Kitty-River, shortly after the return from Civil War plot.

[river_meimei]

There's a gurney pushed up against the side wall of the infirmary. The only thing on it right now is sterile bedding, white and crisp.

And, underneath, a huddled form.

River's been here for an hour. Kitty's asleep.

River's not moving, except to breathe.

Comments

[prydeful]

Kitty's asleep.

For a while.

Eventually, she's not, and she opens her eyes and studies the ceiling for a bit before moving at all.

It's a few minutes before she spots River.

It's a few more minutes before she says anything, and when she does it's just, "Hey, kiddo," a little groggily and mostly tiredly.

(Kitty really wants out of the infirmary already.)

[river_meimei]

River knows the feeling.

(River knows a lot of feelings.)

She nods a little, and says nothing.

[prydeful]

"You wanna stay under there or have a seat here?" she asks after another minute.

[river_meimei]

Silence.

And then, "I'll hurt you."

Flat and bleak.

[prydeful]

"Bullshit," just as flatly.

[river_meimei]

River flinches.

[prydeful]

Kitty groans and flops her head back for a minute before sighing and--

It's not pushing herself up.

That would require contact with the bed.

But she's sitting, instead of laying, after a minute, and she's leaning forwards a little to look at River.

"River. Sweetie. Honey. Mei-mei. You're not going to hurt me. I won't let you."

[river_meimei]

River's mouth starts to open --

and closes sharply, jaw clenching.

She doesn't say a word, and she doesn't meet Kitty's eyes.

But after a long moment, she turns a little to worm gracelessly out from under the gurney.

[prydeful]

It's something.

Kitty sighs and rubs at her eyes for a minute.

"I'm okay."

That is what we call, "A fucking lie," but it's a lie Kitty is very fond of at the moment.

"Also phased, so unless you gained a new trick while I was going, you're not hurting me. Okay?"

[river_meimei]

"You're okay."

It's not clear which of them River's trying to reassure. She doesn't look up, except in darted glances through her tangling hair.

But she does settle, tentatively and perched as any wild animal, on the very edge of Kitty's bed.

[prydeful]

"Simon wouldn't leave me if I weren't, right?"

[river_meimei]

River's gaze holds, this time.




And, eventually, drops. It could be taken for acquiescence, if you don't look too closely.

[prydeful]

"So the thing is," Kitty says after a few minutes, eyes closing, "I'm a pretty fucking good liar, and I know you can't see in my head. And I'm guessing I'm also not lying so well right now.

"I told you not to do anything, River. You didn't hurt me. You did what I wanted."

[river_meimei]

She's not lying so well. But then, it's also that River knows all about the difference between being stable enough for Simon to leave you alone for a while, and being truly okay.




"I know it."

[prydeful]

"Good."

Kitty's gnawing absently at the nail of her thumb.

It feels, and it doesn't. It feels the way it's supposed to. Or it doesn't feel the way it's supposed to.

She doesn't know.

She suspects she's not focusing well.

"Why'd you say you'd hurt me, River?"

[river_meimei]

River's head turns away, too sharply.

"I have."

Her voice is soft, and trembles very slight.

"I am." And then, sharper and angry, "The details are symptomatic. It's not cogent."

[prydeful]

"You are not." It's flat and level.

"You have not. And you're being stupid if you think you have. You didn't do a thing to hurt me."

[river_meimei]

River's eyes close, and her jaw tightens. Her face is drawn; it makes her look old and tired despite her years.

"Okay." Dully.

"Everybody's fine."

[prydeful]

"Yeah."

It's not much more energetic than River's voice way.

"We're fine."

Kitty rubs at her eyes with her right hand.

She holds the left out to River after a moment, still rubbing at her face and not looking up.

[river_meimei]

River glances sideways, and freezes.

It's a long moment before she lifts her hand, very slowly, eyes fixed on Kitty's. (The collar is gone; Kitty's back is leaning against nothing, her legs sunk a few inches into the mattress.)

She doesn't touch the other woman's hand. Just lets her fingers hover a few millimeters away.

[prydeful]

Kitty brushes her fingers against River's.

Just for a moment, and light as a feather, before her hand's phased again and Kitty's turning, with a wince, to stretch her bad leg out and be mostly laying down again.

"Everything's shiny."

[river_meimei]

She's already stiff and hunched; she doesn't flinch.

Just nods, the motion tiny and utterly dispirited.

"Gonna be just fine."

River may not sound as if she entirely believes that. She's trying very hard to pretend convincingly, though.

[prydeful]

"Yeah."

Kitty sighs and closes her eyes after a minute.

Promise, she doesn't say.

She wants to.

"It'll work out, River."

[river_meimei]

"I know it," River whispers.

(River's a bad liar.)

She doesn't look at Kitty, except out of the corner of her eye. Discreetly and indirectly, though, she's keeping a constant eye on her. She watches while Kitty closes her eyes, and she watches while Kitty succumbs to the painkillers and falls asleep again, dozing halfway through the mattress with her hair spreading out through the pillow.

When River moves, it's only to curl up beneath the empty gurney again.