Day 43: Sun Room, Second Shift

[arc_wrench]

When the shift changed, HK stayed put. Even after a long night of zombie killing, he had no interest in meatbag fuel, especially after all the discussion of chocolate with that rather strange meatbag. It was just making him crave the stuff even more than he had previously, if that was possible

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[runner_up_robot]

Forte was wheeled back into the sun room, near the bulletin board, at his request. He'd always ignored the nurses as much as possible, and having to have one feed him was something he'd rather put behind him. Now he could at least read the bulletin board... well, the posts at the bottom. His right hand was held against his chest by the sling, and his left was hampered by the bandages (and pain), so he could pull a message down to read, but he couldn't write one of his own. He could barely write with his right hand, anyway.

[free, no limit, though people he knows would be nice]

[runner_up_robot]

Forte was shocked at Depth Charge's reaction. He was trying to take the blame for Forte's injury, which was definitely something that had never happened before. Forte's usual reaction would be to blame someone else, but... it just didn't seem right to say that it was Depth Charge's fault and not his own. Since he'd been training in this human body, he'd felt like he was actually responsible for his own strength and skill instead of Dr. Wily, and it was actually nice to feel that way. He'd been proud that he had won a fight, especially on his own strength. But, if Depth Charge really thought that he'd failed Forte that night... it just didn't seem right.

"We were partners. It was both our jobs to get the stuff from the storage room and bring it back - not to protect me. I couldn't defend myself, so I got hurt. And..." he hesitated, trying to remember the hazy events at the end of that night, "you were the one that killed it. You know who I blame for this," he raised his injured arm slightly, "I blame that monster... cat thing. And now

[scalyfishman]

Depth Charge stared at Forte. It was strange to have a victim of his own failure talk back to him; all this time he had been faced with a slew people telling him that none of what had happened was his fault, that he couldn't have done anything, but none of them had had to face the consequences quite so closely as he had. Finally, he managed a response. "... thanks, kid."

And that was that. The Maximal turned away, out of words and awkward after what had been a difficult moment. There were still far too many other voices to silence. Forte was only one of a crowd and their volume still overwhelmed him, their weight still just as heavy across his shoulders as it had always been. He would keep going. Perseverance was something he had become all too familiar with over the years and he wasn't about to stop now. But for now- for now, at least- he had made his peace with one.

[runner_up_robot]

That was... intense. Forte still didn't know why he cared so much... or at all, whether Depth Charge felt responsible for his injuries, when normally he would have just blamed anyone available, including his partner. But it seemed like Depth Charge really needed that, and it was... strangely gratifying to reassure him. Well, Depth Charge still looked troubled, but maybe he was just like that.

Unfortunately, it also meant that Forte lost his extra hand for writing notices on the bulletin board. As the shift change was signaled, a nurse came back to ask him if he wanted to move to another room, and he decided to try his luck with her.