[OPEN]

[bloodspeaker]

Date & Time: June 9th - June 15th (with the clinic becoming increasingly crowded and chaotic as days pass)
Location: Transport clinic
Characters: Clinic staff, possible clinic staff, sick people, ANYONE AT ALL
Summary: Clinic happenings during Stage II of the epidemic
Warnings: maybe someone's gonna vomit idk


Adrasteius moves through the halls with purpose, seeing to as many people and as many of their needs as he can. He administers medicine, soothes the fever-related aches and pains with the Light, checks supplies, and even tries to handle some of that growing paperwork mountain, albeit to very little avail. He knows from the network--and direct observation--that the Initiative's medical facilities are filling up quickly, which means that even Exsilium natives are starting to pour in.

The scene in the waiting room is particularly chaotic at any given time of day; nearly every chair is filled by someone requiring attention. Meanwhile, supplies of all kinds are running low, they're understaffed, and the disease everyone seems to be suffering from won't respond to anything, magical or otherwise.

But everyone's doing their best--right?

[OOC: FEEL FREE TO MAKE YOUR OWN THREADS EVERYONE; if it's open, Adra may or may not pop up.]

Comments

june 11th

[bloodspeaker]

[Adra's surprised when he walks into the clinic lobby and finds Catsovi there. He strides up to the man with a worried frown.]

Are you all right? You need to be in bed ... [and then, after a beat--] How long have you been out of bed?

[scornful]

[ Ah. There's Adrasteius. Cat's been looking for him ever since leaving bed.

Grinning, Cat takes a single unsteady step towards Adrasteius, reaching out to place a hand on Adra's shoulder -- less out of camaraderie, more out of need for physical support. ]

I'm... unsure. What day is it? [ then, disapprovingly, with fits of coughing: ] I don't think you ever did come by later. Didn't you promise soup?

[bloodspeaker]

I'm sorry--I meant to come by as soon as I could, but the situation here is degrading rapidly.

[And so are you, he thinks, covering Cat's hand with his own.]

If you haven't been eating or sleeping, we need to fix both of those things. Come on, I'll find you a room.

[scornful]

That's quite all right. All is forgiven.

[ Cat grins, closing his eyes, drawing close to Adrasteius to lean heavily upon him. ]

Are you putting me to bed already? But we've only just said hello.

[bloodspeaker]

[Adra staggers a little under the weight. He coughs and gingerly tries to pull away, one hand flat on Cat's chest.]

You need rest. Clearly.

[scornful]

[ Cat's got no strength to fight back, so he stumbles away, his hand trailing off Adrasteius' shoulder and over his arm as he does so. But he raises his other hand to jab at Adrasteius' chest. ]

You, too. How are you feeling? I told you not to get sick.

[bloodspeaker]

[Adra grabs at Cat's wrist, grumbling.]

I've been better. Come along, now.

[scornful]

Are you getting sick? [ Catsovi staggers after Adrasteius for a few steps before digging his heels in, pulling back, reaching to touch Adrasteius' face. ] Let me see. Let me see you.

[bloodspeaker]

[Adrasteius halts, startled, pulled back. As usual, his body heat is significantly above-average, and he does have a sheen of sweat across his neck and forehead--but that's more due to exertion than anything else. He clears his throat, unsure of himself. Ordinarily he would instantly jerk back, but ... Cat is blind.

He mutters.]

I'm fine. I just haven't slept much recently.

[scornful]

[ Well, now that he's finally got the chance, Cat's not going to just let it go. So he runs his hands slowly over Adrasteius' face, along his jaw, over his cheeks, across to the bridge of Adrasteius' nose. Cat's own skin is already feverish; touching Adrasteius feels like burning.

That's a good face, though. That much is obvious, even through the delirium of fever and insanity. ]

You feel tired. You need to sleep. [ Catsovi feels a cough and jerks his head down, shoulders tensing, trying to stifle it. His eyes water from the effort. ] Nap, at least....

[bloodspeaker]

--Maybe a bit later on. [He frowns at Catsovi's strain.] Follow me, please--and then I promise you'll have soup.

[He pulls away and starts walking down the corridor.]

