Worse...Than...Children

Posted on Fri Oct 4th, 2024 @ 6:46pm by Lieutenant Calliope Ito & Lieutenant JG Zai & Lieutenant Lanna Alexander & Lieutenant Chloe O'Connor MD
Edited on on Fri Oct 4th, 2024 @ 6:46pm

1,121 words; about a 6 minute read

Mission: Lacertae Mortis
Location: Sickbay | USS Arcadia
Timeline: Shortly after Rescue post

ON:

Ito felt much better. She sat on the bed cross legged and eating her lunch. Zai sat in the bio bed beside her staring at the same spot on the wall that he'd been staring at for the last three hours, his food untouched.

Ito sighed. "Zai."

There was no response.

"Zai!"

Again no response.

She looked to see if the coast was clear and tossed a pillow hitting her mark in the head.

Zai grunted but didn't turn.

Ito pursed her lips and looked up just as the doors opened. Doc, Counselor! She hoped they hadn't seen the pillow fly. Or rather the Grumpy one. He didn't seem to be around so there was some hope.

Dr O’Connor took a deep breathe to avoid an exasperated sigh. Worse. Than. Children. Walking over she picked up the latest pillow to have been thrown and handed it to a passing technician while whispering in his ear. Waiting for his nod she turned back to face the two patients. “You have a visitor,” she announced, gesturing to Lanna. “And afterwards, you will be moved to separate areas to finish your recovery.”

She wasn’t sure exactly which one of them tried to speak up but she raised a hand, silencing any protest or apology.

“Lieutenant Ito, you especially are incredibly fortunate to be alive, which in no small part was down to Dr. McDonald’s skill as a surgeon. Perhaps at least attempt to allow yourself to heal so his good work doesn’t go to waste?” She didn’t sound angry, more resigned. Her mentor had exhausted every trick he knew to save his patient - all while battling his own issues - and catching sight of that same patient throwing pillows again would surely incur a truly epic rage.

To Lanna she offered a small smile, “good luck.”

Lanna grinned as she nodded to O’Connor. “Thank you.”

Ito watched the doc go. "Hey Doc! I didn't throw it to be childish. I think something is wrong with the idiot. He's been in that position for hours and hasn't touched his food. I was trying to snap him out of it.”

With a barely suppressed groan, Chloe about turned and walked back, hands in her lab coat pocket. It was like some cosmic mission to keep her from coffee. “I didn’t say you had,” she pointed out, “but the point stands. Let us worry about what Lieutenant Zia does or does not eat.”

"And have Fang bust a vein? I don't know if you noticed but those two are...friends." She said with a facial expression that said something else.

Zai for his part didn't seem to hear it. Ito pointed at Zai with her palm up as if to say, . She turned to the man. "Meathead!"

Again she gestured towards Zai with an open palm. "See? Space case today."

Lanna nodded and gave Zai a curious look as she moved towards him. “Zai, is everything okay?”

Zai noticed the movement for the first time. He seemed to snap out of it a moment and a look of confusion crossed his face before he recognized her. "Oh Counselor. When did you arrive?"

Ito pulled her pillow from behind her and put her face into it yelling. She then reset the pillow and lay back. "I give up."

Zai looked over at her. "What are you on about dumb dumb?"

Ito muttered something under her breath.

He turned back to the doc and counselor. "Ignore her. She's just having a moment. Doc, Counselor. You came to visit." He gave a small smile.

O’Connor crossed over, moving to Zai’s opposite side as she studied his vitals while drawing a blood sample. “We heard you had food,” she confided with a grin. “Can’t say no to… well, I actually don’t know what that is. I can find you something else?”

He shook his head. "No. I'm not hungry." He pushed the tray to the two women. "Please eat." He looked at the door again as if expecting someone. He looked back at O'Connor. "Has Fang come to visit since he stormed out two days ago?"

“Not that I’ve seen,” Chloe replied, “but the nurses will probably know better than me. I tend to be a lab rat. Speaking of, I should run some tests before people start thinking I just like stealing blood.”

He gave a nod. "Counselor will you stay a while?"

“Of course I will Zai” Lanna smiled warmly as she moved closer. “Are you sure you don’t want anything to eat?”

He looked at the tray. "No, I think I am fine for the moment." He smiled. "So, I have been stuck here a few days, and with her." He pointed to Ito who stuck her tongue out at him. "Tell me what's been going on with the ship."

Lanna smiled. “Everything has been going along as usual, there’s nothing for you to worry about. I understand it must be frustrating being stuck in Sickbay.”

He sighed. "Partly. Are we out of Gorn space yet?"

“Almost” Lanna made herself comfortable before giving Zai a curious look. “Zai, why aren’t you eating? You must be hungry by now even though you say you aren’t.”

"I...have no appetite." He sighed. "Have you seen Lee Fang? He must be taking on a lot since Ito and I are both out of commission."

Ito rolled her eyes. "And your worried about him why?"

Fang shot her a glare. "I may not be able to throw pillows but I'll find something else."

"Ohhh I'm scared." She grinned at the counselor. "He's pouting cause Fang stormed out and hasn't been back."

Zai growled.

Lanna nodded. “Thank you Calliope.” She turned back to Zai. “It’s time you stopped worrying about Fang, and started worrying about yourself. You can’t work if you’re not fit to do so, and right now I’d say you’re not.”

He looked at her. "But...fine. I promise to try and eat...if you do me a favour."

Lanna gave Zai a knowing look. “To go and see Fang, correct?”

A slight blush touched his cheeks. "Yeah. Make sure he rests. He has a bad habit of working over his limit."

Ito snorted. "Counselor I think I may be Betazoid, saw that one coming."

Lanna couldn’t help but grin. “Me too. Still if it helps to put your mind at rest Zai then so be it. Now...” she picked up the food he’d pushed away. “Eat..”

He did just that. He wasn't hungry and his appetite wasn't there but he ate.

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