[Action]

[unit_202]

[Waking up in Ruby City is always one of two things; Miraculous(for the sake of actually surviving the night), or terrifying(because things have changed, yet again.). Today, apparently, it is a case of the latter.

Sitting up from a bed of leaves upon which she most certainly does not remember lying down when she went to sleep, 202 glances around

Comments

[neutralbyforce]

[It has not been a good day for Switzerland. He woke up in this jungle after only just getting to be reunited with his sister with only one handgun, its mate and his Carbine presumably still hung up at home. With precious little ammo and only a few of his normal accoutrements, to say the country is on edge would be a slight understatement.

Which is why the last thing on his mind is his lover's ability to shift. He's never seen the real thing in full, after all-- if he had had time to think, time to process, the end result may have been different. But as it is, Vash is in survival mode. When he sees a large and snarling wolf-creature he acts on instinct and pulls the trigger; maybe some part of his subconscious realizes what is really going on because the shot hits her shoulder rather than the heart he was aiming at.]

[unit_202]

[There's a brief yelp of pain as that shot strikes her shoulder, but it's quickly stifled as 202 turns to face this new threat. Bullets are nothing she hasn't dealt with before, after all.

As she turns she catches a flicker of movement out of the corner of her eye and lashes out automatically at her attacker. One immense, cruelly-clawed handpaw impacts Vash with a force not unlike what it must feel like to be hit by a car, throwing him a few feet into the nearest tree before 202 even realizes who it is that she's retaliating against.]

[neutralbyforce]

[The wind is knocked from his lungs as Vash hits the tree full force, crumpling to the ground like a puppet with its strings cut. He gasps for air, stars dancing in front of his eyes. It's a miracle nothing is broken, but a few ribs are certainly bruised to say the least.

Struggling to his hands and knees, Vash reaches for his gun only to realize its been knocked to the other side of the clearing.]

[unit_202]

[202 wastes no time in following through with her attack-- As Vash struggles onto his knees she's already diving for his midsection, jaws wide. Bounding close enough to him to close her maw over his torso, 202 kicks up a cloud of leafy debris that--luckily for her quarry--is thick with his scent thanks to that prior impact.
Those leaves might have just saved your life, Vash.
The beast freezes halfway through lifting her prey into the air as her mind slowly registers, with no small amount of horror, what it is that she's doing.]

[neutralbyforce]

[As those fangs penetrate into his torso, Vash instinctively tenses rather than go limp, driving the teeth deeper. His blood wells up to stain the ivory daggers red as he gasps in agony.]

[unit_202]

[202 has to fight herself not to finish what she's started, the taste of blood--his blood, Vash's blood--almost rendering the feat impossible. She wants to just drop him, but no--The fall might hurt him worse, the sudden move might tear his wounds... It's all more than she can bear thinking about.

Dropping quickly into a crouch with her splayed paws in place beneath him to cushion the landing, 202 lays Vash down as gently as possible and very, very carefully releases him. Please, please, Vash, you've got to be all right. The thought of what she did--and worse, what she almost did... She'll never forgive herself.]

[neutralbyforce]

[Vash coughs, blood mixing with his saliva. Wincingly he stares up at the wolf-creature, wondering why it didn't just finish him off... and even more why it is treating him so gently. His eyes meet its and-- wait. Even in that lupine face, even a richer shade of gold than he's used to... those eyes are familiar...]

...'02?

[...Oh, God. What has he done? Vash turns to spit out a mouthful of blood as he presses a hand against his side to try and stem the worst of the bleeding, breathing raggedly.]

[unit_202]

[Ordinarily shifting back would be the last thing 02 would consider, not so soon after her last one and not with how bad she knows it's going to hurt as a result... But this is hardly a normal time, not with her Vash lying there in her "hands," bleeding. Bleeding from wounds she had inflicted... The sheer horror of the situation is more than enough to outweigh everything else, and the knowledge that her human hands will be more help than anything else is enough to overwhelm all remaining doubt. Ducking her head against his shoulder, 02 closes her eyes against the pain she knows is coming, and shifts

[neutralbyforce]

[Unfortunately for them both, the afore mentioned kit had been laid out the night before to be restocked and was safely (read: uselessly) back in his room. Despite his best attempts not to, Vash whimpers as 202 moves him during her shift back, breath catching in his damaged ribcage. At the tone of her voice he forces himself to focus despite the stars dancing before his eyes and their best attempts to distract him.]

...'02. 'M sorry... didn't-- didn't know...

[God in Heaven, forgive him. He-- he shot his 202. That's it. No flowery language, no cliche thoughts, just... his. His 202... and he shot her...]

