[copper-russell]

Krish Benjamin Russell

Still bugs me now / That's the thing it lingers / And claws you when you're down

Nicknames: Copper Magic status: Mundus Nationality: British Ethnicity: British Indian Accent: Yorkshire but the posh kind Height: 6′2″ Build: Athletic but lean Complexion: Brown Eye color: Brown Hair color/length/style: Black, ever so slightly too long so it ends up in unruly curls 99% of the time Tattoos/piercings/daily jewelry: None! What would you find if you Googled them? Probably a few news articles about his dad passing, but that would be it What natives would know about them: Moved to Swynlake for uni and never left, paramedic

[copper-russell]

And then I go and spoil it all || Mad Dog Skullcap

[rowsandrows-of-roses]

There was something...off about Copper's energy. She couldn't exactly explain it but her instincts told her that it was all wrong. It was one of those instincts you developed as a woman. Especially a woman who was lied to. A lot.

Copper hardly, if ever, lied to her.

He wouldn't start now, would he? Not when things were going so well...

And still, the gears in Isabela's brain started turning, kicking up all that insecurity and overthinking that was never too far away. Isabela didn't want to be looking for problems. Cracks in the armor.

She took a breath and smiled. Her pretty, perfect, practiced smile.

"That's why we're a good team," she reminded him, squeezing his hand back. She tried to stop from staring at his profile, trying to puzzle out what was going on in his head. "I tell you what to do and you do it."

@copper-russell

[copper-russell]

It might do him some good, actually, to be involved in the setting up. If he was going to use prom to propose - which he still hadn't settled on, because he couldn't settle on anything, because everything felt like a wonderful and terrible idea all at once - then it would make sense to have an idea of the layout. Maybe get an idea of the timings of things, and where the band was going to be, and how busy Isabela might be beforehand.

All of this, of course, hinged upon Copper finding the ring.

He looked down at Isabela when she squeezed his hand, smiling reflexivly, glad for the distraction from the queasiness that had been starting to wash over him. No point planning a proposal without a ring, was there? What was he supposed to do, get down on one knee and hold up an IOU?

"I'm very well trained." Copper agreed. "And when you get sick of me, you can just trade me out for a golden retriever or something. You might not even notice the difference."

@rowsandrows-of-roses

[copper-russell]

How soon is too soon? || Hepper

[kouros-herc]

Hercules took the box incredibly gently, suddenly paranoid that one clumsy swipe of his hand would leave them both with nothing but a crumpled twist of metal trapped in his palm. But he looked at it with a smile on his face. If you had asked him what he had expected, he couldn't have told you ... and yet the moment he looked at it, it made complete sense.

Of course Copper would buy something like this. Of course it would speak to him, would beckon him in from off the street and make him know how beautifully it would sit on Isabela's hand.

"Oh, Copp-" Herc breathed, the sudden rush of fondness for both of his friends filling his chest.

"It's perfect," he added, smiling broadly at him. "I see why you couldn't help but buy it," Herc added, closing the box very tentatively and handing it back to him. "Have you thought about how you want to ask?"

@copper-russell

[copper-russell]

That was the big question, wasn't it? It was one thing to have the ring, it was another thing entirely to present it to Isabela. He had heard about the first time she had been proposed to, so he knew Gusteau's was out of the running -- not that it was ever in the running, really.

Proposing quietly over dinner didn't really seem like the most Isabela thing in the world. Copper knew that whilst she would probably deny it, she liked a bit of drama, especially if it was good drama. Like, y'know, a proposal. He thought she might want something a little bit more... well, not flashy, but certainly not subtle.

And for Copper's part, he couldn't care less. The only thing he really wanted for his proposal, other than for Isabela to say yes, was for her to be happy. For it to be how she had imagined it, because he was sure she had, even if she had never told him about it.

"Yeah." He said with a breath, taking the ring back. He held the box tightly, just as he had before, as if it might scurry away if he gave it any wiggle room. "But I haven't come to any conclusions yet." Copper managed to smile at that, adding, "It'll be our one year anniversary on the 21st of June, and prom's coming up-- I don't know. I'll figure it out. I don't really have a choice."

