sadfreezingbrit_archive: (some kind of messed up holiday)
sadfreezingbrit_archive ([personal profile] sadfreezingbrit_archive) wrote2011-08-21 02:52 am

One incredible feat of sleep-deprived bakery architecture. [23/??? artefacts collected]

[ It's the event's second night, around four o'clock in the morning.

The narration trusts that at this point everyone has found somebody to room with and is tucked into bed.

Fast asleep as opposed to completely deprived of the same ever since the event started.

And definitely not building a donut replica of Westminster Abbey in one of the conference rooms.

Nope.

Not happening anywhere at all. ]

[ ...For everyone who does not enjoy a little action at night, Philip will emerge from his building project in the morning and can subsequently be found
a.) making coffee in the coffee area
b.) drinking coffee in one of the cubicles and
c.) throwing coffee at the backstairs spiders

If you hear him humming a strange tune, well, that's just the melody his hot beverage gives off, because who needs a sense of smell when you can have a constant soundtrack instead?
]

[identity profile] sadfreezingbrit.livejournal.com 2011-08-22 04:40 pm (UTC)(link)
Oh.

[ Wonderland may take their closets, but it will never take their trousers!

...On second thought, it could probably do that too.
]

Um...

[ No, you're right, that is not only not the point but also a terrible non sequitur.

The point is that Philip suddenly regrets having used the last of his pocketed pain pills in the afternoon. All it did for him was take some of the edge off (the sling may be gone, but the pain in his shoulder is doing just fine), but for Daniel (whose tolerance is undoubtedly not jacked up to ridiculous levels) it probably would have worked great.

Which finally brings us to his actual statement:
]

I've got...

[ He reaches into his pocket and pulls out a bottle, 1/4 of it already empty. ]

Aspirin, if you need any.

[ Guess who's been raiding first aid kits ever since he realised the closets were gone. Go on, guess!

...And grab that bottle Philip just slid across the table, while you're at it.
]

[identity profile] blimeyjamwalls.livejournal.com 2011-08-22 04:52 pm (UTC)(link)
That was mentioned in one of your books!

[ His heart isn't in great levels of enthusiasm. But his voice rises again, because his hands on the coffee mug keep getting louder and higher in pitch. He reaches over (not noticing his reddened palm) and picks up the bottle, which screams at him too. What the goddamn hell. ]

Relief from pain and fever, aches and pains, [ he reads from the label. Okay, it is sort of exciting to be using genuine future medicine, even if he's too tired and bleh-y to bubble with historian glee. ]

[identity profile] sadfreezingbrit.livejournal.com 2011-08-22 05:16 pm (UTC)(link)
[ Sadly Philip's brain is not operating at a level that allows for a great deal of helpful conclusions such as the one he would arrive at if he added up
+ This morning he yelled at Dean because his new sense made him hear an unpleasant smell
+ Daniel hears sensations as sounds
+ Daniel is raising his voice while holding a hot cup of coffee

and derived a fair warning from it.

Alas, no such luck. Moving on.
]

You can take it, I've got another one. [ And another, just in case. ]

He'd prefer leeches.

[identity profile] blimeyjamwalls.livejournal.com 2011-08-22 05:34 pm (UTC)(link)
[ We lament that Daniel's brain is in the same sorry state. That and he's just not used to letting go of things because they hum at him. ]

Thank-you. [ He stares at a couple of buzzing pills for a second, then swallows them. Delicious medicinal drugs, the answer to every ailment! ]

What keeps you awake?

[ Did he ask that already? Sleepy short-term memory, man. He peers at the bottle, wondering if it mentions how long the things take to start working. ]

LEECHES ARE NOT THE ANSWER. Although there's a lively swarm in lab #7

[identity profile] sadfreezingbrit.livejournal.com 2011-08-22 06:12 pm (UTC)(link)
I, uh...

[ What follows now is a long pause. A long pause.

Readers who would like to use the restroom are encouraged to do so now. Go ahead, it will take quite a while. Perhaps get a drink while you're at it - or a sandwich.

