[DRP] Cognitive Liberties

[kuropeco]

checking in


He was still watching Jack with a cautious expression, which meant Ian saw the slight change in his face; but he didn't know exactly what that change was, or if it meant anything good.

But he relaxed somewhat at the reassurance, a smile finding its way across Ian's face. "Right," he said. "Best friends. Free booze. You helped me out, you were there when I...when I went through my rough time." When I almost committed suicide. "And you were the one who gave me that push to not let it go, so here we both are."

Ian was still fiddling with his bracelet. "Yeah, you can bring her," he said, beaming. "I've never actually heard you play for real, I don't think, that would be nice."

It was equally nice learning that he wouldn't have to push too hard to get Jack to come; having a smaller ceremony meant that Ian wanted the people he cared for the most to come, and as much as Jack had fought it, he was one of those people.

Ian grinned. "Yeah, more sticky notes. Got any preferences? I saw some bird ones before, and some music note ones, but if you just want dinosaurs, I'll stick - no pun intended - to those."

medigel

 

[medigel]

the pen is mightier

"Aww." But one was fine, he could work with one. Taking the candy cane with a little nod of thanks, Jack delicately took the plastic wrap off with his teeth and peeled the rest. "You are gen'rous," Jack said as he reached out to poke her cheek with one end of the candy cane, smiling a little. "More than you prolly should be, huh."

He thought to ask her to visit again, but his eyelids were starting to feel heavy. Jack slipped the candy to his mouth like a pipe and closed his eyes. "I'll try n' return the favor. Got to."  

[chiickadee]

the pen is mightier

"Just show up for Christmas alright?" she told him sternly, writing DAWSON across the wrapped package somewhat guiltily. "Won't take anything else."

A lifer nurse politely entered the room and said, "Sorry miss, he needs to rest now."

Chel looked at the nurse then back to Jack. "Well Jackles? Think it's okay to leave ya for a little while?" She was firmly planted in her seat unless he allowed her to leave.  

[medigel]

checking in

He didn't want to remember rough times (didn't want to remember every god damn face he'd had to look at while helping them through rough times), he wanted to think about free booze and Barbara and presents and the fact that if he lied still long enough he'd feel like he was floating.

Jack cheered, and just like that the more conscious light in his eyes was dimmed. "Love that s**t, it's cute! I ********' said it, yeah, cute. N' I actually use notes, you know, so." That was what really mattered about gifts in the end: their utility.

He raised his cup to toast Ian and drank the rest of the water, then licked his lips. "Hey, thanks for coming by the way," he said. "Don't like waking up alone." Could you maybe stay until I fall asleep? "Bored as s**t here. Can't use my phone or read, hurts my eyes too much. So, uh, f'you see someone n' they ask where m'at, I'm stuck here til the end've the week." A wry smile. "Jurassic Partyin'."

xxkuroopu

 

[medigel]

the pen is mightier

He plucked the candy cane out of his mouth just to salute her with the other end. "You got it."

Seeing Dawson's name brought several things to mind, most still confusing and abstract until he was more cognizant. Nothing was more clear, however, than his reluctance to let Chel leave. Did being medicated allow him the free potshot at his nurse to leave them alone? Probably not. Chel was looking to him for the order, though, so he supposed he'd have to take the satisfaction of that in exchange for her departure.

"Yooooou're dismissed, sir knight," Jack said after a moment, wiggling his fingers goodbye. "I'll see you at Christmas."
 

[medigel]

tall tales

"...n' that's where--no shut up I'm not kidding--I literally cleaved this horse in half," he told Abbi with great relish and animated gesticulations with his good arm. "Like--wapow!" Totally a sword sound.

Jack had been regaling her with story after story ever since she stumbled across his name on the list of patients. He explained himself--concussion made it too difficult to alert her via text--and had decided eating up her time was the best way to make up for it. He also might have admitted to upping his dosage of painkillers just a teensy bit. It helped him, okay? (Made it easier to go back on memories one at a time, if with a hazy perspective.)

"Meanwhile Chel's got her daggers like ********' mowin' the lawn with these ********, like--" Jack made a motion that was clearly stabbity stab slice. "Horses were too big for her, so I took 'em. Too many soldiers were too fast for me, so she took 'em. It was pretty good," he finished with a satisfied nod.

AyeAvast

 

[chiickadee]

the pen is mightier

Chel snorted at Jack's inebriation, reaching down to pick up her things with a smirk. She did Jack one better and left him a small kiss on the cheek. "I'd stay if I could, but duty calls~" Duty being the thousands of tasks she had to do between now and Christmas to get the day off.

"See ya then Jackles ..." She snickered and tousled the hair of the nurse on the way out. That had gone far better than expected, and absolutely nothing had been cleared up.  

[kuropeco]

checking in


Jack had used the word cute in relation to a thing - sticky notes - which was just another testament of how under the influence of the medication he was. Ian made a mental note to get a whole stack of sticky notes for him when he got out.

"Of course I came," he said, leaning back and propping his feet up on the edge of Jack's bed. "Jeez. I was worried you would, you know...not wake up or something, that was some scary s**t, don't do that again, okay? I came to make sure you were still kickin', and I'm sure as hell glad to see you are."

He smiled. "I could read to you, or something. Or maybe just do a crossword with you til you fall asleep again, or just keep talking to you. It's been a while since we hung out, y'know. Since Halloween." Which had been several months past. "I worry about you."

medigel

 

[AyeAvast]

Tall Tales

The reason Jack has said 'no shut up' in the most jovial tone in his life is because Abbi has, for at least the tenth time today, broken down into a fit of laughter. Thankfully this time she manages to stay on the bed (the first time she flopped straight off and banged her head against the floor but somehow that only made her laugh all the harder), and is quick to smack a hand over her mouth when she is admonished for her merriment.
But really, its all just too funny!

