d-day + 52 ✯ video

[withtheoldbreed]

[It's relatively early in the morning when Sledge clicks on his video feed, and he looks tired, maybe even exhausted. It's also obvious he's not in his own cabin - the room behind him looks more like a shack, and although it might not be as clear, he's sitting on the floor, half leaning against the legs of a cot. One of Snafu's arms is visible, hanging limply off the side of the cot like he's just asleep.]

... Snafu's in a coma. [The word sits uncomfortably in his mouth, and it kind of shows in his face. He's read about barge comas obviously, thanks to Chromie's welcome packet, but it's one thing to read about it, another to try shaking your buddy awake and not be able to, no matter how hard you try.

He takes a breath and steels himself, trying to push it back and get what needs to get done, done.

(Except his eyes still look pretty dead, but that's not really anything new.)]

I'm gonna need a hand getting him to the infirmary.

[Private to Kieren]

I thought it'd be better than just leavin' him here. [It's what the pamphlet suggested, anyway, and he sort of feels more comfortable leaving his friend with people who can monitor him and make sure he doesn't get worse (if that's even possible?), but he still sounds uncertain. Like maybe this - making decisions about his friend's well being - is overstepping.

Which is weird to think about someone you've pretty much been physically stuck with for over a month, but here we are.]

Comments

[punched_hitler]

It's starting to feel like it's going around. [Geez.

Also, you don't look so good. But he figures you know that, and pointing it out is... well, pointless.] He'll come out of it. Even if it takes a while.

I can give you a hand, if you still need it.

[withtheoldbreed]

I'd appreciate it, sir.

[Gene's probably gotten a tiny bit better at not sir-ing Steve to death (although he still does it, and sticks to Cap or Captain Rogers rather than Steve), but this feels easier when he's still feeling a little shaky and weird.]

[punched_hitler]

[If it makes the kid feel better, Steve can handle being called sir, or any of the above, honestly. And he really can't blame him, right now. He looks pretty shaken.] Then consider me your personal moving truck. Which cabin is he in, I'll be there in a minute.

[withtheoldbreed]

Deck eight, room nineteen. [And he's going to thank him, seriously (Sledge isn't totally incapable of dragging heavy things around, but Snaf's dead weight is definitely going to mean dragging him to the infirmary if Gene does it himself, and that doesn't seem like a great idea), but he has another question to ask, first.]

Does it usually happen like this? Lots of people all at once, I mean.

private

[changeit]

[He sat up straighter at the announcement, and looks oddly rigid, now, as though he's forgotten to move his limbs the way people expect them to move. He wasn't expecting this, somehow; even though he's heard all about comas, he didn't expect them to happen to his inmate.]

Yeah. Yeah, of course, it's better.

I'll be right over, right, don't move.

private

[withtheoldbreed]

We're in the infirmary. [And while his voice still sounds kind of hollow and weird, he does manage to force something like humor and life into the second part of what he says.] Don't think we're goin' anywhere.

[So Kieren can come up whenever, basically. 8(]

private

[changeit]

Yeah. [His heart drops into his stomach.] Yeah, okay.

[He doesn't know what to say beyond that, so he just hangs up and comes to the infirmary. His footfalls feel astonishingly heavy, like his limbs are deader than usual; his face doesn't get drawn anymore, but he just looks tired, heavy-hearted, as though he doesn't know what to do.]

[Which is fair enough: he has no idea. What does a warden do without his inmate?]

[Poking his head into the infirmary, he spots Gene quickly enough, waves and comes in.] All right?

[It's a stupid question, but he doesn't know what else to ask.]

spam

[withtheoldbreed]

[Gene's sitting in a chair next to the bed Captain Rogers had put Snafu in, and while he doesn't exactly look happier or pleased when he makes eye contact with the other warden, he does perk up a little bit. Or, at least, he's a little more alert as he considers the question, and maybe it's something of a weird relief to see that Kieren looks tired and worried, too.

No, Gene's not alright, but the reason he's not is kind of stupid because Snaf's going to be fine, the nightmare he'd had was just that - a nightmare - and it's fucking stupid to be feeling torn up inside about any of it. Right? Nothing he can do about it, anyway.

So he lies.]

Fine. [He scrubs a hand over his eyes, trying to wake himself up.] Thanks for coming.

[leavetreadmarks]

[The name doesn't really give her pause, though she doesn't know either Gene or the man in question. It's that word again, and the air of defeat around this guy, that spurs Letty into replying.]

What's all this about comas? What's going on? Are you two alright?

[withtheoldbreed]

I don't know. [He doesn't. None of this makes any sense, and he's too tired to try figuring it out right now, if he even can. All he knows is that his buddy's unresponsive and apparently this is normal, not a big deal.] I guess it just happens, sometimes.

We're alright, ma'am.

[He still sounds a little too hollow to really believe that, though.]

[leavetreadmarks]

What? That's such bullshit.