Me? I'll use the time to provide you with the truthful answer to this question:

- What usually keeps Philip awake is Clarence. Clarence, the one who doesn't seem to need sleep and is free to converse with Philip all night... or mimic the sound of a foghorn, if he's feeling complacent.

- There is the pain too, but that one is only a recent addition. Almost negligible in the grand scheme of things, really.

- There is even an upside to the event, relating to the fact that Clarence seems unusually quiet in Philip's re-wired brain. Discomfort, exhaustion, who knows? Either way, if Philip were to go to bed he might just make it through the night without the Tuurngait's interference keeping him awake.

- Ah, but sadly there's still the actual reason why Philip can't keep his eye closed for more than a few minutes tops:

- The pills he constantly has to take to get through a Clarence-infested night aren't the sort of thing you just throw away one day. They are beautiful and special and if Philip's brain can't shut down with their help then it refuses to shut down at all.

Of course the insomnia is only one of many fun side effects, but we (read: Philip) will get to that in a few hours. In the meantime-- Is that you, dear reader?

Did you finish your business? Why, I sure hope you remembered to wash your hands after using the restroom, otherwise I would not recommend taking a bite out of that delicious sandwich.

But it seems you are back and so I believe we are just about ready for Philip's version of the truth now; an elaborate excuse the cleverness of which shall undoubtedly be without equal:
]

I haven't... got a room.

[ ...Well. That was anticlimactic. ]

[identity profile] blimeyjamwalls.livejournal.com 2011-08-22 06:20 pm (UTC)(link)
[ Oh, but there's an easy answer to that! And this narration laughs at your suggestion that hand-washing should come before delicious sandwiches. Nobody has explained to this narration what a germ is and why it shouldn't be on your sandwich, and what you don't know can give you ebola. ]

I do. It's not as fine as usual, but you are welcome there.

[identity profile] sadfreezingbrit.livejournal.com 2011-08-22 06:36 pm (UTC)(link)
[ CURSES. ]

Um...

[ Well, now he will just have to come up with a better and even more elaborate excuse.

...If our dear readers would like to see the Lord of the Rings trilogy while waiting then we understand.
]

1/2

[identity profile] sadfreezingbrit.livejournal.com 2011-08-22 06:43 pm (UTC)(link)
[AH! WHERE?! ]

2/2

[identity profile] sadfreezingbrit.livejournal.com 2011-08-22 06:44 pm (UTC)(link)
[ I mean... ]

Hm? Why... why are you yelling?

[identity profile] blimeyjamwalls.livejournal.com 2011-08-22 06:49 pm (UTC)(link)
Because it's--

[ You know what's a great cure for drowsiness? Remembering that Philip can't actually hear what's now something like a high bellow. Also, spilling hot coffee all over your hand (because without ordinary touch it's hard to judge stuff like 'how upright the mug is') and getting screamed at for your trouble. And then dropping the cup.

The flinch and 'gyah!' would have been similar whether he'd heard or felt the scalding. ]

[identity profile] sadfreezingbrit.livejournal.com 2011-08-22 07:06 pm (UTC)(link)
[ Hey, you're right! That is a great cure for drowsiness! :DDD

...

...

...

DDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDD:
]

Jesus!

[ On the plus side, the yelling suddenly makes a whole lot of sense. On every other side... the rest.

Philip hurriedly puts his coffee aside and rounds the table to survey the damage.
]

[identity profile] blimeyjamwalls.livejournal.com 2011-08-22 09:21 pm (UTC)(link)
[ Daniel appears unhurt except for having his hands over his ears.

...On reflection, having his hands over his ears probably doesn't mean that he's unhurt. ]


Oh dea-- dear God, that-- [ He recovers a little, takes his hands off his ears, though they're still ringing and chuckling. ] That was quite-- quite a racket. [ Also, additional cockroaches. His eye darts to the floor before he can second-guess it, but he looks back up immediately. ]

[identity profile] sadfreezingbrit.livejournal.com 2011-08-22 10:33 pm (UTC)(link)
[ Is it just narrating!me or are horrible hand injuries starting to become a trend in their encounters?

