[ the sound of the cell door opening is likely going to stick with ruby for the foreseeable future. it's both a sign of incoming terror and a relief when it happens - in this case, it's the latter. jade is here and alive, but she looks so much more different than when ruby had met her on the first day. she and riza may be slowly reaching their limits, but ruby is already well past her own.
she's curled next to riza on their shared bed, and weakly lifts her head to get a look at her fellow captive. ]
Jade-san...
[ she shakes her head. her tears have run their course for the day, but that doesn't mean she's all right - the optimistic, youthful twinkle in her eyes has all but disappeared into a dull exhaustion. she almost seems as if she's in a daze, barely conscious of her surroundings. ]
[ she hates it, really, but habits have proven themselves important over the last couple of days. habits like, as soon as one of them are taken away, the other two curl back up on the bed. it had been a couple of hours since jade had been taken, and despite riza's best efforts, she's lost track of the time.
at least until the doors creak open and steps in, the doors closed resolutely behind her. riza, after setting a comforting hand on the back of ruby's back before moving to sit up off the bed. ]
You don't need to apologize. [ said almost immediately in response to jade's apology, slowly moving to stand up off the bed. she shakes her head, moving towards where jade stands near the door. it's not quite hesitant, so much as it's slow. careful. ] Jade- come sit?
i dont want to type out lipschitz repeatedly. dont make me do that
[ jade moves just as slowly as riza, but her gaze is firmly on ruby. riza's a tough woman and jade's riding on the coattails of madoka and jay's words to her - the two of them are holding down the fort easier than her, she knows that much. she's got to get ruby to her sister as soon as possible, so she can get what she needs in terms of support. she's sure that people would do the same for her. ]
Okay.
[ her movements have a languid sense to them, exhaustion carved into her bones from hours of interrogation and experimentation. she gets the feeling it'll remain for weeks after, maybe even by the time they find qri.
when jade sits down, she motions as gently as possible to her collar. ] Might be fractured... won't know till a doctor sees it. Maybe they are getting angry now. I don't know. How were you guys?
[ by now, ruby is just completely out of it. she only wants to go home, have a proper bed and be held by her sister, but she can't even find the energy to voice those thoughts. the testing has clearly taken a lot out of her - she has a low pain threshold, meaning that she's spent plenty of it unconscious. ]
...tired. I'm really tired.
[ she blinks up at jade, mustering a look of concern in her drained expression. ]
[ part of the reason riza moves is for jade to walk by her, to move towards ruby. though riza doesn't move far from the bed, or from ruby, some kind of base sense not quite allowing her to put too much distance there but still wanting to approach the other girl.
her eyes move over jade quickly, checking on what she can see until the girl sits, and then stepping over and kneeling down to be more at eye level with her. ]
We're surviving. Tired, but making it. Right Ruby?
[ riza glances over towards ruby for a moment, keeping her there in the conversation as much as she can, before her gaze moves to jade's collar and then to her eyes, as if checking to make sure she knows what is happening, before reaching forward to gently press her thumb to the muscle around it. ]
It looks broken. [ she sounds almost apologetic, judging by jade's reaction. ] You'll want to be careful with that shoulder. Are you hungry?
[ jade winces at the contact; she doesn't make any attempt to end it sooner than it does, despite this. ]
...I'll be careful. [ it's an agreement, but it's also the best jade can do. in this situation, the less arguing, the better. there's no guarantee she can be careful, not with the level of investigation being dropped on them all. ] It does hurt, but I have had worse. Don't worry about me.
[ ruby's a sweet girl, but jade can't afford to let her lose herself anymore than she has. keeping sane for another person is nearly all she as left at this point. ] I am... good on food. You guys go ahead. If I have anything in my stomach, I might... [ retch? maybe.
when she's as settled in on the bed as she can get, jade initiates a telepathic link. keeping any plans quiet is the best way to handle this. ] They haven't taken either of you yet? And... Nothing from the outside?
[ for a moment, ruby is tempted to say no. she honestly isn't sure if she's making it - at least, not in the same way that riza and jade are. the other girls are so much stronger than she is... and as much as ruby is trying to fake it, she's running out of the energy to do so. still, she has to try. ]
Yeah.
[ she nods at riza, trying her best to muster up a shaky smile. unfortunately, it disappears just as quickly when jade says that she's hurt. ]
b[ riza wouldn't fault ruby for answering honestly. in this situation, with everything going on, there is just as much strength in being honest as holding it together. still, ruby agrees, and riza gives her a nod and a smile smile back. when she turns back to jade, moving to stand back up again. ]
You should rest, at least. [ she does worry that jade will need the nutrients, but she won't push it. ]
I haven't gotten any new information. It seems things are moving slowly for them too. [ she has told but ruby and jade about her contacts with roy, updates from the outside in and inside out. ]
[ jade doesn't know what "strong" is, in this context. it's probably one the fact that her head played host to the a crazy dictator fish lady that she's able to keep her wits about her. if she focuses on ruby and riza, then it's fine. ]
Maybe for a little bit. I want to be awake in case someone comes back.
[ for either of them. ]
Frustrating!! But okay, jeez. We can do this. Just a little longer. I am getting better at zoning out on the whole... everything. It helps.
[ a tip, maybe. it's not healthy, but none of this is. ] Madoka healed me so maybe I can get some support for my shoulder later.
[ she nods in response to riza's words reaching out to give jade a pat on the head. it's gentle (weak), hoping to give her some sort of comfort. ]
Resting is good. We can look out for you... at least for a little while.
