[ video ] January 12th; early evening

[baked_inapie]

[ The feed opens to Link staring at the screen in a state of confusion... as if he can't quite remember why he turned it on. He's propped up in a hospital bed, looking, for all intents and purposes, absolutely awful. His face is heavily bruised and from what can be see of his torso he's bandaged quite thoroughly. Those familiar with pain medication

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[Video]

[erostripperella]

Link...? What happened to you?!

Action;

[erostripperella]

[oh boy, he looks terrible. Stripp will try not to comment and ruin his manly self-image.

She comes closer to his bed, grabbing a chair on the way to sit closer. She hands him the box with cakes] Here, for you.

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[baked_inapie]

[ He accepts the box curiously, then realizes- ]

...There was no need to go to the trouble...

[ It's almost a thank you. He glances away, sitting up slowly and carefully against his pillows and setting the box on his lap, a process that is obviously painful despite how hard he works to school his expression into neutrality. He can't hide his skin paling and the sweat at his brow. ]

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[erostripperella]

It's okay. I got them because I wanted to.

[she allows a moment of silence, before she finally speaks] Link, are you okay? [she doesn't mean physically]

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[baked_inapie]

[ Link's eyes don't leave the little package in his lap. ]

I will mend. I expect to be released within the week.

[ Yes, he knows exactly what she meant... and is more than happy to pretend he didn't. ]

Action;

[erostripperella]

[Don't try to be sneaky]

I didn't mean physically.

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[baked_inapie]

[ So much for the feigned ignorance route. He's silent for a moment. ]

...I will recover, Miss Jones. It is simply fatigue.

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[erostripperella]

I'm worried. [she sighs a bit] I understand we have our differences, but that doesn't stop me from considering you a friend. And it worries me when a friend is hurt.

[her hand reaches for his shoulder] And sometimes, people need to talk it over to make things better. If you need any help with that, I'm here, you know?

Action;

[baked_inapie]

[ The hand catches him off-guard... and he is tired, and his mind is elsewhere. His mind races back to another hand that, for him, he met with only hours ago, one belonging to a monstrous creature that struck him over and over again-

With a hitch of breath he recoils from her, then gasps as it jars his wounds quite painfully. The way he looks at her- it's not normal for him. There's the instinctual fear that can be seen in an animal as its predator makes the killing blow. The look is gone as quickly as it appeared, however, and he shudders and rubs at his eyes. ]

...My apologies. I am... I am not myself, at the moment.

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[erostripperella]

[Stripp quickly pulls the hand away, blinking. She was surprised, but shook her head with a small apologetic smile, after]/small> No, it's okay.

... I'm glad you are back. [she was. While she has no idea what he went through, it must be much better to be here than to be back in his world looking like this.]

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[baked_inapie]

[ Ugh. His cheeks darken with shame at his own display of weakness, head leaning back against the pillows and eyes closing. That little comment does get his attention and he opens one eye.

...He really doesn't approve of what she does. Or what she wears. Or the people she knows. But honestly he has a really hard time ignoring the fact that she's a good person. Maybe Allen is rubbing off on him more than he thought. ]

...I suppose it is best that I've returned. Walker is safe, as well.

[ That's a fact he's clearly relieved about. ]

Action; I know html, clearly.

[erostripperella]

[she offers him a little smile] You always worry so much about him.

Action; your html is stylized, that's what it is.

[baked_inapie]

He is-

[ Always he offers an excuse: "My charge. My job." He lets out a breath. ]

He is my responsibility... And I will do whatever is necessary to protect him. He is... not very good at caring for himself. Only other people.

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[erostripperella]

[she'd comment how he sort of does the same, but you don't say that to someone with dangerous wounds, obviously]

I think that's very noble. And I'm sure he is thankful for everything you've done for him.

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[baked_inapie]

Of course he is. Walker would be grateful to a mosquito for sparing him an extra drop of blood.

[ His voice is thick with agitation as he rolls his eyes, thumbing at the IV pressed into his arm. It aches, but the distraction of it is a welcome one. ]

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[erostripperella]

I'm sure he can tell the difference between you and a mosquito, Link.