@kouros-herc

[tod-mitchell]

What a Difference a Day Makes + [Fox and Hound]

[tod-mitchell]

Tod, who had been intently listening both to Angela's heart and what Krish was reporting--

Pulled away when Angela suddenly regained consciousness. He put his stethescope around his neck and reached for Angela's shoulder, giving it a gentle squeeze.

"My name is Dr. Mitchell, head of emergency medicine. And this is Krish, he's a paramedic and found you in the car park. You lost consciousness. Has this happened before?"

Angela blinked and shook her head. Tod watched her as she moved. Her facial muscles seemed intact for now, so the thought of a stroke got checked off the list. But so did a regular syncope.

"No, I-I--low sugar."

"Ah." Tod glanced at Krish. Well, at least there is that, he shrugged in his old friend's direction.

@copper-russell

[copper-russell]

Copper looked down the length of the bed at Tod, meeting his gaze as the rest of his team buzzed around them. He was sure it was mostly in his head, but he felt like he could see Tod's shoulders relax an inch or two. This wasn't like the other night. This was reversible, easy enough to treat. An emergency, absolutely. But one they could handle.

One of the nurses had taken Angela's hand gently, pricking her fingertip as she held the monitor to it. "2.3." The nurse said, looking up with an expression that Copper recognised as oh shit.

"The doctors are going to give you some medication to bring your sugars up." Copper said, leaning down so that Angela could hear him over the beep of monitors and the flurry of activity around her. "Is there anyone you want us to call for you?"

"My-- my wife." She said with a tiny little nod.

Copper reached down to give her hand a squeeze, and then weaved his way down to the bottom of the bed, coming to a stop beside Tod. "I'll get the desk to call her wife. Have fun." He said, with a smile that indicated how well aware he was of the fact that no 13 hour shift could be called fun. He patted Tod's shoulder as he left, heading for the reception desk.

@tod-mitchell

[copper-russell]

And then I go and spoil it all || Mad Dog Skullcap

[rowsandrows-of-roses]

Isabela smiled, hoping that she hadn't just jinxed it and Copper would be called into work. She knew that it was always possible, but she hated thinking about it. So, like she did with most things that were unpleasant to her, she ignored them.

"Thank you. I think so too. We already have some interesting ideas, though I am not sure I am sold on all of them." The color scheme was nice, but she was still more or less at a loss for what things were actually going to look like.

"I'm not worried. We could always use an extra set of hands, though." She nudged her shoulder against his as they walked and batted her eyelashes obviously.

@copper-russell

[copper-russell]

Copper had thought about volunteering for prom committee in the past, though admittedly he had done so in a very non-committal sort of way. There was always something; work got in the way, or then there was his and Isabela's tenuous relationship and the fact that he didn't want to step on her toes, and now--

Well, now there was a proposal. A proposal at prom, which was only a few weeks away. And Copper didn't have a ring.

He had never been to sea before but he imagined this was what it was like; his stomach roiled, churning like choppy, fretful waters. He plastered a smile on his face when Isabela nudged his shoulder, laughing as lightly as he could manage as they walked along. He had to be careful not to trip.

"I knew you were only with me for the muscle." He teased, giving her a put-upon sigh. Squeezing her hand after a second, Copper said, "I'm happy to help out, though, if you need stuff setting up. I'll probably be better at the moving and handling than the planning."

@rowsandrows-of-roses

[copper-russell]

Born to run || Kang

[a-man-named-shang]

Ah.

Shift work would definitely make it harder to be able to pursue the running club as regularly. Shang could understand that. He himself had... a pretty consistent schedule though there were times it threw itself off a bit. The time difference between Swynlake and Shanghai was about seven hours. That required a bit of planning and arranging specific meetings. And then the other aspects that could be handled throughout the day.

Sometimes it also made more sense for him to start much earlier in the morning so he could catch Shanghai a bit more. Then he'd go out and jog when he was done with the important meeting. He started down the path that he had slowly gotten used to over the last few weeks of doing the running club. He was pretty sure he had improved on his time with a little.

