Chapter Text
Ivy woke up first the next morning. She’d been woken countless times that night, helping Carmen up, comforting her, taking her temperature and checking to see if her condition had deteriorated any further. Luckily, she’d remained stable.
She looked over at Carmen. Her auburn hair was plastered to her sweaty skin, and her face was still contorted in pain. Ivy reached forward to tuck away the strands of hair on Carmen’s face, whose eyelids fluttered from the contact. She looked up sleepily.
“Ivy?” She murmured. “You stayed with me.”
Ivy laughed a little. “Of course I stayed Carm! Where would I have gone?”
Carmen shook her head, and moved her body back a little, burrowing into Ivy’s front so Ivy was the big spoon. Ivy circled her arms around Carmen, pulling her closer, and resting her chin on her head. She could hear Carmen crying, just a little.
Ivy wasn’t quite sure what to do. How are you even supposed to comfort an orphaned professional thief who’d just survived an assassination attempt? Ivy sure didn’t know. She’d been so scared for Carmen’s life last night. She wasn’t sure if she’d ever be able to get the image of poor Carmen, poisoned and sick on the bathroom floor, out of her head.
Ivy hugged her tighter, wanting to say so many things. But no, she couldn’t. She had to stay strong for Carmen, who was always so strong for her and Zack. Strong Carmen, who never broke stride, who was never tripped up, who never forgot purpose, or showed weakness, and especially never passed out in Ivy’s lap in a hotel after vomiting her guts out. Right?
Team Red often joked about how Carmen was practically a superhero, someone who didn’t feel all those normal human things. Ivy had realized in the past few hours how wrong they’d been. God, she looked so delicate, so painfully human, cradled in Ivy’s arms. Like something that needed to be protected.
“Shhh, you’re alright now.” Ivy whispered to her. If Carmen had to be protected, then damn it, Ivy would give her life for her if that’s what it took.
“It hurt so bad.” Carmen said. She was still facing away, not looking at Ivy. Her breath hitched a little. “I was so scared.” She moved herself even closer to Ivy, flipping around to face her. “I still don’t feel good.” She mumbled, ducking to hide her face. Ivy stroked her sweaty, matted hair tenderly.
“You still don’t look so good.”
Carmen laughed. “Thanks a lot.”
Ivy laughed too, brushing away a few of the tears Carmen had failed to hold back.
Carmen clutched her stomach with both arms, pulling her knees up to her chest. She grit her teeth in pain. Ivy watched sadly, wishing she could do something other than continue stroking her hair, and talking to her quietly. “It’s okay, breathe through it. You’re gonna be alright.”
Carmen slumped back as the cramp passed and looked up at Ivy.
“If it makes you feel any better, I swear I’ll kill whoever did this to you.” Ivy said, anger creeping into her voice.
Carmen rolled her eyes. “Don’t count me out! You can help find him, but I get to kill him.”
“Deal.” Ivy muttered. The thought of making someone pay for the pain Carmen was going through made her heart race.
They both looked up at the sound of someone knocking on the door separating them from the attached room. Ivy untangled herself from the other girl and unlocked the door. Shadowsan was on the other side. His gaze brushed past Ivy, and he went to go check on Carmen.
“How do you feel?” He asked, pressing the back of his hand to her forehead.
Carmen shrugged, but Ivy knew she was just putting on a brave face. Shadowsan frowned, clearly still worried about her.
Ivy left them to talk for a moment, and headed into the bathroom to get some water and a washcloth. the bathroom was still messy from the night before, with a few plastic pharmacy bags still on the counter, and Carmen’s discarded clothing on the floor.
Ivy leaned up against the countertop, staring at herself in the mirror. She looked rough too. There were dark purple bags under her eyes, and she’d obviously been crying. She’d slept in her old clothes from yesterday. She splashed some water onto her face, trying to rub away that frightened look. She grabbed one of the waterbottles, the bottle of painkillers, and soaked a washcloth before returning to Carmen and Shadowsan.
Carmen looked sick again at the sight of the pills and water, but held the cloth against her forehead when Ivy offered it to her. She leaned against Ivy’s shoulder, pulling the blanket further up over the both. Shadowsan gave Ivy a quick half smile, and excused himself to go give Player an update on Carmen’s condition. Ivy pressed into Carmen too. Carmen might be able to protect herself most of the time, but Ivy silently promised that she’d be strong enough for them both.