InsaneJournal

Tweak says, "Get me a Bovril!"

Spike (bloodislove) wrote in dunwichgame,
@ 2025-05-06 23:28:00

Entry tags:

buffyverse: spike, star trek: khan noonien singh

SPIKE

KHAN

WHO Spike and Khan
WHERE Pickman
WHEN Mid-evening
WHAT Spike checks in on Khan
Status Ongoing
WARNINGS Very tired Khan. Talking about wars, death, being labrats, ect.

It had been a few days since Spike had heard from his new acquaintance, and although it was curiosity about the super-man that had reminded him of it, it was also a noticeable absense. Just before his shift ended he'd texted the relative stranger, inviting him to meet after he was relieved of duty.

At the end of his shift, however, there was no reply. Shrugging it off and paying his tab he started to walk home. At least it was early enough in the evening he'd get to spend some quality time with Darcey.

Still, as he turned to walk home he hesitated. Something felt... off.

Pausing on the cool street and lighting a cigarette he took his phone out again and opened it, dialing Khan instead of texting this time. He tilted his head and took a long drag before he picked up.

"Hey. It's your favorite undead Englishman," he smirked into the reciever, then exhaled. "Was just curious if you were up for that follow-up drink tonight."

(Read comments) - (Post a new comment)

best_of_tyrants
2025-05-09 02:00 am UTC (link)

"Oh, it did," Khan replied with a smile. "I was pretty solidly the leader of my contingent by that time, so when we went our separate ways, only a few split off to pursue their own ends. And when things got really dangerous, I had a lot of defectors come in from other facilities. Most of those people are in cryosleep right now." He hoped they were alright. He suspected they were, but he knew it was probably a race against time to help them before their cryotubes failed.

(Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

	bloodislove 2025-05-09 02:57 am UTC (link)
	"Then you've got a chance to get to them, when you get back," Spike grinned cheerfully. He nodded to the little sleeper. "And this time your next empire can have it's own mascot." Which given his experience with kitten claws would probably terrify his enemies just a well as any dramatic battle-cry. (Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

nurse_hijinks
2025-05-09 03:02 am UTC (link)

"And she will be known as Empress Mahakaruna," Khan agreed with a soft laugh. "Long may she reign."

Christine knocked on the door then, and when she heard Khan tell her it was unlocked, she stepped inside with her medkit in one hand and her tie-dye crossbody slung across the other shoulder. “What’s this I hear about a kitten?”

Khan stood up and moved to her, giving her a genuinely relieved hug. “Her name is Karuna and she’s a week old and needy as all hell,” he answered, then he guided her closer for introductions. “Christine, this is Spike. He’s been keeping me awake, fed, and sane for the last little while. Spike, Christine Chapel.”

“A pleasure,” Christine said with a sweet smile.

(Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

bloodislove
2025-05-09 03:28 am UTC (link)

"Oh yeah, that's a hell of a strong name. She'll be loved and feared equally."

At the knock he turned, and stood as Khan did, though he gave him a slightly annoyed glance. He'd gone through the trouble of setting up the coffee table to keep the man still. Then again, he wasn't looking like he was going to keel over anymore, so maybe it was alright.

Straightening his coat he instantly switched on his charming smile as he turned towards her without approaching, nodding. "Pleasure's all mine, Miss Chapel," he responded warmly and politely. Then his smile turned into a slightly more mischievous one and he jerked a thumb towards Khan. "This one hasn't slept in six days or eaten since yesterday. I took care of making sure he ate, but he still needs a serious powernap." He didn't mind throwing Khan under the bus, or letting him downplay his state in front of his not-lady "friend". It was important she knew. "I don't know shite about kittens, though."

(Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

nurse_hijinks
2025-05-09 03:47 am UTC (link)

"Oh, is that right?" Christine remarked upon hearing the depths of Khan's not-alrightness, giving the Augment a sidelong look. "Seeing or hearing anything that you're not sure is actually there?"

"We're not going to discuss that." Which was a resounding yes.

"Mhm." She pulled out her medical tricorder and gave him a quick scan, much to Khan's annoyance. "You've dropped weight, which, given how lean you are, is likely muscle mass."

"You needed a tricorder to tell me that?"

"No, I needed the tricorder to get your metabolic rate." She put that device away and picked up another one, making a few selections on the little touchscreen and waiting for a moment while it calculated dosage and spat out a vial of prepared medicine.

Khan's eyes narrowed. "You're going to tell me what that is, of course."

"Ten milligrams of haldol," Christine replied. "Which should be enough to knock you on your ass for several hours." She loaded the vial into a hypospray injector and hit him with it before he could protest.

"That is rather unsporting of you," Khan complained, shaking his head to clear the fog as the medicine began to work.

"You've got about 20 seconds," the nurse replied matter-of-factly. "You might want to get somewhere horizontal."

"Damned unsporting," her recalcitrant patient muttered, though he did in fact make his way to the bedroom nook behind the large bookcase and flop down on the bed. "Wake me up in six hours," he called.

"I'll wake you up when you need to be woken up," Christine called back to him.

(Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

bloodislove
2025-05-09 03:53 am UTC (link)

Spike was smirking as the genetic-super soldier scowled and tried to hold his ground against the slender woman, and failing spectacularly. "Better make it to your bed, mate. I already carried your food, I'm not carrying you. That's third-date stuff. And for god's sake get some rest. You're too new to Dunwhich to be this haggard."

