For Dave Strider and Dave Strider

[not_only_wisdom]

Nynaeve is taking this time in the infirmary to portion out and label more of her simples, tisanes, and poultices for general use.

Her hair -- shorn now to her shoulders -- is pinned up, and she wears a yellow-fringed shawl on her shoulders.

" -- for headache," she mutters to herself, writing down dosage instructions in neat, even letters. "One cup at need, no longer than a week."

Comments

[veryvorkosigan]

Her eyebrows rise a little, as she's not sure how to take that.

"Are you doing all right in here? The older you said you had something like a hangover, but I'm not sure how literally he meant it."

[stridersgonnastride]

He's not really sure how to take all these visits and weird amounts of concern. Confusion all around!

"apparently i fucked up when i tried to change the flow of time when i showed up

"the headache is a bitch but i'll pull through. can't die just from being stupid anyway"

[veryvorkosigan]

Her mouth quirks at that last, but she doesn't take him up on it.

"Have they given you anything for the headache?"

[stridersgonnastride]

"shitty tea," he says.

"it did the trick but apparently it doesn't last forever"

[veryvorkosigan]

Her brows draw down a little.

"I could talk to your doctor about that, if you like."

[stridersgonnastride]

"nah i've had worse"

Besides, Nynaeve is kind of scary.

[veryvorkosigan]

"Up to you," she says easily, and glances around. "Should I leave you to rest, or would you rather have company?"

[stridersgonnastride]

"up to you," he says in reply. "i dunno why you'd want to hang around in this fucking place with someone who doesn't remember you and you're a little old trying to get up in my grill"

He shrugs.

"but future dave said we know each other"

[veryvorkosigan]

"Well, yes," she agrees, "mostly this is by way of feeling some responsibility toward future you. Because he's a friend and I think he'll probably be happier without a memory of having been left alone in a strange hospital room with a headache. Unless you'd prefer it to being alone with an old broad you don't know, which is completely reasonable."

[stridersgonnastride]

The intensity of his gaze is muted by his shades, but still palpable.

"this is one weird place let me tell you"

[veryvorkosigan]

"Kiddo, you are not even a little wrong about that," she sighs. "Anything in particular about it strike you, though?"

[stridersgonnastride]

"haven't seen enough of it to write a report on it or anything since i'm laid up

"but the time thing is more than a little weird how's it work if you even know"

[veryvorkosigan]

"Haven't a clue," she says frankly. "Sorry. All I know is that there seem to be consistent patterns in how time acts for me, between here and home. And for some other people, but they're not the same consistent patterns. And others don't seem to have any pattern at all."

[stridersgonnastride]

"not my business i don't know what the fuck future me was thinking starting up the time travel bullshit again but now i have to close the loop so i'm stuck with it

"whatever"

[veryvorkosigan]

"How's that going to work? Closing the loop?"

[stridersgonnastride]

"just gotta travel back from the future at the right time all loops have to be stable and closed or you just end up with doomed timelines and dead daves and no one needs that they really mess up your decor you know what i mean"

Dave shrugs again. Time is dead kids, Cordelia. No big deal.

[veryvorkosigan]

"... yeah," she says, not quite lightly enough, "let's try and keep the dead Daves to a minimum."

[stridersgonnastride]

"working on it. it's a work in progress needs a few rewrites and some time in the studio before it's ready for prime time"

He plucks at the front of his god tier shirt. "this makes it a little easier anyway"

[veryvorkosigan]

Cordelia blinks. "The shirt?"

Something about its color?

[stridersgonnastride]

Dave eyes her. "not the pajamas the god powers. you know conditional immortality

"did future me really not talk about this"

[veryvorkosigan]

"... not that I recall," she says cautiously.

[stridersgonnastride]

"like never??

"how long was he actually around"

[veryvorkosigan]

She shakes her head, and spreads her hands. "I don't know why, it just never came up. Maybe he didn't think I'd be interested."

[stridersgonnastride]

"i'm almost positive that someone not giving a shit about what i'm saying wouldn't actually stop me," he says,which is a high level of self-awareness for a thirteen year old Dave.

[veryvorkosigan]

"Well, for what it's worth, I actually am curious. 'Conditional immortality' is definitely not a phrase I've encountered before."