[ the words "just a little longer" make her go quiet, though. she looks down, biting her lip and rubbing at her eyes to avoid making it look like she's crying. ]
[ she watches ruby pat at jade's head, nodding and stepping over to grab the blanket from the bed and moving to set it around jade's lap. ]
And if you do fall asleep, we'll wake you if something happens.
[ she feels her stomach drop lightly at ruby's question, moving to set a hand against her shoulder. trying to be comforting, but also just to provide something close to a grounding touch. ]
Not long. They just need a little more time to make sure the plan is full proof. They'll come for us.
[ she's careful to pull the blanket closer when riza places the blanket over her. briefly - she consides if the others are receiving this kind of support from their cellmates. jade's lucky. the blanket is warm and kind, and the way they're both so gentle with her is refreshing. it makes her feel like she can do this - she has been. ]
Are you sure? I don't want to leave you both alone.
[ jade leans into ruby's touch, like a puppy seeking out more affection. her ears twitch, and there's a little grunt from the back of her throat. it'd be embarrassing if jade had any sense of shame, really. ]
Your sister will not leave you here, Ruby! You know that. It is tiring but soon. It will be over.
![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
they didn't have it coming at all
she's curled next to riza on their shared bed, and weakly lifts her head to get a look at her fellow captive. ]
Jade-san...
[ she shakes her head. her tears have run their course for the day, but that doesn't mean she's all right - the optimistic, youthful twinkle in her eyes has all but disappeared into a dull exhaustion. she almost seems as if she's in a daze, barely conscious of her surroundings. ]
they didn't do it, but if they'd done it
at least until the doors creak open and steps in, the doors closed resolutely behind her. riza, after setting a comforting hand on the back of ruby's back before moving to sit up off the bed. ]
You don't need to apologize. [ said almost immediately in response to jade's apology, slowly moving to stand up off the bed. she shakes her head, moving towards where jade stands near the door. it's not quite hesitant, so much as it's slow. careful. ] Jade- come sit?
i dont want to type out lipschitz repeatedly. dont make me do that
Okay.
[ her movements have a languid sense to them, exhaustion carved into her bones from hours of interrogation and experimentation. she gets the feeling it'll remain for weeks after, maybe even by the time they find qri.
when jade sits down, she motions as gently as possible to her collar. ] Might be fractured... won't know till a doctor sees it. Maybe they are getting angry now. I don't know. How were you guys?
cicerooooooo
...tired. I'm really tired.
[ she blinks up at jade, mustering a look of concern in her drained expression. ]
Does it hurt?
no subject
her eyes move over jade quickly, checking on what she can see until the girl sits, and then stepping over and kneeling down to be more at eye level with her. ]
We're surviving. Tired, but making it. Right Ruby?
[ riza glances over towards ruby for a moment, keeping her there in the conversation as much as she can, before her gaze moves to jade's collar and then to her eyes, as if checking to make sure she knows what is happening, before reaching forward to gently press her thumb to the muscle around it. ]
It looks broken. [ she sounds almost apologetic, judging by jade's reaction. ] You'll want to be careful with that shoulder. Are you hungry?
no subject
...I'll be careful. [ it's an agreement, but it's also the best jade can do. in this situation, the less arguing, the better. there's no guarantee she can be careful, not with the level of investigation being dropped on them all. ] It does hurt, but I have had worse. Don't worry about me.
[ ruby's a sweet girl, but jade can't afford to let her lose herself anymore than she has. keeping sane for another person is nearly all she as left at this point. ] I am... good on food. You guys go ahead. If I have anything in my stomach, I might... [ retch? maybe.
when she's as settled in on the bed as she can get, jade initiates a telepathic link. keeping any plans quiet is the best way to handle this. ] They haven't taken either of you yet? And... Nothing from the outside?
no subject
[ for a moment, ruby is tempted to say no. she honestly isn't sure if she's making it - at least, not in the same way that riza and jade are. the other girls are so much stronger than she is... and as much as ruby is trying to fake it, she's running out of the energy to do so. still, she has to try. ]
Yeah.
[ she nods at riza, trying her best to muster up a shaky smile. unfortunately, it disappears just as quickly when jade says that she's hurt. ]
Not yet... It's quiet today.
no subject
You should rest, at least. [ she does worry that jade will need the nutrients, but she won't push it. ]
I haven't gotten any new information. It seems things are moving slowly for them too. [ she has told but ruby and jade about her contacts with roy, updates from the outside in and inside out. ]
no subject
Maybe for a little bit. I want to be awake in case someone comes back.
[ for either of them. ]
Frustrating!! But okay, jeez. We can do this. Just a little longer. I am getting better at zoning out on the whole... everything. It helps.
[ a tip, maybe. it's not healthy, but none of this is. ] Madoka healed me so maybe I can get some support for my shoulder later.
no subject
Resting is good. We can look out for you... at least for a little while.
[ the words "just a little longer" make her go quiet, though. she looks down, biting her lip and rubbing at her eyes to avoid making it look like she's crying. ]
...How much longer?
no subject
And if you do fall asleep, we'll wake you if something happens.
[ she feels her stomach drop lightly at ruby's question, moving to set a hand against her shoulder. trying to be comforting, but also just to provide something close to a grounding touch. ]
Not long. They just need a little more time to make sure the plan is full proof. They'll come for us.
no subject
Are you sure? I don't want to leave you both alone.
[ jade leans into ruby's touch, like a puppy seeking out more affection. her ears twitch, and there's a little grunt from the back of her throat. it'd be embarrassing if jade had any sense of shame, really. ]
Your sister will not leave you here, Ruby! You know that. It is tiring but soon. It will be over.