xp_logs | Angelo and Nathan, Tuesday evening... (Reply)

There was a couch--a padded bench, really, in the hallway next to the stairs leading to the upper levels. Perfect place to stop and catch his breath for a few minutes, Nathan thought and managed to sit down rather than collapse. He leaned back against the wall, closing his eyes for a moment and breathing deeply. Once he got back upstairs, he would take Moira's advice and try to sleep. Taking dinner down to her had sapped the last of his energy.

And that was where Angelo found him, on his way back to his room for lights out. He paused, spotting the figure slumped on the bench and remembering things he'd heard about sudden collapses, and asked tentatively, "Are you okay?"

Nathan opened his eyes, shrugging. "Just catching my breath," he said heavily, noting that it was the kid from the medlab. "You look a little better than you did the last time I saw you."

Angelo nodded, relaxing. "Yeah. Feelin' a little better, too."

"Glad to hear it," Nathan said, rubbing briefly at his eyes. "Enjoy being young while you can, Angelo. Takes us old people noticeably longer to heal up."

Angelo chuckled. "Understood. You okay?" he asked again.

"Just tired," Nathan said, forcing himself to straighten so that his body language would look a little more convincing. "Took Moira down some dinner. I'll head back upstairs eventually."

Angelo nodded, then asked, "So, how've you been?"

"Can't complain." Nathan stopped, snorting. "Well, actually I can, but you don't particularly want to hear it."

Angelo shrugged, wandering over to settle down on the stairs. "I'll listen if you'll talk, man."

Nathan shrugged again. "Not much to tell," he said. He certainly wasn't going to get into the situation with the de la Rocha kid. "My precognition is still trying to fry my brain. Moira's still poring over the test results. Nothing much to do but wait."

Angelo shrugged, not sure what to say to that. "Any progress on that yet?"

"Don't I wish," Nathan said with a dry laugh. "How about you? Physical stuff's healing up, obviously. Any more problems in town?"

"Nah", Angelo answered lightly. "'Course, I haven't actually been to town since it happened, so I guess there wouldn't've been..."

"Mmm," Nathan said, wondering just how often these kids did get out of here. He was going stir-crazy after a week; he couldn't imagine that the teenagers, especially, would tolerate being restricted to the grounds well for very long. "Still think the group idea's probably a good one. Hell, if I was a little steadier on my feet these days I'd offer my services as a chaperone."

Angelo nodded. "Well, we're probably okay for now. When you're feelin' better, though, I'm sure they'd appreciate it."

Nathan smiled slightly, a little amazed at himself for having made the offer. "I've never liked bullies," he said seriously.

Angelo nodded, understanding. "Yeah. Can't say I like 'em too much myself", he drawled lightly.