Writing

The building was like any building on the street, not yet lit up by the pale morning sun, that's to say a boring block of concrete. Except this one had a blood trail on the front step. It wasn't unusual for Sun, this had happened before, but each time their stomach dropped like it was the first time. They took a look at their friend lying on the floor, and threw down their expensive leather bag, that contained their polaroid camera. It would only slow them down. They then placed themself behind her, slid their arms under hers and lifted her off the ground. AJ had changed since they first met at 16 years old. All her time spent at the gym, when she wasn't working, had paid, and she was a very muscular woman. Which is to say, it wasn't easy for Sun to carry her up the stairs and inside the apartment, but there was no other option. Once they had painfully dragged her limp body inside, they started examining her injuries. Her arms were slashed, and so were her legs. The cuts started small, and shallow, but the more they went down her body, the larger they got. It was a flaw of AJ; she could never get enough. The wounds were oozing with her bright green acidic blood. Sun put on a pair of gloves from the cabinet in her bathroom, so they wouldn't contaminate AJ, but also so AJ's blood didn't burn through their skin, and started disinfecting, binding, and sewing up her wounds.
Once they knew the emergency was over and AJ’s life wasn’t under any threat, they took a moment to breathe and look around the apartment. They didn’t come there often, the reason they had initially come here so early was because they had received an urgent message for AJ, and it couldn’t wait for her to come to the lab. The apartment looked like exactly what it was, the place of someone who was lower middle class and cared more about practicality than aesthetics, until they recently became in possession of a large sum of money, which resulted in an unusual blend. The walls were boring beige pop-corn wallpaper, while a chandelier made of real silver was laid onto a wooden stool which lacked a leg, which itself was laid over a fancy intricate carpet. Sun was gazing upon an original painting by a famous painter, when they heard a groan behind them.
« Sun, is that you ?» asked AJ’s croaky voice.
« Who else has a key to your apartment ? » they answered without turning around. « Wow, Sun I’m so sorry it happened again. » as Sun didn’t answer, she kept going, « thanks for cleaning up this mess, I think you’ve missed one though. »
Finally, Sun whipped around, but stayed silent. They walked back to AJ, still in the plastic chair Sun had thrown her in. She was poking at a gash on her chest, where Sun had forgotten to check. It was drenching her white tank top, the one she usually wore under her turtleneck, which she wore under her suit. Her face didn’t show as much worry as the situation warranted, but her black eyebrows were furrowed in regret. After pulling back the shirt, Sun pushed the skin together to see if it needed stitches. It did.
« I really am sorry. I needed more acid to finish shipping to B.A.T today, so I stayed in late to draw some more blood. But I didn’t have time to draw it like I usually do and went straight to the source. I didn’t think it was that bad, since I was able to walk back home without passing out. But I was out of luck, and I fainted right outside of my building. If I had known you’d have to take care of me again, I wouldn’t have done it. Are you going to say anything ? It’s getting creepy. »
They carefully wiped her skin with disinfectant.
Sun sighed, « I don’t care that you’re sorry AJ, I just wished you would stop. »
« I know, I promise I’ll be more careful. »
Sun prepped a needle and some thread, and started sewing the skin together.
« No, AJ, I wished you’d stop altogether. This job is insane, and it’s killing you. »
« The job is fine, this is the best thing I’ve ever done, this is the more powerful I’ve ever been, AJ. I literally create weapons. This is the most important I’ve ever been. I don’t know why you can’t see it. No, the job is not the issue. The issue is that you shouldn’t have to take care of me, I’m not your responsibility. »
Sun pulled out the needle a final time and knotted the thread.
« You quite literally are. Besides, if I don’t take care of you, no one else will. »
« Come on, Sun, if you think constantly protecting me will change the past, you’re deluded. »
They finally cut the thread.
« Ok, well, you’re all patched up, I should go then. »
Sun started walking towards the door, while AJ bit her lip in regret. They grabbed their leather bag on the floor, and suddenly remembered.
« Oh, wait, I almost forgot why I came here. I got a message for you, from B.A.T. That robotic bastard says he wants to be delivered as soon as possible this morning. I can drive you to the lab if that’s what you want. »
« Fuck, let’s go then. »