[PRP] Minor Errand (Lawr/Oliver)

[Grey Dragon]

Following in the wake of the disaster, Oliver found himself in what was almost the same condition after every disaster. Healing from some state of injury and having strong doubts about his life choices.

He heard second-hand rumours about the state of the island, but lying in bed in one of the infirmary tents, there was little he could do to confirm any of it. He couldn't help with any of the work that was being done on the building, or assist in relocating research equipment and materials into the old labs, or even pick up infirmary shifts to help other wounded hunters. He was the wounded. All he could do was lay there to deal with the physical pain and emotional numbness on his own.

The freckled kid spent most of his time sleeping, or pretending to sleep while his thoughts ran in troubled circles. He hadn't even asked about when he would be discharged. The scratches and bruises would heal quickly, but the sluggishness in his body and the pain in his abdomen spoke of more serious injury. Oliver couldn't even make an educated guess, everything from the explosion, falling, crawling out of the rubble, bleeding all over the minipet lab... It was all a blur. Perhaps it was for the best, all he had to do was heal up, and move on.

Baneful

 

[Baneful]

Lawrence had spent almost all of his time since the explosion working in and around the infirmary tents, actually doing what he could to mend together people's broken parts and expedite their mending. Due to the strain from the fight he had gotten to do some proper stitching and had done it with a neatness and pride which was rather unexpected from the often workshy man. When Horace asked about the state of Oliver, he checked the list of patients they had and found the other man's name on the list.

Finally actually taking one of his assigned breaks he had made his way to the infirmary tent which housed the other Life hunter. He stood looking off at one of the side walls of the tent rather than at the other man as he stated.

"Oliver?"

Grey Dragon

 

[Grey Dragon]

In the tents, there were always sounds of people moving about nearby. It was different from the sterile sounds of the infirmary building, everything was softer, less resonant, but muted noises from farther away were always reaching the boy's ears. Mostly he ignored them.

With all the people moving through the tent, Oliver did not react when Lawr approached. He just kept his eyes closed, waiting for the footsteps to keep going. All they needed was to look at his chart, check his vitals, and move on. Nobody needed to actually talk to him to see how he was healing.

But the footsteps didn't continue. When he heard his name called, Oliver briefly debated keeping his eyes closed. But the voice was familiar, and although he couldn't put his finger on why, it made him nervous. He opened his eyes and it didn't take him long to put things together.

"Yes?" He asked, his voice hesitant, but more from suspicion than meek submission.

Baneful

 

[Baneful]

Lawrence smiled and it was audible in his voice. "Oh good, you are here" he said. "I was sent to come and find you. You made it. Horace isn't here so you get a wonderful substitution."

He made his way over to the bedside. "What on earth am I to tell him happened to you?"

Grey Dragon

 

[Grey Dragon]

It was suddenly very easy for Oliver to see how that smile could charm people. The only place there could be any suspicion was in his own mind, nothing about the older man seemed threatening or sinister, or even mildly unpleasant. Although there were times Oliver could be particularly gullible, in this case his disposition was just too nervous to let his guard down.

"I-I did, um..." The freckled boy stammered, finding something new on his list of concerns. It was alarming that Horace was still in contact with Lawr, but if he didn't follow through with this his friend might get the wrong idea.

"Tell him I'm fine," Oliver blurted quickly. And it was the truth, kind of. He had almost bled out while trying to save what minipets he could, but now he was perfectly fine. Would be perfectly fine. Soon. ish.

Baneful

 

[Baneful]

Lawrence was determined to be nothing but cordial to Oliver, finding the younger hunter's timidity interesting to observe.

"Just fine?" he said amicably. "He is going to ask me what happened to you you know. He is a worrier."

"Come on Oliver, you know he will be upset if I simply have to tell him that you are fine with nothing else to supplement it. You aren't in a hurry are you?"

Grey Dragon

 

[Grey Dragon]

There was one thing going well for the boy, he had apparently been approached while Lawr was in a pleasant mood. Maybe he was always in a pleasant mood though, Oliver had very little experience when it came to conversations with sociopaths.

