melodiesoflife | #7 | Return from the Brink

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#7 | Return from the Brink

Characters: Sephiroth & OPEN (except 8th Feb: CLOSED to Jade Curtiss)
Where/When: 8th Feb - Republic of Esdham: A makeshift clinic, 9th Feb Onwards - Aqures Ixen: Hospital
Summary: Sephiroth's ordeal out towards the Desert of Roalie has left him battered, most notably with a leg which is now broken in two places. Even with potions and white magic available, the resources at Esdham are strained in the wake of the recovering effort after the attack by the Herans. Sephiroth is later transferred to Aqures Ixen Hospital where help befitting a Hero of Light is more readily available. Still, it's going to take time for him to get back on his feet.
Warnings: Cuts, bruises, broken limbs; as expected considering. Also he's lost a good few inches from the length of his hair but probably best not to talk about that.

EDIT: Added a #3) Here

#1) 8th Feb - Republic of Esdham: A makeshift clinic [Closed: Jade Curtiss]
Late on the 7th Feb, a rush of activity had ripped through one of the makeshift clinics set up to deal with the aftermath of the attack by the Heran Empire. Someone had been found, much further out than anticipated, by one of the preliminary patrols sent out towards the oasis, and even though the medical staff on hand had tried to keep their tones hushed on account of the late hour, the clinic was already over-capacity and so the urgent healing required by a Hero of Light couldn't be kept a secret.

The unmistakable sound of rain hitting the roof of the tent, or rather the absence of it's wetness hitting his face was what greeted Sephiroth as he came around. The afterglow of a Cure-spell receding it's color as the white-mage Tarutaru currently on shift lowered her hands and offered a kind smile in his direction before leaving just as he squinted eyes first and then chanced to open them. There was no more open-sky above him; so he hadn't dreamed that patrol after all. It had been difficult to tell, given the hallucinations -that dream a few nights ago, for example- that had to have signaled that his body were finally giving up on him.

As if it were waiting specifically for him to regain more consciousness first, the pain then all came crashing back. Sephiroth had gotten an elbow under his one side -the other were in a sling tight up against his chest- but the reeling nausea, centered in particular around that deep agony of bone moving like it shouldn't put him back down prone instantly. With stars across his vision no less. He blinked, registering details as he looked down over himself. There was a plaster cast up to his thigh, and also a supportive brace around his left leg and it were elevated just slightly by way of a few pillows beneath his ankle. He couldn't feel his toes as they poked out of the bottom. He swallowed a rising sick feeling that was stirred and -for the time being- drew his focus into the roof of the tent.

#2) 9th Feb Onwards - Aqures Ixen: Hospital [Open]
If there was something to say of the Aqurean government, they cared for their Heroes a lot. As soon as Sephiroth were out of the immediate hypothermic danger he'd been found in, arrangements had been made for his transportation to a better facility. A small airship had been arranged -no small feat considering the devastation to the airport that had been inflicted- and he'd been away.

Still, not much that Sephiroth could do with one arm still strapped in close to his chest and his leg throbbing away in it's heavy plaster cast and brace which was more often than not elevated into a position from which he couldn't miss it even if he wanted to. Talk about it being staged directly in his face. Hindsight really was 20/20, that leap had been a risk; but what was the alternative? To be killed anyway? Captured? Spencer had already informed him that some of the other Heroes had been taken. Sephiroth scowled heavily every time his thoughts were inevitably drawn that way; another failure to chip away at his pride.

His silver hair had been braided and was set down across one mostly-unblemished shoulder; it was noticeably shorter though. Having had to have had the singed ends cut away. Overall, Sephiroth sat mostly with the backrest up, alone in the ward they'd given him, in silence while the lesser injuries he had sustained; various cuts, bruises and burns, were gradually treated by potion, lotion or Cure-spells. Most often he could be found reading a book, slowly sipping at a glass of water, or reviewing some of the notes that he'd had Spencer bring him from his study area back at the house.

He hadn't the heart to have Spencer send a message to let significant others know he'd been recovered safely, as such exchanges would only lead to what he considered to be unnecessary concern; even as it became obvious that he wouldn't be getting back on his feet nearly as quickly as he would have had he been mako-infused, or so 'special' as he had been before. That and he wasn't sure he could take the pity.

