Midgar, Gaia -- Sunday

[intraspective]

Little changed in the hospital room overnight. The girl slept, the boy slept, and machines continued their monitoring—more to be safe than out of true need for them—and if the nurses came by to check on them (but always careful not to wake them) a little more often than necessary…

Well, there was nothing wrong with that, was there?

And in this manner, time passed until morning.

[For ze puppy. NFB due to distance.]

Comments

[intraspective]

"Right now?" she tilted her head back at him. "Like I'm safer than anyone else."

Which answered his question in theory, but not the one he'd meant when he asked.

[puppy_fair]

Zack exhaled, in a soft, breathy huff of a laugh, glancing sideways to grin at her.

"And would you keep feeling safe if I stretched over you in order to get that potion that Tseng left? Or would it be better off if I walked around?"

He was a lot of puppy, and she was a very wee, kind of easily smushed Ino.

[intraspective]

"I... think I'll be okay?" she said slowly. "We can try the leaning over thing."

[puppy_fair]

"I'll try not to crawl on you," Zack promised, giving her another little kiss on the cheek before making a reach. He probably looked like he had the most precarious balance in the world, balanced on one arm and one knee with the other arm stretching out in front of him. But he was SOLDIER. It would take a decent shove to knock him over.

Just... try not to mind the view of his armpit too much, Ino? You have no idea how much you owe Dr. Sialeeds for making him shower, today.

[intraspective]

Ino couldn't help but smile, touched at his care, even as the smile turned to a bit of a giggle.

Look, armpits were funny and she felt very small with him leaning over her like that.

[puppy_fair]

Zack found himself laughing a bit, too, as he eased back to sit on the bed, holding out the potion toward her.

"Did you want this now, or should I call the nurses for that juice so you can get the taste out?"

Hi-Potions. They tasted awful, and they worked. Like Buckley's!

[intraspective]

Ino wrinkled her nose as she gingerly took the potion. Dropping it would be a horrible waste.

"...Juice," she decided, because seriously, she'd need the juice. "Please. And for you too."

[puppy_fair]

"Juice for both of us," Zack agreed, leaning forward to kiss her on the cheek before more or less oozing out of the bed again.

He was going to have to take one of those potions himself, sooner rather than later. The doctors were probably poised to tackle him at the exit if he didn't. But he had his priorities, and she didn't need to know how badly he looked under the fresh uniform that he'd put on.

Ino first. Period.

"Maybe they'll have some apple," he decided, making his way to the door to flag down a nurse.

[intraspective]

"Apple would be fine," she said, toying with the straw.

Pink and bendy. Seriously, did he think she was five?

And yes, yes if Ino had any idea of the fact that he was not treating his injuries she’d have been quite displeased. As it was… she didn’t know.

[puppy_fair]

Well, one of them was a genetic blend of man and Jenova, thrown into the slow-cooker with a dash of mako and left to cook overnight, Hojo's secret recipe.

And that particular someone was coming back into the room a few minutes later, with two recyclable plastic juiceboxes in his hands, making faces at them. Not that he'd ever explain why. It was just... Well, they had the Banora label on them. Some brand names just never died. Probably part of ShinRa's cover-up of the massacre down in Mideel.

"I didn't know if you'd want a straw for this, too," he admitted. Unlike Tseng, Zack was speaking in all honesty.

[intraspective]

Which would be why Ino didn't snap at him for the comment.

Instead she tilted her head at him. "Is there any other way to drink juice boxes?"

Really, straws were practically required.

[puppy_fair]

Zack grinned a little at the answer. Hey, it was a good one!

"I couldn't find any more pink ones," he rambled on, pulling two generic red and white striped straws from his pocket and plunking one into one of the juiceboxes for her. "They must have run out."

Okay, there, he was playing around a little, yes.

[intraspective]

Of course, that meant that Tseng had deliberately gone out and found a pink straw. That was... interesting.

"I'll survive," she said, eyeing her potion with a grimace. "...Maybe."

First she had to drink the potion.

Ewww.

[puppy_fair]

"If it's really, really bad, you can have my juice too," Zack offered. "I don't mind going to get another one."

[intraspective]

"But then I'd have to go without you for longer," she said, eyes wide. "And that'd be worse."

Ino logic, ladies and gentlemen.

Which now, meant, that she was going to have to sip her potion. Through the bendy straw.

Ewwwwwwwwwww.

[puppy_fair]

Zack gave his nose a sympathetic little wrinkle as he watched her drink the potion. Ewwwww, indeed.

"Well, if the potion does what it's supposed to do, maybe you can come with me? A walk would probably be nice after this long, huh?"

In the hospital gown, with her behind showing out the back. Brilliant idea, Zack.

[intraspective]

The potion was healing, smoothing over half healed injuries and fixing damage that had been done to her.

It was still absolutely vile.

Ino gave him a long look, then pointedly looked at her hospital gown.

That was a 'not in this', Zack.

[puppy_fair]

Give him a moment. He'd figure that look out any second now...

"... I bet I could get Kunsel to swing by my room and grab you a change of clothes," he offered.

[intraspective]

And with a determined siiip she finished off her potion and held it away from her, with a shudder.

"That would be appreciated," she said, making a face. "Clothing would be nice."

So would a shower. And more hugs and about a million blankets.

[puppy_fair]

"Okay. Apple juice first," Zack set his own juice down so that he could take the potion container from her, and handed her the other pack of juice. "And then I'll call Kunsel and we can work on getting the heck out of here, okay?"

[intraspective]

"Tell him to be careful of what he picks," Ino said, smiling even as she raised the juice to her lips.

What, you thought she'd trust a SOLDIER boy to pick her clothing unreservedly?

[puppy_fair]

"Don't worry," Zack laughed. "He's got way better taste than I do!"

It was true. Kunsel had a good head on his shoulders, and a taste for culture. He was one of the few SOLDIER guys aside from Genesis who openly admitted to liking LOVELESS.

[intraspective]

She sipped her apple juice, studying the box--Banora White--and frowning slightly at it.

"Does he?" she asked. "Well, that's something at least."

[puppy_fair]

There was a nod and a little grin before Zack made a reach for his own juice again.

"Plus, he's been my buddy in SOLDIER ever since we were both recruits," he added. "There aren't many other guys who I'd just invite to get stuff out of my room, you know?"

... Not for the sake of his things, but because they were guys, and he was asking them to root through his girlfriend's clothing.

[intraspective]

Apple juice definitely helped with the taste of the potion and Ino felt almost normal sitting there now.

"Okay," she said softly. "If you trust him, then I will too."

A beat.

"Is there a hairbrush in here?"

Because she had an awful lot of hair...