KANAYA: -Kanaya wasn't allowed to visit Vriska immediately after she was injured, but she's heading in again to check on her. The place seems to have quieted down compared to the bustle previous, and she's heading inside Vriska's room with a bundle of Alternian treats. She's just hoping the gift isn't going to be waste, that Vriska isn't as badly injured as they implied.-
VRISKA: -Sorry Kanaya, Vriska IS as 8adly injured as has 8een implied. She's hooked up to machines, covered in 8andages and 8ruises and scratches, and she looks incredi8ly weak with a 8reathing mask on her face. The side ta8le has words written all over it in Vriska's handwriting. Most nota8le is how utterly defeated she looks, staring at the ceiling with a softened expression.-
KANAYA: -Kanaya has to pause when she enters, jaw tightening, and she shuffles quietly to the side table, resting the bundle down after a precursory glance at the writing Vriska has left there.-
VRISKA: -There's a lot there: “Well as you can see, I’m fucking peachy.” “No shit, troll Sherlock. Where is Rufioh?”“Sounds like him. Next time you see him tell him to come see me."“I might survive if certain idiots on this ship use their goddamn 8RAINS.”“That doesn’t mean they’re competent. Once again, it rests on my shoulders.”“It’s mildly concerning that I’m DYING.”"Even if I survived, the damage done to my organs would prevent me from doing anything I did 8efore, which would suck majorly. And I’m not going to live like that. I need something 8ETTER.”“I have all the time I have left to 8rainstorm. So that’s what I’m going to do if no one else is. You can aim for survival, or you can aim to 8e gr8.”“I think you should go 8ack to 8 words or less.” And lastly, the words "F8x me" written over and over and over and over.-
VRISKA: -Vriska's not looking at her.-
KANAYA: -... Oh. That was... mildly upsetting to digest, especially seeing Vriska as she is right now. Fix her? How are they going to do that? Something odd occurs to her, but for now, she has to begin to address anything at all. She clears her throat.- Vriska
VRISKA: -She hears Kanaya 8ut she doesn't want to respond. She doesn't want to have to explain herself, to admit all of her faults after they have already manifested themselves in her current state.- (Don't. Say it.)
KANAYA: -Her brow knits. Say what? Was she expecting her to scold her? In this state? She's not sure how to respond, so she's quiet for a long moment, and then... she reaches over to brush some of Vriska's bangs away from her forehead.-
KANAYA: I
KANAYA: Am Glad Youre Alive
VRISKA: -Her eye8rows furrow just slightly, 8ut she looks so tired. She wasn't expecting her to 8e grateful she was alive, and it makes her feel something she isn't sure a8out at the moment.- (Useless.)
KANAYA: ... What
VRISKA: (Me.)
KANAYA: You
KANAYA: Wh--
KANAYA: No
KANAYA: What
VRISKA: -She doesn't want to admit defeat, 8ut she has to. She has no other choice. It's written all over her. Still, she doesn't respond.-
KANAYA: -What the hell happened that day? Or... No, her attitude in the writing doesn't quite reflect the attitude she has now.-
KANAYA: What Happened
KANAYA: Not With Your Injuries
KANAYA: What Happened With You
VRISKA: -Kanaya should feel her own hand reaching for a pen on the sideta8le.-
KANAYA: -Oh, shit, well-- She wants to be irritated, but considering Vriska's condition, she will relent this much, she supposes.-
VRISKA: -And she starts writing in 8lank spaces on the sideta8le. "I fell for something I shouldn't have and look where I am now. I knew 8etter."-
KANAYA: Fell For Something
KANAYA: You Mean
KANAYA: The Outing You Took
KANAYA: It Was A Trap
VRISKA: -"Yes."-
KANAYA: And You Are Blaming Yourself For The Subsequent Events
KANAYA: Vriska You Could Not Have Known Nor Expected Yourself To Predict Absolutely Everything All The Time
VRISKA: -"I wasn't the only survivor."-
KANAYA: -It takes her a minute to think about that. What's the significance of the words? She wouldn't just be talking about the situation that just happened, she couldn't be. And then it dawns on her.-
KANAYA: The Ship Wreck
VRISKA: -She's silent in affirmation.-
KANAYA: And They Set You Up
