[log] Two-and-a-Half Men ; DAY 76-79 [closed]

[averytinyparticle]

Characters: Quark, Clayton, Enoch, Shiro, Tyki, Steve--possibly Rydia or Beckett, anyone else in the area!
Location E6 - Buildings 34/35
Date: 76, 77, Evening/Night and onward through days 78 and 79
Summary: Quark reaches the clinic intending to complete the mission House set him on: steal back the Vicodin Clayton has.
Warnings: Very many Team Dadisms, will update if necessary.

Make a toplevel for anything your character is up to in these buildings during these times or tag out to others!

Comments

Evening 77

[averytinyparticle]

[Quark came all this way for a reason. But it feels like so many things have happened between him promising to get House's medicine back and actually stepping in the door that it's far from the first thing he thinks about. Everything seems different now. His priorities, his motivation. After he split from Sans, it felt like his mood just took a dive. That sadness started to come back, worse than it had been. Not as bad as the day Clementine left, where he felt like nothing mattered, but enough that he can't seem to find anything good to focus on.

But it's like an instant, if temporary, relief fills him when he closes the door behind him and drops his cumbersome backpack to the floor. It's hard for him to muster up a smile, and even as he tries, it doesn't have much of an effect beneath the dark circles around his eyes. It feels like he's barely slept in days. He's honestly not sure when the last time he slept through the night was. Still, there are people here, people he likes! Nice people.]

Hi. [He takes off his hat, too, sets it with his other things. His hair is a mess, but that doesn't matter. It feels nice to have the weight off, just for a little bit.] I didn't think it would take so long for me to get here. I guess I was farther away than I realized.

[dr_unconscious]

[Nice people that are very concerned for Quark's arrival, among other things. Clayton's purposefully been taking things easy for the past few days to rest his arm and relax and yet he still manages to look miserably anxious, haggard from emotional stress. The only way he's able to hide it when Quark walks in is with his words--everything else about him, how he nearly jumps off the bed and walks a little too quickly towards the door, says something very different.]

Quark! Good t' see ya! [He kneels down to Quark's level (saving room for Enoch, of course), gets a good look at his face.] It's alright, it's alright...did you stop t' grab some food? We got some here. You ain't too hungry, are ya?

[averytinyparticle]

[Quark’s torn between being relieved and startled when Clayton approaches him. Well, relieved, startled, and slightly guilty.]

It’s nice to see you, too, Dr. Clayton!

[And despite his plans, he means it. Boy, he wishes he was really just here because he wanted some company. He does miss how easy things were when he was just hanging out with him and Enoch and everybody else. Quark shakes his head.]

No, I’m okay. I got a bunch of rations. They made my backpack really heavy, but I think they should last me awhile. Thank you, though. Um…

[He hesitates, looking from Clayton’s face down to his own feet, shuffling. Hopefully, doing so, Clayton misses the apprehension there, but it’s hard to miss how different Quark looks from the last time he was here. He looks even smaller, and more fragile. Still, no matter how tired and depressed he’s been feeling on his own, it’s hard to miss how...frazzled Clayton looks. He sounds the same as ever, but he looks so…]

Are you okay? What happened to your arm?

[dr_unconscious]

Good, good...

[Quark isn't the only one lying a little bit right now. Just the look of him breaks Clayton's heart, turning the genuine smile splitting his face into a thin, bitter grimace. It's hard to linger on the positives when there's this nagging feeling like he could have prevented all of this--if only he hadn't agreed to let the kids leave on their own.]

[But he's not the only one feeling concerned, either.]

Wh...my arm? [It takes a moment for Clayton's mind to switch gears from self-loathing to some kind of attempted diversion. He settles with weak humor, tries to laugh, almost does.] ...It's alright! Lil' weak, lil' sore. I can still give handshakes with it if I gotta. Well-- [And just like that he throws the topic away, bouncing on his heels a bit with nervous energy.] --how 'bout water? You tired? I'm sure you had a long trip. What can I do for ya?

