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Post by thedreamerlady on Oct 29, 2007 23:51:52 GMT -5
(Side note- this is time fudged for a day or so after the Queen Incident)
Nisha was bored. The Healers had prodded her, poked her, checked her measurements, and given her advice about what she could eat, what should couldn't, as well as a long list of other things she was and wasn't allowed to do. Then they'd told her they were going to test something, and that she should keep herself entertained for an hour.
And since she couldn't go back to lessons, Barsamith was asleep, and she didn't feel like really going anywhere she started wandering in the infirmary.
Then found herself face to face with D'leon. D'leon the sharding Bronzerider who kept messing with her, had attacked a Goldrider, and was always messing with people. About to run away from the scene, she noticed something, and her gaze softened.
D'leon looked weak, like a child who'd cried himself to sleep, flushed in his face, and his hair black and wild. And he was alone- no one there to watch and make sure he was okay, or to make sure he was eating, and drinking. And with one of those crazy hormonal shifts pregnant woman are famous for, Nisha decided she was going to watch out for him.
Striding up to his bed, Nisha bend forward, far more comfortable in the clothing she'd borrowed from Allior, and felt D'leon's head carefully, tsking over how hot it was. Carefully smoothing his hair off of his slightly sweaty face, she sat down in one of those chairs that abound in recovery rooms, and waited for him to do something.
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Post by darkaire on Oct 30, 2007 0:14:35 GMT -5
D'leon had been in the middle of a restless nap when he felt something cool press against his forehead. His breath caught at the sensation, and he refused to move until it was taken away. Even then all he managed was a slight whine at the absence of cold. It was too hot. Much too hot. Why did they keep him in the Sands, all smothered in blankets and dragons? How had they even gotten the dragons to smother him, anyway?
But once he cracked open an eye, he saw that it wasn't what he thought it was. There were no dragons, and he had long since been moved from the Sands. The Infirmiry should have been cooler, but it only felt all the more hot for the lack of that cool touch from a moment before.
It was Nisha.
Was he seeing things correctly? Nisha, little miss greenrider, was sitting next to his cot? D'leon blinked and groaned, letting his eyes stay closed. It still hurt to keep them open, and he didn't really want to think about why she was there. Planning some sort of revenge, probably. A shame he couldn't do anything about it without fainting again.
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Post by thedreamerlady on Oct 30, 2007 0:23:35 GMT -5
When D'leon opened his eyes, even though it was just for a second, Nisha lept to her feet. There was a picture of water near his bed, and she thought for a second. Deciding that he probably needed the cool water(he had been so hot!), Nisha poured the water in carefully, and moved softly to his side.
She bend over a little again, so that her shadow was covering D'leon's face, and then asked a question in a small, soft, quiet voice.
"Would you like some water?"
And if he didn't respond, Nisha decided, she would simply wipe his face down with the cool water. The long sleeves of her white shirt would be a good tool, since she hadn't seen a rag entering the room. But for now, she was just waiting patiently for him to respond.
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Post by darkaire on Oct 30, 2007 0:31:59 GMT -5
He heard her moving, but didn't much care. He couldn't concentrate enough to care. Too many shiny things busy flitting about on the underside of his eyelids, all of them too bright and reflecting off each other. It was distracting.
But not distracting enough to keep him from sneering weakly up at Nisha, one eye slitting and staying open long enough to spot the water. It weakened his resolve to spit something nasty at her, and tried to think of something else to say. It didn't work, so he just halfheartedly glared at her with a slurred: "Not from you." Just an act of his usual defiance, really.
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Post by thedreamerlady on Oct 30, 2007 0:39:01 GMT -5
Nisha tsked at him. Just like a man, to be thirsty, and refuse to drink. He'd probably cut off his nose to spite his face.
"If you change your mind, let me know." She responded archly, then poured a little bit of the water onto her sleeve. Obviously he just needed to get used to being taken care of, Nisha reasoned.
After the water soaked in a little, she reached her hand over, and wiped his face with cold water, starting on his forehead and working her way down, pausing every few seconds to renew the water. She didn't expect much of a fight from D'leon, but if he chose to put one up, she knew she could push his hands back down. He looked about as strong as an overcooked noodle.
