Chapter Text
Tora was following protocol. He knocked on the door and readied himself to force his way inside the apartment as he heard someone approaching on the other side. He waited for the familiar sound of locks and deadbolt coming off, but none came to his ear before the door was suddenly opened. A little brunette stood in the door frame, keeping wide open the door. She’s asking to be robbed or what. Tora thought as he took in the innocent girl in front of him. There wasn’t a second in his life where he didn’t hate his job but those moments were the worst. He could already feel the annoyance and anger spread through his body. He swears he’s gonna lose his mind because of those fucking cheaters. Protocols are here to prevent you to do so bastard so stick to it.
Gauging her to anticipate his next move his eyes got stuck in hers for a blitz before she got flustered and spoke to him directing her gaze somewhere on the corridor.
- Oh Hello! I... I think you’re mistaken. Candy is living next door.
- Not here for a certain Candy…
- Oh Sorry…I… I thought that you were her new boyfriend… Nevermind.
- I’m looking for Julri. He lives here right?
- Mmh yeah…
- Can I talk to him?
- He… He’s at work. … Are you a co-worker?
- No.
- Can I know who’s asking?
- Can’t. Can you confirm it’s him in this photo?
She took the black and white cliché that Tora handed to her and her eyes grew wide confirming his identity to Tora. He took back the cliché and secured it in the inner pocket of his suit.
- Yeah... Yes! it’s him. … Can I know who you are? … Are you from the police?
She started to get nervous. Tora could see the panic rising in her eyes as the worst outcome came through her mind.
- Please. Did something happen?
- Not that I know of. I’ll come back later this evening.
Tora was about to leave before she became more insistent when he felt her petite hand gripping his wrist.
- Please. I… I think deep inside me... I know why you’re here. Wait a second. … Please.
Tora stopped himself. If she was part of the women who knew what their men were doing, he was not breaking any protocol's rules on saying yes or no to her questions.
- It’s in a bar…
- Yes.
- A hostess bar.
- Yes.
- It’s… It’s happening every Thursday right?
- Except for these two last Thursday.
Tora looked carefully at her traits as they came from expressing relief to nothing. That worried him. Usually, the women he encounters were busting into a rage against their man, calling him names, smashing his stuff, but he didn’t see any being so calm and expressionless about it. He didn’t know how to deal with this kind of reaction. It pained him that this could happen to someone who looked so kind and innocent but decided to follow the procedure and leave. He leaned on the stair’s railing while texting Gyu about Julri’s workplace. The girl silently closed her door then he heard a huge thud followed almost immediately by cries of pain. SHIT. Here was the rage! Why the fuck would she hurt herself for this scumbag! He rushed to her door, knocking again. To hell with the protocol. SHIT!
- Oi! You ok? … Hey! Answer me!
Tora could hear her muffled cries of pain. He couldn’t let her alone.
- Are you all right?
- A... All good!
- No, you’re not. I can hear you’re hurt. Can you open the door?
- Leave me alone!
- Not happening, darling! Let me in or let me call someone for you.
- He heard her approaching and opening her door for him.
- I’m not your darling!
- Ok.
- You see I’m all right! B...
- Wow! Your wall is not! Said Tora, referring to the knocking in on her entry wall, there were bits of plaster from the drywall on the floor. Shit. Show me your hand.
- I’m all right! Ok! Bye!
- Yeah, that’s why your hand is dripping blood all over your floor.
The girl looked at the floor, her skin became pale and she fainted looking back at him. Tora caught her before she hit the ground.
Carrying her inside he seated her on her kitchen counter, checked quickly on her hand, and woke her up.
- Hey darl...kid. You all right!
- Ah! Oh! No! It hurts so much!
- Yeah, I think it’s broken.
- Oh, It’s bad. It’s bad! Ah!
- No, it’s ok I’ve had way worse. Where are your clean dish towels?
- In the second drawer here! Ah! I feel bad!
- Don’t try to move it and don’t look at it ok! It seems to be a simple fracture but the split skin on your knuckles makes it look bad.
She was shivering and began to sob.
- I… I broke my hand… for … for a cheating Jerk!
Tora grab the cardigan that was hanging on the chair and put it on her shoulder
- Ah! Oooh… I hope his stick shrivels up and falls off!
- I’ll make sure of that kid!
Tora had bandaged her hand with the dish towel and helped her sit on the chair. He grabbed the box of sugar on the table and opened it for her.
- Take some so you don’t faint. I’m bringing you to the ER. Where is your bag?
- In the entryway. ... I… I’ll call a cab.
- No. I’m driving. It’ll be faster.
Tora helped her put on some shoes, he put her phone in her purse, grabbed her keys and coat, and helped her out of her apartment, then into his car.
