for 1701cmo louder than sirens, louder than bells

[punch_it]

She's seen legitimate slime molds less impressive than whatever was on the inside of the cup she found half-hidden under Bones bed. There were kids in science labs across the campus that would kill to take a swab of the purple-green gunk if they knew it existed. She placed it on top of the ketchup streaked plate and misplaced spoon she'd found on her way in here to bring back to their small, cramped kitchen. On the way by she lobbed a pair of balled up black socks at the back of Len's head where he'd been sleeping on the sofa.

This wasn't completely unusual. They took turns being bad humans. Somewhere, Jane had drafted a schedule that indicated which week was her turn and which was his based on exams, simulations and work and right now Bones was smack dab in the middle of a two week shame spiral.

Hence her being on cleaning duty and properly awake and sober at unreasonable hours.

"Don't you have clinic duty today?"

Comments

[1701cmo]

Even he'd be disturbed by the slime mold. If she has any trouble rousing him, sticking it under his nose might make an excellent 'plan b'. After a string of 18 hour days, he's not quite a bleary eyed basket case but one step shy wouldn't be too much of an understatement. Even residency wasn't this brutal of a schedule. It means every second of sleep he can catch is worth Jane's weight in gold. Trouble is, unless he's helped himself to a little liquid assistance, he doesn't sleep too deeply.

He startles when the socks hit his head but he doesn't shift at all, either to get up or roll over to face her. The question gets a groan then a mumbled reply. "Later."

[punch_it]

"Pretty sure later came and went an hour ago." She grabs the mug of replicated coffee from the counter and hods it directly under Bones' nose. "Drink. It's 14:20. You're starting to smell. I've got class in forty minutes so unless you want me to code your PADD to blast a red alert every thirty seconds, I'd think about taking the coffee and getting up."

She smiles then, only a tiny bit evil, and sets that mug she was teasing him with on the floor, swiping his PADD from where it had fallen into the sofa cushions. She waves it in front of him.

"Your choice."

[1701cmo]

The coffee smells. And Lord, does it smell good. For a second it eclipses everything she's just said. Then... it doesn't. He sits up abruptly. Too abruptly, blood rushing to his head as he swings his feet to the floor. Then he groans a second time, plants his elbows on his knees, and drops his forehead into his hands.

"Let me see that." He reaches for the PADD blindly. It can't be 14:20.

[punch_it]

Jane tuts softly and holds it out of reach, nudging at the mug on the floor with her foot as if she were enticing a wild animal into an enclosure.

"Coffee first. Panic after. You're not late. Yet."

She even factored in time for him to shave if he thinks to do it before rushing out the door. She's awesome if she says so herself.

[1701cmo]

He probably would have slept through the whole afternoon in addition to the morning if she hadn't intervened. She's saved him from being late on more than one occasion now. 'Awesome' only begins to express his private opinion of Jane, an opinion he doesn't voice as often as he should.

He reaches for the coffee.

"How much time do I have?"

Because the first sip hasn't crossed his lips. Therefore he can't do even basic math. That comes in about four... three... two...

[punch_it]

"Hour and a half. If you run."

Jane rolls down the sleeves of her cadet reds and plops down on the sofa beside him, bumping into his shoulder.

"Bout an hour if you don't want to break a sweat. So, drink. Shower. Convince me nicely and I might get you a replicated sandwich before I go and decimate my ethics professor."

[1701cmo]

He takes his first sip and it's like drinking heaven in a cup. It warms him all the way down and hits his stomach like a heat bomb. Suddenly he can think. Or at least begin to form thoughts that extend past a single sentence. The rest of it sloshes in his mug as he sways after being bumped.

Food? He would love her forever. Not that he doesn't already. "Please?"

It's pitiful. Really.

"Anything but the roast beef."

[punch_it]

"I'm going to be the bigger person and not even ask why."

She slaps him on the back and bounces back to her feet to go fetch him something that's 'not roast beef'. She fusses at the replicator for a minute, because ugh, shopping for real food, who has time for that? And finally settles on something basic.

And not roast beef.

The bowl of soup is hot, but smells fucking amazing and she thinks she might have to take some with her when she leaves for class if only to avoid hunger pangs.

"Soups on," she calls, snickering to herself, setting the bowl on the table with a thunk. "It's hot. I'm not carrying it any farther. Get your ass in here, Bones, before I eat it."

[1701cmo]

Some senior cadet's stupid prank. Nothing but roast beef sandwiches out of the clinic replicators for three days. If Leonard ever gets his hands on that punk-

This time the coffee sloshes over the edge of his mug as she bounds from the couch. He hisses as the hot liquid hits his skin, swearing under his breath. He drags his sorry self up, into the kitchenette, and drops himself into the chair in front of the soup.

Jane is way over the top energetic. Maybe it just seems that way due to his complete lack of enthusiasm for being awake. Then again, maybe she's excited for a reason. "That wouldn't be the same professor who said you were full of shit, would it?"