ArchivedLogs:Carried

Carried
Dramatis Personae Mallory, Aloke
In Absentia	2013-11-07 Mallory marches Aloke to see Hank after a disturbing revelation
Location <XS> The Halls of Xavier School
The halls of the Xavier School are distressingly empty. For a Thursday evening during the school year, the echoes of laughter and childish exploits is conspicuously absent from the stately mansion. Occasionally, the sound of a muffled cough, or a violent sneeze disrupts the silence; other times, a shuffle of foot steps, or the sound of pained moans. A mansion this large is not meant to be this empty, or this quiet. Mallory’s hooves impact upon the gleaming hardwood floor with a sharp -clack- that reverberates with each deliberate step. Entering through the doors leading out to the Great Hall, she is largely silent for the trip inside, one arm linked through Aloke’s, keeping him close, as though afraid he might slip away from her. Her expression is solemn, as she leads the way to the med lab - the path familiar, one she had walked many times before in recent memory. One hand idly strokes at Aloke’s arm, an attempt at a comforting gesture, though it is largely unclear if it is meant to comfort him, or her, more. “So you’re feeling better?” Mallory finally questions, her voice the controlled, practiced whisper of a librarian. She doesn’t look up, keeping her eyes focused on the ground just in front of where they walk, unwilling to look directly at Aloke. "Well yeah," Aloke says. He keeps his voice down as well, out of respect for the quiet mansion. People are sick, and grieving, and dealing, and they don't need some jackass braying about nothing important. "A /lot/ better, actually. Must be the bounce back effect or something. Feel better than I have since…" He glances aside at some glint that got his attention - just his eyes in the dark, reflected by a hallway mirror. He chuckles softly and says, "I mean, I've had this weird headache that keeps sneaking around on me, but I-" Aloke makes a clicking sound in the back of his throat, and the light in eyes winks out briefly, even though they're still open. "Weird-" He coughs. "Weird." His voice has a mechanical quality with the verbal hitch, but when it passes he doesn't seem to realize he even did it. When his expression clears, his eyes blink back to life, like a fluorescent bulb coming on. Mallory doesn’t actually look /pleased/ at this news, and she frowns towards Aloke, studying his face for a long moment. “Bounce back effect,” she parrots quietly, shaking her head, “You’re… the children. The ones who have died. They… they started feeling better first. Were better. And then…” Her voice trails off, or perhaps cracks, mercifully, keeping her from completing that thought. She shakes her head and frowns, closing her eyes for a moment as they walk, just listening to the sound of their movement in the hallway, squeezing Aloke’s arm with hers. “I hope it’s actually true. That you’re better. That this is starting to fade, at last” she says, though her voice seems almost flat, defeated, sliding right into the incredulous question of, “You used your travel form to go get a burger?” The repeated words, however, get a concerned look, and she actually stops in her tracks. “Headache?” she questions, watching the flash of his eyes, “Are you alright? You’re… repeating yourself.” Her walk starts again, tugging Aloke along with her towards the infirmary. "Yeah, but," Aloke begins, thinking about Mallory's concern. He's not able to keep all of his own concern out of his voice. "But… then how do we know the difference between people who are /actually/ getting better, and people who aren't?" Aloke squeezes her arm back, but in general his body language is more distant than usual. Almost distracted. But he was distracted even before the deep conversation. Then, he's suddenly faced with the fact of his multiple-guilt ridden ride, but instead of embarrassment, he responds with outrage. He yanks his arm free of Mallory's grasp and stops walking. He turns to face her, pointing an accusing finger, but the light in his eyes flickers out again during his tirade. "Why /shouldn't/ I go out to eat? You… ALL of you, want to trap me here like some kind of animal. I'm not meant to be locked up, like a bird in a cage! I- I could be /anywhere/ in the world. So I went to Argentina for a burger. So what?" As sudden as the rage came on him, it fades and his jaw drops open at the same time the light in his eyes flickers back to life. "Oh… Oh /shit/, Mallory… I'm so sorry…" he takes a step forward, hoping to take her hand again, into both of his, if she lets him. “I don’t know. That’s why I think going to see Hank is the best course of action right now. He can --” Mallory starts speaking in response, determined tone to her voice, though she stops abruptly when Aloke yanks his arm free of hers. The sudden motion sends her off balance, stumbling ungracefully for several steps, her slick hooves scrambling to find purchase on the hardwood flooring. A look of panic on her face, Mallory