#seolfr

ALMASS:  Almass is lounging at an outdoor table, menu in hand and coffee on the  table. The chair across from him is empty.  He's dressed in a t-shirt and jeans. The circles under his eyes are  somewhat darker than usual.

RONAWN:  Seolfr arrives at the cafe about ten minutes late, mostly to annoy  Almass.  "Do you always have to choose to eat outdoors in the wrong way?"  Seolfr's mock uniform style is probably a little warm in this weather,  and he's looking around with mock disdain. He places the heavy uniform  coat on the back of the chair and sits down. "You look terrible  Almass."

ALMASS:  "How gratifying to hear. You look a little over-warm yourself." He  looks up from the menu with a cheeky expression. "Perhaps the heat has  you feeling sluggish?"

RONAWN:  Seolfr removes his hat in such a way as to block Almass' menu for a  moment before absconding with it for himself. "Is there anything  edible, or should we just call for a mediculler to start feeding you  stimulants intravenously?"

ALMASS:  Almass' fingers close on nothing and he glares. "I have it handled."  He sips his coffee primly, even flutters his fins. "Do you still eat  real food, or are you training yourself to live on rations?" He  pauses. "Have you not reached the lesson 'if you aren't fifteen  minutes early, you're late?' Or did a few of the words get mixed up in  your pan?"

RONAWN:  "If one arrives when one is expected, how is one to retain the element  of surprise?" Seolfr kicks Almass in the shins under the table.

ALMASS:   "Nn." He grunts, despite his best efforts. "I imagine by being  honestly unpredictable."  He picks up his coffee and makes an attempt to tip Seolfr's chair with  his foot.

RONAWN:  Seolfr stomps on the foot, and has to grab the table to keep his chair  from tipping back.

ALMASS:  The stupid look on Ronawn's face is absolutely worth any new pain in  his foot. It was off the ground anyway, he was saved most of the  damage. A drip of coffee falls on his jeans though. Sadness. His aims  a kick at Seolfr's shins, but not hard and as more of an afterthought.  It's a diplomacy kick. "Anything new, then, to report?"

RONAWN:  He's doing the smug thing again. Seolfr /hates/ the smug thing. But  it's a public place, it wouldn't do to start beating him senseless  here. It would be inappropriate.

ALMASS:  Skippy raises his eyebrows. "Ronawn?"

RONAWN:  Seolfr glares at Almass."Is there staff here, or are we expected to  catch and cook the food?"

ALMASS:  "You have the menu," he responds. "If you can't wait for the server to  come back around, the bay is a quarter mile that way." He pauses to  sip his coffee. "Patience is a virtue," he murmurs.   "You seem to be avoiding the question, though."

RONAWN:  "I wasn't aware one's name was a question."

ALMASS:  Oh my glub. "It's not, there was a question before that."

RONAWN:  "It musn't have been very important then." Seolfr pulls the menu up  practically hitting Almass in the face with it.

ALMASS:  He sighs. "Ronawn, I do so enjoy our arguments, but can we not be  civil?"

RONAWN:  "I will be civil when you start behaving like someone worth being  civil with Almass." The menu narrowly misses Almass' coffee.

ALMASS:  "If you have a problem with my conduct, do share." He sounds flippant  for being across from someone apparently restraining himself from  violence.  A few of the other patrons are nervous about the two seadwellers. A  pair of warmerbloods, a blue and a teal, try to move to a new table  without attracting attention.

RONAWN:  "You dress like a lowblooded tramp, and spend far too much time on  land."

ALMASS:  He looks down at himself. "I had the impression my clothing was  modest." Badum-tsshhh.  "There is, of course, something to be said for learning about those  you are supposed to lead, about not allowing yourself to be caught in  an echo chamber. For instance, one that says military dress is proper  attire for a casual lunch."

RONAWN:  "Military dress is /always/ proper attire." Seolfr says smugly.

