(Untitled)

[river_meimei]

In a clear stretch of lawn outside Milliways' back door, three figures fade into sightOne is River Tam, disheveled and only slightly blood-streaked, with guns on her hips and one arm looped around Galadan's waist

Comments

[mmquitecontrary]

"Galadan!"

'Worry and guilt' promptly sink down on top of the mix of confusing emotions (relief, inadequacy, gratitude, sulkiness, and utter embarrassment) that Mary has been toting around with her ever since her rescue.

She stares from River to Galadan. "What is --"

[river_meimei]

"He's okay," River says, without sounding particularly concerned.

Galadan went into this plan knowing full well he'd get a killer migraine out of it. So.

She also doesn't budge from being an andain-crutch, though. (Galadan's extremely blood-smeared face is making her shirt a little messier than it started out, but it's not as if she cares.)

Gently, "The transdimensional strain is cumulative. It's a temporary reaction."

By this point 'temporary' is 'at least a day,' but the fact remains.

[mmquitecontrary]

"I never thought --"

Somehow, it had never once occurred to Mary that Galadan might get himself hurt coming after her. River, perhaps, but for Galadan it had seemed impossible.

"Oh -- if it was going to be such a trouble, you ought not to have come!" she wails, unreasonably, and then takes a deep breath, steadying herself.

"If it is strain he must lie down and rest. And have fluids, also."

[wolflord_andain]

"Volume, Mary," Galadan says mildly, half-turning so that his mouth is fully clear of River's shoulder.

"If you please."

His eyes remain closed.

Opening them is going to be less than ideal.

[maxwellsdemon02]

It's not until they get inside that Duo spots them, and promptly drops his coffee cup. Good thing it's empty.

"Jesus, Mary and Joseph!" Holy shit! What the fuck! And other obscenities because Duo is too busy hurrying over to them to think of more.

He doesn't know who to hug and/or yell at first!

Well, okay, he won't be hugging Galadan, but the guy is looking sort of alarmingly grey.

[river_meimei]

"Volume is suboptimal," River informs Duo, unruffled. And quietly.

Duo is incoming determinedly enough that she pauses. (Close enough that Galadan, halting with her, can surreptitiously lean one shoulder and some of his weight against hers.)

"Everybody's okay," she adds, reassuringly. "Got the parameters."

[mmquitecontrary]

"Not quite everybody," says Mary, with a dour glance over at Galadan.

She opens her mouth again, and then stops, fidgeting, because there are no words for how much she doesn't want Duo to know about this (it cannot be emphasized enough) extremely embarrassing, and yet she has no way to tell anybody not to tell him without spilling the beans anyway.

Perhaps it would be better just to come clean from the start, but!

[maxwellsdemon02]

"Christ," Duo says, still reduced to blasphemy. Mary wins the 'who gets hugged first' contest, just because she doesn't have Galadan leaning on her, surreptitiously or not.

Also he hasn't seen her for so long.