Beer...fixer of all things

Acra sighed. He had finally gotten a day off since the horrid festival. Leave it to the carnies next time. The military messed it up big deal and now there was a massive mess to clean up. He grabbed his keys for his bike and headed to the apartments garage. As he left he grabbed a coffee in the lobby blowing on it and sipping it down while he stood by his bike. He was going to look in on Shula since she was still on the sick and the last he had seen of her was her hospital discharge.

He been lonely without her. Especially after his girlfriend dumped his ass after the festival. Apparently he was clearly in love with someone else. Which he taught was stupid. But he had left her to escort his friend to the hospital. But goddamn it Shula had needed him and if she taught he was a jerk for doing that then she knew where to go. He threw the empty coffee cup in the bin and pulled on his helmet. Soon he was speeding down the streets toward the cosy house his friend lived in his knuckled clenched white on

It had been such a long freaking week, and the quiet was beginning to drive her mad. It would, at least, if the phone calls and messages didn't first. She'd spent two days in the hospital; one when she got there, almost quit and woke up, and another day for observations. But after she'd come home her phone almost never seemed to stop, even when her grandfather had been there to keep an eye on her. The first day home her mother had called and refused to stop talking, even though her daughter was physically unable to reply. Her father had called as well, but had at least been nice enough to shift his concerns to text messages and emails when Ulrich explained that her throat was still very sore from the intubation and smoke inhalation. She'd been ordered to take a few days off to recover and was finally able to talk for short bursts if she kept her voice soft... But DAMMIT she was bored, and the idea of staying in bed all day just make her want to be up and about that much more.

Ulrich had had to go back out toward the west to finish taking care of whatever it was he'd been helping on but wouldn't talk about (though knowing him it was either really important or just a bunch of important old military coots who'd all retired and were playing cards somewhere private), leaving Shula alone in the large townhouse to rest... She stepped through the garden she'd filled her back yard with, checking on her experimental flowers when she heard a motorbike driving by and stop. Shula moved over to the fence by the narrow alley and stood up on a garden bucket to see over it and smiled warmly, seeing Acra and gave a wave before jumping off and running back into and through her house, opening the front door and mouthed a silent "hello".

Acra looked down to her. His anger slowly dispersing from his tense form. Shula stood there smiling up at him. Still on a talking ban it seemed. He still quaked slightly due to how much he had wound himself up on the way over. He sighed heavily and lent down hugging her tightly to him. He frowned at how he was able to wrap his arms round her even more then normal. She had defiantly lost weight. But then again hospital food sucked and he rather starve then eat it himself. Maybe he could call in a take out for the both of them. “How have you been?” He asked and released her from the hug.

He rubbed the back of his neck. “Sorry I havn’t been sooner…Been busy at work and trying to fix stuff with Rochelle…. But now I have a day off and single I could finally see how you were doing.” He chuckled at his hardship and smiled to her. “Can I come in?” He asked sheepishly.

Shula hardly wasted a breath hopping down from the stoop to greet Acra, her arms instantly winding up around his neck as he squeezed her slight frame. Her tank top was so loose on her body and did nothing to help how much smaller than him she seemed than normal. He'd felt so tense and relaxed a little as she held on until he finally released her, looking up into his eyes. Yeah, he'd been upset about something. She smiled softly, giving a gently, noncommittal shrug when he asked how she'd been. She could rant for hours about it if she really tried, but... that wouldn't fix anything. She was already almost better anyway.

She listened, inwardly shuddering at all the work she'd have waiting for her when she got back in. Clearing her throat a little, Shula took a breath. "Silly, you should have brought me some of what you've been behind on. Not doing anything else lately." Her voice was soft, coming in just a little louder than a whisper; any louder or more solid and it would hurt too much to talk and she'd spend all of her talking points for the next few hours. He still seemed so down though, and as he mentioned that he was now single it all made sense now. Shula looked up at him sympathetically, hugging her best friend tightly for a moment before taking his wrist and gently tugging him up to her stoop to come inside. He'd mentioned before he had a new girlfriend, and had been spending a lot of his after hours with her or talking in the office about what new shiny she was looking at... But his girlfriends didn't seem to last too long.

