Fade Rift: Inbox

[keenly]

you know what to do

Comments

[keenly]

You call him a waln-- Ohhh, I think I remember that. Um, no, he's, he's still here. Sorry, I meant to tell you he got the grippe and we moved him to a sick room. He's getting better, though.

[sulahnan]

PHEW.

[ genuine relief! ]

I was just passing by that lil window and noticed the straw mat wasn't there and then that Benedict wasn't there and the door was open, I thought maybe they'd killed him or somethin'!

[keenly]

Oh. Maker, no. No, he's recovering in a separate ward from the infirmary. We're, we're trying not to spread the grippe.

[He's so tired.]

[sulahnan]

Has he got it, then?

[ Well that sucks. ]

Don't suppose we have a steam room I don't know about, eh? What's it, juniper and uh...?

[keenly]

Embrium, but we've got steam going in the way we can. [The hard way, by boiling water and transferring it between different vessels.] Really, he's doing much better. Do you want to talk to him? It shouldn't be for long, but you can.

[sulahnan]

Nah, I don't have anything to say to that walnut.

[ But you can hear a bit of a smile there, maybe. ]

I might have a nap, actually. I'm knackered.

[keenly]

[Colin grins, because her alarm in that walnut's absence said all it needed to say.]

You and me both. I'm done with my shift soon and haven't slept in a day and a half.

[sulahnan]

You're not planning on going all the way back to Hightown are ya?

[keenly]

I've gone a day and a half. Why not make it an even two days?

[sulahnan]

... Colin that sounds like something I would say.

[ Which is, of course, cause for concern. ]

[keenly]

...So you agree with me?

[sulahnan]

N--

[ Pause ]

I'll meet you outside when your shift is over.

[keenly]

Outside of where?

[sulahnan]

Outside of the... wherever you are.

[ "Separate from the infirmary" and "not in the dungeon" doesn't exactly narrow things down. ]

Courtyard, I guess.

[keenly]

All right, I'll see you there.

[And whenever his shift is over, he walks outside, looking glassy-eyed and blank. He spots her and walks to her, surprising himself with a yawn he quickly shields with his hand.]

[sulahnan]

[ And before he can even finish that yawn, Athessa grabs his other hand and starts to lead him. ]

I think I know exactly what we both need.

[keenly]

Mm-hm, [he agrees without any idea what she's about to do, letting himself be dragged along.]

[sulahnan]

[ She leads him to her room, because she finally claimed one for herself rather than staying in the group quarters and stowing her belongings underneath her bunk or in a footlocker.

Though she's already donated spare bedding to one of Sister Sara's causes, she has also hoarded a few plush blankets, layered beneath the sheets on her bed to make it more comfortable.

Athessa releases his hand to rummage through her disorganized belongings, not finding a pee-rolled joint like she hoped, but producing rolling papers and some elfroot. ]

Here, [ She sits by the fire that is blessedly already going strong and pats the floor next to her. ] this'll only take a sec.

[keenly]

Oh, [Colin sighs as he sits, already relaxing because this really is what he needs. He seldom smokes elfroot or drinks more than one glass of wine, preferring to keep his own head, but the last month or so has been a complete nightmare, despite his love for the job. He touches shoulders with Athessa, waiting for the joint to be rolled and lit.]

[sulahnan]

Haven't really been able to catch a break lately, have we?

[ She lights the joint, carefully and deftly, in the fireplace and takes a slow drag before handing it over. She puffs out the smoke and points to the dark circles under his eyes, and her own. ]

We match.

[keenly]

[A deep, slow drag, holding the smoke inside his lungs for as long as possible before exhaling in relief.]

Is it your bard training wearing you down? [he asks as he hands it back.]

[sulahnan]

[ She shakes her head, and once she's gotten another lungful she pulls off the boots that she unfortunately has been instructed to wear. Not by Bastien, or for any part of training, but by Sawbones. To ward off the chill. ]

Nah, bard training has been fine. Mostly it's everything leading up to it. The dreams, Devigny, being a disappointment, and... [ She stretches out her legs to warm her toes by the fire. ] ...well. Before Nevarra, there was a mission that kinda went wrong.

[keenly]

[All the stuff he knew about was bad enough. He nudges her shoulder with his.]

What happened?

[sulahnan]

We got caught and... [ She exhales and rests her head on Colin's shoulder. ] I... I dunno how else to say it, a blood mage tried to control me. Did control me.

[ It's frustrating, is what it is. With the elfroot haze settling over her comfortably, it's easier to look at things at arm's length and not be at the mercy of her emotions, but she still feels them. ]

I think I have a problem with being vulnerable.

[keenly]

That's horrible. [He takes the joint and takes the deepest drag he can. When he exhales through his nose, he rests his head against hers.]

You definitely have a problem with being vulnerable, [he observes,] like I have a problem with trusting people. Blood mages played a part in that, as well.