#(captain barkossa)

[plutothe-pup]

You scared they're going to tell you something serious?

Milo felt his gaze drop back to the bed, blinking slightly. "No, shut up." The man bit back with a roll of his eyes, pretending that very thought didn't dredge up such an uncomfortable twist in his gut. Like it wasn't the very reason he was avoiding seeking help about it. He supposed he very much was his mother's child in that way, wasn't he?

Had she been scared as well? Even when he'd begged and pleaded for her to go to the doctor. She'd said it was fine. She'd reasoned they couldn't afford it, which.. was true - but he wondered at the end of the day if she was just scared.

It was scarier when there were people who depended on you, wasn't it?

"Don't worry - I'm being dramatic anyways. It's really not serious, and as I said, the mile time will recover. Plus you really think I'd let something affect my ability to play baseball? Obviously if it becomes an actual problem I'll look into it. I'm just playing it by ear for now."

@captainjamesjoneshook

Turbulence || Captain Barkossa

[captainjamesjoneshook]

@plutothe-pup

James leaned forward, hand coming up to cover his eyes as he shook his head in disappointment. No, he wanted to argue back. It's there to get people like you to click on so that the people who made the site can make money off of you! In an effort to not say any of that, he looked up, hand shifting down to press against his mouth instead as he watched Young while he continued to explain.

A snort left him, torso bouncing with the force of it, at the admission because of fucking course it had.

Then Young had to go and spoil some of his favorite words paired together in a sentence (You're and right) by saying he wasn't going to get checked out. James dropped his hand, letting it land with a slap against the mattress with his disappointment and frustration. His eyes widened, having to look away to shake his head for a moment before returning to look at Young.

"It's just like a thing that happens," James echoed back in a very poor imitation of Milo, leaning forward so he could prop his hands on his back and his arms bent at the elbow to illustrate wings like a chicken. Or rather, that Spongebob meme. He righted himself, frowning and glaring over at the other boy.

"You're a fucking idiot," he told him. "If it's been happening for this long it's clearly not going to recover. What's keeping you from getting it looked at, eh? You scared they're going to tell you something serious?"

Turbulence || Captain Barkossa

[plutothe-pup]

For a moment, Milo was a little concerned he might've killed his friend by telling him about his bad choice making. He felt himself sit up a little straighter, in case he'd have to step in to give the guy the Heimlich (....he actually didn't know how to do that) or something, but it seemed James sorted himself out a few moments later - just in time to level Milo with an unimpressed disappointment.

"What?" Milo defended lightly, his lips pulling into a small pout as he shrugged his shoulders. "People use that all the time apparently. I mean what else would it exist for if not for this reason exactly!" The younger man tried to defend lightly. Though it wasn't exactly a strong argument by any means.

Especially when he could only focus his gaze back down at this food, toying with it lightly as he considered the question instead of answering it and only further proving James' point. "Uh - ... I mean the almighty Dr. Web suggested seeking medical attention." He said a little quieter before he put his meal back up on the small table and leaned back in his chair with a little too enthusiastic shrug of his hands.

"You're right though - probably not the best place to get my advice so. I'm just... gonna see what happens. Love a uh.. good mystery."

There was another small pause before he sighed. "...I'm fine though. Seriously. It's just like... a thing that happens. My mile time will recover."

@captainjamesjoneshook

Turbulence || Captain Barkossa

[captainjamesjoneshook]

@plutothe-pup

And Milo was very correct for this assumption, voice notes and Snap Chat videos by the dozen would be sent his way. James was horrible at being sick, wanting to make it everyone else's problem, too.

As if that wasn't obvious.

But he neither confirmed or denied this, as Young continued to speak and, well, if he knew it already then it didn't need to be. So James leaned forward to take another long slurp of the soup, which had cooled down slightly to be tolerable in longer drags.

Though he nearly choked on it with his surprise.

"Web M.D.?" he managed to get out between coughs. James punched a fist against his chest to try shaking loose whatever liquid went down the wrong pipe. He waited for the rest of it...like treatment options or remedies to help the symptoms....

When Young said nothing else, James let out a sigh that was filled with his disappointment, body falling to the side a little as his strength went with it for a moment. "You cannot be serious! If it's effecting you that badly and that frequently, you've got to do something about it. Didn't the almighty Dr. Web give you any advice?"

