acatalepsy_logs | Don't Skip Your Flu Shot

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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

[ prompto is not the only one reminded of that night. alisaie remembers it, too, she remembers how she had felt, how the space between them had hummed with a quiet, shared energy. it had been so.. strange and unfamiliar, so new, unlike anything she had ever felt before, terrifying and exciting. she had tried not to put a name to it, just as she has tried not to put a name to the reason she smiles so easily at the sound of his laugh, or how his company warms her somewhere deep in her heart.

these things are unfamiliar to her, strange, and thrilling. she is not like prompto, she has never had a crush in her life, she doesn't know what it feels like, what it means, but what other word is there to describe what she is feeling..? especially now, when he speaks so softly in the space between them, when his hand lifts, his thumb drawing over her lip.

it's electric, a sudden jolt that gives her a start, her breath catching, her heart kicking up into the back of her throat. she's never.. felt a touch like that before, and it's so simple, so innocent, but it sets a flush up her neck, goosebumps prickling her skin, her head spinning, pleasantly dizzy. she's not thinking, not considering what is happening, not considering anything beyond this specific moment. ]

P-Prompto..

[ she whispers nervously, her hands in his shirt tightening, white-knuckled, though she makes no effort to move away. ]

[ She whispers his name back to him, thunderous for how quietly she utters it, and his heart hammers against his ribcage so relentlessly that she must be able to hear it. Here they are, at the end of one of the most difficult conversations Prompto has ever had, and she is closer than ever before, holding tight to him, instead of drawing away. He may have had plenty of crushes before, but he's never had something like, something so...tangible, and real, that he could almost suppose, for a moment...that she might feel something back.

For him?

It would be so easy to lean in and kiss her right now. Except for, you know, the actual kissing part, but she's so close, and there's a part of him — a very loud part — that wants to throw caution to the wind and do so. What has he got to lose? In this moment, he feels invincible, like nothing can go wrong, even if he's blind and sick, if he could kiss her then everything else would fade, just as it has right now.

But what if she doesn't feel the same? She...she might just be affectionate, she's always let her actions speak louder than her words...and for all they have grown closer tonight, is that too big of a leap to make? To think that because she is as close as she is, that she might...have feelings for him?

Frozen, he stays rooted to the spot, his hand still cupping her cheek. Dammit, if he could just see, if he could just look into her eyes and see what is in them —

But ultimately, it doesn't matter what he decides, because at that moment a sneeze rises up threateningly within him, and Prompto jerks back quickly so he can turn and sneeze into the crook of his elbow.

...Right. He is still disgustingly ill. ]

[ he jerks away so quickly that for a moment she is terribly confused, blinking into the space between them, snapping back to awareness of what has happened.

oh. right. a.. sneeze. he's sick, and she was here to take care of him, not to - to..

ah, her face burns hot in an instant, and she can't help but be grateful that prompto cannot see it, but her flagrant embarrassment is at least tempered by the breathless laugh that soon follows. ]

Bless you.

[ she says, though her ears ring and her heart pounds, her hands falling from around him to settle near his wrists. ]

You should rest now..

[ He may not be able to see her face, but she can certainly see his, violently red as he wipes at his nose with a tissue. Gods, they...did he almost just—

This cold is definitely going to his head. She's right — he should rest, before he tries anything...yeah. Crazy. ]

R-right. U-m... [ Words are harder than ever now as his mind starts to draw back together again, no longer strung along from emotional beat to emotional beat, driven solely by his heart. But it's difficult to think through his unrelenting heartbeat, or the dizzying fog still sitting over his mind. What should he say? What should he do? Should he just...pretend like that never happened?

Like he hadn't just been a breath away from kissing her?

...Sleep sounds better than ever. Maybe this too is a dream. ]

Wh-what about you? You're, um...welcome to stay as long as you want.

[ If there's one thing he's certain of right now, it's that she needs rest, too. He realizes a little too late that that might sound like some kind of...invitation, however. He didn't mean it...he only meant...if she sticks around to rest he'll keep her company!!!

He's a mess. ]

[ it definitely sounds like an invitation, enough of one to set her face absolutely ablaze, but thankfully she.. knows what his intentions are, what he means. at least she.. thinks she does.

gods. ]

I-I.. I shall stay until you fall asleep.

[ she decides, at last, while pressing her hands to his shoulders to gently lean him back onto the mattress, easing him to lie back, before she's bundling fresh ice back into a tea towel again. she definitely brought ice when she got him food. ]

But I need to see that my brother is safe.

