[for Lexie]

[manwithoutfear]

Pain blossoms across my forehead and blood runs thick and sticky down my skin. Times like these, I do have to wonder: what am I doing with my life? If the same injury came from a fight, I might be able to forgive myself the mistake (though even then, it's unlikely -- I am something of a perfectionist). But that it came instead from something as simple as maintaining my hut -- the one that rests in the middle of a jungle -- gives me pause.

I shouldn't have ever slipped from the roof; for God's sake, I used to fly across the New York skyline as though it were my own personal playground. Yet home improvement presents its own unique set of challenges, or so I've just learned. I recovered in time to prevent a concussion and a few broken bones, but not quickly enough to spare myself this particular indignity.

A lesson learned, I suppose, against do it yourself projects. The next time I feel a draft, I'll be sure to call someone else up to do the duties. My job description at home was more complicated than most, but I suppose it didn't include carpenter for a reason.

Hissing as I prod at the cut resting on the edge of my hairline, fingers coming away warm and wet, I grimace as I tip my face towards the heat of the sun. It's deep enough to warrant stitches, and while I have a few limited supplies inside, this is a task better left to a professional.

It's just a matter of finding one on short notice.

Comments

[lexiepedia.livejournal.com]

"God, yeah," Lexie says, nose wrinkling slightly. Even she can't imagine trying to do something like that, and she can see perfectly fine, though she also, by some miracle, summons up enough tact not to say so. (It isn't that she doesn't know she says dumb things sometimes, when she gets ahead of herself; it's just that she can't always help it.) Whether that's actually how he hurt himself or not, it's kind of impossible to tell, but she supposes he'll say it if he really wants to. More important is that it get treated, and she can take care of that. "I'm not even sure how a person would go about getting up there, let alone fixing one."

[manwithoutfear]

"Very carefully."

I can listen carefully. Choose my words like a surgeon cuts. But when it comes to my actions, I don't linger on them too long, going with gut instinct and a thirst for an adrenaline rush. When you spend your nights pulling high dives off of buildings with nothing to catch you save your own ingenuity, there's not much time to waste for thinking things through. But my training has been rigorous, and my instincts are more finely honed than most.

Construction is simply not my forté.

"We're almost there."

[lexiepedia.livejournal.com]

"Yeah," Lexie says, managing, somewhat surprisingly, to keep any trace of surprise from her voice. It has to be logical, after all, she reasons. He probably makes this trip all the time on his own, even if it still seems kind of remarkable to her. Mostly, though, right now, she's just grateful for it. While he might be alright on his feet for now, there's still been a considerable amount of blood, and the sooner she can get the cut on his head looked at, the better. "We are. Just a little farther."

[manwithoutfear]

"Good," I say, slipping my hand from her elbow to around her arm, fingers sneaking into the crook where it's slightly bent. With the Compound so near, I allow myself the moment to feel the brunt of the injury. My head's starting to spin a little from the injury, leaving my limbs feeling light. Were my feet not planted firmly on the ground, I might think I was floating.

"Because I... would not be entirely opposed to sitting down soon."

[lexiepedia.livejournal.com]

"You doing alright?" Lexie asks, worry beginning to creep back into her voice at that. Given the amount of blood on the t-shirt held to the wound — and the fact that it's a head injury in the first place — she really can't say she's surprised, but while he's seemed to be doing well enough so far, that doesn't stop her from wanting to be sure, or from being really grateful that the Compound isn't much farther off. "You'll be able to sit down soon, I promise."