[It just falls out of her mouth, thoughtless and sincere, but she doesn't believe for a moment what his words are telling her when she can clearly see that he's not. The bullshit is for the coma, for how it just happens.

Her follow up is for how alright he isn't.]

What happens next? I thought the hospital was free in this place. That's what they keep telling me.

[withtheoldbreed]

It is, ma'am. And I don't know. [He doesn't. Hurry up and wait isn't exactly an unfamiliar concept - not by a long shot - but it's different when it's something like this. Something weird, and unexpected, and pretty shitty even if everyone seems pretty confident that there's not really much to worry about, here.]

Wait for him to wake up, I guess.

text

[thelastbullet]

I'm guessing you've made it to the infirmary by now.

text, private

[withtheoldbreed]

Yes. I might be up here for a while.

[action]

[thelastbullet]

[There's no reply after this for a good 10 minutes or so. Between one no-smoking zone and another (and when did they start banning cigarettes from hospitals, anyway?) he has to get his nicotine fix.

Eventually, though, he pushes open the door to the infirmary. He's holding a plastic-wrapped plate in one hand, and when he walks up to Gene he can see that there's toast, eggs and cheese on there. He'd put a plate aside at the end of his shift in the kitchens, so all of it's still lukewarm, at least.]

Figured you mighta skipped breakfast. It ain't much, but here.

[action]

[withtheoldbreed]

[Gene might have taken the lack of response as Jimmy just being busy, or trying to figure out what to say, not a sign that he was on his way up or anything. That means when he spots the other guy coming into the infirmary, he brightens with surprise, some of the tired deadness around his eyes pulled back or pushed away. He even manages a surprised smile which quickly turns to grateful as he's offered the plate and heard the explanation.

(And for the record, he's surprised by the no smoking policy, too. Slightly frustrated by it right now, honestly, because if he's going to need a cigarette sometime, it's now.)]

Thanks. [He peels the wrap off and almost immediately starts eating, maybe a hair less enthusiastically than he should be. It's good even if it's not hot - the novelty of having access to this kind of food has absolutely not worn off yet - and if this were happening under different circumstances, he might be basically shoveling it down his face, but it's not, so he goes a little slow and chews almost thoughtfully.

Really, though, he's kind of just pleased and surprised to see him here at all.]

You figured out how to cook eggs?

[Private]

[irishrotter]

What's he like? Snafu.

[He's been meaning to ask. Really, he's been meaning to check up on the man in person, but obviously that won't do much good now. He's heard a bit from Kieren, and he knows -- now, if he didn't before -- that Gene is his friend, but not much else. He needs to know who it is Kieren's gotten himself wrapped up with; how good or bad it could potentially be.

Belatedly, he realizes this might not necessarily be the best time to get what he wants.]

If you don't mind my asking.

[Private]

[withtheoldbreed]

He's a good marine. [Which is pretty much the highest compliment you can give someone - from Gene's perspective - and he sounds very firm in this assessment.]

Can I ask why you're asking?

[Private]

[irishrotter]

Because Kieren Walker is his warden.

[He doesn't bother to clarify that any further. He and Kieren are connected clearly enough by the way they look, by the white in their eyes and the black around their fingernails. Whatever else is between them -- and Simon is proud of and pleased by it, whatever it is -- that's not something he needs to flaunt here and now.]

[maytakecenturies]

[T'Pol is used to being surrounded with eyes that shine with ambition and eyes that practically absorb light from their surroundings, they're so bleak. She's not concerned with his appearance at all.

Instead, she turns it to her own needs, as she often does.]

A coma. You don't seem concerned for your friend.

[Which is the weirdest sentence she has ever tried to say without sarcasm, for the record.]

[withtheoldbreed]

I am, ma'am. [It's just a lot easier to kind of emotionally shut down in the face of something like this. Everything gets kind of overwhelming and suffocating if you let yourself dwell on it.]

It isn't the same as one you'd get with something like a head injury. I've been told he'll be fine.

[maytakecenturies]

[It takes a moment, the faintest hint of consternation on her face.]

Then he's just sleeping.

[She says it with a tone that says, why don't you wake him, but that's not really what she means: it's because he says he's been told something he cares about will be fine, and she can't fathom anyone simply swallowing those promises.]

[Spam]

[semifreakingnormal]

[He makes sure that Snaf's already in the infirmary, then just slips out to find Gene. It's not like he really expects him to stray from his friend's side.]

Hey.

[Spam]

[withtheoldbreed]

[He hasn't. Eventually, he'll go get some chow and head back to his room to sleep, maybe go to the library tomorrow and act like everything's fine, but you can expect him to be a pretty frequent visitor to the infirmary until Snafu wakes up.

So he's sitting in a chair next to Snaf's bed when Scott finds him, and Gene makes an effort to smile. It looks more than a little strained.]

Hey.

[Spam]

[semifreakingnormal]

[Scott comes around the other side and offers another smile in return: less strained, but understanding. He brushes his hand against Snafu's, just to make sure - he's not in pain.]

You guys served together?