[Log] I'm Not Dead Yet! ...Only Mostly Dead [closed to Sad Losers]

[heroproceeding]

Characters: Kunsel (deus_ex_phs), Zell (swatsflies), Jim (rattlingthestars), and Zack (heroproceeding)
Location Post Office [L17 - Building 141]
Date: Evening of Day 102 to Day 103.
Summary: Unintended party in the post office! Because life is suffering, guys. Zack gets sick and shit happens.
Warnings: Possible gross things involving sick. Honestly not going to get that tremendously detailed though. Obnoxiousness.

[ It's not easy being green.

Nor is it easy writing a main top level.

LET'S BREAK THIS DOWN NOW. ]

Comments

Evening of Day 102

[heroproceeding]

[ Faceplants r'us. ]

[heroproceeding]

[ Leaving hadn't been an easy thing. Leaving had meant leaving Cloud to go off on his own once more. But with the Joker out there and Tifa only with that one guy, he understood. Or maybe it was more a matter of reminding himself that those two years had really passed. That time could change a lot of things. It and this town had certainly changed he, himself.

But still, he's stubborn that day. Still, he's avid to take the back and sandwich the boys between he and Kunsel. He's not crazy about the idea of his best friend running into Joker first thing were he to be traversing through the tunnels, himself, but he can't imagine Joker would find that a good plan knowing how narrow travel is there. That leaves Zack weaving through his muddled thoughts. His thoughts that have been slowly starting to spin since the last evening when Kunsel had gotten there finally.

He's just tired though, he thinks. Just didn't get enough sleep the night before. Or the night before that. ...Really, it's been days since he last slept well and he can't see his sleep patterns getting any better any time soon. That's all it is. But he has to focus, regardless. Has to keep an eye out for that anomaly. Just because it seems like it was lured away doesn't mean there's no chance that it could backtrack. Doesn't mean they couldn't have attracted something else either.

It's that will power from that thought alone... It's what keeps him swinging the light of his tablet back behind them, eyes narrowed. Even as he uncharacteristically stumbles over his own feet. He rights himself soon after, eyes darting to look at the group ahead- wincing as his vision dances and he touches a hand to his temple. A shake of his head later and he drops that hand before he starts again, calling out from behind them: ] You see it, Kuns?

[ He's... really hoping they're close. ]

[deus_ex_phs]

[Leading at the front, Kunsel knows he's supposed to keep an eye out for anything up ahead. After the monster that morning, though, he's taken to casting quick looks back, just in case. Just in case. The narrow tunnels make it easy to take that risk. If anything dangerous intends to approach from ahead, there's only one direction it can come from, and he should have plenty of time to see it and prepare. Plenty of time to double check to make sure they don't get attacked from behind. Zack should be keeping a watch behind them, too, but it's hard for Kunsel to shake his paranoia.

At least he acknowledges it for what it is. It means he can stamp down on his concern when he sees Zack weave, his movements just a little off.

Stress, he reminds himself. He's just stressed, like all of us are. He won't appreciate if I try to hover right now. And he does have a job to do up here. Turning his attention to the front again, he squints his eyes, once again wishing for SOLDIER enhanced eye sight. Just because he's adjusted to having ordinary vision again doesn't mean he doesn't miss what he once had.]

Ask me again in a minute. If the maps we've seen are right, we'll probably see it after we clear this bend. If we don't, we'll need to pick up the pace a bit if we want to make it before nightfall. [He thinks they can get away with it, now that they've passed those deadly ceiling icicles.] Jim, Zell, you two up for that?

Sorry I suck <3

[swatsflies]

[He had meant to talk to Kunsel about how much like shit Zack has looked lately. How he managed to be more paler than normal and has been out of breath, but a lot has happened since Zell has realized something was up. Hanging with Brian, the day things were screwy, and a couple of monsters tend to flip things upside down.

