[OPEN LOG] Cracking

[henchgal]

Who: Meredith and EVERYONE
When: Early January
Where: Apt. B1, Bonnie's, ADI offices
Summary:Meredith returning from Medical; A Visit to Bonnie's; New Year, New You TDM prompt/A day at the office
Warnings: discussion of self worth that may include internalized ableism; non-graphic mention of medical issues relating to hEDS, self esteem issues and change of appearance (per New Year, New You TDM prompt)


1. My footsteps are ticking, like water dripping from a tree [Apt. B1 and close friends]
It's been weeks that Meredith has spent in medical, being poked and prodded and fed bland meals that won't upset her stomach. They don't talk about it, early on, how much connective tissue is in the digestive system. It's the mobility issues that everyone talks about, because those inconvenience the rest of the world. But the rest of it matters. Has mattered.

The day she returns home, she doesn't alert anyone in advance. She tries to be quiet, walking into the building and toward the front door of Apartment B1. Lets herself in and holds the knob as she closes the door so it won't slam. A part of her expects the place to be a disaster-mess without her having been around to tend to it. But maybe the boys (her) boys have kept it together enough while she's been away.

Either way, she creeps quietly toward her room, not sure if she's ready to see them yet.


2. Walking a hairline and stepping very carefully [Bonnie's]
Once she's ready for people-ing again, Meredith puts in a visit to Bonnie's, bringing with her a pan of fresh baked brownies in the hand not holding her usual walking cane. The ADI housing building is an easy place to live, but Bonnie's is better for hanging out and getting to know her fellow off-worlders, and there's probably been a fresh batch while she was away. Time to make new friends. After all, the more she has, the more likely someone will come save her when another disaster problem strikes.

But first things first. "Where do you guys keep knives and paper plates? I want to make sure to slice this so everyone can get a piece."


3. My heart is broken, it's worn out at the knees [ADI Offices]
It is a beautiful morning in the ADI building, and Meredith is...trying something different, clearly. Someone has hacked off her hair to a choppy clearly self-done bob (probably accomplished by putting her hair in a ponytail and lopping it all off at once), and she's wearing no makeup at all, so the bags under her eyes and her generally wan complexion are much more obvious than usual. Even her clothing shows signs of the distaste she currently has with her usual...everything. She's in a rather unflattering dark green turtleneck sweater-dress that's about two sizes too big, and mustard yellow leggings to match.

Maybe someone should check in on her.


X. Something is cracking, I don't know where [Wildcard]
darkersolstice or darkersolstice#9463 to plot if you want something else

Comments

[abrightboy]

Malcolm Bright is many degrees of a disaster and while he did make a mess in the form of stabbing their other roommate - something they have not talked about - he is also fastidiously tidy. He can’t promise he’s eaten well, but the common areas are as sterile as his bedroom.

He’s been in his room a lot since the mold, but he’s working his way towards outside one room at a time. He’s in the livingroom when she arrives, looking up from his book at the movement, but casting it aside when he sees who it is, all but jumping to his feet.

“You’re back!” He wants to hug her but that might literally break her. Instead he fidgets. “What can I get you? Do you need help?”

[henchgal]

"Hi, honey, I'm home." It was meant to sound like a lighthearted joke, as she crosses the room to him, but it comes out almost thick. No, she's not almost crying at being back, not her. She feels the urge for that hug too, but in its absence, she gently touches his hand, before moving past him to flop right onto the couch. A comfy, casual flop, not unlike how a rabbit at ease and happy will ploop right over.

I thought i answered this gaaaahhhhh

[abrightboy]

“Want some tea?” he asks, pulling her blanket over where she can reach it. “Something to eat? You know I make a mean scrambled egg.”

[henchgal]

"A couple of scrambled eggs sounds really good right now. And coffee, instead of tea."

She knows he can make decent coffee, they share custody of a French press for just that reason.

"And then maybe come over here and let me lean on you for a bit."

[abrightboy]

He grins and makes the eggs and the coffee and brings them over, then sits on the couch, bringing his knees up to sit crosslegged and draping the blanket over both of them.

“Did you get the fruit I sent?”

3

[graveyounglady]

That's... a new look. "Uh... Meredith?" Mercy's seen some new looks lately, but this is probably the most drastic she's seen so far. And there's something in her that wants to... fix it. She needs to fix it. "That's a mighty unusual haircut you got. You do that yourself?"

[henchgal]

"Yeah. I just...I figured I needed something different. Very different. You know, new year and all. Do...do you like it?" Because she's not sure, herself.

[graveyounglady]

No. No, she does not.

Mercy smiles. "Naw, but I can fix it for you! I'll make you look right pretty again, don't you worry none."

[henchgal]

Well, there is something to be said for honesty.

"Fine, but don't try using the office scissors to do so. They're not for hair and hair's not for them."

1

[worthallthis]

More than just her apartment-mates noticed her gone. Winter notes her return that evening when he's prowling the building restlessly before he makes an attempt at sleep. And he pauses. And frowns at her door. Because he can hear her inside, when he hasn't heard her in days. He doesn't go near medical if he can help it, so he hasn't known where she was.