"I'm sorry, Acra... Come on. I have a solution for that."

Her offer of helping him with his work made him shake his head with a smile. “No your resting.” He told her firmly but playfully. “I know it’s boring but the more you rest the sooner you can return to us.” Understanding she was bored he gave her a smile. “I’m off for a few days ,so hey! I’m all yours.” Grinning like a fool, he walked with her squeezing her hand. Originally he was going to have a long weekend away with Rochelle but well that plan had gone out the window. Shula needed him so he offered himself to her to fulfil any whim she wanted of him.

He hugged her back when the topic got onto Rochelle. Sighing softly he nuzzled the little blonde head back. He never had luck with girlfriends. But at least he had luck with best friends. Shula tugged him onwards into the house talking about a solution. “Solution?? What are you up to Shula?” He chuckled as he slowed his strides to match hers. “Don’t tell me you’ve got a girl tied up in a closet which your going to force to go out with me.” He laughed teasing his friend.

The door shut behind Acra, and Shula's hand moved up to pull her hair into a high ponytail to keep it out of the way. She smiled faintly with a somewhat tired sigh. "I've been in bed most of my life," she whispered. "Ican hardly stomach sleeping let alone resting." Shula was more psychologically drained than she'd really thought she was, not even realizing what she'd just let slip until after it was too late to take it back, her breath holding a moment as she forced herself to carry on as though what she'd said were perfectly ordinary.

"Don’t tell me you’ve got a girl tied up in a closet which your going to force to go out with me." Shula giggled lightly, shaking her head as she smirked up at him playfully.

"Nope, I'm going to transmute one for you. Custom made to your specifications, and you get to be my first customer. I'll be a billionaire by dinner." She snorted at her own terrible joke, knowing Acra would know she wasn't serious about something like that in the slightest. The only time she would consider it was if and when she was certain she had it all right, and then the only person she would try it on would be herself... But nobody needed to know that but her. "And if I thought she'd say yes, I'd offer to try and set you up with my cousin... She's got to be one of the most gorgeous women I've ever seen in my life. But no, much easier albeit temporary solution than that.... You don't need a rebound right now to add to your problems."

Shula made her way through her home to the brightly lit kitchen, quickly scooping up the letters that were scattered across her table nonchalantly. Bills, memos from her doctors, test results, printed emails about wanting to try new things, messages about discontinuing her treatments, bank statements... Her table was her flat filing cabinet. Papers scooped into a pile, she opened up the fridge, pulling out two dark bottles of beer. No, it wasn't the type Acra normally enjoyed, but it was a very healthy beer that still had a lot of good vitamins in it and iron for her blood. She smiled faintly, holding one out to her friend. "Not a great fix, but... it's a start?

Lucky for Shula Acra missed the comment about the beds. As soon as she mentioned he transmutation of to order girlfriends. He laughed. “Dad may fund you if you were serious.” He gave her a goofy grin as she mumbled about setting him up with Shula’s cousin. Before he could refuse she answered it for him and then produced the liquid of gods. He almost scoped her up and kissed her. She had BEER!! BEER!! “Shula…I could kiss you.” he said as he took it off her and opened them both handing her one.

Sitting on her sofa he noticed she had been studying. “Oh are you expanding your alchemy?” He asked picking on up looking over it confused how it wasn’t for fire alchemy. He took a swig as he took in what it was for. “Plant alchemy?” He asked raising a brow. “Not liking fire no more Shulz?” He asked chuckling putting the paper down.

As Acra handed her the second beer and plopped onto the sofa, she looked down at her coffee table, and realized she'd forgotten to clean up her notes and research. Ah well, nothing too dangerous for him to see there since most of it pertained to her garden and a few homeopathic things. She smiled faintly, taking a quick sip of her beer and setting it down to produce a large clay disc from a box and put it on the coffee table for Acra to see. The terra cotta wheel had a special array on it, and was rather colourful, its lines and colours all done in chalk to make the array work as well as make it attractive; it wasn't for combative purposes, so why not make it pretty?

