backwordscompatible | IC CONTACT (HAVEN)

[He was the one who wanted the meeting. It would be up to him to initiate the conversation. Choosing the direction it would go in.]

[By the time he approached, she was sitting on one of the vacant cots. There was a long, flat stone in her hand. Roughly the size of a quarter. Or poker chip. Time was idly being spent flipping it back and forth between her fingers. Watching its smooth surface reflect in the dim lighting until she heard the footsteps approach.]

[Even then, she didn't get up. Waving as a means of acknowledging his approach.]

[He nods slightly at the wave and takes off his hood when he's inside. He notices the stone in her hand and gets curious.]

What is that? Just a regular rock, or something else?

[You never know with magic types.]

[In response, she chucked it at him. For old time's sake.]

[...though she did at least make sure he would be able to see it coming. And catch it (presumably). And feel it with his own fingers.]

[Just a regular rock, yup.]

So.

[Moving on. As she gracefully rose to her feet.]

To what do you owe the pleasure of my company this time?

[He catches the rock without issue and it feels fairly normal. If she isn't saying anything about it, then he won't question it.]

I wanted to ask how you're doing.

[An eyebrow rose.]

No, really. What's up?

[He doesn't respond, but his brow furrows slightly at her disbelief.]

[...okay, that might have come off a little more insulting than intended.]

[She was just surprised. That's all.]

Uh...I mean...fine. I'm fine. More or less.

Little claustrophobic in my own room, but that's to be expected.

[He makes a 'hm' sound in understanding.]

Kon told me you didn't have a face, so I got concerned. [He says wryly, meaning it more in jest despite his condition before.] He also said you were asked to leave him. Did something happen?

[Didn't have a face.]

[It took a second to decipher what that meant. Then another to think back. Someone asked her to leave Kon? When was--oh...]

You didn't know?

It was a few days ago. Something happened...I don't know how many people were affected, but Kon was one of them.

I know. I visited Kon the day before things went back to normal. [Which suspicious in itself - things don't normally revert so fast - but that's not the issue here.] You probably didn't know I came by since I did it in secret. Well, it's not a secret anymore.

[He shrugs.]

Anyway, what happened? He told me that Conner and Superman made you leave.

[Huh. She'd missed that. Probably during one of the (multiple) times he was referring to.]

Oh, that.

I kind of...drained myself a bit trying to keep the idiot alive magically. Several times.

I see. [He says with a twinge of sympathy. Figures she over-exerted herself.] I figured his reopened wounds were bad from the bandages. He could barely move on his own as well.

[A small part of her was expecting him to criticizes her for it, even gently. Much as she had (affectionately) referred to Kon as an idiot...her actions hadn't really been that much smarter. Though, in her defense, she had genuinely believed he was dying at the time.]

It was awful. No matter how hard Korra or I tried to heal him, all we could do was keep him from bleeding out too much...and, with a little extra magic, I was at least able to keep the pain down.

I thought... [She hesitated, taking a deep breath. Knowing what she knew, and exactly who (she thought) was responsible didn't make this any easier. Because she still didn't blame Jason entirely.] ...I thought I was going to lose him. For good. With the revival machine broken, if he died that time, he wouldn't have come back.

[His expression doesn't budge as she explains, but he does feel a pang of guilt when she mentions the machine. How can he not, when he helped break it? Yet there's no begrudging feeling on his end for her bringing it up.]

I don't know about whether or not his life was in real danger, but I think you did the right thing. You did what you could to keep him alive.

["So don't blame yourself" is what he silently implies.]

However, I came by because I wanted to see if you're feeling alright now. It's been a couple days since, but I guess you aren't fully recovered yet right?

[She didn't question his sincerity this time. Only smiled faintly at the words of encouragement--those spoken aloud and any silent implications behind them--and shook her head.]

No, I'm alright. Magically, at least. Nothing a few extra hot showers and twelve hours' a night couldn't fix.

[Although, since he had brought the subject up...she sighed a moment later.]

It just seems like things never end.

I mean, first Kon...and now Korra. She's not hurt. She just...won't wake up.

[He scowls.]

So something has happened to her too now? ...It should be fine. So long as her body is here, she can be monitored.

[He doesn't understand why, but without multiple reports it seems like an isolated case.]

Still, this isn't anything new. I mean, we've been here for over a year now. These things won't stop until the Yao Corporation is taken down. That's the only way to stop it for us and to stop it for those who may potentially come here.

Trust me, monitoring isn't the issue. She was sleeping with Conner when it happened, so that's where she's been ever since. Give or take anybody else who's been by to see her.

Our room's never been so popular.

And those rooms aren't exactly big to begin with. There's a free bed where I am, but I don't think you would want to be there. The only reason I even stay is to keep tabs on Junko's location.

[That and Lilly. He wants to protect her from Junko and this is the best way.]

Much as I appreciate the offer to spend the night with you, Red, I do still get to sleep in my own bed at night.

At worst, there's always Kon's.

...I really didn't need to hear that.

[He already knows Kon and Zatanna are together, but sheesh he doesn't want to know about it.]

Edited 2014-11-02 07:26 (UTC)

You brought up the idea.

[Just oh so innocently "assuming" he was referring to the joke about spending the night with him.]

Don't even act like that's what I meant.

Lighten up a bit, Red.

If we lose our sense of humor, then the Yao will truly have won. And nobody wants that.

If sense of humor was weaponized, I think you and Kon could take on the Corporation alone.

[Few people might argue with that sentiment.]

...too bad we both know it's going to take more than a few puns to do that.

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