[color=silver][center][h2][color=0099aa]𝐃𝐮𝐧𝐜𝐚𝐧 𝐒𝐭𝐞𝐰𝐚𝐫𝐭[/color][/h2]
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Feeling nothing but grass and branches under his palm, the mounting ire of withdrawal eventually shook Duncan from his stupor. With a groan and much more effort than it should've taken, he opened his eyes to a mess of slanted branch and bush. Realization didn't [i]hit [/i]him, it seeped into his blurry mind like water to a rag. So it... hadn't been a dream? Everything hurt, worse than a dozen instances of post-practice soreness and hangover combined, so probably not. He'd probably [i]actually [/i]fought a bear.

Duncan's eyes trailed from the makeshift ceiling, still unable to focus, and he startled the second he realized he wasn't alone. 

[color=0099aa]"... Babe?!"[/color] he asked once her features registered, voice rife with surprise and relief. He hadn't seen her during that entire fight, and hadn't known if that meant she was safe, or dead. Looking at her now, she almost seemed to be in pain for a moment - but then she pulled out his cigs, and Duncan forgot all about everything else. His throat burned from the need of them. He knew they'd help with the headache, too. They always did. Reflexively, Duncan reached for the box, only for her to pull it away; he sight of a lifesaver yanked from someone about to drown. Why?! Screw food and drink! Brows furrowed, he slurred: [color=0099aa]"[i]Babe[/i], I... need t-" [/color]

It took so long for him to form a sentence, that by the time he remembered what letter came next, he'd already gotten company. Maki. Daisuke. They joined Haruko by his side, and gradually, his mind anchored into the moment. He was poked with a foot and grabbed by the shoulders, and though every touch against sore muscles made him ache even worse, he was glad. Glad to be able to feel pain at all; glad Maki and Daisuke were alive to cause it. The last he'd seen of Maki among the chaos, she'd looked rough. And Daisuke... well, Duncan was less worried about him. No way the dude'd die before he'd beaten him at least once.

[color=0099aa]"Bro, what?"[/color] Duncan tried to laugh, but it came out a cough. Talking was already easier, though. [color=0099aa]"'Course I can chew, I'm... just tired, not like... teethless and [i]old[/i], or somethin'." [/color]He reached for the plate, not having realized how hungry he was before he could smell the meat. He didn't even think to question where it came from. In between laboured bites - and a glance at Haruko; look, he was eating now, okay! - he looked around as if in search for something. 

[color=0099aa]"Hey... where's Yuki?"[/color] he chewed. It only hurt a little.[color=0099aa] "And, uh,"[/color] he almost didn't want to ask - they did hang out in completely different circles for a reason - but he had to, weird as it might sound. [color=0099aa]"Where's Asahi?"[/color] Feeling clearer with each bite swallowed, Duncan's eyes trailed back down to his own body. By the time he saw his own torso, he remembered. [color=0099aa]"Where the fuck are my [i]guts?![/i]"[/color]

What he meant to ask was "what happened to them, weren't they literally hanging out of my goddamn chest," but in his current state, more-so than usual, eloquence was neither his strong suit nor his priority.
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