maddest | [video]

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[A few hours after this, Break's PCD is jostled on.

It's a video feed, yes, but all that's visible is the inside of Break's pocket. From the sounds of things, he's still in the streets, propped against a building, wheezing for breath. A few coughs, and he spits blood onto his white coat sleeve, sinks to the ground with a groan.

Not a good day.]

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[Break moves as directed, curling up to Al's back and hanging on tight. The closest thing he's ever done to this is ridden a horse, and he suspects this will be faster.]

I did, but it doesn't seem to matter so much- not in the long run.

[Much faster, but he'll have Al there to steady him. It'll be okay. His back moves as he kicks it into gear, but the rise is very gentle, getting Break used to the movement, considerate of his injuries.]

He hurt you. He betrayed you, more than he did me. It's natural to feel that pain.

No one likes feeling tricked.

[He says, not quite loud enough over the roar of the bike. It's very disorienting, being off the ground like this. His grip gets tighter.]

[He can hear the sound of the answer more than the words, and he can feel the difference in Break's breathing. Al lifts a hand automatically, lightly touching the back of his wrist, steadying him.]

Even so, you went back and helped him, got close to him again.

I suppose.

[But he's a little too astonished by all this to talk much now. They can get into it when they're on the ground again, for now, he'll just focus on hanging on.]

[For the best. The speed is gradual, but they do end up going rather fast.

Al spends the ride thinking, allowing himself to grasp the situation at hand, to organize how he feels about it, take it back out of the box where he'd tucked away the feelings he didn't want to deal with. Yuca... Al sighs a bit.

He starts slowing down with plenty of time to spare, lowering the bike slowly into the clinic's yard. They finally set down with a very tiny thump, and Al shifts off, automatically lifting a hand to steady Break if he were to fall, as he'd do to anyone else.

Finally... he decides that Break would want to know.]

You know... he did ask me to check on you. I would have come in any case, but... he wanted to make sure you were okay.

It was a genuine misunderstanding. I was going to send someone to make sure I didn't do him a lasting harm. He might easily have been concussed, or had a crushed windpipe or broken nose.

[Yes, Break fights incredibly dirty. And ruthlessly. And well.]

If nobody else does check on him, I will. [But only after he knows that no one else is going. Yuca's bad for his heart right now.]

He seemed able to breathe well enough, and his nose didn't look terribly crooked... and he didn't seem to be seeing double or getting nauseous.

... you really held your own, there.

I fight creatures much more powerful than Yuca Collabell on a fairly routine basis.

[He dismisses idly, trying to work out where he is exactly.]

Although he did give me a bit of a run for my money.

[A very light touch on Break's forearm, a tug at his sleeve to show him where to go to get through the doorway.]

You do, huh?

Mmhm. Big, bad monsters.

[If you can get past the sing songing tone, Al, he's telling the truth.]

Is this the clinic after all?

Mhm, well, I'm glad you can take care of yourself.

Yes. If we can find Ms. Unohana, she'll be able to give you a look-over and make sure everything's where it's supposed to be.

I'll tell you another secret, Al. Nothing about me is remotely what it's supposed to be.

That could mean a lot of things, you know.

[Small tug as they turn the corner.]

And it does, I promise.

Do you think it might be all right to trust him a little?

Yuca?

Mmhmm.

[Silence, for a heartbeat, but the footsteps come to a stop. Al can't help it. He reaches out, sets a hand on Break's hair.]

So long as you're careful. ... I don't want you to have your heart broken.

[That actually makes him snort.]

Unlikely, Al.

Guess I'm projecting, then.

[Smilesmile, all through his voice.]

Oh dear, Al.

[Smiles or not-]

It's a bad habit of mine. Nothing else.

[He'd be insane to make a move on it anyway, that would crash and burn SO BADLY.]

I'm truly, truly sorry, my friend.

[It would.]

...

Let's just say that it was probably good for me that he showed his true colors when he did.

Ah... she's not in her office...

I can see how that would have been-

[Break looks privately relieved at the news.]

-her powers alarm me, truly.

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