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visiting a sick friend

Posted on Tue Mar 1st, 2016 @ 2:41pm by Lieutenant Ventarus Nosplet & Staff Warrant Officer Nexi

Mission: Where Angels Fear to Tread

The fastest way to spread news on a ship was to try to keep it a secret. It never failed that the scuttlebutt made its rounds before any former announcement had been made that Engineer Lieutenant Vantarus Nosplet had somehow been revived from death. There were already a number of rumor circulating as to the how, Nexi's personal favorite being that he was somehow a clone grown in a secret sickbay lab, but it hadn't taken her long to find out the truth. She was, after all, in the information business... So it came as no surprise to find out that Amelia had been responsible for his miraculous resurrection; that poor girl hadn't been the same since Ven had died and Nexi couldn't blame her.

Nexi had never 'lost' anyone before. Well, aside from her mother, but that memory was so far removed that the pain of her loss was almost non-existent. That wasn't to say that people hadn't died around around Nexi. Aside from the deaths she actually caused, Nexi had worked with partners and crews from time to time and there had been casualties along the way, but she had never gotten close enough to any of them to feel the pang of loss. Until now. Nexi had become even more withdrawn after Ven's death, drawing away from the friendships she had started forming. The only people she regularly talked to now were Aewia and Daln, which was a shame because Amelia could have really used a friend to help her grieve, but Nexi didn't know how to be that friend.

So it was almost with a look of betrayal that Nexi made her way down to Sickbay to visit her returned friend, Ventarus. Oh, the reasonable side of her knew it wasn't Ven's fault for dying, but the emotional side couldn't separate that from the betrayal that often accompanied loss; he was gone, had left them, and now he was back, how was she supposed to feel? Well, happy should have been one of those things, but Nexi was still feeling too hurt to feel happy about his return just yet. She made friends so rarely that she had no past experience to draw on to help her process this moment as she stood in the doorway to Sickbay watching her friend sleep on a biobed. How the fuck did anyone deal with something like this?

Ven rolled over in his sleep. He made a content hum and smiled as he settled back into his drug induced slumber. His body was still recovering fom the ordeal it had been through.

Nexi watched him sleep for a long while, nurses and officers coming and going and paying her no mind so long as she stayed out of the way. Of course, she couldn't just stand there all day watching him sleep, she did have actual work she'd need to get to eventually, but for now she could afford the time. After a while, though, even she began to wonder if she was ever going to approach him and talk to him. She was torn; she wanted to talk to her friend again, but then again he was recovering and needed his rest. And then there was that feeling of betrayal she couldn't quite reconcile... So she remained where she was, tucked out of the way watching this dude sleep, like that wasn't in any way creepy...

It was then that a nurse approached Ven and woke him up. "Its time for some meds." She said with a smile.

As Vens eyes fluttered open, they immediately fell on Nexi. "Hi!" he exclaimed as he sat up so the nurse could press the hypospray against his neck. " I hear I have been dead." he did his best to deliver the joke, unaware of the battle going on inside Nexi.

"Yeah, something like that," Nexi said in a quiet tone as she came closer and helped him sit up. The nurse set up a tray with some water and food for Ven.

"See that he tries to get some of that down. He really need to rehydrate," the nurse informed Nexi, in case she didn't already know his current condition.

"Yeah, I can do that," Nexi said as she took a seat at the foot of the biobed to keep him company. So far, she had been so subdued, and frankly she was having trouble making eye contact with Ven. This was just too weird, he had been dead and now he wasn't! What do you say to a guy who comes back from the dead?!

Ven took up his fork, but could feel the instant tension between them. "Did I do something that I don't remember?" he asked as he stabbed at his food idlely. He too was having trouble looking at Nexi now. This was weird, Nexi was always so brash and opinionated. Loud he had called her several times. She was acting like he normally did, shy and unsure.

