golisolation | 💀 MoM IC INBOX 💀

[Guzma, like many of the decisions he makes, didn't think this entirely through. He had one thing on his mind, and it was to get the hell out of the hospital and see what shape the factory is in, and it's...not great.

So when he gets the message he's both surprised and maybe a little guilty as realization settles in. Time to act like he's NOT.]

nothin happened i just wasnt feelin the hospital no more
im @ the factory

[that..............................IS NOT HOW THIS WORKS.......................................not that she can criticize, given her history...............................

hell.

leaving it at that is...not ideal. there's zombies around for one thing. and for another...is he even well enough to mosey about???

gods, she's going to make a nuisance of herself. oh, well. she wouldn't be able to live with herself if she didn't check in. he can yell her away if he wants! as long as he's fine...]

...Guzma...?

[once she's there, she floats in through the gaping hole she'd punched through the second story wall, her eyes wincing at the waterlogged state of things...and the smell. time won't treat this mess well at all, will it?]

[When she doesn't reply, he doesn't sweat it, he's got...enough to busy himself with. Besides being entirely too frustrated with how easily tired he gets doing such menial amounts of labor, the absolute terrible state of the factory is...disheartening. Even if it was a total shithole, he had put in a lot of work to get this place up and running, and he had even grown pretty attached to it.

...Oh well, there's nothing to be done but to keep moving. Besides, now everyone knows where it is, and so he'll have to find somewhere else to hide.

When Lucina shows up, Guzma's sitting on one of the beds that's a little less destroyed that the rest. He's got one of the team bandana's around his nose and mouth, because even for him the smell is a bit too much, and maybe it makes him feel a bit light headed on top of his frail state. He looks surprised when he hears his name, perking up and looking over at her, before settling down. His arms resting on his knees as he's bent over a little.]

You guys really made a mess of this place, huh?

[It's at least said with a bit of humor to his voice, but there's also a tiredness to his tone.]

[once she's a few feet inside, she settles on the ground, stepping over waterlogged debris on her way to the broken bed.]

I'm afraid...that the safety of the place was very far down the list. [she stops just shy of the bed, folding her hands in front of her, looking him over with a strained expression.] Getting those kids out was what mattered most.

...I'm sorry. This was...your special place. Wasn't it.

[the one he'd mentioned before, the one that matters more than the house he's invited her to.]

It don't matter.

[He sniffs a little as he pushes himself to his feet. It's not with the finesse he normally has, a bit wobbly but he's able to stand fully regardless.]

Don't get me wrong, my grunts survivin' is more important. Team Skull can survive without a home, it can't survive without its members.

[He glances around the mess before shrugging. He doesn't look at her though, and he's a little glad for half his face being covered.]

For what y'all did...thanks.

[Lucina's eyes fix on the way Guzma moves, looking for tells of injury or unease, and...yes, there's a few. especially in how he must pause to steady. lightheaded? or something else... she shouldn't worry so excessively if he got all the way here on his own, but even so...

her gaze lingers on his hand -- the one she'd held onto for the time she'd been there as he'd rested, feeling a fresh ache in her chest that only worsens at the sound of his thanks. her fingers tighten to keep them still and in place, as opposed to the impulse to reach out and grab for him.]

I can send the message along, if you like...to those who did as much and more. The ones who made sure no one perished from that terrible incident.

[she hesitates before peering back up at him.]

...If I ask if you've wholly recovered by now...I know if you say yes, I'll...struggle to believe you. But so long as you're not overdoing things, then...

[He might not realize it right now, but he too aches for her touch. It had been so...comforting then, in ways he hadn't realized possible. Left in a state of such vulnerability, and the soft way she regarded him, and the softer way she handled him. He liked it a lot, but he's tried to reason it away, because in a way it made him feel weak.

And maybe he is, but he's not ready to accept that.]

If y'wanna. Don't matter to me, yo.