Before he started the engine. He checked on her.
- You good?
- Y...yeah
- Grab your hand with your other so you soften the jolt of the road.
- O...Ok
They drove in silence as Tora was speeding to the ER, and checking on her from time to time. Midway, she was rummaging through her bag and he could read the pain on her face. She used a paper tissue to dry her cheeks from her tears.
- Still good?
- No. It hurts so bad.
Tora didn’t respond and focused back on the traffic.
- So how… how do you know ... it’s broken? Her voice was cut short by the pain.
Tora cursed himself for following clan protocol. She might not have tried to punch her wall if he acted any other way. Clan protocols were shit he knew that very well now that he was living far from the clan’s politics. He should have followed his guts, as he would have done for any other jobs two years ago. Being a repo man was his retirement offer from Vincent, but the dull and repetitive task had him act on the same script dictated by protocols day after day. He should have known better!
- Broke my right knuckles once and both my hands... recently.
- Oh … Yes I can see the scars! … Will I have scars?
Looking at her Tora finally took the hint and tried to continue the discussion so she could shift her focus away from her pain.
- Duno kid! The… The nurse will give you drugs and you'll feel better after that… That was a mean hook you threw at your wall. Wouldn’t have guessed a shorty like you could throw a punch like that.
- Call me shortly again and you’ll see.
- Pfft! Yeah! Like you could try!
- Test me!
- Can’t do that Kid!
- Oh! Because I’m short? and I’m not a kid you know!
- I know! But you’re hurt that wouldn’t be a fair fight.
- My dad taught me to box.
- He did a good job!
- If he was here, he might have taught me to be less naive. I miss him.
Tora saw her eyes become all watery as he was pulling to the parking of the ER.
- He dead?
- Yes. He dead but civilized people prefer to call it “passed on” or “passed away”.
- You wanna call someone else?
- …
- A colleague?
- No one that I know is in Narin except this stupid jerk. I… I don’t want to call him. … Not now.
- Ok.
- Tora gently helped her out of the car and led her to the front desk. They were given some paperwork to complete and directed to the waiting room.
- You can go. I can handle it from now…
- No, I’ll make sure they got you well patched up.
- Don’t you have somewhere to be?
- A couple of lucky bastards are going to have some more hours of peace.
- Julri?
- Among others… yeah.
- Are you … Are you going to beat him?
- Depends … Tora fixed his eyes in hers making sure she understood the seriousness of his next statement. If he doesn’t pay what he owes to the club next week, I’ll be ordered to. But If you want me to I’ll do it anyway.
The girl in front of him was already pale from the pain her broken hand was causing her but she blanched even more at his proposition.
- Ok, I won’t do it.
- Mhh Thanks… I guess.
He could tell she was uneasy now, she was looking back at her lap, her none broken hand was fidgeting with the dishtowel. She seemed defeated and it clenched his heart. Tora was surprised by the feeling that was spreading through his chest. He always thought his heart was enabled to feel anything but here, sitting next to this little brunette with big doe watery eyes, his heartbeats were stronger and faster. He took time to watch her, trace her figure, her smell, remember her voice and her words. She was a fucking glowing angel and a fucking jerk broke her wing. He should have started a bit too long as she lifted her eyes to meet his and his heart skipped a beat as her cheeks got a light pink coloration.
Tora put the form on the armrest between them and began to fill out the form for her.
- Names?
At the sight of the logo, She squeaked.
- Did you bring me to a private clinic?
- The best one yeah.
- I … I can’t afford it!
- It’s all right.
- No! No! I’ll … I’ll go to the Narin Hospital.
- No! Here you’ll have the best doctor in the city.
- But I can’t pay for it.
- I’ll make him pay for it too.
- Julri?
- Yeah!
- But…
- That’s because of him, he owes you that at least.
Poppy seemed to consider what Tora said, she was frowning and Tora could follow her internal dialogue. Then she sat back on the chair. So Tora took back the pen and asked for her info.
- Names?
- Poppylan Wilkes
- Sorry, what was that?
- Po.ppy.lan Wilkes
- Cute! Name is Tora.
- Delighted… I guess.
- Date and place of birth?
- March 11th, Moonbright
- Emergency contact?
- Well there is my Grandma but I don’t want her to get worried, and my cousins are overseas for the week. And... I don’t want to put Julri on so none.
- Shit kid! And with that Tora put his contact info on the form.
~❉~
- MISS WILKES?
A nurse called for her and asked them to follow her. They arrived at the examination room as Poppy got seated on the bed Tora stayed outside leaning against the glass wall.
The nurse was asking additional questions when an old and small doctor with crazy white hair appeared behind the glass of the room. He was shaking hands with Tora before coming in.
