"I don't need help!" Kas insisted, still struggling, but freezing up when he bumped his knee. He hissed through his teeth in pain, his heart pounding hard in his chest. "J-Just… put me down, god…" He muttered through gritted teeth.
Mori compliantly drank the water with the crushed pills in it, leaning against the wall to support himself.
“Nope! You’re coming inside and you’re getting patched up!” Luka huffed, not changing his mind. He continued to carry Kas into the house, being careful with every surface where Kas could hit his knee.
Rachel ran out into the living room.
"The hell's going on? Why is there a mystery teen?"
Earl shrugged. "He just probably sneaked onto the porch while I slept in the chair."
"I don't want to go inside! Who even are you people?!" Kas struggled a bit more, trying his best to keep his grip on his bow. "Let go of me! I'm fine!" He insisted, growling a bit in frustration. "God, you're insufferable."
“I don’t know but he’s injured!” Luka continued to hold Kas up. He then turned to the teenager. “My name’s Luka and I’m trying to help you!” he glared at him.
"I don't want help! Oww!" Kas curled in on himself a bit, resting one hand on his injured knee. "Just put me down! I can walk fine." He lied. He knew that he couldn't, of course, but he really didn't like being carried.
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group
"Hey, you'll be safer with us, okay?" Tohru said, "And it'll be easier to recover from your injuries with other people around, whether we 'help' you or not. You at least need someone to have your back for the nighttime. We all do."
Luka nodded in agreement. “Trust me, I’ve already lost one person…I can’t watch another die,” he muttered, his voice getting more serious. There was no convincing Luka otherwise.
"Christ, I'm not gonna die." Kas rolled his eyes and huffed, crossing his arms. "It's my knee, not my neck or whatever."
Mori watched the commotion from the hallway, obviously bewildered. He had drank all the water by now, but didn't appear to feel any better yet.
“Still!” Luka looked directly into Kas's eyes. “I can’t just NOT help when I see someone hurt!” he yelled. Don’t get too mad, Luka… he reminded himself as he took a deep breath. “Sorry for yelling.”
group
"I… um… Can we get you anything? Like even just pain meds?" Tohru offered, leaning up against the siding, "That's all up to you, of course, but I'm sure it would make you feel better."
"God, just relax, all of you." Kas huffed, looking away. "If any of you know how to fix a dislocated knee, I guess that's fine. And for the love of god, put me down." He struggled a bit more. "I don't like… uh… this."
Earl nodded. "Definitely." He smiled at the teen.
"Just relax. My sister will take care of you, you'll heal and we'll never have to see each other again."
Rachel smacked Earl upside the head. "Don't mind my brother. Set him down on the couch Luka. I think his knee's hurt."
Luka nodded, setting Kas down on the couch. He sat nearby as he tapped his fingers on his knees.
Kas relaxed a little bit when Luka finally let go of him, brushing off his clothes with a soft sigh. He kept the foot of his injured leg off the floor, clearly afraid to put any weight on it. "So do we like… just pop it back in and I can walk again?"
“I-It’s actually more than that…you’d have to rest for a while so that your leg can stop hurting,” Luka told him, rubbing the back of his head nervously. Why am I nervous?! It’s just a dislocated knee! Luka asked himself internally. “So even if the joint’s in the right place, your leg would still be sore…”
"Ugh, I can't keep still that long!" He groaned, leaning back against the couch. "I'd drive myself mad. Probably do something stupid, dunno. Hell if I'm going to sit still for… however long it takes for it to stop hurting!"
"HA. No." Rachel felt around the leg. "Alright…it isn't too bad. Probably will hurt though."
She looked up at the teen. "What's your name?"
Earl pulled out a protein bar and offered it to Kas.
"Should probably eat something."
Kas flinched when Rachel touched his leg, shying away and narrowing his eyes at her a bit. "What's it to you?" He asked warily. He glanced over at Earl when food was offered to him and hesitated for several seconds before accepting it, although he didn't try to open it yet.
Luka sighed, leaning back. “Please don’t do anything stupid…” he whispered, looking away.
(Luka, I swear if you start crushing on this lovable jerk-)
(Later on-
Kas: Go big or go home
Luka: I am begging you, for once in your life, go home
Kas, whispering: I'm going big)
(Gosh darn it)
"Nothing if not for my morality." Rachel smirked and gripped the knee joint gently.
"On three, okay?" She said, trying to not hurt Kas any more than he was.
Kas held his breath, growing visibly afraid as Rachel grabbed his leg. Just her touching it hurt, and he figured that the pain was only going to get worse. "Um… okay…"
Luka gave him a smile to reassure him. “Rachel’s helped all of us! No doubt she can help you!” he tried to cheer him up.
"Three." Rachel grunted as she pushed the joint back in place with a loud pop.
"Screams in three…two…one…"
Kas froze up when Rachel popped his knee back into place, quickly forcing his hand over his mouth to muffle his scream. Pained tears stung his eyes and his breathing quickened, his heart racing as well. Oh god. Oh god.
“Hey, she’s done…” Luka put his hand on Kas’s shoulder, trying to calm him down. “You’ll be okay…”
Kas screwed his eyes shut, trembling violently where he sat. His face was pale, and he kept his hand firmly over his mouth. "Oh god… I-I think I'm gonna be sick…" He mumbled through his fingers.
Rachel poked a nerve in his leg. "That should help." She murmured to herself.
"Now, kid, just stay calm and don't walk for a while."
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