OOM: The Healer

[iprotectyou]

The raiders came with a small army. Baze wasn't quite sure what had happened until it was over. A visiting Jedi, Taza Madowki, fought for the Guardians, lightsaber flashing. Baze fought for the kyber, staff swinging. Chirrut fought for...

Oh, Force. Chirrut. Chirrut was injured.

Now, Baze is curled up next to his prone friend on the stones of the courtyard, trembling. Baze shouts at him, pleading, and Chirrut struggles to keep his eyes open, to keep his grip tight on the larger man's hand. The smaller man coughs up more blood.

The Jedi touches Baze on a cold shoulder, and he barely even feels it. He glances up at her, only to see her pink lips moving, but hears no words. She moves to Chirrut next.

Comments

[idontneedluck]

Chirrut chews contemplatively, and then spends more time inhaling the green and growing scent of his favorite tea.

"As the Force wills, of course." Chirrut replies, as he leans against his friend. "But I think so. I will be better when she leaves."

Then, at least, maybe the flow of the Force might go back to normal again.

[iprotectyou]

That sedative really did a number on Chirrut, Baze thinks. He might have to encourage Farki to treat his friend more often. The larger Guardian loops an arm around the smaller one, picking up the neglected cup of tea.

"Good," Baze murmurs, taking a gulp of the sapir. "Good. The Force is with me, and I am with the Force. And I fear nothing, because all is as the Force wills it."

He leans back, taking as much comfort as he gives. "She will leave soon. She's already annoyed with being stuck planetside as long as she has been."

[idontneedluck]

"Good." There's a vicious note in his tone, an anger the sedative does nothing about. If he wasn't as eager to have her gone as she is to leave, he'd happily lobby that the Jedi stay on NiJedha forever. "I hope she's having a miserable time."

The Jedi was right, all those years ago. He would have made a terrible Jedi.

[iprotectyou]

Baze chuckles, offering his friend a squeeze.

"Never change, Chirrut," the larger Guardian says, indulging in his tea again. He makes a mental note not to refill his own cup, to leave the rest of the pot for Chirrut. Sapir is his favorite tea, and Baze is loathe to drink it all. "I'm now convinced that you'll be okay. Good. Eat some more klee-klee nuts and drink your tea, and then I'll give you a rub and you can sleep."

[idontneedluck]

Chirrut huffs at him, in between sips of tea.

"You don't need to take your orders so literally, I'm drugged, not... well. Perhaps a bit." He allows, because he knows he won't be able to fool Baze at close range. "I just want everything to return to normal. I haven't been able to meditate properly with her here."

He doesn't know if her presence is ruining things. He hopes that's all it is.

He fears it isn't.

[iprotectyou]

Baze laces the fingers of his free hand in Chirrut's own.

"I understand," the larger Guardian says gently, offering his smaller friend a squeeze.

"I'm sorry she's such a distraction. Is there anything I can do to help? What do you need?"

[idontneedluck]

Chirrut is quiet for a long spell again, contemplatively draining his teacup, sip by sip.

"I don't know." He finally admits. There's fear there. Fear he wants to release to the Force, but every time he turns to it he finds her influence, subtle and twining and repulsive. "But I will ask, when I do."

[iprotectyou]

Chirrut needs a good cleansing cry, in Baze's opinion. But the smaller man is not one given to tears, and the larger one knows it. He stands, and crosses to the nightstand to retrieve the pot of sapir. After returning to Chirrut's side, Baze refills his friend's cup.

"Do let me know," Baze says softly, sighing through his nose. He sets the pot of tea on the floor. "I'm here for you. I'm not going anywhere. We'll see this through, and things will improve. You'll see."

[idontneedluck]

Chirrut's chirpy 'oh, I will? That's new.' earns him a grumble, his newly poured cup of tea the only thing saving him from a trouncing. He's glad he managed it, if only to reassure Baze he's not going to let this Jedi ass ruin him.

Even the biggest pot of tea won't last forever, and eventually there are no more refills. By then he's decidedly exhausted, his brain swooping between thoughts, his body sagging more heavily against Baze's with each passing minute. With extreme care, he places his mug on the ground before it can slip through his fingers.

It's a near thing.

[iprotectyou]

Baze kicks himself for using sighted language again. He knows better. Still, it's reassuring to know that Chirrut's up to joking, despite feeling awful.

