[week four - wednesday]

[ceded]

[ How much more of this does she have to endure?

Can she just, maybe, pretend to be asleep next time someone comes in, or will the just wake her up to yell at her?

She wishes she could run, and maybe for the first time in her life she recognizes it for the childish impulse that it is. But that doesn't stop her from wanting to get away from this. From her mistakes, from this game, from everything.

Xion is awake and staring at the wall, exhausted in so many different ways, when Harry comes in. She doesn't even look at him; she registered his presence, realized immediately who it was, and shuts her eyes. ]

... if you're here to ask me what I was thinking, I ... don't really know what to say.

Comments

[expelliarmed]

[ Harry doesn't say anything at first, eyes lingering on her as he catalogues her injuries. He's only caught snippets of what happened, and after what happened to Jason and Shinnosuke, perhaps he should feel relieved that Xion could still see and speak.

It's awfully difficult to feel relieved about anything just now, though.

He drags over a chair and sits on it so the back is facing her, before he leans forward on it to rest his chin on his arms. ]

I'm not, actually. [ Look, he's the last person to give someone flack for trying something dangerous and reckless. That's how you get things done. ] I'm here to see how you're doing. Do you need anything?

[ceded]

You're ... not?

[ ... oh. She looks startled, then relieved, then crushingly guilty, and she has to look away from him. ]

I'm okay, [ she whispers. ] I just ... it's going to be impossible to get around now. I don't want everyone to have to carry me, but I won't be able to walk anymore. [ She sounds frustrated. ] I hate this place. If I had my magic, this wouldn't even be a problem.

[ she knows harry will get that. ]

[expelliarmed]

[ He does get that, because he hadn't been in the room a moment before he'd started thinking how Madam Pomfrey would have had her back on her feet in a day or two. It'd be just that easy.

But nothing about this is easy. ]

Will you be able to use a crutch or - something? [ As if the broken foot hadn't been enough before. He hates it - he hates it that people keep getting hurt and killed and he can't do anything to stop it. He hates that it isn't him lying mangled with Xion whole and well instead. ]

[ceded]

[ Gives him kind of a confused look. ]

A ... crutch? I mean, I still have my walking stick, but I don't think it'll be enough, now.