riverviewlogs | An aching in my head

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An aching in my head

who: Rey, Finn, Poe, ~~Kyle~~ Ren, and ~~whoever else wants parts of the drama of the wars in our stars.~~ open!
what: Rey gets sick and finds herself taken to the hospital.
when: 12/26--12/29
where: Hospital
warnings: None for now--will update as needed

For a few weeks Rey hadn't been getting enough sleep. It started off with wild dreams that made it difficult to get a night's rest. The dreams gave way to nightmares; sometimes she dreamed she was still on Jakku, waiting for her parents with hunger gnawing at her stomach only to fall into the belly of an abandon ship, break her wrists and die a painful death. Sometimes, she dreamed of Poe and Finn, of being unable to help them as the First Order crushed the Resistance. Sometimes, she relived the very vision that told her to take her first steps. Whatever the dreams were, she woke up with a start and unable to go back to sleep.

Not sleeping was something she was used to. If she wore herself out enough, she could pass out from exhaustion and have a dreamless sleep--something she would prefer at this point. Like anything else in her life, she didn't complain, only pushed herself through the situation thinking she could handle it. Then her world started to change. First it was the weather, changing from a crisp coolness to icy cold. It had silly of Rey to go out without the proper attire in the beginning, but she learned to bundle up, but it wasn't enough. Kylo Ren then appeared and Rey found herself stressed over that--trying to find a way to protect her friends from a man she didn't believe was truly a monster...

The stress of that, combined with worrying over Poe being in the hospital didn't do well to help get any sleep.

Over the past few days she had developed a slight cough, believing it was maybe the coldness in the air that her lungs weren't used to. She didn't think much of it, continuing to go about her duties within the Perimeter Guard and other obligations. If she just pushed through it, she would be okay. Rey failed to realize how bad she was getting. When she had gone to bed the night before, she opted to sleep on the couch, curled up with a blanket. At least she made progress from sleeping on the floor to the couch.

When Poe went to go wake her up, her skin appeared clammy with a faint redness to her cheeks. She wasn't responding no matter how loud he called her name, or nudged her. Finn touched her forehead and felt how hot she was, and before the trio knew it, they were at the hospital. The doctors and nurses were quick to put Rey in a bed, and administer fluids. Different questions were asked: if either of them had noticed a change in her behavior, if she was eating and if so what.

In the end, it was the decision of the doctors that Rey stay in the hospital until she was better. Years of malnutrition had made it harder for her body to stay warm, making her more susceptible to the cold, and a weakened immune system. The hospital staff would have to keep her on a diet to help her body absorb the proper nutrients and help combat the influenza she had.

By the time Rey wakes up from the ordeal, she feels weak and feels a pricking sensation in her right arm. Now it's time for her to recover...and she won't be too thrilled about it.

Best of luck whoever decides to check in on her, she probably won't be in the best of moods and may or may not try to get out of bed.

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

Oh, that's uh, us? The Institute of Planar Research and Exploration, me, Lup, Lucretia, Magnus. Dav, Merle and Barry aren't here.

[It was a larger organisation, but the seven of them are the only ones that survived.]

If they want an ingredient list or whatever they can have one, but none of this should mess with what you've got going on here.

[There's no empty calories in this stuff.]

Ah, I thought it was some sort...of pre food mix or something.

[No need to go into details, especially when she was more focused on the food and all the time it took Taako to make the food. Regardless of the fact that Taako made food for the others, he still took time...to put things in containers.]

I don't know if a list will satisfy them. It's all about black and white with them, nothing in between.

[She tries to see beyond her open door if any of those nurses are around, hopefully not.]

Do you think...maybe you could have some of the lemon cake with me?

In that case...

[Taako winks at Rey, and waves a hand over the containers, sending them sort of shimmery-translucent.]

Only we can see 'em now, if the nurses come in they'll have no idea.

[Probably not the best thing to do, but he has very little time for doctors and nurses; he doesn't know why they didn't just take Rey straight to a healer, but he guesses it's a different realities thing.]

And we can definitely have some cake, you want a little tea, too?

[The perks of having magic, working around the rules of the hospital.]

You come up with the most amazing ideas, you know that?

[And the nurses might see them eating food, or pretend to be eating food and think they're only having fun.]

I think I'm good with water for now. I...didn't have a lot the past few days. [And she knows it was the wrong thing to do. She really didn't feel dehydrated--wait a moment.]

Can I ask you something? And you can say no, I won't take offense. [She waits for a moment before asking.] Can magic heal sick people?

Oh, I know.

[He's clearly the brains of their operation (he absolutely is not) but where he really excels is what's in front of them, so he sets about picking up two slices of cake and coming over to offer one to Rey.

He casts levitate on himself and tucks his legs up underneath him, preferring this to the uncomfortable hospital chair, as he takes a bite of his own cake and awaits her question.

When it comes, he's not that surprised.]

It depends on the kind of sick. Someone could take care of a flu real easy, but it sounds like there's a couple underlying issues?

[He hadn't pressed for details, but malnutrition had come up, and after what Taako saw of the world Rey lived on, he made a few assumptions.]

[Rey takes the offered slice of cake, and started to take a few small bites. She didn't want to end up throwing up. But oh, it's good. Just the right amount of tartness and sweetness to make her miss good food.]

