[open: tw for blood, mind fuckery, suicidal ideation] I guess it's over now

[dr_awesome]

Before:

He just needed something fun. That's what he's been telling himself. After nights of various unpleasant dreams being hijacked by his friends, and then being forcibly shoved into everyone else's weird nightmares like a far less fun version of the Matrix, Watts needs a break. He's not helping Sans with his science. He's not trying to wander the castle and have conversations with people that more than likely are annoyed by him. He just... needs some stupid harmless fun.

And when there's no gaming consoles or wifi in the castle, you have to get a little creative.

Apparently, Neil's codes aren't completely useless in the castle. Sure, he can't reset memories, disable speech or taste, turn off his visibility, or even lure out mementos, but he still has some skill with manipulating data.

He's found a nice little private space in the lounge, and passersby may find him focusing very hard on a patch of air in front of him. Literally a patch, it seems to jut out from the rest of the air, shimmering and shuddering in front of Neil's hand. Eventually, it grows and morphs, changing colours... and in another instant, there's a tabby cat letting out a loud meow as it's suddenly dropped from the air back down to the ground.

"Haha, yes!" Neil gets down to his knees, scratching behind one of the cat's ears. The cat surveys him and lets out another mew.

"Hm... not exactly up to my usual standards, but I'll have to make do. Now, what else can I try..."

After:

Neil's still in the lounge... it's just that now there are more of them.

There seem to be a literal crowd of scientists slouching around the lounge, leaned back on couches, staring out windows, walking in place. They're all mumbling to each other, some of them more clear than others. One of them smiles at a double of himself as you walk past.

"Well, I suppose I had a good run."

The other stares back at him. "Not good enough, it seems."

There's one that has cornered another Neil against the wall, constantly slamming his fist into the doppleganger's gut. "It's how people blew off steam before FPS were invented," he reassures you with a grin.

Still more snippets can be heard if you push through the crowd. "We always succeed, because we're awesome." "The geezers just keep getting crazier..." "I'd be screwed either way."

In the center of the group is Neil. The real one, not buzzing in and out of existence in bursts of static, but... he still doesn't look good. He's curled up on himself, nails digging into the floor, feebly coughing and hacking as blood dribbles down his jaw and onto the collar of his shirt. A few copies of the same woman stand around him, looking down at him with the same mixture of annoyance and apathy.

"Tell me what you see." One says, holding out a pill bottle. She takes off the cap and holds it upside down. Nothing falls out.

"Shut... just shut up." Neil mutters hoarsely, and another one laughs, answering in his own voice.

"'Shut up' isn't my name, you know."

He tries to pull himself away from them, crawling along the floor.

"Why are you working so hard for this? 'All this trouble, just for some girl.' That's what I thought you'd say."

One of them finally turns to look at you, and moves so she can block Neil from view. "Get out. This ain't a movie and you're no hero. You're just being a moron."

There's more coughing from behind her, but Neil doesn't seem to be trying to move anymore. There's no point, is there? He's fucked up enough here already. And he didn't want to be here anyways...

"Why would you waste time like that?"

Yes, why would he? Being here isn't doing himself any good. He's not going to fix his machine, he's not going to make any advances... all he's doing is running out his clock.

Might as well let the batteries die a little early.

Comments

[lightofthestars]

She draws in a breath as she feels something drop within her. When she speaks, however, all she says is, "I see."

Once inside his room, it takes her little time to reach his bed and lay him upon it. She spares a moment to remove his shoes, then comes to stand next to Neil's head.

"I am going to seek out what I can to ease your coughing and your pain. I will be back as quickly as I can."

Though she is unsure, she looks to the spirit of the woman who has stayed with them. "Will you keep talking to him?"

[dr_awesome]

That's... not a good response. Neil can tell that much, even as dazed as he is. He wants to apologize, but that will just have to wait until she gets him some herbs and he's made up for the blood he's lost.

As for the woman, she kneels down next to the bed, looking up at Tauriel.

"As long as he's conscious, I'll be here. It's my job to look after this stupid owl."

She says that with more affection than annoyance.

[lightofthestars]

Tauriel nods. "Be kind to him, else I will find a way to banish you."

She sets a hand upon Neil's forehead, then brushes aside his hair. "Stay awake, mellon."

She turns to leave, moving quickly. It is not until after she has left the room and passed beyond she thinks must be the hearing of a human that she begins to run.

[dr_awesome]

'Mellon'. Probably an offhanded figure of speech for her, but for someone like him, who knows parts of her language... it's life-changing. For all his effort, for all his attempts to look like an asshole, to push people away... he was being called a friend.

He doesn't pass out while she's gone, too in shock to do so. He just stares up at the ceiling, hands shaking for entirely different reason besides illness now.

[lightofthestars]

She returns slower than she would like, carrying a tray upon which sits two tea pots and two cups. There are also two squares of soft cloth folded upon the tray, a bar of soap, and a basin of water.

