anxiousparadoxx

[anxiousparadoxx]

Closed Starter

"Let me take a look, OK?" they gave a slight smile, "I promise not to fuss I just... I want to be useful, and if you're hurt, I can help." they looked around some of the supplies they and Myles had managed to scavenge together for something to help, "I'm guessing you weren't climbing trees," she joked.

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"Holy sh-" he held his hands up immediately, "Sorry, sorry, I didn't mean to startle you! I was just looking for somewhere to clear-" he paused, "I was just... walking I didn't know anyone was out here. Sorry," he repeated.

Snap. Nihar kept walking, visibly unaffected by the noise. Their mind, however, was yelling at them. No sudden movements. Stay casual. Pulling the sharpened pin from their hair, they shook their dark loose, holding the weapon tight as the footsteps came closer.

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"A-are you sure," she stammered, "I can try I don't want to make things extra difficult or anything. I'm sorry." he was right though, there was plenty of light and on balance she'd much rather not brave the steep incline they'd previously been suggesting, "What direction were you thinking?"

"Oh um." Ren had to think for a bit how, that'd put the dampers on that plan, "That's fair. Maybe we can find a way 'round that's further from the edge," he suggested, "It may take longer but we've got plenty of light left," he reassured.

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"I'm a nurse," they blurted out, "I'm... I should be helping." they looked around at the devastation, feeling as if their reality was coming in and out of focus, like a mirage. They wished it was a mirage, then none of this would be real and they'd be landing down under soon. "I... might be concussed," they realised aloud, "h-how about you? Are you OK? I should be helping," they repeated.

☆ﾟ*·ﾟbiting her lip, arden listened to her talk, nodding along with her. she'd blocked any confusion away, because she was afraid that it would scare her. "your brain is protecting you from any pain, which is good. have you checked yourself for bruises or any cuts or anything?"

[anxiousparadoxx]

Open Starter

Brooke's eyes were dead-on a specific spot in the middle distance, even as he moved, his eyes remained steadfast in place somewhere behind the treeline as he talked to the other former passenger, "If I tell you something that might be unsettling to you, do you promise not to panic?" he asked.

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"Yeah I'm still holding out they'll make it canon at some point." they admitted, they didn't want to say it aloud but some of those episodes had made them cry, "Point of View nearly killed me."

"Sam and Jack are literally meant to be, have you even read the fanfic?"

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"I get the weird creatures, not so sure that there's aliens, but what's so interesting with the chemistry?" he held up a hand, "Not doubting, by the way, just wondering." Brooke was genuinely curious about this place, scared, but also curious, but he had no idea that it was that interesting from a chemistry perspective. What did that even look like?

"This place is a nerd paradise to me no matter how you look at it. The aliens and cryptids are wild but so is the chemistry. If my son and dad weren't in danger I'd mostly just be fascinated. I mean at least for a bit," he mused, "until the dread kicked in and all..."

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They obliged with the high five, "You know, I still have no idea how I managed that." she laughed, "Guess I'm a better nurse than I thought."

( open. )

"Oh shit, you actually did it! Up top," William praised.

[anxiousparadoxx]

Open Starter

"You know, I don't remember any of it?" she admitted, "Last thing I remember was ordering a caramel macchiato from Starbuck's and buying a bottle of Fantasy for super cheap then I remember waking up like... a day after. Guess it really shows that our brains try to protect us, you know?"

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"I'm glad," he groaned, "if there's anything you find let me know... i'm a nurse." he reminded her. Brooke nodded but winced slightly as he put weight on his ankle, "I'm fine, nothing's broken... just managed to twist my ankle pretty bad." he gave a slightly abrupt nod, trying out a few more steps to confirm he could— in fact— walk.

❝    i    think    i'm    alright.    ❞    said    as    she    looks    down    at    herself,    double-checking    for    any    injuries    that    she    might    have    sustained.    ❝    what    about    you?    are    you    in    one    piece?    ❞

[anxiousparadoxx]

open to all

"I know this is the worst time to tell you this but-" she trailed off, looking at the sheer drop below, "..I-I'm terrified of heights."

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"You read my mind, Myles." they laughed, somehow even back in San Francisco Myles had always been able to chill them out when things got tough on the job and apparently that didn't stop now. "I mean, we could do a cook out on the beach?" they suggested, "I dunno what we can find for it but like... we could all use something to help us relax, y'know?".

Myles looked around at the sunny surroundings to the beach, "Man, is it weird I look at that bright blue ocean and this sunny weather and just can't help but think a BBQ would be perfect right now?"

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"Are you sure? It's OK. I'm a nurse I mean. I can help I guess?" they were trying to convince themselves as much as anything, for whatever reason they felt completely useless. They nodded, "Yeah, I'm fine." they assured her.

"It's just a scratch. Didn't break the skin." Elizabeth flashed her hand in their direction in hopes of offering some reassurance, "See?"

"I'm fine. Are you okay?"

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"Yeah, I mean I guess." If she was honest, Brooke was taken aback more than anything. Before he could form a coherent train of thought he thought alout, "Better question: why would aliens take a bunch of random people to an island full of weird, though?" he felt it was a fair question.

"OK, but how is "aliens" any weirder explanation for how we're here and why everything's... like this." Ren shrugged, "I don't know. It seems as good an explanation to me."

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"If this is just your up there I'd hate to see what's in the top spot for you."

"Gotta say, this is up there with my worst holiday experiences."

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SARAH JEFFERY 2022, ph. Krissy Saleh