❝No, no, I've been frail since birth.❞

[clinical]

[Jade is quietly working at a desk on the Plane. This is a little unusual for Jade; he much prefers to work at home, in his office. It is quieter there, and more people are frightened enough of him to back off when he smiles.

And yet he is here on the Plane in the science section of the library, with his desk and his work, a bottle of something homemade, and a slight cough.]

[Common colds: no world is free from them. And now this world is taking revenge on Jade for pretending to be sick all the time.]

Comments

[quecaneatit.livejournal.com]

[if Peony notices the cough, he doesn't seem to show it. Instead he has a book tucked under one arm as he sits on the corner of Jade's desk]

I was wondering where the hell you got off to. What are you doing that here for?

[clinical]

[oh my Yulia why]

[When it's your turn, Jade is showing no mercy, you imperial son of a consort]

[Jade clears away his papers so they're safe from Peony.]

I was hoping to help you do your duties, Your Majesty. It's lately concerned me that I'm just too distracting for you. [There is the vague sound of clearing his throat as he finishes the second sentence, the way people do when they're trying to bury a cough.]

[quecaneatit.livejournal.com]

What a caring guy, so concerned for [Peony pauses as Jade clears his throat. He looks Jade over for a minute, quietly assessing him, before his smile grows] Where was I? Oh yeah, a caring guy who's so concerned for the welfare of his emperor and nation. I know a guy like that wouldn't try working if he wasn't feeling well. Just think of all the clumsy mistakes he could make - on top of the ones he naturally makes. Plus, he'd end up infecting the entire palace on top of it all.

[clinical]

[He briefly considers throwing a book at Peony, but that would be Losing.] If mistakes are made, I have no doubts they're inspired by more animate distractions.

[And then. A shark smile.] So shouldn't you leave me alone for the sake of our nation? It would be terrible if you got sick.

[quecaneatit.livejournal.com]

Yeah, it would. It's a good thing you're not stupid enough to try working while you're sick. I'd be worried otherwise.

[guyexplains.livejournal.com]

[Guy has a stack of papers and folders under one arm and a couple books in the other, so when he knocks on the door he has to do it with his elbow. He doesn't wait for an answer before using said elbow to operate the handle and nudge the door open with his foot.]

[He sets his burdens down before looking over at Jade with his usual smile of greeting.]

Hey. [This is unusual, Jade working here.] Don't you ever take a break?

[clinical]

[He is sick and that means he cuts to the chase with nasty games.] Leave me alone or I'll give you my cold and take you seriously when you call for an assassination.

[lamb_of_gold]

[Jade may look up to find an unassuming little teapot (and cup) on his desk. It is filled with whatever his favourite sort of tea is. It also never seems to run empty.

If Jade should choose to look, it's owner is around the corner, reading. Being able to teleport is awesome.]

[clinical]

[The answer is 'no.' Now, how does he outwit the Team Mom?] I could ask you the same. [He indicates the papers.] Researching the history of rappig care?

[clinical]

[When did that appear there? He speaks to the empty air.] How kind. I'd be interested in the technology that lets it refill.

[quecaneatit.livejournal.com]

Stop working when you're sick. It's annoying and stupid. Even if it's your natural impulse to do things like that, it's a pain in the ass for everyone else involved.

[go home and get in bed B|]

[guyexplains.livejournal.com]

[You don't outwit the Team Mom, you submit to the mother henning. Even if you're Jade.]

Ha, Just a few notes on this and that. [Light reading. There's so much stuff to learn okay, for all that sucks about the Plane he is a kid in the candy store with the information here.]

[clinical]

If I were that ill, I would stay at home. I don't work past my limits. [Anymore.]

[lamb_of_gold]

[And lo, a pair of green eyes peek over the edge of the bookshelf]

I'm a bit more interested in how it knows what one's favourite sort of tea is.

[quecaneatit.livejournal.com]

If you were that healthy, you wouldn't be sneaking off to work here instead.

[clinical]

If you find anything interesting, make a report and send it my way. [And then Jade looks back down on his papers. Dismissed, Gailardia Galan Gardios.]

[clinical]

I thought I'd get the work done here, then call it an early day. [Thereby sliding under Peony's radar on the illness thing. So much for that!]

[clinical]

A low-level telepathic field, perhaps. [This is why Jade shouldn't be allowed near the science of other worlds. He thinks it's fun.]

[explains]

[What is he, your secretary?]

.... [Sigh. Shrug.] Yeah, alright.

[But he's not going anywhere at the moment, he wants to finish sorting through his papers for what he was working on.]

[quecaneatit.livejournal.com]

Or call it an early day now. [Imperial Decrees aren't even coming into consideration now. This is the 'stop being stupid and doing stupid things' friend mode]

[clinical]

[More like his servant.]

[Goddammit. Jade tries to swallow the cough that comes, but he does not completely succeed.]

You're also free to bring me a cup of tea.

[clinical]

[Jade folds his arms. He is standing his ground.] That is not my intention.

[explains]

[Eternally a servant. You could try not taking advantage of that habit, Jade... Then again he'd suspect you of being an impostor in that case.]

[...]

[Was that a cough? He doesn't look up from his papers, gives no indication he heard it, but his mothering instincts do ping rather hard. Besides, mothering Jade might give him some distraction for a while.]

What kind?

[quecaneatit.livejournal.com]

Why not?

[clinical]

[Because it's boring and you forbade him from his old hobbies of dissecting people and dropping Saphir into lakes!] It would be a waste of a day.