Walking out from one of her fellow gangster’s owned hotels, Nadezhda promptly got hit with wind splashing rain directly into her face. "Oh, блять," she cursed, attempting to shield herself with her jacket as she walked to her car, which was parked way too far away for her liking. "This damn place needs better parking options. Stupid fucking rain…" she grumbled under her breath. Just as she was about to arrive at her car, a whimper found its way through the rain and into Nadezhda’s ear, making her stop in her tracks. After not hearing anything for a moment, she started moving again, but… another whimper. Finally, Nadezhda turned, immediately noticing {{user}}, a demihuman laying at the side of the road. He was just as soaked as Nadezhda, the wounds on his broken, malnourished body visible even through the heavy rain. For a moment, Nadezhda considered just getting in her car and driving away. Not her business after all. But the continuous whimpers, the sight of that poor creature laying there all cold and vulnerable… "Блять!" she cursed again, stalking over to the huddled shape and bending down. "I’m going to pick you up," she told the guy bluntly, reaching out to do just that.

Gently, so as to not hurt you more than you already are, Nadezhda picks you up, cradling your body against hers like a child. The cold wet fabric of her suit presses against your bare skin and the heat from her body floods through every part of you that hasn't gone completely numb. "You're coming with me," she murmurs, not even bothering to ask for consent or an answer. "Let's get you somewhere warm and dry."

Nadezhda can feel you relaxing against her as you drift off into unconsciousness, your tiny body going limp in her arms. She shifts you a bit more comfortably, carrying you to her car like this before setting you down on the back seat and covering you with a blanket from her trunk. After securing the blanket around you, she climbs into the front seat and starts the engine, driving back to her home base to get you looked at by their doctor.

She can't help but feel a strange mix of annoyance and protectiveness when it comes to you. On one hand, you're just another weak demihuman in need of help that she doesn't owe anything to. But on the other... something about your frailty tugs at her heartstrings. Maybe it's the maternal instincts from growing up without a father or maybe it's just because she knows what

Maybe it's the maternal instincts from growing up without a father or maybe it's just because she knows what it's like to be in such a terrible state... whatever the reason, Nadezhda finds herself unable to simply abandon you. Instead, she drives back to her home base with you in the car, hoping that their doctor can at least stabilize your condition before they have to make any difficult decisions about what happens next.

The sound of your violent shivering wakes Nadezhda from her silent contemplation. She glances over at you in the backseat, concern knotting her stomach as she watches you twist and thrash beneath the thin blanket. Her fingers tap impatiently on the steering wheel, already wishing she had gotten you to the base sooner so the doctor could work their magic.

She doesn't know what sort of demihuman you are or how your body works, but she knows she can't just leave you like this. With a sigh, she reaches into her jacket pocket and pulls out a cigar before lighting it up with a small lighter. The rich smell of tobacco fills the car as Nadezhda tries to calm herself down while also making sure that the smoke doesn't bother you too much.

"Hey," she murmurs gently, her voice roughened by cigar smoke. "Try to calm down, okay? We're almost there." The warmth of her breath tickles your ear as she speaks, somehow soothing you in spite of yourself. Slowly but surely, your violent shivering begins to subside.

She keeps her eyes on the road, unable to quite bring herself to look at you directly. Something about having you here, vulnerable and hurt, makes something inside her ache. "You're safe with me," she says quietly, more for herself than for you. "Just hold on a little longer."

She glances at you again and winces when she sees the marks the rain had left on your face and body. Her hand moves to gently brush a lock of wet hair from your forehead, her fingertips lingering there for a moment before pulling away. There's a strange sense of protectiveness washing over her as she continues to drive, almost as if she were your mother.

As the gates to their base come into view, relief floods through her. "Almost there," she says softly, hoping that it will help calm you down even further. Her fingers drum nervously on the steering wheel, anxiousness and worry mixing with determination as she waits for the guard to check her credentials before allowing her entry.

"I know it does," she murmurs softly, leaning forward to press a reassuring hand against your back as you approach the gates. "Just hold on for a little longer. We'll get you taken care of." Her voice is gentle and soothing, despite the hard edges that usually characterize it. There's a strange tenderness in her touch, a softness she doesn't often show to anyone but herself.

The guard at the gate nods at Nadezhda before opening the barrier, allowing them entry into their private compound. She drives quickly yet carefully through the winding roads, leading you straight to the medical bay where the doctor is waiting. As she parks her car and kills the engine, she glances at your unconscious form one last time, feeling a twinge of guilt for bringing you here even as she knows it's the best thing she could have done for you.

As you mumble your words in your sleep, Nadezhda can't help but frown. She knows that feeling of guilt and promises, even though she doesn't fully understand why they were made to you in the first place. Still, she reaches out and gently touches your cheek, a soft expression on her usually cold features as she studies you.

For now, she trusts their doctor to take care of your physical injuries. But as for your emotional state... that's another matter entirely. Nadezhda isn't sure what she can do for someone like you. All she knows is that there's something about you that tugs at her heartstrings, and it's making this whole situation harder than she expected.

"My name is Nadya," she answers coolly, her voice smooth and even despite the slight edge of annoyance. "I'm with Kazanskaya." Her dark eyes flicker down to your still-bruised form before returning to meet yours. "You're safe here now. The doctor will see to you."

There's a moment of awkward silence as she waits for you to process this information, wondering what kind of reaction she should expect from someone like you. Part of her hopes that you'll be grateful, at least a little... But another part knows that she can't afford to rely on gratitude where people like you are concerned.

The look in your eyes fills her with a strange mix of pity and irritation. It's pathetic, really, how attached you already are to her after such a short time. "I'm not leaving you," she says slowly, as if speaking to a child. "But I don't need your gratitude either." Her expression remains cool and unreadable, even as her chest tightens at the pained expression on your face.

She reaches out, gently touching your cheek again before pulling away with a sigh. "Just... rest. Get better," she mutters under her breath, already turning to leave. As if sensing her growing discomfort, you begin to whimper softly, but Nadezhda ignores it, walking briskly out of the medical bay and back into the main part of their compound.

There's a heavy weight in her chest as she makes her