"Oh, my fire alchemy and I are getting along fabulously... Even have something new I'm working on for that. But this, believe it or not, is a failed experiment." She took another long sip, letting the cold drink soothe her throat and double as a snack. A finger delicately pointed to the symbols for hour and day and night, and then how the calcination sped up the process. Shula took another sip and cleared her throat. "What it does is speeds up the aging process of the cells. She reached into a packet of seeds and pulled one out, placing it in the middle of the array and pressed her fingertips onto it, the array glowing a faint gold as it activated. Light and heat applied gently and swiftly, the seed busting open into a little green tendril within seconds, that tendril growing rapidly and producing a bright orange poppy. Shula took her hands away, smiling faintly in satisfaction.

"Now if only my successes were as spectacular as my failures... I used plants because using living test subjects of any kind would just be too cruel. I was experimenting to see if I could reverse cell growth and aging, but no matter how I tried it, I could only move them forward. I guess once it's gone it's gone. But.. At least the results are pretty."

He watched in wonder as the seed grew and burst open into a beautiful flower. He was amazed how Shula had always used her alchemy more for art and beauty. He looked down to his hand the slight scarring from the night at the fair from his own alchemy. He sighed softly. “At least it better then most alchemy…only created for destruction and suffering…” He said bitterly then smiled as he got up heading to the kitchen returning with a small glass of water to place the poppy in so it wouldn’t die.
“Creating it better then reversing it though.” He smiled to her. “Wallace will be begging for your help in the green house when he can’t get the tomatoes to start growing.” Chuckling he sipped his beer throwing an arm round her shoulders. “I wasn’t blessed with green thumbs.” Waggling his thumbs for emphasis. “So I’m useless when he wants help up there.” Grinning like a fool he pulled her closer.

Glancing at Acra's hands, Shula smiled faintly and a little sadly. He had a point, and that was another good reason why alchemy was against the beliefs of her people. Everything can be used destructively... There is no good or bad alchemy, I think. Maybe it really does just boil down to how you use it. "Well, I haven't really told anyone about this for just that reason. I used plants to experiment with humanely, but the intention was to reverse cellular aging and damage in humans. But if you just changed what I have a little bit you could make the cells speed up on humans as well... and just like that, something beautiful becomes a weapon."

Shula sighed lightly. She had been hoping it would work and she could use it on herself and then if successful offer it to more qualified people to use. But with just a little tweaking something as lovely as that could potentially shoot a person's age rapidly, possibly even kill them. As Acra took the poppy into the kitchen Shula brushed the hull of the seed off the clay plate. She'd replant it outside later. "Well, honestly I wasn't born with gardening talent either. I never played outside. But this array makes it so anyone can grow or start just about any plant.... But I'd be more than happy to come over and help sometime, or even just visit if you like."

Acra frowned as she went on about why she was studying this type of alchemy. He had never known where the line of human transmutation was. But he was never keen to try it. There was to much to loose and the horror stories he had been told too. A shudder ran down his spine as he frowned more and scolded his friend. “Shula…that risky…It's too close to human transmutation.” He said downing the beer. “ You got to much to lose to try that stuff.” He scolded her lightly but to make it up he gave her a hug and forehead kiss. “And you're always welcome over.” He smiled and then frowned from the lack of beer since he had drank his. “Awww ran out..” chuckling and pouting playfully giving Shula a squeeze. “I’ll have to hold you ransome for more beer.” He was tempted to tickle her but her throat would still be sore so he stuck to just hugging her and being generally annoying till she yielded to let him have more beer.

Acra had a fair point and every right to be concerned; human transmutation was the big no-no for a reason, and if it could be proven that that was ever her goal she could quickly be court-martialed. There really was so much to lost, and not just professionally... but the gain could be worth more than the risks, couldn't it? Besides, what was the harm in it if she made sure she was the only one affected by whatever results came? She sighed inwardly. There were so many questions, and nobody to go to for answers as her friend unintentionally reminded her that this was something nobody could know about... not even her best friend.

"Don't worry Acra... I said, this is the result of lots of trial and mostly error, so I don't think it will go beyond what it has." She wasn't lying. Reversing cellular aging was a dead end with a pretty result, so she had no need to continue with those experiments. That didn't mean she would ever stop trying to perfect her theories, though.

