Surrounded by Gold [Natasha/Violet/Solomon]

With Natasha stepping out, Violet assumed she would have some time to close her eyes and rest, but she was proven wrong when the one she had just been asking about walked into her room. She closed her eyes only for a moment, but could sense someone enter. Whether that was sensing him spiritually or just a weird trick of sound that naturally happened, she didn’t know, but she looked up.

“Solomon…” Violet’s instinct was to sit up and greet him, but pain shot through her torso and she tensed up. A tight whimper brought Violet back to the bed, where she rested her head once more. “Sorry. The pain meds don’t get rid of it all…Haha.”

When Solomon passed through that door, his expression was visibly grim. Currently, he hardly resembled the typically graceful man who carried himself in a gentlemanly manner that Violet grew accustomed to.

No, his were eyes currently filled with dread, his soul suffused with guilt. It was detestable proof that even some matters were simply beyond his hand, that, try as he might, even the ones he cherished dearly could fall victim to a terrible fate, without his presence to serve as a means of protection. Without his knowledge that it happened. And that thought terrified him more than anything else. What had they done to her?

What did he want to say to her as he approached the woman and sat in the chair? He was angry. Overwhelmingly so. Even though Natasha had told him they faced a fitting punishment, it did little to soften the emotions roiling inside of him. He simply kept his head down somberly as avoided her gaze.

"...I'm sorry."

Violet was badly injured and it was all clear and visible. Bruises and scratches everywhere, face a little swollen and purple, the casts that had yet to be signed by anyone, the pain medicine she was hooked up to. Still, she was not expecting the look on Solomon’s face. As he came in and sat down, Violet’s eyes widened, her heart raced, and she sat up, staring at him and expecting horrible news…

“What happened?” Violet winced as she sat up more in bed, using the bed’s remote to lift the head rest. “Did the house burn down or something? You lo-… You do know that this was not your fault, right?” It clicked, and Violet’s expression softened. “Solomon… is that what you’re thinking? That this is somehow your fault?”

"I know that, but..."

That doesn't make it feel any less worse. Those unvoiced words, echoing in his head, played back to him like a call note of judgment. By all accounts, even if he knew it was unreasonable to blame himself for this outcome, he still felt her well-being was his responsibility. He had promised her so much, offered her a route to evade her despicable parents, yet he nearly lost her within the blink of an eye.

Even though the notion that she might die was no longer present, his guilt did not waver. No, a more bitter notion took root in his heart. In short, he was unable to save someone he genuinely cared for. She endured hell while he remained uninformed. Swallowing down the guilt was no easy feat. Thus, he exhaled softly, running a hand through his hair.

"...I nearly lost you, and couldn't do anything about it. I get it. Trust me, your aunt told me the same thing multiple times before I entered. And yet it still bothers me."

"You won't have to worry much longer," Violet said, hard eyes filled with a new resolve staring at Solomon. "Nothing like this will ever happen to me again."

Violet took a deep breath, pushing herself into a sitting position. It hurt, but she refused to let that be known, at least she tried not to. The tenseness in her face and body likely showed the pain anyway. Her eyes narrowed and she focused on a random point on the wall across from her. The last year of her life had proven she was too weak, too pathetic. That needed to change; it was going to change.

"I have decided that I will summon my spirit weapon before the end of the month," Violet said, turning her head back to Solomon. He knew she had barely been able to make a solid sphere for longer than a few seconds. Her training had not gotten very far. Her focus had been more on her job, paying bills, and having a little fun, so she was stagnating in her training. "I refuse to let this kind of shit happen again."

"The end of the month?"

The conviction in her tone was enough to gradually elevate his mood. After all, if she could speak with determination in her voice despite the perils she endured, what excuse did he have to maintain his somber state of mind? No, if anything, he admired that determination in anyone. Exhaling softly, he rested a hand on her shoulder to protect her from reinjuring her own body. An encouraged smile erased the somber expression in his handsome features. His only action now was to support her. Indeed, that was what he promised - his natural sense of honor demanded it. Plus, he thoroughly enjoyed her company now. Losing her was simply out of the question.

"When you speak like that, it becomes quite difficult to hold a sour mood. Try not to move around too much, however. None of those injuries have healed entirely. Heal first, and then we'll work toward fulfilling that goal by month's end. You have my word."

Violet nodded. The end of the month was her goal. It was only the sixth, so that gave her some time. It would be a little silly to make that kind of goal on the 25th.

I will not be a burden.

Violet took in a breath and laid back down as he requested. She kept a small smile up though, a bit of happiness in her eyes. "Then I will speak like that more often," Violet said and held a hand out to him. She hoped he'd take it, yet another hint being dropped. Though possibly a bit forward for someone like Violet.

"I don't like it when you're upset. Brings me down too."

"In return, I'll do my best to maintain a proper mood for your sake, Violet."

Solomon naturally took her hand into his own as he squeezed it, his expression now determined as her own. There was some measure of relief to her feeling encouraged to improve herself. To him, it fully encapsulated how much she had matured since their first meeting. His mind was focused squarely on her condition. Thus, the thought of any hint might well have been lost on him. Even so, that didn't mean he ignored the act. His current action was proof of that.

"How can I be down when you speak with such conviction? The true mark of a warrior is overcoming the obstacles they face, and here you are, determining to reach a goal you've been seeking for a few months now. I'm proud of you, Violet."

‘He’s such a dummy…’ Violet gently curled her hand around his, a contrast to the firmness of his own grip. She took a breath and her eyes softened in exhaustion. She used her free hand to bring the blankets over her. “Thank you, Solomon."

Violet's hand came to rest within his. She tried keeping her eyes open, but it was proving difficult. "I’m tired," she muttered. Any energy she had faded quickly. "I'm gonna... get some sl-..." And she was out, a small smile still resting on her features.