xxxxxP E T R A x M A X I M O F F x • x h e x x // x b22222 x •"Ross's mirror dimension," she turned back to Tobias, letting the tone of bitterness in her thoughts bleed through into her speech. "I only wish I could have done more... At the very least, I could have sucked the gas out of the room and given everyone a better fighting chance. But Ross saw them targeting me and - well, he just acted, I suppose."
She shifted in her chair, turning more towards the other boy. "But, what you did for Thaddeus Ross... your mom would be proud of you. I know that."
Anything else she was going to say was cut off by the arrival of a couple of people, one skipping around, the other seeming to understand a little better the decorum expected of one in an infirmary.
"Hi, I'm Kizzy!"
Petra accepted the flower thrust at her without complaint, although her expression made it clear she was distinctly unimpressed. "Thanks." In her hands, lined and roughened by her violent childhood, the flower seemed pathetic and out of place. Uncertain what to do with it, she let her hands fall into her lap again, shielding the flower from view, turning to follow the newcomers with her eyes as Tobias did... whatever he was doing with Wynne. Petra had not known him to be particularly fond of being openly kind, but maybe this was a start.
"I'll be alright. You both can go help with the search effort, if you want. Or check on others." Tobias's voice called her attention back, and Petra tore her eyes away from the two white-blonde heads to meet his gaze again.
"I'm not exactly Miss Congeniality here," she pointed out. "But I'll let you heal in peace. Rest up." So saying, she reached out to touch his shoulder gently. "You too," she directed at Wynne. "I hope you're both feeling better soon." Pushing her chair back, she rose, leaving the infirmary. No one stopped her to ask where she was headed, so instead of seeking out further company, she headed for the lift, intending to go back to her flat and collapse into bed. Maybe take a hot shower. Everything was suddenly so exhausting.
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xxxxxR I L E Y x B A R T O N x • x h e x x // x 7a378b x •"I mean, considering all that's happened, I can't possible say that I feel great. But for the situation, I'm doing pretty well." Riley could hear the bitter undertone in Andrew's voice. He smiled, a sardonic twist marring it. "For the situation," he repeated to himself. And what a situation it was. Training had always been about what if you're on enemy territory, what if you have to protect someone. It had never asked what if the enemy was on home territory and they had failed to protect those dear to them.
"So, uh, who else was taken?"
The names came like clockwork to Riley. Every name a reminder of how they'd failed in their duty, not just to protect the people but to protect themselves. "Wren, Caitria, Lilith, Ulrich, Constantine, and... some guy named Cassius?" He shrugged. "With the number of students joining us, I can't really say I'm surprised to hear an unfamiliar name." He glanced over his shoulder at the two currently making their rounds around the room. "I don't suppose you know who they are...?"
The pair reached them soon enough, and the girl held out flowers to both of them. "Welcome to the Academy," Riley greeted them. As soon as they moved on he placed his flower on Andrew's bedside stand. "For you. Could spruce up your place."
As he set it down he glanced over at Andrew, noting with a pang of guilt how tired the other man looked. He'd just regained consciousness, and instead of letting him rest Riley was jabbering away about his own concerns - so incredibly selfish, as usual, Barton.
He stood abruptly, eager to prevent any further mistakes of the same sort. "I'm, uh. I'm sorry, I'm going to let you rest now. You probably really need it," he blurted. Reaching over to pat Andrew's shoulder, he turned away, heading back for his own bed, where he could pick up his things and go back to his penthouse where he could freak out in private.
---
xW Y N N E x W O R T H I N G T O N x • x h e x x // x 6e6e6e x •Instead of eavesdropping on their conversation, Wynne shifted her attention to the brother and sister. Kezia and Roman Black... she had little information on them. Some, but not enough. Switching her phone on, she typed a quick update email to the U.N., adding a little note at the end requesting for the twins' files. That was the best she could manage for now.
When she looked up, the girl was standing in front of Tobias's chair, beaming at her. Returning the smile (which didn't reach her eyes), Wynne took the flower, twirling it idly in her hands. "Nice to meet you," she murmured as they passed by. Pointless, but a nice gesture all the same, she supposed.
Movement towards her face. She looked up quickly, just as Tobias slid the flower behind her ear. Surprised, she raised a hand, brushing the petals with her fingertips. "Thank you." Another thing to thank him about. She did not expect to find him this willingly heroic, or so gentle - Tobias Lehnsherr was turning out to be a very unexpected character.
"I'll be alright. You both can go help with the search effort, if you want." He lay back, looking between her and Petra. Well, there was no need for Wynne to offer. If not her father, then some other higher-ranking official would have already made clear the U.N.'s stance on the Academy accessing their resources. It wasn't her place to decide. She nodded at Petra as she left, mildly surprised at her comment.
"I'll let you recuperate," she told Tobias. "But before I do... I just wanted to thank you for what you did earlier. I know that you're likely cautious of me and my motives here, and I cannot blame you for it. But I hope we can start again, as classmates instead of people caught on opposite sides of a war, which was never my view. And after today... I owe you my life. I think that's enough reason for me to doubt your reputation, even just a little. I'll see you around." Having said what she wanted to say, she got to her feet, shaking her wings out behind her briefly to unruffle them. She left the infirmary, taking the stairs up as far as they would let her, all the way to the roof.
---
xxxxxxxxxJ E N S E N x J O N E S x • x h e x x // x 2b4f81 x •"She's fine." Jensen waited. Sometimes the best way to get more from people was to stay silent. Although she had to feel a little bad for him - he was a genuinely nice person, and Jensen wasn't yet entirely certain Maximoff was a girl worth hurting over. "She's mad at meh."
Jensen sighed sympathetically. "That's gotta be hard." Ross didn't respond, however, preoccupied with looking around the infirmary at something. Jensen remained lying down, staring at the ceiling, her hands folded over her stomach.
"Hi, I'm Kizzy! This is for you!"
Jensen raised her head off the pillow a little, looking at the bug-eyed blonde standing by her bed. Ross's expression said exactly what she was thinking, albeit with a little less cursing. "Eh what?"
God, there was no end to the freaks entering this place. She recognised the irony in calling some among their number freaks, but honestly. Some of these people had never grown up around normal folk. The best greeting she could manage was a half-grimace, half-smile, nodding as the boy spoke. "Right. Uh, glad to see you're having fun here." She could hardly keep the disdain out of her voice.
"Wanna go get drunk? Aye need me a fuckin' drink." Jensen let her head drop back onto the pillow, groaning. "And here I thought you were going to sit here blabbering all day, McCulloch. That's the stupidest question you've ever asked me, and I'm pretty sure you say a lot of dumb stuff." She pushed herself upright, ignoring the way her bones creaked. "Absolutely."
Before she could get out of bed, though, another blonde, this one familiar, stepped towards them. "Hey, Jensen, and you two?" Jensen's eyebrows shot up. "Are you guys okay?"
"All sorts of surprises today, but I think I'll survive," she responded. "Didn't expect to see you back here today, Gwen."