wish we could turn back time to the good old days [ CLOSED ]

[cryptologic]

Who: Dipper & various hospital visitors, fellow jungle boogiers, and probably some sailor senshi
When: IC 4/7 and onwards
Where: The hospital, maybe other various locations
What: After his fun jungle adventure sends him to the hospital, Dipper has visitors to see him, apologies to make, and a new place to crash for a few days.
Rating/Warning: Mentions of death and gore



[ It's only after two and a half days of solid sleep in the hospital that Dipper finally wakes up, a throbbing haze lingering on his mind as the heavy memory of why he was here settles upon him. In the jungle, he'd been the last one lured by the hallucinations in the trees to a monster lying in wait. He'd been the first to fall in the ensuing fight. And it wasn't even the monster that got him. Wasn't that ironic?

Everything had fallen apart because of him, and of the injured, he was the only one who wasn't hurt by the monster. Go figure.

It takes Dipper several hours and an essential conversation with Yu before he's really ready to see anyone else. He's exhausted, mentally and physically, but he sets aside the gnawing desire for more sleep in favor of what he knows he has to do. He has to apologize, and for those visitors who weren't on the ill-fated jungle expedition, he needs to be okay. Or try to be, anyway. No one else needs to worry about him. No one else needs these circumstances to weigh on their mind. He created this, so he'd take on as much of it as he can.

Visitors will find him with his right arm in a sling, bandages just peeking out of the collar of his hospital gown. His trademark hat sits next to him on the nightstand, and beneath it lies the journal. Reflexively, he wants to tuck it away and hide its knowledge, but what was the point? What good was it doing him here? When he'd needed it most, it had been completely useless. So he leaves it set aside.

After a few days in the hospital, Dipper is finally dispatched. Before he goes anywhere else, however, he pulls out his CereVice. To the members of expedition team he hadn't seen at the hospital - Dipper couldn't blame them at all for not coming to see him - he sends our a short message that for all its simplicity takes him several minutes to send. ]

I need to talk to you in person.

[ And that's it. ]

Comments

The Sailor Senshi Place.

[faithfulflame]

[Heading to the hospital had been hard, trying even, and Rei hadn't really wanted to push Dipper too hard for information. She was more concerned about checking up on him, making sure he was alright, and getting his mental state more or less in order. Or rather, more in order than it was when she first saw him.

Hence the invitation to stay with her and her friends for a few days. It might be good to keep him from being alone with his thoughts, and Lacus the Panda CYBuddy and the two birds would be around even if the girls themselves weren't. It seemed solid, and when he agreed she'd whisked him by his place for clothes and then bundled him off to her apartment.

Sliding the door open, she drops a spare key into his hand and gestures to the rather simple looking place. Four bedroom doors, a balcony door, an open kitchen, and various home-y seeming bits of furniture like couches and chairs covered in thick quilts dot the spacious home.]

Here we are, Dipper-kun. My home is your home, for as long as you need.

[Stepping inside, she waves him in with a warm, welcoming smile.]

It's not much, but I hope it suits you.

[cryptologic]

[ His stay in the hospital had given Dipper time to recover, both from the worst of his injury and the worst of his guilt. That wasn't to say he's in top form now - not in the slightest. The thought of going back to his empty, Mabel-less apartment after everything that had happened was more than a little distressing. So as reluctant as he usually was to lean on the charity of others, Rei's invitation to stay with her and her friends was only too welcome.

He walks through the doorway, a backpack with his personal effects slung over his good shoulder - the other arm still rests in a sling. He pockets the key she gave him, taking in the sight of a warm, lived-in space. Yes, this would be much better. Even he realizes that. ]

It's great. [ And more than he deserves, but he had been too selfish to turn it down. Oh well. ] I really appreciate this, Rei.

[ Look at that, a smile! And one mostly genuine, too. ]

[allergictoloveletters]

Welcome home, Rei, and hello Dipper-san.

[Ami greeted, offering a gentle smile as she saw the younger boy. Rei had told her about the situation and Ami was happy to agree. She had already created a diet regiment for him to help him regain his strength and energy that would be easy on his stomach as well. She had cleaned up the extra-bedroom, making sure the bed sheets and pillow cases were washed as well as ensuring that she had bandages and other medical supplies on hand.

She had even gone shopping for some snack foods since they were running low on those as well.]

If you are hungry, we can have some miso soup ready quickly enough.

[cryptologic]

Hey, Ami. [ He keeps that forlorn smile on for a moment longer before it falters. It's been a long day after a series of long days, though he can't deny that it's a complete relief to finally be out of that hospital room. ]

You don't have to - [ Well. Except the whole pretense for him being here was to let someone else take care of him for a little while. It's a little hard to swallow his pride - or what's left of it, anyway - but he nods. ] Actually? That'd be great. I'm starving. Hospital food is...you know.