[There he is, trying to act aloof and uncaring, when in reality he just doesn't know how to deal with the fact so many came to aid them. The fact there seemed to be genuine care for what was going on, and it wasn't just a matter of patting themselves on the back.

He wishes he could claim otherwise, but there was something so genuine about the responses to Tupp's cry for help...]

But I ain't recovered, I won't front that I am. But I'll survive. I'm used to pain, so this ain't nothin' new.

[Except that it is new in almost all respects, but whatever!]

...But I've been chillin' here awful long, maybe we outta get some fresh air, huh?

[As if to emphasize that, there is a growing wheeze to his words. This mildew is not agreeing with him, bandana or no.]

[it's both nice and hard to hear someone who boasts of being so big, bad, and strong that they're hurting...that things are just a matter of surviving through. gods, this isn't wartime, yet similarities crop up like this now and then. it's no one's fault, so there's nowhere to properly vent the frustration that mounts in her upon sensing them. she can only exhale and nod, accept that they're there, and move ahead.

at the suggestion, she lifts her head, then glances over her shoulder thoughtfully for a beat before looking back his way.]

Do you want a lift down, then? It's faster and less dangerous than the remains of the stairs.

[He doesn't like admitting weakness like this, but it's made a lot easier when she's been so...accepting. She hasn't taken advantage of it, she has continued to be genuine and true, and maybe he's learning that he can, indeed, trust her. It's a weird realization, one that's slow going, yet it's freeing in a way.

At her offer, he pauses a moment to think about it. Those stairs coming up were...well. Lets just say Guzma thought for a second he was gonna bust through and add even more problems to his varietal stack.]

...Sure.

[The danger of the stairs themselves aside, Guzma's not too sure how well he'd balance going down them again, but he's not gonna mention either of those things.

And maybe, just maybe he's taking advantage of this to have that close proximity with Lucina again...]

[for what it's worth, the offer of being of use lets her feel better about wanting to touch him at all. it's not selfish of her to want that, yet even so, considering the circumstances, she can berate herself and think of a dozen other more productive uses of her time, so maybe makeshift-elevator will suffice for now.

with a soft, affirmative sound, she turns and walks back toward the accidental window, lifting off the ground into a hover just a few steps shy of it and slipping back out into the late afternoon air. with the bite of autumn settling in out here, it'll be soon an uncomfortable business, flying about...she's not looking forward to it.]

Come on, then! [she tries to perk up some, offering an arm and tilting so any shoulder-slinging is easy.]

[Guzma follows her, but a little slowly. He's still walking like he normally does, at least he's trying to maintain the illusion that he's fine. As much as he can, anyway. The slowness is the main tell, but he's there and still standing at least.

As she rises and offers, he smirks behind that bandana, taking her offer easily enough. With his arm slung over her shoulder, using that power of his to hold on because he knows he hasn't the strength, he readies himself for the discomfort he knows his body will be in. His muscles are sore already, but this will likely add to it, but less so than him...potentially falling through the stairs.]

A'ight, I'm good.

[his weight is, thankfully, virtually nothing. that pesky tendency he has to cut her strength from under her unawares seems to be moot, and it had better stay that way, or they'll both regret drifting out into the air like this...

as it is, though, it's an easy, brief little float down, with Lucina tilting to let his feet settle first before hers do, her hand still clasping the wrist secure around her shoulders after-the-fact. selfish? yes, she knows. but it may do well to ease some of the ache she's had to be near him just a little...or make it worse. she's not really sure how this is supposed to work.

in any case, it is what it is: her still keeping his arm where he set it, her head tilted down to obscure the anxious expression starting to overtake until she can quell it.]

...Your skin's still a bit clammy. [she fidgets her hold on his arm so she can press a couple fingers on his wrist.] Whatever's been set to coursing through you may not be fully spent.

