acatalepsy_logs | Don't Skip Your Flu Shot

Who: Everyone! It's a mingle post for the first week of Struxta sickness!!
Where: All around the temple
When: During the first week of the sickness
Rating PG?? At most??
What: Curry, blankets and pillow forts, and other assorted sick things

[With the Struxta illness sweeping through the temple like a wildfire, and with so many new arrivals trying to get adjusted to temple living, it's probably no surprise that things around the Astoria's little pocket of space have gotten a little hectic. Feeling under the weather? Looking for something warm to soothe that scratchy throat? Just want to curl up underneath a pile of blankets and not move for like, seven hours or so? Never fear! A Mysterious Helper (TM) has you covered]

A. Curry in the Kitchen

[The kitchen smells extremely nice during lunchtime this week, the only meal of the day that isn't pre-prepared by the misty servants. Like the scent of coffee intermingled with complementary spices. Those who take the initiative to investigate will find something pleasant waiting for them. A few pots of fresh made curry and steamed rice; a few pots of miso soup (a. . . little on the salty side, sorry); and some freshly brewed coffee already poured into individual mugs, along with cream and sugar and whatever additives your heart desires. It's all strewn out across the counter tops with a handwritten note pinned against the wall above the stove:]

Help yourself, and get well soon.

[There isn't any sign of the mysterious chef when you enter the kitchen, and if you arrive near the end of lunch hour, some of the food and coffee miiiiight be a bit cold. But hey! This might be a good chance to mingle with some of your new coworkers who are also seeking out a warm meal to help quell some of their cold symptoms. Just please don't sneeze into the curry pot, thanks. . .]

[Lunch will be laid out in the kitchen every day at lunchtime for the entire first week of the sickness. Help yourselves!]

B. The Temple Hallways

[THERE ARE BLANKETS AND PILLOWS EVERYWHERE]

[. . . no, seriously. For some reason, it's like you can't even walk down a hallway without tripping over a bundled up blanket or a pillow. What's up with that! For the most part, they're normal bedtime accessories, although you may find a bundle of pillows and blankets stacked up into an ENTIRE PILLOW FORT if you're lucky.]

[Pinned to the walls of the hallways (not every hallway, but enough of them that it should be easy to find one of the signs without wandering for too long) are more handwritten signs:]

Whoever can build the tallest pillow fort will receive one (1) high five as a grand prize. Good luck. Blanket provider is not responsible for anyone accidentally falling asleep in the hallways and blocking your route back to your bedroom.

[Hm. Well, that's weird. Anyway! You can build a pillow fort if you want, grab some blankets to take back to your room, or. . . nap in the hallways. Or do whatever! They're all free for the taking. Maybe you could even team up with another Circle member to try and win that extremely coveted high five??]

C. Wildcard

[Don't feel like interacting with any of the above? That's okay! Make your own prompt based on the event stuff over here, or just use this post for. . . whatever you want! It's totally and completely open for mingling for new and old characters alike, so. HAVE FUN ♥]

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

[He holds onto him a little tighter. He doesn't want to think of Keith's suffering like that. Yet...that's so very his own brand of humor he just laughs. They both need the laughter.]

Oh, I'm pretty sure I had that preview once already in my lifetime. I can give you pointers on it, old timer.

[He leans forward to take more of Keith's weight. He strokes his hair with one hand, tangling his fingers in it. Keith is solid and warm against him...too warm. He frowns quietly, unseen over his shoulder. Oh, yeah.

He knows what's ahead.]

[Laughter is good. The joke that follows though has Keith frowning for a moment. At least Shiro's sense of humor seems to be weathering this illness well enough. Despite himself, Keith's expression melts into a smile. He knows Shiro has faced down something all too like this before, and knowing he may be walking down that path.

Keith hates it, hates not being able to do anything to stop it.

He leans into Shiro, eyes falling shut at the touch of those fingers through his hair; he's exhausted, and the touch is soothing.]

