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Act I Chapter X ━ Worlds Apart
ADMITTEDLY, JULES WAS REGRETTING her heroic antics at that very moment.
Crouched under a rock, soaked to the bone for the third time in two days, and hiding from bloodthirsty bats was not worth it for Steve's life. Maybe that was a cruel thought but she was tired of being cold, damp, and breathless.
With the all clear from Robin, the bats having retreated into the distance, Jules allows the relief to wash over her. Pushing herself into a standing position, she inches away from the rock, shoulder brushing against Eddie's as she does so.
A pained grunt has her head turning, eyes landing on the slumped figure of Steve. He looks woozy, the wounds on his stomach blaring an angry red. Jules cringes, thinking about how much it must hurt to even breathe with the injuries. An anxious Nancy crowds him, looking down at his festering wounds with worry.
❝I'm fine.❞ He tries to proclaim, none of them believing his words.
While all of them were running on low energy, the uninjured four were very much still able to stand without getting dizzy. Steve, breathless and wincing, was quite clearly not fine.
❝No, you're not.❞ Nancy insists, pushing at his bare arms to force him into a sitting position. ❝You're losing blood.❞
Once he does, Nancy begins to tear at her shirt, hoping to create some makeshift gauze to help stem the blood trickling from the bat bites.
❝So, the good news is that I'm pretty sure wooziness is not a common symptom of rabies.❞ Robin, voice pitched with worry, leans into Steve's space. ❝But if you start having hallucinations or muscle spasms or you start feeling aggressive, like you wanna punch me, let me know.❞
Steve, his face pulled tight from the pain, whispers. ❝Robin.❞
❝Yeah?❞
❝I kinda wanna punch you.❞
Jules, even while filled with worry, allows her lip to quirk upwards in amusement. She can feel Eddie's hand pressing against her lower back, and she leans into it, a soft feeling of comfort soothing her.
❝Sense of humor's still intact.❞ Robin chuckles, sounding on the verge of hysterical. ❝That's a good sign.❞
Nancy finishes maiming her shirt which prompts the three others to turn away from the scene, not particularly interested in watching Steve getting patched up.
Eddie retreats from her side, his warmth seeping away from her. He maneuvers towards a rock, climbing upon it with some difficulty. Jules unashamedly fixates on his behind, hoping her gaze wouldn't burn a hole through his jeans. She has to look away when he turns back around, eyes drifting up towards his face.
