enough to keep a distance.

Somehow, he thinks nothing will ever be enough to, now.

Once he's gone through the motions of checking in, he's allowed to go search for her room. The environment does little for his nerves, the cold and clinical white of everything. Once he finds it, he pauses, heel scuffing on the floor, before he steps into the doorway. ]

Hey.

[ She's done her best to make herself look presentable. Brushed her hair, straightened the blankets, tried to pull on some clothes but ended up needed the help of the nurse to get everything right before climbing back into her bed, because she'd be too embarrassed if he saw her in the backless hospital gown. Even so, she's still hooked up to an I.V for fluids and sitting in the bed, everything around her just as cold and clinical despite spots of her things about. Her jacket, her bag.

From the lack of much else, it's pretty clear she's not had many other visitors.

When he walks in she smiles, a small thing, but genuine. ]

Hey.

[ It's too much work to proclaim anything loudly like she might have before; besides, even her own voice rings in her ears, along with each of his footsteps. ]

... Thank you for coming.

[ Visibly, he unwinds right then and there, all the tension falling right out of his shoulders and crashing somewhere at his feet. As if he'd been preparing for the worst, and what he'd received was a smile. He'd anchored himself to the doorway by resting his palm on the jamb, but it doesn't take him long to abandon it in favor of entering the room. It still looks new, as if it could have been anyone in here.

But it wasn't. ]

You don't have to thank me.

[ It's hard, but he minds his voice, not knowing if it was even of any help, in the long run. But it was better to try than to risk doing more harm than good. Even for a hospital room, he notices that it's abnormally quiet, no monitors blipping or beeping softly in the background. ]

I was afraid I wouldn't be able to see you at all.

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