vor | Sixth Cream Cake: [Written/Action]

[Filtered to Ivan Vorpatril, 65% unhackable because it's early and he's sick.]

Ivan,

Would you please look in on the horse for me? The Imperial Ass seems to be having trouble getting out of bed today, as the Imperial Sniffles have turned into the Imperial Plague. We apologize for Our impending death and your impending resulting frustrations.

Regretfully,

Gregor

P.S. If this letter caused you alarm, please give yourself a refresher course in detecting the Imperial Sarcasm.

[/Filtered]

[Gregor is sick as a dog. Apartments adjacent to his have probably heard violent, deep, chesty coughing for about two weeks now. Ordinarily, he'd have on-site approved physicians checking him out and prescribing whatever antibiotic was necessary, but here, he has to actually go seek out help. So. To the Battle Dome clinic he goes, looking specifically to see Adele LeBlanc when she's in. He will wait for her, if necessary.

Afterwards, he's going to the library, then the bakery for coffee and something sweet. Anyone stopping in can see him sitting inside, devouring a psychology textbook and sipping coffee, the cream cakes reduced to crumbs. They are the only thing he has eaten all day. He is not looking great, occasionally falling into bad coughing fits, for which he ducks outside, but recovering fairly quickly. When he heads home, he goes straight to bed despite his plans to work out. And the fact that it's the middle of the day.]

[Filtered to Phoenix Ikki 79%]

PI--

I suppose we're supposed to be pen pals, whatever that entails. I hope you're adjusting to the village well.

--GB

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

Anymore, Ivan.

That means it's mostly worked its way through your system, I hope?

Mostly. [He takes another sip of the hot drink.] I...also asked her about anti-depressants.

[For Ivan's sake as much as his own, really.]

Ahh...

[Ivan sounds tentatively hopeful about the idea, mostly because he is.]

And do they have that sort of thing here?

Apparently. She said she'd look into it.

I hope it helps.

She said it might take a few tries to find one that works.

And what does it mean if she tries one that doesn't work?

That it doesn't work. [A deep breath.] Or that it'll get worse.

[He was afraid of that.]

How long would it take to pick up on that?

At least a couple of weeks.

And what...might you do in the interim?

[This doesn't seem a moment to be particularly tactful.]

Less than comfortable with a suicidal emperor on your hands?

That's accurate, yes.

Then the interim is a risk worth taking.

I think that depends on what you might do in that interim.

It's...not really that important. [A sigh.] I need to stop living like this. Since this forsaken planet doesn't seem to have Betan therapists, chemically altered brain chemistry doesn't sound so bad compared to facing more of...this. [He opens his hand.]

It is important if it makes things worse.

Continuing to live takes precedence over stopping living 'like this' surely.

I'm going to live, Ivan. Whether or not it's continuously is the only part up for debate. What do you want me to do?

Not die! You seem to have at least managed that so far.

I'm going on anti-depressants, Ivan. That's non-negotiable.

It would just be great if they made you not depressed.

That's the idea.

Right. Tell me before you start on them.

[Had Gregor been enjoying not having Ivan constantly watching him? Because that might be changing...]

Right.

[He looks uncomfortable and slightly annoyed, but not with Ivan. He's had people constantly watching him since birth. Ivan knows a lesser degree of that kind of security. Gregor was a norm space navigator, Ivan is more or less a secretary. Sorry this has to be your source of adventure, Ivan.]

I'll tell you if I'm feeling...flighty.

[action]

ivanyouidiot - 2012-09-08 03:05 (UTC) - Expand

vor - 2012-09-08 03:09 (UTC) - Expand

ivanyouidiot - 2012-09-08 17:47 (UTC) - Expand