(Untitled)

[not_so_smooth]

Sam twisted experimentally and winced as the pain that raced along his back and side. If he was careful he generally only felt a dull ache but being Sam, he was sometimes not that careful even with a fresh wound and the stitches often pulled. He'd definitely have to forgo any running and his training with Sonya for a bit, at least until the wound

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[everyone_takes]

"Ew, what did you do to end up in here?" Kate asked, poking her head into the room when she heard Sam's voice. The clinic didn't bother her and neither did doctors, but she didn't spend much time in there, anyway. Which, as far as Kate was concerned, was a good thing. Not being in the clinic meant she wasn't hurt and it meant Marshall wasn't either. All good things.

Except now Sam was apparently hurt. "I could probably find you a good stack of magazines, if you're really that bored."

[not_so_smooth]

"Tussled with a boar," Sam said, grinning when he saw Kate. He hadn't sent out notice that he was here, but it was good to see his friends.

"You know, just a Monday. You should see the boar though. Seriously, you should, I killed it, so I actually came out ahead in the whole encounter."

[everyone_takes]

"You killed a boar," Kate repeated, her eyebrows arching as she came into the room and sat at the end of Sam's bed. "Is that just a macho thing that all dudes have to do eventually or was there a reason you were out looking for boars to kill?"

She would never understand macho stuff like that. Not even after living with two men for her whole life, though, Marshall wasn't all that macho and her dad had a tendency to bottle up all the manly tendencies he had until he exploded and beat the crap out of a neighbour.

[not_so_smooth]

Sam wasn't about to admit that it was a complete accident, not even to Kate, but he didn't want her thinking that he went out hunting for one.

"I wasn't out looking for boars. Coraline and I were looking for fruit when we were chased by a boar," he explained. "I mean, I was oiled down and in a loincloth with warpaint and what not, but that's beside the point. The point is the boar was about to catch up to Coraline so I had to something."

[everyone_takes]

"Don't tell your girlfriend you're parading around oiled up in loincloth," Kate said with a smirk, shaking her head. At least he hadn't been doing something stupid like looking for a boar to kill on purpose. Looking for fruit was a whole lot less macho and if he'd actually killed the boar in the process of saving someone... well, that was pretty cool.

"Maybe it was the war paint it was attracted to," she said, grinning. "Maybe that was the mistake."

[not_so_smooth]

"She likes the loincloth. Big loincloth fan, actually. She'd deny it but really, she digs it," he said, grinning back at his friend. He was glad that she seemed less disturbed by the "accidental" killing.

"And I think it was tracking me for a week. They can do that, right? I mean, they have those big noses."

[everyone_takes]

"Boars are known for their impressive tracking skills," Kate answered seriously, nodding as she tried to keep a straight face. "Also for their vengeful natures. You must have done something to piss it off. Maybe you stole its mango!"

Her smile faded a little and she poked him in the leg. "Seriously, though, you're okay? 'Cause I'd be super pissed if you went and got yourself killed."

[not_so_smooth]

"It's like pigs with truffles, right?," Sam asked. He had a slight attack of conscience with wondering if he just killed pig!Bambi's mom, or maybe the boar's mate was now going to hunt him down.

"I seriously hope I did not just start some revenge quest and have to kill the boar's mate. What if- what if I create boar-Batman? And yeah, I'm fine. Just a few stitches."

[everyone_takes]

"No super powers on the island," Kate pointed out. "So boar-Batman, even if you did create him, would be totally the same as regular-boar. I think you're safe there." Unless the super power rule didn't apply to boars, but that was a whole different topic she wasn't sure she wanted to get into.

"At least a boar is pretty normal, too. I mean, for a tropical island. There is way worse shit this place can do to you."

[not_so_smooth]

"Please tell me you did not just imply that Batman has super powers," Sam said, giving Kate a level look.

"That is the whole point of Batman, the fact that he's totally bad ass without powers. I think- I think I have to view you as slightly less cool now. You're still top five for sure, but I think that kid back home that could drink milk up his nose and shoot it out his tear duct might be threatening your spot."

[everyone_takes]

"That's both disgusting and insulting," Kate answered with a laugh, swatting at Sam's leg. "I'm Princess Valhalla Hawkwind, remember. I can do way more damage than some stupid boar, so you better watch who you kick off your list."

Especially if he was going to replace her with someone who did especially weird shit with his body.

[not_so_smooth]

"Hey, I remember," Sam said, grinning back at her. "But you have to remember my best friend back home is a sentient alien robot that turns into a Camaro, my girlfriend here is a superhero, and... okay, I guess you're in the top three."

[everyone_takes]

Kate pretended to consider this, looking thoughtfully at Sam before she finally said, "I'll take it." Because, really, being in the top three with a real superhero and a car that turned into a robot was pretty good, as these sorts of things went.

"At least you think I'm cooler than the boar," she added, grinning. "Otherwise I'd be extra pissed."

[not_so_smooth]

"Alright, but if it turns out the boar was in a music video as a viking princess, all bets are off," he said, chuckling a bit before he winced as the small shot of pain that went through his side. Apparently, laughing was not a good thing right now.

"But how about you? How have you been?"

[everyone_takes]

At that, Kate shrugged, thinking of Marshall and the paper clipping. Of Effy and the fact that the girl didn't know her anymore. But there was also Harry, of course.

"About neutral," she decided, but then smiled a little. "I don't know. Things with Harry are good, which is weird, because I've never really had that. But then Marshall found this newspaper clipping from home and..." She trailed off and shrugged. "It was just bad news."

[not_so_smooth]

"How is Marshall?" Sam asked, recalling something about the young man a while back. He'd only talked to Marshall once or twice but the guy seemed pretty cool.

"There was like a bee thing, right? He's allergic?"