![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
xp_loa posting in ![[community profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/community.png){kind=small}
xp_logsNamor finds Alani following her surprise assailant and assuages her fears.
Alani was struggling to get to her knees, gloves wet with snow as her head was making her feel sick. She had to get up. She had to do something. The clattering from the mansion had quieted, but it seemed to be because it had moved away from the side door more than died down. Footsteps in the snow drew her attention and she craned her neck to try and peer up at whoever it was. "Oh, nope, no no no. Fuck" She gagged. "Too much movement."
The figure over her stood dark and foreboding against the flickering lights of the mansion. A smell of burning filled the air, mixing with the cold sting of winter to produce something too spur to be yuletide. Upon further focus, however, the figure was a familiar, gym-bro shape. Pointed ears. Just. Something was off.
A hand was lowered tentatively. "Rest assured," came a familiar rumble of a voice, "Their champion has been defeated. The threat has ended."
Was Namor wearing a shirt? A jacket? "Oh nooo, I really did die this time." Alani groaned. And maybe it would have been hilarious if a sob hadn't accompanied the statement, exhaustion and cold winning. Getting up was out of the question, still. She buried her face against her chilled jacket, rubbing it against to try and dry tears but they smeared against the material.
"Are the kids okay?" She asked into her sleeve.
"If you actually were slain in battle, would that matter." It wasn't a question, but an observation. The figure above moved closer, revealing that he was, in fact, dressed in more than a shirt. It was a full suit. Or, at least, the remnants of a suit. The charr and smell of it left little to the imagination.
"The children," Namor continued as bent lower to get a better look at Alani's condition, "Are shocked and bruised. It was not much for a first trial by fire, but it will teach them valuable lessons. No one was maimed or lost fingers."
That said — and did he sound disappointed? — the Atlantean snapped back to the moment at hand. "I am going to pick you up."
"Oh thank god."
The exclamation was followed by silence as she looked back at him. She didn't want to think about how pitiful she looked, she ignored it as much as she could, as she took in the king. It seemed the fire he mentioned was literal. "Okay," she agreed. "I would really appreciate that, Namor. I... I tried, but I threw up in my mouth." Not an ounce of shame followed her admission. She'd already suffered the reality of the situation.
"Mmm." He lifted her casually by the back of her jacket, signaling that his strength had returned. It was very much the scene of an adult picking up a child or cat by the scruff of their neck, and it was almost a pity the only one here to witness it were some very forlorn trees. Namor gave Alani a once over.
"You seem fine," he concluded, before maneuvering Alani into a fireman's carry.
"Only my dignity is injured." Alani mumbled. "When whoever that was threw me, it messed me up. Can't use my powers, can't stand up without being sick to my stomach. Like a hangover. Oh god, please don't let me vomit again." Was that a prayer? No, but it was a hope she deeply needed to hold on to.
"You okay?" She finally asked, now that the scent of burning was closer.
"We both can share a loss in pride. The intruder exposed and exploited my carefully guarded weakness."
“I don’t think that's true. You got tons of pride, 'n' your good for it, no weakness." Alani reassured with a small, somewhat dazed smile. "Did you get 'em?"
There was a beat at Namor mentally cataloging her reaction for later deliberation. "You are wise," he conceded, "But the intruder was a force that could not be contained easily. It took the entirety of your X-Factor Force Rangers. You should not fear that she bested you in single combat. She could even be a worthy foe. You are sorely lacking a rival, Alani Ryan."
"And they formed a new team while I- Hey!" The comment of a rival would have made her prickle, but the thought of moving was a no-no. “I’m not good at rivals. Maybe she should be your rival if she’s worthy… unless she’s a child, don’t fight a child, Namor.”
"All of Our rivals were children once," replied Namor with the verbal equivalent of a shrug. "One should not limit themselves. You will only get better with practice."
With that, he carried Alani back into the mansion and out of the snow.
Alani was struggling to get to her knees, gloves wet with snow as her head was making her feel sick. She had to get up. She had to do something. The clattering from the mansion had quieted, but it seemed to be because it had moved away from the side door more than died down. Footsteps in the snow drew her attention and she craned her neck to try and peer up at whoever it was. "Oh, nope, no no no. Fuck" She gagged. "Too much movement."
The figure over her stood dark and foreboding against the flickering lights of the mansion. A smell of burning filled the air, mixing with the cold sting of winter to produce something too spur to be yuletide. Upon further focus, however, the figure was a familiar, gym-bro shape. Pointed ears. Just. Something was off.
A hand was lowered tentatively. "Rest assured," came a familiar rumble of a voice, "Their champion has been defeated. The threat has ended."
Was Namor wearing a shirt? A jacket? "Oh nooo, I really did die this time." Alani groaned. And maybe it would have been hilarious if a sob hadn't accompanied the statement, exhaustion and cold winning. Getting up was out of the question, still. She buried her face against her chilled jacket, rubbing it against to try and dry tears but they smeared against the material.
"Are the kids okay?" She asked into her sleeve.
"If you actually were slain in battle, would that matter." It wasn't a question, but an observation. The figure above moved closer, revealing that he was, in fact, dressed in more than a shirt. It was a full suit. Or, at least, the remnants of a suit. The charr and smell of it left little to the imagination.
"The children," Namor continued as bent lower to get a better look at Alani's condition, "Are shocked and bruised. It was not much for a first trial by fire, but it will teach them valuable lessons. No one was maimed or lost fingers."
That said — and did he sound disappointed? — the Atlantean snapped back to the moment at hand. "I am going to pick you up."
"Oh thank god."
The exclamation was followed by silence as she looked back at him. She didn't want to think about how pitiful she looked, she ignored it as much as she could, as she took in the king. It seemed the fire he mentioned was literal. "Okay," she agreed. "I would really appreciate that, Namor. I... I tried, but I threw up in my mouth." Not an ounce of shame followed her admission. She'd already suffered the reality of the situation.
"Mmm." He lifted her casually by the back of her jacket, signaling that his strength had returned. It was very much the scene of an adult picking up a child or cat by the scruff of their neck, and it was almost a pity the only one here to witness it were some very forlorn trees. Namor gave Alani a once over.
"You seem fine," he concluded, before maneuvering Alani into a fireman's carry.
"Only my dignity is injured." Alani mumbled. "When whoever that was threw me, it messed me up. Can't use my powers, can't stand up without being sick to my stomach. Like a hangover. Oh god, please don't let me vomit again." Was that a prayer? No, but it was a hope she deeply needed to hold on to.
"You okay?" She finally asked, now that the scent of burning was closer.
"We both can share a loss in pride. The intruder exposed and exploited my carefully guarded weakness."
“I don’t think that's true. You got tons of pride, 'n' your good for it, no weakness." Alani reassured with a small, somewhat dazed smile. "Did you get 'em?"
There was a beat at Namor mentally cataloging her reaction for later deliberation. "You are wise," he conceded, "But the intruder was a force that could not be contained easily. It took the entirety of your X-Factor Force Rangers. You should not fear that she bested you in single combat. She could even be a worthy foe. You are sorely lacking a rival, Alani Ryan."
"And they formed a new team while I- Hey!" The comment of a rival would have made her prickle, but the thought of moving was a no-no. “I’m not good at rivals. Maybe she should be your rival if she’s worthy… unless she’s a child, don’t fight a child, Namor.”
"All of Our rivals were children once," replied Namor with the verbal equivalent of a shrug. "One should not limit themselves. You will only get better with practice."
With that, he carried Alani back into the mansion and out of the snow.
no subject
Date: 2023-12-23 04:27 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2023-12-25 05:00 am (UTC)(He would)