March catch-all [open]

[wherethestoryis]

Characters: Lois Lane (wherethestoryis), Gaius Septimus (survival_isnt_living), and you!
Date: March
Location: Radio headquarters in EA-3A, hospital, all over the city
Situation: Catch-all for whatever
Warnings/Rating: Maybe swearing

Comments

Hospital - especially nighttimes; OPEN

[survival_isnt_living]

Since things have been getting more intense, Septimus has been spending more time in the hospital. As a result, he can be found there more often than not, especially at night. He needs less sleep and energy than Bianca does; he's offered to take nighttime shifts as a result.

Whenever he's not seeing to a patient he's probably in the staff lounge, picking up any work left over from the day.

[12goingon113]

Things are quiet, uneventful even, until a large stack of puzzles walks into the Staff Lounge. A large stack of puzzles with...a lemur head?

Momo chitters from atop the haphazardly arranged stack, which threatens to tip.

"Stop moving, Momo," says a small, attempting to be quiet, voice.

[survival_isnt_living]

Septimus looks up at the chitter, and his expression quickly turns into one of amusement.

After a moment, he asks dryly, "Need some help with that?"

Some people don't like to be helped, after all. He'll get up if Aang says yes.

[12goingon113]

The pile jumps ever so slightly, and very nearly comes down, but then a well-timed breeze of air seems to right the pile at the very last second before gravity takes over.

That well-timed breeze probably had absolutely nothing what so ever to do with the gasp of shock that comes from the small boy hidden behind the boxes he's carrying. Nothing what so ever at all.

"...no?"

[survival_isnt_living]

Uh-huh. Nothing whatsoever. Sure. And Septimus's father reads romance novels.

(Actually, it did happen once, more or less on a dare from Sep's mother. But Septimus never heard about that.)

Anything elemental tends to get Septimus's attention here, especially since it seems somewhat rare (he can't say 'by comparison to Alera,' because it isn't fair to compare to a place where it was literally ubiquitous). Still, of all his skills, windcrafting may be the least advertised. Besides, he hasn't met Aang.

"If you're sure," he says agreeably. He might just help out with that idea of wind-to-balance-boxes if Aang needs it, though.

[12goingon113]

Once again Aang sort of freezes, and for the first time peers around the stack of boxes.
You don't earn your arrows without being able to tell when the air around you is being manipulated.

As far as Aang knows the only other airbender here is Korra, and now...this guy.

His eyes are wide, and his jaw just a little bit slack.

[survival_isnt_living]

Having agreed not to help--and promptly ignoring that, because he does as he pleases--Septimus has gone back to the piece of paper he's looking over carefully. He's spent months learning this 'English' that seems to be the most common language in use in Keeliai, but he's still working on it. His attention seems pretty absorbed. And yet--

"You're going to get Momo's tail in your mouth if you don't close it."

He sounds deeply amused. No, he's not looking up.

[12goingon113]

"Wha?" But before Aang can say anything, Momo's tail does find its way into Aang's mouth, and the boy sputters and coughs. The movement of the boxes, mixed with Aang's coughing, startles Momo...who then tries to fly away.

The boxes? Do not remain stacked for long.

[survival_isnt_living]

The clatter of boxes hitting the floor makes Septimus chuckle more than a little. He did offer. And frankly, that animal seems all but made for comedic pratfalls.

Shaking his head, he sets aside the paper and stands to help gather the boxes. "Try not to inhale any fur." It might be futile advice, but then again, it might not.

[12goingon113]

Aang coughs weakly, and pulls a face.

"Momo needs a bath," he says sheephishly as he stands there amid a pile of boxes and puzzle pieces. When the man rises to help, Aang can't help but stare. First in amazement, and then in confusion. This man was airbending, Aang was sure of it, but...he doesn't look like any airbender that Aang has seen. And...where are his tattoos?

[survival_isnt_living]

"Can you even get him to sit still long enough for one?" Septimus is just guessing, based on what he's seen.

He tilts his head at the boy, suppressing his amusement as best he can. For all that the boy clearly worked with air, he seemed surprised that Septimus can. Whether that's a reflection on Keeliai or his home world, Septimus can't say. But he wants to know. (Any kid that young probably isn't fully trained and could use pointers anyway.)

He gestures at the mess on the floor. "Shall we, then?"

[12goingon113]

"Sometimes. If I bribe him first."

Beat.

"And after."

Speaking of Momo. Were there any snacks to be had among the papers that Septimus was perusing? Because...the lemur might just be checking. In case. For reasons.

Aang's confusion shifts back to curiosity. The tattoo on his forehead furrows. Slowly a lopsided smile works its way across the boy's lips.

"Okay." It would seem that Aang is a interested in seeing what Septimus does, as Septimus is of Aang. Maybe Aang can help him! After all, he's the youngest person in history to have earned his arrows.

[survival_isnt_living]

The admission makes Sep laugh richly. It feels good to laugh like that; it comes so rarely.

There may have been some cookies on the table. Also some meat--more or less kabobs, really, Septimus does not have time to cut a steak or anything--a couple fruits just for good measure, and of course, a cup of coffee. He habitually works the ER graveyard shift, you better believe he's got caffeine handy.

Crouching, he begins to poke curiously at the pile of puzzles and boxes at the floor, trying to make sense of it. (Of course, he's six-foot-four. Crouching probably doesn't leave him too much shorter than Aang.)

