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Who: Barbara, Kate, and Steph
What: The side effects of not too clean monsters
Where: Barbara's Safehouse in Brock Marsh
When: Late Coardi morning

She's not well.

It's not something Kate likes to admit, but laid up in this bed, waiting for her fever to finally break is as painful as her arm. At least the feeling's returning to it, but she's unsure whether the fact that the numbness that used to be there was better compared to the shooting pains all up and down her arm. From shoulder to fingertip, muscles burn and Kate can feel the every movement pull at the barely healed edges of the claw wound. Even when Kate barely shifts between the clean sheets, the injury reminds her that it's there, ruining her life. Being out there on the streets would be a lot more satisfying than staring at the ceiling all day and she would kill a monster in exchange for a hot shower.

She's also curious.

As soon as she's alone from whatever person has been sent to check on her, Kate sits up against the headboard and picks at the tape holding the gauze secure, wanting to see how bad things look under there. She should be afraid that it'll leave a nasty scar, but a scar is the least of her worries. Mostly, Kate's worried that it'll ruin her flexibility. Another scar is just that--another scar. It comes with the business.

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She'd opened her mouth to reply with a witty retort, but stops at Kate's question, her brow furrowing with worry, and with slight scolding at Kate touching the bandage.

"Kate," is all she says at first, her voice soft as she reaches out to take Kate's right hand, holding it between both her own, her fingers running lightly over Kate's knuckles and all Steph's attention focused there, because she doesn't want to look right now and let Kate see her expression. She's not even sure what her expression is, but it feels too vulnerable, so she just lets Babs talk and tries to remind herself that the wound seems to be healing, and the fever has gotten less intense. Those are all good signs.

"You'll be fine," Steph adds once Babs is finished talking, not quite firmly like Babs had been, but she's trying to believe it.

It's not a good enough answer for her. 'Just a basic infection' can mean a lot of things in this monster-filled world. She's much less worried about the fever and more concerned about her arm, her flexibility, her reminder again that she isn't invincible like some of her friends. She was never jealous of mutants; they have it hard in the world and she is on the side of massive privilege in so many ways. Kate recognizes that; it's not an inherent crime to have it as long as one does recognize it and uses it to further those who have less or none.

But still. Who wouldn't want fast healing and super strength in a line of work where one gets injured or killed just as easily as anything? It would help. It would lessen the worry that one day, a simple injury--a bruise, a scratch, a cut--can mean a big difference between sitting on the sidelines and finding something else to do with your life. If you still have it.

"I need to get out of here," Kate mutters, hand instinctively squeezing Steph's. No offense to Babs and her hospitality, but Kate needs some sunshine and exercise as much as she needs a bath. She's never been very good at sitting still.

The sympathy she feels for Kate aches, a little; she knows what it's like to wonder if you'll ever have full use of your abilities again.

She knows what it's like for those hopes to finally be dashed.

If Barbara can stop that from happening, she will.

"I'd suggest a walk out back if we didn't have that small infestation problem."

Her hold on Kate's hand tightens in response to the squeeze, as if she can somehow transfer some strength to Kate through the contact.

Her gaze goes to Babs for a moment, silently asking permission for what she's going to say next. "There are safe places other than here, some are a lot of bigger." That's said to Kate, hoping maybe this will make a good compromise.

There are large areas that have been warded, and while they're still not huge, they'd at least offer more space than this; room to move and maybe even a chance to get outside a little, if the wards extend slightly beyond buildings.

Edited 2012-03-22 12:21 (UTC)

It's not the best compromise, but it is a compromise. Kate doubts that they would let her go off alone because honestly, her first trip out would end in her going off to check on the boys and the rest of her friends, monsters be damned.

"Fine," she agrees, a clear sound of defeat in her tone. "Doesn't matter where. I'm just tired of staring at these walls." Her eyes wonder off into the corner where her battle equipment has been placed carefully. As much as she wants to, Kate knows she can't just pick them up and strap them on, Babs and Steph's protests be damned. Not by herself, anyway. And that's the worst part of it all: having to depend on other people for daily activities, things she never gave a second thought to before. It makes being stubborn hard.

Barbara follows Kate's gaze, and her chest tightens a bit.

"You know - if you're careful - you could still practice a bit. Focus on things that won't strain your arm." Archery is out, obviously, but there are other skills to be honed. "Take it slow, rest if you need it. It might actually do your body some good."

Steph nods for what Babs says. She knows how it feels too, long months of physical therapy and Leslie's gentle reminders that they just didn't know how better Steph would get.

"I'll help, if you need a sparring partner and I have some spare time," It's the spare time that's a real problem, but Steph will try to make some time for Kate. Babs is right, it might do some good.

She's lucky in a way, luckier than most. Even if the bow is her favorite skill to use, Kate does have other things to work on. Martial arts, fencing, other sword skills. She can at least do those without the use of her left arm. Not perfectly, but decently able.

"You better," Kate mockingly threatens. "You've been out there all this time hogging all the action. I'm jealous."

"Girl's a certified action-hog, let me tell you," Barbara says, stern tone belied by her grin.

"Gotham girls, I swear." That covers a lot, really. Kindly ignore the fact that most of it applies to this Gotham girl too.

"Quit ganging up on me," Steph steals one of the pillows Kate isn't currently using and throws it at Babs.

Steph is not going to ignore the fact it includes Babs, thank you very much, "And if you're gonna blame it on me being a Gothamite, that makes you an action hog too."

With Steph and Babs horsing around, Kate slips out of the bed to find some decent clothing to wear other than her sweat-dampened shorts and tank top. In the back of her head, she's a little jealous that Babs and Steph have that hometown connection. Granted, there are a handful of people from Kate's world, but it's not the same.

Anyway, she's getting to go outside. She shouldn't be depressing herself when it's such an exciting event. "You New Jersey kids all think you're cool," Kate cracks as she attempts to pull on a sock with one hand, hoping Babs and Steph don't notice she could use help.

» stay the night and i promise i won't die

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