A Reversal of Reticence [Milk]

@"King"

He managed to wriggle out of her grasp as the first signs of the actual school buildings came into view, hitting the ground with all of the style and grace of a rock. Ignoring the now familiar burning sensation in his ankle he pushed himself to his feet and moved beside Milk, weaving his arm around her and helped support some of her weight and helped her to continue to trudge forward towards the medical center.

They made quite a scene as they made their way through the campus and several students gathered around and kept asking questions. If he'd had more energy he would have told them to fuck right off, instead all he could manage to do was flip off some twerp who snapped a few photos with his phone. He'd had to fight to get Milk to let him help her, he doubted she'd be pleased if he called emergency services now when they were so close.

"C'mon Milk, don't give up on me... you're strong, you'll make it through this." he said softly as they approached the infirmary. "Stay with me now... you're going to be alright... please be alright...please...be... alright..."

He fell to a knee, the last of his adrenaline finally giving out. Damn it no! They were so close, just up these stairs and he could collapse knowing he'd helped her get to safety!

@"King"

Murphy glanced at Milk and then at the people around them. He could hear them yelling something, but it sounded so far away. Taking a deep breath he took a single step up the entryway, then another... an another. He was no stranger to exhaustion, but this was a whole new level of drained for him. Each step felt like walking through molasses, each passing footstep felt heavier and heavier, but somehow the two of them made it up.

Someone had apparently had the wherewithal to let the medical staff know they were coming, because as they reached the top a handful of nurses and doctors came out pushing gurneys. He helped ease Milk onto one, watching her stare blankly out into the distance. She'd be okay...right? I mean, after all they'd just struggled through he was sure that- huh...how'd he end up on the ground? His own vision started to fade, and he was aware of being lifted up... yeah, she'd be alright... she had to be.

And the world went black.

@"King"

Murphy rubbed his head, a faint tugging drawing his attention to the IV of painkillers in his vein. Instinctively he tugged it and withdrew from it, shuddering slightly. Fucking needles His stomach twisted as what happened in the forest caught up with him. He tried to sit up but found himself immobilized by a swatch of bandages covering most of his upper body, Jesus, had he been that badly injured? He'd gone into the forest to apologize to Milk and... SHIT, MILK!

He rose with the help of the bars on the side of the bed and pulled the curtain aside in a hurry. Outside the sun had already set, and the gentle glow of early moonlight pierced the thin curtains. He'd gone after her around one in the afternoon, how long had he been out? He stood without any real trace of pain, though without the painkillers he'd probably be in crippling pain in the next hour or so, but that was a problem for later. Right now he needed to find Milk. He found his duster folded neatly on the table beside the bed and put it on over his bandages, instinctively he felt around for the coin and breathed a sigh of relief to feel its familiar weight in his pocket. With everything he felt essential to his being, he shouldered open the door into the hall.

It was... much nicer than he'd been expecting. Rather than the sterile white hallways typical to hospitals, the walls had been stained a deep brown in contrast to the pale tile flooring, giving the place a feeling of importance and grandeur instead of the empty depression that such institutions usually had.

It took asking several nurses and a very loud argument with the orderly assigned to him to figure out where Milk had been taken. Eventually he was told that she was being kept in a special room within the intensive care unit further within the complex, and he took off running. As his footsteps echoed through the facility he cursed himself. Cursed his stupidity, cursed his carelessness, and cursed his luck. If it hadn't been for his fucking powers, Milk wouldn't be near death, he wouldn't be at this stupid school, and Cynthia would still be... he shook his head. Later... he could think about these things later.

He took the stairs three at a time, shoving several employees out of his way when he got to the wing of the hospital meant for severe injuries and illness. He checked each room to find them empty until he got to the one at the end of the hallway, through which he could see Milk sleeping, with several intravenous bags attached to her arm, and a multitude of scanners stuck to her torso. The door itself was locked, and arguing with the doctor in charge proved fruitless. How could they do this? She'd saved his fucking life, and now they were going to keep him from being there during the one god damn time it might do something? He sat down in a chair and glared at the door, and the staff gradually drifted back into their routines.

