i know you're scared, but let your walls just drop.

[limitstorm]

Date & Time: 6/14, morning/late morning (a/b). (Locked: afternoon)
Location: Rooftops/drug district (a), hallways of the Hold (b), and Unit 108 (c)
Characters: Riku, open (a/b). Riku and Axel (c)
Summary: Sickly kids will do as sickly kids do.
Warnings: N/A!

a. on his way to steal your girl to bust his sleeper agent.
[ riku didn't usually take the short way through dingy alleyways to the little breakfast nook he liked to eat at, but today, he'd decided to. he was sick enough as it was, anyway--the drug-filled district couldn't really hurt him that much. speed is of the essence, he remembers from the initiative announcement, which means that for a while, he takes to the rooftops, jumping and sliding down slants and straight roofs alike. at least, until he knows his joints protest and his dizziness takes hold. he jumps down, landing on his feet like a cat.

upon passing the usual crowd, he kept his head low. he was on the lookout for sleeper agents, sure--but he couldn't keep upright for too long. he'd already been infected for more than a week now, nearing two weeks, and his body had never been too hardy when it came to infectious diseases. at least axel had given him this--and sheena had been nowhere in sight, so he felt a little better. even so... he carefully sat himself down on a bench, breathing a little irregularly, red hood falling over his face so only the bottom half of his face and a few wisps of silver hair could be seen.

this was not good. he felt the start of a rattle in his chest, too... ]

b; after reporting to the initiative.
[ with the vials confiscated, the individual turned into the initiative, and the information he'd been given related to personnel, riku left. the rattling had turned worse. some staff had suggested he visited the hospital, which he agreed to.

(he wasn't visiting the hospital. it was packed as it was.)

hood down, he put on the mask he'd acquired after a brief stint in the clinic, walking down the halls. he kept an eye and a wide berth from anyone who he supposed was healthy; it was best to. this was highly infectious, after all... and while he could see others dragging what were likely other agents in, he couldn't help but feel a little anxious as the hallways of the hold showed to be more and more sparse. was everyone sick? population decimation, hadn't the AI said? ]

c. (locked to axel)
[ as the clock marked four, riku finally returned to the unit, out of breath.

he briefly looked at axel on the couch before he trod into the kitchen, grabbing a glass he'd marked with permanent marker at a vain attempt at making sure the rest of the unit hadn't come down with what he had. with a good dose of orange juice (last bit from axel's graciously donated stash) sloshing with ice cubes, he braced his back against the fridge as he drank, hands shaking. stellaluna was quick to divebomb him with nuzzling affection, making him laugh as he downed his drink.

a laugh became a choke, and a choke became a cough.

and a cough became a sharp, wet rattle in his chest. riku froze, color and warmth draining from his face as he pressed his free hand against his chest. he'd felt that kind of rattle in his chest before, very recently. he swallowed, and glanced up. he hadn't noticed if axel was asleep or awake. hopefully, he hadn't heard that. ]

Comments

[got_it_memorized]

"You know, you and Saïx are like the only ones I actually swear around," he harrumphed, folding his arms when Riku took the coat and then dropping to a crouch when the ice pack slid off the boy's head. Retrieving it and rising back to his full height (and pointedly not allowing himself to wobble enough to touch the counter to steady himself), Axel stiffened one arm and pressed the cold slush against Riku's brow.

He scoffed. "I prefer the term 'diametrically challenged', thanks." And then he shrugged. "I dunno, they had to have it special made for me," he said. "Anything that fit my waist was too short, and everything that was long enough I was swimming in." He sniffed pointedly and then set the ice pack on the counter, awkwardly tugging the coat half-closed around the boy's shoulders. "Quit being sick and make me something to eat, sheesh, I'm obviously starving here." He pointed at Riku's feet. "Pick it up when you're walkin' or you're gonna faceplant, and something tells me you won't be getting back up if that happens, and I won't be held responsible."

He had to figure Riku knew well enough why he was giving him the coat: corridors were dangerous without protection. He hoped then that the boy could at least figure out why he wouldn't be joining him to make sure faceplanting didn't happen. Especially if he actually was growing his heart back, the last thing he wanted was to lose the damn thing again.

Once Riku was... well, had the coat... sort of on, Axel stepped back and folded his arms again, frowning.

"Have the nurse or something send me a message when you get there safe, stupid," he said, and then his eyes winged toward the ceiling. "Sheena'll worry if you're not here."

[limitstorm]

"I'm sick, have the courtesy to say small words," Riku groaned, waving a hand when Axel pressed the ice pack against his forehead. As he spoke about his coat, Riku just frowned at himself. He'd gotten thinner since he'd arrived, hadn't he? That was strange. Hadn't he eaten more here than he had back home? Or was this part of the sickness, too? ... couldn't be. He could keep stuff down. It was just his lungs that gave him trouble. He wasn't getting taller, either, so that couldn't be it. "I'll buy you a hamburger when I get out," he retorted, not sure how to pick up the edges. (He tried not to do it the way he knew Kairi would pick up a dress.)

"My treat." With a glance to Axel, he stumbled toward the Dark Corridor before looking back to Axel. Stellaluna had chosen to perch on the redhead's shoulder, and Riku couldn't help but feel a little wary. Maybe Axel knew where to go to feed her now, but... still.

"I'll... send a message, I guess," he muttered, a little quirk of his mouth turning up. "Thanks."

[got_it_memorized]

"Swear words only got four letters, genius," he muttered with a roll of his eyes. And then he snorted a laugh. "A hamburger, eh? How generous of you."

Casting an uncertain glance at the bat on his shoulder, he supposed he'd just been designated batsitter until Riku recovered. Fine, whatever, he could take care of a bat.

"I want cheese and jalapeno peppers," he said, wagging his finger, "but no tomatoes. Commit it to memory, 'cuz I'm holding you to it."

And then he waved a hand dismissively.

"Yeah yeah, don't mention it," he said. "You take care of that coat, I'll be by to pick it up tomorrow, capisce?"

And he didn't wait for Riku to reply, he simply waved in valediction and closed the corridor, trusting the kid could at least find his way to the exit. With a heavy sigh he flopped back down onto the couch and gently tweaked the bat's wings.

"Guess you're stuck with me for the time being," he said, and Stellaluna crooned softly and proceeded to snuggle herself into his hair. ... Great, less than thirty seconds of petsitting and he'd already been turned into a nest. He had a feeling it was going to be a long weekend. And not the good kind.