Right now, Zell's concentration has been on keeping a hand on Jim in some regard. Holding his hand or applying gentle pressure against his shoulder. Sure, the last monster was slower than shit, but it could come following them.

Keeping his tablet in his other hand and shining it's light onto the ground in front of them to give some more light for no reason at all as he glances back to the Soldier taking up the rear. Kunsel's words distracts him thinking too hard about the fact Zack was again worn out sooner than normal. Looking at Jim a moment to assess him before looking forward.]

I'm up for it. I can keep going all night.

[Giving a confident grin. He was okay and they haven't even done training yet, so he's good to go. Giving Jim a squeeze.]

o_o

[rattlingthestars]

[ Jim's trailing a few steps behind Zell. His hand is tight in Zell's but he'd too distracted to notice what the other two have seen with Zack, the same way he's been too distracted since they woke up alone. First it had been the separation, and then the hospital, and then Brian and fallout of the madness he'd slept through. Then, just when everything seemed to be getting back to normal, Morph -

Morph.

He's not thinking about it. Instead he's bouncing his tablet light around the cavern, catching the glittering ice here and there while casting the shadows into even sharper relief. The monster had been slow, and chasing Cloud in the other direction, he reminds himself. It's not chasing the, it's chasing Cloud, who ran from monsters all the time back home. He'd be fine. They'd be fine.

The mention of moving faster startles him out of the rut his thoughts were falling into. He blinks at Kunsel and then at Zell. The stalagmites hanging above head creak occasionally, and he can just imagine what the vibrations of their feet might do.

Doesn't matter. Better than freezing to death. ]

Yeah, we can do it. C'mon - ?

[ Now he turns to look and notices that Zack is several paces further back than he'd usually let himself be, almost out of the light. ]

-Zack?

[heroproceeding]

-huh? Yeah- can do. of course.. [ The words jumble out in a stilted stagger. Distracted. His gaze swings to the cadet, vision blurring one moment and clearing the next. When did he get so far from the group again? He needs to catch up. They need to move. A little voice in the back of his head reminds him of that time limit again. One moment, his arm's outstretched with his tablet as a flashlight. The next, it's jarringly in front of him. The brightness sears his eyes and makes his head ache more than the dull throb it's been under since that morning. He's wincing at the sight of the clock on it, barely reading three... no, five-thirty something?

Wait, what was it again..?

-Right. Catching up. That's what he'd been in the process of doing. They need to get to that building- post office. Post office. Gotta get there. Get there before lockdown. Get there. Gotta move though. They don't know if... How long did Kuns say..? He forces his legs to move again, to try and carry himself faster to make up the difference of the distance he lost. Is it...? He's pretty sure no one's ever said anything about it, but... ]

Is it just me.. or does it seem warmer down here?

[deus_ex_phs]

[Warmer?

That's enough to get Kunsel's steps to falter, and to pull his eyes away from the front yet again as he casts a concerned look back at Zack.]

Not in the slightest. [Even the warmest temperatures they've been feeling the past few days still feel like they're at the freezing mark at best.] Zack, are you feeling alright?

[Now that he's looking again, Zack really doesn't look too good.]

Day 103

[heroproceeding]

[ Hanging and jammin' at the post office. Nosing around, doing the things, and making sure an idiot doesn't die on the side. ]

[deus_ex_phs]

[Kunsel's not much inclined to leave Zack's side. Even when he's taken breaks to get up, stretch his legs, and poke around the building, it's only been when someone else was there to sit with the sick man. And inevitably, he comes back, crawling under the blanket and wrapping his arms around his shivering friend to try to help keep him warm. Never mind what anyone watching them might think about this.

Zack's far more important than that.]

[swatsflies]

[He waits until Jim is distracted with something a moment before he moves close to the pair of Soldiers under the blankets. Dropping his voice low for Kunsel's ears only as he takes a knee by them.]

You know, I can keep Jim distracted if you need to strip him out of his shirt to wipe him down.

