five.

[welljustwatchme]

A: 1447 Mitchell Road, early morning

[Considering what happened the day before, Canada wasn't about to let that potentially happen to her household again. She didn't sleep much anyway, but this morning she's up particularly early, getting to the milk before Holland can and immediately downing a bottle. The rest she tosses out, ignoring the way her

Comments

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[gezellighe]

[Finding Canada dead when he'd gone downstairs that day was a shock. The worry he had was the same; when Hilbert died, he'd come back a drone and so far had never recovered. Even though it hadn't happened to him. . . he was worried for Canada. He'd set her carefully on the sofa in the basement, set a sheet over her, and hoped he'd see her in the morning.

He'd hardly slept, but natural tiredness combined with his injuries from the droning had him passing out in the early hours of the morning . . . until he heard some familiar sounds. He sits up blearily, looking at the door. . .

. . . the door. . .

Have Holland stumbling down the stairs frantically after you, Canada. He grabs her forcefully from behind.]

[welljustwatchme]

[Canada lets out a little squeak of distress at being grabbed like that. She may have expected confrontation when she heard him get up, but not that. She's just at the front door, ready to open it, and twists a little in his grip, trying to make him let go. She doesn't raise her voice, though.]

What are you doing?

[gezellighe]

[He sighs, then pulls her really close and hugs her tight. First things first; he's glad she's back.]

[welljustwatchme]

[Oh. It's not as if she can scold him for this. She wraps her arms around him, giving him a squeeze back.]

[gezellighe]

[What he does next though, he definitely expects to be scolded for. Which doesn't stop him at all as he lifts her over his shoulder and carries her back upstairs.]

[welljustwatchme]

... Nederland! Put me down, you're injured.

[gezellighe]

I'm fine.

[So testy. He's even more fine once he sets her on the bed and leaves the room, closing the door and locking it.]

[welljustwatchme]

[Not so fast. She's squirming by the time they're upstairs and on the floor and after him before he can get the door completely shut.]

Don't you dare do what I think you're going to!

[gezellighe]

[He swings the door back open angrily and gives Canada a pretty scary glare. That is, if you didn't know him it could be scary.]

Like you did yesterday?

[welljustwatchme]

Yes. [The glare stops her from coming any closer, but she's not backing down, one hand on the door's inner handle.] I don't want you drinking that milk.

[gezellighe]

You can't just--

Everybody takes their turn. Hilda, then you, and it's my turn now.

[And with that he gives the door a hard shove, attempting to force it closed.]

[welljustwatchme]

[She's so caught up ready to argue that she's helpless about the door being shut, although she immediately tries to open it again, while she talks at him through it, voice slightly raised.]

Don't, please. You don't have to!

[gezellighe]

We can't ignore it.

I won't let you do it again after last night.

[And he manages to get the lock clicked into place. Holland goes downstairs, throwing open the front door angrily and taking the bottle of milk. He shakes it hard, checking for razors or anything else dangerous in it before downing the entire bottle and throwing it, empty, into the street with a satisfying shatter.

And then he's going back upstairs. So far, he doesn't feel anything.]

[welljustwatchme]

[If he opens the bedroom door again, he'll find Canada and Kumarie at the window, discussing action-movie style escapes in hushed tones. Canada's argument is being continually shot down by Kumarie's insistence that she'll leave if Canada dies again.]

[gezellighe]

[He unlocks it and opens it, the back of his hand still wiping off some milk that dripped. In the time it took to go from the bottom of the stairs to the top he started feeling unwell, not sure if it were the milk or his injuries. He climbs back into bed.]

[welljustwatchme]

[Straightening up, Canada turns to look at him.]

What was it this time?