aftermath

[dogbitesman]

This was not a bus. Nor was it the Times office. From what William could recall in the dimly accessible vestiges of memory, these were the most likely places to have woken up, and it was mildly confusing when his surrounds proved to be neither

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[dishabille_mal]

Maladicta's first thoughts would have been slightly more geared to two people in particular rather than the population in general but she hadn't had them yet. Her mind had been a sort of deep blank since she'd passed out under Combeferre's ministrations, and it was suddenly starting to pick up background noise. It was probably the fact that the nearby groan hit a familiar chord that caused consciousness to try and get its footing back.

Her eyes moved beneath her lids but otherwise she stayed still. Her body had absolutely no desire to move yet. It would need more concrete proof that there was something worth moving for.

[dogbitesman]

Right, then, moving was a non-starter just for the moment. William lay back, and twisted his head to look about the room.

Slightly messy, because of those things that had taken the place over but were apparently gone now, occupancy rates seriously up, with lots of the beds occupied-

-and one by someone in particular. William felt a bolt of shocked concern and tried sitting up again, before collapsing back with another groan. He turned his head instead and said, "Maladicta?"

[dishabille_mal]

That was a more pressing reason. Definitely William's voice. Saying her name, no less, which meant she was awake, now, if feeling...slow. Her eyebrows drew minusculy together and her lashes fluttered in the smallest and quickest of movements. She swallowed and made the smallest noise of acknowledgment, that really just sounded like a noise.

[dogbitesman]

William's brow wrinkled as he looked over with concern. He really wished he could manage sitting up. "Maladicta? Wake up. Er, unless advised otherwise by a medical professional."

He looked around, searching for a medical professional who could tell him if she was meant to be sleeping or not.

[headline_maker]

Under the current circumstances, bursting into the clinic at full throttle and disturbing its many residents would have been neither wise nor proper, but it took quite a lot for Sacharissa not to do so anyway. When she did come in, it was at a normal pace and very calmly.

And then she saw William try to sit up. Immediately, there was bustling and she was over between the beds, looking from one to the other. "Lie back down," she said. It wasn't quite a command, but there was no doubting she didn't intend to hear arguments either. "You need your rest."

[dishabille_mal]

"He doesn't listen," Maladicta said weakly and fondly, grinning a little and turning her head to watch Sacharissa and William.

[headline_maker]

"He never does," Sacharissa said, sighing. To be honest, she likely would have worried all the more if he were obedient. Reaching to take one of William's hands, she bent down to kiss Maladicta on the forehead.

[dogbitesman]

"I listen, I just don't obey unthinkingly," William said, as he obediently lay back down.

But only because he had given thought to the situation and made the independent decision to do so.*

*In other words, "could not remain upright any longer."