ALMASS:  He stops himself a millisecond before declaring someone ought to tear  the "proper attire" off his ponce body, then briefly considers tossing  the rest of the coffee onto his shirt. This is, of course, an  unacceptable course of action. Coffee is very important.  "If you plan to spend your life in the exclusive company of other  seadwellers, sure."

RONAWN:  "I plan to spend my life in service to the Alternian empire, like any  other troll. Military dress is something of a requirement Almass, one  may as well be comfortable with it beforehand." Seolfr waves down a  terrified looking olive waiter and makes his order in a perfunctory  fashion. The waiter looks to Skippy hoping he can leave rather than  needing to take another order.

ALMASS:  Skippy gives his order with a slightly apologetic look and a quiet  "thank you." He gives Seolfr a mildly disgusted look.

RONAWN:  Seolfr fails to notice any disgust and continues on his tirade  regarding the benefits of military dress.

ALMASS:  He waits, fascinated, for Seolfr to take a breath. "It's a wonder why  you're the only one I know perpetually in uniform. Tell me, have you  attempted to convince _Teylir_ to change her wardrobe?"

RONAWN:  Seolfr stops mid-thought, looks at Almass starts to say something and  then promptly fails to do anything but grin.

ALMASS:  He makes a sound that's half giggle and half sigh. "My gods, you're  incorrigible."

ALMASS:  "What do you find objectionable about her attire?"

RONAWN:  "Oh yes, surely Roeshk wouldn't look at /all/ attractive in a junior  officer's uniform." He grins even wider. "You know /exactly/ the ones  I mean Almass." He makes a dismissive gesture. "Roeshk dresses in an  aesthetically pleasing but highly impractical fashion." He rests his  head on the back of one hand, pondering a moment. "The society gala is  coming up for the start of the season, and I believe we're doing  Classical Era." More grinning.

ALMASS:  Almass is straight up facepalming (partially to hide his own  grinning). "That's objectifying and I'm judging you accordingly." He  looks up, thoughtful. "You don't think she'd look better in a  commander's uniform?"

RONAWN:  Seolfr ponders this a moment. "Almass the only difference between  junior and senior officers is the length of the coat. It is exactly as  objectifying." Seolfr gestures momentarily at his own outfit.

ALMASS:  "Slightly less." His fin twitches.

ALMASS:  He totally glances down at Seolfr's outfit.  He rolls his shoulders.

TEYLIR:  AN: Alright, thank you. I'll get myself some tea while we're waiting?  Do you suppose there's time?

SEOLFR:  AG: One imagine it depends on the whims of your Overseer.

TEYLIR:  AN: Please, he near enough has a fetish for punctuality. If there's a  delay, it's legitimate.

SEOLFR:  AG: I'll join you, we'll take the tea to go?

TEYLIR:  AN: Alright :)

SKIPPY:  The reason for the delay is legitimate! ...Legitimately because Skippy  found himself unaccountably anxious. Definitely unaccountable,  happening for no reason.  OK so he didn't know about the deal with Teylir until she contacted  him and he feels like a piece of shit for that, and also that he  didn't stop her from ruining her life, even though it's totally not  his fault and ok you just got yourself together you can stop freaking  yourself back out any time now.  RR: ApologieS FoR ThE DelaY.  RR: PreferencE FoR MeetinG Place? CaN TakE A VehiclE TO YouR ShiP.

SEOLFR:  AG: Wasn't aware they had vehicles this far out.  AG: Unless you'd rather accost us in an alleyway that should be fine.

SKIPPY:  RR: AcknowledgeD.  RR: RatheR PrefeR ThiS OptioN. DisturbinG ThE WildlifE TendS TO HavE  UnforeseeN ConsequenceS.

SEOLFR:  Seolfr and Teylir are once again waiting at the gangplank. Seolfr has  brought a thermos of tea and is drinking out of the lid. He offers the  tea (and a cup) to Teylir.

TEYLIR:  She takes it with a nod and smiles.

TEYLIR:  "Thank you."

SEOLFR:  "I will write to you darling, as often as you like, we can chat as  well? Like back when I was in quarantine." He tries to smile, but it's  not very convincing

TEYLIR:  "That sounds... excellent." Her smile is equally unconvincing. She  leans on him slightly. "This feels weird. Being here, I mean."

