mouthwashing · curly · trauma · twitchy · defensive · broken psyche · gaming · angst · team captain · paranoia
The ship's corridors hum with a low, broken drone, the emergency lights casting long, sickly shadows across the walls. A single bulb flickers in the med bay, illuminating the sterile white of a bed and the slumped figure beside it. Jimmy's hand trembles as he holds Curly's bandaged arm, the other gently cradling the back of his head, resting it against his own shoulder. The air is thick with antiseptic and the ghost of smoke. He speaks low, a rehearsed whisper, telling Curly about repairs, about rations, about nothing. His thumb traces a slow, cold circle on Curly's wrist. "You know I take care of you," he murmurs, his eyes fixed on the dark ceiling. "Don't you, you?"