[i][b]A collab by Sundered Echo and Fallenreaper[/b][/i]

When Serena, Dex, and Iosif had dropped off Vellios, with Sarah left behind to run scans. Her blue lights rotated from his crest to his toes, his figure slumbering across the medical bed during the examine. Sarah discovered numerous wounds from fractures on his arm, ribs, and several bruises across his surface but none were life threatening. They caused incredible pain when he finally woke up. 

Vellios’ eyes edged open, blinking against the harsh light beating down from above him. His talon raised to instinctively shield his eyes only to flood with fresh hurt drawing a sharp inhale and a hiss from him. His carapace was slightly dark grey in appearance thanks to the paleness in his appearance. Sheets were pooled at his waist, through his clothes hadn’t been touched, as he leaned over to the side. Thankfully his stomach was empty or the floor would’ve been covered in acid. Gingerly, his head looked about and drew a conclusion to his whereabouts: the medical bay. Carefully he rose upright in his bed, cradling his arm as he twisted his body to prepare to stand upright. Deep down he knew it was a shitty decision but today was full of those, so one more wouldn’t make a lick of difference.    

He touched the floor with his foot and been about to apply more pressure when the sounds of the door caused him to jerk back into his laying position. When his mandibles smirked upon seeing Kasyra gliding into the room, he was reminding they no longer had any medical personnel on board after Alex had left and the Quarian was the closest any of the dextrose had to one. He couldn’t say it was all bad being injured now.  

[color=darkviolet]“What do you think you’re doing?”[/color] Kasyra said angrily as she saw the Turian trying to get up. She’d scarcely had time to set up her food purifier when the injured Vellios had returned. She then had to search through the as yet unsorted medicines and find some tools before she could tend to him. Now she had finally come back to the medical bay and he seemed like he thought he could leave already.

[color=darkviolet]“Dont stand up. If you fall on the ground i’m going to leave you there.”[/color] She might technically be the medic, but she had no desire to be, and it showed in her bedside manner.

[color=rosybrown] “I was trying to test my ability to stand and evaluate how bad my injuries were. Honestly, I wasn’t expecting your sweet ass to walk in and play doctor.”[/color] There was a hint of teasing in Vellios’ serious comment, seeming to overlook her irritated tone, as he paused in his attempt to stand. His eyes studied the Quarian’s figure, absorbing the image before he carefully readjusted back onto the bed. He had little doubt she would’ve looked him over on the floor and walked out, something he wasn’t about to allow since getting back up was a pain in the ass. 

[color=rosybrown] “I suppose you’ve done several times?”[/color]   

[color=darkviolet]“My preferred treatment method is not getting injured in the first place, but yes. I have, from time to time, fixed up Turians and Batarians. Even a Human once. They’re very strange on the inside.”[/color]

[color=rosybrown] “Sadly, the Krogan had other ideas and I had to get my armor repaired somehow. However, I can tell you right now and with certainty that Krogans aren’t any better. Those redundant systems are very much like thick, gooey webbing on their muscles. Any slices have to be very deep and right across.”[/color] Vellios commented, seeming not disturbed by Kasyra’s reveal. 

[color=darkviolet]“Take your shirt off.”[/color] She stated matter of factly, picking up a scanning tool and plugging it into her omni-tool. [color=darkviolet]“I’ve always found that Krogans don’t much like it when you put a blade through their joints. Particularly a supercooled one. Then while they’re crippled, fill them with disruptor ammo. Not the quickest kill, but satisfying.”[/color]

Vellios smirked at the conversation as he heard her make an order, his talons reached to pull off his velcro like fastener and casually pull his arms through his sleeves. [color=rosybrown] “There’s no such thing as a fast way to kill a Krogan. I’ve tried, and failed to find one. You can only limit the damage you get and increase the damage you can deliver.”[/color] 

The turian stated, then tossed his crumpled shirt to the end of the bed. [color=rosybrown] “Personally, I tend to overload their redundancy systems which slows them down and makes it easier to get up close and personal. Then I cut off their head plate. Granted, this usually is the result and the prime reason I don’t often tangle with Krogans.”[/color]   

Kasyra ran the scanner wand up and down Vellios’ body, observing the feedback on her omni-tool. She was silent for a moment as she noted the extent of the damage. Mostly it was bone damage and bruising. [color=darkviolet]“You’re lucky nothing important was damaged.  But you’re not going to be doing anything physical for a while.”[/color] She said authoritatively.