"I don't envy that. That would make a lot of planning more difficult wouldn't it?" Shang already found it complicated to plan different things and he had a relatively okay schedule. He couldn't imagine. And he loved his routine a bit too much for that to work well for him. "Football's another great way to get moving. For me I tend towards running because it's easier and only relies on me. But then I do also do fencing for myself and for company purposes. And some horse riding," he added. Shang liked being on the move.

@copper-russell

[copper-russell]

Copper shrugged. He supposed he was used to it now. He'd only ever had two jobs in his life, and neither one of them had a regular, 9-5 sort of schedule. He sometimes wondered if he might enjoy it more, having a bit of routine, getting in earlier on an evening and having the weekends guaranteed. But he knew he'd miss many things about shift work: the unsociable hours pay, for one. And sure he worked longer shifts, but that meant he got more days off. And part of him did sort of like the variety; it kept him on his toes.

"Horse riding and fencing?" He asked, eyebrows raising in surprise. The horse riding maybe wasn't too shocking - Swynlake did have its own stables - but he didn't know that anyone was doing fencing. Not that it was something he was looking to get into, but surely it required a specialist space, or something? "Probably good for your discipline." He chuckled. "Better than football, anyway. Do you have your own horse?"

@a-man-named-shang

[copper-russell]

How soon is too soon? || Hepper

[kouros-herc]

Woah.

"Woah." Hercules said out loud, his brain stalling for a few minutes as the words hit him like a well-placed free-kick curling in over the defenders to hit him straight in the stomach.

But Copper kept talking, running his hand through his hair and making it stand all on end as the other hand held on tight to the velvet box in his hand as if it was a lifeline waiting for him. And despite the wild, nervous look in Copper's eyes that looked as though he was pleading for Hercules to tell him that it was crazy, there was no mistaking the way his eyes softened when he spoke about Isabela, when he talked about how she fit so beautifully into his family and he just knew.

"Copp," Hercules interrupted him slowly, once he got the moment. "I don't think it's crazy," he said, very gently, his lips pursed a little as he tried to fight back the smile that wanted to show on his face.

It wasn't as though Isabela hadn't rushed into an engagement before, and this time, there was a man there who would never ever let her fall when he could catch her, a man she could trust enough to fall. He saw it when she was with Copper, versus how she had been with the others. He saw the light in her eyes that couldn't be faked.

"I think sometimes, when you've been through a lot with a person, and you've waited as long as you two did for each other... I think sometimes you just know," Herc said, before smiling gently.

"Can I see?" He asked, pointing at the box.

@copper-russell

[copper-russell]

Hercules didn't think it was crazy. That was good. Hercules was maybe the most rational person Copper knew, and that was saying something, because he worked in a field that typically employed many rational people. But he didn't think it was crazy.

Copper's shoulders finally dropped down from around his ears.

Especially since what Hercules was saying was pretty much exactly what Copper had been thinking, too. Not when he had bought the ring - no, when he'd bought the ring he'd entered some sort of fugue state and hadn't come to until he'd been back in the rig with the ring box in his pocket. But after, when his shift had ended and he'd gotten home and he had sat and stared at the ring. He'd thought, this is crazy. And then he'd thought, but I've wanted this for ages.

At the request, Copper nodded eagerly, opening the box and holding it out for Hercules to take.

"I found it in a little jewellery shop in NTO." He said, rubbing the back of his neck as he explained, feeling a little bit twitchy about no longer being in control of the box. "It just caught my eye as I was walking back to the ambulance and, I don't know. Bought it on the spot. I think I was worried I'd never see it again, if I didn't get it there and then."

@kouros-herc

[tod-mitchell]

What a Difference a Day Makes + [Fox and Hound]

[tod-mitchell]

The woman was heavy, dead weight was always surprisingly more so than one thought, but between the two of them, they got her settled in just a few seconds.

