alnifolia | [psl] it's such a mystery the way you know me

[ When Kasumi sees Peter's eyes open for the first time since she'd rescued him (and for once, it was the other way around), she nearly has to screw her own eyes shut, to blink away the tears that threaten to spill over. Her feet take her to the bed before she can even think, and her hand reaches for his forehead as she eases him back down, and all she can think is how goddamn glad she is that he's alive.

Because when Kasumi found Peter, shot and laying in a pool of his own blood in some godforsaken place after a phone call that had made her blood run cold in her veins, she thought she would lose him. And that pain felt too real, all too familiar. No, not again, I don't want to lose you, too echoed through her mind as she'd made her way over.

It was Charlie's voice on the other end of the line that kept her grounded. Because god knows that otherwise, Kasumi would have lost her shit in a panic right then and there. It was his voice that gave her something to hold on to and silenced her fears even as she'd said, "Oh, god, Charlie, it's really bad, I can't--" It was his voice that reminded her, you've got to keep it together, Kasumi, you've got to keep it together. It was his voice that urged her to think to herself, you couldn't save Keiji. He wouldn't let you. But you can still do something for Peter.

Now, Kasumi is the last one to make it into her own bed after Peter falls asleep. She can always function on as little sleep as possible, somehow, but she also hasn't been doing anything like casting healing spells by the by like Charlie has. She'd tried to stay away, at first, because someone had to be awake in case something came up. But mostly, it was because she was still afraid. Charlie's very presence is a balm for her still frantic thoughts, and she'd tried to be something of a support for him, too, but everything about this still felt a lot like tearing open a wound that had just healed over, to Kasumi.

So while she's the last one to make it to bed, she's also the first to wake once more, a few hours later. And she wakes with something of a start from a nightmare, no doubt--not quite fitful, but not exactly peaceful either. She immediately glances over to the other two, checking to see if she'd woke either of them up, and then she falls back into a curled heap against Peter's body, letting out a labored breath as she reaches over him, her hand finding Charlie's arm and holding on. She's nothing short of heartened to find them both still beside her, still here, because by now she can't imagine herself without them. ]

Edited 2015-10-30 02:11 (UTC)

[ Charlie was exhausted, but not so much that he was totally dead to the world. He was worried. Worried for Peter, who seemed to be through the worst of it for now, at least, and worried for Kasumi, who had been in near-hysterics when she called him.

So while he was still asleep, he wasn't deeply so, and Kasumi's hand on his arm makes him stir. He props himself up on an elbow to look over Peter's sleeping form to where the thief lay curled. ]

You okay, honey?

[ He's careful to keep quiet, his voice barely a whisper, because Peter needs his rest. ]

[ He still doesn't remember much of what happened, why or how he ended up as badly off as he is, and if he's honest, he doesn't really want to know. But he hopes he was doing something badass, and that he didn't just stumble into some drug deal on accident. He figures it'll trickle back, as he recovers, but for now, he decides it's not important.

What is important is that he knows Charlie and Kasumi are running themselves ragged, and it pisses him off. He's not sure why, either -- why they're doing this. Why it makes him as angry as it does. He doesn't admit it aloud, though, because wow, what a dickish way to react to two people saving his life and giving a shit.

Peter needs his rest, yes, but he was also roused the instant he felt Kasumi tense against his side. He was a light sleeper -- perhaps not as much of one as Kasumi -- and even wounded and recuperating, the same still held true. And once Charlie shifts and speaks, Peter is mostly awake, shifting to disentangle himself from the two of them. It's slow going, thanks to the injury, but he manages to half prop himself up against the headboard, rubbing sleep from his eyes. ]

What's wrong? [ it's croaked out, his throat hoarse, words slurred from drowsiness; these days, he's asleep more often than not, still battling a fever on top of his recovery. ]

It's nothing.

[ You know, the thing everyone says whenever it's not nothing. But now she feels bad for waking them both, and when Peter shifts to sit up, she looks as though she might protest, might urge him to lay back down, but instead she sits up, too, and draws her knees close to her as she glances at Charlie first, and then Peter. ]

I'm sorry for waking you guys up.

I was awake anyway. You wanna talk about it?

