My best staff are with her … They are stabilizing her .

She is alive, Spamton . You saved her .

[ his expression tightens for a fraction of a second—the image of the severed limb and the sheer amount of blood flashing behind his eyes . they push it down instantly, burying the horror under layers of professional calm . ]

She is safe . She is in the guest wing as we speak .

[ with the hand bracing spamton’s shoulder, she shifts her grip slightly, moving her arm so it is within easy reach of the other’s hand . ]

Here . Squeeze my arm if you must … keep on talking .

I know … I know . I am sorry .

[ they lean closer, voice dropping to a low, steady rumble near spamton’s ear, trying to ground him through the haze of agony . ]

It looks worse than it is, I promise . But we must stop the bleeding before I can do anything else .

[ she presses the gauze firmly against the wound, bracing him with a free hand against his uninjured shoulder to keep him upright . ]

… Oh, Spamton .

[ it is deep . far deeper than she had anticipated . he grabs a thick pad of sterile gauze, his movements quickening now, driven by necessity . ]

I need to apply pressure . It … this is going to hurt . My apologies .

[ they don’t wait for permission—can’t afford to . ]

[ carefully, methodically, she peels back the fabric of the jacket . it’s heavy, slick with blood . ]

Ruined indeed … but as I said … fabric is replaceable .

[ underneath, the shirt is stuck to the skin . they work it loose with agonizing slowness to avoid tearing the wound further . ]

I need to see the wound, my friend . I am going to have to remove your jacket and shirt … Is that alright ?

[ they listen to the rambling, moving quickly to a cabinet to retrieve a sleek, white first-aid box . the rambling is good—it means he’s conscious . ]

… I assure you, there will be no chasing here .

[ he returns in seconds . he sets the kit down, snapping the latches open with calm efficiency . ]

[ they reach a door—he fumbles with the handle for a moment before it opens, refusing to let go of spamton even for a second . ]

But you have my word . No doctors . Just me .

[ he moves them inside, setting him down incredibly gently . ]

There we are . Give me a moment to fetch some supplies …

[ a soft, sad smile touches her beak . hearing that trust—blind and bloody as it is—makes his chest ache in a way that has nothing to do with physical exertion . ]

I am honored you think so … though I dare say you are making me sound far more qualified than I am .

basic medical triage became a necessary part of the curriculum very early on .

A butler must be prepared for … any eventuality, my friend .

[ she glances down at spamton, checking his eyes, ensuring they haven't drifted shut . ]

Between Her Majesty’s … explosive enthusiasm for danger and the Swatchlings’ occasional clumsiness …

[ he shifts his grip, taking on even more of the smaller man’s weight, practically carrying him now . ]

We are nearly there… I will get you fixed up. Just keep talking to me, hm ? Tell me more of your … nonsense, if you must .

[ the slur in his speech sends a sharp spike of alarm through their chest . they realize, with a sinking feeling, that the warmth he feels is likely just the contrast to his own dropping body temperature . ]

And you are … frighteningly cold .

[ they pull him a little tighter against their side, feeling the alarming slackness in his frame . ]

But … thank you .

[ a sudden pause . the compliment catches him completely off guard, color rushing to her cheeks behind the tinted glasses . he almost stumbles, just for a fraction of a second, before correcting his stride . ]

… You are delirious, my friend . You can barely even see them .

… You, however, are irreplaceable .

[ she adjusts her grip, practically lifting him as they begin to move . she’s already stained with grime and blood, but she wears the mess without a flinch—focus entirely on the trembling weight in her arms . ]

Fabric can be washed, Spamton . Or replaced . It is … of no consequence .

[ a quiet, incredulous huff of laughter escapes them . they don’t even look down at the fabric, eyes fixed solely on spamton’s pale face . ]

"Dirty" .. ?

My dear friend, do you truly believe I care about a suit right now ?

a cat is laying on a blanket on a bed and looking at the camera . ALT: a cat is laying on a blanket on a bed and looking at the camera .

//

[ she pulls him close, letting him lean heavily against her side . their voice is hushed, gentle but urgent . ]

Come now … Lean on me . Do not try to support yourself right now . I have you .

[ seeing him sway, their expression softens instantly into pure concern . the banter about the car is forgotten . he steps in close, wrapping a firm arm around spamton’s waist to take his weight before gravity can do the job for him . ]

Of course we can .

[ a soft exhale—half-sigh, half-chuckle . ]

I know you did .

Frankly, considering the alternative … I think the loss of a vehicle is a small price to pay, wouldn't you agree .. ?

… You can always buy another car, my friend . You cannot buy another Annie .

… Did you WANT Annie to die waiting for you?

I have a feeling that a certain customer of mine will be in need of medical attention when he returns . . .

// embarrassing for me

// going so hard on a response thats just me playing with my barbie dolls. Ok

putting as much distance between the Lady of Screens and her nightmare as the engine would allow.

With a final, lingering look at the CRT—verifying she was covered, breathing, and alive, despite how ghostly she appeared—Swatch shut the door with a soft, decisive click. They moved to the driver's seat, movements sharp and precise as they peeled away from the curb,