#btw the technology level in this series is gonna be like 90s tech

[kira-the-whump-enthusiast]

A Really, Really, Really Sharp Knife - Diamonds to Dust Ch3

Synopsis: Take some proper Storm whump- they’re on the run with a knife in their abdomen :)

Content: Villain whump, stabbing, pursuit, anxious caretaker

Taglist: @whump-queen @ghostsinthecloset

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Storm practically falls against the brick wall of the alleyway, taking ragged, heavy breaths. They clutch at the dagger skewered in their torso and try not to give in to the overwhelming nausea. Everything hurts; it feels like they’re drowning in pain, and they’re so tempted to give up and collapse to the ground.

But they can’t, not now, not when they’re being pursued. Storm isn’t completely sure they can still move very much, but they have to. The alternative is getting caught by the hero who knifed them in the first place. They’ve already been here too long anyways. Droplets of red are scattered on the ground, forming a trail leading right to them. If they linger, they risk letting their pursuer catch up to them.

So Storm forces themself to stagger away from the alleyway. Running is utterly beyond them now. They stumble down a quiet street lined with townhouses. Most of them seem empty.

Storm starts to feel dizzy, and they’re not sure if it’s from the blood loss or if it’s from the panic. They don't know where to go, they barely recognize this neighborhood, and their home is so far away from here.

If they could just get to a landline or a payphone—they could call Xavier for help. Except, there’s nothing of the sort on this street.

Their head is pounding, and they want to scream. I’m going to die here, aren’t I? If that hero doesn’t kill me, then losing all this blood definitely will.

They can’t. They can’t die like this, not to a stupid hero, and not because of a stupid bank robbery.

Still holding onto hopes of getting away, Storm takes a few shaky steps forward. Then they notice something and abruptly stop.

It’s the house they’re standing in front of. They recognize it. One of their classmates lives here, Zuri Msuya. They’d stopped by a couple of times a while ago, to work on a project with her.

Storm hasn’t talked to her much since, but this is their last hope. They stuff their mask in the pocket of their shorts, lower their hood, and make their way up her front steps with excruciating effort.

They knock on the door as hard as they can. Storm feels close to collapsing, but they try to stand on their own anyways.

After a few moments that seem like an agonizing eternity, the door opens, and Zuri is standing in the doorway. She’s home, thank the stars for that. Her face is a picture of plain shock, and she opens her mouth, but no words come out.

Storm wants to offer some sort of explanation or greeting, but they feel so disoriented. They sway on their feet, and their legs give out under them. They almost fall to the ground, but Zuri catches them at the last moment. She holds them steady in her arms.

She shakes her head in disbelief. “Oh my—oh my god…” she stutters out in horror. “What the hell happened to you?”

Storm tries to say something, but their throat is too dry and they can’t muster up the energy to speak.

“I’ll call an—I’ll call an ambulance right away. You need to get to the hospital right now,” Zuri tells them with a shaky voice.

Their eyes widen and their heart skips a beat. That makes Storm terrified. There's no doubt that the heroes have notified the hospitals about a villain with their description. If they walk inside an emergency room, they’ll definitely be arrested.

“D-d-don’t…” they manage to stammer out. “D-don't, please… I just need…” They stop to catch their breath, already too strained by just saying a few words. “I need to use your phone…”

They pray to no god in particular that Zuri will let them.

She bites her lip and tersely replies, “Okay,” and starts to lower them onto the front step.

“W-wait, please, please take me inside…” Storm pleads desperately. They’re so scared that the hero hunting them down will dart down the street at any moment.

Zuri doesn’t seem sure if that’s a good idea at first, but she switches gears and gingerly carries them inside.

Her house is small and cluttered, so she’s forced to lay them on the wooden floor. She quickly grabs a pillow for Storm’s head with an apologetic look on her face. Zuri looks like she wants to say something, but she doesn’t know what. After a few moments of worriedly scanning over Storm’s injuries, she gets up and walks into another room.

She returns with a cordless phone in her hand, which she passes over to Storm. They mouth a thank you.

“I’ll—I’m going—I’m going to get some bandages for you,” Zuri proclaims. She leaves the room again, but she looks nervous about doing so.

While she’s gone, Storm goes to dial Xavier’s number with shaking hands. It takes them a couple of tries to enter it right, and they frown in slight frustration.

Xavier picks up after just a few rings.

“Storm?” They’re aware that they’re the only one with this number, so Storm isn’t surprised that Xavier knows it’s them.

“Yeah, it’s me...”

“My god, where are you? Are you okay? You’ve been the focus of the afternoon news, all they’re talking about is how you’re at large! Don’t tell me you got caught.” Xavier is talking a mile a minute, but he pauses just long enough for Storm to say something.

“I’m fine… okay, well, I guess—I guess I’m not actually fine. But no one’s arrested me or—or anything… I’m at the house of someone I know…” they mutter into the speaker. “Here, lemme give you the address… can you get someone to… to pick me up?”

They recite it to Xavier, and he responds, “I’m sending Claire to pick you up right now. In the meantime, I’ll sort this whole thing out. Stay there, got it?”

“Mhm…”

“I need to go now, but call me if you get into any trouble, okay?”

“As always,” Storm mutters.

“...I love you, you know that?”

“Hehe… of course I do.” Storm can’t help but smile.

“Good, good.” Storm hears a hint of relief in Xavier’s voice. “Alright, bye for now.” Then Xavier hangs up, and the call ends.

Storm lays the phone on the floor at about the same time that Zuri walks in with a first aid kit in her hands. She sits next to them and hastily opens the kit.

“I can’t—I can’t just let you die of blood loss or something.” The words tumble out of her mouth as she prepares some bandages, “So here—lemme get you patched up.”

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AN: This is actually the first third chapter I’ve ever finished! I’m officially making this into a series now :D

It’s gonna be called Diamonds to Dust! The chapters will be however long I feel like making them, and they aren’t always gonna be released in chronological order.