"Neil, I am coming in," she calls before entering.

[dr_awesome]

Neil is just where she left him, and the woman is in the same place as before, just watching him closely. Neil doesn't respond, but when he looks over, there are hints of unshed tears in the corners of his eyes.

The woman just smiles softly.

"Thank you... for looking after him while I'm not here. Somebody has to keep his sorry ass out of trouble."

[lightofthestars]

Tauriel shakes her head as she sets the tray by Neil's bed. "It is kind of you, but there is no need to thank me. I am not so cruel as to leave him to suffer."

She then sets her hand upon Neil's shoulder with care. "I have brought one tea to ease pain and one to lessen your cough. Which would you like first?"

[dr_awesome]

"You have every reason to leave him behind... that's what he wants."

As cruel as that may be to say, the woman just looks sad. Neil breathes out something that might be a sigh and tries to ignore the spirit's words.

"Somethin' for the pain. Please."

[lightofthestars]

"I refuse," she says, speaking to the spirit, and to whichever part of Neil that wishes for death.

As she does, she kneels to pour a cup of elder tea, then holds it out for Neil to take.

"It is still hot. Be careful."

[dr_awesome]

"Well... you seem to be the first to say that."

The projection remains silent as Neil forces himself up on his elbows and reaches for the tea, taking a sip. The burning in his mouth is a welcome distraction from the pain in his lungs, and some of the tension in him starts to disappear.

[lightofthestars]

She says nothing to that, but watches Neil long enough to see the tautness in him ease. Then she asks, "Where do you keep your spare clothes?"

As she waits for an answer, she looks about.

[dr_awesome]

"There's a... trunk..." He makes a weak motion at the foot of his bed, taking another swig of the tea in the hopes it'll keep the pain from returning.

As he sips, the woman beside him starts to fade, and eventually entirely disappears.

[lightofthestars]

"Thank you."

She finds the trunk easily. When she opens it, she cannot say she is startled to find Neil's clothes a mess. Still, she is able to find a shirt, breeches, socks, and...very short under-garments, all of which she folds and sets upon the foot of his bed.

Once that is done, she returns to the side of his bed. The spirit has since vanished. She is not sure how that makes her feel.

Rather than think about it, she takes the first folded cloth and dips it into the water.

"Neil?" she says to catch his attention.

[dr_awesome]

By the time she's dug through the mess in his trunk, Neil has finished the tea and has set the mug on the table next to him so he can slowly settle back into bed. The pain has lessened, but he's still coughing into a sleeve and his breathing is hoarse. He glances over to his side to find the spirit is gone, too, but it doesn't seem to bother him.

"Huh?" He turns his gaze back to her, shifting slightly.

[lightofthestars]

She reaches out with the cloth and begins to wipe the blood from his face.

"Will you be able to dress yourself?"

It is a sensible question, asked without blushes. If he cannot, she will change his clothes as gently as she can.

[dr_awesome]

"W-Wait, what?"

That's a way to get him to sit up fast, and also a way to get him coughing again. He still tries his best to speak and flail despite that, pushing her hand away.

"Yes! God, yeah, I'm fine. I can get dressed. I can!"

That may sound like oddly specific denial.

[lightofthestars]

"Lie still," she tells him, this time more firmly.

She sets a gentle but still strong hand upon his chest to push him back down. As it seems cleaning him must wait, she pours him a cup of the tea she made with thyme and holds it out for him.

"There is no shame in needing help," she tells him. "It does not trouble me to do so."

[dr_awesome]

He lets out a mortified groan as he's shoved down. Honestly, she hardly needs any strength to keep him pinned, and that's probably a good sign he's weaker than he keeps claiming he is.

"There's no shame, but it's still weird, you know?" he mumbles as he takes the tea. "You probably wouldn't make a big deal of it, but humans get embarrassed about that stuff."

[lightofthestars]

This time, her frown is one of confusion. "Why? You are sick. You must save your strength."

[dr_awesome]

"Some might think that maintaining dignity would be more important than saving strength, you know. Honestly, I'm inclined to agree."

[lightofthestars]

She gives him a look. "Then some, it seems, are fools. Do not join their number, Neil."

[dr_awesome]

"...Fine. I guess if you're really going to make a fuss about it, you can help me change."

He won't enjoy it, though.

[lightofthestars]

Truly, he is gracious indeed.

She sighs. "After you finish your tea and it has had time to work." She looks him over; her frown returns. "Is there anything else that ails you beside your cough and the pain?"

[dr_awesome]

"...Nothing else, no. It's fine."

It's not like he can say 'Oh yes, wise elf, please cure my crippling aversion to existence.'

[lightofthestars]

She looks at him still more closely. "One of those--spirits listed many symptoms, some of which I did not understand. It will be easier for me to treat you if you tell me more about your sickness."