[As they land, Guzma's body really highlights how it didn't appreciate that whole little maneuver, but he really doesn't care. This closeness is nice, and he likewise doesn't care that she holds onto him more. What he does care about is her comment, because while he's fine admitting his weakness, he doesn't like her getting further evidence of just how badly off he is.

He grimaces, but he doesn't pull away from her. He's enjoying her touch too much, even if it's incriminating.]

...Yeah, I don't think it is. Dunno how long it'll take, but your boy can handle himself.

But he better be willing to accept a bit of worry for his sake. [she counters mildly. the arm around his waist tightens a bit briefly before slacking and withdrawing, bringing her hand up so she can comb through some of her bangs.

she could tell him she thought he was going to die, and how much that distressed her. about how it seems to fall in line with her caring too much to the detriment of those she cares for...or her own detriment, for growing too attached that a loss hurts that much more. that's...a bit dramatic, though. it won't do to sound so despairing, especially standing in the shadow of a ruined place he cares about. there's enough on his plate without her adding her own troubles to it; better to help carry the weight than add on.]

It...might not be your style, but... [she peers up through her bangs.] Will you let me look after you? A little bit. And help you get back to a hundred percent...

Tch...

[That's about all he says to that, but he's appreciative of that squeeze, even if it doesn't last. He does enjoy watching her comb through her bangs, it's a little quirk of hers he's noticed, one that he likes.

Honestly, he wasn't sure if he was even going to survive that whole ordeal. Even when he was possessed. Fear gripped his mind all too keenly, stronger than he had ever felt it—especially towards the end, when he was cornered by those who were still standing and taken down. He was certain he was going to be killed then and there. Hell, when he was separated, he was pretty sure he had died then.

It pretty much felt like how he imagined it would: painful, disorienting, and the entire world felt distant and cold, and he felt so, so tired...]

...Look after me? [He repeats a little dumbly. The only one who did that before was Plumeria...the idea of her caring for him feels a little odd, but...] Like you wantin' to stay at my place or somethin' to make sure I don't kick the bucket?

[She might not want to bring up her worry about thinking he might have died, but Guzma's a little more uncouth than her about such grim topics. Sorry, Lu.]

[her eyes wince a little, face starting to heat up. when he puts it so bluntly...!]

M-maybe that's a bit much. Forgive me. But--maybe just...at least, right now so that...[she grimaces, getting flustered. with a huff:] Can I at least just get you back there? Since there's undead still roaming about?!

Oh yeah...

[He's been so caught up with dealing with the destruction of his base that...he kinda forgot about the stupid undead. Not that it wasn't...horrible seeing them, but he's still a little outta touch with reality with those toxins going through him. Certain things aren't exactly sinking in when they should, while other things are sinking in too much... he's a bit of a mess, both mentally and physically.]

Golisopod was takin' some of those dudes out while we made our way here. Pretty fuckin' wack, huh?

[That's a way to put it. But his expression shifts as he realizes he didn't answer her question, so then he quickly amends this:]

Oh, uh...yeah, you can keep me company as long as y'like, I ain't gonna complain none. 'Specially if you wanna get all nurse on me.

[Yep. He's still lacking a bit of a filter, not that he has much of one to begin with, but...]

[maybe it's a good thing 'getting all nurse' on someone doesn't hold the same implications in her head as they must in his, because she doesn't really bat an eyelash at it. besides, her attention's more on the prospect of getting him out of here.]

Very well. Let's get you out of here.

[her arm slips back around his waist, hesitating only for a sign of protest.]

—Oh, one sec.

[He takes a second, because it's clear he looks a little strained before and while he does this, but he calls out:]

Yo! Golisopod, c'mere!

[His voice cracks a little under the strain of it, and Guzma hopes she doesn't notice the wince. After a moment or two, Golisopod comes lumbering their way...blood on his claws.

Somebody's been busy with punching Zombies...]

We headin' back, return to your ball for me, yeah?

[After all, Golisopod can do that on his own. And he does! But not before giving Lucina a cheerful guuul!! as greeting. But then in a red flash, he zips back to his ball. Now Guzma loops his arm around Lucina as well, adhering himself to her again.

