[ there is a few brief moments where kaeya considers leaving her alone for now, because this encounter is quickly becoming uncomfortably similar to what happened with collei. he hates that he can see a bit of himself not only in collei, but in this person too, because he knows what it feels like to have no control over your own actions. it would have been much easier for him to walk away, come back with someone else who is better equipped to handle this, and yet he chooses to stay.

he sets the basket down on the floor before he gently pries her hand away from her leg, holding onto it as he kneels down by her side. he is careful when he tries to study her other hand, the one with broken fingers, watching the pulse of neon blue be snuffed out as quickly as it appeared. ]

There are people who will be very cross with me should any harm come your way.

[ gone is the serious demeanour that asked her why? (why does she want to die?), replaced by something more like his usual self. his tone remains casual, but the way he looks at her has more hidden underneath the surface. it's not sympathy he can offer, but more so that of understanding. that there's someone else out here who knows what it's like. ]

So I can't give you that. [ slowly, he reaches for her broken hand, wanting to look at it more closely if he's allowed to. ] What happened to your hand? Did someone hurt you before coming here?