exercise never did anyone any good...

[1000_cranes]

Charlie was trying to get into the habit of running a mile or so every day after breakfast along the sand, to get herself used to distance again, used to the stretch and pull of her muscles when she ran. She'd forgotten how good it felt to do something that she was just good at...all her life, Charlie had been good at two things: waitressing and

Comments

[willbewonderful]

"Charlie," says Duck, soft and urgent as he drops down beside her. He'd thought he recognized the red hair through the trees, but he hadn't expected to find her on the ground. "What happened?"

[1000_cranes]

"Hello, handsome," said Charlie, a little breathless, still probing at her ankle with the tips of her fingers. "I'm okay. I slipped. I think I...I think I busted my goddamn ankle. Goddamn fuck."

She sniffed hard, detirmined not to cry because she'd fallen down.

[willbewonderful]

Duck makes a shushing noise, draping a hand over her ankle. "You move your toes?"

[1000_cranes]

Charlie nodded silently and wiggled her toes, wincing and swallowing hard, a tear brimming down her cheek. Duck was probably one of the only people on the island who it wouldn't be completely humiliating to cry in front of.

"I'm an idiot."

[willbewonderful]

It's only the memory of yelling at her last time that keeps Duck from doing so now when he realizes what must've happened. "You out running? Should wear shoes for that," he murmurs, pressing gently for swelling.

[1000_cranes]

Charlie feels about twelve years old, with Duck talking to her in that tone and probing her ankle like he knows what he's looking for. She blushes and winces and chews on the end of her hair.

"Wouldn't have made any difference, the way I fell." It occurs to her that she sounds sulky, what her daddy would've called petulant, and she blushes a little darker.

[willbewonderful]

"Maybe not the way, but it might've stopped the fall in the first place." Duck reaches out and touches his finger to the end of her nose, then pokes her right in her pouting bottom lip. "It's not broken, but I better take you to a doctor anyway."

[1000_cranes]

"If wishes were horses, I..."

She blinked owlishly when he beeped her nose and again when he poked her in the lip. For a moment, she stared at him with her mouth hanging open.

"What am I? Two?"

[willbewonderful]

"Nope," Duck says calmly, gathering her carefully up into his arms, "but at the moment you're about as helpless as a two-year-old, so no more pouting."

[1000_cranes]

Charlie squawked and pushed at his chest with her hand.

"You are not gonna carry me, handsome. You'll do yourself some horrible injury and he'll never forgive me, an' I'll feel just awful. You can help me up and then you can help me walk."

She pouted at him for good measure.

[willbewonderful]

"Don't squirm, you'll just make it worse," says Duck, showing no intentions of putting her down as he takes a step for the treeline. "You're not heavy. Never met a girl more in need of a sandwich in my life."

[1000_cranes]

"Do you know how far it is to the goddamn compound, Duck McDonald?" said Charlie, her voice rising with agitation as she tried to squirm while not jarring her ankle. "You're gonna drop dead and Geoffrey will never forgive me! He already hit me in the head!"

[willbewonderful]

"You're making me feel old," Duck laughs, angling her to avoid a low-hanging branch. "I built a stage with a saw, a hammer, and some nails, I think I can get you to the Compound without keeling over."

[1000_cranes]

Charlie stopped just short of you are old, and settled for punching him in the shoulder, though not very hard.

"Duck, it's miles an' you're gonna die and I love you too much to let you die when I'm sure I can walk and..." Just then, she jarred her ankle with her kicking and a wave of nausea hit her, sending her momentarily limp in his arms. "How 'bout if I just throw up on you instead? Then will you put me down?"

[willbewonderful]

"Throw you over my shoulder, more like, and let you throw up on the heels of my boots." He locks his arm under her knees, trying to keep her steadier. "It's just over a mile. I'm not gonna die."

[1000_cranes]

"I never in my life would have pegged you for a mean one, handsome," said Charlie, pouting again without realising it, though her arm was tight around his neck.

"I would miss you terribly," she said, solemnly, with jus the barest touch of a smile breaking through the pout.