Be Not So Fearful

[Erika Clarke-Davis]

Clenching her jaw, Erika's brown eyes stared at the older woman in front of her; The older woman seemed almost fixated on taking care of her, which the brunette found strange. Not many people seemed to care much for the well being of other unregistered and yet, here she was; Stuck. And that only because she'd managed to hit her head. Well, it might have been bleeding, but Erika had had worse. Nothing the old woman needed to worry herself with.

But the older woman didn't want to let Erika go. At first, she had rushed to Erika's aid after she'd hit her head, then she'd forced her to sit down. And now she was holding her shoulder, keeping her pinned down as she searched the crowd.

Sighing, Erika's brown eyes fell to the ground, staring at her boots. She didn't know how to take this kind of kindness. It felt unnatural and it made her distrust it. It made her look at it, study it and expect the absolute worst.

Then the woman tapped her on her shoulder, guiding her towards a nearby house. "There's a nurse in here," the old woman said. "He'll know what to do," she continued, pushing the brunette through the creaky doors and into a dimly lit room. "Here you go," the old woman said again, smiling from ear to ear as Erika's eyes scanned the room, preparing to bolt through the door at the first sign of trouble.

Tag: Felix Nicholas

[Felix Nicholas]

The water had finally begun to boil, the bubbling liquid sending the silvery metal instruments bobbing up and down vigorously; Surgical needles, scissors, anything else metal he needed was placed into the pan and left to boil. Felix would have never have thought, back surrounded by the grandeur of over indulgence of his once mistress that he'd have ended up here, desperately learning as much as he could in order to help the people beyond the confides of the inner city.
He sighed softly, casting a glance over to the open book on the table beside the cooker, his eyes skimming the words he'd read so often now he could practically voice them word for word; A medical instruction book about first aid, torn and ripped, it was part of a small collection he'd managed to acquire, each text an item he instantly found precious... They were beautiful, in their own way.
Felix suddenly snapped his gaze towards the doorway which led into what had become his makeshift surgery, having heard the front door open and close. It was a frequent occurrence, and something he was used to; members of the ramshackle community he'd become a part of dragging themselves in unexpectedly, bleeding on the floor, desperate for any form of aid... Felix had to learn fast, and despite his fairly short time in the role, and come to be known for being a decent nurse. He was sure, despite the false name he'd given, that many of those who used his services could tell he wasn't exactly from the Outer city... But his work had thankfully made him valuable; Valuable enough not to, so far, turn him over to the vampires.
He just had to keep it up.

Although the noice did not startle him, it still did not fail to cause a flicker of unease; He found himself unconsciously rubbing his hand over the brand on his right arm, covered with wraps of bandage in order to hide it, as he cautiously crossed the distance to the open doorway. Having long since lost it's door, Felix only had to poke his head round to check the weary soul who had wandered into his home, a warm smile finding it's way onto his expression. "Miss, can I be of some assistance to you?" He asked politely, stepping into the dimly lit room. His smile then fell slightly, as he saw the scarlet edging it's way down from the young woman's head; She appeared on edge, too, like an animal expecting a trap to be snapped upon it at any moment. It was a look the nurse saw all too often, and a nervous person was a dangerous one.

Felix quickly raised both hands defensively, showcasing that he didn't have a weapon nor had any intention to harm her, his warm smile returning. "I'm a nurse, Miss... Likely you've heard. Am I okay to take a look at your injury?"

[Erika Clarke-Davis]

Erika's brown eyes fell upon the young man; He seemed friendly, though if she'd learned anything it was that a charming face usually meant more trouble than what it was worth. Although, before the brunette could reply, the old woman who had dragged her in her replied for her. "Yes, she bumped her head earlier and was unconscious for a few seconds." The older woman then pushed Erika forward - the brunette swaying awkwardly.

She didn't feel the need to ask for help. It was nothing more than a scratch - at least, that's what she figured. After all, she could still walk and talk and use her eyes. It couldn't have done that much damage, could it? She'd be fine with a little sleep, right?

Erika was about to decline the offer, as the older woman shot her a stern look, forcing the brunette's lips to press together into a tight line and she could do nothing more than shrug her shoulders.

