#samemori

Maybe this was meant to happen…

Water stretched her lungs out thin.

It sure was an easy way out, huh? 

It was getting darker.

‘I wonder what Watson’s doing right now…’

…

    Gura crashed onto the floor, tangled up in sheets, and with a newly acquired sting on her nose. She yelps, covering it with her hands, rubbing at it tenderly, “Agh, man…” She attempted to kick off the blankets to the best of her ability, struggling and grumbling until she broke free. She sat up, taking a moment to breathe a sigh of relief.

    This was… not her house…

    “Huh,” Under almost every other circumstance, she would feel an extreme amount of fear, but, really, she only felt confused. To be fair, there are a lot more awful things that could be happening right now that aren’t, so that must count for something. She looked around the room, what had to be hundreds of drawings were scattered everywhere. Some of them were pinned up, some were framed, but most of them in stacks littered around the floor. In fact, in her frenzy, she had managed to knock over quite a few. She hissed through her teeth at that, scrunching up her face and scooting away from the mess, only to tumble into another stack, “Shit-”

    Papers slid across the wood floors, Gura scrambling after them. She grabbed as many as she could without disturbing the various stacks, She attempted to gather them up in her arms, the pages instead sticking to her fingers. She flicked her wrist, the drawings held. Another flick, another fail. She waved her arm around, the pages finally gave way, flying back across the floor. Back to square one…

Gura groaned, looking at the backs of her hands in distaste, they did kinda feel more sweaty than usual. She turned them around, squinting at her palms. She couldn’t stop the scream from escaping her, as the pads of her fingers glowed and oozed with clear slime. Her hands shot down to her legs, “Ew! Ew ew ew!” she rubbed them on her thighs, wiping away the goo onto her legs. She paused for a moment, taking a breath as she raised them back up to her face, turning them around once more. They were dry, if a little red, and they still glowed lightly under her skin.

“Okay…” she spoke with a hush, a single droplet of ooze dripping from her nose onto her hand, “Eugh,” She swiped at her nose with her forearm, a significant amount of slime left in a trail on her. It gave a cold feeling similar to wiping a runny nose on her skin. 

A creak resounded around the room as she turned to look at the door. A pair of wide red eyes stared at her through the half open doorway. It was a tall woman with vibrant pink hair, tied up in a pony tail wearing a black tunic with matching pants, both being a bit too big for her. She stood stiltedly in the entrance for a few moments, then silently began closing the door.

Gura shot up, grabbing a hold of the doorknob, “Oi, oi, oi!” She yelled, tugging the door back open, the woman took a step back with a flinch, “Now, who the hell are you? And where the fuck am I?” Gura stepped closer, grabbing ahold of the woman’s collar and tugging her down to her eye level. It bent the woman’s back at an awkward angle as Gura scowled at her, “What kinda kidnapper are you? Was the door even locked?” She hollered, watching as the red eyes of the woman skittered everywhere but at Gura’s own.

“Gura!” an extremely familiar, and equally as angry, voice called out at her side. Gura turned to look down the apparent hallway she was in, a head of blonde hair and tired eyes poked out from the staircase at the end of the hall, “Get the hell off her!” 

“Watson?” Gura let her hands fall from the stranger’s collar, turning herself towards her.

“It’s Doctor Watson now, shark brain,” She called, reaching the top of the stairs then clapping a hand over her eyes, “and get some clothes on!”

Gura looked down, she was clad in only a bra and underwear, “Oh, for the love of-” The woman tapped her shoulder, pointing to the foot of the bed, a clean pair of clothes was folded semi-neatly with a note on top of it. Gura groaned, stomping back into the room and slamming the door.

Gura snatched the clothes off of the bed, leaving the note where it fell. She unfurled it from its folds and inspected it for a moment. It was a white sundress, plain and simple, and around her size. She huffed before putting it on, tugging on it to straighten it out on her body. She paused, looking at her hands for a moment. The glowing had died down, only a few freckles shined under her skin. The ooze also had slowed, only having a light sheen of what could be mistaken for sweat. She sighed, falling back onto the bed and grabbing at the note.

‘Gura,

Dr. Watson brought you here to the church, said you were passed out in the water by the docks. She wanted you to be looked after until you woke up, so I wrote this note so you wouldn’t be so confused when you did! I’ll be out for a bit, but Dr. Watson will be here sometime this morning to check up on you. I hope the dress fits, if it doesn’t, feel free to look through my closet. I’m sure I have some old ones that might fit you.