"Don't think we've met around here before. I'm Sep."

[watcheslanterns]

Rapunzel had been helping out as much as she could at the hospital as well, in between shifts at the welcome center and running the clothing shop, that is. She was almost positive that if it weren't for her hair's power to rejuvenate her, she'd be running exhausted by now.

She usually did more work at the hospital in the afternoons but she knew that Septimus had been keeping a lot of night hours. She found him in the staff lounge, and brought a small picnic basket with her. "Ah, there you are!" she said with a relieved sigh.

[survival_isnt_living]

The sound of her voice is a welcome one, and he looks up with a smile. "Hello, Rapunzel," he says warmly. He doesn't see quite as much of her as he'd like, but he knows it's better for everyone's general health if he takes the graveyard shift. So this is indeed a nice surprise.

Still, while he can run at high strength for longer between meals... crafting takes energy, and he's six-four. He eyes that basket. "Tell me that's food." If there's meat, even better.

[watcheslanterns]

"It is!"

Rapunzel gladly hands over the basket as she steps closer. Inside he'll find some homemade bread, cheese, and beef stew in a covered bowl, as well as a thermos coffee.

"I thought you might need something to keep you going through the night. I know you've been working extra hard lately."

[survival_isnt_living]

"I appreciate it," he admits as he looks in. His face brightens even more at the contents; this is just his kind of on-the-go meal. "I've gone much longer without sleep," and in far worse conditions, "but it's not always ideal."

And the downside to metalcrafting away any side effects: he might not notice when something's going seriously wrong.

After taking a long drink of coffee, he eyes her. "I'm not the only one," he notes.

[watcheslanterns]

"Still," Rapunzel said seriously. "It's important to keep your energy up so that you don't make any mistakes."

She was speaking to him, and if she was being honest, to herself as well. She didn't want anyone to suffer more from some silly mistake.

"I've been getting rest when I can....and my hair helps," she admits.

[survival_isnt_living]

He nods, lips thinning. Honestly, he's rather worried about that himself; he has huge reserves of raw power, and training, but he's a little tentative about doing delicate work because of it. (Then again, 'delicate work' is things like restoring eyes that have been slashed; not necessarily something anyone would expect.)

He looks curious for a moment--her hair is much more powerful than any watercrafting he's known--before thoughtfully setting the thermos down.

"Actually, I wanted to talk to you about that. Bianca, Dr. McCoy, and I have been discussing some of the changes that have been happening."

[watcheslanterns]

Rapunzel settled down into a seat, her hands wrung together in her lap. She looked at Septimus with a worried expression. Had she done something wrong? She couldn't begin to guess what kind of things they might have been talking about.

"Yes? What is it?

[survival_isnt_living]

Oh, for crying out loud. Septimus notes yet again that there is someone in Rapunzel's past he would very much like to pick up and toss against a wall for doing this to her ego. Not even Alia was this jumpy.

Still, he doesn't want to tell her not to worry, because she should. And he doesn't want to tell her it will be all right, because it might not. "You haven't done anything wrong," he assures her. "There were a lot of injuries in the Kithika incident, and more incidents coming back lately. The three of us have been talking about how to handle it."

[watcheslanterns]

Listening carefully, Rapunzel nodded. She knew that things had been bad since Kithika and she'd been struggling about how she could help more. She'd told Evandau about her power to heal but he didn't seem to take kindly to her wanting to keep it a secret. She was beginning to wonder if it was really worth keeping it from people now.

"And did you decide anything?" she asked.

[survival_isnt_living]

Evandau wouldn't be, and Septimus would guess what his reaction was if he knew she'd told him. He has a certain amount of experience with short-tempered emperors who like to have as much information as possible about everything and everyone. Still, that is not the topic of conversation, and he nods soberly.

"We're going to pool for a more select group of volunteers among those already at the clinic--and, possibly, those who aren't--to get some extra training in field work. From there, we'll have a duty roster of field-medic-on-call, so that anyone going out into extra danger can take a medic with them if they think it might get bad." Frankly, if he had his way he'd know when every single bloody group went out and force them to take someone competent along--

But he is not the local military commander or ruler. It's a bit frustrating.

[watcheslanterns]

Rapunzel gulped. She knew how dangerous it could be going out when there was fighting. The thought of going along was terrifying...but she had promised to help people. How could she horde the gift she'd been given when so many people could be wounded and in pain.

Eugene wouldn't like it. None of her friends would. But she had to try.

"If you want me to...I'd like to train."

[survival_isnt_living]

Septimus gives her a sidelong, wry look. Plus, she did say 'if he wanted her to.' Still, in that moment she reminds him of little Alia, the sister-in-law who never quite stopped being in awe of him despite his best efforts. Internally he swears to do right by this girl as he didn't get to for his sister, and offers her a gentle smile.

"And if I said I'd rather you didn't, would you still want to?" He shakes his head. "Frankly, I don't, for any number of reasons, not least of which is wanting to spare you from it as long as possible." For a moment he glances away, expression distinctly pained, before it clears.

Quickly, he adds, "Not that I doubt your courage, or determination. But it isn't for everyone." Septimus sighs. "But your talent is also-- if it worked quickly enough, it could be excellent in the field, but an active mission is very different from self-defense in a tight situation. I'd rather you were safe here. That isn't why I brought it up."