Catch-all: Claude

[ercnerd]

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Week 1: Saturday

[ercnerd]

[It's getting late, which means it's time to head upstairs and stretch his legs on a bunk.

Sieghart lifts his head from the couch, takes one look at the stairway, and decides that he won't be hopping any more stairs tonight. With the words of his fear glowing dimly against the bandaid on his face, he shoves his left arm under his head and closes his eyes. Good night.]

[shaft]

[ stares at him ]

That's no place for an injured man such as yourself.

[ercnerd]

Mm, speak for yourself.

[His eyes are still closed.]

As long as I keep my leg straight, anywhere is perfect for me.

[shaft]

You don't need to act so tough. I can give you a lift up the stairs.

[ pokes him ]

[ercnerd]

Who's acting tough? What about your shoulder?

[shaft]

This? It's already set back into place.

In any case, I'd carry you on my back. At least I can walk.

[ercnerd]

I can walk, too.

Are you sure you won't lose your shoulder from supporting me? I'm heavier than I look.

[shaft]

[ Well? Can you walk well? ]

Just put one hand on my shoulder and the other around my waist. Sakyou's not the only one who knows how to solider past injuries.

[ercnerd]

Sakyou's too reckless. Don't emulate him.

[He lifts his good arm.]

Well, come here then.

[shaft]

You're not wrong about that.

[ Crouches in front of him... ]

[ercnerd]

[He places his good hand on Claude's shoulder and his bad hand, the waist. This is going to be an awkward affair, because his left leg must be kept straight.]

All right, I'm ready.

[shaft]

[ Okay, it kind of hurts as he gets up but this is fine. He'll put one arm around Sieghart's thigh, because that's all he can do and then...

Can Sieghart even stay on his back with only one hand holding him. ]

...

[ercnerd]

[On the bright side, his left side is fully supported.

On the other hand, his right side is completely sagging.]

What was that about carrying me on your back?

[shaft]

...

[ He really doesn't want to admit defeat, so he... leans forward to try and keep Sieghart on his back. ]

I may have overestimated the number of limbs I had available.

[ercnerd]

[Up, he goes. Unfortunately, Sieghart is taller than Claude, so his right foot still manages to just touch the floor.]

. . . Let's go before someone shows up.

[shaft]

[ And so they go, Claude walking along like the worlds oddest turtle.

It's fine until he gets to the stairs, and then he has to carefully balance so that Sieghart doesn't slide off. ]

Comfortable?

[ercnerd]

[His back . . . ]

Hurry up!

[Or he really will slide off and take Claude with him.]

[shaft]

All right, all right.

[ And so he traverses the stairs...

Once at the top, ] I'm just now realising that I never even asked if the problem was that you couldn't get up on your own.

[ercnerd]

You made an inference.

[He slides off and limps around Claude after that terribly long journey up the stairway.]

It was just too troublesome for me to bother.

[shaft]

[ He stretches out his back once he's free, frowning at Sieghart. ]

You should consider using vouchers to heal up. You're vulnerable like this.

[ercnerd]

I'm considering it. It's a pain, moving around like this.

[shaft]

No comment on being vulnerable, huh?

[ercnerd]

I've fought with worse wounds before.

[shaft]

All right, tough guy.

[ Gently kicks him. ]

I guess that means you don't need me to tuck you in.

[ercnerd]

[He sways just a touch.]

Why, are you looking for a bedtime story?