thisavrou | video (first post: public); text for the second (locked from drake)

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video (first post: public); text for the second (locked from drake)

[ The screen blips on and there's a blonde haired woman looking at the screen with a furrowed brow, kind of like she's not sure if she's got the hang of it yet after going through the device multiple times and being fairly tech-savvy— or so she'd like to think of herself. ]

Oh— hey! Great, this does work. [ On a mumble she adds to herself: ] Of course it would, Fisher, why wouldn't it work for it if it's been working for everyone else?

Anyway! This is just a short uh, introduction: name's Elena, great to meet you all. Looks like I've been assigned as the ship's Climbing Instructor, if there's anyone who's interested in such a thing or enjoys doing it on the side themselves. I'm looking to get the lessons started later this week, and my mailbox is open anytime for sign ups.

You don't have to be a professional or know a single thing about the hobby, I'll show you the ropes. Ha..haaaa... get it? Cause climbing involves... Yeah, never mind. That was lame, but I only have one person to blame for puns that fail 30% of the time.

As a heads up, I've never once used ropes or climbing gear and equipment. It's been a free climb and jump at your own peril kind of thing, mostly self taught on the go. At least it's good for building your upper body strength?

Also— pictures! [ Her camera comes up into a view, a damn nice SLR. Thanks be to the captains and unlimited credits. ] Some of you might've seen me around down planet side with a camera; floppy white beach hat, Jackie O shades. The purpose behind that was I do photography on the side back home, also as a hobby. If I offended anyone, made you suspicious, or you want me to delete your picture, or— hey— maybe you want me to send the shots to you— again, my mailbox is wide open for those requests. I'm also taking requests for possible future photoshoots. I just don't know if that's a...thing people might find interesting on a ship.

Let me know!

— — —

[ The following messages come through as public to all but one person. Elena's locking this specifically from Nathan Drake, and for good reason. ]

Besides whoever was in the Medbay when I arrived— sorry, I can't remember who did my scans— who else do we have on the ship who counts as an actual physician?

I'm asking because I don't think my scans were done right. Or they didn't finish properly.

Also, I don't know if I'll get many responses but it's worth a shot— anyone on-board have any experience with shrapnel related injuries? Doctors aside of course.

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

So you're going to give classes and not go with the homework route? Homework can be tedious but it does help with studying and retaining information, depending on how young your students are.

If it makes sense I might. That doesn't mean it has to be a regular thing. [He shrugs.] You keep saying I turned out all right and trust me, homework for the sake of homework wasn't a thing.

[Can one ever actually assign homework to oneself, though? Hmm.]

It doesn't have to be a regular thing— [ She breaks off on a twisting wince that comes out of nowhere, MID camera moving away suddenly. Her room is shown in a motion like a first-person view with an unsteady hand, like a knocked over camera. A raggedly pushed out breath can be heard before she's hurriedly covering a hand over the wristband to muffle out any other noise.

The pain comes fast and sharp, lancing up from her left side, burrowing under her ribs. Her hand presses harder over the MID to cut out any of the pained whimpering sounds that get trapped in her throat. Elena forces herself to focus on her breathing as she's curling in, deep breaths, nails digging into her arm as she begins counting in her head up to ten.

A little trick she's picked up over the years to deal with moments such as this. ]

Elena?

[At first he thinks she's just fucking with him, even if there's no obvious reason why. They've fallen back into the habit of teasing with love, so it could be a thing. But she stays silent, and all he can hear is muffled sounds on the other end of the MID.]

Elena! What's wrong?

[He's already on his feet, ready to sprint to her side from where he is on the ship.]

[ She holds off on answering him until she's gotten to six, and even by then her breathing is still coming out unsteady and hard. If this keeps up, video time with him is going to be cut down to texts only. ]

I'm fine— I just...

[ She pushes out a breath, MID moving as she wipes at her cheeks and eyes, tries to get herself back together. Her face comes back into view after another moment and she's pale, paler than moments ago.

The stark worry in his expression twists at her chest; she wants to tell him, she really does. Unfortunately, she can't bring herself to. And she's kept these incidents contained back home, only now they've gotten worse with the cold of space. ]

I'm okay. Sorry.

The hell you are.

[He would have believed her that it was a surprise coughing fit, sudden cramps due to that time of the month, something else innocuous if not for the pallor of her skin. He knows her, and he knows something's not right.

The background on his end changes. He's on the move, and he doesn't care if it's bad etiquette or whatever to talk to the MID on the go. It'd be faster if he'd been in his room, but at least he's still on board.]

What happened?

Nate...

[ She slides to sit on the edge of her bed. What the MID doesn't show is her arm wrapped over her midsection, only that her position has changed slightly in how she leans forward.

He's on the move, not good. ]

[Moving at a good clip, too. He bumps shoulders with someone in his hurry and mutters a halfhearted apology.]

Are you sick or something?

I said I was fine.

[ And the lie is there for him to see as she rises, thinking that walking around the room might help, and the pain catches in her expression, fleeting, turning her whiter.

Shit. ]

He-hey— can you do me a favor?