[ if this has happened to prompto.. who knows whether her brother has begun to show similar symptoms? besides, he would fret if he woke up to find her bed empty, for like as not if she allows herself to fall asleep here, she will not wake before sunrise.

though a part of her is.. tempted. it would be nice to lie back, to sleep, warm and comfortable beside him. what a frightening feeling.. for now, she slips the ice pack beneath the nape of his neck, and brushes the fringe from his unseeing eyes. ]

Try to rest.

[ He follows easily beneath the guidance of her hands, his heart sinking back into its customary space, though a soft gasp escapes him when she slips the ice beneath his neck. It's a shock to his system, but not enough to really rouse him from the onset of exhaustion that sweeps over him. He's had a rather eventful evening, and...the road ahead of him isn't exactly sunny. He still believes in her promise, though. He will see again. And everything else...

Well. He'll keep working on everything else. ]

You got it. As long as you promise me you will, too.

[ He knows she's likely to ignore him, but she's so clearly exhausted, and probably needs rest just as much as any of them who have fallen ill. But he won't belabor the point. Not now, when he's fading fast, the memory of her touch and her warmth softening the edges of his mind so it's easier to slip into that half-asleep, half-awake state.

Blindly, he reaches for her hand, before she can move too far away. ]

...Will you come back tomorrow? I...want to take more about home with you.

[ Finally, finally, he's ready to talk about it with someone. With her.]

[ he does not fight her, thankfully, and no surprise - prompto must surely be exhausted by now; illness aside, emotional outbreaks are terribly draining. she's experienced it more than enough to be well acquainted. but there's something like pride welling in her breast, spilling into her smile. it must have taken an enormous amount of courage for him to open his heart like that, to bear something that has clearly weighed on him for a long, long time - if not his entire life - and to her, of all people. alisaie is not always the gentlest of souls.

then his hand catches hers, and alisaie feels her face warm again. it will be quite some time before the.. intensity of this night fades from her heart, before she can think of him and not remember how close they were, how it felt when he dragged the pad of his thumb across her lip.

gods, she's behaving like a schoolgirl, it's embarrassing - ]

Of course I will. I will visit as soon as I am able.

[ her hold on his hand tightens gently, to demonstrate the surety of her answer; she will be here. softly, she whispers - ]

Sleep, Prompto.

[ Alisaie isn't the only one who will be thinking of this night for a long time to come. Once he has some time to properly digest it and more fully come to terms with what has happened, what he's said, he won't be able to stop thinking of that moment, of how close he'd been to...

But no doubt that sneeze came just at the right time. For better or for worse, it wouldn't have been the right time to travel down that path, and now, he can settle back against the pillows, letting his eyes fall shut, his grip on her hand slackening. ]

Okay. [ His voice is barely audible as his eyes fall shut. ] Good night, Ali.

[ He'll be waiting. ]

[ she waits still even a few moments after he seems to drift off, lingering until his breathing evens out, until he seems as content and peaceful as he can manage to be. even then, it is difficult to leave his side, but she worries for her brother, and as ever there is.. much to do.

and so she soon stands, pulling the sheets up to his collar, quietly clearing away the dishes and leftover food, taking them with her as she slips out of the door.

as promised, she returns the next day, though not right away. it isn't until the early evening that she finally finds the opportunity, between brief snatches of restless sleep, and endless errands, research, and caretaking. thankfully, her brother seems stable enough, his vision normal, so once he is situated and comfortable she at last leaves him to rest. naturally, she stops by the kitchens to bring along food as well, something a bit more substantial than before, a hearty stew with meat and vegetables, bread, water, and plenty of fresh ice.

whether or not he will even be awake she cannot know, but she can only imagine he hasn't been able to go far, given the severity of his condition. balancing her heavy parcel carefully against one hip, alisaie raps his door with her knuckles. ]

Prompto? Are you awake?

[ He hasn't gone for at all; in fact, Alisaie will find Prompto in the very same place that she left him, tucked in his bed, and while he's not asleep, he's not exactly wide awake either. Bereft of his sight, there is...woefully little to occupy his mind, and while the others are away or sick themselves, it makes it especially difficult to keep himself from running around in mental circles. It's a boon, therefore, that they'd had the conversation they did last night, that he can't run circles around himself for not having told her the truth, for keeping his secret hidden away from her still. He can still run circles around himself for...nearly kissing her, but that's...okay, no less stressful, but perhaps a little less serious.