[ It's not the best. ]

4/7, hospital

[zerotohiro]

[He'd been by already to see Yu. And he'd already spoke with Minato so that put him at ease, too, but something didn't sit right with him. He couldn't go home and prepare for the next day without going back and at least checking in on Dipper again to see if any progress had been made and if the other guy was awake.

He's still Baymax-less when he enters the hospital the second time but his sweater is zipped up and his hood's pulled over his head as he slips into the room. He's grateful that both Yu and Yosuke seem to be doing okay and he side-steps the pair of them to head toward Dipper's bed...

...where he's sitting up and awake. He lets out a breath he hadn't realized he was holding and he forces a grin on his face even if his eyes immediately zone in on the arm and the bandages. Still, he does as he did with Yu and he grabs a chair to pull up to the bedside, elbows leaning on his knees and chin cupped by his palm.]

This place kinda sucks, doesn't it? [Because asking "how are you" seems pointless when you're in a hospital. Hi, Dipper.]

[cryptologic]

[ Honestly, it's a relief to see Hiro safe and sound himself. After he'd gone down, Dipper's memories of what had happened were little more than a painful blur up until he'd blacked out completely, and while he hadn't heard anything about his friend getting hurt, Dipper needed to actually see him to be sure.

That's what makes Hiro's question easier to answer. That, and the fact that he's not asking "how are you" right off the bat. The answer to that was evident. ]

Yeeeaaaah, to say the least. You'd think with all their fancy tech they could figure out a way to get out that "hospital room" smell.

[ For the first time maybe ever, Dipper actually finds the small talk easier than what's really on his mind. ]

[zerotohiro]

Yeah but if they did that it wouldn't be nearly as authentic. How would you know you're in a hospital without that hospital smell? [There's an over-exaggerated shrug.] Hopefully there's jello though. That's the only good part about this place.

[He doesn't mind small talk. He's definitely not going to be the one to push Dipper into talking about stuff he's not ready to talk about, but he's also not quite ready to leave until he knows Dipper's going to be okay and until Dipper understands Hiro's here if he does want to talk.] The good news is you'll be out of here soon. ["Right?"]

[bropane]

[ as much as tadashi wanted to visit dipper at the hospital, he had just been so busy in his own work that he had completely forgotten about it. (sorry, dipper.) so when he receives the text, he immediately feels bad for not having visited, but it's good to hear from the kid again. ]

Where are you?

[cryptologic]

I'm heading to Rei Hino's apartment, but I can meet you someplace else.

[ That might be better, honestly. Rei had really gone above and beyond inviting Dipper to stay with her and her friends while he recovered, and he didn't want to make things awkward for them by using their home to have the conversation he needed to have, here. ]

[bropane]

[ yeah... going to the sailor senshi house seems a bit intrusive, especially when his main reason for going there is dipper and not any of the three magical girls. ]

I can pick you up and we can head over to my place. Is that okay?

[72hr]

[It's been a few days since he awoke back in Cerealia, and Link has kept to himself. Aside from meeting Minato when he returned and speaking to Yu and Yosuke, Link hasn't tried to talk to anyone else who'd gone to the jungle with them. The thought is just so shameful. Embarrassing. He knows he's messed up, in more ways than one, and he can't stand the undeserved outpouring of sympathy just because he's the one who died. "Got himself killed" is more apt.

But when he receives Dipper's message, it actually gives him pause. Dipper? Link liked him, had felt like they could relate, and maybe that Link could have a friend after a long time of having nobody. But they didn't exactly know each other well, and after this...

It's a while before he sends a message back.]

Heard you're doing better. I'm really sorry I haven't visited.

[cryptologic]

[ Link's sorry he hasn't visited. It's almost funny, except for the part where it's everything is completely horrible. ]

It's okay. Really. Can I meet you somewhere? If you're up for it.

[ Minato had seemed after dying and Dipper had been reassured that's how it was for everyone, but still. That was only physically. ]

[72hr]

Sure. There's a cafe I like to stop at for milk, if you want to meet there. I could use a glass.

[A huge, cold glass, and then another one. Maybe he'll pass out in his seat like ol' Ingo, trying to drown his problems.

He texts Dipper the location and gets dressed. Fifteen minutes later, he's sitting at a table in the cafe with a large milk in front of him. The employees didn't give him a weird look today when he asked for straight milk instead of coffee - maybe they're getting used to him as a new weird but harmless customer, or maybe they sensed his low mood. Either way, they're sure to have noticed that he isn't carrying his sword and shield today.

Link looks up every time the door opens, and when he finally sees Dipper, he waves his hand to get his attention.]