[That last question is more of a plea than anything. God, please, just let him feel like he can do something to help!]

[warriorscribe]

[Enoch waits until Clayton is finished fussing over Quark to take over, shuffling over once the boy wandered close enough, aching to the bone from all sorts of fatigue. One more thing exposure wouldn't really change.]

Oh, Quark... [He kneels down to his level once he's near enough.] How are you feeling?

[The poor kid's been through a lot lately. He can't not fuss, even if he's not the first to his side.]

[averytinyparticle]

Mister Enoch! I'm...


[Okay. Fine. Alright. Everything's not so bad. He wants to say any or all of these things. But he traveled for Enoch for so long, and he looks at him stooped down in front of him and he looks so tired, too, that Quark can't force himself to lie. Even if it's the kind of lie that you just do to make yourself and other people feel better. He gives a half-shrug instead.]

...I dunno.

[Sometimes he feels sad. Sometimes he feels hopeless. Sometimes he feels really lonely. He's tired all the time, not always for any good reason. And he's scared, above all else he's scared, even if he tries so hard not to show how scared he is. And it's not just the monsters, or the cold, or losing his friends. It's everything he doesn't understand mashed all up into this one huge ball of emotion that he just doesn't really understand.

Quark looks from Enoch, to his feet, and then back to Enoch again. For a brief instant he looks like he could cry, but the instant passes, and he gives into a different impulse instead. Quark leans forward and wraps his arms around the man's neck in a steady (if weak) embrace. Maybe he would've offered the same for Clayton--but Clayton's arm, and his own guilt, pushed that thought away.]

I'm really glad to see you again. I'm sorry you aren't doing so good, either.

[warriorscribe]

[When Quark hugs him, he hugs back without thought, gathering him up in his arms as if he was his own son.]

I'm glad to see you too, Quark. I'll be all right, though...

[It won't last. None of it will last no matter what they do and no matter what happens. If they don't escape, it will still end somehow. There's a twisted sort of comfort in that, and right now, any comfort is enough.]

...And I'll do my best to ensure you'll be all right, too.

Late Night 77

[averytinyparticle]

[After lockdown, it starts to get harder for Quark to put off the real reason he made this detour. He'd been watching Clayton for most of the evening and well into the night, trying to figure out the best way to approach this. He knew his best chance would be to make the switch when everyone's asleep. Or, supposed to be asleep, anyway. Personally, he hasn't been sleeping. When he stopped browsing the Network and laid down, he thought and waited.

It's late and everything's gone quiet and still when he finally sits up again. As silently as he can, he goes through his backpack until he finds the aspirin he picked up awhile back and slips it into one of his pockets. Impulsively, he puts his knife in the opposite pocket. Taking a deep breath, Quark stands and makes his way to Clayton's things. Now or never.

His heart's beating so loudly in his ears, he's almost certain that it's going to wake someone up. He can't stop glancing at the sleeping men the entire way. It's not until he actually makes it to his goal that he completely forgets that he's not alone. Not that he stops being quiet, or stops feeling nervous, but he figures, if he can just do this quickly, it'll all work out fine!

But wow, he underestimated how much stuff Clayton's accumulated in the past seventy days. And it doesn't take him too realize that none of the first aid supplies are there. Quark's heart sinks. Of course Clayton kept all of that separate. But where?]

[dr_unconscious]

[Where else? There's only a few places Clayton seems to store things: His backpack and the sheet attached to it have already been ruled out, but he's put things in the cabinets in the bathroom before, the ones marked with tape, and he's certainly got a lot of pockets on his person to work with. But there's also that soft blue lunchbox he carries around with him; Clayton doesn't go into it often and yet he's always wearing it around his shoulder, to the point where he's forgotten to take it off before falling asleep. Quark should be able to see it clearly resting under his injured arm, since the comforter has been removed from the bed for Quark to sleep in.]

[Clayton appears to be resting peacefully, and doesn't take any notice to the sound of snooping through his backpack.]

