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[ Uh, no, the puzzle is bullshit, but she did figure out a few ways to kill a man with it, so at least it's good for something.

She rubs his back gently while he drinks the water, and takes the glass to refill it when he's done. If this seems a little familiar, at least nobody was on fire this time. ]

[that's one way to solve them, so...you do you, Harley. or just keep doing his back because that's relaxing him a bit, to where he can stop worrying about the hands and lets them drop in to his lap as he lets out a heavy sigh.

thank god he doesn't have to let anyone see him like this. Harley- well, she's already seen him at his worst, and- she was there, maybe, during some of it? how and why-

no. he squeezes his eyes shut for a moment. focus. stop letting the thoughts run, and...focus on the important, first, while she brings him another glass of water. which, mind, will be downed only a little more slowly.]

What day is it...?

[Sunday? Monday? it's dark outside, from what he can tell. morning, or night...?

more importantly; how long until he has to be functional?]

Early Sunday. So basically still Saturday. Take off your shirt and lie on your stomach. You're sore as hell, right?

[only Sunday? Saturday? he feels like it should be later but- that gives him more time to be useless. ~~nice~~.

he blinks up at her, taking a moment to parse, but- he's moving for the shirt. he didn't wear a sweater-vest to Crane's, surprisingly, just a dress shirt. which means the buttons are going to be a pain in the ass for hands that don't quite want to cooperate.]

I feel like hell.

[so; yes.]

[ Oh, for- She'll do it for him. ]

You look it, too.

[ Does he have any lotion, or ... She could use cooking oil if it comes to that, since she already plans on dumping him in the shower as soon as he can stand on his own. ]

Can't imagine why. [there's some halfhearted attempts to bat her away because hE CAN DO IT but then he realizes he doesn't quite have the energy to do anything other than accept that no, no he can't. so there's only a little bit of a huff before he lets her help him, shrugging himself out of the shirt with a bit of a wince.

yes, he's sore. shoulders, mostly, from trying to wrench himself free from ^everything. he'd just as soon take a hot bath as a shower. however, the nearest lotion's in the bathroom; since Harley's made use of it before, she might remember seeing it.

lying down will work for now, though.]

[ She doesn't say anything as she works thoroughly works over his muscles, kneading out all the knots and strains that settled in overnight. It's not comfortable, but it will be worth it on the long run. Her hands stop at the base of his spine, fingertips dipping underneath his trousers. ]

Do you want me to keep going? Or do you think soaking in the tub will take care of the rest?

Edited 2015-12-21 18:04 (UTC)

[if Robert Callaghan was a cat, he'd be purring at this point; as it is, other than a tiny bit of shifting, he's utterly pliable under her hands. those sounds he does make, however, at least seem content if a bit heavy and weary. can he just melt here, that would be nice, thanks...

he doesn't even move as she pauses to ask. it's with some reluctance, however, that he makes himself respond.]

I'm going to need one sooner or later. [beat] But I can wait.

[that's permission, if she's so inclined. though, now that he's made himself talk, he does have to ask, somewhat more quietly-]

Was it like this for you, after...?

[ He's going to have to lift his hips a little so she can get those pants off. Work with her here, buddy. ]

No. His chemicals don't work on me. If he wants to get under my skin, he's gotta do it the old-fashioned way.

... Honestly, he went kinda easy on you.

[yeah yeah he's lifting. he doesn't have the spoons to be body-shy right now, and- well, they did kind of. yeah. there was a thing. it was...sure a thing.

though he does pause, actually moving to look back at her]

...that was easy?

[UM

UM]

[ It is too late to be shy after you've been inside a person.

She drops his pants to the ground next to his shirt and goes back to massaging him. ]

Fifty percent, kept you from hurting yourself other than some strained muscles, observed without outside stimuli, and actually gave you the antidote before permanent damage set in. He's stingy with antidotes.

But I'd say the sedative was more to make it harder for me to carry you out than for your benefit.

[yEAH AND that's a whole 'nother can of worms. on the bright side, if he had any concern that it was going to damage things, the fact that she's here and basically nursemaiding him is pretty much throwing that down a hole.

he says a few choice words as he sets his head back down, most of which he learned in the military. fifty percent. he doesn't want to imagine full strength, and- outside stimuli? so that was all...his own mind, then? and the straightjacket actually was for his benefit?

maybe Crane is a real scientist.

...maybe. permanent damage. Robert swallows, trying very hard to reign his thoughts back in. they want to run in circles and spirals, to make jumps and connections that he can only barely keep in check...]

And he- called you? [to pick him up in the first place.]

Told me to come take out the trash.

Do you wanna eat something before getting cleaned up?

[pft. though he...can't say that's not completely inaccurate.]

...there's some saltines in the pantry. [beat] And some of that sports water.

[he's not sure he could keep anything else down right now, but he knows he probably should get something in.]

You got it.

[ She swats his butt as she stands to go fetch for him. What! She got permission! ]

[WOW HARLEY he really should have expected that lbr. considering everything else, the undignified noise he muffles can be forgiven, as could her actions. after everything, she's- well. she's more than allowed to be Harley.

he does stretch a bit as she's gone, grabbing a sheet to cover his lower half. when she returns, he'll have moved in to a sitting position, rubbing his face.]

...thanks.

[ HE DIDN'T MIND HAVING HIS BUTT GRABBED LAST TIME HURR HURR AMIRIGHT?

Since he can sit up unassisted, she hands him the crackers and drink and belly flops across the bed. She's been up all night and now it is break time. ]

Feeling human yet?

[THAT WAS KIND OF A DIFFERENT SITUATION WOMAN. ~~he did not mind it in the slightest tho~~

Robert's still a bit weak, but at this point he can actually open both of them. he takes them slowly- the two glasses of water sated his immediate needs, but as empty as his stomach is, he's human enough at this point to force moderation.]

Give me a week.

[that sad little smile is because he's still planning on meeting Crane next week, unless other circumstances come up. he doesn't admit it; instead he reaches out to touch her hair, idly threading some of it through his fingers.]

[ She hums a little and leans into his touch, shifting so that she can be a little more comfortable. ]

Mm. You goin' back for round two?

...if he has it planned, yeah.

[the curl of his fingers in to a loose fist makes it clear that he's not looking forward to it. but he makes it relax, going back to petting her soon enough.]

'drather not think about it right now, though. I already know how stupid it is. [viscerally so, at this point.]

[ She makes a small huff and rolls on to her side. She's not up to a fight about this, not again. ]

[he appreciates it. they can argue when he's more himself. right now...

right now he's taking another mouthful of the water to clear some crumbs. it's not threatening to come back up, which was the thing he was most concerned about. still...]

...you didn't have to stay, you know.

[said in the quiet tone of someone who's slightly surprised that she, well, did. as opposed to dismissing her because hell no]

[ She peeks up at him and tries very hard not to roll her eyes, weakly swatting at his leg. ]

Yeah I did.

You didn't have to. You chose to.

[don't mind him taking her hand to squeeze.]

...thank you.

[ Well, like, also the buses had stopped running by the time she got him in bed, so.

But she just won't mention that little detail. ]

Ewww, feelings.

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