Players:
Summary: Rashmi visits Lucas in the MedBay, trying to figure out just what happened with him, James and Theo.
Date: April 11, 2010
Still Fine
Rating: PG
Xavier Mansion - Medical Bay
The Medical Bay contains the latest medical equipment to patch up students and X-Men with the smallest and worst injuries. Six beds line the walls for injured patients. Equipment lines the walls, medicine in the cabinets, and more serious medical supplies locked in cabinets. One this about this room it screams sterilization.
Lucas is laying in a med bed. He's shirtless, his torso wrapped in thick gauze. There is a feeding tube running into his nostril, along with an oxygen band. His left arm is in a cast, and the left side of his face is bruised and swollen. His hair is a mess, and he looks miserable.
There's a catch to her breath as Rashmi peeks into the medbay door, eyes falling on Lucas. "…Oh my God," she says practically teleporting to his side in a flurry of skirt, bookbag, and hair. "…Lucas…?"
Lucas slowly opens his good eye, and he swallows, a labored effort. He gets a half-smile, it seems hard for him to do, and he manages a raspy, dry-throated, "…hey… Ah'm fine…"
Rashmi lowers herself to eye level at the right side of the bed, gently taking hold of the blond's good hand. There's something like a smile, small and trembling as it is, for the old joke, but it melts away quickly.
Rashmi lowers herself to eye level at the right side of the bed, gently taking hold of the blond's good hand. There's something like a smile, small and trembling as it is, for the old joke, but it melts away quickly. "Lucas… what's *happened* to you…?"
Lucas tries to shrug a little, but he manages to hold back the wince. "…It's… Ah'm glad you're here…" He licks his lips again, and he furrows his brow. "Ah don't remember." He sighs, "Ah need to go…" He takes his good hand from hers and reaches for the tube down his throat.
The hand is held onto again, fingers curling in between Lucas', as a puzzled, concerned frown touches Rashmi's face. "Lucas," she begins, her tone gentle and patient, "You're practically a mummy, and you've a broken arm. You're on an IV. I know those tubes are irritating, but… just… stay, please?"
Lucas huffs, and he moves around a little in the bed, though he can't really move much. "…Ah'm okay…" He looks at her, "Ah just… Ah need to get this out…" He again tries to reach for the feeding tube, which seems to be the first instinct every patient ever does when they wake up with one.
Rashmi slowly pulls the hand back. "No, Lucas… I know it sucks, but… It's there for a reason. Just relax, okay? I'm right here."
Lucas huffs again, but seems to have given up for now. "Is Theo okay?" he asks, looking around the med bay. "And James? Where's Jim?" He looks worried.
Rashmi blinks, reaching back to pull a chair forward. "Um… I… don't know? Why would they not be? Was there a fight, or something?"
Lucas nods, "Yeah… a fight…" He drops his head back against the pillow. "…damn…"
Rashmi sighs, closing her eyes for a moment. "Okay… Sweetie, I have no idea what's going on, here… and I'm freaking out kind of a lot, because all of a sudden my boyfriend looks like he was dragged over ten miles of bad road… I know you like to keep your problems to yourself, but, um… I'm really scared, so just this once could you tell me what happened…?"
Lucas sighs, looking up at the ceiling. "Ah got crushed into a wall. Jim and this new fella, Theo were both there." He chews his lip for a moment, "…Ah think the music room is trashed…"
Rashmi reaches up, smoothing Lucas' hair from his face. "Oh, sweetie… *Why* was there a fight? D'you remember…?"
Lucas turns his head away from her. "…yeah… Ah remember…" He sighs, still looking away. As he answers, his voice hard to hear, he pulls his hand from hers. "…Ah picked it…"
Rashmi's eyebrow rises, and with another gentle sigh, she leans over, brushing her lips against her cheek. "Okay, so… Why did you pick a fight?" Strangely enough, she doesn't sound angry, as such… perhaps more like relieved, that this be the result of something closer to normal for this school. "I'll guess it wasn't with James?"
Lucas doesn't answer for a long moment. Finally, he just exhales very slowly, which pretty much says that she's wrong, it was totally with James.
"What started it? Was it that you were worried about how he's been, lately…?" Another lock of hair, tucked into place, and she leans back for a moment, pouring water into a cup already furnished with a wonderfully convenient bendy straw. "Also, are you thirsty?"