He knows he's gonna probably regret this, but then again walking back isn't much better, and he knows he can't drive right now. Which really says something, because Guzma's hardly a responsible driver...]

A'ight we good.

[the sight of the Pokemon's claws dripping with blood is... well, it's not a good one, that's for sure. Lucina spares a small, pained smile his way before he vanishes into the ball, letting out a soft sigh that's cut short with Guzma gluing to her once more. with a quiet, affirmative sound, she adjusts her hold and carries him up, away from the ruined base and toward the house. her pace is slow as it was that fateful day she'd conveyed him from Helix, and maybe a little less for fear of how the nip in the air will affect him.]

...You know, if your muscles are all achy and tensed up, I could help with that.

[the suggestion comes after reaching their destination and getting keyed inside, herself peeled free of him so she can take off her shoes and jacket.]

I'm told I'm very good at finding knots and kneading them out, that is.

[Like an idiot, Guzma's surprised at her offer, because here he thought he was doing a good job of covering up how tense and sore he is...but in reality, he's been moving so gingerly and slowly, it'd be hard for someone to not notice. He's likewise in the middle of taking off that bandana, his shoes, and his jacket, but he stops during the latter of which to look at her.

It takes but a second for him to decide, a pointed and painful throb pulses through his body, as if to help push the decision in the event he'd reconsider it for some fool reason.]

Y'know, that don't sound bad. It's stupid how tense I've been since that whole shit's gone down.

[It's...really not stupid at all, considering envenoming aside, what they all went through was pretty damn traumatic. Many times a day does Guzma think about that day, now that his mind is more clear, and too often does Lucina's battered form overtake his mind's eye. The way she looked at him, reached for him...

Having broken his gaze on her, he looks a little mentally distance as he hangs his hoodie on one of the hooks on the wall near the door. It's an awkward sort of transition of engaging her, and then blanking out like that, and he doesn't even seem to be aware...]

[her touch might cut through that without realizing it; she nudges him along once he’s got his jacket hung up, over to plop down on the couch. the prospect of being able to do him some real good beyond being a ferry of sorts lifts her spirits.]

Here, sit on the edge here! Let me...scoot back...here... [she climbs onto the cushion behind him, keeping herself propped up and balanced by hanging onto his shoulders.]

All you have to do is sit still and relax! Sounds good, right?

[It does indeed, though instead of a shock like a splash of cool water, it's more of a warm nudge back into reality. It's a couple dazed blinks as he finds himself being dragged over to the couch, and following her instructions. Sitting on the edge, as she clambers behind him, using his shoulders for balance.

He glances back at her, but then smirks.]

Heh, work your magic, yo.

[He really could use some right now... even his shoulders feel almost rock hard with tension, guess it's a good thing she's got super strength, maybe??]

Oh, it’s not magic! But I did learn a thing or two from my Aunt Lissa— she was a cleric. They know all kinds of ways to heal...

[once he’s sat and situated, Lucina takes stock, growing more pleased by the moment. this isn’t something she’d categorize as normal, but...it’s still good. certainly better than the sad state of him in the hospital. and to think! she can help more...!

with a thoughtful hum, she guides her palms along his tensed-up shoulder blades, hesitating for a beat as she’s briefly taken with a fluttering feeling. finding herself again, she gives a certain sound and, gliding her thumb over a noticeable knot, just..

pushes.

with way more force than necessary.]

[He doesn't even try to correct her, the way she jumps to converse about her aunt is pretty cute, and why would he interrupt that? In a way, it's relaxing and it gives him something to focus on other than how tense and sore he feels.

He lets out a breath, slow and relaxed, as his eyes slide closed at the sensation of her finding that knot. Anticipating relief as she begins to press and--]

Edited (phone wtf dont autocorrect shit) 2019-10-20 21:39 (UTC)

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

1/3