maskormenacelogs | cold as the shapes and the shadow’s gone

[ She only gives a silent nod to his words, and she doesn't realize how much she needed to have his support until the worst of it comes to pass, when she winces, knuckles nearly turning white from how tightly she's holding onto Peter's hand.

But he's right--it passes soon after that; her body nearly goes limp, as though what little energy she'd had just got sucked out of her, and she ends up slumping against him with another deep breath before she musters a very tiny, soft: ]

This sucks.

[ He wraps his other arm around her when she slumps against him. ]

Yeah, I know it does. Just gotta take it easy.

[ He waits a few more breaths, then, ] I'm gonna help you upstairs. You tell me when you're okay to move.

Okay.

[ In a few short moments, she takes another deep breath or two, the last one particularly so. After that, she nods at Peter. ]

I think I'm good to move. Thanks again, Peter.

Alright. Count'a three: one, two--

[ When he says "three," he just-- scoops her up, bridal style, and heads up the stairs. He knows how much it sucks to move around with a gut wound, so best to cut out the middle man, in a way. ]

[ Well, this certainly wasn't what she had in mind when he said he'd help her upstairs--which is why draws in the tiniest little gasp at the bridal style carry, though she soon wraps her arms around him to hold on. She's relieved, actually, because she's not sure how she might have made it up the stairs otherwise seeing as she mostly just stumbled down them in the first place.

And it's actually kind of amusing in a really sad way, how damn helpless she is right now, so she gives a thoughtful but also rueful little hum in her voice. ]

Not exactly how I imagined you taking me to bed would be like, but I'll take it.

[ With a completely straight face: ] I'm glad you didn't mind the way I swept you off your feet, there.

[ she'd chuckle, but that would probably hurt like hell right now, so she settles for a grin and, ]

Ha.

I'm glad you don't mind having to carry me like a damsel in distress.

[ He answers her grin with one of his own. ]

'Course I don't. Not often I get to steal away something so valuable, you know?

[ As close as they are, the way she rolls her eyes is probably clear as day. ]

Smooth as butter, like always. I'll have to steal that line, by the way.

I expect royalties, by the way. Or just a quick mention -- "This line courtesy of Star-Lord."

[ By now, they've reached Kasumi's temporary room, and he carefully maneuvers through the doorway and eases her onto the bed. ]

You alright?

[ She grimaces a little as he helps her to the bed, hand clasping at her waist again. ]

Yeah, I--

[ Another deep breath. ]

I think I need to fix the bandages, but I can do that later, I guess.

[ He frowns at her. ]

You sure? I can give you a hand.

I--

[ She honestly feels bad for needing so much damn help, but. If he's going to frown at her like that for trying to do things on her own, then she might as well let him help. ]

Okay. Are you sure?

Yeah. Trust me -- I actually know my way around a first aid kit.

Sit tight, okay?

I don't doubt it, Star-Lord.

[ She gives a little shrug of her shoulders before she reaches up, her hand ostensibly going for the zipper of the hoodie she wears. ]

Would it be easier if I...?

[ took this off is the apparent end to that trailed-off question. She doesn't mind either way, at this point, recalling what it took for Charlie to get her out of her suit and into this in the first place, the fact that Peter's already seen her face, et cetera. ]

Whichever is most comfortable for you. If you just wanna roll up the hem, that's fine.

[ Really, he's good either way. He starts heading towards the door. ]

Back in a sec. Gotta grab what I need.

[ And with that, he sweeps out; he knows the Iron Bull brought back supplies, and plenty of them, so it's easy enough to find bandages and disinfectant; he tucks the supplies under one arm. As an afterthought, he grabs some painkillers and a glass of water as well, before returning.

He leaves the glass and the painkillers on the nightstand beside her before perching on the edge of the bed. ]

Ready?

[ In the time that he's out of the room, Kasumi sighs to herself. She doesn't have much of an explanation for how alright she is with this--letting Charlie, now Peter tend to her injuries, letting them see her so vulnerable when up until then Shepard had been the only one to earn that, even when that was out of necessity more than anything.

But Peter? Peter came for her when she needed him. He helped save her life. She trusts him--by choice.

So when he returns, she's sitting on the edge of the bed with her back turned against the door, hoodie since discarded and folded, leaving her in shorts and a tank top they'd found (left by Nonah 005's former female residents, evidently). Her black hair spills over her shoulders and back, framing the tattoo that peeks out from beneath the top. Flowers, of course, because it's Kasumi we're talking about here. She looks at him over her shoulder as he enters the room, watches him set the pills and the water on the nighstand. Her expression is worn, tired, face sporting a few cuts from broken glass, but when he joins her, she offers a small smile. ]

Yeah. [ And then the slightest turn of her lips at a corner. ] I'm ready, Doctor Quill.

[ It is, of course, the most exposed he's ever seen her -- even bleeding out on the streets of Maurtia Falls, she hadn't felt as vulnerable. Still, he's not sure how to read it -- could just be an act of necessity, after all. Peter might not be a doctor, but he's learned a lot about tending to wounds out of necessity, learned the basics from Yondu in the weeks leading up to one of his first big jobs. He's tended to himself and fellow Ravagers when assignments went sour, and more recently, he's taken to tending to his teammates back on the Milano, when jobs went ass-end up.

In a way, the familiarity of it all makes him miss home, but he puts a lid on that little pity party in favor of the now.

He offers a smile in answer to her own, equal parts cocky and teasing. ]

I'll go ahead and assure you you're in good hands. [ And he waggles the fingers of his free hand at her. ] Would you rather lie back for this?

Yeah.

[ She nods at him, placing a hand on Peter's arm to use as support as she moves her legs up onto the bed and lies back. ]

So. Star-Lord--knight in shining mask, rescuer of damsels in distress, also a doctor--is there anything you can't do?

[ He helps her lie back, then pushes up the hem of her shirt to reveal the bandages on her torso. At her question, he manages a small smile, though the rest of his concentration is spent on replacing the wrappings. ]

Lots of things, actually. Gramosian Geometry, for one. That shit's complicated.

[ Damn it, Peter, stop amusing her. It hurts to laugh. ]

I have no idea what that even is, so I'm just going to take your word for it.

[ Even with his attention focused on dressing her wound, her eyes are locked onto his. ]

I can't thank you enough for all this, Peter.

[ He licks his lips, glancing up at her -- but only for a second. He quickly looks away to focus on his work. ]

Hey. It's what friends are for, right? Pulling each other out of the fire.

[ Although it goes unseen, she smiles. ]

Oh, friends? Phew. For a second there I thought you were only keeping me around for the mystique and intrigue. And the compliments.

Hey, let's not rule all that stuff out just yet. Why can't we have it all, right?

That's true. Where else are you going to find such a wholesome package, honestly? I could have just been, like, a space thief with no sense of humor and an actual Medusa head, but nope.

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

no subject