His shoulders slouched, Lawr did have a point though. Horace was a worrier. Oliver rubbed the bridge of his nose, an unfortunate thinking habit that had developed after acquiring the scar that cut across the freckles. "I'm fine, I got some minipets out of the labs safely but my phone screen broke when I fell through the floor so I can't respond to texts right now."

After a silent pause, his nervous expression was back. "Please don't make it sound bad, I don't even know much about what happened after I blacked out. I really don't want him to worry about me..."

Baneful

 

[Baneful]

"You were rescuing minipets?" Lawrence asked with a slight smile. "That is rather adorable. How kind of you to remember the little ones, so few people think of the creatures when there is a crisis. I used to be a vet, before the island, I did quite a bit of helping creatures who were forgotten by their owners."

"Though perhaps falling through the floor was a little less forethought in preserving yourself. You are a lucky man Oliver." he raised a brow slightly. "And it sounds to me that perhaps he should be worrying about you if you are putting yourself in such peril."

Grey Dragon

 

[Grey Dragon]

Oliver shook his head quickly and protested, "I-I didn't put myself in any peril! I was just in the labs like usual, a-and next thing I knew there were sounds like explosions and the place was falling around me..."

Although he had been rather numb before, this was the first time he had come close to actually telling anyone what happened. The memories hurt worse than he anticipated. The sting very nearly brought tears to his eyes, he hadn't thrown himself into danger, it had found him easily even without missions and portals and FEAR creatures... Oliver rubbed his eyes quickly, before the threatening tears could become too visible. Even when he put his hand down, he couldn't look Lawr in the eyes. He wanted to recapture that emotional distance, but when did his emotions ever heed his desires?

"Th-the minipets... they c-couldn't get out themselves, a-and the power was patchy, so many still dissipated, I could only save a few..." He stammered, maybe because Lawr had volunteered that information about himself he also felt obliged to open up. Maybe he really did need someone to talk to...

Baneful

 

[Baneful]

"Going for the minipets, through noble could be construed by some people to be putting yourself in peril." Lawr said with a rather fond looking smile. "Not that I can condemn it of course, it is still with a complete disregard for evacuation procedure. I wouldn't worry too much though, you seem intact for the most part though I would have to check your chart to be sure."

The pale man did incline a brow slightly at the way Oliver wiped his eyes, finding himself charmed by the brief glimmer of emotion like a rearing cobra.

He moved a little nearer but did not venture to reach out to pat the other flighty man. "It's all right." he reassured gently. "You did more than most and the ones which dissipated well, they are all fear right? They will come back around soon enough, perhaps as something else, perhaps they will remember you tried to help them. There is a lot we do not understand about minipets and those like them. You were more helpful than I was, I only wish I was so brave."

"I was by the lighthouse when it all happened, there was an explosion and I was thrown from the cliffs into the ocean." he laughed. "Perhaps neither of us should worry Horace."

Grey Dragon

 

[Grey Dragon]

Oliver wilted slightly. He couldn't deny that much, he had done what kids everywhere are told not to do since they were little. If the house is on fire, don't stay to save the pets. It was heartless and practical advice, and although it was those little lives that made the difference in his mind, he also told himself there were months and months of research contained in those rescued samples. Perhaps if Oliver thought there were more value in his life he would have been more hesitant to risk it, but from the moment he woke up in the pod room he believed himself to be merely cannon fodder for the island's cause.

"I-it wasn't bravery, it was..." The young man trailed off. Being called brave by someone who barely knew him made him feel profoundly uncomfortable. Like he, of all people, were the deceiver in the room, playing false and letting everyone believe he was something better than he really was. "It was terrifying," he finished in a timid voice.

"Ah, y-you're not hurt too badly?" Oliver finally asked, a rather redundant question since he was the one in the infirmary bed and it was Lawr who was up and about. Despite his opinions on the man, he couldn't take pleasure in misfortunes like that, and against his better judgement he was perhaps even a little concerned. He told himself it was on Horace's account, rather than being worried about Lawr's health.

Baneful