Still, he's aching for company, unable to even preoccupy himself with his camera, and so her knock and the sound of her voice don't come a moment too soon. He sits right up in bed, a grin already lifting his face, even if sitting up so abruptly makes his head throb. ]

C-co — [ ...Except he hasn't used his voice for awhile and his throat is as cruddy as ever. It takes him a few more tries to clear his throat and speak loud enough for her to hear. ]

Come in!

[ She'd come back, just like she promised. Of course she did — but there had been a part of him, however small, that still worried that what he had told her was too much and she would keep her distance now. But no — she's here, and for a moment, everything feels like it's going to be just fine. ]

[ his immediate answer is a comfort, at least, to know she has not woken him from necessary sleep, so the moment he calls out she steps through the door, wearing a tired, but warm, smile. ]

My apologies, I had hoped to stop by sooner.

[ but there is no rest for the weary, and with everyone around her so ill - well. she has no choice but to go, and go, and go. adjusting her parcel to carry it in both arms, alisaie kicks the door lightly shut and moves to his bedside, where she can set it down with a puffed exhale. ]

How are you faring?

[ .. his sight has not improved, by the look of it. ]

[ ...No, it has not, and his smile flickers for the moment. His condition isn't worse today than it was the day before, but neither is it better, and after several weeks of this, the consistency isn't exactly...encouraging.

But he's not losing hope. Alisaie had told him he would see again. He will. ]

Eh...I've had better. [ A lopsided grin accompanies his answer, but it's a lot more honest than he often gives. ] What about you? I, uh, wouldn't know if you've got circles under your eyes, buuut if I was betting man...

[ Had she even slept from the night before?

...Also, what did she just put on the bed? He reaches out towards the parcel. ]

[ it's as much honesty as she can expect, and it's good enough - really, she'd asked simply out of habit, knowing full well that he likely was feeling no better at all, but she could.. hope. hope that mayhaps the blindness was a temporary blip. nothing to worry about overlong.

at least he does not seem worse. that is the best she can ask for.. ]

Careful, do not burn yourself.

[ she pushes his hands away so she can untie the canvas over the tray. on it there is a small ceramic pot full of stew, a large heel of bread, and another small pot full of ice. the usual. ]

I hope you are hungry, this stew is both fresh and delicious.

[ The touch of her hands to his brings the usual electric spark, even given the context, and that small contact is all he needs to start thinking about last night again. About her brow touching his, about the feeling of her skin beneath his fingertips...and it's enough to send a blush surging into his cheeks. It's kinda nice, to have a distraction like that to keep his thoughts off his condition, but at the same time, is he ever going to stop blushing like this around her?

...No, probably not. ]

Oh, you bet I am. You know how hard it is to find somethin' to eat when you're a blind dude? [ His condolences to Iggy, once again. He's had help from others today but this is the first fresh, full meal someone has brought him and the smell alone — what can reach him through his stuffed nose, at least — is heavenly. ]

...Y'know, I'm startin' to sound like a broken record now, but...thank you for this.

[ He'll keep telling her, for as many times as he needs to. ]

[ alisaie smiles, a soft chuckle in her throat. there is a distinct difference between genuinely thanking someone for a kindness, and sinking low under the assumption that they do not deserve it. so long as it isn't the latter he's doing, she's more than happy to accept his thanks. ]

You're welcome. I hope it helps.

[ it's fresh and warm and tasty, however, so she can't imagine it won't. it won't cure what ails him, but a good meal always lifts the spirits and boosts energy. she sets the tray carefully nearby, guides his hand toward the spoon, breaks the bread into pieces, then sets to piling ice into a fresh tea towel. ]

[ His stomach chooses that moment to let out a screech of hunger. Yes, it will certainly help, even if it doesn't rid him of his illness. It's...strange, to be sure, to fill the spoon with stew and lift it to his mouth without being able to see any of it, and his process is slow to ensure he doesn't make a mess.

But he does manage to get the stew into his mouth without any trouble, chewing and swallowing with a hum of relief. ]

Oh, yeah, that's what I'm talkin' about...

[ He lets out a sigh, before filling his spoon once more. ]

Y'know, you never addressed the circles-under-your-eyes thing.

[ Did she rest at all?? ]

[ sightless and ill though he might be, when he gulps down mouthfuls of stew she smiles, contented. it's the best that she can ask for. ]

My eyes are looking fresh and vibrant as a spring daisy, I assure you.

[ she says with enough curl to her voice to establish clear sarcasm. she probably looks like hells warmed over, but alisaie hasn't bothered to look into a mirror in.. days, probably? if not longer. like as not adrenaline and caffeine are all that fuel her, but she cannot bear the thought of resting any longer than necessary while this disease carries on, worsening every day. ]

Never you mind about that. Finish your supper.