He waits outside her door for a long few minutes before he remembers about knocking and does that, instead.

[henchgal]

Meredith answers the door in an oversized sweater and pajama pants, her hair held out of her face with a claw clip. At the sight of Winter, there's a hint of surprise, and then a bright smile.

"Hey, neighbor. Care to come in?"

She missed him too.

[worthallthis]

"You didn't disappear," he says, and there's maybe a sliver of surprise and relief to his face, though his voice is as flat as ever.

Then, after a pause, he adds in answer to her actual question, "Okay. If it's all right."

[henchgal]

"No, I didn't disappear. I was in medical. My EDS was acting up; I was having digestive issues." She holds the door, gesturing him in. "You could have asked my roommates. Or...I probably should have messaged you, too. I should have known you'd worry."

Because she's still learning to read Winter's muted affect, but she knows that he cares. That's almost impossible to miss, and has been all along.

"Do you want coffee or anything?"

3

[aelwyn_aberration]

What happened to you?!

[She is LOOKING at that haircut, oh my god. This absolute disaster is actually hurting her. This is the worst. Is Meredith an avatar of the Desolation???]

[henchgal]

I needed a change. Something different, something drastic. What do you think?

[She can guess from Aelwyn's tone, though.]

[aelwyn_aberration]

Umm. [Look, she gets it. They've all been having their breakdowns in their own time.]

I think maybe you should... erm... plan it out more next time. It can still be salvaged, just... probably don't do it yourself.

[henchgal]

I won't, I definitely won't.

[Meredith lets out a heavy sigh.]

I mean, the hair and clothes hardly matter, I can't change what's really the matter with me.

3.

[retisense]

Abby recognizes Meredith from the get-togethers in ADI housing. A friend of Neal's, or Malcolm's she thinks, or both maybe? Either way, when she shows up at the ADI offices, Abby recognizes her, but she looks...way different. Not put together like she had been, and with a really terrible-looking bathroom haircut that's physically paining Abby to look at.

Trying to act casual, she approaches the other woman and waves, "Hey. Meredith, right? I'm Abby, Neal's roommate, I think we met before?"

[henchgal]

"Right, at the party Neal threw at your apartment, I'm pretty sure." Meredith had been a little focused on the interplay between Neal and Malcolm, but she'd made note of Abby (in particular because of an off-hand comment by Neal about cannibalism).

"How've you been? I'm out of the loop; I spent most of last month in medical."

[retisense]

Funnily, Abby had been pretty preoccupied with the interplay between Neal and Malcolm herself, maybe they have something in common there.

"Yeah, it was there. And I've been uh, mostly fine, besides all that hive nonsense. Why were you in medical?"

[henchgal]

"Chronic illness bullshit."

She's going to leave it at that unless prompted. Her cane's around and obvious, and she's slow and even though the specific problem this time was digestive, it all stems from the same place.

3.

[bloodalwaystells]

It's been a while since Jaeger has had a chance to talk with Meredith, as elusive as she's been over the past weeks. Not that he can blame her: he's been withdrawn himself, between all the horrors that The Job throws at them and the fallout of the terrible Halloween party now almost two months ago.

Some things stay with a person, and Jaeger already had a lot on his mind to begin with. Withdrawing probably wasn't the healthiest way to deal with it all, but he needed some time to process. To take account, and make sense of a lot of things.

But Meredith's current appearance is...hard to miss, and while it takes Jaeger a second to recognize her, it's only a moment of confusion before he blinks and stops.

He's sure that there's a reason behind her outfit and her new and rather extreme haircut, but they can get to that in a minute.

"Meredith. You're back?"

[henchgal]

"I'm back. I'm still sort of surprised anyone but my roommates noticed I was gone." It's only half a joke. But there's some humor on the edge of the words.

"I spent most of last month in medical, I'm afraid. Complications of the EDS thing. I'm alright now, don't worry. What did I miss, are you alright, how did December hit you?"

cw: insect infestation, violent death

[bloodalwaystells]

"Ah, I'm sorry to hear that and I'm glad you're feeling better." He nods slightly, accepting her explanation easily. Chronic illness is a difficult thing, and he trusts her to have the best handle on how she's feeling and how to care for herself.

Some of the good humor goes out of his expression, though, at the mention of December. And beyond that. He's still not as steady as he wishes he was, though he swallows the bitterest part of his response in favor of something more measured.

"December was...difficult. We had a situation here and it was very traumatic for all involved. It's probably better that you missed it."

Ren and her bugs had unleashed a nightmare that none of them will forget anytime soon. Especially those who went into the warehouse to face the horror and death that had ensued.

Jaeger pushes those thoughts from his mind, though. It's over, it's done. Just like so many things that he also did his best not to think about.

"But taking it in stride as best we can, I think. It's...probably good that we have a dedicated therapy department here."

[henchgal]

"Does having a therapy department really make a difference when everyone is constantly getting re-traumatized?" Rhetorical question, surely, but she sounds a little exhausted. It's been six months in this world for her, with no breaks except when ill.

"How are you handling, at this point?"