"Yeah," he huffed, readjusting once more before he and Krish moved in tandem towards the A&E doors. His muscles were already straining from the few miles he'd run to get to work, but he ignored them. Easy enough to do with the adrenaline that had jumped through his body, lighting his nerves on fire. He was only thinking about getting the woman to safety and figure out what had caused her syncopate.

The bed came quickly and with a nod to Krish, they managed to transfer her over with the help of the nurses.

"Blown pupils, she collapsed just outside the doors," Tod informed the swarm of people as they moved towards one of the trauma rooms. He reached out to rub her sternum and she groaned, her eyelashes fluttering a bit.

"Ma'am?" Tod said, but the patient was still too out of it to adequately respond.

"Let's get her hooked up and take a look at her vitals. See what we can figure out. And can someone look for a wallet or other identification? Hopefully she's in our system already." If she was already in the hospital parking lot, the assumption she was on her way in to be treated for some symptoms. Or just a lucky visit to someone else...

@copper-russell

[copper-russell]

Meeting Tod's gaze for a split second was enough for them to coordinate; they lifted the woman up and onto the bed. Copper felt the tension melt out of his arms and his spine, but not the atmosphere in the entrance to the emergency department. It still felt charged, everyone running around, each with their own task as they moved her to the trauma room.

Really, Copper should go home. He had been on overnight; she was now in the care of healthcare professionals, in a hospital setting. There was little else he could do that someone else couldn't. He should go home and rest, and when he came in for his next shift, he could ask about an update.

Yeah, right. Like he was going to do that.

As someone worked on a cannula and someone else got an oxygen mask on her, Copper checked her pockets. He had done it many times before, when he and Ren had been called to people passed out on the street, or people too drunk to remember their own name. There was a way to do it to make sure you weren't going to get hurt, and so Copper did his best, frowning until--

"Got it!" There was an ID card tucked into her jacket pocket. Stepping back to let the rest of them work, Copper read aloud, "Angela Simcox. 33 years old. She's local. And--" Copper paused, hearing a gasp from the end of the bed - from Angela, who was now blinking, groggy, dazed, but awake. "Hey," He said, moving to stand where she could see him. "You're okay. You're in the hospital. These people are here to help."

@tod-mitchell

[copper-russell]

And then I go and spoil it all || Mad Dog Skullcap

[rowsandrows-of-roses]

Isabela's hand, which had been on Copper's shoulder from their greeting, slipped down to take his hand. Pulling him with her out into the--

Dull, grey English sky.

Inside, she could daydream about it being warm and sunny. The reality was a bit more...unimpressive, but she was determined to make good with it anyway.

"It's great!" Isabela said, and she didn't, necessarily, not mean that. She did, actually, very much like her job. She liked to be busy, though she was generally not the kind of person who overworked herself. Beauty sleep was important to her.

But...for now, it was fine! Once prom and Pride and the play were done...she'd be much more free.

"Busy, obviously, but I'm looking forward to prom. I think it'll be nice, even if the theme is not my first choice. What about you? You don't go into work until later, right?" Sometimes, even for Isabela, it could be hard to keep track of Copper's hectic, ever changing schedule.

@copper-russell

[copper-russell]

Copper knew that she was busy, and that the busy period would pass; his own work was much the same. The summer was always full of injuries and stowed-out A&E waiting areas, whilst the winter was riddled with slip injuries and mild to moderate hypothermia. Things eased off a little in spring and autumn, thankfully, though it made no difference to Copper's schedule.

If he had to guess, he would assume that Isabela would rather not be so busy, but nevermind; they still had time for lunch together, and that was something.

As they headed along down the street, Town Hall at their backs, Copper shook his head. "No, not til later." He confirmed. Night shifts weren't his favourite, but at least it meant he could see her in the middle of the day. And hey, if he was going to be up all night worrying about the ring anyway, he might as well get paid for it.

Redirecting his thoughts to prom, Copper chuckled. "I'm sure you'll still manage to pull it off, though. Prom, I mean. Regardless of the theme." How long had Isabela been on the prom committee for now? He would be more surprised if she, and the rest of the team, couldn't pull it off. "It'll all come together."

