Steam World. Military Base. Lonely Hearts

[dens_extra_pups]

((Trigger warning: mentions of self-harm later in the log))



Ira: *sitting and wearily filling out paperwork, his mind still on the visit he just had from his best friend. Grins a bit as he thinks of how happy Roald looked as he sat by Clair Ines*

Mia: *doing her job as Ira's bodyguard*

door: *someone's out there knocking, now*

Ira: *absently moves the shoulder that Mia's chin is resting on, silently asking her to see who's at the door*

Mia: *small nod, moves to do so* ... Er-Hey!

Mira: *coming into the office as soon as the door opens, absently bumping Mia aside* *and hoo, boy, look at that scowl*

Ira: *without looking up* ...Tell th' paymaster what't cost. What'd Ah say 'bout not breakin' things?

Mia: *moving back to stand at attention by Ira's side. Meets Mira's scowl with one of her own*

Mira: I'm not here 'cause of anything gettin' trashed. But somethin's gonna.

Ira: *flat finality as he continues to write* Nnno.

Mira: *snort* Surprised you didn't see through 'er.

Ira: Mia's habits're none o' yer business.

Mira: *more snort* Ain't talkin' 'bout yer bodyguard, Sir.

Mia: *scowl becomes a puzzled frown*

Ira: *tries to think of any other woman that Mira might mean, and finally looks up with a scowl over his rather wild beard* Mira, there's only two women under mah command. One's Lt. Mercer, 'n one's you.

Mira: *expression darkens* You jes' had 'er lyin', framework-climbin', stinkin' aft in here with CMO Oswald, Sir.

Ira: *scowl goes blank, and then he looks up at Mia* Drunk tank.

Mia: *quick nod, moves to try and grab Mira by the upper arm*

Mira: *quick to dodge* I'm not *bleeping* drunk, Sir. I saw 'er lookin' back 'ere when CMO Oswald 'n 'er were walkin' away. She was doin' a languishin' eyelid flutter. *so serious* 'N if there's one thin' my ma taught me, it was ta trust my gut. So I'm doin' that, fer once.

Ira: *again the blank scowl as he looks at Mia. What in tarnation is this little hoyden talking about?*

Mia: *lips thin as she gives a slight nod toward Mira. Hear her out. She was right about that one soldier...*

Ira: *eyebrows lift slightly. But this is Miss Ines we're talking about. The girl's famous for being a proper priss*

Mia: *another slight nod. Yes, but Mira wouldn't come in saying something like this if she wasn't sure*

Ira: *low growl* Smell 'er breath.

Mia: *small nod, then a quick flash of motion that results in Mira getting held tightly*

Mira: *puts no resistance up this time, though she's still scowling. She complies with Mia's request to smell her breath, as well*

Mia: ... *raised brow, will let Mira go so the smaller woman doesn't fall*

Ira: *sees the look on Mia's face and growls again* Robertson, you owe me a box o' mint melties.

Mira: Like *bleep*, I do. Those only last fer a few minutes, 'n I've been up since dawn. *meaning, an entire box would not last that long*

Mia: ... *soft snerk as she realizes Mira was using mouthwash*

Ira: *quizzical scowl for his bodyguard*

Mia: Check your top drawer, Sir.

Ira: Iffin't wasn' mah sweets, wha's she minteh?

Mira: *sticks her chin out, cheeks a bit pink as she realizes she does smell minty*

Mia: She used mouthwash.

Ira: *face meet palm* Mira, let Miss Ines be 'n git back ta what you w's doin'. *other hand already reaching for his pen*

Mira: *scowl back on her face* Fine. Sir. *haphazard salute reminiscent of the ones her father and uncle would give, then she's leaving the office* *will stomp her feet a bit as she heads back to the commissary. Then, she's pausing as a realization hits her* ... *small, slow smile as she realizes that she could truthfully say that Ira had given her permission she'd wanted regarding Roald. That grin remains on her face as she changes course and heads to the infirmary*

Roald: *laughter comes from the open porch of the infirmary. It's heartfelt and happy*

Mira: *stops just short of the porch. Takes a deep breath, letting it out slowly, then squares her shoulders and progresses*

Roald: *turns as he hears her footsteps. Fond exasperation* It isn't even noon, Lt. Robertson. What needs patching?

Mira: *strides over to Roald's chair, grabs him by his lapels, and SNOGS*

Roald: *gasps and flails*

Clair: *is that piercing shriek as she jumps up, knocking her chair over. Stares, and then turns and runs away toward the main office as fast as her slender skirt will let her*

Roald: MURRPH! 0_0

Mira: *quietly, as she lets Roald go* How about a heart?

Roald: *face very red* What the heck are you doing, Mira?