Turbulence || Captain Barkossa

[plutothe-pup]

"...please, if I got you sick? I wouldn't hear the end of it. You'd probably leave me voice notes with a horrible scratchy voice for hours on end." Milo teased softly with a fond roll of his eyes. Though part of him was serious. He liked to think, especially now, if he was responsible for just another thing on James' plate, that his friend would absolutely use it as an opportunity.

He was quick to shake his head at his friend's next question though, quickly focusing back down on his food like it was incredibly important as he shrugged - using the time it took him to chew as a barrier of distraction.

"...Uh - I mean I've.. uhm. Consulted Web M.D?" He finally admitted after another few moments, his expression twisting into a gentle wince knowing that wasn't exactly a reassuring answer. "...And I mean you know how that is. I either have six months to live, or I'm fine. I like my chances."

Not exactly a diagnoses, no - but it was something!

"...I think it's uh - I have like chronic lyme? Or-.. well that's apparently controversial so it's called something else but.. sometimes it flares up? And I get really sick from it so...I think maybe it's just bad this year or something, I dunno."

@captainjamesjoneshook

Turbulence || Captain Barkossa

[captainjamesjoneshook]

@plutothe-pup

He let out a little impressed sound, lower lip sticking out as he nodded and gave a silent golf clap to the responding catch of the plastic cutlery. He guessed Young should be that quick, being so obsessed with that the sport that catching and throwing a ball were the basic mechanics.

"Aw, yeah, like that's what I'm worried about. Getting sick," he mocked.

Though it probably wouldn't help his already compromising condition, body already having gone through the wringer and working over time to deal with its new normal, repairing all the damage that had been done to it.

"But, that does sound concerning," James went on. "I'm going to assume you've talked to a doctor about this?"

It was the rational thing to do, after all. James himself wouldn't go for something like a cold, willing to wait that out in his room with a tissue box, Gatorade, and movies, but for something that was reoccurring? And was affecting things like running and strength? Seemed like Milo was on his way to becoming the cold open on an episode of House M.D. .

Turbulence || Captain Barkossa

[plutothe-pup]

Milo couldn't help but snicker as that fork came flying his way - though he did manage to catch it before it could dunk off of his head and go flying across the hospital room. Despite the innocence in his words, Milo still did take that as a sign to lay off and ducked his head slightly in a wordless apology.

James was in a position Milo.... well, could imagine being in to a degree, and he knew that sympathy? Not always the thing a person wanted. Instead, being treated normal - like the world was going to keep spinning. Those were the things that worked better for some people.

Just as Milo didn't want to be the cursed boy who lost everything, he knew James didn't want to be the handicapped boy who watched his father die. God, it was horrible though. His friend never deserved that.

So the topic change was probably good, something that Milo shrugged his shoulders at even though his brow too furrowed softly. "...a what?" The taller boy asked with a small huff, though he shook his head a moment later because regardless of what that word meant - he knew he wasn't being too hard on himself. "I-.. no, I just.. I dunno. For the last few months I just keep getting sick on and off? And even though I haven't like... changed my work-out routine, it's getting harder. I can't run as fast or as far. I can't lift as much. But.. yeah, when I'm hacking up a lung or.. can't breathe or have a fever I guess that'll do it."

Which, unfortunately - sucked. Especially given Milo couldn't figure it out! The hand not holding his food went up innocently though, gaze back on James. "I'm fine today though. Not gonna get you sick, promise."

@captainjamesjoneshook

Turbulence || Captain Barkossa

[captainjamesjoneshook]

@plutothe-pup

James did throw Milo a look of disappointed annoyance before grabbing the bag of food to dig around and actually throw a piece of plastic cutlery at the other boy's head. Christ, two mocking compliments in one sitting. He must have really looked like shit. He knew he did, but confirmation of such a thing only did so much for the soul.

He remained quiet, knowing he shouldn't say what he wanted to, and dissuaded himself from the impulse by picking up the soup to drink more broth from it, letting what solids he could through, too. It would be stupid to be mean right now, especially to someone who was being nothing but nice to him.

But James didn't want to talk about anything exciting. There had been enough of that to go around. He would much rather talk about something that was trivial.

So he perked back up when Young did start on about his mile time, thankful he was being indulged. Then he was blinking, brow furrowing.

"Wait– like seriously?" he asked, glancing down at Young's person. As if he had X-ray vision and or something that would help him perceive this. But being a Medium didn't come with the ability to see someone's hit or damage bar above their head."Or are you just being a hypochondriac and too hard on yourself?"

