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

[ Spam ]

[surfaceshine]

Attagirl. Hey there. [He's quick when she opens her eyes; he knows how to be quick, how to triage and trust his gut. His currently stone-heavy gut - it's been months since he's felt the therapeutic, familiar burn of anger geared towards protecting someone he loves, instant and cauterizing; it's still present now, but banked against having no target - that drops with relief when he hears her. He nods, and shifts one hand up to cover her eyes again, as though he can shield them from light and somehow help as much as another version of the touch he uses more often than anything else to comfort.]

Alright. Let's get you back into your room, yeah? I gotcha. C'mon. [He'd take her to his cabin, and part of him thinks of the blessings and protections he's laid down inside of it and wants to, but it's not like they're actually helping. It would still make him feel better. But hers is much closer, so that's where he glances when he shifts his center of balance to not just hold her, but prepare to help lift her up to her feet.]

You'll be alright. We'll get some ice and some meds down you and see what it does. [He'll lift her himself, if he has to, chestcold be damned; this is what he's for. What good is he if he can't do this.]

[ Spam ]

[la_belle_rogue]

[The darkness should be soothing, but it isn't. It's frustrating. But there's nothing she can do about it. So she'll take what comfort she can in the gesture.

She feels him shift and moves with him. The rest of her is fine, she just can't bear to open her eyes.]

If ya can keep me from runnin'into walls, Ah can keep mahself upright.

[ Spam ]

[surfaceshine]

[He'd laugh at himself, if he was watching from the outside. Rogue's tough, she doesn't need coddling and he doesn't, really, think that she does, especially not when it's phantom pain instead of real damage. He's acting more shaken up than she is.

He probably is, but he doesn't examine that too closely right now. He just accepts her guidelines, and stands with her.]

I think even I can handle that. Probably even better than I do for myself.

This way.

[ Spam ]

[la_belle_rogue]

[She wouldn't laugh. She's tough, but it's nice to have faith rewarded. He was the first person she though of to come bail her out, and he came. They were a lot of undefinable things to each other, more than friends, lovers but not in love. But whatever they might be, one thing was certain, come Hell or high water, Dean was someone she could count on.

She puts her arm around him, a sneaky way of supporting him, while he did the same right back, and follows his lead. It's a familiar situation, but not one that she'd shared with him in particular.]

You're not gonna walk me off a divin' board, are ya?

[She's trying to lighten things up a little, despite the fact that they were neither of them at their best. There's humor in her tone that invites him to relax a little. Everything was going to be okay.]

[ Spam ]

[surfaceshine]

[It's the intent of the motion more than its end result that heartens Dean somewhat; he's always been tactile, much more deeply than he's ever been able to even consciously recognize. As long as she's hanging onto him, he's pretty sure they can work out the rest, or at least that's what some part of him that could be called instinct or intuition is telling him.

He blinks at the question, though, and shakes his head.]

I figure you'd probably notice if we went up all eight levels, plus the deck and two more before we got to your cabin thirty feet away.

I mean if I'm wrong, you should totally tell me so I can do that instead.

Re: [ Spam ]

[la_belle_rogue]

[She chuckles softly, shaking her head a little.]

Bad inside joke. Never mind.

[It's only thirty feet, but Rogue seems to be pretty adept to not being able to see. She finds Dean's walking rhythm and adjusts to it rather quickly. She doesn't fumble for the next step, or worry she's about to smack into a wall, even though she doesn't know what exactly is right in front of her.]