KANAYA: -she's quiet for a moment, too, thinking this over-
KANAYA: It Was Incredible Enough That You Survived
KANAYA: No One Else Should Have
VRISKA: -"8ut he did."-
KANAYA: And You Arent To Blame
KANAYA: Though Those Decisions Were
KANAYA: Reckless
KANAYA: -sighs-
VRISKA: -"I should have covered my 8ases. And now everyone sees me as a loser. 8ecause let's face it."-
VRISKA: -"I'm a fucking loser."-
KANAYA: Everyone
KANAYA: Who Is Everyone
VRISKA: -"Everyone!"-
KANAYA: I Feel As If You Are Grossly Misinterpreting The Meaning Of The Word Everyone
VRISKA: -"Everyone that knows what happened. I don't exactly feel like 8eing technical here."-
KANAYA: I Dont Think Thats The Case
KANAYA: You Made A Mistake
KANAYA: That Does Not Equate To Failure On Every Level
KANAYA: Everyone Makes Those
VRISKA: -"I failed Eridan. Rufioh 8roke up with me. Just left."-
KANAYA: -Oh. She's quiet again for a moment.-
KANAYA: -And then she pulls out one of the books in her sylladex, finding a blank page. It would be better to ask questions from here on out in private, she thinks.-
KANAYA: What Exactly Happened
KANAYA: Starting With Eridan
VRISKA: -"He was pissed I got Latula hurt. And pretty much everyone else that came with me. He said he thought I was 8etter than what I did."-
VRISKA: -"8ut you know what's funny? I'm not. I'm not 8etter than any of that. I just pretend to 8e. And I failed fucking misera8ly."-
KANAYA: -now she's starting to frown. This is all something she knows, in a sense, but it's something she's never heard Vriska admit like this. In one sense, it's a relief, but in another, it's awful to see her like this.-
KANAYA: And What Happened With Rufioh
VRISKA: -She feels ashamed to even talk a8out it 8ut there's not enough holding her 8ack right now. She has nothing more to lose. "He just. I freaked out on him. I wanted him to talk to Kurloz and he wouldn't. I wanted him to get me into that procedure so I don't stay fucked up forever. So I freaked out on him."-
KANAYA: You Were Afraid
KANAYA: But He Was Also Afraid
VRISKA: -"He said he would and he said he wouldn't."-
KANAYA: What Does That Mean
VRISKA: -"He said he would talk to him only to come 8ack later and say he wouldn't do it."-
KANAYA: What Happened After That
VRISKA: -"I told him to fix me. I told him a lot of things I don't remem8er. I made him throw a stupid pen and he was crying and it was so PATHETIC and I was pathetic. And he 8roke up with me and left."-
KANAYA: -Now she's quiet again, and she can picture it all in her head -- Vriska pushing him, Rufioh crumbling like she had seen him in the cafeteria.-
KANAYA: ... Vriska
KANAYA: I Cannot Tell You That He Did Not Have A Right To Leave
KANAYA: But I Am Also Not Going To Tell You That You Are A Lost Cause Because I Dont Believe That
VRISKA: -"What the fuck am I doing, Kanaya? What am I trying to prove?"-
VRISKA: -"What am I trying so damn hard to maintain?"-
KANAYA: -She stares at the paper for a long moment, and then she looks at Vriska herself.-
VRISKA: -She looks pretty fucking helpless here, her expression as well. Totally and completely resigned.-
KANAYA: I Think
KANAYA: That It Is Something That Is Not As Essential As You Have Led Yourself To Believe
KANAYA: And I Think
KANAYA: That Maybe
KANAYA: It Might Be Time To Just Let Yourself Be
KANAYA: -it's difficult not to, seeing Vriska like his, so she lowers the book some, reaching for her face-
VRISKA: -She doesn't know where to 8egin in letting herself 8e; it seems like such a strange concept. 8ut one thing is for sure: Kanaya feels more safe than anywhere else. Her gaze meets Kanaya's, and she can't go on without making one request.- (Stay?)
KANAYA: -She takes only one moment, a moment to set her expression with resolve, and then she's nodding, exhaling a tight breath as she strokes the side of her face, into her hair. It's strange, but she feels... grateful to be here. It feels right, in a way she hadn't been able to acknowledge before.-
KANAYA: Im Here
VRISKA: -She keeps her eyes on Kanaya, 8ecause all of this is comforting despite the amount of physical pain. She's hurting, 8ut may8e she isn't a lost cause. May8e with Kanaya she can still move forward.- (Ok.)