[ You can't tell him what to do, YOU'RE NOT HIS REAL MOM. But his real mom is also sick right now, so. ]

Not gonna have to con you into another nap, am I? [ He says jokingly enough, but there's real meaning behind his words, too. For as awful as he feels, for as much as he would love nothing more than to be cured right here, right now, he's...worried about her. About what she's putting herself through. About how it might affect her in the long run. ]

You should have some, too.

[ He reaches out, nudging the stew a little in her direction. ]

[ look, she will not be so easily conned this time. she might be a hundred times more exhausted than she was in the pillow mansion, but the stakes are also a hundred times higher. every moment she has, every wrung drop of energy must be funneled toward helping the ill, and finding a cure. there can be nothing else. the moments she has taken to sleep at all have been fitful and anxious, her mind unable to rest while she is so preoccupied with worry and fear. ]

I ate before I arrived.

[ it isn't a lie. she wouldn't lie to him, and she's never had much of a talent for deceit anyway, though truth be told she ate very little. like her mind, her stomach too is in knots, her appetite slashed.

gods, when will it end..?

leaning forward, alisaie presses her knuckles to his brow, temple, and cheek to test his temperature, but it seems no different. no worse, at least, but still.. ]

Good, isn't it?

[ The corners of his mouth turn down at her answer — he believes her, but he's certain that any rest or meals she has had haven't been relaxing and rejuvenating as they should be. If there positions were reversed he would likely be the same, fretting over his friends until he himself unraveled, but that won't stop him from doing his best to get her mind off things.

After all, he understands well how focusing too much on one thing can just...eat a person away. ]

Yeah, sure is. 'Course it is! You take such good care of me, Alisaie...

[ He means that in more than one way, of course, and he will as much no matter how many times it takes her to believe she's making a difference, even if he isn't cured. ]

[ though he means well, it has something of an opposite effect, though he cannot, thankfully, see how her expression falls. ]

I do only what I can.

[ which is not nearly enough. but prompto cannot want to hear that, not now, he's hurting, suffering, the last thing he needs is to carry the weight of her heart as well, atop everything else. thoughtlessly, she lifts a hand to card fingers through his hair. ]

Is there anything else you need?

[ He may not be able to see the way her expression falls, but he can hear it in her voice — that fear that despite all her efforts, it may not be enough. That they will still continue to get sicker and eventually...

No. He can't think like that, can't even entertain the possibility. They'll get better. They have to.

His eyes flutter shut at her touch, a soft sound moving in his throat, dipping his temple to her fingers before he can think better of it. Could he trick her into a nap again? Though even if he did, he doubts she would sleep well, as anxious and worried as she is.

Maybe he can't get her to rest, but maybe he can at least get her thoughts on other things. ]

Mind keepin' me company a little longer? I-I know you're busy, and all, I'd just...

[ He'd like to talk to her some more. Talking is one of the few things that hasn't been severely impacted by his absent sight. ]

[ it's only after he's leaned into her touch that she realizes what she's done, and thank the gods that he cannot see the flush that lights her face. gods.. she's ridiculous. he makes her ridiculous. why must he be so sweet? so good? so endearing? it's very frustrating, for her.

but she's got a good excuse to pull her hands away in gathering up his bowl and food tray, setting them aside on the nightstand. ]

I don't mind at all.

[ she's finished what errands she'd needed to first, under the assumption that he would want some company, after all. she knows him well enough to know that he does not like to be alone. first off, though, she's sliding the ice pack to its customary place behind his neck. ]

[ Ah...yeah, she was definitely just kind of stroking his hair. You know, Alisaie is proving to be a lot more tactile than he ever would have guessed. More...affectionate. But he's, uh, never seen her around other guys before. She's probably this way with all her close friends, those that have found their way close to her heart.

Not that...he considers himself close to her heart...

Anyway!! That's the answer he was hoping to hear, so as she takes care of the dishes, he eases himself back against the pillows, tucking one arm behind his head. ]

You can, um. Sit up here, if you want.

[ ///// ]

[ .... /////!!!

man, she feels bad thinking that it's so convenient that he can't see her blush, but she still thinks it. when he's able to see again she won't have anywhere to hide. ]

Oh..

[ well she can't just be like 'nah,' so alisaie scoots forward a bit to sit nearer to him, though she turns her legs off of the bed at least so she can kick off her boots. ]

Is.. is something on your mind?

[ i mean.. aside from the dying. ]

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