"You died," Nexi answered softly, unsure what else to say. But then suddenly more words started spilling forth. "Seriously, man, you were dead, people grieved for you. I know it ain't your fault, and it wasn't exactly like you asked to be brought back, but... I don't know what to do, what to think, what to feel about all this."

Ven continued to stab at his food, not making eye contact. "Think about how I feel." He mumbled almost to himself. If this situation was confusing and weird for the people who lived through his death...

"Yeah, I ain't quite ready to start poking around your head just yet," Nexi muttered as she poured a glass of water and pushed it in front of him. "Nurse said rehydrate."

"I feel like I am going to float away." Ven said, but he grabbed the glass of water and chugged it gone. Setting the empty glass back down he said, "Since I walked in here they have been pouring water down me. How is Aewia?"

"She's alright, doing better. She still has her bad days, but her good days are lasting longer, and even her okay days are becoming reliably productive," Nexi said. "It was weird, when you... died... it was like she was forced to face things, like our dad's death. And she didn't cry or nothing, but she's been different... like she's driven to get better." At least that much good had come out of all this. Nexi sighed; she shouldn't be thinking that way, and she knew she should cut Ven a break, he was going through something no one else could comprehend. It just wasn't in her to deal with these sorts of situations! Lucky for Ven, Nexi liked him and because of that she was trying anyway, in her own clumsy way.

"Hey Ven, look, I'm sorry I ain't saying the right things or being all supportive and shit. I don't know how to be that kind of person. But I am the kind of person who'll make you drink your water and eat your food so Amelia don't have a reason to cry no more. I'm even willing to negotiate a hug, but only so long as no one is watching," Nexi stated firmly in no uncertain terms.

Ven was glad to hear of Aewia's improvement, but it was Nexi's apology that caused him to blink a few times while watching her. He picked his words carefully, "Nexi, if you came in her acting how you clearly think you should be acting I would call security and have you thrown in the brig. Because that's not how my friend acts so you'd have to be an imposter. I understand this is...weird for you, all of you. I'm still in shock."

Ven glanced around the room to make sure that no one was actively watching them, then he reached under the tray and grabbed Nexi's hand. He gave it a gentle squeeze. At the same time he smiled at her. "We can lean on each other."

Nexi grinned at his reply, then moved so she was standing next to him and they could lean against each other. "I will see your lean and raise you a head bump," she said, lightly bumping her forehead against his. Maybe this 'supportive' crap wasn't so bad after all...

"I have a feeling this is all going to catch up to me sooner then I like and I'm going to break down." Ven said with a long sigh. "It never really occurred to me how much alike we are when it comes to showing our emotions." He said looking back up to her. "We just express our fears differently."

Ven quickly pulled away from Nexi as the nurse walked back over. "Oh, got another one down huh?"

"I...uh..." Ven lowered his voice "I need to use the restroom"

"Well, you could always do what I do and hold everything in and pretend nothing is wrong, then go get drunk to numb the pain and start bar fights just for the fun of it," Nexi suggested nonchalantly. Then as the nurse came around, Nexi straightened back up. "I'll help the fluids go in, I ain't helping when they come out," Nexi said with a chuckle, then stepped away so the nurse could help him to the restroom. "How about I come check in on you later, maybe I'll sneak you some food from the mess hall on my lunch break."

"Yeah?" Ven asked as he stood next to the bed, still a bit shakey.

"No!" The nurse said sternly.

Ven looked back to Nexi. "Can I see Aewia too?"

"Yeah, I'll bring a big, juicy steak, and of course Aewia will bring either cake or ice cream," Nexi said, totally ignoring the death glare from the nurse. "No wait, I think the chef is making some spicy rice dish, I could grab you some of that. Or maybe a little bit of everything." Yeah, that sounded good, get some meat on his bones!

"You should never doubt if you're a good friend to me." Ven said to Nexi then walked mostly on his own off to the bathroom.

"Emotions I can't do, but I can bring food," Nexi said, then added with a playful jab to the arm, "Still weird to see you though... Anyway, try not to died again before I get back." Then she walked away with a wave.

 

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