...You're right, hospital food is horrible. Not even the wiggly stuff tastes good.

[She means jello.

There's a slow nod of her head. So...she couldn't have him use magic to cure her, damnit.]

They kind of went over those details with me...it's nothing worth trying to fix? [Lies, it is.] I just...I don't like being here. Feeling useless.

[It takes him a second to get what wiggly stuff means, but he hums a little laugh once it clicks.

Still, he feels like the sick part of this conversation deserves a little more focus.]

It's worth fixing if you don't wanna end up back here again, yeah? I know it's like... I know it sucks, but you gotta look out for future Rey, not just current Rey.

[He's a bit of a hypocrite with that advice, but just because he doesn't always follow it himself doesn't mean it isn't legit.]

I won't end up back here.

[She says that with such conviction because she is damn sure not going to get sick again--she didn't get sick when she was on Jakku. Except for..heat related illnesses, but that's besides the point.

And she won't have much of a future unless she get get off this blasted rock and find Luke. ]

I know what not to do for next time. I can just...push through. It's always worked in the past.

[She reminds him of Lup, suddenly, back when they were still struggling to make ends meet, when every failure could've meant losing it all.]

Hey.

[Taako's voice is gentle, but firm, even as he reaches out to lightly touch Rey's arm.]

Just cause you did it before doesn't mean you gotta keep doing it. Things are better here, and I'm sure they're gonna get better back home, be a little more gentle with yourself, bubbale.

[Rey's eyes look to where Taako is touching her to back at him. Him reaching out to her is one thing...but the gentle tone is another.

He's trying to talk some sense into her, but she's being stubborn more so than normal because of her illness.]

...Things could also get worse. I can't afford to be gentle...or soft...not if people are counting on me.

And you're not gonna help anyone if you run yourself into the ground, are you?

[He's had this conversation with Lucretia, with Magnus, with Barry. People who'll push themselves until there's nowhere left to go, because they want to fix things, because they want to do right, but it's pointless if they push so hard they break.]

....no.

[A simple answer that has her leaning further back against her pillow and staring down at the slice of lemon cake.]

Fair...fair point.

Not get like, fake deep and shit, but I know your type, I spent a hundred years living with thugs who'd burn themselves up to save someone and it's great, sure, real sacrificial and all that, but sometimes you gotta look after yourself. Sometimes just surviving is the only win you're gonna get.

[It would've been easy for them to burn themselves out, year after year after year of fighting the Hunger, but they learned out to run instead of fight, how to rest. Otherwise it would've fucked them up way more than it did.]

Really? My type?

[Rey raises an eyebrow then, not once considering she was a 'type' of person or anything of the sort. But, he had seen her memories of Jakku...he knew more than most. So maybe he was the best person in telling her not to burn herself out.]

And if the people you're trying to protect get hurt? What then?

[It's why she pushed herself. Why she didn't slow down. It wasn't just for her sake anymore but for Finn and Poe's.]

The hero type.

[Watch a movie, Rey.]

You gotta trust the people you give a shit about to look after themselves. Maybe they'll get hurt, maybe they won't, but you're not the one responsible for that.

[Rey couldn't help but roll her eyes a little.

And hey! She's watched one movie! Clearly...Taako needs to have a movie night or something.

And damnit, he's telling the same thing Poe did when he got turned into a bird and they had that fight...]

I know...I know...but it's a hard habit to break.

You've got a big heart, bubbale, that's not a bad thing most of the time, but don't let it get you killed.

[It's why Taako doesn't do this, why he spent most of his life only caring about one singular person. He's not the self-sacrificing type.]

[There's something of a bitter chuckle from her.]

It hasn't gotten me killed yet. Survived Jakku...could survive almost anything else.

[He points at her IV line.]

Except a little snow, apparently. Take it from someone who's probably died more times than you've lived years, there's a lotta shit out there that can kill you.

[Okay now she's huffing at him and glaring a little.]

It was more than snow. A bit of ice didn't do this.

[No..it was something else...She calms down a little to tell him the truth.]

I hadn't been sleeping well until I passed out and woke up here.

[So lack of sleep, malnutrition, and cold..the perfect storm for the flu.]

[A flu doing this isn't much better, but Taako knows that's not the point, and his expression softens when she tells him that she hasn't been sleeping.]

Has something been getting to you?

[There's a moment of silence as Rey debates about telling him.]

I've been having wild dreams or nightmares. I thought I could handle it...just keep working until I pass out and don't dream.

Okay, well, that was a dumb plan.

[Just telling it like it is!!!]

You ever tried a sleeping draught? Alchemists make 'em so you can sleep peacefully.

[Taako has what Rin gave him, but as much as he likes Rey.... he's not sharing that particular gift.]

[There's a roll of her eyes.] It worked before in the past.

[And now she shakes her head.] Never heard of it, and doubtful it would help at this point. I'm starting to sleep a little bit more...but I think that's because of whatever they're giving me.

[He's going to fight her on this 'it worked before' nonsense. But not while she's sick.]

Potions are another kind of magic, less uh, a little more gentle than drugs? [At least, in his experience.] If you're still have shit luck with your dreams after all this, let me know, yeah? We can hook you up.

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