(Untitled)

[vicarious_v]

V had been quite worried when he found out Lan was no-where to be found.

He was even more worried when he received a message from her, asking for a safe place to hide. He'd told her his home was safe, and it was. SHe would arrive shortly.

Now he waited. He'd never found waiting more difficult in his life.

Comments

[nightflowering]

There is a gentle *poit!* of a PINpoint and Lan finds herself back at V's home. She looks exhausted: her colours are muted, she's more skittery than usual and most obviously, her left arm is bandaged up.

[vicarious_v]

"What's happened?" he asked. He knew better than to approach too quickly, yet he was at her side with alacrity enough.

[nightflowering]

She doesn't startle, but it's an effort. "I've had a rough week. I think I should sit down, before I do anything else. Mind the stitches, please."

[vicarious_v]

He carefully guides her to the couch, sitting nearby. The bandage worries him, though it only shows in his movements.

[nightflowering]

She puts her knapsack on the floor and sits on the couch - not too near, but not too far either.

"I'll be fine soon, don't fret too much. I just needed somewhere that I knew was safe. People had been in my flat. They were there to help and I'm grateful for that, but I didn't invite them and...and I can't go back there tonight."

[vicarious_v]

V frets anyway. Gets frettings all over everything. It's the first time he's ever been worried about an individual, that he can remember.

"Is there anything you might like? Some tea, perhaps?"

[nightflowering]

"No, I'll be fine." She keeps saying that - not that she is fine, but that she will be.

"If you're not too busy, I'd love some company? It's...like I said, it was a bad week, ugly really, very ugly."

[vicarious_v]

He could do that. He'd stay right there all night if she wanted him to. Because he could tell something was off. Something had troubled her.

He nods. "Would you tell me?" he asks quietly.

[nightflowering]

"I really shouldn't be this upset. I mean, it's not as bad as other things that've happened. I just, it's...I don't deal well with certain things and someone pushed all the wrong buttons." A long pause and she frowns, "I'm being vague and stupid, that's not fair to you."

She closes her eyes and takes a few calming breaths. "First of all, the matter has been dealt with. You do not need to do anything more than what has already been done. Okay?"

[vicarious_v]

He nods. There simply isn't enough information with which to do anything else. He could wait for it, though. He would wait, because that was the best thing to do. Patience came easily to him again, now that he knew she was safe.

[nightflowering]

"I don't want you to tell anyone else. As it is, enough people know." When she starts to tell him the story, her voice goes flat and expressionless. It's not a troubling story, it's just facts.

"Last Wednesday, while I was doing my laundry a man came and took me away. He kept me in a small room and planned to, well, he said I'd be staying there, but I knew his temper. I wouldn't really have stayed for long."

"I got the scratches on my arm after a miscommunication about what was appropriate and what was not. Other than the one injury, he kept me warm and well fed." Her voice suddenly wavers, "He wanted a pet."

"I have to digress a moment; while in the Nexus, I'd met a man called Taskmaster. We've a similar learning style and as such, we occasionally meet and swap skills. I'd had a meeting scheduled with him for Thursday. When I didn't arrive he began to look for me. This afternoon, he found me and got me out of there."

[vicarious_v]

"Who kidnapped you?" V asks. To the point, this one.

[nightflowering]

"His name is Nathan. I'd rather you didn't search for him, but if you come across him, be very careful. He's not human and he's very dangerous."

"I will have no one suffer on my behalf." That is as close to an order as she'll give.

[vicarious_v]

He started to say something, and stopped. Started to say something else, and stopped. Eventually he stopped starting to say things and nodded again. "Very well."

[nightflowering]

"Thank you." A little, wavery smile and she reaches out to gently touch his shoulder.

"Soon enough, I will be well again." She doesn't need to say that she has experience with these sorts of things, nor does she need to say that this wasn't the worst of what she's seen.

[vicarious_v]

He puts a hand over hers. Warm.

"At least you're safe, now. Or at least as safe as one can be."