[ Elena knows he's powering his way to get back to their deck. She's back to sitting, focused on her breathing. ]

I know you did.

[His tone says what his words don't—that he knows full well she isn't. He doesn't miss the shift in her expression, either, and quickens his pace.]

Maybe. What is it?

[If it's anything along the lines of "go somewhere other than here," it's nothing doing.]

Find me a heating pad on your way over? If you can.

[ If he can't then she's going to be using him to curl up to for warmth. She's surprised her MID isn't shaky with the tiny tremors shaking in her hands. ]

Please?

[That takes him aback, but he nods.]

Yeah. Sure. I'll be there soon.

...see you soon.

[ She tries to give him a smile, to be reassuring. Keyword: tries. It's somewhat there. A pause comes before she cuts the connection then to wait for his knock.

He's got his mind set on this, Elena knows him well enough to know that he won't do well to leave her be. ]

Yeah. Be right there.

[Nate makes a detour to medical to get the requested item and luckily, it's available. Once he makes it back to their deck, he takes the time to fill it--partly so she can get relief from whatever's bothering her faster and partly because he doesn't want her to have another reason to put him off.

His knock is sharp and rapid, and when she opens the door, she'll find tension etched on his face.]

Hey.

Hey...

[ His expression looks tight. Elena feels bad that it's her fault for putting this on him, making him worry. Still, it's good to see him, to know she's not alone even if he doesn't know the real reason for her pain.

She stands there, pale as ever, a slight forward tilt to her stance, arm pressed over her waist, hugging to hold her left side under her ribs. Standing straight makes her ache uncomfortably.

He probably wants to come in, try to talk to her, look her over for himself. She spots the heating pad, breathes a small breath of relief, and steps back to let him in. ]

Come in?

[He steps inside and hands the heating pad over, then immediately places his hands on her shoulders. She looks even worse in person, unable to hide a pained expression behind a low-res video feed.]

Elena, seriously, what's wrong? [Oh wait.] —do you need to sit down?

Sitting would be really great right about now.

[ That she won't lie about.

The heating pad is taken and carefully tucked in under the hoodie she's got on, something she had picked up when she'd done her shopping. It doesn't go to her lower front, it goes to her left side, maneuvering it there. ]

Would you believe me if I said it was just a bad time of the month...?

[He nods and slips an arm around her shoulders. It's not that he guides her to the couch, exactly, but he's close at hand if another spasm of pain should strike her. Really he can't not be close, not when he still doesn't know what's hurting her.]

No. And I really hope you don't. [It's a frank reply, not meant to be hurtful.] Just tell me the truth, because otherwise my imagination's gonna go crazy.

[ Elena sighs. He's extra warm right now, which is why she leans in against his side. He might feel the tremor pass in her shoulders under his arm as that other spasm of pain hits— it's not as bad, only noticeable through the heat for her by the chill sliding up her spine like a slippery shiver she's unable to shake.

Her nails dig into her palm. Counter pain with pain. ]

It's...not as bad as you think. But we should... [ Another sigh. She'd been hoping to avoid this longer. ] We should probably talk.

Edited 2016-06-15 19:48 (UTC)

[That sends a spike of anxiety through him. It's not that he doesn't want to talk, he does. But this is clearly a talk, and they haven't even done much serious talking about the breakdown of their marriage yet. So if she wants to talk-talk about whatever this is, it's got to be serious.]

All right. [He scoots a little closer to her on the couch.] You start.

Well... [ She doesn't exactly know how to start this off. Either she comes out and tells him straight up what's wrong, or she can go through all of it. ] I'm guessing you're having no problems adapting to the ship...?

Do you ever find it's too cold up here?

[Not really, no.]

Sometimes, I guess. [He shrugs.] It's cooler than I'd like, but that's not surprising.

Why, do you?

Only more and more lately.

[ She frowns and tucks the heating pad closer to her side. ]

Do you remember...back at the apartment... [ During happier days. ] whenever it got gloomy and rainy and cold? Winter was the worst for it.

Do you ever remember sometimes I'd lay in bed a lot under the blankets? I'd never really complain. But a lot of the time I...hid it from you.

[ Hid the pain behind forced smiles, camera game face on, telling him that flicker of pain in her expression was nothing, she was fine. Period cramps. Muscle aches. Nothing big. Getting old.

Excuses. ]

Edited 2016-06-15 20:09 (UTC)

[He blinks in surprise. He does remember, but...]

I thought that was just your Florida blood.

[And he hadn't objected to the opportunity to get under the blankets with her and cuddle. When they'd first started living together, he'd been thrilled to have her back in his life, stupidly happy to spend as much time close to her as he could. He hadn't questioned it. And after they got married, nothing had really changed until he did.]

What were you hiding?

[ It wouldn't be fair to ask him not to be mad, she'd kind of been hiding this since they got back from Shambhala. Naturally both he and Sully would constantly check on her, ask how she was. Even at months later.

It was sweet, but Elena didn't want them to worry. ]

My injuries from the blast, from Shambhala, they've... [ A furrow appears between her brows, voice growing quiet. ] They've never really stopped hurting.

Edited 2016-06-15 20:18 (UTC)

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