[ closed ] let us wipe away those tears

[finethanks]

who: Eichi Tenshouin (finethanks), Gladiolus Amicitia (leatherdaddy), Leonard McCoy (legendary_hands), Yuuri Katsuki (yokunaru), & possibly more as I go!
what: Catch-all for April, hit me up if you want a thread and I'll make us a starter!
when: Throughout April
where: Various places
warnings: Eichi talking about death a lot probably, that's about it

[As I plan out threads I'll keep them all here, but I'm super open to adding new ones! My CR meme comment is over here if anyone wants to plot something, or reach me at my contacts to figure something out. Even if you have no ideas, I'll probably be able to come up with something. ♪

Thread starters will be below!]

Comments

[leatherdaddy]

[ Not... all of Gladio, I mean he's still wearing pants and boots and shut up okay. ]

You sure have a weird sense of humor. [ His mouth turns up at the corners in amusement, but worry keeps the crease between his brows. He strides up to the side of the hospital bed and looks down at Eichi, his voice lowering. ]

What kind of man would I be if I just left you like that? [ He's only half serious, because just what kind of question is that? Surely Eichi isn't serious, right? ]

How are you feeling?

[finethanks]

[Embarrassed. Ashamed. Like he wants to fade away into darkness and restart all of this, everything, go back to where he can push himself for better reason and higher stakes. These thoughts come along with a longer silence than normal as Eichi blinks at Gladio, and then a shaky hand reaches to brush some hair from his own face.]

I'm fine, Gladio-kun. Just a little tired, that's all. My body will often shut down on me like that, even if I'm doing something as simple as walking, so I'm sorry that I inconvenienced you.

[leatherdaddy]

Hey, knock that off.

[ Gladio frowns, uses the back of his hand to tap at one of Eichi's feet beneath the blanket. Even now he's trying to say 'sorry' when it's him who needs to apologize. He makes a small tsk sound between his teeth before he continues. ]

Don't you start trying to relieving me from being responsible for what happened. That pisses me off.

[ He's just glad he was able to get Eichi to the hospital in time before... well, who knows what could have happened. ]

There was blood. You wanna tell me how bad this condition of yours is?

[finethanks]

[Ah. Eichi's smile actually slips away at that scolding, his eyes flicking down to his nudged foot. Shifting, he tries to press a shaky hand down on the mattress to push himself up, but it's clear he's having trouble with even that.]

Short lifespans run in my family, you know, Gladio-kun. I don't know if I have a couple of months or a couple of years, since doctors can't seem to make up their minds. They've always told me my time is limited.

[So, if that answers that...]

OOPS I JUST REALIZED MY GRAMMATICAL ERROR how embarrassing

[leatherdaddy]

What?!

[ That kind of news is so dire, so sudden that Gladio can't believe his ears. He's only just met this guy and he's already practically at death's door? He leans forward, looking directly into Eichi's face - hands on the bed. ]

No, I don't know - You said you were sick but... [ He drops his gaze down onto the blanket, not thinking it appropriate to ask why didn't you tell me. Okay, he knows now. ] Alright, what about the doctors here, huh? I assume you've had a second opinion?

I DID NOT EVEN NOTICE I was probably half asleep jgdfkl

[finethanks]

[His lips curve down in a rare frown, and though he's managed to sit up somewhat, Gladio leaning in like that is a little overwhelming. He reaches out to grab at his arm, still managing to get across the feeling of a firm grip even when he can't actually manage one.]

Gladio-kun... [Ahh, he hates this, why did this have to happen?] Doctors here, doctors on the Eluvio, and doctors at home have all said the same thing. There's nothing that can be done, there's no name for it, but medication can help reduce my symptoms for the time being.

Normally, I can manage just fine if I don't overexert myself, but there are times when even simple tasks can be too much. I pushed myself a little too hard, it seems, so I'll be careful the next time we try anything like that. But there's no reason for you to be thinking so hard on it. If you begin to pity me, I won't be able to stand it.

[leatherdaddy]

[ Eluvio, he's heard that before. Ah, right. Yuuri, wasn't it - little guy who wanted self defense lessons. Gladio nods carefully, but listens until the touch on his arm comes, making him tense. Then endures the ugly news as it's spoken. ]

....

[ If you begin to pity me, I won't be able to stand it.

Gladio stares him hard in the face until he can't anymore, just turns his face toward the door he came in through and closes his eyes. He's fond of this guy, and it seems like shitty luck that bad things happen to good people. But that's life, isn't it? Hell, he should be proud of the fact Eichi, despite having the deck stacked against him, is making the most of it - clawing for a fulfilling life of accomplishment. ]

...Amazing, Eichi.

[finethanks]

[He lets his arm slip away, taking a deeper breath when he finds himself struggling. His body is really hating him, today. Did he push it that hard? It must have been a combined thing, adding up ever since arriving on the Eluvio.

He's glad Gladio doesn't insist on feeling bad for him, but even that comment makes his heart twist uncomfortably.]

I don't know what's amazing about this.

[He's interrupted just after that by one of the nurses finally grabbing Gladio more firmly on the arm, insisting that he needs to go change, that he's clearly giving this patient more trouble, that his heart rate keeps rising so please be decent... Eichi is going to pretend he didn't hear that, glancing distantly away and thinking.]

[leatherdaddy]

[ That frown reasserts itself when Eichi purposefully or accidentally deflects. ]

It's you I'm talk-- oi!

[ It's going to take a lot more than one nurse to force him out, but it's the magical authority the uniform provides that makes him yield - here, nurses and doctors are king and he can only rebel so much before it veers into too far territory. He relents and is dragged off, too distracted with objecting to register what the nurse is suggesting.

FINE, HE'LL... GO ALL THE WAY HOME TO CHANGE. GEEZ. ]

[finethanks]

[He glances back as Gladio is urged away, deciding to stay silent through all of the arguing. He assumes Gladio will be back, with how he was speaking, so he'll just wait here. He has no other choice, anyway, glancing down at an unsteady hand that's propping him up.

He'll just... lie back down and rest. Ah, but he does have to text Líadan, doesn't he? So he'll pull his phone out to do that, as well.]