[semi-closed] that's just something people say

[dontpokethat]

Who: Ginko and ROOMMATES
When: Nights in Polaris
Where: Assorted Sleeping Pods™
What: Downtime means a chance to talk, for better or worse.
Warnings: Discussion of trauma/unethical experimentation/miniature emotional breakdowns

[Prompts below!]

Comments

HERBERT (NIGHT 4)

[scientificist]

When Ginko's day finally ends, he'll find Herbert already there, on the floor, leaning against the side of the bottom bunk. He's removed his glasses--which are half folded and skittered randomly across the small side table in the cell--to more effectively put his hand over his eyes, fingers threading into his hairline as his head tilts sideways against the bed. His wings are rustled up at side angles and his tail is curled tightly around his lower legs, one knee propped up against his chest.

The only sound he's making is a slightly hoarse purr. Apparently, he kept that from Eden.

ELEVEN DAYS LATER,

[dontpokethat]

Ginko supposes he is, all things considered, doing okay. Sure, he had... a little bit of an emotional breakdown just the previous night, and is a little bit concerned about it happening again, but he feels as alright as could be expected, at least for the moment.

From the look of it, the same absolutely cannot be said about Herbert.

Ginko crouches down in front of him, his tail giving a slight flick. "Are you alright?"

[scientificist]

Herbert makes a warbled sound in his throat around the purr and then sort of coughs the purr into stopping.

"What?" he says and looks up sharply, peering at Ginko with his brows furrowed. But Ginko is a really obvious shape: green and white with horns. It's fine. Ginko's safe. "Oh it's you." This is relevant somehow, he just has to determine how, but it's hard. He needs the reagent. He's needed it since he began to inject it, even when he'd become that bird alien and completely lost his dependency. It just isn't the same, trying to function without it.

"Iiit could be worse," he admits. "It has been. I'm not on so high a dose, nooot anymore. I can't w-work like this I can't. Think. Nnmf." Grimacing, he clutches at his head again.

[dontpokethat]

"Withdrawal, again?" Damn. He guesses that was probably inevitable; it seemed unlikely that this place would be willing to let him make more reagent to inject himself with.

"Well, to start with, you should probably get on your actual bed. Do you need help?"