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

[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...

[puppy_fair]

Between the two of them, a hairbrush was pretty definitely in order, wasn't it?

Zack pursed his lips, sipping at his juice thoughtfully before turning and starting to poke at the few drawers scattered here and there in the room.

"You would think so, huh? I guess I could see if they have anything like that in the gift shop, too..."

In between the stuffed chocobos with plushie hearts sewn to their wings, and the ugly polyester flower bouquets.