-Reverend Ninomae Ina'nis’

Gura needed to be punched in the face… hard.

She stood back up, pinching the bridge of her nose and wandering to the door. She opened it, walking out to meet Watson and the stranger's eyes. Gura looked between the two, the woman was rubbing at her arm sheepishly and looking off to the side, or… several sides at once? Her eyes really didn't slow down for anybody, huh? 

Watson shoved at Gura's shoulder, "What a way to see my best friend after all these years. Now, was that a special treat just for me, or do you show all the girls… that." The stranger snorted.

Gura's brows furrowed, "Oh I see how it is, Watton. Keep puttin' yourself up on that pedestal, Doc, you and I both know you're just tryin' to impress our little woman of god here." She shoved Watson back, giving a glance towards the stranger, her cheeks flushing slightly as they puffed out.

Watson turned to the woman, winking dramatically as she leaned on Gura's shoulder, "Is it working?" Gura laughed, shoving off Watson's arm, only to stretch up to place her own on Watson's shoulder. She wore an awful smolder, using her whole face to wink. Watson jabbed at her side, watching as Gura recoiled, "God, you're terrible-"

"You ain't so bad yourself, Doc." Gura grinned, turning to watch the nerves on the stranger's face crumble into a smile, "Ninomae, right?" she pointed, shoving Watson away, "The Reverend?" The woman shook her head, waving her hands in denial, "Man, all the wrong answers today."

"Yeah, more like everyday with your track record." Gura opened her mouth, only for Watson to cut her off, "It's Calliope, she's bunking here for a bit, got caught in the storm, just like you," She elbowed Gura, "but she didn't almost drown like you did, dummy."

"Hey, hey, I got a reason for that!" Gura barked back, pointing a finger at Watson's chest.

Watson just grabbed ahold of Gura's arm, tugging her down the hall and towards the stairs,"You better! I didn't have a heart attack for you to just have a swim in a storm-" She huffed, Gura stumbling behind her. Gura only got to see a shy wave and a smile from Calliope, not even having a moment to wave back. 

They sped down the spiral staircase, Watson's hand gripping harder as they approached the first floor. She yanked Gura behind the staircase, "Hey! Hey! What are you-" Watson shushed her, turning her head and searching around, "If this is some kinda way to sneak a makeout sesh from me, I'm down, but you coulda waited for us to get outside. I mean, this is a church, Watson-"

"Listen, just, shut up for a second," Watson took one last scan around the room, turning back to Gura and placing a hand on her cheek, "What were you doing out there?"

Gura swallowed her heartbeat, staring up into Watson's eyes. They flickered up and down Gura's face, dark circles underlined their movement, "What's this about, Amelia?" Gura's voice was small, putting her hand on Watson's, "I know it's been a while since we've seen each other in person, but you just look so… serious."

Watson huffed, "You almost drowned, Gura, I don't think you understand that." her brows furrowed, eyes tearing up. Gura's face instantly melted as she moved forward, holding her best friend close. 

"Shit, dude," Gura's heart prickled as she squeezed Watson's torso. Watson just let her arms loosely wrap around Gura's small frame, "I-I didn't realise- I mean, I just-"

"Just answer the question." Watson tearfully spoke, it was quiet, but firm.

Gura stuttered, so Watson moved to scratch at her back for encouragement. Gura let out a shaky breath, "I thought I saw someone in the water." she began, pulling back from the embrace, "The waves pulled them under, I just, I live at a lighthouse, y'know? I couldn't just let them drown-" she looked down, her heart picking up its pace, "I got to em', but when I grabbed them to pull them up, they stuck me with something, scratched me maybe. Either way, I let go of em', and something pushes me under, maybe they kicked me by accident, I dunno." She looks back up to meet Watson's gaze, it's wide and flickering, "It messed up my sense of direction, couldn't find the surface for the life of me…" she backs up against the wall, smiling weakly with her arms crossed, "then you found me, Doc," she moves her hands up and jazzes them, "yay!" her expression pinches as she lowers her hands back down.