Well. At least this isn't as long-term startling as jellyfish stings or deep cuts followed by gutting. Philip has learned how to take care of burns a few practical Leidenfrost effect demonstrations ago.
]

Let me see. [ Unconsciously swinging into damn-you-student-I-told-you-to-be-careful-with-that mode Philip takes Daniel's arm and surveys the damage. ] Does it still--

Can you still hear it?

[identity profile] blimeyjamwalls.livejournal.com 2011-08-22 11:55 pm (UTC)(link)
[ DANIEL CAN'T HELP IT IF HE HAS A HAND INJURY FETISH.

He allows Philip to take his arm, looking down guiltily at the floored coffee cup. It's smashed on the tiled floor. ]
Well - yes, but - it does not need mothering, I am sure.

[ He'd sound less annoyed if he wasn't still startled, if Phil's tone hasn't changed in that direction, if he wasn't sleep deprived. ]

[identity profile] sadfreezingbrit.livejournal.com 2011-08-23 12:14 am (UTC)(link)
[ Ditto to pretty much everything that last part of the narration said.

And you know what else? Philip wassn't building donut!London because he's so content to relax.
]

I'll be right back.

[ And he's out the door and-- TO THE TASK MOBILE!

...the task mobile being a small research room a few doors down which featured one of his now-raided first aid kits, the remaining contents of which also featured burn gel, a very popular and often-used item in Veridian's laboratories.

...

...

...

- insert elevator music here -

...

...

...

Aaaaand he's back with the kit. Lala, opening, getting gel, opening bottle, turning to Daniel.
]

Your hand.

[ There will come a point (gradual or abrupt) when Philip realises that he's been startled into far more agitation than the circumstances warrant. That point is not right now. ]

[identity profile] blimeyjamwalls.livejournal.com 2011-08-23 12:18 am (UTC)(link)
What do you mean to do?

[ He could probably guess, but man, that would take brain effort. He does give up his hand, though. ]

Damn this racket to Hell!

[ Guess who doesn't deal well with stress. ]

1/3

[identity profile] sadfreezingbrit.livejournal.com 2011-08-23 12:30 am (UTC)(link)
[ Eyeroll. ]

I'll chop it off, just in case.

2/3

[identity profile] sadfreezingbrit.livejournal.com 2011-08-23 12:31 am (UTC)(link)
[ Aaaaaaaaaand POINT.

Hey, there it already is. Right there!

When Philip hears himself say that and remembers how causing his friends terrible bodily harm is really not all that sarcastic or hypothetical a scenario and...

And is a little horrified, to be honest.
]
Edited 2011-08-23 00:32 (UTC)

[identity profile] sadfreezingbrit.livejournal.com 2011-08-23 12:32 am (UTC)(link)
[ But hey, on the plus side that one startles him back into niceness. ]

It's- it's a salve, just a salve to... help with the noise a bit and so it won't get infected, just in case, it'll be... a bit cold....

[ Mumblemumbleapplyingcoldgelmumble. ]
Edited 2011-08-23 00:33 (UTC)

[identity profile] blimeyjamwalls.livejournal.com 2011-08-23 07:01 pm (UTC)(link)
[ Intelligence and rational thinking make it clear that Philip would never actually cut his hand off. On the other grabbing appendage, Daniel is really bad at forgetting the things he actually wants to forget, and those include that one time when not-quite-Philip hacked him to death in his own room.

He flinches despite himself, and while Philip is lubing him up, he says tersely: ]
Philip, that is not something to jest about.

[ His hand's shaking, but that's been going on for several hours now. ]

[identity profile] sadfreezingbrit.livejournal.com 2011-08-23 07:32 pm (UTC)(link)
[ He knows. Oh boy, does he ever know. He thinks he said it too, but the I know never makes it past his lips. He treats the hand in guilty silence instead and once Daniel is taken care of Philip hurriedly pulls out
a handkerchief, wipes the remaining burn gel off his hands and takes a step back
]

There.