Finishing with his face, she again removed the hair from where it wetly stuck to his head, and hummed lightly. It felt good to be helping someone. Stroking his hair once, Nisha started to move away, and go back to her seat, drying her hand on her blue skirt.
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Post by darkaire on Oct 30, 2007 0:46:57 GMT -5
Shards, why had he told her he didn't want water? The only thing he wanted more was a massive pile of snow, and him to be in it. Quite possibly with no clothes. Hypothermia? Bah! It had to be better than how he felt.
Of course, the moment he felt the cool touch on his forehead, he was resolved to somehow retract his statement without losing his credability. Or perhaps that's the wrong word there.
His breathing grew a little more even after she'd moved away, but soon enough the smothered feeling came back. It was going to be miserable the next day or so until the fever - or whatever this was - broke. The bronzerider's hand shot out and brushed her skirt, as she was a little too far away now to grab her. Or was he just not finding the strength to reach far enough? He couldn't tell, and he didn't have the motivation to be peevish over it.
"Wait," he breathed, and it looked like it hurt to speak. "I..." he sighed with effort, not wanting to admit that he'd changed his mind. But it had been so long since anyone had even thought about checking his temperature that he didn't know when he'd get another chance at water. Being a bully didn't really garner a lot of attention when sick. "I changed my mind."
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Post by thedreamerlady on Oct 30, 2007 0:54:17 GMT -5
Nisha felt the little brush against her skirt and paused in her movements. She didn't move until D'leon was done with his entire sentence. A slow smile spread over her face, the kind of smile your mother gives you when you both know your acting like an idiot, and you finally stop being one, and agree with what she was saying.
The smile was wiped away, and replaced with a kinder one before she turned around, refilled the glass, and moved back to D'leon's side.
She had a feeling he was weaker than he was going to let on about, so she moved her hand behind his head, and gave it a bit of a lift before positioning the water glass by his lips and tipping slightly, though she was waiting for him to open his mouth before she tipped it anymore.
"Here you go sweetie." She said softly, just incase he couldn't see that everything was ready for him to start sipping.
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Post by darkaire on Oct 30, 2007 1:02:32 GMT -5
Unable to exert any amount of control over his feelings, D'leon couldn't help but feel anxious when she didn't immediately turn around. He withdrew his hand, or really, let it hang awkwardly off the side of the bed as his heart seemed to tighten up, making it harder to get those already pained gasps for air. It may have been a minor anxiety attack, or it could have been a symptom, but no one was bothering to document what he was going through, so it was unclear.
But Nisha did turn around, and after a moment, the tightness was gone. Feeling a little dizzy for the minor attack, he found himself smiling slightly, though it was a loose smile. The kind you'd see on a doped-up man.
D'leon never would have admitted it, but he was glad she'd helped him lift his head. It would have been hard on his own, but he definately would not have asked for help. Breathing still labored (it would be for the next day, really), he took the first sip...and choked on it.
What had she called him? He stared at her, hand moving to push at the glass weakly, face unable to get any more flushed, so no point in saying he'd blushed. No one had ever dared call him that before, save for his mother, and only then when he was young. "W-what?" he gasped, using the inhale as a chance to speak again. He sounded an awful lot like his brother in that one word.
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Post by thedreamerlady on Oct 30, 2007 1:10:17 GMT -5
When D'leon choked, Nisha looked terrified for a second, but once it was apparent he was still breathing, and able to speak, her fear faded into a curiosity as to what had upset D'leon so. She moved the glass away from him after he pushed at it, and looked at him in concern.
"The water okay? Or is there something wrong with it?" She sniffed at the glass, but couldn't detect anything wrong with it. Unsure of what to do, she took her free hand, and used it to put D'leon's free hanging hand back where it belonged- on the bed.
"Or did I just give you to much, sweetie?" She didn't want to call him D'leon- he wasn't acting like D'leon, and she could think of anything else to call him. Sweetie was what she called her younger siblings when they were sick, so it worked.
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Post by darkaire on Oct 30, 2007 1:15:51 GMT -5
He'd been formulating an answer and a way to express it when she said it again. There was nothing to choke on, but D'leon looked just as pained as if there had been. What on Pern was she doing? There had to be some game she was playing at. He'd tried to rape her before the Hatching, bullied her after it, and now she was playing nursemaid? He didn't understand, and didn't think he wanted to. It probably had something to do with the bulge in her stomach. Not that he was about to complain.