stumbles, twisting one leg under her in a likely unfortunate manner as she falls, gasping in pain as she lands in a jumble on the floor. The sound of the not insignificant impact echoes through the abandoned hallways. Tears that had been barely contained before now roll freely down her cheeks in silent streams, her eyes closing as she recoils from Aloke’s tirade, shaking. “Aloke, you’re scaring me. Please… I don’t want to trap you here. God no, I don’t want to keep you in a cage… I wouldn’t want that for anyone, least of all you,” she says quietly, her body trembling as she starts to struggle to raise herself off the floor. “You haven’t used your… your travel form since the accident. You were /terrified/ of what might happen,” she says quietly, not accusing, not angry, just stating facts slowly, giving up for a moment on standing again, just sitting there in a heap, shivering. When he reaches out for her, Mallory cringes slightly, biting back a sob. She looks up at him after a moment with wide eyes, trails of tears glistening on her cheeks. One hand starts to rise to take his outstretched hand, but pauses. Instead, she forces herself into a standing position, tottering unsteadily on the wrenched leg as she does. Finally, she takes his hand, her skin fiercely warm against his, shaking nervously at the touch, though unwilling to let go quite so easily. There is no acknowledgement of his apology, she just bows her head silently, fresh tears still flowing from her eyes. Aloke cries out and drops to his knees when Mallory falls. He's horrified at his own words and is mostly just shaking with the remnants of the alien rage that confuses him more than anything. "Oh god... I remember hearing Daiki, of all people, had started a /fight/... I'm not better, Mallory. This is all wrong." He stands when Mallory does, wincing as she insists on doing it herself, but takes her hand, once its offered, in both of his. He steps in close to her, tears flowing freely from his own eyes. "I don't even feel that way. I don't mean /any/ of those things. I just... " Aloke's face is a mask of fear and confusion. "I don't understand what's happening." He pulls himself in close, to embrace Mallory, burying his face in her neck. "I'm scared, Mal..." There is a hesitant tensing of Mallory's body when Aloke steps closer, a flicker of animalistic fear darting across her features. When he speaks, without the uncharacteristic anger, her expression softens, and she looks at him for a long moment before gathering him into her arms. Her weight shifts slightly - she is favoring her left leg just enough to be noticeable in the shift She holds him, resting her head on his shoulder, silent tears dampening his shoulder the longer they remain like this. "I know," Mallory says, in a cracking whisper, slowly rubbing his back in an attempt at comfort, "I know." A deep shuddering breath, though she is unwilling to let go of him still, her hug feverishly warm and strongly protective. "We'll get you down to the med bay. It'll..." her voice cracks, and she presses her face against his shoulder, "It'll be ok, Aloke. I’m sure they’ll have an answer soon. It’ll be ok." She doesn't sound quite so sure about it, but the librarian seems desperate to but on a brave face for him. Or at least attempt to do so. "I um…" Aloke starts to pull away, gently this time, but without letting go of her hand. "Your leg, I'm so sorry-" He pauses again, much longer than a normal pause in conversation, and then just seems to pick up the sentence where he left off, not acknowledging the break. "-about that. I- Can you walk on it? Or maybe I should carry you?" This last, is with the tiniest, faintest flicker of hopeful humor, but he's still sniffing back tears and is a total mess. The flicker of humor is snuffed out by his own dismayed expression though. "God... I've never hit anyone in my life. I can't believe I knocked you down. I swear that's not me, Mal. I know that's what guys like that say… but..." Aloke shakes his head, at a loss for words. Mallory leans in and gently kisses Aloke's forehead as the hug ends, a faint smile at the mention of him carrying her. "Oh, heh," she chuckles briefly, offering him a warm smile, though it doesn't extend up to her eyes quite as much. "No. It isn't broken. Just wrenched it a bit, that's all. I'll be alright. No need to hurt yourself trying to carry me," she squeezes his hand gently, starting to walk towards the infirmary again, at a slower pace, admittedly. "I know you aren't like this. It's... It's this illness, not you," she says in hushed tones, shaking her head, looking over at him as they walk. "I'm gonna get through this, Mal," Aloke says, his voice determined. It's an admittedly shaky determination, but it's better than nothing. "/We/ are gonna get through this." Nothing brings couples together like death and destruction. He ducks a little his his shoulder under hers to provide a proper support, and tries to make the walk as painless as possible. "And when we do, I'm taking you somewhere nice."