shelley_winters | (no subject)

(no subject)

It's dark when she wakes.

There's an odd buzzing in Shelley's ears and her head hurts even more, feeling heavy as she sits up slowly. She's still wearing all her clothes for work, why...? She swings her legs off the bed and stands up shakily, swaying before catching hold of the table. Wasn't she meant to go to work? Did she go to sleep before leaving? The girl coughs, throat feeling like sandpaper. Her mouth tastes horrible. Time to brush teeth.

The corridor feels longer than usual, and her skin prickles as if the air moving past her is something physical.

The side of the bath feels cold as she sits there, chewing thoughtlessly on her toothbrush.

She wants to go back to sleep again, but she's already missed - she doesn't know how long. Elan didn't wake her up.

He's- here's really here, isn't he? And he can find...

She moves in a stumbling run down the corridor to her room, feverish panic flooding her suddenly.

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The crash jolted Elan out of bed. He had been a light sleeper for a long time, and time here had not changed that. Rousing from his bed, he hurried downstairs not bothering to dress more fully. He doubted that the sound could be anything fortunate. Without his powers though... No time to think of that, what must be done must be done.

Upstairs, Shelley rubs her head tiredly in dismay at the knocked over cabinet. It doesn't matter, she just has to- what if he already found it?

No. There.

Trembing hands snatch up her address book.

It had been the work of a moment to snatch the mop out the closet on his way to investigate the noise. It was a poor substitute for a real staff but he had little other options.

Coming upon a figure, Elan spun the staff into position... and then saw it to be Shelley.

"...Shelley?"

She turns around suddenly, almost overbalancing from her kneeling position. Her face is flushed, and her eyes are too bright, and holding panic as she clutches a small book to her chest.

"No! No, go away!"

She isn't done, she has to get rid of it before he finds them...

The mop clatters to the floor.

It was easy to see that something was wrong with her, so Elan rushed forward to kneel beside her, his hands resting on her shoulders.

"Shelley!"

She attempts to climb backwards, shivering. Her voice is hoarse.

"Get off, you can't, I won't let you."

One of his hands snatch at her wrist, and the other presses to her forehead. Her skin burned with an inner fire, a fever raged. That explained her irrational behavior.

"You are feverish... I am not here to hurt you. I want to help, to help you."

Her face contorts as she tries not to cry.

She knows she's ill, but she still has to stop him finding them all first, and then she can rest - maybe not in her daytime clothes, but he has to go away.

"L-leave me alone."

Releasing her for a moment, he wrapped his arms around her. He had to be careful here, but... The pay off could be immense.

"You are not thinking correctly. Remember how I was when I was ill. Do not upset yourself."

"I'm not, you are!"

The book remains clutched to her chest one-handed, as she coughs hoarsely and reaches up to wipe her eyes.

Shaking his head, Elan rose from beside her to fetch painkillers and something to drink. After all, she could not be feeling well, and without the power, he could hardly fix it.

"I will return shortly."

Returning, he proffered the glass and pills to her.

"Here you are, Shelley. Take them please."

When he returns, the book is on the floor, pages torn roughly out, and largely screwed up in the bin, although a few lie scattered on the floor where she had missed them.

Shelley herself in sitting on the floor, against the bed, one shoe off, the other still on, her eyes closed.

"...What are they?"

A smile as he offered the pills to her.

"...Nurofen."

Not that his pronunciation even resembled the word as it was spoken.

She takes the pills from his hand in silence, followed by the glass, somewhat more shakily. It takes a few more tries and some coughing before she can rather painfully swallow them, splashing water over her hand.

Taking the glass from her, Elan placed it away from her. He would clean up the mess and such in a moment, once she was taken care of.

"Let's get you back to bed."

Shelley rubs her eyes, head buzzing, before trying to push herself slowly off the floor.

"...Time is it?"

Lifting the little redhead onto the bed, Elan walked over and turned off the light, plunging the room into pitch blackness.

"Past midnight."

A pause as he sat down beside her on the bed.

"You want your pyjamas?"

Shelley doesn't struggle, sitting still on the edge of the bed as the lights go off, and wondering vaguely when the painkillers will start working.

"Please."

Pacing slowly through the darkness, Elan remembered the location of things from his time cleaning. Any knowledge was useful. Reaching under the pillow, he found her pyjamas where she kept them. He disregarded the trouser portion because she was feverish so she would be warm, and this would be more entertaining without.

Sitting beside her once again, he gently reached for her glasses to set them aside on the nightstand.

"Here you are, Shelley."

Shelley takes the top, and holds it in her lap, freezing still as he reaches for her glasses.

Hers- but she can't wear them to sleep. She watches him tensely as they go onto the table.

She doesn't move.

A soft smile as he gently curled his fingers around the bottom of her blouse. This was certainly a welcome opportunity. The deep darkness of the room concealed the wicked grin on his face. His voice was soft and comforting.

"It is all right. Do not worry."

"I'm not worrying, I'm ill," she says, oblivious, pulling up the foot still wearing a shoe to fumble with the laces.

Grinning wickedly, Elan waited for a time. As he thought, with the light off, and her mind not in solid working order, there was little resistance in her. This was far better than he had planned.

"Very well."

She presses a hand over her mouth to cough dryly again, throat itchily sore, and still feeling dry in spite of the drink of water. Her fingers are cold and don't seem to work properly as she works at the laces, eventually giving up and slipping the shoe off without untying them.

Then she looks up at what she hadn't noticed before, gentle fingers unbuttoning her blouse, and flails.

"Wh- what?"

His fingers pause on the current button. Alas, some resistance. A few soft words would probably suffice.

"Merely offering a helping hand. No need to be alarmed. I cannot see in the dark, you know."

"B-but..."

Her head aches, almost spinning in the confusing darkness as she tries to wriggle back from his fingers. She isn't letting him undress her.

And she wouldn't put night-vision past him.

Only the heat of his breath could tell her how close he was. His voice was so soft and gentle as he corrected her. She was easily confused.

"I am just helping. You ought not to sleep in your clothes."

Shelley swallows, with a slight shiver.

"...I can do it-"

Her voice wavers, she's too tired and hurting for this, if only she could think. Her head turns away as another fit of coughing grips her.

A hand rested on her shoulder as he gently assured her. Just a little bit more, and perhaps...

"Are you all right? I... just wanted to help so you could get quickly to your rest."

"I can do it," she repeats, slightly incoherently as the coughing abates.

She just wants to go to sleep, but it hurts, and the room's too hot and buzzing, and his hand feels heavy on her shoulder.

Sitting beside her, Elan simply waited in the darkness. Best not push it lest he lose anything he might have otherwise gained.

"As you wish..."

Shelley turns her back in the darkness, head throbbing vaguely, and reaching to finish undoing her blouse. The pyjama top goes over her head before she takes the blouse off, aware of him behind her even if it is dark-

She pulls it down over her bare back defensively.

"Go away."

Rising from his seat beside her, Elan smiled and kissed her fevered forehead. That did not go as he had hoped, but what could be done?

"Sleep well. I will check back on you later. Find me, if you have need."

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