2019-08-10 - Convalescing

Day four of being trapped in this gloomy, strange smelling place with tremendously bad food. One small mercy is that Ruiz has been permitted finally to get up and walk around for limited amounts of time. Which helps immensely with things like, say, taking a leak without requiring an audience. He's just returned from such a trip to the bathroom down the hall, and settled in on the edge of the bed to check his phone messages one-handed; the right is still bandaged up, but at least he's getting some of his colour back. His hair is a disheveled mess of dark curls going every which way, and combined with his beard in dire need of a trim, he seems to be going for full-on mountain man today.

If there is anything that can make Alexander have sympathy for someone, it is the hell of being stuck in a hospital. For many reasons, but the lack of privacy, the horrible food, and the stupid gowns definitely are in the top ten. So, he's nothing if not willing to swing by and bring a fairly ridiculously sized plastic cup filled with a strawberry milkshake from one of the nearby shops. He's walked quickly, and it's still semi-solid, with chunks of fresh strawberry, strawberry ice cream, and all the calories and carbs in the world. There's a couple of books in his other hand, and he dodges nurses on the way to the room, knocking on the door briefly before opening it, and peeking inside. "May I come in?"

Assuming the answer is yes, he sidles in. Still over dressed for the weather, but hey, milkshake. A quick smile is flashed in Ruiz's direction.

The answer is something close enough: "Si." A little gruff, but Alexander should be used to that by now. The captain's back is to the door, bulky shoulders slouched forward slightly as he peruses missed messages on his phone with his less-practiced left hand. He looks over eventually, in time to catch Alexander's sidling, and the promised milkshake in hand. The quick smile is matched with one from the older man that lingers on his somewhat more weathered features, in the manner of genuine warmth taking root and flourishing. His phone is set aside.

"You got here very quickly." A glance to the books, belatedly, as he shuffles himself back into the bed with some difficulty.

"I was nearby," Alexander says with an easy shrug. "And I know most of the pedestrian shortcuts," he admits, after a moment. "Otherwise, I'd never get anywhere on time." He doesn't offer to help the man arrange himself, but looks away while he does, moving to put the milkshake on the tray attached to the bed, and the books on the bedside table. Sor Juana and The Double Flame, both by Octavio Paz. "Thought you might like something read. Not sure what you like, so I guessed." It's a bit of a mumble, and Alexander roams restlessly about the room for a bit, before coming to land in the uncomfortable beside chair. "You need a shave."

There is, fortunately, nothing untoward being flashed while he settles in. Not that he seems like he'd give a shit, either way; one spends enough time in the military shedding one's clothes in front of anyone and everyone, and one quickly loses one's prudishness where such things are concerned.

"Thank you," he offers at length, distracted by the books. The top one's titled is perused briefly, then it's nudged aside slightly so he can glimpse the one underneath. "Octavio Paz. I have a few of his works." He makes a noise that might be approval. At least, to someone who knows him more than passingly. He reaches, then, for the milkshake, fingers smudged against condensation as he lifts it for a noisy slurp. "Mierda." His head tips back for a moment, and his eyes close.

There's a flash of that brightness, that way Alexander's whole demeanor lights up with approval, however brief or offhand that approval might be. "Not a great selection in town, but I figured I'd give it a shot and see what happened. Glad you like it." His eyebrows go up. "That good, or that bad?" His eyes flick to study bandages and other evidence of wounds and healing. "You're healing quickly. Considering. Someone helping out? Seems like there are a few people working here who've got the ability."

Ruiz grunts something in response to the 'give it a shot and see what happens', and takes another noisy sip of the milkshake. "Es muy bueno," he assures the other man, glancing over when Alexander starts cataloguing his injuries. The bruising is down, and some of the bandaging on his right arm has come off, though his chest and hand are still wrapped up tight in gauze. "Not to my knowledge," he murmurs. "At this point, though, I wouldn't turn it down." Someone like him, being trapped in here, he probably wants to crawl out of his skin by now.

"You know, it's sort of a compliment," Alexander says, staring at the bandaging on his hand. "If you think about it. In most groups, if I were trying to eliminate them, and you were there, I'd try to kill you first, too." He smiles at Ruiz; it seems sincerely meant to be a compliment. So...yay? Alexander is overdressed for the weather outside, because hospitals are cold, with a long-sleeved button-down over an old University of Oregon shirt. "Do you have everything else you need? I saw Miss Falco. She said she moved out. Did the other one?" Because nosy.

"I brought puuuuuuuudding!" Bennie pops into Ruiz' room like some blonde smiling jack-in-the-box from the hallway, playing peek-a-boo from around the lip of the doorway. "Mind another visitor?" She asks before just assuming the answer is a resounding 'NO' because who wouldn't love a drive by from Bennie the EMT? Who is dressed as if she's still on shift and just has a moment of down time. At least she's turned down her radio so the annoying background chatter doesn't disturb the convalescing atmosphere. "I know where the nurses hide all the good snacks." Which is clearly another bonus for having her as a friend.