[averytinyparticle]

[Staring at Clayton, Quark’s just about to debate taking a trip to bathroom to snoop through the cabinets when his eyes fall on the lunchbox under his arm. His really big arm. Oh. That’s it, isn’t it? That has to be it! Quark had hoped that Clayton wouldn’t keep his supplies that close to him...but it kind of makes sense that he does. That way it’s always within reach if there’s an emergency. And, well, clearly people are out to steal what he has inside.

The boy worries his lip. His knees feel weak from where he’s stooped down. He slowly closes up Clayton’s pack again, trying to figure out if there’s anyway around this. Maybe he could try some other time, and hope that Clayton takes it off. But he can’t remember seeing the lunchbox just lying around anywhere else, so that doesn’t seem likely. And House is waiting; it’s already been five days since they spoke. He had to stop on the way to get more food, he supposes that’s forgivable, but stalling because he’s nervous and doesn’t want to get in trouble? How can he just explain that one away?

He can’t. So Quark gets back to his feet, and makes his way to Clayton, and tries to ignore how he feels like his whole body is shaking. He tries to tell himself that he can do this, and it’ll be easy. Maybe Clayton’s a heavy sleeper! Or maybe he can just lift open a corner of the lunchbox and that’ll be enough for him to reach in and swap the pills. There’s only one way to find out, so slowly, as carefully as possible, he reaches for it and tries to un-wedge it from under the doctor’s arm.]

[dr_unconscious]

[Quark won't find any resistance, not yet. Clayton is indeed deeply asleep, and the lunchbox is loose enough that slipping it into a more searchable position can be done without bothering Clayton's arm too much to wake him. He winces in his sleep and whines a little, but that's the extent of it. This is a small miracle.]

[Unfortunately there's all that shit to sift through in the lunchbox itself, because Clayton hasn't used the pills since Rhys left and there's all sorts of shit in there on top of them. A water bottle, pill boxes, pill bottles, some kind of book, rags, a...a dog leash? Yeah, there's a dog leash in there. Lots of loose materials at any rate, plenty of things to rattle around in his search. Good luck, Quark.]

Evening 76

[prazerbutterfly]

[Tyki's destination hadn't been the little house he was now entering nor the one next to it. The large building in the distance that sort of looked like an official building was his main goal and when the strange thing people called a tablet started yelling at him again he took the advice and started to gamble whether moving forward further towards the large building or turning around to the house right behind him was a better option. While normally he would've pressed onwards for a better thrill his legs were numb from a full day of walking in the snow and his power to choose was no where near him to aid him. Out of the Ice caves he found the wind to be almost unbearable for walking long distances and it was much colder than he anticipated.

Turning around with some reluctance he barged through the door and shut it roughly behind him with a slide down into a sit against the door in just amount of time to call himself 'safe' at least for a while. To anyone approaching or watching her certainly seemed like a noble out of his element with that fancy coat, top hat and white gloves wet from digging in the snow. Not to mention his rough breathing from the cold air made him sit there a while longer until he found the strength to rise up and take a look inside.

His observant gaze and keen sense of the hunt for targets showed signs of life just about everywhere. He'd pass from room to room if he was allowed.]

[warriorscribe]

[The familiar face catches Enoch's attention almost immediately; he doesn't easily forget one, after all, and has even been known to recognize people he had only met before as children.]

Hello again, [he offers in quiet greeting, coming to kneel near him.] Are you all right? The wind is harsh out there...

[prazerbutterfly]

Evening. [He says with a grim smile and a proper gentleman's tone. To anyone else he had to keep up his role of a normal and somewhat lost noble in order to better gain an advantage of his surroundings. At least until he felt he had the upper hand or his powers back.]

I will be soon as my legs warm up. While I am accustomed to long travels I usually have better suited carriages at my disposal when the weather is as it is. Not often do I have to trudge through knee high snow and bitter winds for long.

slams into this tag

[dr_unconscious]

[That's the door.]