@rowsandrows-of-roses

[copper-russell]

And then I go and spoil it all || Mad Dog Skullcap

[rowsandrows-of-roses]

The summer was always busy for Isabela.

There was prom, of course, which she always helped with. It was one of her favorite ways to help in the community. She would be starting at the school soon part time to help there with the summer program she and Dr. Drakken were putting together. There were so many different brands who wanted her to model for them their new lines. Her new job, though part time, was a piece that she'd never had to account for before.

Not to mention a boyfriend.

Isabela had never had a boyfriend through the summer time. Well, not in a very long time. Clayton didn't count because while, yes, they had dated through the summer, he had hardly been around. She didn't need to shift her schedule for him. He did not want to see her. And, truthfully, she hadn't wanted to see him.

But she did want to see Copper--whose own schedule was unpredictable and all over the place. Finding times to coordinate was not easy. If Isabela excelled at anything, though, it was finding the time. So, she was squeezing Copper in for a lunch date so they could discuss their costumes for prom--

And, Isabela, was secretly planning to lure him into helping on the committee, so they could spend more time together.

"Hola!" she trilled. "Si, si. Let's go. I need a little fresh air, I've been in the office all day. My flowers are wilting." They were not, but it did feel that way. She wasn't used to being so cooped up in the summers.

[outfit]

@copper-russell

[copper-russell]

There was always a momentary wash of relief when he saw Isabela, like rain on parched land, enough to make him breathe just a little bit more easily. It didn’t last long this time, though. Because seeing Isabela reminded him of the proposal, which reminded him of the ring, which was still missing.

And it could be anywhere. That was what worried Copper; he had taken that ring everywhere. He had kept it on his person whilst he went to work, the gym, football. If it wasn’t in the house, which Copper knew that it wasn’t because he had searched the place top to bottom, then surely it was out in Swynlake somewhere.

Copper didn’t want to think about that.

“After you,” he smiled, gesturing for Isabela to lead the way. “How’s work been? Apart from keeping you hostage?”

@rowsandrows-of-roses

[copper-russell]

And then I go and spoil it all || Mad Dog Skullcap

[copper-russell]

@rowsandrows-of-roses

Copper had lost the ring.

His biggest fear had been Isabela finding the ring, which now seemed like the most ridiculous concept in the world. She couldn’t have found the ring if he had hidden it somewhere safe — the back of his wardrobe, on top of the fridge, really anywhere that wasn’t in plain sight. It wasn’t like she was rifling through his drawers and cupboards when his back was turned. Isabela wouldn’t do that.

But Copper had worried. So he had taken the ring with him, everywhere he went.

And now it was missing.

Copper had searched the house high and low. He had checked every pocket of every item of clothing he owned. He had checked every nook and cranny in his gym bag. He had even done a sweep of the garden, front and back, to see if it had fallen out of his pocket on the way in or out of the house, and he’d found nothing.

It was fine. It would come back. He had time — that was what he kept telling himself as he arrived at town hall to meet Isabela.

“Hey,” Copper greeted her, kissing her cheek. “Ready for lunch?”

(outfit)

[copper-russell]

And then I go and spoil it all || Mad Dog Skullcap

[tod-mitchell]

What a Difference a Day Makes + [Fox and Hound]

[tod-mitchell]

The multitude of possible ailments ran through Tod's mind, as it did any time there was a patient. He took in all the facts and tried to match the symptoms to the most likely scenario--because it was usually that.

Something like this was so...unspecific, it could be any number of things: stroke, aneurysm, diabetic episode, silent seizure, heat exhaustion, regular exhaustion, drugs...

"I swear to god, if this is another overdose," Tod mumbled under his breath before sitting back on his haunches. He wiped a hand over his sweaty forehead. He was still panting a little from his run. For a moment, he just stared at the patient. Only for a moment. As he weighed his options.

She probably wasn't at risk of any spinal fractures or neck injuries, having just collapsed. He was more worried that she'd just smacked her head. There was definitely a bit of blood pooling.