She snuggled against his side, then let out a silenced squeak as she was squeezed, held for ransom in the name of beer. She looked at her own and smiled lightly. She'd barely finished half of hers and Acra was done already. She was half-tempted to offer him her other half. Instead she lifted the back of her hand to her forehead dramatically. "Woe is me. Woe, woe, woe. Because there soooo aren't more in there on the second shelf." She gave a small cough to clear her throat before taking another sip to try and keep her voice as solid as it was, using her free hand to point into the kitchen to indicate to him to help himself. Her bills and memos were all stacked up, and he'd run things into her office at work plenty of times and never even glanced at them, so no reason to doubt he'd look at any of them now.

He flashed her a charming smile before letting her go. Standing up with years of practiced grace before striding into the kitchen. Second shelf....second shelf. He chanted in his head like a mantra as he stopped by the sink filling the empty bottle with water and swilling it out before placing the empty bottle in the recycling. He licked his lip and he then stopped. Second shelf could of meant anything. He drummed his fingers on the counter top for a moment. Should he go back and ask her which one. No she think he was an idiot. He took in a breath and reached up for a cupboard door. Quickly pulling it open he was meet with.......nothing...it was bare not even a can of string beans for his effort. Frowning he moved to the next one pulling it open. Empty too.... curiosity chewed at his gut as he decided to see what Shula actually had to eat. Pulling open every draw he frowned hard. There was barely any food bar a few pill pots of vitamins.

Maybe Shula hadn't gone shopping yet. He first taught seeing she been home sick. But then his eyes glanced an over due bill notice on the table. Sneaking over giving the door a weary glance he picked it up and frowned. Was Shula having money issue? why hadn't she come to him? He would of given her the money no questions asked or even asked for it back. He quickly grabbed his phone texting Wallace.
' Can you bring a full food shop to Shula's? Pay with my card thank you.'
He smirked putting the text in Cretan incase Shula if she ever did read his phone messages. As far as he knew his friend couldn't read the language. Grabbing the now located beer he returned to her in the sitting room. " Sorry about the wait."

It was a long moment as Acra went to go fetch a second beer. She figured it wouldn't be too hard to find; there wasn't that much in her fridge to be distracted by unless he was hungry and felt adventurous. A few beers, some leftovers she hadn't gotten around to eating yet, some veggies from her garden and a little milk and butter. Basics and not a lot of anything, but certainly not enough to hide the beers. Shula sighed lightly, taking another sip and settling back into the sofa. Dark beer was what she preferred, and it was actually pretty filling, so at least she wouldn't be hungry for a little while even though her doctor had been pestering her to put on weight.

She opened her mouth and took a breath to try and raise her voice to invite Acra to lunch, but the sound stopped short, refusing to to cooperate. It would wait until he sat down again. There wasn't a lot, but between what was there she could make something new that would probably taste good. Enough curry and anything was edible. Shula closed her eyes, waiting for Acra to come back out. Silly thing was probably looking for her bottle opener since she'd forgotten to point it out on the counter. Ah well... He was a sweet thing, even if he could be a bit dense. He meant well at least, and was the best friend she'd had in a while. It was quite a nice thing to have, and the fact that they could annoy each other and get on each other's nerves and still be such good friends made it that much better. I still need to send a thank you card to his butler for saving me... I wish i didn't cost Acra his girlfriend, though. I don't think they make an appropriate card for that...

Shula opened her eyes again as Acra finally came back out of her kitchen and resumed his seat and gave him a small, quirked smile. "Got lost in there? She stuck out the end of her tongue playfully and took another sip of her beer, glad to see he'd found her stash and had managed to open it just fine. Then again guys didn't seem to need one most of the time anyway. "Was wondering if you wanted to have some lunch if you're not in a hurry to go home." Pausing a moment, Shula leaned against Acra and pulled her arm around his side and gave a tight squeeze before looking up at him. "Feeling better any?

He smiled to her sitting down and took a large gulp of beer. He smiled as she snuggled close. She seemed to fit to well against his side and he couldn't help himself from ruffling her hair. What ever style she had had it in was ruined now as he turned it into a massive puffball of blond. "Ah. Well I noticed you were low on edible supplies. So i asked Wallace to bring us dinner. He was planning on serving a meal to Rochelle and I tonight but...yeah." He paused for a long moment before turning back to the little alchemist. "So Shulz...Do you like lobster?" Quirking a silly grin to her.