[Clayton perks up on instinct. His first thought is that it's Quark. He hopes it's Quark--the poor boy's been through enough--but he has to temper his anticipation in the moment so he can finish doling out these rations Shiro brought in the kitchen cabinets, letting Enoch see to him instead. He hears gentle talking and his spirits fall a little. That can't be Quark. But at least everything sounds civil, there's no panic or Enoch carrying someone off to the living room, so maybe this will be pleasant company.]

[Pleasant enough, maybe. Clayton's certainly not going to think ill of him just because he isn't Quark. He turns the corner of the kitchen just as Enoch's leaving, poking his head around with a tired, but nevertheless congenial smile.]

Hey there! Need a hand, bud?

blown away )o)

[prazerbutterfly]

[It is.]

[Enoch had startled him for the most part. To have insight on abilties similiar to his own but not as special in his mind had made him a little wary of the other seeing through his own glamour but thankfully he was able to push those thoughts aside and focus on warming up to the other.

It was a good thing he hadn't chosen to just eliminate the other on the spot on a whim given that there were more in the building. Something he really should've checked for had his legs not felt so frozen. He could likely take on two grown/normal men by himself given his battle history but if any of them were just as veteran trained as he was he might have his difficulty without powers. At least it would be thrilling.

So a startled and very false look is given towards the other upon him as if he didn't expect him there and then a masked smile is thrown at the other.] I am not sure what more I could ask of such a hospitable house.

78/79; Building 34

[starsandtights]

Middayish, Day 78
[It's not a very long walk from the herbarium house to what has now become the clinic, but Steve feels tired as he and Beckett pick their way through the rubble to the door. Well. He was tired when they started walking. Tired and heartsick and angry.

When Steve pushes the door open, the occupants of the building might notice that Beckett looks more sullen than usual and has a bruise on his face. They might notice Steve looks stricken, like he's going to cry or be sick or start shouting, it's hard to say which, and that he has deep shadows under his eyes.

Steve... doesn't come up with anything at all to say. He just stands in the doorway for a bit, looking defeated.]

So early in the morning, Day 79
((OOC: Nothing Steve can actually respond to, mostly an FYI.))

[Steve slips out as early as possible in the morning, while everyone else is asleep. It's still dark out, aside from what sad bit of moonlight can make it through the blizzard; still, he's confident he can at least make it to the vicinity of houses 28 and 31 without getting lost.

He leaves behind, in the middle of the floor, the child-sized sweatshirt and raincoat, neatly folded and stacked on each other. On top of the stack is a torn-out sheet from his notebook, weighed down with a bundled-up pair of shoelaces and a pink flower hair clip. Written on the note in pencil: "Gone back up to the house just south of the park to look for my tablet. Will be in touch when I find it, or another one. Expect to be in vicinity of park at least the next few days. If someone can please add these items to the supplies next door for me, I'd appreciate it. Clayton, please give the hair clip to Ginger when next you see her. — S. Rogers" and then a hastily written postscript, "Quark is with me"]

Day 78

[averytinyparticle]

[Sullen is a good word for the state of things. It's unfortunate that Steve probably won't find much better, here. But then, sometimes when you feel defeated, it can be better to take comfort with others who are feeling in a similar mood. Quark looks up from where he's sitting alone when the door opens, feeling put-out enough that he doesn't intend to get up. Or, at least, he wouldn't have, if it wasn't Steve.

Steve is his friend. His friend who's helped him out when he's been sad before. It doesn't feel right to just ignore him no matter how upset he's feeling again this time. It's only the right thing to do to return the favor! Of course, he doesn't exactly have much to say, or any idea what's gotten them so upset, so when Quark gets up and shuffles over, he does little more than reach for Steve's sleeve and wrap his small fingers around it.

He looks up at the man's face with a look that says "you don't have to say anything, but I'm here anyway".]

Hi, Mr. Steve.

[starsandtights]

[After a few moments standing there, Steve had remembered to shuffle a little further into the room, closing the door behind himself and Beckett. He watched Quark come over to him, and when Quark grabs his sleeve he gives him a horrible little trying-to-smile-through-the-sadness smile.]

