If Only for a Moment ☓ You and Her

Dire Straits P/1

   The following was inspired by a prompt by the femslashdaily prompt blog on Tumblr. Check 'em out if you've got the time.

You're hurt.

Bad.

Kanji and Naoto are still attacking the Reaper with all their might; they haven't noticed the way you stumble backwards until you inevitably lose your footing and land ungracefully on your ass.

You try to smile self-deprecatingly, but it ends up being more of a painfully clench of the teeth. You taste blood, which means internal bleeding most likely.

Shit.

Your hand is gripping the injury, blood seeping slowly from between your fingers. It hurts like a mother.

Your vision is blurring, and the thought that you might pass out in this state is terrifying. You don't cry out, because you don't want to distract the others and end up getting them hurt like you.

"Naoto...!" You hear Kanji's voice, but it sounds garbled and far away. You're losing consciousness fast.

"I know!" She replies, voice cold with concentration. You figure it is not the worst sound to die to.

As they dive together for a combo attack, the black dots that have been swimming through your vision grow to encompass your entire line of sight.

///

Naoto is sure that she's never felt so tired in her life. Every joint seems to scream with protest whenever she dares to move; every nerve ending seems to be on fire.

She stares solemnly at the disintegrating body of the reaper they've just defeated, knowing that though they won this fight there was still a bigger battle to see through.

Souji was off fighting the real fight.

Still, the sight before her was more than a little satisfying. With the help of her newfound friends, she could take on anything - this had more than proved that fact. She couldn't fight off a tiny victorious smile for long.

"Is it over?" Kanji huffs and puffs off to her right, on his hands and knees in the dirt. Sweat is dripping from his creased brow.

"For now, yes." She replies, smile growing wider with her words. "We did it. It's up to our leader, now." Kanji raises his head and grins brilliantly.

"Alright!" He turns his head towards where you are, expecting to see you standing there - exhausted, but no worse for wear. "We make a good team, don't we-"

That is not what he finds. The smile is gone in an instant.

You're on the ground, slumped in on yourself. You're face is obscured, but he can see the hand that grips your injury, now slack and bloody. You aren't moving.

It doesn't take long for Naoto to notice the way his voice cut off, and she turns to him with a concerned-but-not-overly-worried frown on her face. Her brows furrow when she notices how horrified he looks. His lips move, but your name comes out as barely more than a whisper.

She feels her stomach twist.

Almost unwilling, she turns to face whatever horror awaits.

"...No..."

She's at your side instantaneously, lifting your head gently with her hands to get a better view of your face. She calls your name, once and then again when you don't stir. You are sickly pale, barely breathing. She curses herself for not noticing your state sooner - how long had you been this way?!

Her eyes fill, but she blinks tears away because she refuses to mourn you when you aren't even gone, yet. She will not let you die.

Behind her, Kanji is yelling out for Rise, voice frantic. They need Teddie - they need to get back to their world!

"I'm sending him your way. Hang in there!"

Kanji stands and scrambles to your side, giving Naoto a gentle squeeze of the shoulder to let her know that he needs to take you now. It will be faster if he is the one to carry you.

Teddie is there in record time, and when he sees you his face loses any lightness. He tries a few healing moves, and the wound gradually disappears but you don't wake.

He is kicked into double-time as he runs ahead to lead the two to their usual exit point. Wound or not you must be taken to the hospital.

The three land easily on the familiar Junes tile, they've done it many times.

"What should we do?" Teddie whimpers, gazing worriedly at your unconscious form.

"Go back and help them - the fight isn't over, yet." Naoto instructs, "Kanji and I will call an ambulance and tell them she just collapsed."

"But-" Teddie sputters.

"She's right, Ted. They need all the help they can get. Give 'em hell for us, alright?" Kanji forces an encouraging smile onto his face, although smiling is the last thing he feels like doing right now. Naoto is already on the phone, face solemn and voice professional.

Teddie pauses for a minute, but ultimately agrees. He ducks back into the TV and disappears in a ripple.

"Let's get her out front," Kanji suggests, and Naoto nods absently as she continues to relay details of their situation to dispatch.

The ambulance arrives quickly after she hangs up. You are situated inside and brought to the hospital. Kanji looks to Naoto and nods somberly.

"You go. I'll head back and help the others."

Naoto doesn't argue, just grabs his hand and squeezes lightly before pulling back with a tired smile. "Be careful." And with that, they part.