Dimitri (basecompound) wrote in commandhq, @ 2018-04-28 20:13:00 |
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Theo was on his way out of his room when he heard what sounded like a pained cry from one of the nearby rooms and he paused, brow furrowing as he stood there just listening. There were a lot of people who had bad dreams so he was waiting to see if it was simply that or something else. Another sound confirmed as much. Theo being Theo decided against walking away and instead walked towards it until he was stood outside of Clara’s room, a new troubled addition, it didn’t take a handler to see that. “Clara?” He called, not wanting to just barge into her room as rooms were private things and Theo respected that, especially as he knew he wouldn’t want anyone (save Avery of course) walking into his room without invitation. Of course when there was no response to his call of concern Theo decided to hell with that and he let himself in where he was greeted with a disturbing sight. Clara was knelt surrounded by a spattering of cards, hands held out in front of her, long strands of hair present amongst the blood covered tips, and eyes white and cloudy. Theo uttered a swear in his native tongue before he moved in, coming to crouch in front of her. “Clara, it’s me, Theo.” Clara flinched violently when Theo spoke, not knowing the voice well enough to understand that it meant she was safe. Her hand reached out to catch herself, fingertips smearing blood over one of the cards on the floor, rocketing her back into that vision. Her lungs were filled with cold, she couldn’t breathe, her body was trembling, wracked with ice and darkness, a cold that was creeping so deep into her veins that she couldn’t shake it- It was only because she lost her balance and stopped touching the card that she snapped out of it again, but it meant that she was no less confused. It still tugged at her, the future, the present, the past. Dark haired man kneeling in the centre of a room surrounded by cards. They’re covered in blood and they’re afraid. Dancing in circles around the empty space inside. He’s worried. He’s frowning, handsome features marred by the expression of concern in his dark eyes. ”Quoi?” she asked, breathless and afraid. Her hands reached out for him but she missed, she was lost- was he here? Was she alone? “I- I did it again,” she confessed. “je suis vraiment désolé-” Theo grimaced when Clara flinched as violently as she did because that had not been his intention, he hadn’t meant to startle her, but perhaps it was for the best because she had definitely seemed lost. As her hands reached out blindly he made contact with them without worrying about the blood and just letting her feel the solidness of them along with the warmth they emanated at all times. “Sorry, Clara, I don’t speak French.” Romanian sure but not French. “What can I do to help?” Her fingers - so much smaller than his - curled around his hand, using it as leverage to get to her feet. They were still calling, telling her to come back - see more, learn more, fire and dust and blood, crumpled bodies and the end of days - but if she went in again how long would she be gone? How long had she been gone? What was she doing? Where was she? Where were Danny and Grey? Kat and Vic? When was she seeing them again? They would all be together at some point, some point soon. All in the same place where everyone waited. She closed her eyes, pushing one hand back into her hair and fisting her fingers, toes turned inward. “I’m sorry,” she said, “I- I- I had to. I couldn’t- I couldn’t ignore it anymore.” Her voice was shaking, her body trembling slightly. “I don’t feel right.” Theo slowly but surely helped Clara to her feet, definite concern present on his face though she couldn’t really see that right now could she? “It’s okay,” he murmured softly before he gently wrapped an arm around Clara’s waist and drew her a little closer as he saw and felt her trembling. “I should probably get you to medical,” he shared. “Get you checked out, make sure you’re okay.” He was trying to ignore the spread of cards but it was difficult, especially as his family’s roots were in Romania and there were some things that rang true with him. Tarot cards being one of those things, he knew the power they possessed and how that sort of power was not one to take lightly. “No,” Clara said, and even though she had only seen Theo once or twice, the vehemence in her tone brokered no argument. “I will not go to medical.” Her knees almost gave out, tensing as if she were preparing to try and flee, her body braced as if she were expecting a negative reaction to her decision, as if she were expecting to be dragged or hit, her compliance forced. She caved a second later, though, that fight fleeing. “I’m sorry,” she said again, eyes falling to the floor even though she couldn’t see anything. Dried blood was beginning to crust in her hair. “Je ne voudrais pas allez-” He didn’t speak French. “I don’t want to go. Please. Don’t make me. I- Don’t hurt me.” Theo’s eyes widened a little when Clara snapped at him with a fire he hadn’t seen from her yet before whatever fire she’d had was very quickly extinguished in favour of… guilt, uncertainty, and worst of all: fear. He would never hurt her, that wasn’t in his nature, not when it was clear she was vulnerable and hurting. “Clara, just relax, okay?” Theo said softly and quietly. “I won’t hurt you.” And his tone was sincere even if she couldn’t see the expression on his face. “And if you won’t go to medical where will you go?” She needed help and to be cleaned up but he could see how frightened the thought of going to medical had made her so he wasn’t about to frog march her there. “They always say they won’t hurt,” she said, voice soft as a mouse and distant. “But it’s never the truth. When her eyes close for sleep they open on a bed. It… it hurts.” Her voice broke again and she curled in on herself. “I want Danny. Or Grey.” She could still feel Theo’s presence beside her; he was warm and solid but he wasn’t right. His hands were soft but she could feel the strength and if he wanted to hurt her he could, even if his words said he wouldn’t. They always hurt her. “P-please.” Theo was doing his best to keep up with Clara and the thoughts he was picking up were broken and fragmented at best, also concerning, really concerning. It was clear this young woman had been through a lot and was not okay. He made a mental note to speak to Lucas, make sure that he was aware and on it. “Okay,” he said with a nod. “We’ll find Danny or Grey.” Now he was