[Felix Nicholas]

Felix kept his warm smile, hoping that his calm demeanor and a pleasant expression would work to putting the young woman at ease. He looked to the old woman when she answered for the girl, filling him in with exactly how she gained her injury. Felix gave a light chuckle. "Bumps and scrapes are generally nothing to be concerned about, miss," He spoke reassuringly to the so far silent brunette, giving a nod of his head. His gaze flickered momentarily to the still steadily streaming scarlet, a thin line of red running down the side of her head. "... But I still think it's best I take a look."
He approached slowly until he was in front of her, taking a careful and gentle hold of her head with both hands, and with a small amount of pressure, tilted it so he could better see the extent of her wound. With a kind hand he brushed a little of her hair away, narrowing his eyes slightly; It was thankfully not severe, but significant enough that a few stitches wouldn't go amiss, to ensure it would heal quickly.
Felix gave a warm hum thoughtfully, before removing his hands from the young woman. "... It's going to require a few stitches," He informed her. "Do you feel tired at all? Or dizzy?" He leaned his head down a touch, looking into her dark, brown eyes.

She'd seemed a little unsteady when the older woman pushed her forward, and seeing the injury, it was a small worry that there was a chance of concussion.

[Erika Clarke-Davis]

Flinching slightly as she felt his hands on her face, Erika peered up at him - her brown eyes narrowed in suspicion. She could feel her entire body tense under his touch, but for once, the young brunette didn't pull away. Despite herself, she knew that it would go over better for herself if she just swallowed her pride and let the guy take a look at the wound. Still, wasn't there other people who needed his attention more?

Shrugging her shoulders in response, Erika swallowed before answering properly. "A little dizzy, maybe," she said, her voice hesitant. She didn't move her eyes from him even as he moved away. Thankfully, the older woman had seemingly left them alone. As much as Erika should have appreciated the gesture, it still made her feel weird when someone she didn't know helped her out.

"I'll be fine," she quickly added as she hugged her waist with her arms. "I'm sure you have other things to do." She didn't particularly enjoy the idea of someone poking her with a needle.

[Felix Nicholas]

Felix perhaps, in another life, have felt a little saddened at her flinching from his touch, but here and now he was more then used to the mistrust of others. A man offering his services, unconditionally, for the aid of those around him and expecting little in return was a rarity; By all accounts, perhaps it would have been more beneficial for his wellbeing to simply have found some dark place to hide away from anyone who could potentially turn him over to the vampires for the right price... But it had simply never come into his mind as a possibility. He supposed it was in his nature, this inability to do nothing when he knew he had a capacity to do something, to be some sort of respite from the weary world, however small.
Felix listened to her reply with folded arms, giving another hum in thought as he mentally flicked through the pages of his over thumbed texts; He needed to quell the bleeding first, and clean it so it wouldn't become infected; Make sure the young woman rested.

Now she was trying to casually shrug it off; It was obvious the older woman, who seemed to have slipped away for the time being, had been the one to drag her here rather then her wanting to come to him off her own back. Weather she was just nervous or honestly thought it was nothing to worry about, Felix wasn't sure, but regardless he felt as though he needed to help her, despite her protest.
"Miss, I've got this down to a fine art," Felix replied light heartedly, hoping to reassure her, his usual friendly, warm grin eclipsing his expression. "I'll have you in and out before you know it." She still appeared skittish, and Felix couldn't blame her. He gave a gentle sigh, before gesturing to the makeshift surgeon's chair positioned in one corner of the room. He had placed it originally in the back, similar to the surgeries he'd gone to in the inner city, but he soon found people reluctant to venture into some room they didn't know if there was a fast exit out of. "... I'll talk you through everything... Believe me, I think I'm scarier then the needle." He went to move over to the seat, which had once been a dentist's chair, and paused, looking across the room to her. "... Can I ask your name?"

[Erika Clarke-Davis]

Puffing out her cheeks, it was obvious to the brunette that she wasn't getting out of this without a fight and well, bringing that much attention to herself wasn't at the top of her list. She sighed then, her head shaking faintly before she took a few steps forward, her eyes glancing around the room. She wanted to be prepared for anything - just in case.

Though in honesty, the guy's kind eyes told her she didn't need to worry. His voice was comforting and something about him gave her the notion that he was to be trusted. And yet, Erika couldn't quite get over herself.

She stepped over to the seat he'd gestured towards, her fingertips running over the old material. She didn't look at him. "Erika," she said finally. She saw no harm in sharing her name. After all, in a world like this, a name hardly meant anything. Lifting her gaze, she looked directly at him. "My name's Erika."