ellie (![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
vaccination) wrote2020-07-25 10:45 pm
vaccination) wrote2020-07-25 10:45 pm
TLV | inbox
AUDIO | VIDEO | TEXT | ACTION
AUDIO | VIDEO | TEXT | ACTION
Steve's mouth twists unhappily - just the Barge being the Barge, probably, leaving the victims to deal with the fallout. But that's not going to change, so, "We'll do what we can for her," he says, quietly, even though it feels like too little too late. He barely knows Tess, isn't sure he's liked a lot of what he's seen, but she still doesn't deserve this. They'll figure something out, even if it's just making sure she knows they know it was shitty. Sometimes, that's all you can do. Sometimes, that's all you want.
He pauses with his hand on the door handle and nods. "Me, either, but it was pretty quiet." Either way, "I will. I won't be long."
He takes the stairs up at a run, at least. He has to be a little more careful, coming back down, so he doesn't spill the two glasses of juice he's carrying; plus, there are a few apples shoved into his pockets.
It's still weirdly quiet - maybe even more so than he expects, but maybe he's just on edge. He opens the door carefully with one elbow, maybe half expecting Ellie to be asleep.
He pauses with his hand on the door handle and nods. "Me, either, but it was pretty quiet." Either way, "I will. I won't be long."
He takes the stairs up at a run, at least. He has to be a little more careful, coming back down, so he doesn't spill the two glasses of juice he's carrying; plus, there are a few apples shoved into his pockets.
It's still weirdly quiet - maybe even more so than he expects, but maybe he's just on edge. He opens the door carefully with one elbow, maybe half expecting Ellie to be asleep.
She's about to give in and doze off when Steve returns. There's a slight start from her, but then she relaxes, hoping he didn't catch that reaction.
"Hope you brought a straw."
Sitting up is going to suck.
Get it. Suck. Straw.
"Hope you brought a straw."
Sitting up is going to suck.
Get it. Suck. Straw.
If he caught it, he doesn't say anything about it, just shaking his head a little as he sets the glasses down on the desk. "Sorry, no. I don't even know where I'd get one around here."
Even if he had one, though, she's going to have to sit up to drink either way. Which... yeah, is not gonna be fun, but it's probably best just to get it overwith. He settles back down on the bed for a minute, considering before, "If I just pull you up, how much am I going to pay for it later?"
Even if he had one, though, she's going to have to sit up to drink either way. Which... yeah, is not gonna be fun, but it's probably best just to get it overwith. He settles back down on the bed for a minute, considering before, "If I just pull you up, how much am I going to pay for it later?"
She really hates being this helpless. She made it back to Jackson with a broken shoulder and face, but this is worse. That shit hurt, but her strength came back as soon as she picked herself up off the floor. This is just sort of humiliating and there's the looming threat of things becoming worse before they get better. But.
"Pretty sure my pride bled out a while ago. Just do it," she sighs. If she really wanted, she could manage, but she knows it's no trouble for Steve to pull her up. He's carried her like she weighs nothing.
"Pretty sure my pride bled out a while ago. Just do it," she sighs. If she really wanted, she could manage, but she knows it's no trouble for Steve to pull her up. He's carried her like she weighs nothing.
He knows what it's like, and he knows how much it stings when you can't do things for yourself. "You know, I've probably mentioned, but B's probably put in more hours dealing with me than most actual nurses will in a lifetime," he offers softly, scooting a little more onto the bed and carefully reaching under Ellie's shoulders to pull her upright, bracing her with one hand at her back while he shuffles the pillow against the wall so between it and him, she can lean on it and stay up. Then he reaches over and pulls over one glass, waiting patiently to see if she's got enough control with her hands to get it.
The attack has her whole body feeling like a giant bruise even if it's the blood loss she's mostly struggling with, now. Ellie bites down on her lip as she's moved, swearing softly once she's mostly up, and letting out a breath. Her head feels heavy.
"Nurse Steve is enough for me. Nurse B can stay in retirement," Ellie says. She eyes the glass, then slowly holds out two shaky hands to try and take it. "There's a few lines in your file about how things were for you before."
Or at least a few that Ellie read.
"Nurse Steve is enough for me. Nurse B can stay in retirement," Ellie says. She eyes the glass, then slowly holds out two shaky hands to try and take it. "There's a few lines in your file about how things were for you before."
Or at least a few that Ellie read.
"Yeah, he definitely deserves the break," Steve agrees, letting her take it but keeping a hand under it for extra support, because he wants to give her what autonomy he can, but he also figures neither of them want her to spill it all over the bed, either. He's still trying to work out how pissed she'll be if he tries to get her to put on something without tacky, drying blood all over it.
He hums, because he's not surprised the file includes it. "Yeah. You could've taken me out without breaking a sweat," he says, and honestly, he's not even really exaggerating much. "But a bad cold would floor me just as bad as a good punch. Hell, even on the Barge, I got knocked flat a couple times. I brought something back from a breach, once. I'm that talented."