[His attention shifts over to Zack's chest a moment as he thinks about the scars that were there.]

[deus_ex_phs]

Probably a good idea. Sweaty clothes in this kind of climate won't do him any favors at all.

[A fact that has Kunsel sliding out from under the covers and shrugging out of his coat, then his uniform's vest. Zack's clothes are already damp enough. Best to switch them out as well.]

Can you get me your dish rag before you go? I'll use that to wipe him down.

[swatsflies]

[Giving a nod as he heads for his pack. He'll snag out both the rag and a sponge out.]

I have honey, too. We can mix it with hot water for him to drink when he's awake. Also a fluffy towel.

[The same fluffy towel that was used to help put out the small fire, but impressive fire in Star House. It might smell a little smokey, but it was still good.] Heads up. [Tossing the rag and sponge towards Kunsel once he's sure he had the Soldier's attention.]

[deus_ex_phs]

[Honestly, a smokey smell is probably an improvement over the smell of their own clothes right now. Kunsel smiles gratefully all the same.]

Better yet, I think we could dip into that tea I was saving to trade to England. I'm sure he'll understand if Zack needs a cup or two, and I can give him something else to make up for it.

[England could probably get more use from those patterns than any of them, he considers distractedly. A mental note to think about later on. Or maybe just a thought his mind provides for him to help keep him from dwelling on just how cold it is as he starts working off his uniform before stashing the clothes under the blanket to keep them warm.]

Tea and honey and aspirin. I still have some in my pack. A few things I can burn, too, though maybe we could look around to see if there's anything else here we can use as fuel.

[swatsflies]

[He pulls out the honey and the big fluffy towel. With his luck, he would probably hit Mochi, so he's going to not throw the honey.] I have a tea pot in my bag. Do you have bells or anything? I'm going to rig noise makers on the doors.

[Bringing the honey and over to place it down by Kunsel. Going back to his bag to pull out the tea pot and frying pan. After another thought, he's pulling out the leash that used to be attached to his guitar.]

There is a cardboard box and envelopes.

[heroproceeding]

[ What's real? What's not?

It's hard to tell at first. Hard to regain focus after having it collapse and shatter, muddled up in one scene after the next after the next. Familiar, unfamiliar. So rapid-fire it's impossible to tell where one ended and the other began. And it continues over and over and over until finally- finally, he lets out a soft groan. Finally, he nudges his head against whatever's walling him off from the cold. Finally, his hands grip weakly at whatever it is that's in front of him. Everything takes far more effort than it should. His mind's still a haze, but slowly the world is coming back into focus. Slowly getting there...

Slowly realizing... ]

[deus_ex_phs]

[Tap. Tap tap. The first sounds that Zack might become aware of are the soft of fingers on a tablet. As important as Kunsel knows it is to stay curled up with his friend, that doesn't make it any less mind-numbingly boring. At some point while Zack slept, Kunsel pulled his tablet out, and now he's got it propped up on Zack's chest and slanted just enough so he can browse the network posts.

When Zack starts to stir, though, Kunsel's fingers still. He doesn't say anything, just waits with rising hope, waiting to see if Zack's really waking up.]

and done!

[heroproceeding]

[ It almost seems that in that pause, in that ceasing touch of familiar background noise- like that's what gets a sudden sharp intake of air happening. That gets hands tangling further in something soft and cushy and... it must be blankets. That's something slowly starting to occur to him by each passing second. A detail that's nothing by comparison of the solid form he feels against him, the sturdy curve of a shoulder against cheek as he opens his eyes only for them to wince shut at the harsh light of the tablet, head pounding.

He mumbles something that might have been a curse if it weren't for how hoarse his voice sounds. His mouth's drier than that ungodly desert underneath the Gold Saucer. His mind, still chugging along to coherence. But there's one thing he can't mistake as he does his best to clear his throat to speak: ]

Kuns..?

