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Jordan had thought that things weren't going to be awkward, that he and Jerry had understood each other fairly well the night before the Arctic mission; but he'd felt - strange, afterwards, uncomfortable. Like he had no place invading Jerry's room in the infirmary, after the collapse about which the Life hunters on duty would give him no details. He'd stayed away, guiltily, but checked daily with the infirmary until Jerry had been released.

He'd decided, after some deliberation, that he shouldn't just go and knock. Maybe a text instead.

It had taken a while for Jerry to respond, but that didn't necessarily mean anything. He could have been busy, or in the shower, or - well, any number of things. It wasn't anything to fret over. He really didn't have any reason to fret. Nevertheless, Jordan felt better - somewhat - when his phone buzzed in response.

Haven't eaten in days? Jordan frowned at his phone, concerned. Did he need to be worrying? Jerry had an unsettling tendency to forget that he needed to take care of himself; then again, he'd just spent a stretch of time in the infirmary, and it could just that he'd been on an IV and hadn't needed to eat. That was probably it. Still, it bothered Jordan.

He wasn't responsible for taking care of Jerry, he reminded himself, and he should really regard that as a good thing.



You tie yourself in knots over this male, Ferros observed.

I know, Jordan answered tiredly. I'll get over it sometime. He pulled his coat on and headed for the cafeteria.

Jordan had retrieved a cup of coffee already by the time Jerry came shambling into the cafeteria, and the sight of his friend immediately made his worries worse. Jerry looked exhausted and depressed, deep circles under his eyes, uncharacteristically untidy in appearance, and he hadn't even shaved, apparently. Jordan's hand tightened on the coffee cup, but he tried to keep his expression neutral. "Hey," he answered. "Good to see you."

Should he offer to help? No, maybe not; though Jerry seemed to have temporarily abandoned caring about appearances, he wasn't incapable, didn't need to be treated like an invalid. "Um - I'll go grab a table," Jordan offered.

Jordan claimed a table and watched Jerry get a cup of coffee - and only a cup of coffee. Not healthy, he said to Ferros, then, glancing down at the cup in his hand, I know, I know, but I ate breakfast.

I didn't say anything, Ferros said.

He gave Jerry a half-smile as the other man sat down, and answered, "Well enough." He hesitated, then added, "But you knew that, didn't you?"

"I didn't know golems could be made out of snow," Jordan answered, watching Jerry. It was still a guess, but he was almost certain now.

Jordan shook his head. "It wasn't obvious. I heard a few intermediates comment on the snow, but it was just suspicions. I - saw who the yetis did and didn't go for, and you'd given me a couple of hints." He left out what he'd heard H say. It was a delicate enough subject already. "I think I'm the only one who guessed it was you, and I stayed quiet." He, too, kept his voice down.

"No, I noticed you avoided me," Jordan said; then his expression turned a little sheepish. "Er - finishing the first one off must've hurt. Sorry about that." He smirked faintly, added, "You managed to harf bear all over Rep. It was pretty funny."

He leaned on the table, regarding Jerry with some concern. "Why'd it land you in the infirmary for so long, though? Usually dying in a golem just kicks you out. Hurts, but doesn't actually hurt your body."