09 ⚓ Video ⚓ I had to wander on sick and sorry till the gods delivered me from evil

[hearrrtofgold]

[Backdated to the second day of the flood]
[He's flushed. Duke's skin is streaked with pink, sweaty and feverish, and he looks like he baked in the sun too long. Clearly moving is not easy right now - he's groaning even as he sets the communicator down. For a second he fixes it with a consternated stare, and lifts his hands up for examination.]

I don't know what's going on or if you're - burning it or what. But can you stop it? Ice water. My only request.

[Private to Rogue]

There's something here that belongs to you. [He has no idea if she can even see this - he suspects not - but pans the feed over the miniature Rogue. It's intact, except for its eyes - the irises are both scratched out, porcelain cracked. He just couldn't stand it staring at him.] I'm so sorry.

It's not… This isn't like me.

Comments

[neuropathy]

Yeah. But hey, couple days from now everything'll be back to normal.

[ The communication cuts out at this point because Nathan is putting Brownie in his cabin and legging it over to Duke's. When he actually shows up at the door, he has beer! From the pub. That Duke runs. It's something ridiculous and imported, because Duke is having a shitty day, and also they need to Talk. ]

[hearrrtofgold]

[By the time Nathan gets back to Duke's cabin he's got a sink full of cold water and is submerging his arms up to the elbow. It cools his blood down a little but nowhere near enough.]

Hey. [It's a grumble, glancing at him briefly.] You find a doll yet?

[neuropathy]

[ He shakes his head, then tugs a bottle out of the six pack, because dwelling on it won't help Duke. Nathan knows he's lucky (or maybe not lucky, exactly, given that most things on Barge, as they affect or don't affect given passengers, have nothing to do with luck). ]

Think you can concentrate long enough to talk about somethin' else?

[ If not, and he manages to convey this as well without speaking, they can Not Talk. Or they can play backgammon. Whatever Duke needs. ]

[hearrrtofgold]

[Duke fixes Nathan with a dry look, as if to say "what do you think?" but sees Nathan's seriousness - as well as the fact that he's brought beer. Clearly something is up, and with a wince, he lifts his arms from the water and dabs at them with a dishcloth.]

Depends what we're talking about.