Turbulence || Captain Barkossa

[plutothe-pup]

"...well yeah - it's.. just horribly boring things about myself. I thought you might want to talk about something more exciting." Milo snorted, biting into another piece with a fond shake of his head. Though he'd argue the color thing? Definitely a fact. Colors were under appreciated, unfortunately.

Milo couldn't help but glance back at James with a small raise of his brow. "Aw, c'mon. That's not true. You can always fall back on your dashing looks." He teased lightly, ducking his head if only like he expected a hit to come his way. Or another comment akin to the one he'd gotten for the staring comment too. Milo, of course, didn't mean anything by it. He just wanted to keep James' spirits up as much as possible when everything seemed so... bad.

"My mile time is terrible right now, by the way. I actually regret bringing it up." It was true though, he was getting worse these days. He could barely even run a mile without feeling like he was going to keel over. Which... was a strange thing for someone as athletic as Milo. "I was somewhere just over six minutes back in May. I was really pushing to try and get under. Now.. If I even get to a mile I'm pushing like ten minutes now." He admitted with a sigh, prodding at the bowl before he shrugged. "Starting to think m'like chronically ill or something though so. Guess that'll do it."

@captainjamesjoneshook

Turbulence || Captain Barkossa

[captainjamesjoneshook]

@plutothe-pup

He slurped at the soup again, accepting his fate in having a burnt mouth for the next...however long it took for his taste buds and the roof of his mouth to recover. It would be worth it right now and his future self could deal with the consequences. Aahhh, future!James always did end up getting the short end of the stick.

"Please, as if that isn't talking about yourself," he said, brow furrowed in his skepticism at the attempted threats he guessed those topics were supposed to be.

"Baseball is all about your home team. Your mile time is literally your mile time, and the colors thing is...I dunno, your opinion versus other people's..." James squinted, trying to figure out where he had been going with that one but, eh. Too much work. A hand came up to scrub over one side of his face, eyes squeezing shut.

"Fuck me, if I lose my sharp sense of humor due to all these drugs I'll truly be useless," he grumbled before shaking himself and pinning his gaze back on Milo. "Fine. How fast are you running these days? I'm going to have to live vicariously through you now for that stuff, you know."

Turbulence || Captain Barkossa

[plutothe-pup]

"Why's that?" Milo repeated with a soft scoff, pausing mid-bringing food to his mouth to level his companion with a raise of his brow. "Because I don't like to talk about myself either." He snorted easily, shifting through the food in his hands and picking out a few pieces of meat to snack on before he looked back to James.

"Besides. I'm a very boring conversation topic." He added enthusiastically, like it was the utmost truth. To Milo, it definitely was. His life was.... interesting, to say the least, but he himself? He didn't find himself an interesting topic of discussion. Other people had very cool talents and skills that could lead a conversation and immerse a crowd.

Milo just had the talent of crippling social anxiety and self doubt.

That wasn't exactly a lighthearted conversation piece though, now was it?

"I'll force you to talk about baseball again. Or worse. My mile time. The way people under appreciate colors.. All good options."

@captainjamesjoneshook

Turbulence || Captain Barkossa

[captainjamesjoneshook]

@plutothe-pup

He frowned at first then his expression opened up as Young convinced him. That would make sense, wouldn't it? Hatter's sold those mugs that kept your drink at the right temperature, which were life savers sometimes! Easily distracted, James would often forget the cup of tea he'd made for himself when he got home from work, only to find it a few hours later, still hot. Who was to say other places around Swynlake didn't implement the same practices?

James got a spoon from the bag, giving the soup a stir for no other reason than to look at the contents that the spoon forced above the surface.

He snorted at the image Young was painting, glancing up from the food with this new piece of information. It made sense, he supposed. James also had no need for fame or to be known by others on a grand scale, but he had once thought it would be nice to make music that people listened to and enjoyed. They wouldn't know his face, but they could hum something he had made.

"Oh, yeah? Why's that?" James asked because you didn't stick a do not press button in front of him and expect him not to slam his palm down upon it.

Turbulence || Captain Barkossa

[plutothe-pup]

"...I think they enchant it to stay hot." Milo mumbled offhandedly, taking a bite of his food as he glanced back to James. He nodded sagely though, as if he felt the need to defend his words. "...like.. every time I've gotten food from them it's always hot even if I feel like I waited longer than I should. It's a conspiracy at this point. I have all the proof. Just waiting to make my case." He teased lightly around another bite of food.

