abraxaslogs | • OPEN •

[ steve is on his way back from one of his many trips out to the shrines, taking his walk through the tall grasses and flowers as a kind of meditation. there's no telling where his mind is while he's on these walks, no telling what tune he might be whistling to himself, humming or even singing gently, quietly, only enough for him to really hear.

he's not used to finding others out here - or, rather, those he does find tend to have places to go, things they're already doing. sometimes he'll pass locals to and from the shrines, sometimes he'll catch sight of a couple of other teens out in the grasses, on some kind of date.

perhaps that's why there is a brief, momentary hesitation when he sees not only the back of wanda's head - which he does recognize pretty quickly - but also when she seems to collapse to the ground. he doesn't know what's happening, and he should probably be a little more careful and check his surroundings, but as soon as the moment passes he is sprinting out through the grass as quickly as he can. ]

Wanda? Wanda! [ he all but dives to his knees at her side, probably crushing a couple of those flowers she'd just been working so hard to grow. he doesn't even realize he's done it, his hands going behind her neck, turning her onto her back. ] Wanda! Hey- are you okay? Can you hear me? Wanda- [ he shakes her shoulder just a little, not enough to hurt her further if she is hurt but enough to wake her if that's all it is. the blood on her face reminds him, suddenly, of el- and doesn't help the rising panic in his chest.

she's breathing, though - he's checked that much. but if she doesn't wake up he's going to have to carry her back to town, which, honestly, he could but- ] Can you hear me?

[it's just a momentary thing, and, in that time, wanda doesn't feel much of anything at all. for a very few blissful minutes, she doesn't get to deal with the pain that's locked her unconscious nor the worrisome thought that her magic is somehow being afflicted by an unknown factor.

and then she hears her name. feels someone's hands on her shoulder, one hand by her neck to keep her mostly upright. her own hands feel the ticklish sensation of the grass under them, and her eyes open to find steve with a very much concerned look on his face.

is it because of her?]

I'm okay.

[it seems that she has picked up a few bad habits from one blind lawyer, claiming to be alright when she isn't quite so. her strength is returning to her, though, as is evidenced by her grabbing at his arm with a hand.]

[ it might be a momentary thing, but it’s a terrifying, awful moment. steve feels his stomach tighten, his chest grow cold. for a brief second he’s somewhere else - shaking max’s shoulders, screaming her name, watching as she slipped further away and he didn’t know how to fix it and-

that’s when wanda stirs, and steve feels breath return to his lungs. she moves to push herself to sit up and steve pulls his hands back, hovering inches from her, afraid. because he is, he’s scared, and it keeps that expression there even as she says i’m alright. ]

Are you? Really? Because you just passed out, and… [ he reaches forward without thinking about it, brushing his finger under her nose. ] Is that blood? Wanda, what happened?

[wanda scrunches her nose at the touch, shaking her head a bit. she brings a hand to rest against her forehead, taking a deep breath as she straightens her back, feels the muscles and bones stretch out under the movement.]

I must be tired.

[she doesn’t want to worry steve.

her hand moves down to just over her lips, rubbing at the blood there. hm.]

Help me up?

[ steve just sort of frowns at her, not quite sure how much he wants to believe her. this is a lot more than 'i must be tired', but also...steve's not sure. maybe this is just something else he doesn't quite understand. maybe this is just one more thing he doesn't know enough about to really fight about it.

his eyes are on her hand as it moves from her forehead to her lips and hesitates there, a bit like she's realizing just how much she is bleeding. steve's reaching into his hip pouch, pulling out a fairly clean piece of cloth. ]

Here- [ to wipe the blood away. and then, when she asks him, steve nods and quickly cups his hands at her elbows, trying to provide something solid for her to grab onto to stand. ] Are you dizzy?

—thanks.

[she says regarding the piece of cloth, using it to wipe at her nose. it's not the cleanest, but it's not like her blood is making matters cleaner anyway. at the question of whether she's dizzy, she replies with a soft,]

A bit, I think.

[wanda is still gathering her bearings.]

Do you see Clover? [her horse. gaze raising up to meet his eyes, she scans the horizon, but is reluctant to look around lest she makes herself dizzier still.] I had some... snacks in my bag.

[those might help.]

[ he watches, eyes still furrowed, as she settles. it's hard not to do something, hard to just sort of wait until something he can do comes up. it's why he's already reaching for his water skin when she says a bit, why he's already handing it to her when she asks the question.

steve, immediately, sits up a little more - looking around to see if he can spot the horse. when he does, he stands - a bit abruptly. ] Yeah, I see her. I'll be right back.

[ there is half a breath there where steve hesitates, wonders if he shouldn't leave her, but he pushes through it and sprints off to where clover is grazing. it takes maybe a minute, maybe less, before he's back again - breathing a bit labored but hey, he was a start athlete in another life. he can do this.

he sets the entire bag down next to wanda, not having stopped to search through it. ]

This bag?

[clover is, blessedly, an easygoing horse, despite its height and girth, as a drafthorse. steve’s approach has it snorting once, but allowing for the bag to be taken from where it had been looped onto the saddle. reckoning something is the matter, the smart animal start to stroll closer to them, though still keeping a distance as it grazes.]

—thanks.

[reaching inside the bag, she pulls out a pear.]

Want one?

[and takes a bite from it, handing the bag over to steve to look through if he wants. The juice of the fruit spills over the corner of her mouth, and wanda wipes the back of her hand over her chin.]

[ if there's one thing steve has been working on since his time in solvunn, it's been his animal handling (not to be confused with actual magical animal handling, which he has none of). he's at the very least learned to be able to tell if something is about to kick him in the chest or if it's safe to approach, and clover seems chill enough.

which is good, because steve doesn't really want to take any extra time with the in between. he's rushing back to wanda as quickly as he can, sets down the bag, and kneeling next to her - poised for the next act, still worried and unsure what to do with the stress.

she asks if he wants one and steve can't help but frown, just a little, not...really catching on. ]

Wanda. [ he says after a moment, still taking the bag when she offers it to him and setting it aside. ] What was that? Are you really okay?

[his concern is expected, and it's not like wanda is trying to actively make light of it. she takes another bite from the pear, smaller this time, and works on chewing on it before she swallows and answers.]

I feel better now.

[that's the easiest question to answer. after getting some sugar and sustenance in her, she can feel a little more revitalized.

as for the other question...]

—I'm not sure what it is. It might have something to do with my magic.

[and that's something that worries her, but she can't let that surge into panic. she'll figure it out—just not right now.]

[ steve isn't entirely satisfied with the answer, but he's not exactly aware enough of his own wording or how he could have better asked to keep pushing. so instead he just sort of accepts that, the concerned look lingering. ]

Did that used to happen to you back home? Or is it just a here thing?

[ steve shifts, moving to come sit next to her rather than across, because some part of him still isn't convinced and sitting a littler closer to her just feels like a safer bet in case she falls again. ]

It really didn't look good...

• OPEN •

a! m-mom ;-;

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