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Zelda didn't press or pry, she only smiled at his words. "Your a quick healer. I know you will be up and around in no time. Until then you might have to put up with a little bit of pampering." That was what he mother had called it when she was sick. You couldn't say no when people brought you gifts or well wishes because they only wanted to pamper you and show you that they care. She smiled wistfully dwelling on her mother for a brief moment before digging into her pocket.

"I have something else for you actually. It's yours I'm just returning it." Her fingers tightened around the white crystal before pulling it from her pocket. The back cord was unmarred and Zelda had made sure the crystal was free of dirt and grime.

She held out the gift for him to take when he was ready. Her lips staying happy and confident as she smiled. She hadn't known what the gift might mean to the hero she only hoped that he would accept it once again. Her heart fluttered nervously as her worry began to grow.

A little bit of a pampering. That's exactly the part that Sephiroth wasn't sure that he could really deal with all that well. Zelda was one of the first visitors he'd taken though; perhaps it wouldn't be too bad. It wasn't as if he were against them doing so, only it was rather foreign to him. What little downtime he'd had during his past, the emphasis had always been on getting up and out again, the sooner the better.

"There are plenty of healing aids available, at least." It was a fact he'd still be in a lot worse condition if it hadn't been for the skill of a few of the white mages and the potions that were available.

"Hm?" Sephiroth minutely pushed his shoulders up and back into the backrest again and then tilted his head more in Zelda's direction as she pulled the unexpected out from her pocket. The quick blink he delivered betrayed more than a little surprise.

Behind his eyes, Sephiroth quickly recalled where he had left that trinket. It had been one of the few items kept on his small bed stand in the barracks, being as he couldn't sleep with jewelry on. The rush of the flames he felt keenly in his memory, he remembers purposefully if somewhat hurriedly slipping the black cord on around his neck as he heaved what he could of his armor on.

Said eyes blinked away and down away from Zelda as she held the necklace out for him to take. Sephiroth felt that flush rise again no matter how he tried to steel his jaw against it. He hadn't even realized he'd lost that, within the heat of battle as he had been. That it had found it's way back into Zelda's possession somehow-

"-Where-" He looked back to that beaming face but then dropped the question half finished as he raised his right hand to take the gift from her again. "It must have fallen away. I didn't mean-"

What words Sephiroth might be able to conjure though; they didn't feel good enough of an excuse. That bitterness quickly leaked all over his facial expression.

"It's alright." Zelda reached for Sephiroths hand gently placing the little crystal necklace in his palm. Even if he lost it the intentions were still there and they were pure. Her smile became more gentle as she held the crystal in his hand lingering only a moment before pulling her hands back to her sides.

She knew he didn't enjoy physical touch but she wanted to make sure that he understood her meaning. "Even if you were to loss it. It won't really be gone. That moment and those feelings are always there. The crystal just holds the memories for you when it is to hard to remember."

"So, even if you lose it. Even if you forget. I will remind you. That things aren't always as bad they seem." She would be a light for people in dark places. Zelda didn't want anyone to lose their light.

Her eyes glanced back down at her care basket hoping that it had enough things in it. "So if you need anything feel free to ask. I'm sure there are a lot of people who will want to assist you." She also knew asking for help wasn't something the brooding hero did often.

As ever there was that slight twinge of motion which betrayed how he wasn't used to being physically touched, but it was only slight on account of the fact that Sephiroth watched their hands close around the pendant even if it was only for a moment.

He left his words hanging and instead set his jaw, lightly chewing on the corner of his mouth on the one side as Zelda spoke. Her words sank right through his stern defenses and began to stir an awkward knot of an emotion in his gut, even though Sephiroth didn't like that it was doing so. He felt so wretched in that moment, like he'd somehow let her down. Like it mattered to him more than he'd ever cared to give attention to before. But at the same time, it didn't matter that he'd lost it.

Sephiroth blinked and purposefully dropped his gaze from Zelda's face as she finished and also looked away. He was left gripping tightly at the misplaced white crystal and a lightly perplexed look across his face as if trying to figure out how he was supposed to feel now.

"Thank you-" The words dropped and Sephiroth coughed a little, placing the necklace down on the table and retrieving his glass for a sip of water. "I will keep it in mind."