Only part of him was serious - but for the most part he was only talking about this silly fake conspiracy to appease his friend who was clearly tired of being fawned over. "That's what they always say though. And that's why I always say that I never, ever want to be famous. I always tell Pip he's crazy for wanting that - but.. he also loves to be up on stage performing to people. I'd rather crawl into a hole and never be seen."

Milo had never been the most attention seeking person though. He'd been more excited for attention as a dog than he ever had or would be as a human.

"I'll add you to the banned topics list though. As long as we don't talk about me either."

@captainjamesjoneshook

Turbulence || Captain Barkossa

[captainjamesjoneshook]

@plutothe-pup

James frowned at that suggestion, even though he knew, deep down, it would probably benefit him to be better well behaved. He had always known that, school had shown him as much. It was just easier to get people to be annoyed with him than it was having them saying how sorry they were, how things would get easier with time, or whatever other bullshit they thought he wanted to hear.

And then there were the ghosts that had him ready to start collecting sheets so he could repel his way out of the window. As much as he didn't want to sleep, the alternative of getting woken up by a spirit wasn't his ideal.

"Ahh, I like that plan much better. Far more realistic," he said, glancing up from where he was prying the lid off of the soup to send a smile Milo's way. James didn't bother trying to find a spoon, just brought the bowl up to his mouth to sip from. He winced as he swallowed it. "Oof, that's still hot."

And yet, he went back for another drink that was just as scalding.

"But enough about me," James said. "Let's talk about literally anything else. I know I was quite the attention hog back in school but it's like all the celebrities have been saying, the spotlight's not all it's cracked up to be."

Turbulence || Captain Barkossa

[plutothe-pup]

@captainjamesjoneshook

As a principle, Milo Young did his best to stay far away from Swynlake General. In fact, it was a place he was actively avoiding, despite concerns from people close to him, and a place he only entered to accompany Amy to her appointments. Which meant he thought he'd be clear of it for a while given those had drawn to a close too.

Unfortunately, there was no way that Milo could avoid it now. Not ever since he'd caught sight of that article while scrolling on his phone and felt that dread clench deep in the pit of his stomach. How could he ignore realizing the severity of the 'trip' his friend had gone on. The fact that James had been hospitalized and that his father had died?

It was... an unimaginable tragedy - and Milo had been quick to send his condolences to Mr. Smee, and also to find out where James was, and if he'd be able to visit.

Which was what finally brought Milo to Swynlake General now; led to his friend's room by a nurse as he was reminded of being in James' place just over a year ago himself. It was easy to remember how insane those calculated beeps and endless mechanic drones had driven him. How blindly white and suffocating the rooms had felt. The way the discomfort and pain kept him up for hours on end. How uncomfortable and antsy the experience had left him.

He also remembered how awful the food had been.

So while Milo knew he couldn't solve a lot of those original problems, take away the pain or even begin to tackle that grief, he figured at least he could make sure the poor guy was getting a decent meal. A little good company might not have hurt either, right?

"...hey." Milo greeted quietly as he stepped into the room, approaching the end of the other man's bed with a small raise of his brow. "...they got you on that good stuff or should I expect you to remember this conversation..?" Milo tried to tease lightly, though the concern was evident.

Turbulence || Captain Barkossa

[plutothe-pup]

Milo's head tilted at that, innocently glancing down at his wrists mid-chew like he was trying to figure out what he was cuffed to. Admittedly it took him a second to realize what that particular turn of phrase meant (not uncommon for him) before he blushed lightly and snorted against his pastry. Instead of confirming or denying though of course, Milo could only give a teasing wink back before he polished off the pastry in his hand.

He brushed crumbs from his fingers, balancing back in his chair with a small thoughtful hum. It didn't surprise him that James wasn't exactly certain of his departure from the hospital. Milo had never really gotten a solid answer either. Part of the reason he'd hated it so much too. It got stuffy, cramped. He just got restless and anxious. He'd wanted to go home.

It was different with James, who'd lost so much more. Who'd been exposed to as he said who knows what.

"...Guess that makes sense." Milo agreed gently, even if he frowned lightly. "...better to be here in case one starts 'cause they can catch it right away n'all. Maybe if you're a real model patient they'll let you out early." He suggested with a small teasing smile, leaning forward to grab some more food. "or, alternatively, you can be the biggest pain in the you know where and they might get tired of you and tell you to go home early that way too."

@captainjamesjoneshook

Turbulence || Captain Barkossa