bodysings | 003. [TEXT] - After The Breach

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003. [TEXT] - After The Breach

Would someone please explain to me just what the fuck that was? I'm not on this ship for a week and shit gets fucked up. I think someone owes me an explanation as to what the fuck this fucking ship actually fucking is. Right. Fucking. Now.

[ Locked to DCU People ]

You have no idea how hard it is to type this, but I need some help. If you're gonna preach at me, don't bother coming. I have some stuff to say. I think I'm in over my head. Also? I'd kinda make it fast, I don't know if I'm gonna pass out or what.

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Coming.

[And he's jogging, then running, all the way up to the fourth floor. He taps on the door as he enters, because he's really not looking to startle her into attacking him.]

Rose.

[ Judging by the shape she's in when he enters her room, she isn't in any condition to attack anyone. The best word to describe the entire effect would be "disheveled." As bad as she looked when she arrived, she manages to look worse. Her hair is a mess, skin pale and unhealthy looking, and she shakes.

Her hands are unsteady even at a position of rest. She's seated on the floor, back against the wall, knees in front of her and hands resting on those. Her are shaking as she pushes her hair back and every now and then a shiver seems to shoot through her body.

Still, despite all this, she manages a tight smirk when he comes through the door. ]

You got here fast. [ Her voice is quiet and strained, a distinct difference from her usual boisterousness. Even her lips are pale. ] You worried about little old me?

[Well that's more than a little concerning. He closes the door behind him, and moves to crouch beside her, one knee resting against the floor to balance him. He doesn't reach for her, just assesses, trying to figure out what's wrong and what he can do.]

This isn't from the breach, [he starts, ignoring the smirking and the banter. More important things.] Is it?

[ She gives him an amused look as he crouches near her. It turns into a wince a moment later as another shiver jolts her and her muscles tense. It really doesn't look like it feels very good. For a great detective like Tim? It should be pretty obvious she's suffering from drug withdrawal. Among a slew of other things, like sleep deprivation for example. ]

Not just from the Breach. [ A pause. ] You 'member the Terror Titans after we got Eddie back? When I took off?

[He's seen it before, and he's gone through sleep dep more times than he cares to count. When she shudders again, he hesitates a moment before putting his hand on her shoulder.]

I remember. [He's quiet; he remembers Eddie. He remembers feeling like an asshole, like he'd failed this kid who was supposed to be his friend.] What were you on?

'Least Eddie's okay now, right? [ Someone might want to tell her that Mr. Bloomberg is now "the late Red Devil" at some point. ] Clock King gave me epinephrine, for my visions. I could see further. But once it wore off it was a major drop. Couldn't function, I was sluggish, slow. So I started taking more, then painkillers, antidepressants for the low, aspirin, whatever.

During the Breach I didn't get any for days. Just painkillers, that old time stuff was strong I guess, so I managed. Haven't had any for going on sixteen hours now though.

[...Yeah, yeah he is not telling her that now. It can wait. He squeezes her shoulder, because he knows how much this is going to suck. He remembers Dick's first inmate, going through withdrawal, and how he'd had to go in and help Dick pin Costigan down to get a prescription bottle away from him.]

You need to detox, Rose. The infirmary might have something to help, but you can't keep this up.

[ Probably not the best time for that little nugget. She winces again at another shudder, but manages another tight grin at him, shrugging a little. ]

Guess I couldn't just convince you to get me some Flouxetine and Naproxen, and call it a night?

Not a chance. [He's stern and somehow a little concerned all at once. No telling when he learned how to do that.] It's your call: either you go cold turkey here, or you let me take you to the infirmary and see what they can do.

I'm staying, either way.

Thought not. [ Dick does the same thing too. It's probably something they learn during Bat-puberty. ] I'm not going to the infirmary like some kind of invalid.

[ She coughs out a short laugh. ] Oh so now you wanna hang out in my room. You're pretty messed up, Boy Wonder.

Yeah, I'm the messed up one. [He sits back on his heel, looking around her room for a moment before shaking his head.]

Can you walk? I want to take you to my cabin. Don't call me a creep.

That's what I said. [ Another shiver rocks her and she winces, drawing her knees a little tighter against her chest. ]

Could probably manage if I had to. [ He gets another half-cough-laugh. Well, it's more like three-quarters cough to be honest. ] Ow. Don't make me laugh, it feels like my lungs are cramping.

For the record. You're totally a creep.

Keep that up, and I'll carry you. And I really don't want to carry you. You'll beat me up once you're better. [There is even a crooked little smile in the corner of his mouth, and he holds out his hands to help her up.]

Come on. I have a bathroom and a kitchen, and I've got a feeling you're going to want both.