Well, okay, he was.
"Don't call me...that," he wheezed, trying to narrow his eyes at her, succeeding only in closing them again. It felt so much better when it was dark. Where there were no dragons or blankets or shining things. If D'leon wasn't acting himself, then he certainly didn't think Nisha was acting herself. But he didn't much care if she was plotting something. That water had tasted so good...
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Post by thedreamerlady on Oct 30, 2007 1:23:28 GMT -5
"Call you wha- oh. Don't call you sweetie?" Nisha tried not to sound hurt, but couldn't help herself. She was trying to be nice, and helpful, and relaxing, and he was telling her not too.
"Well, if you don't want me too, I'll stop. Remind me if I slip up." Hormones had made her decide to take care of D'leon, and hormones were making her feel sad about his rejection of her comfort.
"More water then?" Her voice was flat, and the humming that had been there minutes earlier had stopped. She adjusted her blue skirt again, and tugged at her white shirt, feeling the unfamiliar clothing envelope her. She moved to take his head again, lifting it, and feeling the silky black hair, while moving the glass to where it needed to be as well.
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Post by darkaire on Oct 30, 2007 1:30:06 GMT -5
D'leon nodded as emphatically as he could manage, confirming that the name had been unwated. He didn't care how hurt she sounded, or how she went about giving him water with less cheer. As long as she wasn't calling him any silly names or withholding water, he'd be fine. It's all he wanted. He didn't ask for her humming...even if it had been nice.
Even if she felt he was rejecting her comfort, that was a far cry from the truth. The very fact that he swallowed the water, rather than spitting it at her was indication he was accepting it. He just...affection. He didn't like it. It make him feel weird and awkward.
The glass went empty before his thirst died out, though it was probably best he didn't gorge on the liquid. Even if he'd whine as soon as he was refused another glass.
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Post by thedreamerlady on Oct 30, 2007 1:41:09 GMT -5
Nisha sighed after he drained the glass, and removed her hand from under his head carefully, trying not to get any hairs caught in her hands. Making sure his neck didn't hit any of the pillows at the wrong angle, she moved on to the next task. She carefully returned the glass to where it had been, and made another adjustment to her skirt, and she glanced around the room.
There was no part of her mind that thought that D'leon needed anything else, and she wasn't going to give him anymore water for at least another twenty minutes.
"Alright dear," She told him quietly, moving back to his bedside. "Try and get some sleep. If you don't need me, I think I'm going to go."
And probably not come back. Nisha didn't feel right leaving him alone, but if he really didn't want her company, which he probably didn't, she ought to leave him alone.
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Post by darkaire on Oct 30, 2007 1:47:54 GMT -5
He settled back into the bed with a sigh, feeling better. It was still miserable, but any improvement was welcomed. It had taken a lot of energy to speak, support himself enough to drink, and even swallowing had hurt. Almost all of the energy he'd stored up in his previous nap was gone, and he felt his body taking her suggestion. Sleep sounded wonderful, even if it would be restless.
D'leon grimaced slightly at the new affectionate term, but let this one slide. It wasn't nearly so horrible as the first. And in his own, twisted, D'leon-like way, he was grateful that she'd come by. He probably could have jumped off a ledge and no one would have noticed. And he thrived off being noticed, so her attention was definately welcomed.
His fingers twitched, but couldn't fulfill the thought to reach out and make another attempt to grab at the skirt. "Will you," he had to breathe through his words, making them sound airy and insubstanstial, "come back?" He did want her to. She was the only one who seemed to care enough to make sure dehyrdration wasn't added to his list of problems.
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Post by thedreamerlady on Oct 30, 2007 1:53:51 GMT -5
Nisha looked at him oddly, then her brow wrinkled, and she thought for a second. It almost sounded like he didn't want her to leave. Or that he was at least pleased that she'd stopped by, in his own strange way.
Though she didn't claim to be an expert on D'leon, she also didn't think that he behaved the same way as other people. Deciding to test her theory, she didn't respond directly to his question.
"If you want, I could sing you a song before I go. I'm going to talk to a Healer. If you want me to, I could come back after that, and see if you need anything."
It was really up to him. She wasn't going to pressure him, and if he wanted to be rude more than he wanted her around, then she could justify not coming back to make sure they were feeding him.
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