Hey, Quark. How are you?

[He turns his hand over, palm-up, offering it in case Quark wants a hand instead of a sleeve.]

Day 79 - ALL THE TAGS JUST FOR ME!!!

[averytinyparticle]

[Quark didn't sleep through the night. Well, that's become a pretty common occurrence. It feels easier to sleep through the day and just stay up thinking about his own failings all night. He felt uncomfortable sticking around the clinic the day before, after what he'd done, but it was after what happened to House he knew he needed to leave. He can't stop telling himself it's all his fault. That he might as well have killed House by not getting that medicine like he was supposed to. And Clayton and Enoch and Shiro and everyone are all too nice for him to stand staying around them. After he tried to use their hospitality and lie to them...even if they don't seem to be mad at him at all. It's not right. It's just too much.

So by the time the doors unlock, he's ready to go, too. He knows that if he doesn't, someone'll try to stop him, and he doesn't want to argue anymore. He just wants to be away. It's a surprise, then, and a bit nerve wracking, when Steve makes it to the door first. Quark watches him put down his note, then quietly gathers up his own things and follows him outside.]

Mr. Steve? Where are you going?

[He's not sure why he's asking. He could just wait five minutes and walk the other direction and nobody would know the difference. But it feels wrong not to ask. It sounds like a question that may precede an attempt at getting him to stay...but when Steve turns to look, he'll notice that Quark has all his things with him, too. That, right away, implies quite the opposite.]

[starsandtights]

[Steve jumps slightly when Quark speaks up, then turns to look at him, a little guiltily.]

...I was going to head back up to the park. I accidentally left my tablet in one of the houses, I figure I should probably. Try to find it. And there's been a lot of digging up graves up there, I kinda wanna give those people a proper reburial. ...Thought I'd get an early start.

[He peers at Quark through the gloom, noticing he's got all of his things with him. He frowns a little.]

...Where are you going?

Midday 78

[prazerbutterfly]

[Tyki simply didn't want to wake up that day. Used to being pampered and his every wish fulfilled he wasn't use to such a hard labor for long while portraying the noble. At least while he was a hobo he was with friends. The bitter struggle to find anyone had been comforting when he actually found someone interesting and he had taken the day to sleep in and relax.

The mere fact he hadn't moved from a corner in the nearest door side towards the exit was simply because after a while he had fallen asleep there and any notion of escaping the quickest was preferable to being trapped.

So when the cold air from outside invades his personal space as it wafts through the door he startles awake and glances up at the sullen man.] Going to stand there all day? At least close the door.

[starsandtights]

[Steve stares at him for a few moments, expressionless, then shuffles out of the way so Beckett can come in and shuts the door behind him, then goes back to staring at Tyki for a few moments longer before speaking up in a monotone.]

...Sorry.

78

[warriorscribe]

Are you two all right?

[Enoch's bounced back from his ordeal (on the surface at least) by now, and gets up to show the two inside, quick to lead them somewhere they can sit once the door is closed. He's a little restless, a little obviously nervous, but otherwise so focused on the newcomers his own problems come through even less.]

What happened?

is this the yelling thread I am here for yelling

[bookofnope]

[For his part, Beckett would very much have liked not to say anything, either. He trudges in behind Steve, looking just as tired, though his own feelings are mostly turned inwards and from the outside he mostly glowers at being herded to the clinic and the inevitable accompanying fuss. It's a safely familiar routine.

But someone has to explain, and he knows he'll endure it better than Steve. So he resists the urge to simply push past Enoch and go sit on the bed and present himself for Clayton's hobby of worrying about everyone and every thing. He nods at Steve to direct him in ahead of him, instead, and gives Enoch the quick, stark cliff notes version.]

Rydia and I forced ourselves to stay overnight at the funeral home morgue the night before last. Steve got me out yesterday morning. Rydia - didn't make it.