SEOLFR:  "Because you're leaving, or because it's here?" Seolfr wraps the arm  that isn't holding a half-empty lid of tea around Teylir.

TEYLIR:  "The second one." She grimaces. "This is... weird," she murmurs, and  she reaches an arm up to take his hand. She's scanning the horizon for  any sign of Timeskip approaching.

SKIPPY:  Then she should be seeing an approaching vehicle kicking up dust!  Skippy is frowning a bit, seeing those two, apparently very close  together. Ugh. Good thing he's too far away for that facial expression  to be visible.

SEOLFR:  Seolfr is having second thoughts about leaving Teylir here, but quells  them by draining the lid of tea. "Night or day dear, if you need me,  you need only call.

TEYLIR:  She shrug. "I'll be taking you up on that, if it's no trouble." She  lets her breath out in a loud 'fwooooh.' "It's not that I think he'll  be inappropriate or... rude, it's- he's going to be nice." She looks  at Seolfr. "Is it weird to be upset by that?"

SEOLFR:  "Teylir, what have I told you about thinking you're-" Seolfr cuts his  remark short when she mentions Timeskip. "If he mistreats you-" He has  to cut himself off again as Timeskip starts to walk up the gangplank.  "Merciful terrors does he have to look like death warmed over." He  whispers to Teylir.

TEYLIR:  He certainly doesn't appear to have put on any concealer, no! She  murmurs out the corner of her mouth "He always looks like that."

SKIPPY:  The fin-twitch says 'I know you're talking about me.' He stops a  distance away from the pair and inclines his head to both. "Evening  Captain, Di-" Fuck, _fuck._ "Roeshk." His pusher thumps unpleasantly.  "Ah... Apologies."

TEYLIR:  Tey flinches. "You didn't mean anything by it."

SEOLFR:  Seolfr stiffens against Teylir. Didn't mean anything his left foot. He  steps towards Timeskip, the thermos lid creaks and starts to crack in  his hand.

TEYLIR:  Teylir, bless her swordman's reflexes, puts a hand on his chest.

TEYLIR:  *within the second of him moving.

SKIPPY:  Timeskip adjusts his stance, narrows his eyes. His arm moves like he's  preparing to pull specibus.

SEOLFR:  Seolfr looks to Teylir, drops the crushed remains of the thermos lid  and hugs her protectively.

TEYLIR:  She holds him for a moment, leans on him. "He didn't mean anything by  it, love," she murmurs. Her voice falters a bit. Was it really an  accident? Oh no. Maybe this was a mistake. She gives Timeskip a  somewhat frightened look.

SKIPPY:  Timeskip, for his part, relaxes his stance, eyes widening. Oh hell,  does she...? Lords, his stomach just dropped to his toes. "TeyliR, I  DidN'T-"  Why are you making things worse unholy horrors.

SEOLFR:  Seolfr releases Teylir from the hug, very calmly, very rigidly walks  over to Timeskip, places an arm around his shoulders and about faces  the older seadweller.

SKIPPY:  Skippy is too surprised to say anything, but he leans away abruptly,  affronted.

TEYLIR:  "Seolfr, love, what are you doing...?"

SEOLFR:  "Just having a quick chat dearest." Seolfr grabs Skippy again. "If so  much as a hair on her head comes to harm, I hold you responsible."

SKIPPY:  He sighs and looks away before making very direct eye contact. "MY  ColonY, MY ResponsibilitY. DO KnoW ThE DrilL." He rather un-gently  removes the hand from his person. "BesideS. HealeR HeaL ThyselF."  Skippy, _no._

SEOLFR:  Seolfr takes the opportunity of having Skippy between him and Teylir  to jab very quickly to the Overseer's ribs. The bulk of the target and  the angle they're standing at should have concealed the motion nicely.  He steps away from Skippy and begins to walk back to Teylir. "All  sorted!"

