[Room 1001]

[2goodarms]

Curtis is getting better at remembering they have unfettered access to water. He still forgets to shower sometimes, but when he does remember, he makes up for it by indulging for a good long while.

Sorry, Edgar. It's probably gonna be another forty-five minutes before you can get into the bathroom this morning.

Comments

[dejah_thoris]

"Yes, so smaller than a thoat. Still, that's quite large for a mammal. Are you interested in learning how to ride?"

[2goodarms]

Right there with you, says the look Curtis sends back to Edgar.

"Not yet. I, uh." If he still had his other arm, he'd be rubbing the back of his neck right now. "I can't read 'em that well yet. X suggested bribing them with apples first."

[hate_gettin_older]

"That'd probably work on me," Edgar says cheerfully.

[dejah_thoris]

Dejah chuckles. "I'll remember that."

[2goodarms]

"No more steak," says Curtis with great solemnity. "Just apples every day forever. Got it."

(Hey, better that than protein blocks.)

[hate_gettin_older]

"... I wonder how long it would take to get tired of apples."

[dejah_thoris]

"We could always find out. My guess? One day."

[2goodarms]

"A day? Nah," says Curtis. "A week. A month."

All of Curtis' issues with food aside: fresh fruit? Still pretty fucking phenomenal.

[hate_gettin_older]

"Definitely more than a fuckin day," Edgar agrees firmly. "Have you tried apples?"

[dejah_thoris]

"I had one once, when I first got here. So intensely sweet. I could only eat half of it."

She slips under Curtis's arm and loops her arm around Curtis's waist as she walks.

[2goodarms]

Curtis shakes his head, telegraphing a genial you're weird Dejah's way. He settles his arm comfortably across her shoulders.

"So do you guys wanna see the horses now, or leave it for another day?"

[hate_gettin_older]

"... maybe another day," says Edgar. "We'll bring apples."

[dejah_thoris]

"That sounds like an excellent plan, Edgar. I like this idea very much."

The ground is starting to slope upwards from the lakeside. There's lush forest on one side, and an area where someone's cleared away a spot for an archery range.

"Edgar? Did you ever decide whether or not you wanted to see the water specimens through a microscope?"

[hate_gettin_older]

"Oh," a touch startled, "uh. Maybe?"

He glances at Curtis -- they never actually talked about that earlier meeting much.

[2goodarms]

Curtis blinks, unsure.

"You've got a microscope?" he asks without thinking.

Of course she has a fucking microscope. Even if she didn't, all you'd have to do is ask Bar for one.

[dejah_thoris]

"Yes, in my kit. It's very small and it's not very high powered, but it's enough to see single celled creatures very clearly. Some bacteria, but not viruses. I keep it under my bed."

"So what does 'uh, maybe' mean, hmm?" She cuts a glance at Edgar.

[hate_gettin_older]

"It ... means I sort of forgot about it. Microscopes and that. Haven't given it much thought."

He shrugs. "But sure, why not?"

[dejah_thoris]

"All right, then. Next time we come out, I'll bring a specimen kit and you can collect your own samples." Dejah sounds like someone else would about going for a picnic or flying a kite.

She nudges Curtis with her hip. "You can come, too. If you like."

[2goodarms]

"Yeah, okay," says Curtis with a shrug: why not? "Long as I don't catch anything from the bacteria."

In the tail, the main context for bacteria is 'the shit that can kill you if you don't clean out a cut.'

[hate_gettin_older]

Doubly reminded now, Edgar's trying to get a look at Dejah's hand without being obvious about it. Has she told Curtis about how she got a cut in the first place?

(Why is he suddenly sure she hasn't?)

[dejah_thoris]

Her right hand is tucked in her back pocket, and she's unconsciously rubbing a thumb over the scar. A moment later, she pulls her hand out and stretches the fingers wide, shakes it out, all while keeping her hand behind her back.

"Oh no, this water is clean. You could drink it without needing to boil it first."

[2goodarms]

Curtis catches the movement from the corner of his eye. He slants a long look Dejah's way -- more curious, a little troubled, and much less teasing.

She's been doing that an awful lot lately, despite her reassurances that her hand's fine.

"You sure?"

[dejah_thoris]

"I don't know the specifics of your immune system, but I'm fairly certain." She catches him glancing at her and tucks her hand away in her pocket again.

"Most of this water seems to be snow melt running off the mountains. It's why it's so cold."

[hate_gettin_older]

"It's colder in the mountains?"

Edgar glances up at Curtis: you saw that too?

[2goodarms]

Curtis nods, very slightiy. Yeah, he saw it too.

"Yeah," he says, and hesitates. "You know how they always checked the elevation when...?"

(For.a second, Andrew's scream rings in his ears.)

"It's 'cause it gets colder the higher you go."