certain she wasn’t about to collapse in on herself he released his grip. “Do you know where they are?” She tilted her head, eyes looking as though a storm was passing through them, moving clouds and her fingers twitched. Shelves. Music. Steady beat in the ear pushing out the sound. No noises to bother. Bracelet on the wrist. Boxes and boxes and boxes. “Danny’s in the shop,” she said, words stumbling a little. She couldn’t go there, not right now. Grey. Kat. Vic. Julian. Beau. Noah. Raph. Images overlapped in her mind’s eye and for a moment she said nothing but random words linked with their locations as she tried to filter through it all with little luck. Finally she settled on one that she could see. Grey. Grey was in her room. Sparse but there was a succulent on the windowsill. The cactus that Clara had given her. It was growing in the light. The flower was yellow. No. Is yellow. No. Would be yellow. Maybe, would be yellow again. “Grey is in her room, Rachel Cohen’s floor” she answered finally, that distant tone disappearing from her voice. “C-Can- Je- I- please- I need-” “Alright,” Theo agreed before he held out his arm and guided Clara’s hands to it. “Just hold on to me and I’ll get you to Grey, okay?” Now all he had to figure out where this Grey was which might be easier said than done as Theo didn’t know her, at all. He began towards the door and as he opened and shut it behind them he turned to Clara. “Do you know her room number.” “No, I’m sorry,” Clara mumbled, obviously ashamed and still worried about the consequences of her answer. “She’s by the bathroom on the lowest floor. D…” Seemingly un-bothered about anything else, Clara just let Theo guide her out of the room and down the stairs, stumbling a little even as they moved. When they hit the bottom of the stairs, she paused, turning her head and thinking about what she normally did, the route her feet took her when she was sleepy and afraid, movements without even thinking. “That way.” Theo paused when Clara did and waited for her to give the signal as she seemed to be thinking about something and eventually she indicated a direction. “Alright,” Theo turned them to start down hallway and as they passed doors he watched Clara for some sort of inkling that they’d hit the right door. It was something small, barely noticeable, but Theo had a keen eye and when he noticed it he stopped outside of a door and then knocked. Hopefully this was the right door. Grey had been reading. She was slowly trying to adjust to her own company. It was difficult, and she only did it for a few hours of the day -training, reading, a small practice session. Then she would locate one of her friends, and spend the rest of the day with them. It didn’t seem problematic to her, really. The knock to the door had her stopping on a page, magnesium. Probably not worth learning anyway, so she closed the book and climbed from the bed to answer -unsure who would be there, no one knocked. Victor barged in, Clara and Danny gave a slight indication and then entered, Kat was just a presence that floated into her room like it was her own space. Grey never minded. “Hello?” Opening the door a little, she didn’t recognise the dark hair man outside, but he didn’t appear threatening -did anyone around here? So she opened it further and--- “Clara?” Why did Clara need an escort to her room? Why didn’t she just come in? “What is wrong?” “I found her in her room, surrounded by cards, hair in her hands and blood on her fingers,” Theo explained as the door opened and it was clearly the right room as the sole occupant seemed aware of who it was he was supporting. “I wanted to take her to medical but she wouldn’t go and asked that I take her to you so um, yeah, here we are.” Eloquent as always but there wasn’t much more that could be said. Clara looked up only after Theo had started talking again, twisting her fingers together anxiously as her sightless, storm-cloud eyes - a sight familiar for Grey as this was how they had met - blinked owlishly. “I didn’t mean to,” she said, her voice apologetic and trembling. “I- They called me- and-” She didn’t feel great, flashing images of explosions and walls dripping with blood still rocketing behind her eyes. She could feel the creeping cold that wasn’t hers to feel crawling over her skin. “je le ne veux plus voir. s'il vous plaît, faites-le arrêter.” “Never take her to medical.” It wasn’t like this was unlikely to happen again, Clara having her cards was a blessing and a curse. Reaching out, Grey took the tips of Clara’s fingers into hers. “It is okay, you can stop. You do not need to look any more.” She was glad he’d thought to ask her where to go, glad Clara was aware enough to find her, even when her sight was currently lost to her visions. “Do you want to come sit, Clara? I will brush your hair, you can rest, you can stop searching. You’ve seen all you need.” Once it was clear that Clara was in good hands Theo released his grip on her and just let Grey take over from here, especially as they knew one another and she was definitely better versed in whatever Clara was going through. “Let me know how she is later,” he said to Grey before he bid the two women goodbye and turned on his heel to head away. Clara said a quiet thank you to Theo, though he may not have heard it, when Grey’s fingers curled around her own. She clutched at her friend and let Grey draw her into her room, closing her eyes and focusing on Grey, the soft words that she knew would eventually help her bring herself back out of the timeline. She had seen all she needed? Maybe. But there was always more. Thankfully this bit she knew well; the darkness and soft touches. Something to ground her. “Handler Frost gave me my cards back,” she whispered, as if that excused her powers taking over. As if that made things better. She didn’t know what he wanted from her, but giving her her cards back meant that he wanted something. Everyone always wanted something. Grey would’ve given thanks to the man, offered the man something for his trouble, even if it was just a favour later, but her attention was entirely on Clara as she drew her into the room, keeping their hands clasped so that Clara could feel her close. “Then you will stay here, away from your cards for now, and I will call for Danny to bring us something from the shop when he is finished, and we shall just sit. I will play with your hair while we wait for your sight to return.” And then she’d show Clara her little cactus, with it’s little bud, and later they could talk about how she didn’t need to give these people anything. |