September mini-event/catchall

[roombamastermind]

Who ⬤ Croix & You [+ one closed prompt with beariot]
What ⬤ September mini-event/catch-all
When ⬤ Sssseptember?
Where ⬤ Throughout the city
Content Warnings ⬤ Bombing-related stuff, injury, will update with anymore if needed

Prompts in comments

Comments

[itstillhurt]

[It was a good thing she was strong, because this was going to be... awkward.

She has to strain a little- not only was she lifting a full human's weight, but the full length of metal on top of it. And one of her arms had only just recovered from a major injury.

Ah, timing.

Still, she's able to reach down and hoist the rod upward with its passenger, hand over hand, until Croix was close enough for Azula to simply reach down and seize her wrist and bodily haul her up and out of the hole, dragging her onto the ground beside her before promptly collapsing back to the pavement herself.]

You're... welcome.

[Yeah, that definitely winded her.]

[roombamastermind]

[ Croix found herself grunting as she landed face down on the ground, though thankfully nothing there was injured yet. With a heavy wheeze, she pushed herself up and turned to Azula. ]

Thank you. Now...are you alright?

[itstillhurt]

[It seems to take her a few moments to realize the question is aimed at her, and meant to actually be responded to.

Once she does, she shifts upright again, hastily assembling her composure, even stilling her breathing so she wouldn't broadcast being so heavily winded.]

I'm not the one who was caught in a tunnel collapse, I'd say I'm doing fine.

[There. That sounded more like her usual self.]

[roombamastermind]

[ ...ah. That's almost a bit too comforting, even though Croix barely knows her.

Thus, she sighs and sits back, looking up at the sky and doing her best to ignore the chaos happening around them. ]

I'm surprised you helped me at all, to be frank.

[itstillhurt]

[That elicits a smirk.]

As amusing as it would be to leave you to drown for the crime of mildly inconveniencing me, I felt it would be poorly received by the Department.

[Not that they'd have any particular way of knowing, but still.]

[roombamastermind]

[ Amusing. Heh. Dark. ]

Yes, well, I'm glad you prioritized duty over your base instincts.

[itstillhurt]

[Something about the phrase 'base instincts' sours her mood- maybe the implication that leaving somebody to die for a petty slight is her natural, innate tendency. Maybe the idea that she's right. The thought settles somewhere uncomfortably in her gut, and she tries her best to ignore it, instead climbing to her feet.]

What were you doing down there, anyway?

[roombamastermind]

[ Croix does her best to stand up, and succeeds, though she's a bit shaky. ]

I was working in the maintenance tunnels. I heard the rumble and came to investigate, only to become trapped.

[itstillhurt]

[It sounds reasonable- it doesn't strike her as a lie, anyway.]

And I assume you didn't see anything useful, either.

[It's not actually meant as accusatory as it sounds, but she's still a little frustrated that she can't get inside to investigate and apparently that's Croix's problem now.]