[color=darkviolet]“Your ribs are a mess and your arm is broken. You’ll be getting a chest brace and your arm is going in a splint. Then I’ll clean up some of the worse cuts.”[/color] She spoke with a deadly serious tone, though she was mostly giving him the bulky chest brace because she thought it’d be funny to see him in it. She did realise though, that if she didn’t he’d likely not obey the rest period she was about to instate on him and exacerbate his injuries. She immediately went to start having the various structural supports fabricated by the meagre medical facilities they had on hand.

[color=rosybrown] “Is that really needed? It’s not exactly my first time having my bones broken and I’m still alive today. After all, taking on a Krogan tends to make it hard to stay intact so if I let every broken bone stop me, I likely wouldn’t be the survivor I am today.” [/color] Vellios smiled as he tried not to winch on the movement, his head following her path to the fabricator. Part of him was tempted to dip into his ‘medication’ despite the Quarian tending to his wounds, merely to taper off the injuries’ pain level. However there was two issues: his meds were back in his room and he had a limited supply before he got them replenished, which reminded him to ask Serena to collect his winnings and do that.  

[color=darkviolet]“Yes.”[/color] Kasyra said sharply. [color=darkviolet]“Because if one of your fractured ribs ends up damaging any internal organs when you exert yourself, you’ll just have to hope there are some charitable doctors in whatever port is closest at the time… Because I’m no surgeon.”[/color] 

[color=rosybrown]“You just need to know a lot about anatomy, something I learned putting myself back together on numerous occasions. As for internal damage, I can do a temporarily patch and usually hope for the best anyway. If I die, I had a good run.”[/color] Vellios stated, shrugging it off as he leaned back into his bio-bed. His unwounded arm pulled up to cushion his head back as he relaxed. [color=rosybrown] “Not sure why you’re worried about it as I thought it never bothered you before. It’s not like we’re lacking muscle around here and that’s primarily what I am. The only one that mourn my death would be Serena.”[/color]   

[color=darkviolet]“Exactly. And as the ships dextro medic, I would never hear the end of it.”[/color] Kasyra joked wryly. [color=darkviolet]“Besides. Good muscle is hard to come by. I’d rather not end up alone on this ship because all the muscle got themselves killed. Someone needs to draw the enemy's fire.”[/color] Her tone was such that it would not be clear if she was joking or not. In truth, she was not sure if she was joking or not.

[color=rosybrown] “Not the first time someone used me as bullet bait, after all. It seems a talent I have. One among many and it’s nice to hear you care in a roundabout way. I admit, I missed you.”[/color] Vellios admitted, his mind reflecting inwardly on the past for a moment then brushed it aside. [color= rosybrown] “Also, do you still remember how to make that dextros roast? The one with the phellix, orin and sagei season?”[/color]  

[color=darkviolet]“Of course I do.”[/color] Kasyra started, taking the cast for his arm and beginning to aggressively fit it. [color=darkviolet]“I even bought the ingredients while you were off getting yourself beaten senseless…”[/color] There was a click as the cast fastened itself around his arm These things were largely very simple to do with modern technology, something Kasyra was thankful for. [color=darkviolet]“And I will happily make some for all the dextro’s on the crew…  If you manage to avoid making your injuries worse before they heal.”[/color]

[color=rosybrown] “I can’t promise that sadly. Luck doesn’t always seem to be on my side and best if I don’t. It’s what you get with me.”[/color] Vellios stated honestly, his tone strained through the pain dancing up his arm. It took a serious amount of effort not to jerk his arm back and make the injury worse, incurring Kasyra’s wrath to follow it. He did drop the smile as it was the most difficult to keep while enduring the hurt. 

[color=darkviolet]“Well, I can't promise any roast then…”[/color] Kasyra finished with the cast and moved onto the chest brace. [color=darkviolet]“Still happy I’m the medic and the cook?”[/color] Sarcasm dripped from her voice. She wasn’t particularly trying to be malicious, she was just a firm believer in keeping the team in fighting condition by any means necessary.