Ruiz doesn't smile in return. Probably he doesn't find that amusing, or particularly complimentary. That, or he's in pain, and was ready to beat the next recalcitrant nurse who walked in here with his IV stand, before Alexander even entered the picture. "Thanks," he deadpans, prior to another slurp of his milkshake. The cop is sprawled in bed, half-reclined against the pillows, with much of his chest, right shoulder and hand wrapped up tight in gauze. He kind of looks like shit, as a couple of people have pointed out: scruffy hair, beard needs a trim. Enough ink to make him look like he broke out of jail in the not-too-distant past.

"I don't know," he tells Alexander, even while his eyes are drawn to Bennie's chipper arrival. "I haven't been home in a few weeks. And the landlord is moving back in, so I'm looking for a new place regardless. Hello, Miss Oakes." It's offered in nearly the same breath, and the way he's looking the blonde up and down, he might just be searching for some sign of this fabled pudding.

Alexander's head comes up with a jerk as Bennie pops in, his eyes widening with surprise and a moment of defensive suspicion. His body tenses in that second before he recognizes her, a guard dog ready to bite before it barks. Then recognition happens, and he relaxes. "Bennie. Hello. You seem," a pause, "energetic." But there's the ghost of a smile there, so perhaps that deliberate pause was teasing. A glance back to Ruiz, and his brow furrows. "I see." It looks for a moment like he might be going to do more invasive prying, but instead he just gives a thoughtful nod.

The little foil topped plastic tub is waggled in Ruiz direction, as if trying to prompt the gimme hands of a child reaching for candy, but Bennie has mercy and just deposits the chocolate liquid confection onto his tray. "Hello, Miss Oakes." She repeats, trying to deepen her voice to match Ruiz' which just results in a comical stretch of her face.

"Hi boys!" She greets them both at once, but her eyes narrow playfully at Alexander like he's just hinted at some private joke by calling her energetic. It's quickly followed by a shake her her head resulting in a bobble of her blonde bun and an eyeroll.

"Just coming to see how the patient is doing, aaaaaand judging by the temperature in the room," And she doesn't mean the one provided by the A/C, "I'd say the answer is, 'Like Shit'." She edges around the other side of the bed opposite of Alexander and looks like she's about to - nope, not about to, she just IS - climbing into bed behind Ruiz' lean. "Hold still."

It's cute, really, that Alexander thinks the captain needs a guard dog. It might even gain a smile while the younger man's attention is elsewhere; fleeting, and gone long before he turns back to Ruiz. Bennie's attempt to imitate his voice, accent and all, garners a dubious look. The milkshake he'd been given is set down temporarily so he can see what all this pudding fuss is about, with a crackle of foil being pulled back.

And then, Bennie's climbing right the fuck into the bed with him. Which, no, he very much did not anticipate. Does he tense up? Why, yes, he does. At least it's on the side with his bandaged up arm, which is presently too damaged to try taking a swing at her. "Qué diablos estás haciendo?" he grumps instead.

Well, if there is anything more likely to divert Alexander's attention from pestering the Captain about his living arrangements, plans, or life goals, it's probably the sight of Bennie crawling in bed with Ruiz. He links several times. "I don't judge, um, Bennie. He's a handsome man. But injured. And you should probably ask, first. And I don't think the nurses would appreciate cleaning that up. And should I leave? Or?" It's a nervous burst of chatter, and a glance to Ruiz like, 'am I intruding, or do you want me to throw her off'.

"Did he just call me the devil?" Bennie asks over Ruiz to Alexander, apparently the only word she could pick out of his grump, and she tsks. "Have a little faith, Captain Dela La, I happen to be an EXPERT at phrenological pressure points for pain relief. Woo, say that ten times fast! So if you just stay still, hopefully you'll be feeling better in a jiffy. Because any friend of Sutton's is a friend of mine. So will you just stay still?" She asks as she kneels there on the bed, fingers poised out in a ten digit sprawl with a glance to Alexander for a little back up on this.

Ruiz continues to stare at Bennie for a few moments with that what the fuck look on his face paired with a tension that's crawled through his bulky frame, and currently sits mostly in his shoulders. "De la Vega," he grouses, finally relaxing an inch after reminding himself that this is Sutton's partner he's talking to. "It's Captain de la Vega." She seems harmless. Mostly. A glance is shot Alexander's way like, you can stand down, it's fine.