Mm-mm. You're still the old timer. [Though Keith gained on him a little in the interrim. He sets his chin on Shiro's shoulder.] All that white hair... even if it makes you look younger.

[Keith isn't sure how that works. But he is sure that Shiro is pulling off the look.]

Nice to know I'm pulling off the silver fox look with some reasonable success. [He presses a kiss to the side of Keith's neck. He has half a thought to suggest they get some sleep. They're both worn down.]

How about we head to the bathhouse and see about putting some life in our old bones, hm?

[It has helped. He also really likes the luxury of getting to recline in heated water and doze off for a cat nap. It helps him fuction so it's nothing to feel overly guilty about.]

Reasonable.

[Keith affirms, leaning back so he can run his fingers through that hair again, ruffling it a bit.] Maybe more than reasonable success.

[If he's being honest. But he's quick to nod at Shiro's suggestion, managing to bite back a relieved sigh at how good having a bath sounds. It has been a helpful thing, soothing aches away, easing some of the tension that's taken up permanent residence through his shoulders.]

That sounds great to me.

Then let's go. [He slowly lets go of Keith. He finishes off his coffee and washes out the mug. He does a brief check for anything that needs put away and dries off the mug, putting it back.

Keeping things clean is a good idea. He grabs his coat from the chair and pulls it on.]

For the record, longer hair is a look you pull off with far more than reasonable success.

[Keith straightens up and tries in vain to work some of the stiffness out of his joints -- god he just aches everywhere, in places that he didn't expect could even ache -- before falling in beside Shiro.

He's not expecting the compliment, but it brings a grin over his features.]

Think so? [He ducks his head.] I owe it all to the quantum abyss I guess.

[Which was a hell of a time. Someday he'll tell Shiro about that whole extended camping trip.]

Tell me about it some time? Whenever you're ready to talk about it. [He says as he grins back at him. Shiro takes a left once they're in the hall.]

I learned of a shortcut to the baths from the kitchen. I've been on the look out for one from the baths to our room. [He reaches out and brushes his hand along the side of Keith's face.]

It will be good to find one as we deal with this sickness.

Yeah. I'd like to... a lot happened.

[More than should have happened thanks to the back and forth of visions and memories. He's following along with Shiro before he adds.]

Sort of. A lot of it was also just... looking for firewood and trying to teach the wolf how to fetch.

[Trying. Failing. But trying.

Keith's step slows slightly at that touch, distracted as he is in the moment by it.]

A shortcut would be great... everything feels like it takes way too much energy right now. I'm not used to this. I didn't really get sick much. [Maybe it's the Galra in him. Who knows.]

[For a second his eyes gain a faraway quality. When he got sick back at the Garrison...he had started to suspect something was wrong with him. He'd had decent health before then it went downhill.

He steers Keith into the hall leading to the baths while his mind works. He's never discussed his sickness at length with anyone, except Adam. And over time they both stopped talking about it.

All they did was argue as their fears magnified and destroyed their relationship.]

Plan out what you intend to do with your energy for the day. Adjust your plans based on how you feel. ...don't...don't kick yourself if you can't get everything done that you'd planned to do.

[He stares straight ahead.]

It's not something you really get used to. Or least, I never did.

[Keith's gaze moves and stays on Shiro's face. He shouldn't be surprised to hear it, after all. He knows, he remembers that Shiro was sick, that a lifetime ago for both of them, Shiro was facing down something that Keith could barely wrap his mind around. Back then, Shiro'd seemed so invincible.

Now Keith knows better. As strong as Shiro is -- and the other man is the strongest person he's ever known -- he's lost him. More than once now.

So it's startling to hear the advice, spoken in the voice of someone who has tread this ground before, but he's grateful for it too, that Shiro is sharing it with him. For a moment he doesn't say anything, just reaches over to catch his boyfriend's hand with his own.]

The not kicking myself sounds like the hard part. But yeah... makes sense.

[And then, quieter.] Neither one of us is going to have to get used to it this time. This is just a bump in the road. [He hopes.]

Don't Skip Your Flu Shot

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