[scornful]

[ Catsovi lets one hand drop away entirely and the other come to rest lightly over Adra's arm, using it to guide him -- as if he needed to be guided. He doesn't. He can see very well and he's staring curiously at the back of Adrasteius' head now, at his hair, at the set of his shoulders and the slimness of his build... delicate. Dangerously so.

Cat clicks his tongue. ]

I'm holding you to that, this time.

[ He feels very fatigued, all of a sudden. Bed doesn't sound like such a bad option after all. ]

[bloodspeaker]

[Once he's found an empty room, he (carefully) ushers Cat in, even pulls back the sheets for him.]

There you are. Lie down and I'll come right back, okay?

[scornful]

[ So kind. Cat undoes the top button of his shirt, kicks his socks and shoes off, and all but collapses onto the mattress. The sheets are fresh, new, cool against his skin. Good.

He buries his face into the pillow and groans. ]

Ten minutes... then I'll come looking.

[bloodspeaker]

[Adra returns in five, carrying a bowl of delicious and nutritious noodle soup, prepared with a thick, rich broth and tasty fresh vegetables--sliced carrots and celery etc.

He sets the tray--complete with bowl, spoon, and a glass of orange juice--on Catsovi's bedside table.]

Here you go. Try to sit up, if you can.

[scornful]

Ghh.

[ But despite that unpromising response, Catsovi manages to bring himself upright. He spends a few moments fussing with the pillows so that he can prop himself up against them, then manages to return his focus to Adrasteius. He reaches out to touch the tray and its contents, and then sniffs. ]

Liquids.... [ He starts to go for the spoon and then pauses, and grins wanly. ] Do I have to feed myself?

[bloodspeaker]

[Dryly, hands on his hips.] If you think you can manage.

[scornful]

[ Given the embarrassing alternative, Cat picks up the spoon and tugs the tray closer to pick up the bowl of soup. ] I think I can manage.

[ He starts to eat, carefully, hoping like hell that he doesn't cough or sneeze too violently at any near point in the future. ]

Would you have fed me if I'd said 'no'?

[bloodspeaker]

[Adra observes this, his fingers tapping against his hipbone.]

I have assisted patients with their meals before, when necessary.

[i.e. 'yes'.]

[scornful]

Mmm. [ Cat takes a while to finish the soup, frowning slightly. The sickness has thrown his sense of taste off entirely. He doesn't enjoy this warping. Cat likes food, and Adrasteius makes good meals, and it's such a shame that this one's essentially gone to waste -- it doesn't matter if Catsovi can't properly enjoy the flavor!

But he finishes it anyway. He reaches out to put the empty bowl and spoon back, letting his fingers brush the glass of orange juice thoughtfully. In the end, his hand comes back empty, the glass staying on the tray.

He tilts his head to one side and grins. ]

All right. But. Grapes. Have you ever hand-fed grapes to anyone?

[bloodspeaker]

[Adra's expression sours.]

No. No, I have definitely not ever fucking done that.

You should drink the juice.

[scornful]

[ :9

Cat sighs and reaches out, this time to push at the glass with a finger. He gives it a petulant frown. ]

You may have to force me. I don't feel like it.

[ He turns to extend his hand towards Adrasteius instead, searching for an arm. At the same time, he muffles a cough against the back of his other arm. ]

Adrasteius... Adra. May I call you that?

[bloodspeaker]

[Adrasteius moves forward, closing the distance between them and putting himself within easy reach. He picks up the orange juice and sighs.]

You can call me whatever you want to, Catsovi. Especially if you have a few sips of this juice. It's good for you.

[scornful]

Hmm. [ Cat licks his lips, and frowns again. Dry. Cracked. The color of them probably looks horrible against his skin right now, as he's certain that he's gone awfully pale. (He has.) Ah, well. ] Adra. [ Purred. ] Can I really call you anything I like, now? Adrasteius. Adra. Sin'dorei. Clinician. Doctor. Hm... no, we're getting more and more formal, it seems.

[ He sits up a little straighter to move his hand, placing it on Adrasteius' chest. ]

How about... darling?

[bloodspeaker]

[Adra glances at Cat's fingers splayed out on his chest, frowning. He holds out the juice.]

Stop being ridiculous. Drink this. At least a little.