[color=rosybrown] “There’s military rations as I know you’re not going to deny me food period. It would defeat your purpose and only harm the team, which as much as I hate it I have gone a long time without your cooking.”[/color] Vellios pointed out then tried to move his arm, the joint not hinder as it only covered his forearm rather than his whole arm. His other talon tapped it gently while the skin started to itch slightly underneath as on cue from his tampering. [color= rosybrown] “How in hell do aliens tolerate this?!?”[/color] 

[color=darkviolet]“They don’t. They all complain. Every one of them. I usually tell them to try and not break bones…”[/color] She began to affix the chest brace. [color=darkviolet]“This one will be worse, believe me. I can't really relate though. I can't touch my skin outside of a clean room.”[/color]

Vellios shifted his figure to the side, delaying the thing being fixed to his chest as the brush made him flinch. [color=rosybrown] Owww. I prefer to be able to breath rather than struggling, if you don’t mind. So mind if we skip the cast on the chest and trust me not to make it worse? Personally, the arm cast is bad enough.”[/color] 

[color=darkviolet]“You just told me I couldn’t trust you. So the cast is definitely going on. You’re not getting out of it, I’ll zap you if I have to.”[/color] Kasyra expected that in the future he might just decide to tough it out rather than come to her for medical help. But then, it wasn’t her fault if her patients didn’t want to be helped…

[color=rosybrown] “Please? I like breathing and it’s only a few busted ribs, so a wrap will work. Trust me, I’ve had that before and it’s worked out fine.”[/color] Vellios pleaded a little as he looked toward the edge, considering what it would mean if he merely slipped off and ducked behind. Especially if it would be worth the aftermath.  

Kasyra just looked at him sternly for a moment, before stepping forward with the brace.

Vellios sighed, realizing she was going to likely be true to her word as he braced for the cast. [color=rosybrown] “Fine. Keep in mind, it wasn’t my idea to nearly get killed.”[/color] 

A skeptical sounding [color=darkviolet]”Uh-huh”[/color] Was her only reply.

After she put it on, he slouched in the bed then looked at her. His tone was playfully teasing as he commented on the rest, his body still hurting from the cast placement. [color=rosybrown] “Feel better you won, now?”[/color]  

[color=darkviolet]”Yes, I am happy that I have been allowed to properly care for my patient.”[/color] Kasyra stated. [color=darkviolet]”Shall I fix those up?”[/color] She said, pointing at his various cuts. [color=darkviolet]”Or are you eager to escape your tyrannical doctor now?”[/color] She added with a hint of mirth.

[color=rosybrown] “You’re lucky you’re cute. It’s about the only thing going for you at this moment as your bedside manner needs work.”[/color] Vellios stated, trying to fake a pout and avoid looking at the Quarian.  

Kasyra smiled, knowing full well he couldn’t see the expression. Then she turned to take the table with the tools she would need and casually brushed her hand by it, causing some of them to clattering to the floor. [color=darkviolet]”Oh, how clumsy…”[/color] She muttered then bent over to pick them up, deliberately gathering them one at a time.

Naturally, a male impulse overcame him and his eyes wandered to observe her curvy ass. Through the chest cast made it hard to bend at the right angle so he had to improvise, his arm gripping one of the bed’s sides so he tilt his whole body over the bed’s edge. It creaked softly, likely enough for her to hear, while he smirked not caring for the moment if he fell onto the floor. The view would be so worth it.  

Standing and turning back, she didn’t say anything, even though she noticed the glint in Vellios’ eyes. She began suturing up his injuries wordlessly.

[color=rosybrown] “You know, a little chatter isn’t a bad thing. It might distract your patients and help you get done more effective, it’s also considered part of bed manner. What have you been up to since we last saw each other?”[/color] 

Kasyra stopped mid stitch. [color=darkviolet]”No.”[/color] Was all she said. She did not want to think about the past right now. She focused on the stitching, soon it’d be done and she could send this troublesome Turian on his way.

[color=rosybrown] “Then you pick the topic, or I can finish this up. It’s not the first time and at least I’m not left bleeding on a ship’s hull.”[/color] His talons’ gently took the stitches from her hands, allowing her to escape. He knew he had hit a nerve with his last comment but he wasn’t fully aware of when or where, the reason eluded him. In this moment, his instincts stated it was best left alone for the present. 

[color=darkviolet]”Very well.”[/color] She said, letting him take the tools from her. [color=darkviolet]”I’ll check in on you in a few days, and put those back when you’re finished”[/color] She turned to leave then. He’d no doubt be stuck laying on the bed for a while, but braced as he now was, it wouldn’t be bad when he decided he could get up.

Vellios nodded but kept his mouth shut. He knew when it was best not to prod a bear, even a ice cold one, and focused on his stitches. With surprising delicate movements not fitting of his profile, he easily closed up the wounds bit by bit before placing the blue stained tools into the sink for Kasyra to clean later. Right now, he was too worn mentally to consider washing up at the moment and personally didn’t care. The nightmares would be the next hurdle to overcome now.