It All Keeps Adding Up

[panspermia]

Who: Greg, Lapis Lazuli, Steven
What: ok so i know you're mad but you're not making steven LESS sick
When: the night of March 4
Where: Virgo Headquarters
Warnings: angry rocks, sick children

For a while, things really had been looking up. Steven seemed happy--never as cheerful as in the memories, but generally more than Greg could ever remember when he was Tiger. It really felt like this was the way things were meant to be, that Greg had really made the right decision to keep Steven safe and happy.

That made it all the more painful when Steven's health took a downswing again. The damage from his gem made itself known in different ways, sometimes slight, sometimes bad. This was the worst Greg had seen it, and Blanche refused to bother with it.

He has to do something. Anything is better than waiting and watching.

Comments

[panspermia]

Greg is gripping Steven's shoulder the whole time--tense, but careful not to go too tight. It's his other hand that's worked into an anxious fist.

"H...hey, you can still try. It can't hurt, right?"

Right? Right???? It was all he could do not to panic as Lapis spoke. Steven's half human, so he can handle this, can't he? It's bad, but it'll get better, right? Yeah?

"What did he do last time?"

[oceantier]

The method was innocuous, so would he really know if he can't? How many people test their own saliva to see if it heals?

She's hoping.

Her eyes flick briefly up to Greg. "It's . . . his spit. He licked his hand, and then touched my gem, and . . ." She still remembers the shudder, and there's an echo of it even now. "It was a little disgusting, but. My gem was healed. He gave me back my wings."

Her gaze softens, looking back at Steven. ". . . Try?"

[tigermillionaire]

His...spit?

Now that's not something he remembers anything about. Being asked to do it now makes him really nervous - at least partially due to things he doesn't even remember. Even in his real life, he didn't think he could do it.

He seems to cower down a little, like the expectations carry a physical weight. Unsure of how to even start with something like this, he hesitantly licks his fingers, and then touches them to his gem with a wince.

Nothing happens.

[panspermia]

There's a desperate, hopeful moment of holding his breath. Then, a small squeeze of the shoulder.

"All right. No harm done, pal. We'll just go to Plan B."

Greg's gaze begs Lapis for confirmation that there is a Plan B.

"What, uh. What do you do when there's no spit handy?"

[oceantier]

She feels herself sink a little inside as the saliva fails to work. But unlike Greg, doesn't immediately dismiss it, either. There could be a lot of reasons why it's not working. He's young. He's sick. This place, whatever innate qualities it has, eats power. Any one of these -- or something even yet unknown -- could be blocking his capabilities.

"It's okay," she murmurs, fingers just lightly squeezing again. "It's not your fault. This place, these people -- they take things away."

As for Greg's question, she doesn't know yet, and stares for long moments into the weave of the sheets.

"There's a girl in the city," she says at last, slowly. "If I can get her here or Steven there . . . she can heal. It's where I was trying to take him. Before he was taken here."

There's Gold or Silver, too, but only as an absolute last resort. They might be allies, but it doesn't mean that she fully trusts them.

[tigermillionaire]

Steven glances away uncertainly, shaking his head a little. The reaction is reflexive - he's doing it before he can even think about things logically. He just knows that he can't do what she's recommending.

"I...I can't leave here. It'd be really bad, they'd catch me, I know it...I'm not allowed."

[panspermia]

Greg takes a deep breath to combat the pounding in his head. They can't leave, absolutely not, no way.

"We're both under close watch. I can't sneak him out. Unless she can pull a transforming trick like yours, I dunno that we could get her in, either."

[oceantier]

"I don't know." There's a level of anxiety in that, perhaps feeding off their own. "If nothing else . . . during a concert, maybe? A time when he's outside. Another way that we can find to come up here."

There's a small wrinkle of worry between her brows. "I'll ask. We'll find . . . something. An opportunity."

She has to be positive. After all of this, she can't afford to fail.

[tigermillionaire]

"I don't get to play anymore," he says, shaking his head a little. He sounds sort of confused about the subject, though. "I don't think."

He just has the strong sense that he's supposed to stay inside and under watch - it's not something he's been that concerned about lately, due to being ill. The idea of performing is sort of terrifying.

[panspermia]

Greg nods. He's quite sure that keeping Steven out of public is the best option. For his health, and safety. Who knows what could happen out there?

"But--there'll still be chances!" He bites his lip, looking to Lapis. "We just gotta wait for the right opportunity, whenever that is. Pride can't hurt him anymore while he's here, so... so we've got time to figure it out."

[oceantier]

Her eyes lift back to Greg. She won't say so -- not in front of Steven. Maybe not even really to Greg himself. Pride has already hurt Steven . . . and just because he's here with someone who cares for him doesn't mean he won't shatter apart.

"Steven." Her voice asks softly for his attention.

[tigermillionaire]

He looks up at her, though his gaze is unfocused.

"Yeah?" he asks softly.

[oceantier]

Her fingers stretch out to touch -- his hair, his temple, his cheek.

They never reach. They curl inward. Fall short.

"You won't remember. But . . . I saw you. Months ago, back when--" Words falter too, briefly. "It was a dream. But it happened."

"I promised you then. I'd help you. Because you asked. For me. You came to me."

The words plead with him, though it may be hard to say exactly how. There's something she's trying to say underneath them -- deeply and desperately asking for his notice.

"You were scared. Of this place. And I promised you. . . . I'm still promising you. If you'll still believe in me."

"I'm sorry . . . when they took you. For letting go."

As though she could have held on. Somewhere, down inside, she still believes she could have.

"I'm sorry."

[tigermillionaire]

He looks at her, and at first its like he doesn't understand. He doesn't remember what she's talking about, but deep down it doesn't seem to matter. Even now, he can comprehend what it means to her.

Her perception of failure in these circumstances never even occurred to him. He doesn't totally know what to say.

And so he leans forward to hold her hands instead.

"You're already helping me," he says. "It doesn't...even if you don't always win, it's okay. You're here."

[oceantier]

She can't agree with that -- that it's not important if she doesn't always win. Not winning in this place can mean disaster. Torture. And possibly worse.

But . . . he believes in her still. While it doesn't completely settle the feeling inside her, that fact and her hands in his mean the world.

Leaning forward, she touches her lips to his forehead.

[tigermillionaire]

He smiles, and giggles softly at her gesture, warmed by the touch despite Lapis's cool skin. He hopes that makes her feel better - he wishes he was better at this stuff than he is right now, with all the stuff buzzing around in his head.