<sub>[As emotional as she can get (and still is...), Heather rarely breaks down for long. It's not a trait that's particularly conducive to survival in Silent Hill; she had grown out of it in a hurry back then. Even now, she's not dry-eyed-- or even completely relaxed (the occasional deep, shivery tremor still runs through her body, probably not visible but Phoenix can feel it under his arm)-- but she's visibly pushing down the hysterics, forcing herself back into composure.]

[She sits up straight (although she does nothing to shrug out from under Phoenix's hand) and lets out a wet cough, shaking her head like a horse shaking flies from its ears.]

[His remark gets a quiet laugh that's a little like a sob (but nearing the territory of a chuckle), and the corners of her mouth fight their way upwards a little bit from the tugged-downwards position they'd been forced into.]</sub>

Hheheh... I uh, I don't do that often, either. Promise.

_{[She inhales deeply, before finally withdrawing one of her hands from the bundle with a wince. It... doesn't look much better than before, but-- ... well, at least the bleeding's started to stop...]}

I should, uh.... I should put some disinfect and on these, and um-- ... _{[She trailed off there, staring straight ahead for a second, her mouth dipping briefly back into grimace territory before simply turning into a straight line, her lips sucked inward.]}

.... I think I totally tracked dirty snow on your couch with my boots.