TEYLIR:  "Well," she looks from Seolfr to Skippy, who just bent slightly at the  waist and grunted. "alright, I suppose."  Privately, she wonders why Ilbodo looks like the catfish who ate  the... canaryfish. So the thought got away from her, the point stands  that he looks smugger than a very smug thing. She has the vague notion  she should step in before _something_ happens but, worthless thing  that she is, has no idea what to say and merely looks baffled and  concerned.

SEOLFR:  Seolfr returns to Teylir, keeping a fairly neutral face, takes her by  the wrist, the one with the silver braclet around it, brings it to his  lips to kiss and then kisses the braclet. "Would you like me to come  with you until you're settled?"

TEYLIR:  She glances at Skippy. "I'm not sure that's the best idea." She lifts  his hand to her own lips, plants a kiss, smiles. "I'll manage."   She can't shake the feeling she's screwing this up horribly.

SEOLFR:  "Do you need anything else off the ship? We won't be back this way for  a while." Seolfr taps his feet a little nervously.

TEYLIR:  Tey takes a moment to go over it in her mind. "No, I believe I have  everything." She smiles a bit, though her brow is knit, and she cups  his jaw with her hands. "You have nothing to worry about, love."

SKIPPY:  Skippy is making a series of abjectly disgusted faces over this  display. Ugh. Gag. Vomit.  Someone please kill him that's his ex and her new beau getting PDA  right in front of him.

SEOLFR:  Seolfr catches Skippy out the corner of his eye and tries to gently  wipe the furrowed brow from Teylir's face by kissing it, even though  this means stretching a little higher to do so.

SKIPPY:  Skippy sees Teylir's smile relax, the following gentle embrace, and  decides he's has enough. He clears his throat loudly... and finds  himself trying to muffle actual coughing. Lords dammit _no....._

TEYLIR:  This distracts Teylir! She's frowning again!

SEOLFR:  Seolfr turns to look at Timeskip, the coughing is not being held back  very well. "Are you quite well?"

SKIPPY:  "CertaiN IT'S NothinG." He does not look certain. He looks startled  and annoyed that his body is doing this thing.

TEYLIR:  Teylir responds by giving him a Look.  Skippy not taking care of himself is such a raw nerve by this point  her anger definitely looks disproportional.  (She won't lie though. Watching him try not to squirm is gratifying.)

SKIPPY:  Tey giving him Looks is a raw nerve! His lip curls and he looks hells  of defensive.

SEOLFR:  "Really you do look like you need to sit down." Seolfr is trying very  hard to keep a straight face and mostly succeeding.

SKIPPY:  It occurs to a now faintly murderous-looking Skippy that he could  order this _fry_ off his planet at any time, and it looks like he  might be about to do so!

SEOLFR:  Seolfr stirs a little while Teylir is moving him around and tugs  Teylir's arm around him.

TEYLIR:  Oh!  [She squeaks, lands squarely in his lap.]

SEOLFR:  This starts Seolfr awake! He's confused and bleary-eyed and it takes  him a moment to register that Teylir is on his lap. "Ah! Roeshk! When  did you? Why are you on my lap?"

TEYLIR:  [She's trying to steady herself. She clears her throat, winces.]  I could ask you that :)

SEOLFR:  Seolfr yawns, covers his mouth as an afterthought. "Did I fall asleep?  I have" yawn "reports to fill out."

TEYLIR:  You fell asleep without a patch, Ronawn. I put one on your arm, and  you, ah, pulled me down.  [Tey bites her lip, deciding whether or not she can stay where she  is.]

SEOLFR:  Seolfr pulls Teylir into a hug. "I should" yawn "should get some more  reports done." He fumbles around on the wrong arm trying to find the  patch. It's obvious he's been burning the candle at both ends and he  can't stop yawning.

TEYLIR:  I _think_ you should get some rest.  [Cuddle!]

SEOLFR:  "The reports need to be done though." Seolfr flops back in the chair,  rubbing his eyes. "Where's this accursed patch?" Still groping around  on the wrong arm.