He hums, because he's not surprised the file includes it. "Yeah. You could've taken me out without breaking a sweat," he says, and honestly, he's not even really exaggerating much. "But a bad cold would floor me just as bad as a good punch. Hell, even on the Barge, I got knocked flat a couple times. I brought something back from a breach, once. I'm that talented."
Ellie's more bark than bite right now. But, unfortunately, she's more than used to sitting around in clothes with bodily fluids caked on them. She's not going to complain.
Drinking feels uncomfortable knowing there's a hole in her neck, but she manages a few small sips. It tastes good, feels good when her mouth feels like cotton, but she doesn't want to overwhelm herself and puke on Steve's bed on top of everything else.
"I don't think I would have." It's just musing. Physically, yeah, probably. Especially as an adult. But fourteen year old Ellie, lonely and bullied? She would have wanted to be friends, especially once she realized they both liked to draw. "I was always an easy target for bullies because I was small. I get that much, at least."
Drinking feels uncomfortable knowing there's a hole in her neck, but she manages a few small sips. It tastes good, feels good when her mouth feels like cotton, but she doesn't want to overwhelm herself and puke on Steve's bed on top of everything else.
"I don't think I would have." It's just musing. Physically, yeah, probably. Especially as an adult. But fourteen year old Ellie, lonely and bullied? She would have wanted to be friends, especially once she realized they both liked to draw. "I was always an easy target for bullies because I was small. I get that much, at least."
Steve honestly appreciates that she's taking it slow - that's better than just gulping it down, anyway. But the hole is nowhere near your throat, Ellie. And he is pretty good at stitches, if he does say so himself. You'll be fine.
"Yeah," Steve murmurs, agreeing, "they do like to go after the small kids. I never understood, but I guess that's the difference between us and them." Making people smaller than him feel weaker doesn't make him feel better about anything.
"Besides, being small can be a major advantage in the right circumstances, at least." You're faster, more maneuverable. (When you're not asthmatic, at least.) And sometimes people not noticing you can really be to your advantage.
"Yeah," Steve murmurs, agreeing, "they do like to go after the small kids. I never understood, but I guess that's the difference between us and them." Making people smaller than him feel weaker doesn't make him feel better about anything.
"Besides, being small can be a major advantage in the right circumstances, at least." You're faster, more maneuverable. (When you're not asthmatic, at least.) And sometimes people not noticing you can really be to your advantage.
"... B? Dude, you really gotta... stop with the drastic changes."
She must be dying. Weird. Thought the blood loss was done and over with.
"Shit's gone all weird again? Good."
She'll answer his question in a minute.
She must be dying. Weird. Thought the blood loss was done and over with.
"Shit's gone all weird again? Good."
She'll answer his question in a minute.
"Yes, shit went all weird again," he agrees, and ducks inside, keeping his head down so he doesn't bang it on the ceiling. "And you were attacked." This is important, Ellie, he needs this story to make sure she's not in further danger. That nobody else is.
[Crisp, pleasant and serious:]
Salute, Ellie.
I am going to track down an inmate to bring to Zero. He has been soliciting substances that may be used to control others.
Prepare a cell for him, and do not let him out until this has been sufficiently resolved.
Salute, Ellie.
I am going to track down an inmate to bring to Zero. He has been soliciting substances that may be used to control others.
Prepare a cell for him, and do not let him out until this has been sufficiently resolved.
Jeez. You don't sleep, do you? I'll be ready for you.
You miss out on excitement if you sleep too much! I will be there soon.
[ They did introductions around twenty minutes ago - Ellie Williams, Kristin Ortega - and Kristin assured the girl she was more than capable of handling things with minimal training. But that was before she got a good look at Zero.
Which is why Kristin sends a snapshot of a cell door with a padlock on it, a view of the interior blocked from the inside. ]
Hey - what's this?
[ Sorry to bother you while you're off work, Ellie. You're married to the job, right? ]
Which is why Kristin sends a snapshot of a cell door with a padlock on it, a view of the interior blocked from the inside. ]
Hey - what's this?
[ Sorry to bother you while you're off work, Ellie. You're married to the job, right? ]
Whatever you do, don't go inside. Don't know who the fuck is supposed to be cleaning in there...
[Does that tell you anything, Kristin?]
[Does that tell you anything, Kristin?]
I have it.
I guess that shit started out as some place people who have weird abilities can chill and be "normal" or whatever. Then it got nasty.
Not my idea to let people fuck or whatever, by the way.
I guess that shit started out as some place people who have weird abilities can chill and be "normal" or whatever. Then it got nasty.
Not my idea to let people fuck or whatever, by the way.
If you didn't already think Zero was a joke...
Right? Wait until people start giving you attitude for daring to believe that.
Some of them might be into that.
[But Ellie can't help sounding amused.]
A lot of the inmates automatically assume you're some power hungry asshole for manning Zero. There's not much changing their minds when you're just doing your job.
[But Ellie can't help sounding amused.]
A lot of the inmates automatically assume you're some power hungry asshole for manning Zero. There's not much changing their minds when you're just doing your job.
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