voice; un: spiderlily

[higanbana]

WHO: Ris and whoever would like to take pity offer help!
WHERE: Blue Fish Park and the hospital
WHEN: Morning, February 4
WHAT: Ris has woken up feeling a bit... under the weather.
WARNINGS: Health scares specifically related to eyesight, vaguely-gaslighting-adjacent questioning of sanity


U-um. Is this thing on? ...I think it's working. Ah... hello, everyone!

[The voice coming through the speaker is... cheerful, but in a way that sounds fake. Like it's trying too hard, like the edges are just clipped enough to sound wrong.]

So, um, I... have a bit of a predicament, I guess. I woke up today with... with something weird going on, but Dad's acting like I'm crazy? S-so, um, he wants me to come see him at the hospital so he can check me for a concussion.

[There's a little catch in the way she pauses for breath.]

N-not that I couldn't get an Uber or something! But... um... if anyone's free... if anyone... you know, just happens to be near Blue Fish Park...

Would someone be willing to come with me? I'd really... really appreciate it.

[She pauses again, before ending the transmission with one last thought. This time, there's no attempt to hide her vulnerability; her voice is shaking and small and desperate.]

...I really don't want to be alone right now.

Comments

[thavnairian]

Fine with me. I only took up elemental magic to learn a bit of healing, honestly. Seeing people get hurt and not being able to do anything about it... it gets to you.

[He won't dwell on that for too long though, it's a depressing thought.]

Of course you have to try. Because I'm going to bribe you with food or whatever else you really, really want, and that'll help motivate you!

[She seems like... she's had a bit of a gray life until now. Not really trying to do anything, just sort of existing. Maybe that's an assumption on his part, but she seems just so eager for some kind of companionship now that they're close. And Amal, who was once in that very same position, can't help but oblige.]

What's your favorite dessert? I'll learn how to make it just for you. And next time you have a breakthrough, we can both try it. How does that sound?

[higanbana]

Yeah... I get that. [She looks down at her feet.] Dad's a surgeon, it's his job to help people. And, I mean... a lot of things weigh down on him, for sure, but as far as his job goes, I think that's what weighs on him the most. When he does everything he can, but he just can't help.

[It is depressing. Honestly, a lot of things about her stepfather are depressing.

Thankfully, she can't dwell on that for too long, because Amal is over here trying to make her face blush deep enough to match her new eyes, the jerk, and it's working.

She's clearly stumbling for words at his first offer of motivation, so it's a good thing he follows up with an offer of dessert. Because all she can think right now is that maybe, what she really wants is just more of an excuse to hang out with him.]

Tch... you don't need to go that far! [She's so flustered right now, god help her.] But... if you insist... I like desserts with lemon in them. Sweet, but still kind of sour, y'know?

[thavnairian]

... Yeah, that's a heavy burden. A really heavy burden.

[Ris is right here in front of him though, and he's not about to let her be down on her birthday. If he notices her stumbling on her words, he doesn't think much of it; it was a perfectly reasonable request in his eyes and he doesn't have his mind in the gutter for once.]

Desserts with lemon! I think I can find something that fits that description.

[He pats her arm.]

So. Do you want me to show you how to throw right now, or would you rather do something else? It's your nameday, so you're in charge.