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[badlydisarmed]

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[hexcope]

Ah.

[It's actually a little weirder to have the helperbot also in the room than just Robert. Fortunately, Jayce has no shyness in taking off his shirt in front of others, as he unbuttons and slides off the stained garment. What's underneath are some also soaked through bandages around his chest, and over both shoulders. The bloodiest parts are his right shoulder and a long stripe where his spine is.

The long reason of why he's hurt isn't something he's going to get into. Instead he quips:]

Got into an argument with a chainsaw and lost?

[badlydisarmed]

[ Given Jayce's interests and relationships, the possibilities are endless when it comes to how he could have possibly gotten hurt. He steps in close to take a look at the injury, see how deep it is, if it's been cleaned and sewn shut properly or if the stitches were done by some idiot with a mirror and a sewing needle. ]

I understand I have no leverage, I'm gonna treat you anyway. But you don't have to be in an abusive relationship with a chainsaw, you can try something new. Maybe a mallet, instead?

[hexcope]

[It had been cleaned and sew shut properly, at some point, days ago. The stitches tore open again pretty soon after he had been stitched up due to excessive movement, and he just hadn't bothered to get them resewn again. As for the injury itself, the way the skin is torn, it's clear he's not lying about the chainsaw part- and that he's lucky he's still able to move around at all, considering how close the back cut was to his spine.

With a huff, and maybe because he doesn't have to actually look at Robert in the eye when he speaks, he's a little more honest than he planned to be.]

It was a woman who wanted revenge.

[badlydisarmed]

Give me a number.

[ Robert points at a pain scale on the wall. He will assume he has to add at least two to whatever number Jayce gives him, because the man strikes him as the kind who hates feeling like a burden.

He'll unwrap the rest of the bandages and start cleaning the wound, but he won't sew him up again without anesthetic, that'd be unnecessarily sadistic. ]

And the woman's name, maybe we can hook up.

[ It's mostly in the interest of avoiding her, since he figures "the woman who wanted revenge" is likely someone who's mad about Jayce's nuclear magic. And while the lady might have a point, going full chainsaw massacre on the guy isn't productive, and also Robert isn't interested in losing any more limbs. ]

[hexcope]

[There's a few quiet hisses of breath and subconscious wiggling away from the antiseptic when Robert begins to clean away the blood and whatever else might have been in there from his days of refusing to tend to his own wounds.]

Two.

[He's been through worse. It's just like a bad rug burn, really.]

And it's Renni.

[Like Sevika said- he won't forget that name ever again now.]

She's dead now.

[It isn't that she didn't deserve it- her involvement in the Shimmer factories and the chembarons probably meant murder was on the table every day of her life. But she wouldn't have been pushed to the limit that caused her to take such big risks, if Jayce hadn't killed her only son.]

Guess that doesn't mean much here, though.

[badlydisarmed]

[ Who the hell is Renni? He doesn't think he's met anyone with that name or heard it before. How long has Jayce been injured? ]

A dead woman came at you with a chainsaw?

[ The helperbot steps closer to hand Robert the items he needs before Robert even asks for them, the hospital's supplies are great, and the numbing agent works quickly, which means that Jayce won't feel anything other than some pressure as Robert starts sewing him up. ]

When did this happen? I thought you'd have at least half a dozen people fussing over you.

[hexcope]

[A scoff and eyeroll combo.]

She wasn't dead when she attacked me.

[Once the numbing agent starts to affect him, he rolls his shoulders and shivers at the strange sensation, then otherwise keeps still for the incoming stitching.]

About a week ago now. People don't really fuss over me.

[badlydisarmed]

Was this some fears are real thing I missed or... ?

[ This is why he keeps saying altruism is bad. This guy's a genius and what does he get for it? Almost cut in half, that's what. ]

If you want a break, the rooms are fancy, the bots deliver food, and we got white noise machines.

[ Bedside manner isn't his forte and he tries very hard not to care. But Jayce is somewhere in the friend category and the guy clearly needs looking after.

Once he's done closing the stitches that needed a redo, he trails down to make sure the rest of them are holding. ]

You're a hundred percent human, right? I'm giving you antibiotics.

[hexcope]

["Fears are real" thing? Oh.]

No. I was sent back home. And thanks for the offer, but I don’t really have time for breaks right now.

[Maybe some day he’d be able to take advantage of just hiding out in a room somewhere and not telling anyone where he is, but not when there’s so much he needs to do. He needs to make Caitlyn’s weapon, Vander’s shield, find a cure for Viktor, and of course, Robert’s arm 2.0, along with a handful of other projects he’s promised people.

Whatever Robert’s checking him over for, Jayce still doesn't feel any of it, thanks to the anesthetic. His mind wanders for a few more seconds, before he finally snaps back to full attention at the question.]

Fully human. Antibiotics would be great. Oh, I should ask. Do you also have something for-

[How to describe it...]

When you get a headache and lightheaded at the same time?

[badlydisarmed]

Have you tried sleeping?

[ He knows workaholics, he's been one. Jayce will work himself raw until his body gives up and forces him to rest, and then he'll start over. ]

How's your diet?

[ Is anyone bringing this guy a sandwich every so often? He hopes so. He's not even sure of where Jayce lives. ]

[hexcope]

I'm getting sleep.

[Now is the word that goes unsaid, because there's still telltale signs of bags under his eyes from his more recent bouts of staying up for days.]

And I eat something with protein, carbs, and fiber at least twice a day. Sandwich, salad, or steak.

