Healing Up (p. Rina)

"Get out of my way!

Do you dare fight a Black Waltz?"

Black Waltz 3 quickly retracted his talon as it became apparent Rina was waking, the machine somewhat flustered by the  smile that washed over her face. It was almost as if she had awoken from one dream and into another, more pleasant one, judging from her expression. He was greeted with a "good-morning" before he could utter his own, Black Waltz 3 left dumb-struck as his friend stole the words from his mouth. Instead of answering in some generic greeting, the massive Black Mage hesitantly reached out again, this time to cup Rina's full cheek in his palm. Slowly, carefully, he could take her head in his hand, careful to keep the points of his claws away from her softer flesh lest he accidentally scratch her. His other hand reached out blindly, gently tracing her arm across the covers until he felt her hand, his taloned fingers closing around it as well. He sighed heavily and gently bowed his head, relieved to see she had regained some of her vitality... It had been touch and go for days and he spent many-a restless night tending to her hour by hour... He had never been so happy to have his work be rewarded.

"You seem to be doing much better." He observed with a flat tone, the minor air of solace spicing his speech somewhat. "You appear much more vital now... Excellent." The hand cradling Rina's shifted positions so that he could rest a talon on her wrist, the point resting upon a vein to detect her pulse. The Waltz's eyes squinted suspiciously as he felt her heart-beat radiate through his curved nail, as if trying to decide something,.

"...Better... Not as much as I hoped, but better..." He muttered with a sigh before readjusting his grip to hold his friend's hand once again. He smiled softly at her, little of his expression escaping the veil of black that covered his face.

"How do you feel...?" He questioned, giving her hand a little squeeze. "Your recovery is proceeding apace. You should be at 100% functionality in a matter of weeks."

"Get out of my way!

Do you dare fight a Black Waltz?"

The Black Waltz's wings fluttered as Rina grabbed at his arm with her free one, remarking that they were doing the best they could. Yeah... maybe... but it wasn't getting enough done fast enough for him. Still... He found it very... thoughtful of the patient to think of the doctor's needs ahead of her own... It helped him relax a tad, some relief he sorely needed. Rina reported that her pain had subsided to a dull ache from deep inside, that she thought she was getting better. She even pointed out that, indeed, through her bandages, no blood could be seen!

"Yes..." He acknowledge... "That is good news..." Rina then went to remove her bandages, the Waltz reaching out an arm to stop her... but she was faster than he was... The former mercenary had undone enough that the machine could see her wound...

It was scabby, red in the center, dark and wet... but closed enough... that was a very good sign. It seemed the fresh-skin was already starting to form over what could've been a quite fatal wound, the potions he'd been making her chug doing their work it seemed. What could've taken months to heal was already reaching the healthier stages in weeks, a long, sharp-toothed grin forming across the Walt's lips.

"It's healing..." He remarked, before quickly snatching the bandages from Rina's hands and started to redo them again. They were still good for a little while... He didn't want them exposed to any more air than necessary. He cared for Rina... He really did... He tried to show it in the way he doctored her, touched her, kept her as healthy as a machine of death could... He wanted her to see that he would do almost anything for her because she was just that important.

"I'm happy to inform you that your healing is almost complete... almost. You should be able to do your regular duties in a week... maybe at 100% in two." Once Rina's bandages were back in place, he would sigh heavily and draw to his full height, making his way back towards the bedroom door.

"If you need anything... Just call."

"Get out of my way!

Do you dare fight a Black Waltz?"

"Because you took care of me in turn." The Waltz responded quite flatly, as if it were a rather obvious question. With Rina's bandages back on properly, he got up to leave... only to be stopped by Rina before he could even get to the door! Turning back to face her, the former mercenary made a request: To go on a walk!

The Waltz blinked, caught off guard. He was expecting something like... food or extra blankets. He didn't think she was up for a walk! She still had a hole in her side! He opened his mouth up to protest, to bring up said hole as justification for staying here... But the look on Rina's face told him he wasn't going to win that argument. At a glance, he noticed the determination in her features to just... go. Her health didn't even seem to factor into the situation! She wanted to walk before she was fully restored...? What if something else happened?

But, despite all his worry, the machine couldn't say "no". Were it anyone else, he would've just left the room and locked it from the outside, effectively shutting down the request. With Rina, he was compelled to treat her differently... Her wants and desires to precedent over his own... even if he had her best interest in mind.