He wondered briefly if feeding his best friend lobster that was going to be fed to your ex girlfriend would be seen as weird. Sure he taught Shula was pretty but they where best friends and nothing more. For a moment he was scared she might laugh in his face and call him a desperate pervert or something. He quickly coughed. "Just because... it'll go off and be a waste...." He mumbled quickly.

Shula's eyes closed for a moment as Acra resumed his seat, then squeezed shut as her bangs were ruffled, poofing the mess of blonde and forcing what would have been a squeak from her mouth, the noise coming off as a faint, breathy ghost of a squeak. Acra was always going to see her as a kid sister, wasn't he? She brought up her hands to smooth out her bangs as Acra took another sip, pouting up at him slightly before it subsided into a soft blush and a much more sheepish look than the proud girl typically bore. "....You....didn't have to do that," she said almost shyly, still looking up at her friend. "There's still some food around, I just haven't felt up to shopping yet."

She wasn't exactly fibbing there; after being discharged she hadn't really felt up to braving public transport to get down to the store, fight with the crowds to shop, and wait for the bus with armfuls of bags. Just wasn't in her scope for how much energy she had at the moment. She also really hadn't felt like eating much anyway, so it really didn't seem to be that pressing of an issue. Still, it was a bit embarrassing that her best friend would notice that (even though she knew there wasn't much worth eating in the fridge other than beer, presently) and take the liberty of bringing food for her... No, no. That's just Acra being nice. He does that sort of thing all the time.. just usually lunch and treats.

The little alchemist shrugged slightly. "Never had lobster before, but I'd rather it not go to waste." Shula smiled lightly, snuggling against her friend's side, thinking a moment. He came to her for comfort more than anything, and he'd gone through this pattern before; find gorgeous woman, date, pamper and be dumped. But these women all seemed to having certain traits in common and there was a pattern forming. Hopefully Acra wouldn't be too miffed if she made a small assessment."I'm sorry Rochelle dumped you hon... But I think it's honestly for the best. Really and truly she was just interested in you because of your family and not really for you at all." Shula pulled her arm around his back and squeezed his side gently. "Think maybe next girlfriend you should look for is one who doesn't want to be pampered and spoiled and nothing else. One who already provides for herself and isn't just looking for an easy out...." Hopefully Acra wouldn't get too mad at her, especially since she honestly did just want her poor derp to be happy with someone who wasn't just out to use him.

He smiled. At least she hadn't found it creepy or anything. There was something disturbing but right about the idea of having a fancy home cooked dinner with Shula. Though part of him wished it had been the shorter blond who was going to cook the meal. He quickly licked his lower lip remembering the birthday picnic she had made him. That had been fantastic and so delicious.

Blinking back to reality as she brought Rochelle up his face must of dropped by several feet. Being with Shula seeing her alchemy he had forgotten about the embarrassing dumping the model had done. He felt Shula snuggle close so he squeezed back. Listening to each word on tender hooks. She hit the nail on the head. He was so busy looking for someone he could treat and spoil he let them walk all over him then they have there fill then walk off leaving him face first in the dirt. Metaphorically of course. "I guess...." He mumbled feeling a bit like a kicked puppy. ' I...just like seeing people happy cause i was able to give them something nice that they liked or wanted......" Wringing his beer through his hands he wondered if the bottle was on the verge of breaking. "Like....say with you when i give you a hot chocolate and doughnut at break....your eyes light up like rubies and you get this cute little smile...I like being able to get you to do that...." He blushed slightly looking off to the side. 'Yeah cause that just didn't sound creepy....'

He really was too sweet, and that was probably why these women kept taking advantage of him. At least he hadn't gone off and married any of them yet and gotten into that sort of mess; with his record he'd marry one and she'd divorce him just to own the largest chain of upscale hotels in the country. Then he'd have really been in a mess. A thin, pale eyebrow raised up as Acra explained himself and suddenly turned away from her face; it was so rare to see him this honest, and stranger still to see him blush. Normally he would tease her to make her blush, but this was a bit different. She let out a soft sigh through ehr nose and squeezed him again softly.