TEYLIR:  It's on the other arm.  [She rests her head on his shoulder.]  What will I have to do to convince you to sleep?

SEOLFR:  "Tell me what's wrong?" Seolfr pets his matesprit gently.

TEYLIR:  [Teylir moves to give him a Look.]   What's wrong is I'm tired, which, incidentally, what's wrong with you  too.

SEOLFR:  Seolfr returns the Look.

SEOLFR:  "You know what I mean Teylir."

TEYLIR:  [Her eyes narrow a bit, causing her Stern Matespritly Disapproval stat  to double!]  [...Unfortunately, her mental health debuff prevents this from being  the case for long, and she breaks eye contact, defeated.]  There's nothing new.

SEOLFR:  Seolfr's Stern Matesprit Disapproval stat is through the roof.  Unfortunately it is lowered in favour of the Need To Cuddle Matesprit  Apologetically. Seolfr cuddles his matesprit apologetically. "Please,  Teylir? Don't run from me like that? I'm sorry."

TEYLIR:  No, it's alright, I'm sorry.  [She tilts her head to peck a kiss on his neck and chirps.]

SEOLFR:  He squeezes the cuddle a little on one side and chirps back. "I don't  know what to do to help, Teylir. I would wade through swarms of angels  if it would make you happy but I can't do anything without knowing  what's wrong."

TEYLIR:  [Sigh :(]  I've been fired, publicly humiliated, and mu-mutilated. I'm not  entirely certain what you're looking for me to answer, or what you  expect to be able to help. I got myself into this, I... suppose I'm  the one who needs to figure a way out, yeah?

TEYLIR:  [She's trying to stop a smirk from the angel comment.]

SEOLFR:  Seolfr makes a sad little chirp.

SEOLFR:  "You don't have to do it alone, but I'd rather not make things worse  bumbling around. If you'd rather not my company, that's fine."

TEYLIR:  [She gets a rush of worry from that comment!!]  I love your company.  [She strokes the back of his neck and keeps making little chirps and  chirrs. It is ok, fish boyfriend, she is not rejecting you. ]  I don't know what to make of anything that's happened, or what I'm...  going to do next. My focus is on recovering physically and keeping the  tedium of that at bay in the interim.

SEOLFR:  Seolfr's first instinct is to deliver a bone-crushing hug. This  instinct is very quickly told off by the bits of his sponge that  remember that Teylir has a few broken ribs. More headpetting then.

TEYLIR:  [She's idly petting the nape of his neck, occasionally brushing a fin.  Tey had nearly forgotten what 'contented' was like. This- this isn't  quite it, but it's the closest she's been in a while now.]  Your turn.

SEOLFR:  "You need to sleep too." Seolfr is now the blushing matesprit. He  tries not to jostle Teylir as he shuffles and adjusts his position.  Yawn. He blinks, clearly having trouble keeping eyes open. "I get the  chair, you get the cot."

TEYLIR:  [She's either shaking her head or nuzzling.]   You are getting out of this chair, and if I sleep on the cot, you'll  be on the sofa.

SEOLFR:  Seolfr groans. "But the chair is comfortable. And there's a cute troll  on my lap." Seolfr fiddles with the bracelet on Teylir's wrist. "You  need to sleep. Where are the the" yawn, pet the matesprit "patch  things." He pats Teylir's shoulder.

TEYLIR:  They're on the desk. Hurry to the sofa and the cute troll might decide  to sleep there as well.

SEOLFR:  "You're still on my lap." Yawn.

TEYLIR:  [She climbs off with difficulty.]

TEYLIR:  Come along, then :)

SEOLFR:  Seolfr makes his away over to the sofa, dragging a sopor patch out of  the pile on the desk and flops down, holding his arms out to Teylir.

SEOLFR:  An especially large and sharped tooth yawn follows.

TEYLIR:  [Teylir cuddles back up on her boo with a tiny smile!]

TEYLIR:  [She winds up back on his lap, in very much the same position, because  this is one of the few ways she can cuddle up comfortably right now.]

