xp_logs | Topaz and Matt || Saturday Afternoon

Topaz's quiet afternoon in the gym is rudely interrupted (not really but in her mind) when Matt comes in.

Practicing gymnastics was the only time Topaz felt at peace anymore.

The exertion tired her out, the focus on something other than what was going on in her head calmed her, and the feeling freedom as she practiced was just...wonderful. And almost foreign at this point.

She was on the bar at the moment, walking along carefully. One foot in front of the other. There was no room for error. She had to be completely focused.

Entering the gym, Matt marveled not for the first time how well-equipped it was. Very impressive. Setting his things on a bench, he made sure his iPod was secured to his arm and then began to wrap his hands for the bags. A girl, one who acted erratically the last time he'd encountered her, was in the balance beam and he didn't want to disturb her.

Once they were wrapped, he headed to the heavy bag and turned his music on, the sound coming through his ear phones as he hit the bag. This wasn't his only workout, but it was one of his favorites.

Topaz, wrapped up as she was, managed not to notice Matt until the sound of fists hitting the punching bag reached her ears. She whirled around, surprised - and promptly lost her balance, crashing down against the mat. Damn it!

Matt heard, but didn't turn. A girl falling off the balance beam want anything new, but he did at least listen carefully to make sure she got back up again. No good to ignore the injured. He did shift his position though, kicking the bag in addition to hitting it. It made a satisfying noise.

Topaz picked herself up, cringing when she probed her ankle. She must have twisted it on the way down. Bloody hell, that was just what she needed. At least the med lab was nearby. She pushed herself up, blowing out a long breath between her teeth and trying to use the beam to keep herself balanced. She refused to ask to for help.

Twisting around in a kick, Matt realized as it landed that the girl wasn’t quite as fine as he had initially thought. Tugging his headphones off, Matt turned towards her, it being disconcerting to people when he didn't at least turn his head in the proper direction, "You alright?" He asked needlessly. She wasn't alright.

"Yeah," Topaz gritted out through her teeth, trying to lean on her ankle. Yeah, no, that wasn't happening. "Yeah, I'm fine." She swallowed, closing her eyes. Oh this was wonderful.

Well, that was familiar. "Do as I say, not as I do," Matt quoted, because if things were reversed he wouldn't take his own advice, "Let's get you to the medlab so someone can look at that," he could poke it and feel the heat and swelling, but that didn't fix anything.

"I'm fine," Topaz snapped. She was shaking, half from pain half for reasons she couldn't even begin to identify.

"You're not," Matt stated firmly and whatever issues she had be damned. Picking her up, Matt held her bridal style as he turned to leave the gym.

"Oi, let me go!" Topaz snapped, struggling a bit. She did not want this.

"I could carry you like a sack of potatoes," Matt offered unhelpfully. His dad had carried him like that when he was little and he'd always thought it was great fun. He didn't think she would agree right now. "But, no."

"Or you could stop bein' an arse."

He could, but that assumed he was in the first place, which he wasn't. So. "And let you hurt yourself more? Pretty sure you could sue me for that. No thanks."

"Of course you would think of that, bloody lawyer," Topaz said roughly, rolling her eyes. "Get off it, I'm not gonna bloody sue you."

Jabbing the button for the elevator, Matt just grinned, "Can I get that in writing? And witnessed?" Of course he was a lawyer.

"Yeah, fine, whatever gets you to shut up," Topaz said, aggravated now. God he was infuriating.

When the elevator arrived, they headed down to the medlab and Matt deposited her on a table, "Anyone home?" he asked, hearing someone in the back, but he wasn't sure who it was. No one he recognized anyways.

"Coming!" Clarice called, going out to the front. "Topaz!" she said, smiling and ignoring the guy with her. Stupid Frankenberrycat people. "What happened?"

"M'fine," Topaz muttered, wiggling out of Matt's arms at last and balancing on her good ankle. "Just messed up on the balance beam, think I twisted my ankle."

"Let me take a look," Clarice stated, kneeling down to better see Topaz's ankle. Probing it with a couple fingers, she nodded, "You twisted it," she agreed, "you want me to do an x-ray or anything for anything more serious?" She didn't think it was needed, but it was important for the patient to be okay with things, too.

"No, I trust your judgment," Topaz said shortly, shifting uncertainly. "Just...do whatever you have to do. ACE bandage or ice or whatever." She really just wanted to get back up to her suite now. "Please." Manners. She still had them.

"Stay off your ankle as much as possible and elevate it, ice it for 20 minutes at a time with a towel or something between you and the ice and keep it wrapped," Clarice instructed, it was nothing too complicated or unknown. "Matt can you at least carry her to her room?"

"Yeah, sure," Matt agreed easily, trying to stay out of the way.

"Can't you just give me crutches or something?" Topaz asked, a bit of desperation slipping into her voice. She didn't want to spend any more time in Matt's company than she had to.

Clarice understood where Topaz was coming from about that, "It's not that bad," she replied, meaning the sprain, not the giant FBC. "You don't need a nursemaid," she offered.

Well that was a big load of help. "Fine," she muttered, not quite looking at Matt even as she turned back to him. Not that he'd notice anyways. "Let's just go."

"Message me or any of the docs if you need us," Clarice instructed, wrapping Topaz's ankle with a bandage and then handing her a lollipop.

Once she was ready, Matt picked her, "Alright, let's go up," he said, knowing that Topaz was probably not going to reply, but whatever. He was an auditory person.