It was better than out-and-out refusing the help, like he was more inclined to, at least.

Zelda could only hope that he understood. She didn’t want to make him feel an obligation, let alone to a little object but she wanted him to know what it could mean. The meaning that they could give the crystal and how it could develop into something more by merely believing in the power it could hold. Symbols, throughout time, have been used to guide and comfort those who sought them.

Sephiroth wasn’t one to seek the comfort of another or ask someone for help in completing a task that he believed he can accomplish alone. It hadn’t taken Zelda long to figure that out about the stoic hero. She hoped that when he didn’t feel as if he could rely on another, he could instead rely on the memories they share and the symbol that lay within his palm.

Zelda had put her hope and heart in the crystal as well as her strength and she hoped that he could sense it within the white stone but it wasn’t something the goddess could explain so readily using her words. She smiled that same lovely pure gentle smile that she usually wore. “Thank you.”

She could tell that something was a little off but she couldn’t place what. She glanced once more at her care basket hoping that everything she had intended to bring still rest within its safe hold. “Try not to worry too much. It isn’t good for you.”

Sephiroth had never had much faith to put in such symbols, being a man who had secured his own place by his own hard work and dedication to his continual development. Perhaps it was his trying to figure out where to put such an item within those very stoic mental parameters that was drawing the expression of near confusion mostly across his brow - hidden as it became as he canted his head forwards some so that bangs fell forwards.

Still, upon putting his glass back on the counter top, he retrieved the necklace again and made to slip it on over his head, shifting his left hand sling around until it fell neatly down his front once more. It shone almost as if it had a light of it's own in comparison to Sephiroth's somewhat greyed out complexion, not helped at all by the plain grey vest and shorts he wore. Then, flicking a few stray strands of hair out of his eyes, Sephiroth tried to meet with Zelda's eye contact once more.

"I could say the same to you." He tried to make light of it, considering how he'd said similar words to Zelda when she'd expressed concern about him looking after himself in Esdham when he'd first enlisted. "Not much else to be doing though, considering-"

He nodded his head towards the heavy cast that his leg was hung in.

Zelda smiled sheepishly at Sephiroth's response. It was true that she could stand to not worry so much but it was a habit that had developed since she was young and since then she found it hard not to worry. Since he asked, she was going to try. There was so much going on but for the moment she just was happy her friend was back and he was safe, for the most part.

Her smile faltered as her eyes glanced down towards his cast. "That is true but I'm hoping the things I brought might stave off boredom. I sort of just guessed at what you might like." Considering the books that she brought they were a decent guesses. A few of the books he might have already read since they were taken directly from the library.

"I should let you rest. If you need anything please let me know." Zelda knew that he wasn't the type to ask for help.

He wasn't one to capitalize on a sheepish grin once one were expressed, though it was in itself all the assurance he needed that Zelda had taken what he had said the way he had intended it to be taken. Even if he had meant it, perhaps, to come across a lot softer than it had. Sephiroth could quite often come across as overly blunt, and all the time being laid up in bed wasn't helping his tendencies in that regard much, either.

He tried not to follow her gaze down as it dropped towards his leg that felt -unsurprisingly- as if it were encased in concrete. He understood that was very much the point, but he'd already gotten to the point where his toes seemed in themselves to be goading him in how they wouldn't move when he wanted them to. At least having a good book to read drew his attention away from the glaringly obvious cast; he knew he shouldn't brood so much on it but it might as well be a big inky blotch on his personal pride.

He followed with a nod and a smile again at Zelda, trying to draw her gaze into his again. It sounded as if she were getting ready to leave him to it, but somewhat surprisingly Sephiroth found himself feeling like he didn't want her to leave just yet.

"I appreciate that, I really do. Thank you for coming by."

"Always." Her gentle smile grew. "I'm only a letter away."

Zelda leaned forward lightly adjusting Sephiroth's bedding as if it came naturally to her for her to fuse about such things. Once it was perfect and she was sure he was comfortable she pulled away with her smile still in place.

There was no point prolonging her going but she felt sad leaving him on his own. She didn't want him to feel lonely but then she was sure he'd rather rest instead of having someone nearby.

"Be well." With one last smile she turned and slipped from the room her steps ringing almost silently on the hard floor.

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#7 | Return from the Brink

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