@"King"

Murphy watched the doctor go into the room, write something down on his clipboard and step out again, getting a noncommittal reply when he asked about her condition. Frustrated he slammed his fist into the arm of the chair, once again he felt fucking useless! As always he managed to fuck up absolutely everything, and because of it another person he cared about might die. He needed to get in there to be there by her side when she woke up, but as long as the staff were watching him he didn't have much chance at getting the door open. He dipped into his pocket and snagged the coin again, tossing and noting the results out of habit more than anything. Scales, scales, scales, scales...scales...scales? He paused and peered at the coin in confusion. The trick coin was weighted for heads, specifically made to balance out against his luck. Usually this meant he got about an even number of both, leaning towards dice on a bad day. Giving it another flip he was surprised to see the balanced scales come up once more.

He looked around curiously and came to an odd realization; despite being the only one there and making more noise than anything else absolutely no one was paying him any attention. Regardless of just having a nearly violent altercation with the man, the doctor was reading charts like nothing had happened... and the at that same moment the only nurses on staff stepped out for a break, leaving the wing nearly empty. Were things going...right for once? He looked at the coin and his memory drifted back to the day he'd received it...

“Hey Murphy, you going to just stand there staring or help me out?” the pretty blonde woman asked, wiping sweat off her brow on the sleeve of her shirt. He stood there mouth slightly agape, “Ah, sorry Cynthia, stage right lights...up.” he fiddled with the lighting board and made minor adjustments, stealing glances up at her every now and then. A little taller than he, she had the build of someone who went to the gym, but not obsessively. Her skin was the color of cream, eyes that sparkled like emeralds and beautiful golden hair that fell to the small of her back when she didn't have it tied up into a ponytail. She stood on stage in her magician's outfit and put a hand on her hip. “You alright? You seem a little distracted.” He shook his head quickly, “Nah, I'm fine, just thinking. This is your first real show right? I mean, this is where it all starts. Once Malakai sees you perform I'll bet he snatches you up as his apprentice and whisks you away to... wherever the magicians go to to professional shows.”

She laughed and hopped off the stage, “Oh come on, it's not like I'll be gone forever. What's the matter, would you miss me?” she teased, sweeping off the old top hat she wore and tossing it onto a seat. Murphy shuffled sheepishly, “Eh? No, just... I dunno, not sure what I'll do with my spare time now since I won't be working AV for ya.” he mumbled. “And uh, I got ya something, for good luck.” he fumbled a box out from under the stand and offered it to her awkwardly. “'s not much, but, figured it'd look good on ya.” She took it and tore open the packaging, her features lighting up with delight as she withdrew the new blue silk top hat inside, “Oh my! Murph it's incredible, I love it!” she tried it on immediately, and embraced him, planting a quick kiss on his cheek.

As she twirled to look at herself in the mirror, Murphy fought to keep the heat surging up his cheeks from showing. “It's... nothing. You've worked hard for this Cynthia, only fits that you look your best in your debut, yeah?” He fiddled with the controls again, making a poor attempt at nonchalance when he managed to feedback the speakers, causing both of them to wince. She turned back to him and raised an eyebrow, “It so happens I got something for you too, catch!” he tossed him something small and shiny which he managed to catch clumsily. He squinted at it closely, “A coin?”

She chuckled again, “Yeah, a coin, only this one's a trick one, meant to always land on the side with scales. Saw it at that little antique store you spend every paycheck at. The old guy at the counter says it's special, gave me some story about how it alters the holders luck... supposed to balance out probability or something. You're always going on about luck, So I thought you'd like it... do you?” He gave it an experimental flick, the coin felt good and it did indeed come up on the scale side. He slid it down into his pocket in a motion that already felt natural. “I....I love yo- it. I love it.” he stuttered. “Thank you, thank you so much!” he moved to hug her but instead she'd pulled him back stage, kissed him and whispered something into his ear...

The doctor sneezed, snapping Murphy out of his trance. He looked around at the hospital, at the lone doctor still reading his charts, then back out the door. On a whim he tried the door again, still locked. He flipped the coin in annoyance and was surprised when a soft 'click' followed the catch, and the door quietly gave way. Without looking back he slipped inside, closing it silently behind him before looking at Milk's still form.

The room was much more tech intensive than his had been. Banks of computer screens and various beeping machines surrounded her bed, chirping out an inhuman chorus. He approached cautiously, praying that he wouldn't adversely affect any of the delicate hardware and took a seat beside her. After a moment he took her hand and squeezed it gently. “Hey Milk, it's me. You... you're gonna be alright, yeah? You're gonna be alright and you'll be up and training again in no time. You're gonna be...just fine. I'm here now. ” He sniffled and bent his head over the hand. For the first time in years, Murphy cried.