[unit_202]

[Of course it is. 202 bites back the impatient snarl that the revelation prompts in her, focusing instead on what can be done. She even hurt him in her attempts to help... oh, Vash.. If she can ever look herself in the eye after this it will be a miracle, to say nothing of looking him in his. When her hands fail to locate the kit they instead move to lower him to the ground with a sort of delicacy usually reserved for fledgling birds and priceless spun-glass antiques.]

Don't... Don't apologize, Vash, please. Don't talk, your... [Oh, no. Oh, 202, you monster.] I... I think I might have punctured your lung...

[She doesn't understand this sudden tightness in her throat that made those last words so hard to say, nor why her vision suddenly seems so blurry--Beyond her unspeakable shame, none of her thoughts are for herself, not even when she notices how much of her own blood is running down to add to the stains on her...On Vash's shirt.]

Please, just... Just stay still...

[neutralbyforce]

[Vash blinks at his 202, a little woozy, but... he reaches a trembling hand up to touch her cheek, leaving a bloody smudge in the wake of his caresses.]

...Not punctured. You... It's not punctured.

[His hand falls from her cheek to hover just above her shoulder where blood is flowing far too freely. Even when he closes his eyes, it's still there-- a gaping wound that he gave her. And now she's blaming herself when he was the first to strike; he should have checked, should have thought... Tears are brimming in his eyes too, though he doesn't realize it at first.]

'02... Not your fault. Don't... please don't...

[Vash, you moron, you're just a little scratched, she took a bullet! Despite her plea he struggles to sit up, pulling off his shirt and balling it up to press against her shoulder. Still a little dizzy he accomplishes this mostly by falling to rest against her, holding the cloth more in place by virtue of gravity rather than physical strength. Gritting his teeth, Vash rests his head on 202's uninjured shoulder, trembling ever

[unit_202]

[Her eyes snap open from where his gentle touch had prompted her to lean into it, closing them, and she notes almost distantly how much clearer her vision is now. Yes, now that those tears of fear--outright fear--have spilled over onto her cheeks, she can see more clearly what Vash is doing, and she gives a startled gasp when he moves. Her arm moves automatically to curl around him, holding him gently against her as she runs her cheekbone gently along his.]

Please stop moving, Vash... I'll heal, you know I will. I barely even notice it now.

[Which is a blatant lie, of course--Hard to miss the pain radiating off of that wound now that she's torn it so violently, after all--but concern for the man she loves outweighs it a hundredfold. Gently taking the shirt from her shoulder she tears strips from its waist, balling them into pads to hold over Vash's wounds until the blood keeps them in place of their own accord. Trying to ignore what it means that they're still bleeding that freely, she swallows hard and tries just to focus on the

[neutralbyforce]

I can't die... I don't think. As long as my heartland is in tact... But you could, even if... if it seems impossible.

[He nuzzles into her hair, holding her as close as he can given their respective wounds.]

I promise... I'll hold still... if you promise to do the same... and stop blaming yourself for... what you couldn't control.

[Like a hypocrite, however, he's going to keep blaming himself for what he can. He shot his 202... he's never going to touch a gun again. The scary thing? He means it almost entirely. And he's going to claim that the tears rolling down his cheeks are due to shock, should anyone ask.]

[unit_202]

Neither of us are going to die, Vash... It would take more than a bullet, even one of yours. Besides... You're not the first person to've shot me, and you won't be the last. You'll just be the only one to survive it.

[Humor helps, right? 202 attempts a smile as she leans back to look Vash in the eye, then leans her forehead gently against his. So much for holding still.]

We've both put our bodies through worse than this, more than once. Live and learn, right?

[That's the trick; She's got to focus on the facts of the situation, not the emotions of it. As if that's even remotely possible.]

[neutralbyforce]

[Vash closes his eyes in a futile attempt to regain control of his emotions.]

202. My 202. If you can forgive me... the least I can do is try to forgive myself... and promise you, on my honor, that I will never hurt you again.

[He takes a deep breath, relieved to find that it's already a little easier.]

...Okay. So. We're in a jungle. That is-- is not normal.

[Change the subject, don't think about the blood, don't think about-- wait, she's naked. Does that really matter? What about-- no, mind on things more important, like survival and not bleeding to death. Priorities, Vash, priorities...]

[unit_202]

Don't make promises like that, Vash--We can't predict the future, and I hate the thought of you hating yourself like this if it happened again. Accidents happen.

[Because that's all it takes in 202's mind, apparently, to dismiss the tattered new hole in her shoulder; He didn't mean to hurt her, and that's what matters. That and the increased ease of his breathing, which in turn eases hers as well. If he's okay, then she's okay. When he makes such a deliberate effort to change the subject she glances around at the scenery and gives a quick businesslike nod by way of reply.]

Mm... I can't tell if it's another change of the city or if we have in fact been relocated. The communicators are useless, I've ascertained that much--Or at least, mine is. Not that I suppose it matters now.

[Not now that she's found him, that is.]