(no subject)

[xnotyetaherox.livejournal.com]

Characters: Denzel, Tifa
Progress: Complete
Summary: Denzel is hiding in a bathroom
Location: Lindblum Grand Castle
Date: January 1804
Warnings: Wibbles?



Denzel was currently hiding out in one of the Grand Castle’s bathrooms. He’d had another attack of his geostigma. It was not only the worst one he’d had in recent days, but the worst he’d ever had. The black ooze trickled down his face, splashing onto the white porcelain sink, but there was also blood running from his nose - something that had never happened before.

Panicked and frightened, he was trying to wash it away as best as he could, not wanting to get in trouble for messing up their host’s bathroom, but also not wanting to seek aid from Tifa. Everyone was so happy that he had been feeling better lately that he didn’t want to tell them about this. He didn’t want to make them sad or worried.

Comments

[heartofheaven.livejournal.com]

Denzel had been gone for some time and Tifa was beginning to get a little worried. He'd seemed much happier with Eiko, but he was still sick and it was her job to take care of him.

She knocked on the door of the bathroom. "Denzel? Are you okay?"

[xnotyetaherox.livejournal.com]

Denzel flailed a little as the bathroom door was knocked on, even more so at Tifa's voice. "I... I'm fine! I'll be out in a minute."

He tried frantically to wipe away the black ooze and the blood; yet in his rush to get into the bathroom in the first place, he had left the door unlocked.

[heartofheaven.livejournal.com]

Tifa wouldn't barge in without warning unless she was seriously worried, so she stayed outside, frowning.

"You sure?"

[xnotyetaherox.livejournal.com]

Tears began to well in Denzel's eyes, a sniffle escaping him as he tried to stop that trickle of blood.

"... I'm sure."

[heartofheaven.livejournal.com]

Tifa tried to inject some humour into her voice. "You said a minute. I'm counting down, Denzel. Don't be a bathroom hog."

[xnotyetaherox.livejournal.com]

The boy didn't reply, but his sniffling got a little louder as he tried to fight back his tears. He sat on the floor, drawing his knees to his chest, burying his face in a towel.

"...'m not a bathroom hog." A slight sob escaped him.

[heartofheaven.livejournal.com]

Okay, that was it. Tifa opened the door at once and her eyes widened when she saw he was crying.

"Denzel... Oh, Denzel, what is it?"

She crouched down to hug him, noticing as she did so the black ooze still visible on his skin. And the blood. That immediately answered her question.

"Denzel, let me help you..."

[xnotyetaherox.livejournal.com]

Denzel lifted his head, tear-filled eyes meeting Tifa's gaze, bottom lip trembling. He looked a mess, but most of it would wash away, leaving only the pain behind.

"I didn't want to make you worry..." He sniffled again. "You were so happy that I was feeling better. I didn't want to make you sad."

[heartofheaven.livejournal.com]

"Don't say that." Tifa smiled, a little shakily. "We're going to get you fixed up soon anyway. And until then, I have to take good care of you."

Which started with helping him to wash the rest of the ooze and blood away, then drying him off with a clean towel. He'd need more bandages, Tifa thought, biting her lip. She'd have to find some.

[xnotyetaherox.livejournal.com]

Denzel wiped away his tears and gave a nod. "As soon as Dad and Aerith and Zack and Shelke get here I'll be all fixed up, right?"

He tried to give her a hopeful smile at that. To be cured... it would be a dream come true. Cloud had told him that he was cured from his time. The different times still bothered him a little... well confused him more than bothered him.

[heartofheaven.livejournal.com]

Tifa nodded back. "Right!"

[xnotyetaherox.livejournal.com]

Once the boy was sure his legs weren't going to give way beneath him, he pushed himself to his feet, standing at the sink to wash his face clean, watching the black and red merge into a dirty colour and flow away. He patted his face dry and looked in the mirror to see what to damage was.

"Does it look bad?"

[heartofheaven.livejournal.com]

Tifa leaned over his shoulder. "It's okay," she soothed him. "Come on, let's go get some bandages. We can't have you getting all dirty again. Is your nose bleeding?"

[xnotyetaherox.livejournal.com]

Denzel touched below his nose with his fingers, touching the fresh blood that was trickling out. "It hasn't stopped yet..." He pinched the bridge, trying to stop the blood.

He glanced at Tifa. "Where will we find bandages? Do you think I'll get in trouble for getting the towel dirty?"

[heartofheaven.livejournal.com]

"Of course not, they're there to be used. And I've got some in our room."

She had to keep a regular supply for this very reason, naturally. For now, she grabbed a tissue and handed it to Denzel to try and stop the trickling blood.

"Keep holding it," she instructed him - meaning, keep pinching his nose, with the tissue there to absorb the blood. "It'll stop bleeding eventually."

She reached for his hand to take him back to their room.

[xnotyetaherox.livejournal.com]

Denzel did as he was instructed, pinching his nose, while holding the tissue in place. He could taste the blood in the back of his mouth. It tasted nasty - a little bit like copper.

He took hold of Tifa's hand, holding onto it tightly as he walked with her back to their room on unsteady feet. He felt exhausted again now.

[heartofheaven.livejournal.com]

Tifa noticed how unsteady he was, and made sure to keep a firm grip on his hand.

"Sit down," she said. "I think you need to rest."

She grabbed some bandages from a bag and knelt down to begin wrapping one around his forehead, smoothing back his hair gently. "Was that the worst it's been?"

[xnotyetaherox.livejournal.com]

Denzel sat on the bed, swinging the backs of his heels against it as Tifa fixed him all up. He moved the tissue away gingerly to see if the blood had stopped, relieved to find it had.

"Uh huh. I never had a nose bleed at the same time before."

[heartofheaven.livejournal.com]

"Maybe it's all this travelling," Tifa said thoughtfully. "You've used up a lot of energy. You definitely need to rest now. Are you tired?"

She pressed her hand against his brow before she finished with the bandages, checking to see if he was feverish.

[xnotyetaherox.livejournal.com]

The boy was completely exhausted. The travelling and running around with Eiko, it was all taking a toll on his stigma-ridden body. He gave a slight nod. "I'm a little bit tired."

He crawled up the bed, kicking off his shoes before wriggling himself under the covers, pulling them up to his chin. "Will you sit with me?"

[heartofheaven.livejournal.com]

"I'll sit with you," Tifa promised.

She sat down and tucked him in, smiling. "I'm always here for you, Denzel. Remember that."

[xnotyetaherox.livejournal.com]

Denzel gave her a tired smile, rubbing at his eyes with a yawn, before nuzzling into the soft pillow. "Always?"

He really did love his family. Cloud, Tifa, Marlene... he was even looking forward to getting to know Shelke better.

[heartofheaven.livejournal.com]

"Always." She kissed him on the cheek gently.

As far as Tifa was concerned, Denzel was her son. He'd started calling Cloud Dad. Maybe one day he'd call her Mom.

[xnotyetaherox.livejournal.com]

Another smile formed on Denzel's lips, his eyelids beginning to get heavy and drooping. He rolled onto his side, nuzzling into Tifa's side, closing his eyes to let sleep find him.

[heartofheaven.livejournal.com]

Tifa stayed with him until she was sure he was asleep. She was quite tired herself. Yawning, she stretched, and got up carefully, making sure not to disturb him. Maybe it was time to take a nap.