Watson seemed to study her for a moment, silent and expressionless. Gura stepped forward, looking up at Watson, the quiet pricked at her nerves, "Earth to Amelia?" she tried, Watson's shoulders tensed, "Listen, I know I fucked up big time, but don't go all silent on me. Lotta big thoughts in that big head of yours, but there's a big dummy here that needs ya,"

"Right, yeah, sorry…" Watson scratches at the back of her neck, "Listen, uh, I got something kinda weird to ask ya-"

Gura squinted at her, "Is it much weirder than almost dying and waking up in a church?" she snapped her hands onto Watson's shoulders, "Wait, why'd you dump me on the Reverend anyway? Aren't you a doctor? Couldn't you have let me bunk in a guest bed at some Watson Estate with all that sweet medic money?" she paused, "Or at my house?"

"Firstly, I have a doctorate in criminology, and you know that. Secondly, I'm freshly graduated and don't have much more than my office that's barely big enough for one. Thirdly, I don't have a key to your house." She concluded, crossing her arms over her chest, Gura's hands sliding off her shoulders,  "Now, shh, and lemme ask my question." 

"Can I say one more thing that's kinda urgent?" 

Watson slapped her forehead with her palm, "Fine! Fine!"

"Is this normal?" Gura stuck out her hands, facing her palms toward Watson. 

She gasped, choking on her breath for a moment. The ooze had begun to drip from her hands again, freckles beaming out at the detective, "Dude! You put those on me!" Watson proceeded to feel at her shoulders and back, finding slightly damp spots on her button up, "Eugh!"

"Hey! Not important right now, Watson!" Gura pointed at her hand, "Currently experiencing magic goo hands over here!"

"Right, okay, um…" Watson grabbed a hold of Gura's wrist, inspecting her digits. She tilted her head to the side, "You woke up like this, right?" Gura nodded, "Um, okay, so don't panic-" Gura's eyes widened, her breathing coming out in big puffs through her nose, "don't panic, but I, uh, I really don't know what this is." Gura's mouth opened as Watson gasped, cutting her off as her hand ran through her hair, "Wait! This is perfect!"

"What? What? I'm not gonna die from this?" 

"What? No! Of course you're not gonna die, not what I was thinking at all-'' Watson put her hands on Gura's shoulders, "You gotta stay here-'' Gura shook her head, reeling back, "Okay, I know it's weird, just-... stay with me, okay?" Watson pulled back, taking her watch out of her pocket and checking it. Her eyes never left the watch as she spoke, "Ina's going to be back any minute now, and I need you to keep an eye on her. Say I wanted you to be looked after for a little longer, you haven't recovered all the way yet or something."

"Well, I haven't, I got some kinda disease that's doing this." Gura wiped her hands on her dress, and Watson grabbed at her wrists.

"Stop that!" Watson reprimanded, "She can't know about this, she's… she's sensitive."

Gura snatched her hands back, "Who cares if she's sensitive! What if this is contagious?"

"Then just keep direct contact to a minimum, and if it is then you've already gotten it all over me, so there's that-" Watson scratches at her head, "You touched Calliope too, so let's just hope that's not what's happening until I figure out what the hell this is." Watson huffs, flicking her watch open once more, "Listen, Ina will be back literally any moment now-"

"How do you know that?" Gura interjects, "And why do you care so much?  Is church girl your new bestie after university?" Watsons eyes widened, taken aback as Gura balled her fists.

Watson shook her head, "For fucks sake, Gura…" She shoved her against the wall, stifling her yelp with a kiss. Gura felt her heart leap to her throat as Watson relaxed into her lips. A warm buzz settled in Gura's bottom lip as they parted, "I care about you and junk, and Ina is dangerous. Keep an eye on her, okay?" Watson put her hand on Gura's cheek, rubbing her thumb along it as she spoke, a nearly imperceptible sparkle in her eyes as she smiled.

Gura nodded dumbly, her pulse nearly thumping all the way out of her chest. Watson hummed, letting her hand slide back down to her side as she turned to leave. She walked out the door with a glance and a wave, one that Gura had no chance of returning before it slammed shut. She huffed a sigh or relief, just babysitting a dangerous priestess from now on, how hard could that be?

She shook her head, putting a finger on her lips with a grin. She walked back up to the stairs, looking up at the very same red eyes, "... How much of that did you hear?"

Calliope's eyes began to skitter once more, her arms stiltedly fidgeting for a few seconds before bolting up the stairs.