"Alright," he said, his one second of deliberation that he'd given himself passing. "Stabilize her c-spine and then we'll lift her. I'll get her legs."

He kept his fingers gently on the woman's pulse as Krish shifted around to grab her head and shoulders.

"Lift on my count. 1, 2, 3--"

@copper-russell

[copper-russell]

Copper looked up when he heard Tod mumbling, but he was smart enough to keep his mouth shut. He had sort of wondered the exact same thing as he'd looked at her blown pupils, but surely not. Surely this was something else, something purely neurological--

They'd find out, he supposed.

He let his eyes fall back to the patient as he slipped the pen light into his back pocket.

It was a job to try and keep her stable whilst lifting her from the floor, but it was nothing that Copper hadn't done before. He'd been on many a job where they had gotten called out to the most rural, random place outside of town, had to leave the ambulance a half a mile away, and then make do from there. He was careful to support her head as he grabbed her shoulders, giving Tod a nod when he was ready.

On three he lifted, pausing once she was off the ground to make sure her neck was secure. "Got her?" He asked, looking up at Tod again. He waited for confirmation, and then took a breath. "Let's go."

It wasn't far to the doors of A&E, but it felt like miles. By the time they got to the door Copper's arms were beginning to ache, the top of his back not much better for being hunched over. "Can we get a bed?" He called out once they were in earshot of the staff, holding the woman carefully whilst a nurse hurried round wih a gurney.

@tod-mitchell

[tod-mitchell]

What a Difference a Day Makes + [Fox and Hound]

[tod-mitchell]

Tod, on the other hand, was just coming into work. The weather was a light drizzle, but otherwise rather nice. So, Tod had decided to run into work. He arrived a little early, planning to shower and then get to it.

He had just entered the car park, slowing his jog to a walk. Taking the towel from his bag, he wiped his face. Then, he took a sip of his water.

As he lowered the bottle, he saw the top of a head across the line of cars--and then watched it disappear in a blink.

"Shit," Tod muttered and picked up his jog again--though it quickly turned into a sprint. His athletic shoes crunched at the asphalt and kept him from nearly bowling Krish over when he reached the patient.

"What happened?" Tod said, kneeling down next to Krish immediately. "I saw her go down..."

The woman was unconcious, so she wasn't going to be any help. Tod automatically grabbed for her wrist while Copper checked her airway.

"I have a pen light in my bag. And a stethoscope," he said in my bag. He'd thrown it down when he'd dropped to his knees. "Pulse is thready and faint, but it's there."

@copper-russell

[copper-russell]

"I don't know. She was standing there, looking a bit strange, and then she went down." Copper said, all the while going through the familiar motions: tilting her head back to open her airway, checking for any blockages, leaning down so that he could listen whilst she breathed, watching at the same time the shallow rise and fall of her chest.

"Airway's clear but her breathing's shallow-- do you have the pen light?" Copper looked up from their imprmptu patient to meet Tod's eyes.

It was much easier to be faced with him in a scenario like this. Had they just met crossing the car park, Copper wasn't sure what he wouldv'e said, if anything at all. He didn't know if Tod wanted to speak to him anyways; the days since their last barbed conversation had thrown Copper for a loop.

But this was much simpler: there was a task at hand. Someone needed help. They each had their own roles to play.

With the pen light in his hand, Copper lifted each eyelid. "Pupils are equal and reactive but they're decently dilated, maybe 7mm?" He looked up once more, past Tod this time, to the hospital. "We need to get her inside."

@tod-mitchell

[copper-russell]

Crash, bang, wallop || Gemper

[gem-mohanty]

A fracture?

Ugh, shit. Gem ran a hand over his face and sighed. What a drag. Not just for Janet, though--yeah, of course, but...she was one of Mohanty Construction's best workers. Having her out for this job was gonna set them back. He had no idea how long, but definitely a week or so. The owner of the house was not gonna be happy about that.

"It's not broken," Janet said stubbornly.

Gem didn't know if he believed her.