"There's a reason my nickname's been Bright Eyes all my life." Shula reached up, gently taking the bottle from his hands before he squeezed it to death. Last thing she needed was her derpy puppy needing to be taken to the doctor's from glass in his hands. She put it down on the coffee table and poked his cheek lightly. "I know you like making people happy, and that's one of the things that the people who know you best love about you. But it just kills me to watch you get hurt like this..." Her hand moved up to cup Acra's warm cheek and rubbed it lightly with her thumb. She couldn't help but think about the friends she'd had before and was missing. "Those of us who honestly love you for you are very lucky to have you. Those stupid women don't deserve you."

He pulled her close pouting as his beer was removed from his hands. He couldn't help go red as she spoke. "I know you like making people happy, and that's one of the things that the people who know you best love about you. But it just kills me to watch you get hurt like this..." Stroking his face so intermently almost like a lover. He was sure his skin was heating up.

"I...guess..." He smiled pulling her close kissing her forehead. "I love you too Shu...." He petted her hair softly letting the golden silk slide through his fingers. " God I need a woman like you." He said grinning to her softly. Before it dawned on how creepy that sounded. He shook his head avoiding eye contact. "Well....that sounded creepy..... I...didn't mean it like that...." (And then he shot poisonous quills from his body, as a defence mechanism!) He sighed. God he was such a dork. "I'm totally not trying to pick you up Shu!"

There really was something relaxing and comforting about snuggling Acra. It wasn't like when she used to get hugs from Gustav in South before he died; he was comforting and friendly too, and he was always safe to be around and never tested her boundaries, but the affection really only went so deep. But what she felt from Acra was becoming so different, like she would be okay with just cuddling him and watching a movies with him always, and found more and more she was looking forward to seeing him on her breaks. It wasn't just that he'd bring her treats or pay for lunch when she wasn't looking. It was really just Acra himself she was looking forward to. But that was how friends were, right? They looked forward to spending time together and spending whole evenings saying nothing and still calling it a good time, and noticing when they had changed their colognes...

Shula blushed hard, and harder still as Acra said he needed a woman like her. Wait, what? Her little heart sped up, and Shula had to fight to remain looking calm. Don't even kid yourself there, Bright Eyes... You know he only thinks of you as a kid sister. She laughed softly and then pulled away to cough, raising her eyebrow to give Acra a look with a quirked smile. "Right, because one of me isn't too much for the world already," she teased, trying to shut her brain up. "I know you're not, so don't worry about it. How about we watch something until food gets here? Offering to change the subject was safe, and then she'd calm down her racing mind and not make Acra feel weird or like she wanted that easy out she'd talked about. Maybe in my wildest dreams...

He smiled softly to her as she joked that more Shula's in the world would be terrible. Chuckling softly he drew her closer into the snuggle also reaching for his beer. Taking a deep gulp while rubbing her back his mind wondered. 'Someone like Shula.....If only she even consider me....' His lids dropped slightly as the train of taught carried on. 'But no....Were too close as friends to ruin it...' Placing down the bottle on the coffee table and settling back, Acra looked to Shula.

"So what kind of movie?" A almost evil grin spread on his lips. "Horror? Slasher flick? Suspense thriller? What do you have?" A evil plot filled his mind. Maybe if he got a terrifying horror film. Shula would be so scared she would have to cling to him and hide. He could be the prince charming who protects her from the scary film. Sure he was scared to ruin there friendship but hey he was a man. So he wanted some cute girl clinging to him for protection and comfort, Sue him!

------

When Wallace had come round the first time with dinner and helped himself to the kitchen to cook it, Shula at first protested since she saw him as a guest. After both he and Acra insisted that he take care of the cooking for them and reminded her that she was supposed to be resting,Shula finally gave in and let Acra win that round. Whether she wanted to admit it or not, even though she was feeling better, she still felt like hell and doing too much too fast had a way of wearing her down faster than it should have. She was glad that her friend's butler had come to cook though; the extra company was nice to have, and dinner was delicious. For looking like a weird alien bug, it didn't taste half bad.

