[open] Cabin fever = a serious complication

[wavesandthunder]

Characters: Jyuushirou Ukitake and anyone who wants to visit.
Content: Ukitake is stuck in the infirmary. Come keep him from going stir-crazy?
Setting: Amestris infirmary
Time: About a day after the last log
Warnings: Possibly mentions of squicky medical stuff.

Comments

[thewayfindsyou]

Komamura had heard about the Lieutenant Commander's incident from a number of sources, rumor or otherwise, throughout the ship. He was unsure of the nature of the mans illness, or the severity of whatever attack beset him now. For this reason, he decided that it would be best to give the matter some time.

When he arrived at the infirmary it was decidedly calm. Ideally this would mean that the problems of the previous day had been taken care of. There were few people here now, and most of them were doctors. He located Ukitake. "Lieutenant Commander," he addressed him.

[thewayfindsyou]

"Hm." When said assignment would actually be handed out, he could not so much as guess. Of course, it was nothing for the other man to fret over. The Amestris had more than enough able bodies for that sort of work.

[wavesandthunder]

"I feel so useless lying around here," Ukitake admitted with a somewhat sheepish smile. "It's...frustrating."

[thewayfindsyou]

Komamura had no response for this. His eyes broke away briefly and he glanced to the side. Although he thought he understood the feeling that Ukitake spoke of, he opted to remain quiet.

[wavesandthunder]

"Aah, I'm sorry. You don't have to stand around listening to me complain if you don't want to," Ukitake said with a small, awkward laugh. He was good at reading people, but the tall demihuman was more closed off than most, and he wasn't quite sure how to react to him.

[thewayfindsyou]

"My apologies," said the demihuman, "I did not mean to imply disinterest." With the airship as exhausted as it was, Komamura's standard duties were taken care of easily enough. If he was not here, he would merely be passing the time in his quarters.

[wavesandthunder]

"Aah, it's fine." Ukitake gave a small, awkward laugh, which ended in a small cough. "My mouth tends to get the better of me at times like this." Not really a lie, although he'd been on heavy-duty painkillers often enough that he could keep himself from saying anything too stupid, but it was a convenient excuse.

[thewayfindsyou]

"I understand," Komamura forced himself to say, although he was not certain that it helped the moment in any way.

[wavesandthunder]

Ukitake dug around for a safe topic of conversation with the tall demihuman - this one was quickly turning awkward. "How long have you been in service?" Military careers - usually a good choice.

[thewayfindsyou]

The military was always a comfortable subject. Fitting too, as Komamura was somewhat interested in the Lieutenant Commander's earlier career. "It has been...eleven years since I graduated from the academy."

[wavesandthunder]

"A fairly good run of service so far," Ukitake replied with a smile. "I'm nearing two decades, myself - eighteen years now." It didn't seem so long until he said it aloud - nearly half his life, now.

[thewayfindsyou]

"I see," said Komamura. "I understand that you were a teacher in the Bellcius academy for a number of years?"

[wavesandthunder]

"The last nine years, more or less," Ukitake replied with a nod. "Likely I'll go back there when the Amestris has no more need of me."

[thewayfindsyou]

That would explain why they had never actually crossed paths before now. Ukitake became an instructor shortly after Komamura left the academy. "You do not seem to say that with much regret, if you do not mind my observing."

[wavesandthunder]

"About returning to the academy? Never," Ukitake replied with a bright smile. "I enjoy my work there - they'll have to try a lot harder if they want to be rid of me for good." Though he had the feeling that unlike his posting on the Victoria, this one was not actually meant as punishment.

[thewayfindsyou]

Komamura was referring less to returning to the academy and more to leaving the Amestris, but he let this slide. As for him, he much preferred his previous assignment--this ship represented that which he had come to despise about the status of the military. "I do not see myself ever retiring from active service," he said brusquely.