"No," Alexander murmurs to Bennie. "Just asked what the hell you're doing. It's not a bad question." Then, quietly, "de la Vega." There would probably be a full recitation of Ruiz's names, because Alexander likes many names, but Ruiz takes care of that, himself. His still tensed, his hands slowly curving into fists, eyes locked on Bennie. Maybe he sees the look from the Captain, though, because although his voice is hard, it doesn't rise (and neither does he) as he adds, "And you should really ask, first." Ask about what? It seems to cover a lot of things.

"That's what I said. Dela la." Bennie's smirk might indicate she's ribbing the both of them, but then again it's hard to tell when her smile is one of those things she tries to keep perma-plastered on her face. "I did ask! I asked him to sit still." No, not good enough? Okay, the smile falters.

With a deep inhale, she lowers her voice and sinks down closer to Ruiz' ear. "I hate myself, and the weird things I am capable of doing, but if you'll allow me, one of those weird things I can do is heal the human body. A thing I am willing to do for you and for Sutton with your permission even if asking your permission is making me acknowledge that I possess this ability instead of just being able to gloss over it with sunshine and rainbows like I'd rather do."

She straightens, looking back to Alexander with a slight tremble of her chin. "Better?"

Bennie's probably spent enough time around Easton by now, to know her way around military men. The bristliness, the sudden violence trained into them until it becomes reflex. She means well, this is perfectly clear to him. And yet, she's lucky he's injured.

His dark eyes track hers, until she slips out of view and drops that murmur in his ear. And something about the tone of her voice, or perhaps that slight tremble as she looks back to Alexander, gains a tiny smile from the man. It's a bit of a sad smile. "I wish you would not hate yourself," is what he says, watching her eyes again. And then a nod that seems to grant permission. And moreover, implore her quietly: "Por favor."

Not good enough. At least, not at first. When she continues, and more, when Ruiz offers that smile, Alexander visibly winds down and relaxes, his hands uncurling. Guilt flickers across his features, and he jerks his head in a nod. "Not my decision," he points out, quietly with a tilt of his head towards the cop. "Sorry. For getting weird." A brief, uncomfortable smile in her direction, before his gaze moves away from them both and fixes on the far wall for a moment or two.

"Great!" Bennie chirps, even though her fingers are making a swipe at her cheek which may or may not have a little dewy drop on it. She's pointedly avoiding acknowledging both men's words now as she flicks her wrists and outstretches her hands again.

"I guess there's no sense in pretending this is about pressure points anymore," Bennie comments about laying hands on his head, "Although..." She starts finger combing his hair before she remembers the lesson Alexander JUST tried to impart about asking for consent. She's a tactile person with no personal bubble. "Whoops." Her fingers curl away from Ruiz' curls and instead touch the edge of his bandage on his chest. Her eyes close briefly, and with a slow exhale and inhale...well, he should feel a little better at least.

What a strange, strange young woman. Ruiz watches confoundedly as Bennie swings from giving him lip wobble, back to the more chipper version of herself that entered the room twenty minutes ago. He continues watching her as she shakes out her wrists and reaches for him again; this time with 2 times less recoil on his part. And really, can she be blamed for trying to put some semblance of neatness back into his messy curls? He grunts something semi-disparaging in Spanish, but it lacks any real teeth. And then holds still as that strange sensation floods through him on Bennie's exhale. Prickly-sweet as one of the bullet holes closes up completely like it was never there. He never quite gets accustomed to that.

"Thank you," is offered after a long moment, and a glance across to Alexander. "And stop apologising." He says it with the air of someone who knows he probably won't be listened to.

"I wasn't apologizing to you, Javier," Alexander says, as if that completely invalidates the complaint. His attention slips back towards Bennie and Ruiz, and he watches the healer with a bit of fascination. He can't see the wound closing up, but there's still something intriguing about it. His expression is open and thoughtful, the earlier incipent violence gone like it never existed. "We experimented," he says, abruptly. "If someone's strong enough, and can link up with someone like me, you can use it at a distance if they can find a target. Maybe miles, even." Your Fact For Today.

And as quickly as she clambered into bed with Ruiz, Bennie is hopping out of it with a simple, "Yup!" In response to his gratitude.

"Enjoy your pudding, and if you're nice to the nurses, they'll bring you more." With a twist and a tug she's righting her uniform shirt and adjusting its tuck into her EMT utility belt that she'll tell you is like Batman but way cooler if ever asked. "So you're all set, and if the docs haven't sprung you by tomorrow, I'll try to swing back by and lend a helpful hand. With your permission of course."

Is she ignoring what Alexander has to say about linking up and lending power? Yes, yes she absolutely is. She's traumatized enough right now from what she had to do at the Deuce, thank you very much.

"Be good!" And then Bennie is going to breeze right back out.

Whatever Bennie did to him, it must have been some good stuff; Ruiz konks right the fuck out on the heels of it. Pudding and milkshake clean forgotten about, as are his visitors. Hopefully nobody has a sharpie and a latent desire to mess with snoozing cops.