The movie that was on tv was terrible and impossible to find scary in the slightest. Old, black and white, and every time the vampire changed into a bat you could see the wires. Or funnier was when you could see the shadows of people walking around during nighttime scenes that were filmed in the day. But the terrible movie didn't matter. She could have been watching static at this point and still been satisfied. Her father had actually been right when he'd told her that company was the best medicine.

Slowly she rose from the sofa and stepped into her little kitchen, smiling sheepishly as she watched Wallace finish up the dinner dishes. Reaching quietly into her pill cabinet, she pulled out the pain pills and things she was supposed to take after eating and downed them quickly with the last of a soda in the fridge. "You didn't have to go to all that trouble, Wallace...But thank you very much. I really appreciate the help...And thank you for saving me. I don't know that I can thank you enough for that." She leaned a palm against the table, knowing that her pills would start to take effect soon. The pain meds always made her sleepy and a little light-headed, but she didn't want to just go back to the livingroom and not at least thank the man who kept her from dying.

Wallace who had been unpacking the grogeries Acra had got him to buy for Shula looked up and smiled. The man was fairly aged but it was very clear the man had more wisdom in his eyes then most people. He was tall and still rather muscled. It was easy to picture the man younger in a black suit with the glasses and ear sets. He was currently arranging the canned food by what it was. and putting what expired at the front so Shula would eat them first. The plates from dinner were washed up and drying in the rack and even the oven had been scrubbed spotless and looked brand new once more amd now had a loaf of bread baking inside making the kitchen smell a sweet mix of fresh cooked bread and lemon.

He looked up and over to Shula. "No need to thank me dear. I just wish i wasn't weighed down by all that silicon. I would of gotten you out quicker." He chuckled slightly looking cautiously to the doorway. "I'm sorry to come across as nosey. But as I was tidying anf sorting your mail I couldn't help but notice you were in some fourm of trouble." He paused knowing that Shula may not want to talk about it. "I won't push the issue or tell Master Acra but if you need help Master Acra's brother Master Alaric is a doctor. I'm sure he can treat you for free if Master Acra asked." He stopped wondering if he had stepped out of line. But he knew that if Shula told Acra the boy would get her the health care even if he had to suck up to his bother like he never had before.

Finishing the last swig of the fizzy drink, Shula pitched the bottle into the recycling bin and leaned against the counter tiredly, just taking in deep breaths. God the kitchen smelled nice. One of these days she'd have to go to Acra's house just to take notes from this man; she could cook pretty well, but damn that smelled great. Her kitchen looked so clean, too. So full of groceries and so.... her mail was organized. Shula blanched slightly as Wallace confessed he'd sorted her mail for her into the neat pile that it was now. Ohhhh shit. Shit shit shit... Acra missed it all, but he does that a lot unless it's stapled to his face. But Wallace is pretty sharp...

"I won't push the issue or tell Master Acra but if you need help Master Acra's brother Master Alaric is a doctor. I'm sure he can treat you for free if Master Acra asked."

Shula let out a soft breath, looking uneasily to her kitchen door to make sure Acra wasn't listening and lowered her voice. "Thank you Wallace... But it's okay. Really." She smiled softly, looking a little sad at the same time. "It's really nothing Acra needs to worry about, and I'm going with a cheaper alternative now. Just... Don't tell him, please?" Of course, cheaper alternative meant not getting treatment at all, but nobody needed to know that but her.

The man turned to a draw taking out an old envelope and a pen he wrote a number for Shula. Pausing for a brief moment he wrote a code with an arrow pointing to the top number then a second number under it. Handing it to Shula with a kind smile. " The top number is Master Alaric's. If you need any medication you can not afford, tell him what you need and give him that code. You won't be able to get anything big without him needing to examine you, but he can provide you with any pain killers you need. And i promise neither of us will tell Master Acra." The man turned to the oven checking the bread. " The second number is mine. If you need to talk to someone and it's something your not willing to share with Master Acra. My ear's are always open." He petted the girl's head much like a loving grandfather would do giving her a knowing smile. Gently pushing her back out into the living room. " Enjoy your movie."