[FIN] Lend a Hand

[Suudonym]

He didn't mind her clinging if it made her feel even a little better, and a hand lingered at her shoulder when she stepped away. "Do you want to go somewhere?" he ventured again, unsure of whether or not she had been on her way to anything important but essentially positive she wouldn't want to just stand in the middle of the sidewalk for long.  

[BlackFireKitsune]

She did not, in fact, want to stand in the middle of the sidewalk, but words still failed her, so she simply nodded once with her hand at her eyes, her gaze pointedly downcast.  

[Suudonym]

"Okay," he nodded, moving slowly in the general direction of the residential area for the time being. "Do you want me to take you home?"  

[BlackFireKitsune]

Thoughts of going home brought to mind her mother's reason for making her leave in the first place, and the disappointed and frustrated words she'd receive if she came back empty-handed so soon, so after a brief pause she shook her head decisively. No, she didn't want to go home just yet. Maybe later on, when her mother wouldn't be as upset at her for returning without buying anything. She hugged her injured arm to her stomach, her hand lowering to hug her elbow and effectively covering it as best as she could, still focusing on the ground as she followed him.  

[Suudonym]

"All right." A pause to think. "Do you want me to send a message to Rosie?"  

[BlackFireKitsune]

Another pause, then a small, hesitant shrug. He could if he wanted too, and she wasn't about to stop him of course, but honestly she just wanted to go find somewhere to curl up and cry alone for several hours.  

[Suudonym]

Well, sending a message to Rosie seemed like a good idea in general, given that this was the first time either of them had seen Seraphine at all since before she was admitted to the hospital, but he was hoping for a slightly more positive response. He was running out of places they could go, though. "Do you want to come to my place?"  

[BlackFireKitsune]

Unfortunately, Seraphine was incapable of being anymore positive other than a very depressed 'well at least I'm not dead I guess' so in response, he would receive another more pregnant pause, then a small nod. Going somewhere private was much better than continuing to wander about the streets on the verge of tears. The looks she got from strangers, even casual glances, were immediately exaggerated and morphed into terrifyingly negative thoughts that constantly belittled her and only made her feel worse about herself and things in general.  

[Suudonym]

A nod was about as positive a response as he could hope for, and he echoed it with a nod of his own, "Okay." He walked matching her pace and moved towards the destination of the apartment building where he lived. Seraphine had tolerated his poor attitude time and again, but more than feeling like he owed her the same, he was worried about his friend's disposition. Not that he couldn't understand where it was coming from, but still…

Eventually they came upon the apartment, and he approached and unlocked the door to enter. "You can sit if you want," he offered, gesturing towards the sofa and moving to throw away a couple packages that had been left on the counter. "Do you want something to drink?"  

[BlackFireKitsune]

Luckily Luke had told her she could enter and sit, otherwise she probably would've stood awkwardly at the door. Instead she moved into the apartment and sat awkwardly on the couch, still holding her arm and staring at her knees. His question received a shake of her head, but she realized he may not be able to see her response, so she instead voiced it with a soft, "no."  

[Suudonym]

He filled a glass with water nonetheless, dropping a couple ice cubes in it and setting it on the table near the couch - just in case - before taking a seat beside her. His role now, he supposed, was offering support, as a friend and as an individual with similar experiences. He wasn't terribly confident in his capabilities, though. He had lost his mother, but he was still unable to speak of it easily. He'd lost an important part of himself, but the signs were invisible to others so long as he wore any kind of shirt. "Do you want to talk about it?" he hazarded. "If you want to complain or scream or cry or… anything. I'll listen to anything." He didn't know what else he could offer.  

[BlackFireKitsune]

"Um," she started, a pained expression flashing across her face at the thought. She could barely speak a few words, let alone form coherent sentences free of tears. A hesitant shake of her head followed before it bowed as the girl curled into herself a little further. Everything had changed so much so suddenly and she didn't have any idea how to handle it still. The constant pain lingering in her arm, dulled though it was by a week's worth of time and pain killers, prevented her from denying what had happened - and the missing limb and her missing father further prevented any attempts. It left her feeling hollow and empty, like a shell of herself. She didn't even feel like herself anymore, though the change in attire and appearance did not help with that in the slightest. How could she even hope to voice such thoughts? Instead, her hand left her shortened arm to wipe away more tears that had begun to spill.  

[Suudonym]

"Okay." He reached to her opposite shoulder, pulled her gently to him both to offer support and to remind himself of her presence. He'd been pursued so relentlessly by the thought of her death that it was almost more surreal than relieving to see her living in front of him.  

[BlackFireKitsune]

The gesture should have been expected, but she was a little surprised by it nonetheless. It was comforting too, even though for whatever reason a persistent feeling of guilt plagued her and her thoughts. Her tears fell more freely as she leaned into him, clinging to him again and weeping bitterly.  

[Suudonym]

Painful as it was to face his friend's suffering, Luke willed himself to maintain composure; having someone else cry over her wasn't going to help Sera in the slightest. He would remain beside her quietly until she made any indication of wanting anything different.