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[vaccination]

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[punched_hitler]

"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."

[vaccination]

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."

[punched_hitler]

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.