[cresthopes]

[Meanwhile, after Takeru heard about what happened? Let's just say that the boy wasn't all that happy to hear about the little 'accident'. Without any further delay, he quickly rushed over to the hospital as fast as he could! (Well, maybe not quite as fast since he had to get something to cheer the boy up! But still...!)

But as soon as he got there though? Dipper will see the boy had clearly been running just to get a chance to see his friend! And what he saw though?]

D-D...Dipper-san...! Are you... [Okay, he obviously wasn't fine. He needed to think of something else to say to him!] ...Do you need any help with anything?

[cryptologic]

[ Dipper hears the tell-tale sound of footsteps coming towards the room, and he tries, in that moment, to bolster himself against the oncoming apology he'll have to give - because he expects it to be someone from the expedition. So Dipper is more than a little surprised to see Takeru coming through the doorway.

Surprised and...relieved. After the emotional onslaught he's been going through, it's nice to see a friendly face that he wasn't personally responsible for almost getting killed. Or, in some cases, actually getting killed. ]

Hey, Takeru. I'm, um - well? I've had better days. [ He attempts a weak smile. Takeru doesn't need to freak out any more than he already is. ]

[cresthopes]

[As Takeru tried to catch his breath, he quickly walked over to his friends with a bunch of flowers in his hand. That was what you were suppose to give to someone whenever they were in a hospital right? Of course, he didn't know a lot about what happened.

Just that a couple of his friends got hurt.

...Man, a lot of his friends are getting hurt a lot lately haven't they?]

Are you sure? I mean, you're hurt aren't you? And your arm too! Whatever happened, it must have been really bad!

[flaredo]

[ Of course she's going to visit. Luckily, her boyfriend's got some pretty handy healing powers, so after some attention and plenty of rest to recuperate, Yang's making her appearance at the hospital. Her arm's all healed, and enough sleep and food has helped with the bloodloss issue-- so honestly, she looks better than most people might have expected at this juncture. ]

Hey, you.

[ Let's start off simply. ]

[cryptologic]

[ Yang certainly is looking better than Dipper was expecting. He'd been a little...preoccupied when she'd gotten hurt, so he didn't know the specifics on her injury - just that it had happened, and that it was, once again, thanks in no small part to him. After seeing the state of Yu, he would have expected Yang to be in similar disrepair.

So relief floods him when he sees her in one piece and looking fit as a fiddle. It's a better start than some of these meetings had had. ]

...Hey. Uh - you're looking well. [ A beat. ] But how are you?

[flaredo]

A lot less ouch, that's for sure. But I've been wondering how you were.

[ Maybe she should have brought Naoki, let him work his healing magic here... she still remembers Dipper going down, Yu desperately trying to shield him. ]

Take Two...

[bewrightback]

[Phoenix had been worried ever since he caught wind of the kid's hospital stay and did what he could to keep tabs on him. So once he heard that Dipper was taking visitors, the older man was on his way to visit with a small box of goodies in hand.

And so at some point in the day, Phoenix raps on the door to Dipper's room.]

Hello, Dipper? Can I come in?

my license to gagtag has been revoked.

[cryptologic]

[ When Dipper had started accepting visitors, he'd thought he might get a few of the jungle crew to see him, if only because he owed them an explanation, and he was sharing a room with Yu. He hadn't expected anyone else to go out of their way to come see him, and so when he hears Phoenix outside the door, he's more surprised than anything else. ]

Yeah, uh - come on in. [ He can only begin to guess why Phoenix is here, though. ]

You could have had it all

[bewrightback]

[This is no guessing game!!

Phoenix comes in with a somber look on his face and looks over the boy's condition as he opens.]

Hey there.

How are you holding up?

hospital

[braavado]

[Once she's checked on Yu, Korra finds herself wandering over to check on Dipper. Though she's happy to see him awake, the sight of him in such bad shape, dampens some of that joy.

She raps on his door, leaning against the frame with a sad smile.]

Hey, you. Think you're in the mood for visitors?

[cryptologic]

[ He jumps a little at the sound of her knock, not quite expecting many visitors. And especially not ones that hadn't been in the jungle with him. At least he owed the others an explanation, so they might come to see him for that. But he's entirely surprised to see Korra in the doorway.

Surprised, but relieved. She's someone he doesn't have to apologize to. He's so tired of apologizing. ]

Hey. Yeah, you can come in. [ A soft smile. ]

[braavado]

[Invitation accepted! Korra abandons her post by the door for a new one by his bed once she's dragged a chair over.]

Didn't know you were here until earlier--passed right by your room when I was helping out in this part of the hospital. I think you were still asleep then, though.

[The way she watches him and tilts her head to the side slightly asks silently "What happened?" though she doesn't voice it in case he's not feeling like having that talk. He did just wake up, after all, and Korra's curiosity isn't more important than a friend's comfort.]