Posted by Ensign Rand Farquharson (Yeoman First Class) in side - sim: Lost in Thought

Posted by Commander Roman Alden (First Officer & Chief Science Officer) in side - sim: Lost in Thought

Posted by Ensign Rand Farquharson (Yeoman First Class) in side - sim: Lost in Thought
Posted by… suppressed (3) by the Post Ghost! 👻

(snip)
Roman flinched his head away when she touched the forming bump. It already hurt. He still felt weak and dizzy and the dizziness got worse when he sat up but now it was starting to subside. His heartbeat still felt a little fast, too. His elbows and his back were a bit sore from colliding with the floor but it was definitely his head that hurt the most. He put an arm around her as she hugged him, his other hand against the floor. It took him a moment to answer her, “I was… looking for something. On the counter.” He thought another moment, “Tea. Decaffeinated tea. And then I fell. I think it’s just because I haven’t eaten, I’ll be fine.”

~ Roman

His answer was hesitant, he had to think about it. That wasn’t good. But he was talking clearly if slowly. She moved carefully so she could look him in the eye. His eyes didn’t look overly dilated in the sim light. She reached for the controls on the desk and turned the lights up but not too bright. She watched his eyes to make sure they reacted. “Do you feel like you might be sick?”

“A little, but I can’t say whether it’s because I hit my head or because I haven’t eaten.” Roman was honest because he felt bad. Rand moved around him and looked into his eyes. He looked just a bit dazed still, but when she turned the lights up, his eyes reacted normally. He had a headache coming on, he could tell.

She sighed, “Don’t say that. You aren’t fine, and we both know it. Here, lean back against the chair.” Then she stood, carefully. She didn’t need to fall too. “I’ll be right back.”

She pulled her robe on and then slipped out the door. She was back shortly, alone. She lowered herself to the floor next to him and handed him a cup. She didn’t let go right at first, not sure how steady he was. “Juice, it will bring your blood sugar up.” She took a slow deep breath, preparing herself to be firm and say what she knew he didn’t want to hear. “And then you’re eating something. Whether you want to or not. I should have gotten dinner last night instead of going to bed.” Guilt…she was supposed to make sure he took care of himself and she had gone to bed instead.

Rand

Roman sighed too and leaned back against the chair. He expected her to come back with Randy. He’d deserve another lecture. Now she was all worried about him again. He closed his eyes while he waited for her to come back.

It didn’t take Rand long to get back, and to Roman’s surprise, she was alone. “No Randy?” He asked. He wasn’t sure if he felt good about that, because it meant he wouldn’t have to hear from Randy, or bad about it because it was strange that Rand wouldn’t run right to him. He took the cup. His hands were still shaky so he held it with both hands and took a drink of it. Then he nodded. “I will, I promise. I’m sorry. And it’s not your fault. I should’ve gotten myself something.” It was obvious he felt bad. Especially as he was still thinking about his answers, talking a little more slowly. “I’m sorry.” He said again.

~ Roman

“No, no Randy. You have never had one of his ‘I was right and you were so wrong’ lectures, and I don’t want him asking why I smell of whisky. Besides, I promised him I would see him this evening and spend a couple hours with him.” She looked Roman over and making sure he drank the juice, “Do you want me to get him?”

“I’m sure we could explain the mistake with the coffee,” Roman said. He was drinking the juice, slowly. What was the best answer? For Randy but also for Rand? Yes, to be safe, so he didn’t worry Rand? Or no, because he always said no, and saying yes would scare her? “You seem to know what you’re doing, so I don’t think so, unless you want to.”

“Only you know how you feel. We can always get him after if you don’t feel better.” Rand didn’t think he had a concussion but if the juice and a few minutes didn’t help she would. She shrugged, “Advanced first aid is required for yeoman. Not as skilled as a trained medic, but close enough to be useful if needs be.”

She hugged him and nodded slowly her reply just as thoughtful as his. He wasn’t arguing with her and that was more worrisome than the bump on his head, “Yes…you should have, but you weren’t able to, not then. That’s why you have me and Randy. People that love and care about you. You’ll eat and then do something.” Another sigh, “You can’t go to the lab. You hit your head too hard. Unless you want Elbbirt to check you out. But that might raise more questions than you want to answer.” And the whole time she was talking it was a fight to say what needed to be said vs her building anxiety. She hugged him when he said he was sorry. “Just…please be careful.”

Rand

No, letting Elbbirt look would raise more questions than he was willing to answer. Elbbirt would check his head sure, but he’d want to know how it happened and if Roman answered that he’d want to know why he fainted. If anyone needed to check it out he only trusted Randy. He sighed at her words. He was supposed to be able to take care of himself so he could help her. Finally he spilled the beans, “I’m not supposed to work at all today. Randy said… The system would flag me because of the hours I’ve been working and I’d probably get pulled for a physical. I’m only supposed to drink water, too. No caffeine. I’m dehydrated.” He hugged her back, “I’ll try.”

~ Roman

Roman must not feel well to tell her what Randy said. “I was wondering about that. We put in way too many hours. They will probably flag me too even though I used leave time.” So low blood sugar and dehydrated and now he fainted and hit his head. And she was slightly tipsy from the coffee and having a panic attack that was bad enough to make her chest hurt. Suddenly she lit out a little laugh, more ironic than humor. “I think we know why Randy worries.” She pulled the small tray over. There were three sandwiches on it. “Pick one. Then we’ll try to get up.” Pipkin was sitting between them nosing Roman’s hand. “Then we’ll get you some water.” Rand grabbed a sandwich as well. She thought she ate lunch the day before but it wasn’t much. They didn’t both need to fall down.

Rand

Roman put a hand to his head, the bump really hurt, but the headache he felt like he was getting was coming in too. She laughed and he shook his head. “He’s your brother, he’ll always worry about you.” He picked a sandwich and forced himself to take a little bite of it. Pipkin was nosing his other hand, so he gave her some pet. He took another little bite of the sandwich.

~ Roman

As much as Rand wanted him to devour the sandwich, she knew it was better to eat slowly incase his stomach disagreed. Rand shook her head. “I know he will, but he will about you too. And not because we’re…dating.” Rand wasn’t sure dating was the correct term anymore, but it got the point across. “Randy might be polite to someone for me, but he won’t care unless he really feels that way. No matter who it is.” She noticed the tightening at the corner of his eyes from pain. She got up and rummaged in a drawer and came back with an ice pack. She’d kept a few from when he hurt his leg, just in case. She cracked the capsule and shook it to get it cold. Then she very carefully held it against his head.

Rand

It was after the third bite that his stomach started to hurt more. Not enough that he thought he might be sick, but more than it had before. “I can’t tell what he thinks,” he said after a minute. Setting the ice pack against his head initially hurt more, and then started helping. He took over holding it there. “Think we can try getting up yet?”

~ Roman