The nurse is in!

[wavesofjade]

WHO: Dolores Maryam and everyone!
TONE: General, probably varied
RATING: Let's say PG-13 to be safe
WHEN: September 18
WHERE: Hospital Wing
WHAT: Open thread for people to visit Dolores in the hospital for anything they might need
STATUS: Ongoing

----

[Welcome to the hospital wing! Perhaps you are a visitor to a patient, or an unfortunate individual who has managed to injure themselves in a Potions accident or an incident in Herbology. Maybe you just need a smile and a friendly ear for your problems, or a mild Calming Draught to help you sleep.

Whatever it is that you require, when the door to the ward is pushed open the first sound to be heard is that of a soft humming, and light footsteps moving across the room. Dolores Maryam looks fairly young, but there's a motherly atmosphere about her as she turns and smiles enquiringly]

Comments

[wavesofjade]

Of course you're, not, dear, don't be si-..

[She cuts herself off as she looks back at him, and a small smile touches he lips. Oh, Karkat..

Setting the bottle in her hand down she walks across to him and sits down next to him, but she doesn't touch him, not yet]

Is there something you want to talk about?

[selfhatred]

[Karkat shifts on the bed when she sits down next to him, looking away. He didn't really want to talk about anything. There was nothing to talk about as far as he was concerned. But still...he looked down at the floor underneath his feet, sighing a little and looking away.]

Am I...overbearing?

[wavesofjade]

[Dolores touches his shoulder - the one closest to her - and rubs her thumb in a small circle over it. There's a small frown on her face, that protective instinct kicking in. It always comes on so much more strongly when it's one of Sal's children]

Has someone said that to you?

[selfhatred]

[He shakes his head, pausing before shaking it more furiously. This was a dumb thing to do and he was stupid for doing it. The boy sighs, cupping his hands into his lap.]

It's not like I can't hear people when they whisper so fucking loudly.

[wavesofjade]

Ah..

[Her arm goes around his shoulders, resting there lightly, and she touches the fingertips of her free hand to his cheek, coaxing him to look at her]

My dear.. you have a strong will, and you have your own opinions that you're willing to defend.. and that's a very good thing. People like you are the ones who will one day be leading those who called you 'overbearing'.

[selfhatred]

[He kind of reluctantly looks at her, biting his bottom lip and glancing away again out the corner of his eyes. It's not that he doesn't appreciate what she's saying, he just...finds it kind of hard to imagine.]

My dad was a leader. He was a lieutenant major, how the fuck am I supposed to fill in those shoes? [Karkat sighs.] I'm not a leader. I'm just a screw up.

[wavesofjade]

You are a child, Karkat.. Your father's shoes are far too large for you to fill yet.

[She gives him a light, one-armed hug, not too tight]

Darling, you're still so young.. You're allowed to make mistakes.

[selfhatred]

[He lets her draw him in, rubbing the back of his neck.]

I think sometimes I forget that.

[wavesofjade]

[Ah, that's better. Carefully, she holds the young boy against her side and rubs her thumb over his shoulder]

I'm very proud of you, sweetheart.

[selfhatred]

[It's kinda nice, being held like this. He couldn't remember if Aunt Di had ever done so or if he'd pushed her away like he had before he'd started accepting her. Not as a substitute, but a mother equal to his own. He hunched his shoulders and curled in on himself.]

Thank you.

[wavesofjade]

[There's a small pause, then she hugs him properly, putting both arms around him and pressing a kiss against his temple]

You're very welcome. Now..

[She draws away, and cups his cheek again, smiling]

Let me see a smile from you, and let's sort out those allergies. What do you think?

[selfhatred]

[He rolls his eyes and looks away from her before glancing back, shrugging as a small smile tugs at his lips.]

Okay.

[wavesofjade]

Good boy.

[She ruffles his hair teasingly again and drops another kiss on his forehead, then gets up and quickly puts together the potion he needs]

I've made a small alteration from last time - it should work far more quickly for you.

[selfhatred]

[Karkat ducks away and fixes his red hair from the ruffle - not that he could do much to it since it's always perpetually in a rat's nest. Still, he nods, rubbing his arm.]

Good. I'm getting so fucking sick of sneezing and not being able to see because my eyes are glued shut.

[wavesofjade]

I do hope you mind your language in front of your professors, dear..

[Once it's prepared, she sets the bottle on the small cabinet beside the bed where he's sitting]

That should last another month. Let me know if anything doesn't feel right. Straight away, Karkat.