"C'mon," he said, holding out a hand to her as the paramedic indicated. She glanced at him, surprised, but Gem just gestured for her to get a move on. Hesitantly, she took his hand and he hoisted her up, taking most of her weight until she could reach for the crutches.

He held his hands in front and behind her as she situated the devices. Eventually, she shooed him away, leaning on the armpits of the crutches. "I've got it, I've got it. Let's go." She said this to the paramedics.

"Thanks," Gem said to Copper as the trio started off. "She's one of the best, so take care of her."

"I heard that!"

@copper-russell

[copper-russell]

Copper didn't always ask for assistance from the general public, but he thought Janet might be a little bit more cooperative with someone she knew than she otherwise might be. She seemed like the strong and sturdy type, the sort of person who didn't want to be made of a fuss of.

Sometimes, though, you needed a bit of fuss. Like when you'd fall from a second story, for example.

Copper hovered as well, hands not outstretched but still ready, in case he was needed. He looked over at Gem, and with a nod, he replied, "Of course. I mean, she seems like the type to take care of herself. We'll probably just try to keep out of her way." He chuckled. "Thank you as well, though. You've been a big help."

@gem-mohanty

[tod-mitchell]

What a Difference a Day Makes + [Fox and Hound]

[tod-mitchell]

Krish didn't tell him to shut the fuck up and stop being a tosser. Which was what told Tod that any...relationship that they'd once had was gone. Now, they were effectively strangers. And if that was the case, Tod would like to keep it that way.

There was no point in opening old wounds.

Though, somehow, just being around his childhood friend was opening new ones.

Krish turned to leave and Tod let out a breath, though he wasn't sure if it was of relief or disappointment. He didn't have time to analyze it because Krish looked back over at him.

The words were petty, but they hit their mark anyway. Something hard twisting in Tod's gut.

"Yeah," Tod said. "I got it."

And he stayed in the dark as the door swung shut again.

@copper-russell

[copper-russell]

Copper was ready to go home. To crawl into bed and lie face down in a dark room for as long as he could before someone called a welfare check on him. It had been a long run of shifts. Days had passed since the OD call and... whatever had happened afterwards with Tod. Copper was trying not to think about it. He was just trying to keep his head down, and get to work.

He was crossing the car park, keys in his hand, when something caught his eye. A woman, standing by a car, though she didn't have anything with her. No keys, no bag, nothing. They weren't too far from the entrance to A&E - Copper wondered if she was just here visiting. He didn't recognise her as a member of staff.

She took a few steps, like she had remembered what she was meant to be doing. Copper almost kept walking himself.

And then the woman crumpled to the floor, landing in a heap on the tarmac.

"Shit." Copper muttered, shoving his keys into his pocket as he dashed across the car park.

@tod-mitchell

[copper-russell]

With heart in my hand || Agupper

[accident-prone-agustin]

@copper-russell

Agustin's instinct was to say no.

No, because nobody would ever be good enough for his baby.

No, because of what happened last time.

No, because he still thought they should date a little longer.

But as he looked at Copper, his sincerity on his face, worn on his sleeve, Agustin could find no good reason to say no. Julieta seemed to be in agreement, or rather, to defer to him because she looked at him waiting for him to answer.

"I think...I think that's a wonderful idea," he said, though he wasn't so sure. "Yes, of course you may ask her to marry you."

[copper-russell]

Copper felt like he couldn't breathe. In the few short moments between him saying it and Agustin responding, it felt as if all the air had been sucked out of the room. Copper liked to think he was generally pretty calm and collected, but the suffocating feeling sent him spiralling. What if they said no? Isabela would never marry him if her parents said no, he was sure of it. Then what would he do?

It took another beat, after Agustin had finished speaking, for his words to sink in. Finally Copper felt like he could breath again, like the entire room had been set back to rights. He smiled, small at first but steadily growing wider, his heart beating wildly.

"Thank you." He said, the same sincerity colouring his tone. "Really, thank you. I-- It means a lot to me. I didn't want to - I couldn't have done it, without speaking to you both first. I know how much Isabela loves you both, and--" Copper took another steadying breath. "Thank you."

@accident-prone-agustin