Lucas finally turns back to face her, a bit of a puppy dog pouty face as he nods that he is thirsty. "…yeah…." He swallows, and then says, "…Ah tried to… get faculty to leave him alone…" He swallows heavily again. "They told me some things he left out…" He sighs, "Ah called him on his lies."
Rashmi's mouth purses, the cool water held out for Lucas to drink. "…What's he been lying to us about?"
Lucas shakes his head, "…not my place to share…" He slowly takes a few sips off the straw, and he works the water around his mouth some. He gags a little with the first swallow, but manages to do better after. "…Ah'm stupid…"
Rashmi opens her mouth for the snappy comeback, closes it, and shakes her head. "No, Lucas… you're not stupid. You care about James, and wanted to do something about it. That's not stupid at all… I'm really, really proud of you for trying, you know?"
Lucas shakes his head, "No, Rash… Ah'm stupid… Ah… Ah was pissed at Theo…. Instead of fightin' with him… Ah picked it with Jim…" He sighs, "Ah earned this…"
Rashmi settles back onto the chair, more confused than frustrated, the water held in easy reach. "…Okay… Why were you pissed at Theo, then?"
Lucas rolls his eyes then, and Rashmi finally gets the answer she's been waiting for. "Ah don't wanna talk about it."
Rashmi's mouth clicks shut for a moment, eyes moving to look at each of Lucas'. "This is sort of important," she begins, slowly. "*I* might be going off on somebody very soon, Lucas… And I'd sort of like to know who I'm going to be going off at the most, you know…?"
Lucas sighs, and he looks at her, rather seriously. "This was my fault. Ah did this. Ah picked the fight what wasn't really worth it. Go off on me."
Rashmi's eyebrow rises, Lucas' serious look met by one of her own. "You're in the *hospital,* you know… I think that pretty much qualifies as punishment enough. Besides, I'm your *girlfriend,* remember? It's my *job* to get mad at people who beat the living hell out of you."
Lucas smirks, "Ah held my own, thank you." He swallows again, "Don't be mad at Jim. Just… Lemme handle it."
Rashmi closes her eyes at this, sighing quietly. But, she nods, understanding, and leans down to kiss Lucas, briefly. "Okay," she says,cupping his cheek in one hand. "Okay… It's all yours, then. … …Just, *after* you heal up, okay? Maybe see about some Magic Fixit treatment, or ask Doc?"
Lucas nods, "Ah ain't seen the Doc yet… Least, not whilest awake…" He sighs, "Ah reckon he musta done these bandages…" He then gets a goofy, sort of proud face as he announces, "Ah think Ah broke my ribs!"
"That's *won*derful," Rashmi replies, managing a short laugh, shaking her head. "Now breathing'll be *so much fun,* you can keep yourself occupied for days…!"
Lucas furrows his brow, "Ah think there's some fluid, though… Maybe punctured…" He tilts his head, considering, and then smiles again. "…my arm hurts, though." He shrugs, "Ah reckon maybe Ah lost the fight, huh?"
"No no, you're doing it all wrong," Rashmi replies, trying to keep the levity in her voice, "You're *supposed* to say 'You should see the other guy,' and then I swoon, and manliness is restored, and oh who'm I kidding yeah, you lost the fight, and I'd probably hug you right now if I didn't worry it'd kill you."
Lucas nods a little, and he coughs a few times, a wet cough that, from the look on his face, hurts. "…Ah'll settle for a good kiss on my mouth a subtle grope…" he offers, with a little arrogant smirk.
Rashmi chuckles quietly, leaning over to give the blond a slow, gentle kiss… no grope, though, and no comment on the request, either. "You just rest, okay…? I'll see what I can do, on my end, and maybe go to the City to get you something while you're in here. Anything in particular?"
Lucas shakes his head, "Nah… Ah'll be okay… The doc'll superheal me soon enough. Just… find Jim for me? Make sure he's okay?"
Rashmi nods quietly. "I'll find out where he is, I promise. And I'll make sure he's all right. But, um… is there anything I ought to watch for?"
Lucas sighs, and just shakes his head. "No… just… Make sure he's okay…" He pauses, and then adds, "And don't turn your back to him." He lays his head down, and closes his eyes. "…be careful…"
Rashmi smooths Lucas' hair as he closes his eyes, watching him relax, even if a little bit, her mouth growing smaller, a thin light line. After a moment, she stands. "You just rest, Lucas," she says softly, then turns, heading out of the medical ward at a fast walk.
