( closed ) with my fists in the air, if my body's alive

[periastron]

WHO: Sarah Manning & Alexandra Karahalios
WHAT: disasters
WHEN: once Sarah's back from her mission
WHERE: Kirkwall
NOTES:

Sarah,

( she starts, before immediately falling into a long pause, chewing her lip and just looking at Sarah. Alex has a bag in her hand, and rubs her jaw with the knuckles of her other hand. )

What— what the— what the flipping Christ did you do?

( Her cheeks inflate, and slowly she exhales, before taking a step closer. )

Fucksticks. Are you feeling okay?

Comments

[periastron]

Oh shit, no, careful—

( Nope, there she goes. Sarah whomps down onto the bench, and Alex winces, immediately glancing to Sarah to see if she's okay even though she is probably in a horrifying amount of pain. )

Holy shit, are you okay?

[coppelganger]

[ You know that kind of pain where you can't actually suck a breath into your lungs to respond to the person asking if you're okay, so you just sort of lie there like a statue in agony for a minute??? ]

[periastron]

( It's okay. Alex dips into her leather messenger bag, a battered looking thing that's a bit ratty and probably third hand, and rummages through it to pull out a potion. Something for the pain, to a degree, something for the healing, and she gently takes Sarah's hand. )

If you need to squeeze out the pain, go for it. ( With her teeth, she pulls the stopper off the bottle. ) This'll help with the pain. Just, when you can, slow breaths. Okay?

( And, also: ) I am so sorry.

[coppelganger]

Not your fault, [ she manages to say through gritted teeth. She is definitely squeezing the hell out of Alex's hand, though, and tries to take a few slow breaths. ]

I'm an idiot.

[periastron]

Maybe, ( she agrees, good naturedly. Holy shit, Sarah is wrecking her hand, but she is doing her best to smile through it. )

Both idiots, I reckon.

[coppelganger]

Fuck, [ she breathes, and slowly releases Alex's hand. She manages to struggle into a sitting position and bend over her leg. The ankle is still throbbing, but less viciously now. ]

[periastron]

( Oh, thank Christ. She exhales slowly, hoping Sarah doesn't notice, and holds out the potion for Sarah to help settle the pain. )

C'mon. This'll help it ease.

[coppelganger]

Why do you have this?

[ Of course, that question is not stopping Sarah from grabbing the potion and taking a swig. As soon as she swallows, she seems to relax a bit, and of course goes right back to being shitty. ]

You were planning on dropping me, I see.

[periastron]

I am part of the medical personnel around here. Got a few other things in my bag, but they probably aren't so useful.

( Her wink is conspiratorial. ) Or that's the defence I'll stick to.

[coppelganger]

You're a vet.

[ Very deadpan. ]

[periastron]

Which it really fucked that I have the most advanced surgery experience, eh?

( She exhales, a horrified huff. )

Gnarly shit.

[coppelganger]

You seriously doing surgery on people?

[ She takes another drink of the potion to disguise the look on her face, which is a combination of grossed out and worried as fuck. ]

[periastron]

Only sutures and stuff like that, nothing invasive, but it's a possibility. Mostly I'm working on animals, but I'm helping with stuff like techniques and how to clean shit up properly and germs. I dunno.

( She shrugs, and runs her fingers through her hair. )

I've been trying to figure out decent anaesthetics and stuff, too, but... I'm not a chemist. And even if I was, I mean, the technology and a bunch of the plants here are totally beyond what I'm familiar with.

[coppelganger]

Cosima has said the same thing.

[ She offers the potion back to Alex with a nod of thanks.]

Besides, that shit's really tricky, innit? Putting someone out, I mean.

[periastron]

Yeah. And I mean, there's shit that can knock you out, but trick is trying to do it without leaving someone worse off, y'know? Like sure, opium'd work, but I'd rather not lean into the highly addictive substances.

( A glance to Sarah, and with it a silent question - are you sure? Sarah can keep the rest, if she needs it for later. )

But on the other hand, if someone needs like— like an appendectomy, or something, trying to do that without an anaesthetic could be really, really traumatic for them, they could die from shock...

( She chews the inside of her cheek. ) It's so fucked.

[coppelganger]

[ She blows some hair out of her face. Jesus. Honestly, after getting assurance that Cosima's illness is under control, she hadn't let herself think too much about someone getting really hurt or really sick. ]

Fucked is a good word, yeah.

[periastron]

( Alex offers a weak smile, and shrug. )

We'll figure it out.

( Her gaze flickers to Sarah's ankle. ) I was gonna ask if you'd like a drink, but I reckon that might be a bit right with that one, huh?

[coppelganger]

Yeah, probably. I should get back home.

[periastron]

C’mon. I’ll help you up the stairs, if you promise not to get wriggly again.

( Standing up, she offers a hand to Sarah. )

We can do a slow shuffle.

[coppelganger]

I can walk.

[ She gathers up her crutches and prepares to hobble back to the tower and then up the stairs to her room. It's a daunting prospect, honestly, especially after she just fucked her ankle up all over again. ]

[periastron]

I know, but how am I gonna feel good about myself, if I'm not being all strong and macho and obnoxious? Clearly I'm the real victim, here.

( She smiles, and gently squeezes Sarah's hand. )

I know I just said we can head back, but there's no rush. We can just chill out here for a bit first, if your ankle's still feeling rough after that knock. Just take a breather?

[coppelganger]

[ Sarah looks down at their hands, bemused, and then back up. ]

Sure, if you want to.

[periastron]

Well,

( she starts, dramatically (of course) as her hand releases Sarah's, )

I can imagine worse fates. I guess.