[ Almost automatically, Charlie reaches over to a bedside table and picks up a glass of water sitting there. Wordlessly, he offers it to Peter. ]

[ Peter takes the glass gratefully, draining it in a few greedy gulps. ]

Y'know he's just gonna hound you till you spill.

[ She falls silent for the duration of Peter's chugging water, because she doesn't know if she wants to talk about it. But after he says what he does, she realizes he's right. Can't exactly run and hide when she's already let them into place (other situational factors aside, like Peter being grievously injured). ]

... It was only a bad dream. I-- [ and here she clears her throat. ] I'll be fine. More importantly, Peter, you need to get back to rest.

I'm not gonna hound her, Peter.

And we all need rest, but that's just not happening right now.

Liar.

[ He rubs absently at his injury, covered as it is by a loose-fitting shirt and a layer of bandages. It's better now than it was, he's been assured. Still feels like shit, though. ]

Rested enough. [ He resists the childish urge to add, All I fucking do is rest. ] Maybe I should head home. Let you have your bed back. Might help on the sleeping front.

[ She frowns, at that. Even though she'd done the same--leaving--a few months ago. ]

You're not heading anywhere like this, Peter. I promise this is all fine. Both of you guys know I'm not really good at the whole sleeping thing.

[ She reaches over, and her hand comes to rest on his to stop him from rubbing at his injury.But more than that, to convey the words she can't say aloud: Please don't leave. ]

[ Well, if Kasumi won't say it, he will ]

The last thing any of us want to be right now is alone.

[ speak for yourself, fun-sized. Peter deals with this shit better on his own.

still, his fingers close around kasumi's. ]

If you need to talk about it...

[ Thank you, Charlie, for consistently Keeping Things Real, which sums up the nature of Kasumi's momentary glance at the wizard. ]

No, it's just --

[ Just what? She sighs, and then a rueful little smile creeps onto her lips; Kasumi's one to veil her emotions pretty well, usually, but once the walls are down, all bets are off. Charlie and Peter tore those down for her a long time ago now. ] I just feel a little... shaken, still.

Edited 2015-10-30 22:06 (UTC)

[ Kasumi had been a complete wreck when she called Charlie, but the wizard doesn't say as much. Instead, he reaches over and rests his hand on Peter and Kasumi's twined fingers.

A silent assurance that he's not going anywhere ]

[ He winces, guilt winding up in his throat, sour like bile. He looks down at his lap. ]

Sorry. For this whole mess, I mean.

[ She shakes her head. ]

Don't. I'm glad we could help.

[ Which is sort of a vast understatement, but "I'm glad we could save your life," feels a bit heavy. ]

It's not your fault, Peter.

Like Kasumi said, I'm just glad we could help.

Yeah, well. Still owe you guys one. [ Balances and ledgers and staying in the black -- that's what life's all about ayyyy.

He tips his head back against the headboard, eyes slipping shut. He's tired, and his body is a lead weight, and it's still too warm in here, and despite their assurances, he still feels guilty about all of this shit. ]

Don't tell me you've been spending all your time here. Your friends're probably worried about you guys.

[ Well, there was the time Peter saved her from bleeding out in an alley, too, but this isn't really about balances and ledgers and staying even. To Kasumi, it's about helping Peter because, well, she still really doesn't want to lose him. Sure, the Porter could bring him back, conceivably, but she'd rather not leave that up to chance. So to his first comment, she stays silent. At the second, she merely shakes her head and says with a light tone, ]

Nah. They're pretty used to me not being around sometimes.

And despite what it probably seems like, Nonah 005 isn't gonna burn down without me.

Besides, you two are important to me. There's no where I'd rather be.

You say that now, but when that house is a smouldering ruin, you're gonna wish you'd listened to me.

[ She spares Charlie a concerned glance, though it's pretty clear it's one being made in jest. ]

If you need to go check and make sure everything's still intact... Or that they didn't adopt another dozen animals while you were gone...

It's fine. Bull and Ken know where I am, anyway, and they'll call me if something disastrous happens.

That, or we'll be able to see the explosion from here.

You guys had better wake me up if there are fireworks.

Oh, come on. Like we'd let you miss something that big? Have some faith, Star-Lord.

cuddlepile 2k15

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