groove slam work it back

[noctiphile]

Who: the good and merry folk of the S. S. Starstruck
Broadcast: it's a mystery! you decide!
Action: S. S. Starstruck
When: until we make a new one

[Wow! Look at that! This ship sucks! Discontent is abundant! No one likes each other! Everyone's grumpy! I'm using too many exclamation points! Looks like it's just the first of many exciting episodes aboard the S.S. Starstruck*.]

*property possibly inherited from lady gaga

Comments

[noctiphile]

Captain, I understand the precaution, but right now is not the time!

[The pain is only increasing and Mattias' expression only becomes more agitated. His annoyed glare moves freely between the three of them, resting finally on Felix.] I wished to see the color of my blood. The augment, idiot! What else?

[mysterzie]

[ Aaron glares at ELN for the comment. How should he have known? ]

It was in the kit! What do you want me to do?

ELN, the gentlest, kindest soul

[pocketpal]

Just give it to me.

And you, quiet. If you couldn't take a bit of pain, you shouldn't have tried to carve your own neck out.

[ She lifts (with difficulty) a bottle of antiseptic, soaking it into a sterile bandage. And, nudging Aaron's hand to the side, she withdraws the needle and begins to clean the wound. None too gently. Good thing it's very hard to shake her off. ]

I will stitch this up properly, and you will feel better. [ She says this like it's an order. ]

compared to the rest of this crew, sure

[lord_wizard]

[Nevermind the surreal qualities of this situation, because he's going to keep arguing with Mattias. How dare the man who injured himself call him an idiot]

I'm sorry? Me? Weren't your thoughts on the augment veering towards the positive when we first spoke? When then did you decide the next step was to try to carve it out yourself?!

[noctiphile]

[Asking Mattias to be quiet is like asking a river to stop flowing. He'll keep doing it, especially when there's an argument to be had.]

I never said I was trying to remove it! I wanted a look at it. Curiosity is a dangerous mistress! [He grunts, but never flinches. In fact, he's eerily still the entire time she treats the wound. With the exception of his mouth.]

[mysterzie]

[ Aaron only lets go of the needle once he's sure ELN will be able to handle it. That done, he backs up and kind of... sits there. His hands twitch and he's drawn to notice how much... blood there is. That's a lot of blood, and a lot of it's gotten on him since he's been poking at Mattias. ]

How would you even look at it? [ It's a murmur, distracted. His fingers still move even with all this blood? ] It's behind your ear, dumbass.

[pocketpal]

[ Now given a task, ELN-1470 is efficient and crisp about the whole endeavor. She goes about it one step at a time, accomplishing each with quick and exact movements. It's not long before she has the needle ready, and starts to sew it up.

Everyone else seems to be doing a good job berating Mattias. She'll stay quiet for now. ]

[lord_wizard]

[Curiosity is a concept which Felix is well acquainted, so it goes a long way in explaining this situation, and his tone softens by a fraction]

Even so, it was hardly urgent. You could have asked for assistance.

[noctiphile]

Mirrors, shapeshifter, are something even you should be familiar with.

[Despite the comment, his tone isn't sharp. Lightly scolding, perhaps, but that's it. Perhaps he's pleased that everyone stopped calling him stupid.]

Yes, I suppose I could have. [He offers a shaky grin.] But then we wouldn't be having such a marvelous time together now, would we?

[mysterzie]

My name's Aaron.

[ There's less of a bite than usual because he's still staring at his hands. This isn't something he's encountered before and nothing really prepares you for having someone else's blood all over you. ]

[pocketpal]

Yes, this is such a delight. [ Muttered. ]

[lord_wizard]

[Mattias' comment actually draws a short bark of laughter out of him, flavored with just a tiny bit of mocking]

Oh, absolutely. My life was so without thrills before now.

[And then to ELN]

Is it serious?

[noctiphile]

It shouldn't be. It was just a slice.

[But he'll let ELN make the final diagnosis. His attention turning back to Aaron and disliking what he finds.

He knows that look. His voice softens.]

Aaron, then. Forgive me. You should probably go wash that off.

[mysterzie]

[ Finally, Aaron looks up but only just to check something for himself. ]

No way. You're still bleeding.

[ Washing up now just means the blood will come back, right? He looks over to ELN briefly, his attention drawn back to his hands mere moments later. They're still wet, just starting to dry and get sticky. ]

When is he going to stop bleeding? Fix it faster.

[pocketpal]

No, it's not serious, and I'm fixing it better, not faster. If you want to help, hold the edges of the wound together.

Do all captains have crews like this?

[lord_wizard]

I haven't the faintest, but something tells me your expectations for normalcy are far too high...

[He thins his lips at Aaron, realizing for the first time that he's not holding together all that well.]

Powers. Go wash. I can handle this. [As he speaks, he moves further into the room, tossing off his coat and begins rolling back his sleeves as he tries to insinuate himself between the bleeding mess that is Mattias and Aaron. He doesn't care so much if he gets blood on himself, just not on his clothes]

[noctiphile]

Good to know I'm a team effort.

[He grumbles, grunting into the floor as another wave of pain washes through. It feels different now. Like something foreign reaching into his ribs and tampering in nonsensical patterns. Mattias grits his teeth.] Can I second the motion to quicken the pace?

[mysterzie]

[ It helps, just a bit, to have some sort of blockade between them. His hands are still bloody and still twitching every now and then to confirm they still work. Aaron swallows and puts them together, trying to rub some of it off despite them both being dirty. ]

My hands are too bloody. They'd slip.

[ But then he realizes that Felix is already on it, a belated reaction, and he stares at the redhead's back. ]

Oh... You think it'll wash off?

[pocketpal]

It shouldn't hurt that much. Or are you just an enormous baby?

[ This is actually a serious question.

She directs Felix on where to grip, and continues working. Her stitches are neat and impeccable, and she's bloody to the elbow. ]

[lord_wizard]

[Felix silently does as he's instructed. His fingers lack a certain agility, but holding something still isn't terribly hard]

I imagine it has something to do with the proximity to the implant.

[noctiphile]

It's some type of defense mechanism. [He speaks through gritted teeth.] I'll gladly explain how successful it is later-[a grunt.]-if you wish.

And Aaron-[Grinning, despite himself, though there's no humor in it.]-it'll come off. Use soap.

[mysterzie]

[ Aaron is still for a moment longer, then he stands. Automatic reaction has him rubbing his hands on his pant-legs and then he pauses in surprise before he simply fades away completely. Walking to the bathroom is for lamers. He'll be back eventually. ]

[pocketpal]

[ With more hands to help, it doesn't take her long to finish it up. The stitches are neat and professional. ]

You should keep them dry.

[lord_wizard]

[Felix pulls his hands away once he's sure the stitches are secure]

Should I ask how you learned to do such things?