SEOLFR:  Seolfr is already half asleep as he starts to make himself comfortable  with Teylir on his lap and sticks a sopor patch to the back of her  neck, followed by a kiss.

TEYLIR:  [Teylir makes the kiss linger a bit longer than the situation calls  for.]  Good morning, Seolfr.

SEOLFR:  Seolfr mumbles something that might be a reply to Teylir and is out  light a like.

TEYLIR:  [It takes Tey a little longer to fall asleep, but she gets there.]  [SOME TIME LATER...]  [Teylir slept a bit fitfully, wakes up feeling bland. She shifts on  Seolf, and, ugh. Injuries are so much stiffer in the evenings.]

SEOLFR:  Seolfr is asleep a little longer, but Teylir stirring next to him  eventually gets one violet eye open.

TEYLIR:  Mmm.  Evening.  [She is pulling a face.]

SEOLFR:  Seolfr reaches out (clumsily, sleepily) and touches Teylir's lips and  smiles. "Evening." Another shark-toothed yawn follows.

TEYLIR:  [Seolfr, you have succeeded in... literally wiping the weird look off  Tey's face. It has been replaced with a weirder one. She  (carefully!!!!) noms the fingers.]

SEOLFR:  He tries to take his fingers back from Teylir and leans in to kiss her  cheek.

TEYLIR:  [She relinquishes the fingers and turns her cheek for the kiss, but  turns back to pop a pill in her mouth and swallow. Fretful fidgeting  follows.]  [Mumbled:] Goddamn struts.

SEOLFR:  Seolfr makes a sad little noise and kisses Teylir again. " Do you need  anything?  He tries to shuffle out around Teylir, trying not to jostle her. "You  can have first crack at the ablution block."

TEYLIR:  Give me a little longer to wake up, yeah?  [That yawn looked painful (it was).]  I think there was something I wanted to tell you about...

SEOLFR:  "Well, if it had to wait all night, we might as well find out what it  was."

TEYLIR:  I... [Yaaawn.] I don't remember... mmh... oh!  Timeskip's colony, I can't stay there. It's some... I don't know,  infection that's pretty contagious when injuries are involved. He  insisted I stay away for the time being.

SEOLFR:  "You're welcome aboard the ship as long as you like dear." Seolfr  kisses Teylir again.

SEOLFR:  "Though you may lack for diversions."

TEYLIR:  [Kisses are nice! But she... bleh. She droops back onto his shoulder.]  Here's where I'm jealous of Laledy's pan mod. No need to get up and  bother my struts, just think about it a bit and-  [She gestures lazily.]  -poof, I'm watching a movie or that bizarre show about rock women.

SEOLFR:  "Yes but imagine how tedious it would be to have every missive sent  right to your sponge!" Seolfr laughs.

TEYLIR:  [Contemplative.]  It might be interesting.  [How to the helms Lal hangs with manage? Do they like the computer?  Is...]  [This is a massively seditious line of thought. A blueblood with a  helm mod?? She stiffens a bit, and quickly tacks on.]  Joking, I'm joking of course.

SEOLFR:  "If you could go to the colony on Beta Consulate again, would you?"  Seolfr's face is a little sad, the previous joviality all but drained.

TEYLIR:  [Fuck fuck fuck.]  Are you worried I might?

SEOLFR:  "I'm worried you won't." He kisses her on the forehead. "You shouldn't  be cooped up in the ship dearest."

TEYLIR:  Any particulars for why not?  [She might be a little bit defensive.]

SEOLFR:  "I don't want you to have to worry about what the crew might say or  being a burden on me."  [He might be a little bit worried]

TEYLIR:  Yeah.  [Sure, there's two worries gone, but.... wow look at the clock it's  anxiety time.]  Yeah, I'll get going as- as soon as I've the go-ahead.  [She prods his side.]  Lie down?

SEOLFR:  "Hmm? What, alright."

SEOLFR:  Seolfr returns to the couch at Teylir's behest.

TEYLIR:  [She lies down next to him, holding her neck at and odd angle. Silly  Tey, you don't have to correct for your horns anymore!]  I don't want to be awake.