The larger Guardian knows the smaller one will object if he tries to carry him to bed. So Baze merely stands his friend up, supporting him around the shoulders, and helps him stagger over to the mattress ensconced in a wood frame.

Baze thinks Chirrut is out by the time his cheek hits the pillow, but no, he's still holding on. So the larger Jedhan starts working on his neck, dragging his thumbs down the corded muscles and traveling down to his back.

[idontneedluck]

Chirrut doesn't hang on for long - Baze has strong hands, and the massage is so soothing. He is contemplating telling Baze so when his thoughts spiral away into dreams. His breathing evens out, and he lays sprawled and trusting on the bed.

Not long after that, there's a knock on the door.

"Guardian Malbus? Imwe? Are you decent in there? Well, even if you're not, I'm coming in." Farki calls through the door before cracking it open and leaning inside. "Anyone dead in here?"

[iprotectyou]

"Ssh," Baze whispers, holding a finger to his lips. He stands from his lean over Chirrut's prone body, Baze's free hand hovering over his friend's back.

"He's finally asleep. He fought that sedative for a long time, but it finally worked. Thanks for that, by the way--we should totally do that again."

[idontneedluck]

Farki frowns at Baze for a long moment, as if having difficulty parsing the sentence.

Then Baze is treated to a muttered treatise in the wide variety of Jedhan swear words as she barrels into the room, neatly side-steps Baze, and removes the sedative patch with an almost vicious tug. Then she checks Chirrut over quickly before rounding on Baze again.

"Outside. Now." She growls, teeth bared, pointing sternly towards the door.

[iprotectyou]

What?

What?

Baze is thoroughly confused. He follows her instructions, reluctantly turning his back on her to tromp out the door into the hall. Once there, he whirls, glancing at Chirrut over her shoulder through the open doorway.

"What's wrong?" Baze says, his tone bordering on curt, alarm coloring his words. He narrows his eyes. "What did we do?"

The "we" might refer to him and Chirrut, or it might refer to Baze and Farki. It could refer to all three of them, as well, but more likely the first: him and Chirrut.

[idontneedluck]

Farki pulls the door mostly closed before waving the patch in Baze's face.

"This! It was to keep him calm during the inquest, not something he needs constantly! I hope you don't have plans, he's going to be dopey for days. And that is now your problem, Malbus. I swear, I can't leave you two alone for an hour..." She complains, tucking the patch back in her bag and scowling at him. "He's still seeing me tomorrow, have fun with that."

[iprotectyou]

Baze... is flummoxed. "Days?" he says, his jaw dropping. "Shavit. Shavit! I should have... I should have known. I should have done something! I should have taken it off!"

Baze digs the heels of his hands into his eyes, where tears are starting to sting. "Farki, I'm sorry. Days, though? Is there anything we can do? Shavit!"

[idontneedluck]

Farki sighs, knowing that somehow this will get back to her supervisor and she'll have yet another discussion about bedside manner to face.

Joy.

"Yes, you can put up with his sleepy, clingy self for the next few days and spare the rest of us. I'll make sure his training schedule is cleared - Master Sheotar is unlikely to rule that he be given bacta when rest will take care of it." She explains, careful to not sound particularly concerned about the whole matter. That helps, right?

Force, she's so bad at this 'soothing' thing.

[iprotectyou]

Baze wrings his hands. He's tempted to hop from foot to foot, but manages to draw a few breaths, instead.

"Thank you," he says, glancing at the partially shut door. "I should have known better. I will for next time. If there is a next time. I appreciate your help, Farki."

[idontneedluck]

"Stay out of trouble, Malbus." She warns, "And try to keep him out of it too." The Force had better be with the poor man, she decides, or that task will be impossible. She hefts her pack on her shoulder, and heads off. She has too much to do to watch over only one pair of Guardians.

[iprotectyou]

"We will!" Baze calls after her retreating form. He frets for a few minutes more, drawing more breaths through his nose. Then he enters the room.

Chirrut looks so peaceful, zonked out on the bed. Baze vows to take care of him, whatever he needs. The larger Guardian cleans up the tea tray and cups, leaving the klee-klee nuts on the nightstand. He returns to the room from the kitchens and settles on his bed, trying to meditate. Chirrut has always been better at meditation than Baze; he needs to be moving or doing something with his hands to truly concentrate. But he tries, giving his grief and fear and worries over to the Force.

He'll meditate until Chirrut wakes up... Or until he falls asleep himself.