- Miss Wilkes! Hello.
- Hi.
- I’m doctor Gally, I’m a hand surgeon. Are you all right?
- Yeah but it hurts.
- Did you take some painkillers already?
- No.
- Ok. Nurse Amelia will you give her something, please? Can I look at your hand while you tell me what happened?
***
After the X ray’s the nurse came back with a sleepy Poppy on a wheelchair followed by Doctor Gally. Seeing the worried look Tora gave him he invited him inside the examination room.
- She is responding a bit too well to the painkiller. It’s going to be better in an hour or two.
- Ok.
- You’re the one taking care of her right?
- Yeah.
- Good. I’ll write down my observations and recommendations because in her state she might forget about this conversation.
- Turning his back on Tora to face Poppy, Doctor Gally started to speak in a steady and slow tone waiting for Poppy to agree after each sentence he pronounced.
- Well Miss Wilkes it seems that you have broken your third metacarpus. ... Plus some spilled skin. It’s profound but doesn’t need stitches so I’ll put straps on, it will be enough... The nurses are also going to make you a splint… Do you agree with everything I just said?
- Yesss.
Poppy started to tell stories about her and her dad climbing on trees in the forest and talking to butterflies. They didn’t pay much attention to her gibberish. The doctor dressed her wound with a light bandage and called the nurse for the splint while he wrote his recommendations.
- So Tora. Make sure she takes no more than 4 painkillers a day and at least 4 hours from each other. She’ll need to redo her bandage and put some new straps in two days. She can call a nurse if she needs to.
- Ok. Thanks, Doc.
- By the way Tora how’re your hands? Still, hurt?
- Yeah.
- It was a pretty bad break with crushing if I recall correctly! I did a good job on it but you know you can do nerve surgery so it gets better?
- Don’t want to.
- You know it’s gonna get worse right?
- Yeah but for now it’s the best thing that ever happened to me.
- TORA broke his hands too!!! And you are his Doctor too!!! TORA we have so much in common! Did you have a splint too? I wish it was in plaster though so my schoolmate can draw on it ...
- Haha! She has resources for sure! So I give you, my observations, and recommendations. She must keep the splint for 3 weeks, then 2 weeks of physiotherapy. It will help her regain confidence in the strength of her hand and she’ll be good. I’ll ask the pharmacist assistant to drop off the meds here and when the splint is done you’re free to go.
- Thanks, Doc.
- Oh! And about your hands’ boy… You know where to find me.
- With that, the doctor was gone and Poppy was still talking to herself.
- Oh! I’m bothering Einstein too, Julri was right.
- What? Tora was surprised.
- Einstein just left.
- You mean the Doc?
- Maybe!
- Both Tora and the nurse muffle a laugh at that.
- I know Julri told me I was boring and that’s why I was alone.
- I don’t think you’re boring, sweetheart!
- I should stop talking so you don’t leave too.
- Yeah, let’s try that.
Poppy lasted 13 seconds before babbling again.
- Maybe if I concentrate enough I’ll make Julri disappear. Moving to the big city was supposed to be our engagement gift to each other….
- You’re engaged?! Tora was surprised she seemed so young. But to be honest he didn’t know anything about couples timelines and shits.
- … Pff on a one-way engagement it appears so! But guess what! It was all about him. A place close to his job, the sofa he wants, the towels he wants, a desk only for him when he has to work home, no internet because it’s too expensive, no place for my easel because it’s childish as I’m no artist. He even tried to throw away some of my stuff.
- Why didn’t you say something?
- I … I’m too childish, he was right?
- You think so?
- You must think so too.
- I don’t… She looked at him bewildered. I think you had to grow too fast kid. … So Where does your Grandma live. I’ll drop you there!
- Oh! Yes, I Want to see her!
- Ok! Tell me where it is?
- She always told me not to speak to a stranger!
- Kid! I bring you to the ER. I’m no stranger anymore!
- Nop!
- Where are you gonna sleep tonight?
- Oh! Ooooooh! Shoot! Fudge Biscuits!
- What? Did she just curse?
- I don’t know!
- You don’t want to go to your Grandma?
- Yeah. I should go to Moonbright.
- Moonbright? That’s where your Grandma’s living?
- Yes.
- Shit kid, that’s almost a four-hour drive.
- Not if you drive a train.
- I’m not putting you on a train right now! Shit!
When the nurse was done with the splint and the meds delivered. Tora led her to his car giving her the meds bag before closing her door and circling his car to sit behind the wheel. Shit! He had to do his second round of the day but he would not do it with her in his car. Putting her on the train to Moonbright or in a motel was not an option either considering her state. SHIT.