[badlydisarmed]

[ Robert's bandaging him up, so he'll know if Jayce seems underweight. ]

Getting enough sunlight?

[ He could run tests, but he doesn't know Jayce that well; he's not sure if the guy would get spooked if he felt fussed over. ]

[hexcope]

[Not underweight. Yet. He's actually in really good shape for someone as nerdy as he is, what with the crazy amount of muscle tone and actual six-pack abs.]

Probably not. I spend most of my time in dark rooms.

[If that's all he needs, a little more outside time, then he can do that.]

[badlydisarmed]

[ Despite recent developments that have been reconsidering his entire sexuality, Robert's still great at not finding his patients hot, at least while he's treating them. He can't deny Jayce looks like he hits the gym regularly though, even though he doesn't think he possibly can be, given how he seems to be working all the time. ]

Getting a few minutes of sunlight every day is good for you. When are you getting the dizzy spells?

[ When was the last time he had to diagnose anything? In Solmara it was easy because the problem was always obvious. Like "patient is bleeding from a bullet wound. It is possible they were shot at with a gun." ]

[hexcope]

Once a week? Sometimes with cold chills. I don't feel sick otherwise.

[With half a shrug, he looks back over at Robert.]

How much longer do you think I'll need stitches? I have some forge work I need to do and that's how these reopened last time.

[badlydisarmed]

How long do you think you can stay out of the forge work?

[ Why bother giving him an estimate he won't follow? Better to know what he wants and see if they can accommodate that. ]

[hexcope]

Before everyone goes to Solmara? Not possible. I have things I need to make in preparation.

Afterward, however long camp takes?

[badlydisarmed]

Try not to strain the stitches then. I'll redo them if you blow them again, and the antibiotics should keep infection at bay.

Maybe the stupid camp will give it enough time to heal.

[hexcope]

[He will, in fact, be straining the stitches again, and need them redone before camp. Sorry Robert. He doesn't know when to stop.

With the medical work seeming to be done, Jayce reaches for his shirt to start putting it back on.]

What, not looking forward to camp activities? Maybe there's still some Solmara openings for you, instead.

[badlydisarmed]

I signed up while begging loudly not to be picked.

[ He's stressed about it, though. It's a lose-lose situation for him, either he's picked and gets to go back and enjoy the PTSD, or he's not and he gets to stay behind and wonder how terribly things are going for whoever ends up chosen. ]

It's gonna be torture for me either way.

[ He walks over to a shelf to get the antibiotics. ]

Twice a day, twelve hours between doses, seven days. If you feel sick at any point, tell me immediately, especially if you think it's nothing and it'll wear off soon.

[hexcope]

I know. I keep telling myself we just have to have faith in them. I can't speak for everyone who signed up, but they ones I know, they've got strong wills, and the skills needed to get the job done. Worrying isn't solving any problems, but I've already had two nightmares about it.

[And he wasn't even someone who came from there, but it's in part the unknown that's making it more terrifying. That, combined with his stress from other aspects of his life just cumulatively adding up.]

Thanks.

And before I go, quick question: thoughts on nanomachines?

[badlydisarmed]

[ "That's because you're an empathetic person" he doesn't say. Robert isn't, really, he doesn't feel other people's pain, doesn't really think about how hard it must be for them. Altruistic people are simply a different species.

He'd offered to go because he figured he had to; he knows the place, he knows Alrys, he could, maybe, be useful. But as soon as the superheroes started raising their hands he figured he'd be on the clear. ]

I'm gonna need you to elaborate on that. Please, I'm barely out of the stone age when it comes to tech.

[ He knows what they are in theory, he has computers and chips and there's ideas about putting machines in people's brains so they can control things wirelessly, but that's still science fiction for him. ]

[hexcope]

Don't get me wrong, I had never heard of them either before coming here. But I've been looking into them- computer programming, nanotech, artificial intelligence- it makes sense to learn about it, given that there's so much information around on it here.

[No, this is definitely just a him thing. If there's something new around he doesn't understand, he's never shied away from trying to learn it.]

I'm thinking for your arm, the new one. If we want real, lifelike movements with as little input lag as possible...

[Jayce finishes buttoning up his shirt, and faces Robert directly, no longer looking over his shoulder for half the conversation.]

Nanotech's the way to go. We teach them how to read brain impulses, put them in the right parts of the brain to intercept and repeat those signals, which they send to the mechanical arm, and there we'd have it! It'd be like having your real arm again.

[Jayce is used to making concept pitches. He's used to making them for even stranger concepts, and selling it well.

But maybe it's because he's tired, maybe it's because his hair isn't perfectly coiffed, and his eyes are just a little wider than they'd be if he was feeling more comfortable in his own skin, but there's a string of anxiety running through him when he makes the argument. Like he knows Robert's going to shut it down. So before he does, Jayce interjects again before Robert can even respond:]

We'd do extensive testing of course, before it ever came to you.

[badlydisarmed]

[ Robert is going to shut it down. He wants to the second Jayce starts speaking, but he decides to hear him out, be open-minded about it. He really really would love a working arm. And if anyone's going to build one for him, it'll be Jayce.

Smartest guy he's ever met, if he were meaner Robert would probably have a crush on him. ]

Can you build-in a kill switch on any machines that go inside me?

[ If those things start malfunctioning he doesn't want them frying his brain. ]

[hexcope]

I'm sure we can do that. But that would mean making it so we can send that signal to them ourselves. I'll need to consider some failsafes that can't be touched by malicious intent. Maybe this is where AI can come in...

[That sounds more like train of thought than actual proposition, though.]