"...Very well. Can you get fresh clothes on for yourself, or do you need aid?" She inquired seriously, oblivious to the meaning such a question might imply. "We can go now if you are up to it."

"Get out of my way!

Do you dare fight a Black Waltz?"

The Waltz eyed her carefully as her expression changed, tainted with the blush upon her cheeks. He paused, giving her the once-over to see if she REALLY could pull off what she had set out to do...

"Hmph." He snorted before turning back towards the drawers, crouching down so that he could get to the third one. With his massive clawed hands, the machine withdrew the articles of clothing from within, unsure what actually constituted a "tank-top". From what he could gather, it looked like a sleeveless shirt... no more, no less. Why would anyone bother to cut off the sleeves of their own shirt and all it something else? Seemed like a wasteful exercise to him...

The Waltz snapped out of his judgemental thoughts as he caught Rina's whispers of pain, whirling around so fast, his wings nearly struck the shelf as he turned! She sat there in her bed-clothes, feet dangling over the side of the bed, her expression contorted with pain... The Machine was quick to throw her clothes upon it as well, joining his friend by her side, his yellow eyes aglow with worry.

"Are you certain you can?" He asked again. "...If you are... I will be outside..." Slowly, he would rise to his full height, giving his friend one last glance over his shoulder before heading out of the bedroom, leaving it cracked just the tiniest bit on his way out.

"Get out of my way!

Do you dare fight a Black Waltz?"

Rina brushed away his concern for her well-being, assuring him that she would be fine. The Waltz paused, his eyes glowing inquisitively before letting out a heavy sigh. Very well. If she was sure she could take care of herself, he would leave her too it. The Machine made his way downstairs, grabbing his staff on the way out the door to the front porch. He couldn't very well leave the focus for all his magic behind if he was going out! Enough "adventures" had taught him that these worlds were as, if not more hostile than the one in which he was created. As... peaceful as this one seemed, at any moment a child with a giant key or some brain-dead senseless human could appear out of nowhere and attack.

The Waltz leaned up against the face of the house besides the door as these thoughts passed through his mind, crossing his arms across his chest. Why did he agree to take his wounded friend out on a walk  if this were true? Because she asked? Was he really so vulnerable to suggestion from her? Why? Black Waltz 3 shook his head and sighed, using his free hand to pull the rim of his hat lower over his face. Because he cared about her, that's why. She mattered. She was precious... like his work was precious. It was sacrilegious in it of itself to compare the life of a HUMAN to his own designed purpose but... she wasn't just a human, was she? When they first met, she was more of a tool.... then she was a pet... then Rina became his friend...

Now she was a part of his existence... A big part. That was probably why he was so vulnerable to her.

"Humans..." The Waltz grumbles, a small smirk stretching across his face. A moment after those words escaped his lips, Rina appeared, having dressed herself. She smiled up at him, a small, gentle smile that made mana flutter in his chest in a way nothing else had. It was infectious too as one of his own crept across his shadow-covered face.

"Very well." He responded, holding out his talons for her to take if she so desired. "Lead on, then. I will follow you."

"Get out of my way!

Do you dare fight a Black Waltz?"

Given their extreme height difference, Black Waltz 3 found it awkward to walk along side his friend in this manner, her arm having to reach up slightly so that she could even reach his talons for her to hold. He said not a word about it, didn't complain or grumble about the extra effort he had to go through to lurch over so that his hand was in a comfortable position for her to grasp.

She lead him across the town of the Radiant Garden, across the Baily and through the streets and market places. He hadn't seen the whole of what this place had to offer, but so far, if this WERE a garden, it were one of steel, concrete and human manufacturing. The greenery of the town was ironically stagnate and barren, those only belonging to the shrubbery or potted plants the humans put up to help them forget what they do to the land from which they spring.

He kept his thoughts to himself for the most part, his eyes trailing upon the few patches of green in this place just to take in the non-diluted colors of mechanized construction. Eventually they came to a halt at the top of a long set of stairs, Rina stopping them to admit that she may need some help getting down these.

Without a moment's hesitation, the Black Waltz SCOOPED her up into his arms, taking them down the steps two at a time, doing his best not to gaze into the eyes of the woman he held close to his chest, instead focusing on their descent down below... It was... difficult...