Mira: Showin' ya how I feel.

Roald: *head snaps around as he recalls the shriek* Miss Ines. Oh no.

Mira: *quietly and seriously* She doesn't really love ya, Roald. She was makin' moony eyes back ta my CO's office earlier.

Roald: *shoots her a displeased look, and then vaults the railing and heads for the office*

Mira: ... *quiet sigh, will head back to her quarters. She showed Roald how she felt, and she's pretty sure he rejected her, so she's going to go seek solace in her stash* *seems like the time she took to make herself look properly in uniform for a change was just for nothing*


meanwhile


Ira: *groans quietly as someone rattles the door*

Mia: *looks up from rubbing Ira's shoulders, will move to see who is there*

Clair: *bursts in as soon as the door is open, staggers across the room, and then falls against Ira. She's weeping hysterically and shaking from head to foot*

Ira: *confounded expression as he grunts and wakes up* Whut? Miss Ines?

Mia: ... *raised brow*

Clair: I... I... Never thought. How... how could he?? *gasps and wipes at her face, but then starts sobbing again*

Mia: ... How could who?

Clair: *flinches and shoots the bodyguard a spooked look*

Ira: *gruff pat pat for her back* You'd best explain, Miss.

Clair: *remembers and hides her face in her hands, her head falling to Ira's shoulder*
Mia: ... Kissed who? *though she has a hunch*

Clair: Th... that woman.

Ira: *frowns and pushes her away as she clings to him, then creaks to his feet and tries to set her in his chair*

Clair: *clings, her face crumpling*

Mia: ... *moves to get Clair sitting in the chair*

Clair: *startles and shrieks at the touch, her grip tightening as her eyelids flutter and she goes otherwise limp*

Ira: *dismayed sound as he spots the girl's lips going slightly blue*

Roald: *bursts into the room just then* Miss Ines!?

Ira: She's fainted, Roald! *supporting the pale and senseless girl*

Mia: She said something about you kissing "that woman".

Roald: *face goes flaming red* Lt. Robertson kissed me. I didn't reciprocate!

Mia: ... *quick glance to Ira, brows drawing together with worry*

Ira: *nods. Go get her*

Roald: *taking Clair and laying her down*

Ira: *hurriedly turns his back so that he won't see the young lady's clothing loosened*

Mia: *will go look for Mira, asking around to see if anyone has seen the temperamental Lieutenant. Is soon following news from some of the newly enlisted soldiers and pounding on Mira's door* Lt. Robertson! Are you in there?

Mira: *is quietly sobbing, and doesn't seem to want to open the door*

Mia: *sends a new recruit to get Ira, will work on getting the door open by any means*

Maj. Galeas: *wanders over, his big eyes filled with concern even as he stumbles over his own brand new boots* Lt. Mercer, what's wrong?

Mia: Maj. Galeas, sir. Lt. Robertson's locked herself in her quarters and I can hear her sobbing.

Maj. Galeas: *eyes go even wider, and then he's hunkering to look at the keyhole before the knob's been screwed off and the door is coming open* *looks up* Lt. Robertson just taught me that yesterday, when I locked myself in.

Mia: ...I'll have to learn how to do that. *attention going to Mira, then she's hurrying to cross the room, noting the broken glass and blood as she moves to grab the huddled form in the far corner* Lt. Robertson!

Mira: *still crying, and not even bothering to try and stop the bleeding from several cuts, some deeper than others. Doesn't even acknowledge Mia or Maj. Galeas*

Maj. Galeas: *yelps as his folding screwdriver pinches him, but then jams it into his pocket and stumbles over* Oh no! Here, move her away from the glass. *grabs the cover off the bed and puts it on the part of the floor that's clear of wreckage*

Mia: *doing as ordered, trying to get the upset and bleeding woman to respond*

Maj. Galeas: *quickly checking hands and arms and picking out bits of glass* Is there any liquor left? And can you please rip that sheet up and give it to me?

Mia: ... *has heard the stories about how Maj. Galeas got his rank: namely that his family paid for him to be a ranked officer, despite his lack of ability to be in such a position. She's also seen him trip over his own boots repeatedly, but now he's working calmly and is more focused than she's ever seen him* Yessir. *moves to do as ordered*

liquor: *splashed all over the floor and walls at this point. It's pretty clear Mira didn't drink any of it*

Mia: Sir... I don't think there is any left.

Maj. Galeas: Okay. Please run to the infirmary for disinfectant? *gently presses the deepest wounds together and binds them with strips of sheet before applying pressure*

Mia: Yessir. I sent one of the recruits to notify the General, too. *will hurry to the infirmary*

Ira: *grunts and stumbles back as she slams into him*

Mia: *startled squawk and some fast stepping keeps her on her feet* Sir!