SEOLFR:  Seolfr nudges Teylir's head and neck to be a little less uncomfortably  placed.  "It's night though? Did you not sleep well?" Seolfr looks at the  discarded sopor patches with concern. "We can go see the medic?"

TEYLIR:  [She resists, but readjusts when she remembers that there is no way  he's going to be gored like this. A lump rises in her throat and she  swallows.]  I'm only tired. There's no need for worry.

SEOLFR:  It's nice having Teylir this close without having to worry about her  horns. Gentle squeeze for the matesprit. "You've slept the whole day  Teylir, at least have some breakfast."

TEYLIR:  [This is pretty nice. Her neck doesn't hurt in the slightest.]  I'm not especially hungry.

SEOLFR:  Seolfr continues to make worried face at his matesprit. He frowns."An  hour."

TEYLIR:  Hmmmm.  [She looks up at him, prods his frown.]  Stop making that face :)

SEOLFR:  "I'll stop when you stop making me make it." He pokes back.

TEYLIR:  I'm tired and not very hungry. There's nothing to worry about.  [She sticks out her tongue and tries to turn the corners of his mouth  up.]

SEOLFR:  Seolfr flicks a fin at Teylir.

TEYLIR:  ...   [She withdraws her hand.]   Sorry.

SEOLFR:  He places his hand over hers.  "I'm not doing a very good job of taking care of you dearest."

TEYLIR:  How d'you mean?

SEOLFR:  "You were hurt under my care. It's not... proper."

TEYLIR:  Oh, sweetheart...  [She wiggles a bit (ow, hiss) until she can kiss his cheek.]  What would you have done? Hide me away, bring a worse punishment on  yourself?  I cooked my own goose, love.

SEOLFR:  Seolfr winces are the hiss of pain.  "I'm not accustomed to being useless."

SOME TEALBLOOD:  "Not TerrIbly Long A NIght Or So." The Tealblood starts sending a  message to Seolfr.

TEYLIR:  Shit.  [Dry swallow.]  Can I have some water? Please?

SOME TEALBLOOD:  "Of Course. Slowly Though. Can't Have You DrownIng. The CaptaIn Was  Very Clear." He gulps and pours a little water for Teylir. "I LIke  BreathIng."

TEYLIR:  [She tries to sit up and yelps.]

SOME TEALBLOOD:  "You Have Several Damaged ThoracIc Struts Please Don't Move"

TEYLIR:  Roger.  [She can hardly take a breath. There are tears in her eyes.]

SEOLFR:  Seolfr arrives shortly afterwards. On seeing the state of Teylir he  starts casting dirty, rather vicious looks towards the mediculler.

TEYLIR:  [What happened? Right, that... purple. Relax your muscles. Relax.]  That... ffff... fucking subjugglator... god_dammit._  [She is not yet aware of Seolfr.]

SEOLFR:  Seolfr is next to Teylir very quickly, cursing a little that he didn't  save the clown's horns.  "That one won't be a problem any more love."

TEYLIR:  Hello :)  [That is one pale attempt at a smile.]  What- ah!- what's up, bu-buttercup?

SEOLFR:  "You're awake, I'm so pleased!"

TEYLIR:  Yeah, awake.

TEYLIR:  [>Teylir: Attempt to sound at least a little light-hearted.]  [>Teylir: Fail abysmally.]  I suppose I'm out of a job.

SEOLFR:  "You're welcome on the ship Teylir, you know that right?" Seolfr takes  one of Teylir's hands in his and slides something metallic on.

TEYLIR:  [Something breaks a little and suddenly not crying becomes her chief  concern. She's... she's been on this ship for ages and he couldn't  possibly NOT feel inconvenienced why is he being so nice even now that  he has PROOF she isn't... _wasn't_ good at her job? She didn't even  tell him she was going to die there, didn't conceive she wouldn't die  there, what kind of person does that to someone they're supposed to  love?]  [Hello, what's this cold thing? Whatever she was about to say is  interrupted by her curiosity.]

