Fifteen Bells: [ACTION/WRITTEN]

[simplestgift]

[Archie woke up yesterday.  How is this new?  Well, after getting some fairly critical stab wounds from Grell, he was put on a ventilator and kept under sedation for a few days.  The ventilator was exchanged for a less impressive-looking concentrator yesterday and he was taken off sedation.  He spent yesterday sleeping anyway, since anesthesia doesn't generally leave you bright-eyed immediately afterward.

This morning, he is talking and eating Jell-o, which is a new experience. The most important bit comes written on the journal network in wobbly handwriting courtesy of the heart monitor clipped on his finger.]

I have been informed that I may have visitors. I'd like to know everyone is all right.

Kennedy

[Anyone who comes in will find him looking predictably weak and pale but lucid and in good spirits, or possibly catnapping after a dose of painkillers.

OOC: Purely for the sake of mercy, Archie is unaffected by the event.]

Comments

[intangible-girl.livejournal.com]

...

[Softly:] You sound as though you miss it.

[simplestgift]

[A little spark of thought flashes in his eyes. After a moment of utter quiet, he moves a piece.] Parts of it, yes.

[intangible-girl.livejournal.com]

[She senses, far too late, that this was one of those things her college roommate had told her belonged under the category of "Questions That Don't Need To Be Asked, No Really 'Grid, I Mean It, Not Every Questions Is A Good Question."

She moves a piece without thinking about it, and puts herself in a position to be captured.]

[simplestgift]

[Which he completely misses and he moves a different piece. Drugs are bad, y'all. They make you lose at checkers.]

What did you like about home, if I may ask?

[intangible-girl.livejournal.com]

[Without hesitation:] My father. He raised me, took care of me, saved my life, really. He invented this suit, taught me nearly everything I know. I... I owe everything to him. I miss him.

[Oh dear. She's slightly close to tears, but the only giveaway is the tiny quiver in her voice and the way she's staring at the board, not meeting Archie's eyes.]

[simplestgift]

[Archie turns a piece in his hand, then places it back on the board and glances up at her. He doesn't avoid her face, but he doesn't stare, either. His gaze is gentle enough to be nonjudgmental but hard enough to grant dignity. Then, he glances away thoughtfully.]

My father is a good man, and he loves his family. But I had a brother and a sister that were lost before I was even born. It happens, everywhere, constantly. But not with you. Your father must be truly exceptional.

[intangible-girl.livejournal.com]

[Ingrid appreciates the look, Archie, but the words bring up something even harder.]

It... did happen. I had an older sister with the same... problems, but she died before she was a year old. He-

[No. She will not go there. Not with a near stranger, not in her own mind if she can help it. Ingrid moves a piece randomly, smiling brightly up at Archie, no longer close to tears, but rather desperate for a change in topic.]

[simplestgift]

[He knows the look, and manages not to look too uncomfortable.]

I believe it's your turn.

[intangible-girl.livejournal.com]

Ah, right.

[She considers her move.]

I heard there was an ocean here. Is that true? Have you seen it?

[She moves a piece finally.]

[simplestgift]

[He counters.] Only briefly. A friend and I are to set sail soon, once I'm recovered.

[intangible-girl.livejournal.com]

[She tries a different strategy.]

Where to? [-she asks, and then remembers that there really isn't anywhere to sail to, here. Or is there? She'll just let the question stand.]

[simplestgift]

Nowhere in particular, as far as I know. Perhaps we'll circle a bit and return. It'll be good to be at sea again, anyway. [He can adapt to her strategy pretty well--officer, you know.]

[intangible-girl.livejournal.com]

[Grr, she never wins at checkers. She moves another piece.]

That sounds nice. I wish you well. Will you tell me how it went when you return?

[simplestgift]

Of course. I take it you don't get many visitors.

[He captures one of her pieces.]

[intangible-girl.livejournal.com]

No. Though now that I have this [she indicates the suit] it's easier for me to visit other people.

[Darn it! She moves another piece recklessly, and realizes too late that it's in danger of being captured.]

[simplestgift]

[He does capture it.] Is there any reason you can't wear it constantly?

[intangible-girl.livejournal.com]

Mmm. I'll show you the main reason. [And she stands up so that her feet are planted on the floor, makes a loose fist with one hand, and then passes the other through the back of the chair she was just sitting in.]

[simplestgift]

[Okay, he wasn't expecting that. At all. He'll sit with his mouth open for a second, then try to even his face out. But...what to say to that? He's almost ready to forget he saw the whole thing. This is a lot for one drugged brain to take in.]

[intangible-girl.livejournal.com]

[And Ingrid, who is used to that sort of reaction, sits down again and makes a double jump, putting her piece dangerously close to getting kinged.]

It's your turn, I believe.

[She is not above using your shock to win at checkers.]

[simplestgift]

[Okay, that was dirty, and now he's thinking it was a trick.]

How did you do that?

[intangible-girl.livejournal.com]

[In a lighter mood she'd say something about a magician never revealing her tricks, but Archie is from a long time ago, and she figures it's best to be candid.] This suit- the way it keeps me healthy is to make me intangible, allowing germs and other pathogens to simply pass through me. These [she rubs the pads of her fingers together again, making more sparks] allow me to touch things if I wish. But I can turn them off if I need to.

[simplestgift]

[Give him a second.

Okay, a few seconds.]

You can touch things, but they can't touch you.

[intangible-girl.livejournal.com]

[Ingrid opens her mouth to correct him, hesitates, and then does so anyway. This is probably taking his mind off the pain, right?] Not exactly. Ah- here. Just- [She holds out her hand.] You won't be able to touch anywhere there isn't a bit of metal. [It will just go right through. If he does touch the bits of metal, though, he'll feel a sensation somewhere between a slight tingle and a static shock; slightly unpleasant, but not painful.]

[simplestgift]

[He tries skin first, and immediately pulls away. His skin crawls, and he won't even touch the metal.]

[intangible-girl.livejournal.com]

It takes some getting used to, [she says, dropping her hand and looking back down at the board.]