toxicspiderman: Photo of a grassy, tree-lined riverbank.  (Specifically, The Charles River) (bucolic)
Sangamon Taylor ([personal profile] toxicspiderman) wrote in [community profile] damned_institute2009-04-09 05:01 pm

Day 40: Greenhouse [Fourth Shift]

Most days, fish and chips (and a cold beer or three) was pretty goddamned high on S.T.'s list of perfect expense-account lunches. Today, the idea of picking at greasy hunks of unidentified bottom-feeder odds-and-ends (politely known as scrod, to the delight of teenagers all across the Northeast) didn't appeal.

He begged off and collapsed into his bed, after using his damp shirt as an excuse to surreptiously check the contents of his closet. Bingo. His nurse watched his little show, unimpressed but (more importantly) unsuspicious. Not that his hairy chest was much of a catch today, pale and sweating from fever. At least she didn't tuck him in.

The intercom woke up up right on schedule, and pulling the sheets back over his head almost won. But a handful of unanswered missives and a vague sense of duty dragged him out to the bulletin, and from there it was easier to stagger over to the greenhouse.

It was warm inside -- a deep, humid warmth that actually penetrated to the aches in more joints and muscles than he could remember the names of. Like a sauna, without the hassle of finding someplace to look that wasn't a mound of pasty middle-management cellulite. Or a sweat lodge, without the opposite hassle of being conscious that he was the only white guy in the room. In fact, besides the nurses in holding patterns, he was the only person in the room.

He located a tray of tomato seedlings going rootbound in their tiny six-packs, and a potting bench whose location was a quick-and-dirty approximation of equidistantly far from anything blooming. He assured his nurse he knew what he was doing, and after a couple of successful repottings, gently sliding the little seedlings out and loosening the tangled roots, she seemed to agree and backed off. It was, by far, the most fucking theraputic thing he'd found in this hellhole so far, and he let himself sink into the rhythm of the task.

[Free!]

[identity profile] tsunagari.livejournal.com 2009-04-11 09:25 pm (UTC)(link)
"I understand this." Sai's words might have been slightly more biting than usual with this comment. Shikamaru didn't know him, so he should be willing to forgive the way he spoke to him, but at the same time the fact that he didn't know him made it seem as though he had less right. The ninja shook his head to clear it of such ridiculous thoughts.

He was right. Naruto was suffering. Sure, his pirate friends might not always be the brightest people, but they could take care of themselves. They didn't need him constantly making sure they were well. Yet he couldn't help but believe he owed them at least this much. He didn't like the idea of abandoning Usopp either. There had to be a way to work with and keep track of both.

His attention went to his blond friend again. Whatever Kakashi was telling him, it was likely important. Sai wasn't so sure about divulging events of the future, but if the jounin thought it was for the best he probably knew better than a socially stunted teammate.

[identity profile] toobothersome.livejournal.com 2009-04-11 11:13 pm (UTC)(link)
Shikamaru gave a grunt of acknowledgment, glad that they seemed to be on the same page. As long as Sai understood that his first responsibility was to his team, nothing else needed to be said.

After another few seconds of silence, he stood up and pushed his hands into his pockets. Sure, the greenhouse was closer to the open outdoors than the sun room, but Shikamaru was getting sick of being helpless and if he had to sit around doing nothing while his friend was this upset, he'd rather sit around somewhere else. Or actually do something somewhere else. Whatever. As long as it wasn't here.

"See you tonight then," he said, giving Sai a small nod as he started back towards the greenhouse door.

[go go gadget avoid (http://community.livejournal.com/damned/600017.html?thread=50240209#t50240209)]
Edited 2009-04-12 03:14 (UTC)