Yeah. You better believe it. [ Stubborn to the last, she waves off his hands, painfully pushing herself to her feet. One thing you have to give her, is she's tough. Still, there's only so much she can do, and when she stands she has to brave herself against the wall to keep her legs from shaking and giving out. ]

Just a sec. Catch my breath. Tch. You Wardens, lap of luxury, huh? [ Her sentences are short and forced out between ragged breaths and grit teeth. Still, steeling herself, she manges to get her legs under her and pushes off the wall, though really, she looks like she could keel over at any second. ] Right behind you, Boy Wonder.

[He doesn't buy for a second that they are going to make it to his room with her going like this, but he doesn't immediately try to prop her up or help her at all, really.

He wants to, and he's keeping his arms stiff at his sides to keep from reaching out. But he knows what she can be like, and he knows how her ego hates taking a hit.]

Guess now's a bad time to suggest a race. [He keeps it light, instead, and goes to open the door, holding it open for her. He's ready to catch her, if she falls.

[ Her ego is pretty much all she has to cling to, or at least that's how she feels, not that she would be able to quantify it. It would probably be safe to say that that stems from her plethora of issues. But that's what keeps her going beyond the point where most people would quit. It's what makes her need to be the fastest and the strongest and the deadliest.

It's a credit to that strength and stubbornness that she can even stand. Walking would be close to a miracle. ]

Hah. You're just worried I'd beat you. [ Jokes are good. They distract her from just how much her muscles are aching from the cramps and the spasms and the trying to force them to move normally. Still, she gets to the door leaning against the frame again to catch her breath, knuckles white from the effort of keeping her upright against the door jamb and then the wall. ]

Fuck. [ That small whispered word of irritation is probably the closest he will ever get to hearing an actual admission of how difficult this is for her. Specially for her. She never needed help, she won't ask for help even if she has to crawl. Or at least those are the thoughts running through her mind as they inch out of the room and into the halls. ]

[It's painful to watch, and Tim rubs at his temple for a moment before holding his hand out again, offering his shoulder.] Come on. Drag me along with you.

[There's only so much he can watch. He wants to punch the Clock King again, knock every one of his teeth out for this. He hasn't always gotten along with Rose - he's had his periods of really disliking her, even - but she's still a Titan, and that means something to him. It always well.

[ She laughs, putting an arm over his shoulder and leaning against him. She doesn't weigh very much anymore thankfully. Not that she was a whale before, but she's pretty much feather light now. ] Yeah, you look like you could use the help.

[ Don't worry, Tim. She gave it to him good. Heck, you keep being all concerned she might think you actually like her or something, and then the world would explode and everyone would die and it would be all your fault, Tim. ]

[Sometimes he can be all squishy inside. He holds her arm with one hand, wrapping the other around her waist. He keeps his pace slow, though, or else he's afraid he will have to carry her. (She's so light, what the hell happened?)]

Try not to spread it around. [If keeping up the joking commentary helped, he would do it.] I have a decent reputation here, you know.

[ That isn't very Bat-like, Tim. Once she has some support they can move at an okay place. It isn't that she isn't strong enough to walk, it's just that it damn well hurts, and having some of the weight taken off her screaming muscles makes it a whole lot easier. That's kind of what happens when you run yourself ragged across half the world with only cigarettes and drugs as fuel most of the time. ]

Pfft. Sure. Watch the hands, Mr. Grabby. [ She smirks at him, she's never gonna let go of the fact that you rejected her naked advances, Tim. Regardless of her state of sobriety at the time. ] Never would've pegged you for having a thing for wasted, drug addict types.

[Bats are secretly very squishy. Secretly. He keeps most of her weight on him, moving carefully still because he doesn't want to make this worse for her. He does roll his eyes at her, however, shaking his head slightly.]

You're never going to let that go, are you?

[ Yes of course. This is what makes them so suited to running across rooftops bashing criminals' heads in. She can carry her own weight Tim, well, most of the time. At the moment though she'll do that leaning pointedly ignoring his eyeroll. ]

Nope, probably not. [ Smirk ] Where the hell is your room anyway? The far side of the moon?

First floor. Don't worry, we'll take the elevator. [Which he is pausing to hit the button now, actually. And he sobers some more, because that's just what he does.]

How long have you been using epinephrine? And how often?

Hey, I'm not worried. I could go all day. I was just asking. [ That's okay, because as much as you sober up, that's how much Rose will turn up her sarcasm meter by. So it all evens out in the end. ]

How long? Fuck if I know. Three months? Six months? Started when the Terror Titans shit went down. Pretty much every day since then. When I could get it.

[His mouth twists the side; it's never been his instinct to joke, but at least he won't tell her off for it.]

The next week is going to really suck, Rose. [And he isn't letting her near anything stronger than a cigarette.]

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003. [TEXT] - After The Breach

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