[deus_ex_phs]

[As close as Kunsel is to Zack, there's no way he's missing that wince. He doesn't turn the tablet off, but he does slide it off Zack's chest and to the side so that its light doesn't glare directly in his face. He still wants to be able to see Zack.

Wants Zack to be able to see him.

But even if Zack can't see, there's still plain relief in his voice.]

Hey.

[Relief and a smile.]

I was starting to think I was going to have to kiss you to wake you up. How're you feeling?

[heroproceeding]

[ He doesn't say anything for a little while, even as the voice registers. Because the familiarity in it of itself's? More than enough of a relief. Kunsel's there. Kunsel's there. He fights to open his eyes again, to catch sight of him in the blurry haze. Belatedly, the meaning of his words finally click and something finicky touches the distant expression on Zack's face. ]

Think that only- [ He has to take another moment to try and clear his throat again.

Only to realize after the fact that... that probably was a bad idea. Because now it's just plain sore. Lovely. He licks his lips before forcing his way through. ] -applies to maidens.

[ But that doesn't... answer his question, does it. On a scale of one to ten... ] 'member that Malboro? We were Thirds..

[heroproceeding]

[ In and out. His consciousness is like waves ever since the first time he wakes with Kunsel. He's still sore. Still achy. Head throbbing. There and gone again. Sometimes he talks in his sleep. Sometimes with familiar names. Sometimes not so familiar. Sometimes he just lays there with quiet breath. Sometimes he's panting from whatever fever dream he's having. But after a while, he wakes again if not with half-lidded eyes and limbs that shake when he tries to push himself up stubbornly.

Like right then. Never mind it's probably a bad idea. He's already managed to roll himself onto his stomach despite Mochi's protest and he's planted his palms on the floor. Just a matter of follow through which... that's admittedly a lot harder than first realized. But that just gets him quietly cursing and continuing to act. ]

[swatsflies]

[It's the cursing and Mochi's protests that gets Zell to check on Zack. Walking over and casually dropping down to the floor to pant an arm on Zack's back. Just going to casually lean his weight on the soldier.]

You should stay down before Kunsel decides to sit on you.

[It might happen. He wouldn't be surprised.]

Need something?

[heroproceeding]

[ The new found weight gets him freezing one moment. Then letting out a grunt as he attempts to bypass it. And fails miserably. In moments, he can hold himself up no longer and is forced to retreat back to the floor, breath short. But it doesn't change the miffed tone to his voice as he protests weakly: ]

Joker... Al, he- I gotta... [ What had happened? Was Al even still... alive? Did something else happen to someone else? Did the Joker kill anyone else? ]

[swatsflies]

Al is fine. They are fine. Everyone is fine, man.

[Once he was sure Zack wasn't going any where, he'll give his back a gentle pat.]

Concentrate on feeling better, okay? You've made everyone worried.

[heroproceeding]

[ Al is fine. So's him and Kunsel and Jim. He's gonna guess the others he knows, too. There's a lick of relief there even if it's fleeting as the pat on his back as the next phrase hits him. ]

I know.

[ The moment he utters those words, he feels the weight of them on his heart. He knows too well. He had seen it in Kunsel's eyes. He can hear it now with Zell. And he can only imagine how Jim's feeling now. He's certain it's nothing good.

Doesn't stop him from trying to explain though however choppy the fashion. ] Just- I know you guys can protect..

[ He tries to roll over if the other will let him, even as he continues: ] But I wanted to...

[swatsflies]

[He'll let him roll over. Looking over to see if he can spot his boyfriend to check to make sure he's okay. Jim didn't sleep well. Kunsel probably didn't sleep well, either. Maybe they should spend an entire day after this some where quiet and just sleep the whole day.]

You like putting everything on your shoulders, I know. We're all here though. You should share some of that burden.

[Once Zack is on his back again, Zell is moving to place a hand on his forehead to check his temperature.]

Are you going to stay put if I get you water? I can get Jim to sit on your legs, you know.