When Abbi had discovered Jack's name on the list of Infirmary patients she had literally thrown down the bedding she was to wash (it was dirty anyways, it was fine!) and rushed to his bedside. Of course he had been insanely drugged then, not even conscious but that hadn't stopped the girl from taking extra long routes to walk by his bed and check on him.
Some time had passed before she could see him again, partially because one of her superiors had specifically forbidden her from coming by for a full twenty-four hours simply because dear god Abbi, how did you fit all that worry into that small body. But she had suffered the separation like a good girl and not even rushed herself when the ban was lifted.

So sits Abbi on Jack's bed, her face red with laughter and tears streaming down freckled cheeks because it is the height of hilarity to watch her usually tsundere friend act like this.
"Nothing's too big for you, eh?" Its a bad joke, but she enjoys spending time with him at the expense of such things. Its been a long time since Abbi has seen much of anybody, entirely her own fault, but she tucks stockinged, shoeless feet against Jack and smiles still.
"You gotta be more careful though, can't get someone as special as Chel hurt. She's one of my best friends, yanno!"

xmedigel

 

[medigel]

checking in

"Me? Nah." Cue obviously dazzling grin. (More like a medicated dreamy one. "I wouldn't give up, r'member? Not my style."

But he paused, because he had to wonder if Ian had read his mind or if he was being too obvious about wanting company--either would have been very disturbing to him. Jack shifted a little on the cot, trying to figure to answer that wouldn't incriminate him more. "Reading sounds good," he said after a moment. He would have normally said crossword, but the very idea of trying to help Ian puzzle one out made his brain leek out of his ears. "Can't read for s**t right now. Or text. Bright screen hurts too much. S'why haven't been talking to anyone." Had he said that already? Whoops.

He hummed in thought. "Got any--nah, you probably don't. 'Kay, just..." With a wince he sat up and rubbed at his face. "Locker #42. Combination's 9158...I think. s**t. 9258? One've them. Get my room key,go inside, look for Poe on the bookshelf--big a** book, you'll see it."

kuuropii

DAMN IT I QUOTED THE OLD NAME

 

[medigel]

tall tales

"Nope!" he agreed with a most pleased look. "You think horses're big, wait 'til you hear about the ********' dragon, AK, holy s**t." Her tears of laughter are, of course, construed as laughing at the poor ******** ghosts who thought to stand up to him. And he guessed the rest of the people but mostly him. He grinned along with her.

Then paused at the mention of Chel.

"Yeah well, tell your best friend t'quit chargin' into ********', like, mobs of ghosts on her own," Jack said. "I don't put her a** in danger, she does it just fine herself." Beat. "Wait, since when've you two been besties?"

AyeAvast

 

[kuropeco]

checking in


"Good," said Ian emphatically, because it was good. It was important that Jack not fall into the same self-destructive spiral that Ian had fallen into before. He sat back, took a breath, and relaxed somewhat, putting the word search on his lap as he waited patiently for what came next.

"Reading, okay," said Ian, and got to his feet, giving a thumbs up. "I'll go grab some stuff!"

The fact that Jack was willingly giving him his locker combination, along with his room number, meant that he was back to trusting him again - or maybe his brain was just so riddled with medicines that Jack had very conveniently forgotten the time that Ian had accidentally let certain people into his room. Either way, he made haste to get there and back within a reasonable amount of time, just in case Jack remembered.

Approximately ten minutes later, Ian returned, looking triumphant.

"Got it!" he said, and set the books down beside Jack, looking downright pleased with himself.

The book clearly did not say Poe on the cover. Instead, in stiff red letters, it read Twilight, by Stephenie Meyer.

medigel

 

[medigel]

checking in

Jack looked ready to doze off by the time Ian returned. Blinking drowsily, he pushed himself up, yawned, and--

"What the ******** was only one series of books that was almost completely black in cover, and it was not the Poe one.

Hard stare at the book.

Hard stare at Ian.

Beat.

And then--a burst of mad laughter. The force of it made Jack lean back into his pillow for support, his face quickly turning red, his ribs practically screaming, and his head practically popping off it felt like. Coughing soon came after as did the ripples of pain, but just--he couldn't even--

"Ian, you stupid ********' mongoloid," Jack snickered, a hand at his face. "Out've all--oh my god." But he didn't look mortified or angry in the least; rather, the Lifer took this like it was an amazing joke. Maybe the meds had a positive side effect after all. "Can you even ********' read? Do I gotta get you n' Chel some ********' book lessons? Oh my god--" He grew incoherent in his giggling for another few moments.

When Jack finally calmed down enough to make sensible words, his face flush with mirth, he gave a long sigh and reached for his cup to finish it off. "Well, now ya gotta read it. N' I demand voice acting."

xxkuuropii

 

[kuropeco]

checking in


Ian just beamed. Brightly.

For all of like five seconds until Jack started wheezing laughing, and then Ian just looked alarmed.

"What the actual ********, stop that - " he said hastily, reaching to thrust a cup of water at him, trying to get him to lie still again. "And stop calling me stupid, ya jackass, I just thought this would be a better choice for reading, okay, Poe is way too serious sometimes, and he married his thirteen year old niece, that's just plain creepy."

Ignoring the comparison to Chel, Ian sat back down and delicately ran a hand through his hair (it was getting longer now, which he was grateful for), crossing one leg over the other and giving Jack a pointed look.

"Only if you sit there and lie down and behave like a good patient," he said sternly."

medigel