SEOLFR:  Seolfr squeezes her hand and removes them to grab her for a kiss.  Without huge seadweller hangs covering it, the object around her wrist  is very clearly a bracelet, made of braided silver. It comes together  in a little <3 shape.

TEYLIR:  [Teylir kisses back on automatic and then she. Stares at her wrist.]  [Oh.]  [...This is taking a little while to register. In the meantime, alarm  probably wasn't the reaction Seolfr was hoping for.]

SEOLFR:  Seolfr is also very quiet attempting to process the fact that his  matesprit does not seem to be totally thrilled with this turn of  events. And blushing quite hard.

TEYLIR:  [Teylir's face slow-mo crumples into overwhelmed crying. She babbles a  mostly-incoherent mixture of apologies, comments on the bracelet, and  thank-yous. She is so miserable right now and has _no idea what's  going on_.]

SEOLFR:  Seolfr for his part is babbling a mixture of 'no it's fines' and sweet  red nothings to Teylir, trying to assure her that she's not trouble.

SOME TEALBLOOD:  The Mediculler decides that this has gotten too intimate for their  taste and quietly leaves the medbay.

TEYLIR:  [Teylir is shutting down. Everything hurts and now it feels like a  hurricane in her head.]

SEOLFR:  "Teylir. Teylir talk to me please, what's wrong?"

TEYLIR:  I don't know :(  [Why can't she look at him?]

SEOLFR:  Seolfr tries to pet Teylirs head. "It will be alright dearest."

TEYLIR:  [Sniffle. She tries to wipe away her tears, though without much  success.] Yeah. I'm fine, really. 'm lucky to be alive.

SEOLFR:  "If you start that 'I'm too much trouble' business again I shall have  to stop." He pauses the head pets for a moment.

TEYLIR:  ...  How bad are... they? My- the horns.

TEYLIR:  [She is opting not to say anything about her troublesome quality,  then.]

SEOLFR:  Seolfr's face drops a little. "They're a bit of a ruin Teylir. I  wanted you awake to know what you wanted done with them."

TEYLIR:  [For a few horrible seconds it looks like she's about to go into  another crying jag before the first one's even over, but her eyes  close and her expression smooths, mostly.]  File them to below the lowest crack and cap them. Leaving them in  splinters won't do and I'd rather not have the structural weakness as  they grow back in.

SEOLFR:  "Do you want to be awake when it's done dearest? It will be painful,  from what I hear." Seolfr makes to stroke her cheek and dry some tears  with the corner of a sleeve.

TEYLIR:  [She turns away. The display of tenderness makes her feel... not good,  and as much as rejecting him makes her stomach feel like filthy socks,  she can't bring herself to let him continue.]  I don't care.

SEOLFR:  Seolfr grabs Teylir by the shoulders.

TEYLIR:  [Startled...!]

SEOLFR:  "Who are you and what have you done with Teylir Roeshk?" Seolfr is  biting his lip.

TEYLIR:  [Her entire self seems to sag. There's her confirmation; she's  worthless now. She opens her eyes, finally, and makes eye contact.]   Do whatever you have to do, however you have to do it. I don't care.

SEOLFR:  Seolfr sinks to the floor. "Teylir please, this isn't like you."

TEYLIR:  I'm sorry.  [Shit, gotta do the thing. She blinks a few times and the smile she  gives him looks... almost exactly like it usually does.]  I just need to rest up, and then I'll be perfectly alright. Sterling,  even :)  [She should do something with her hand, put it on his cheek maybe.  Yeah, she's gonna do that.]

SEOLFR:  Seolfr looks reassurred for a moment, and then confused.

TEYLIR:  Really, all I need is rest.  [She doesn't know what to do with her hand now. Fuck. Miscalculation.  Her thumb brushes his cheek. This is the best she can do, but each  action happens one after the other like she's following a checklist.]

SEOLFR:  Seolfr pulls the hand from his cheek. "I'll leave instructions with  the mediculler, Roeshk." He stands. "Pity you."