Room 328 [Copacabana Palace, afternoon]

[momslilassassin]

Ben was back at the window, staring out at the ocean and trying to find some calm. He and Ender had called Karla over, and while Ben trusted her absolutely when it came to healing (he wouldn't have had her help with Ender otherwise) and he wasn't afraid of pain, he kind of...worried about her reaction when she saw exactly what the Sith Lord had inflicted on him.

Thus the truncated meditation exercise. Not because he was nervous. At all. Really.

Ben was an expert liar, after all, and had been an expert at lying to himself for years.

[OOC: For the boy and the girl! Warnings for talk of being tortured Troy Denning-ed.]

Comments

[endsthegame]

Ender took a sip of tea himself, blowing across his cup to cool it a little. "Don't think I won't report it to her if you don't," he said lightly, not particularly unwilling to help Ben keep up the jovial facade right now.

[glacial_queen]

"He will, too," Karla said, oh-so-solemnly. "And if he has to, don't be surprised if you wake up the next morning with every article of clothing you own tied in knots."

That's right, Ben. Knots. Tremble.

She set her teacup aside next to the pot and looked at him. "Almost ready to continue?"

[momslilassassin]

A slight flicker of fear, quickly suppressed, flashed in his eyes, but he put down his cup and nodded.

"Ready when you are."

[endsthegame]

Ender set his tea aside, and crossed the room, reaching for Ben's hand to give it a quick squeeze. He'd noticed, of course, but he didn't want to linger on it for too long and make Ben lose his composure.

Then he stepped aside again.

[glacial_queen]

Karla reached for his other hand, and did not let go. "It might be easier with contact," she said.

Totally the reason. Totally.

And, with another squeeze of her hand and a second web, she began again, starting with the scars on his neck and chest. The smell of blood was getting thicker in the room now, but Karla only let herself concentrate on the fact that it was necessary to make Ben better.

[momslilassassin]

This time was harder, and Ben gritted his teeth hard not to cry out. His grip grew a little painful on Karla's hand despite his best efforts.

[endsthegame]

Funny how the scent of blood struck Ender straight in the face - in a manner of speaking. He tried not to think about the clatter of water washing away that smell, or the soft echoes of feet on the metal of a space station.

This wasn't his issue - his trauma.

At least he had the comfort that even if he froze up a little, no one would be paying attention to him. No matter how many punches to the gut this was, all wrapped up into one.

[glacial_queen]

Karla didn't say a word of protest, no matter how painful Ben's grip got. If she weren't so busy weaving and Healing, she'd've tried to send some emotions back, like soothing and calm and comfort.

But then she got to a section of the web where she could take on some of his pain if she wanted--and hesitated.

"Let me," she whispered, unwilling to go against what he'd said. "I can share it. I will. Just say okay."

[momslilassassin]

Ben shook his head. "No," he said. "It's mine."

Ben was terribly healthy about this.

[endsthegame]

"Karla," Ender said, certainty hiding whatever weakness he was feeling, "Leave it."

He still sounded quiet. All he was doing was making sure Ben got backed up.

He got that choice. He really did.

[glacial_queen]

Karla wanted to argue. She really, really did. But if she did, the Healing would suffer for it. And so would Ben. So would Ben on multiple levels. So she just shut her mouth, nodded once, and threw herself back into her work.

The wounds were sealing now, leaving behind clean, new flesh. That much she could do for him.

It seemed so small, for all he'd gone through. For all he'd done for her.

[momslilassassin]

Ben's breath came out in little gasps as he wiped his chest off. "Thank you," he murmured.

[endsthegame]

Ender reached and took a towel himself, but didn't approach - he didn't want to throw off Karla's concentration unless he was sure she was done. Then he sat back again, unwilling to look away, feeling it was somehow important.

[glacial_queen]

Throat. Chest. Back.

So many cuts. So much blood. So much Healing.

Thread after thread went dark and crumbled into nothing. One web, then another. And another still. Karla had brought several Healing webs, unsure of the extent of the damage, but hoping for overkill. Now she was worried she had underestimated the amount of Healing necessary. So many tiny little boxes, etched into his skin.

Arms. Hands. Bottom.

She was getting tired now. Her Sapphire was still fine, still glowing with energy, even as she drained it, drop by drop. As far as Healings went, this was fairly low-impact, Craft-wise. She wouldn't end it gaunt and hollow, even if she hadn't brought so many webs along. It was just difficult. Intricate. Complicated.

She could feel a tension headache building, but it was distant. Far away. Like it was happening to someone else. Her throat was growing scratchy and raw, too. She'd focus on that later.

Cut. Soothe. Bind. Heal.

And finally...done.

Karla sagged back against the wall, covered in blood and drenched in sweat. The last Healing web lay discarded beside her, two-thirds of it blacked and used. "Tea?" she croaked, giving them both a smile. "And maybe a cookie?"

[momslilassassin]

Ben was huddled under one of the towels as a fit of trembling overtook him.

That had not been one of the highlights of his life, even if he more than appreciated the results of the healing.

[endsthegame]

Ender swiftly passed his own, only barely-touched cup of coffee on to Karla.

Then he was moving past her, sitting down next to Ben and using the towel he'd grabbed to gently wipe more of the blood from his back. The motions... were more for Ben's sake than cleanliness, per se.

[glacial_queen]

Karla sipped her cup and watched the two of them, unsure if she should say anything or do anything. Would it be an intrusion if she did? They looked so...right...together and she didn't want to trespass on that.

[momslilassassin]

Ben let out a soft sigh and dropped his head to rest on Ender's shoulder, closing his eyes.

"Thank you, Karla," he whispered.

[endsthegame]

Protectiveness radiating from his posture, Ender looked up at Karla, and gave her a little nod. "Thank you," he echoed. "And don't say 'don't thank me'."

He wasn't sure if there was anything else specific to be said that she didn't already know.

[glacial_queen]

Karla closed her mouth abruptly, swallowing the 'don't' that had sprung there practically by itself.

"I wasn't?" she tried, instead. "Because you're both welcome. You're two of my closest friends." Shifting awkwardly, she looked down at her tea as if it had become the most fascinating thing in the room. "There's not a whole lot I wouldn't do for you. I'm just really glad you asked."

She wasn't going to thank them for doing so--that would also just be awkward--but part of her almost wanted to.

"Welcome," she said again, and drank more of her tea.

[momslilassassin]

Ben's tea floated over to his hand without him opening his eyes. "Not planning on repeating this particular exercise," he said with a sad attempt to rally his sense of humor.

[endsthegame]

Ender quietly stroked his fingers over Ben's hair, working under absolutely no plan to leave, thanks. "Now this is just awkward," he commented, tossing his own sense of humor into the battle.

[glacial_queen]

"If you were planning on doing something like this again, I'd claim Healer prerogative and sit on you," Karla informed Ben sternly.

Because her weight would absolutely prove a hindrance to Ben, yes.

[momslilassassin]

Oh, when he went back out, he'd come up with an entirely new way to injure himself.

"All four pounds of you?" he said, smiling. "Terrifying."

[endsthegame]

"I don't think it's the weight you should fear," Ender said, "Just the creativity of the invectives." He dropped the towel and settled his hand on Ben's shoulder.