Darcy went to quickly follow Dixon and Harper as they retreated, struggling with the wheelchair yet again with great frustration before finally getting it.
Harper followed Dixon, just wanting to leave. She should've left as soon as she got Darcy here. "I'm sorry, I'm sorry." she said quietly.
"Harper, it's okay, it's...we know you didn't have anything to do with it, and I'm sure Flora does too, she's just...she's just grieving... and doesn't know any better." Dixon reasoned, biting his lip as he did so.
He led Harper over to the side parlor's exit, which led out to the side parking lot, however, before he could open up the door for Harper, staggered steps could be heard coming up behind them, causing Dixon to spin around, ready to defend...against Griffith.
Griffith shambled over, wincing in pain and clutching his side. He reached out hastily to grab at Harper's hand.
"H-Hold on, I...I...I'll go with you." He said, nodding. Fuck, he hoped Flora hadn't messed him up.
Harper practically jumped out of her skin when she heard the steps and spun around with Dixon, only slightly relaxing when she heard and saw Griffith, letting him take her hand. "G-Griff, you need to go get checked out." She said immediately when she noticed. "I'll... I'll be okay but you need the hospital or.. or something."
"I'm fine, I'm fine, it's nothing, she just winded me." Griffith shook his head, trying to wave Harper's insistence off. "But seriously, let's step out, okay? Me and you, let me take you back to your place." He nodded, giving a (pained) smile.
Harper looked very uncertain, holding onto his hand tightly still however. She really wanted Griffith's presence with her, just for a little bit. While she knew she was innocent, every body else' reaction certainly made her feel like she shouldn't feel that way. "Doesn't look like she just winded you." she said but didn't protest further, going to step outside with him but turned to look for Darcy. "Da-"
"I'll be fine." Darcy said firmly. "Go home and go lay down, okay? I'll call you when the coast is clear and you can come get me then."
"Don't worry, Harper, I'll look after him." Dixon said, giving a 'salute' of sorts before going back over to Darcy, stepping behind his wheelchair to wheel him back to where he'd planned to perch them previously.
Meanwhile, Griffith held Harper's hand tight and exited with her, finding an empty parking lot outside. "Oh, thank the Lord." Griffith uttered quietly. He wasn't sure he could "take" anyone right at that moment, hell, he didn't think he could even yell at anyone.
Harper reached up to run her fingers against her scalp with a wince. "Fucking hell." she hissed, closing her eyes for a moment while she followed beside Griffith. "I'm sorry, Griff, I should've left as soon as I could."
Griffith continued to paw at his side a bit, running his fingers over his ribs as if to check for breaks, however, didn't know what a break would have felt like. He slightly winced, but bounced back when he heard Harper.
"Baby, it's not your fault, everyone's just... a little emotional right now." Griffith explained.
"I know. I know." Harper said quietly, rubbing at her head with a pained hiss. "I just made it worse. Showing up right now." she said, shaking her head then. "That's... that's all I meant. Let me feel your side, yeah? Let me check."
Griffith wanted to protest, hating it whenever Harper had to dote on him, but when he felt another ache, he conceded and paused in their steps to allow Harper to feel at his side for him.
Harper moved to stand in front of him, undid his suit jacket and reached in to feel along the side where he was hurting, hoping she didn't feel a break. They certainly didn't need another medical bill and she really just wanted Griffith getting better.
And jesus, her head hurt.
"I don't think there's a break, baby. You're probably just really bruised n' shit still." She said, reaching up with that hand now to rub at her temple.
"I'm fine, just a headache." Harper tried to reassure. Someone trying to rip your head off your shoulders tended to do that. "But.. yeah. Yeah, I really could use laying down." she said, leaning into his touch. She felt exhausted.
She had been up almost every night, helping Darcy because of the nightmares and fits he had now at night and her night terrors had been bad because of stress and she was still going to work whenever she could so she could pay for the motel and support Darcy and so on and so on, as well as looking for another job since one of her bosses had fired her for being absent.
But she didn't really feel like she could complain right then. She had it better than Griffith and Flora and Dixon did. She tugged on his hand to start walking again, wanting to tuck up to his side. She missed Griffith holding her, which to anyone else might sound weird but it had become something they did.
Whenever she was exhausted or feeling bad and she'd get to see him at the shop, he'd just pick her up and hold her against his chest for a while, while he did little things around the shop that he could still do with her clinging to him like that.
"Well, I mean, at least let me baby you a bit." Griff said, stooping down to place a kiss at Harper's cheek, followed by the corner of her mouth. "You're always taking care of me, punk, let me take care of you for a bit, even if it is just kissing, cuddling, and giving you advil."
Harper turned her head to catch a proper kiss then, squeezing his hand. "Alright, alright." she said after pulling away. "If you're sure." she said, glancing back towards the building in the distance. "I will give up and let you baby me." she gave a very slight chuckle.
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