Ira: *gruff bark* Report!

Mia: Maj. Galeas is tending to Lt. Robertson, and I need to get disinfectant, Sir!

Ira: *produces hip flask and holds it out*

Maj. Galeas: Ouch! Lt, if you hit me in the eye I won't be able to see to help you.

Mia: *will grab the flask and bring it to Maj. Galeas*

Mira: *trying to get away from the Major, eyes dark with grief*

Maj. Galeas: *clinging and talking soothingly punctuated by yelps as she hits him*

Mia: *going to try and restrain Mira so Maj. Galeas can help the distraught woman*

Mira: *weakly and sounding more like she's sobbing her words* No! Just let me go! *struggling*

Maj. Galeas: *strongly* No! Lt, you have to stop this! *to Ira, as he kneels by Mia to help* Thank you, sir. *going to carefully unwrap the wounds and then wash them with the liquor* I know this hurts, but it would hurt a lot worse if I didn't do it first.

Mira: *wordless sobbing*

Ira: *gruff rumble like he does to frightened horses*

Mira: *eventually wears herself out*

Mia: *worried about the amount of grief the smaller woman has shown*

Maj. Galeas: *carefully portions out the little bit of whiskey so that it cleans all the wounds, rebinding each of the deeper ones as he finishes with it. That young face that usually looks so childishly naive is now serious and intent as he talks about what he's doing in a soothing voice*

Mira: *silent and still now. If she's hearing what's being said, she's not showing any indication of it*

Ira: 'S she... *breaks off and looks toward the door as it flies open* Whut'n tarnation?

Roald: *slender red hand print on one cheek complete with bleeding scratches at the tips, his eyes dark with sadness and shock as he looks at the people inside the room*

Ira: *frowns, but then grunts to his feet and hurries over to guide his friend toward the group on the floor* She's cut up pretteh bad, Roald.

Mia: *small nod toward the corner where Mira had been huddled, where some noticeably larger pieces of glass are laying, all showing indications of having been used to cut something*

Roald: *gasps and stumbles* Bring her to the infirmary, quickly.

Maj. Galeas: Yes, sir! *looks to the others*

Mia: *moves to help lift the prone woman* Yessir.

Ira: *moves himself and Roald out of the way*

Roald: You can let go of me, Ironhide. I have work to do.

Ira: *proud grin cracks his craggy old face for a moment, and then he's striding out the clear away rubberneckers*


later, well into the quiet hours of the night


Ira: *laying on his side on the pallet to one side of the room, his face creased in a frown as he sleeps with deep exhaustion*

Roald: *wincing as Mia treats the scratches on his face*

Mia: *fussing quietly, so as not to wake Ira* *softly* Stop squirming, so I can get the scratches cleaned up. I don't get how they could've gotten infected so quickly. *much frown as she works*

Roald: *blank sadness and grief* Miss Ines had cosmetics on her hands when she slapped me. It probably got into the marks caused by her nails.

Mia: *very soft, derisive snort. Her opinion of the woman has tanked, after today's incidents*

Roald: *wearily* She never wants to see me again.

Mia: *dryly* Seems a bit strange for someone who claimed she loved you.

Roald: *looks at her* She saw me kissing another woman.

Mia: You said it yourself, you didn't reciprocate. *glances toward where Mira is resting* *quieter* She did say something would be broken... I don't think she meant her heart.

Roald: *softly* Miss Ines is a young lady of very delicate sensibilities. I can't imagine how all this must have shocked her.

Mia: *another soft snort* Miss Ines grew up sheltered. *finishes cleaning the scratches, then moves to check on Ira*

Roald: No more sheltered than any young aristocratic woman. *looks toward Mira as she squeaks, his concern sharp and very apparent*

Mia: *attention on Mira now* Mira's mother was an aristocratic woman.

Mira: *crying and hiccoughing softly* *doesn't have the energy to be very loud*

Roald: *quietly* And her dad is a Robertson. Please comfort her.

Mia: *quieter* She got Serenity's gift. *will move to gently smooth Mira's forehead and talk softly to the weeping woman*

Roald: *listens for a moment to the monitor that's wrapped around Mira's chest, then walks over to wearily lower himself to sit next to the man who is like his brother* *quietly* Are you up to a shift on your own? I... I'm not as young as I used to be.

Mia: *quietly* Get some rest.

Roald: *slight twitch of a smile, and then he's leaning against Ira's broad back and closing his eyes*

Mia: *will continue to talk soothingly to Mira until the smaller woman falls back to sleep. Then she's grabbing a chair and sitting where she can keep an eye on all three sleepers*

((Written with random_xtras))