Gracie Abrams is eking out a solitary existence, fighting day-in, day-out against the drain of working customer service and nursing two newborn kittens in her off time. Out on her own ever since her sister moved in with her boyfriend, the burden of...
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I tried to step down, but I didn't really know how with only one working leg. My forehead refused to budge, so I kind of rubbed my cheek against his shoulder, trying to look into his face. His chin was straight, but beneath his fringe, I couldn't see his eyes.
Clearing my throat, I said, "Can you help me get my left leg on the ground?"
Kakashi's chin cranked down so fast, I was sure he'd pulled a muscle. "What? Are you hurt? Where?"
I wasn't sure which question to start with, so I just went back to staring. I felt like a cat, but instead of warmth, all I needed was that voice to bask in all day. This was so weird. I was about to fall asleep, but the world was ending. Shouldn't we do something about that?
And why couldn't I stop staring? It's not like I hadn't seen his face before.
"Gracie?"
Kakashi shifted me. One of his arms came around to the small of my back. A seatbelt. Hisoka had done this, but it hadn't felt like this at all.
Braced against his forearm, my back arched as his spiky head peered over my shoulder. He grabbed my left leg, and I felt my neck just kinda...slide. Tucked against his shoulder, I watched him set down my good limb. Anchoring myself to the wet street, I used his frame as my rest stop.
"I think I need to go to the hospital," I said quietly, "so they can try to save my other leg."
My rest stop disappeared. Oh, wait. He still held my hand, keeping me steady as he bent to his knees, staring at my other leg. I was so drained. I just wanted to go home, but I knew I couldn't.
I wasn't sure home was safe anymore, not with Patty still at large. Huh. Where had the flying witches gone?
"Fuck," Kakashi said. "Fucking—just, fuck, Gracie. This is—Did he do this?"
I kind of shrugged. Lord, I needed sleep. "It's okay."
"Okay?" Kakashi's voice raised, and he stared up at me. "You're seriously saying that right now?"
"I'm fine," I said, then changed to, "I'll probably be fine."
"Oh, my god."
"Gracie!" Sam's voice called out to us, and then I got a barrage of curls in my face.
Luckily, Kakashi steadied me, putting his whole body right next to my injured ankle. Awkwardly, Sam hugged me over the top of Kakashi's head, then danced away from smothering the man.
Kirishima, his quirk finally deactivated, came over, his shambling walk about as exhausted as my brain.
Crazy fucking day, right?
In a quick moment of understanding, we exchanged this tacit understanding.
"I'm sorry," Sam echoed, "I'm so sorry. I'm really, really sorry. Gracie, I didn't—I'm so sorry."