He shot Christine a quick wink to promise he was kidding. The apartment was too small and Khan was too lanky to leave sprawled out on the floor. "Your kitten needs your health as much as her own."

(Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

nurse_hijinks
2025-05-09 04:02 am UTC (link)

Khan muttered something that might've been 'traitorous bastards' through very slurred speech as the medicine continued to kick in. But there was the sound of two shoes dropping to the floor as he toed them off and the little light in the bedroom nook turning off before Khan's breathing shifted into an exhausted, drugged sleep.

Christine only smiled and put away her tools, going to the dishpan beside the couch and gently lifting up the sleepy kitten. "Oh, look at you, so precious. You're officially the tiniest NICU baby I've ever cared for." She spoke to the kitten as if she understood every single word she was saying. Then she turned to Spike. "Thank you for taking care of Khan," she said genuinely. "The last thing anyone in Dunwich needs is a sleep-deprived Augment walking around hallucinating. Could you hold Karuna while I mix up her formula?"

(Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

bloodislove
2025-05-09 04:26 am UTC (link)

Spike smirked as he watched the bigger man teetering towards bed, then follow and sighed slightly, straightening him a bit so he wouldn't cramp and tossing a blanket over him loosely. "Been called worse, mate," he muttered.

When Christine addressed him he turned back swiftly, though the question made him hesitate and glance at the little bundle. "Er... alright," he said, slowly walking over and offering his hands out as if he were begging more more porridge.

(Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

nurse_hijinks
2025-05-09 04:36 am UTC (link)

Christine smiled and handed Karuna over to Spike. The kitten snuggled into his hands and began to purr like she hadn't a worry in the world. Christine's smile brightened even more and she turned back toward the kitchen, where all of the care printouts were neatly stacked, along with a handwritten log tracking food dosages and kitten weight. Next to it was a gallon of purified water and the kitten formula powder.

It didn't take long for Christine to mix up a tiny bit of the formula and fill the feeding syringe. After all, it wasn't unlike preparing formula for preemie babies, and while it had been a bit since she'd had a maternity ward rotation, she remembered the process easily. When she turned back to Spike, she offered him a smile and held her hands out for the kitten. "Thank you," she reassured him. "You did just fine. I take it you're not much for tiny helpless things?"

(Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

bloodislove
2025-05-09 04:58 am UTC (link)

Spike was glad he didn't need to breathe as the tiny object was placed into his hands. He blinked and stared at it for a moment, not daring to take his eyes away, although after a moment he slowly lifted his hands up and closer, watching carefully just in case a tentacle appeared. Nothing. Just unnatural cuteness.

When Christine relieved him of his duty he felt immense relief and then a small stab of disappointment, but surrendered her carefully and took a step back. "Ah, right. Thanks," he chuckled, then shook his head slightly to clear it. "Well... not really experienced. And most animals don't much like my scent. Hazard of my condition. Plus they're generally not allowed in the pub, so...." he tried to play off his hesitation with a smirk.

"Anyway, I appreciate you willing to look after them. I didn't know he was in this state when I came over, just didn't want to cancel our plans to hang out."

He chuckled. "Told him I'd stop by in the morning with some pre-made meals, so he doesn't have an excuse not to eat again. He said he found her coming from the farmer's market, and I expect he's been too tired to make the trip to the shops since."

(Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

nurse_hijinks
2025-05-09 05:07 am UTC (link)

Christine nodded at that. "I believe it," she agreed. "I just wish he'd called for backup sooner. It's tough work being a kitten parent. I plan to stay until morning, at least. I don't know how quickly he'll bounce back from the exhaustion." She hoped he would be amenable to a few days' vacation from constant kitty care. There were plenty of people to step in and help.

(Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

bloodislove
2025-05-09 05:22 am UTC (link)

Spike was glad. He'd hoped she'd be willing to take at least a couple shifts, but it seemed that Khan had called in the right person. "I only met him at the Tavern's 'truth night' a few days ago. I had no idea he was smuggling in under-aged guests, even if she did fit in his pocket," he shrugged. "As long as my boss doesn't find out it should be fine, though." And Khan had been worried about the fire-chief. Spike inwardly rolled his eyes at that.

"Do you need anything else before I go? I should probably get home before my Lady starts wondering where I am. And if she tracks me down here we'll never get her away from Karuna. Unless you've got another of those handy sedatives about," he winked.

(Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

nurse_hijinks
2025-05-09 10:15 am UTC (link)

Christine grinned at that. "Your boss won't hear anything about it from me," she assured Spike. "And I can take it from here. I'll have Khan text you when he's more rested, just for peace of mind. I hope to get him to sleep a solid eight hours, but it may be longer since he's been awake for so long. Augment or not, sleep deprivation is one of those things that will do real damage to your brain if you're not careful. So until he's back to normal, I'm camping out here and watching him and Karuna both."

(Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

	bloodislove 2025-05-09 12:25 pm UTC (link)
	Spike smiled and nodded. "You're right about that," he agreed. He thought for a moment, then nodded. "Right. Well, like I said, I'll be by in the morning with some food supplies. If you need anything else, or a hand with anything before then, let me know." (Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

	nurse_hijinks 2025-05-09 01:30 pm UTC (link)
	"Of course," Christine responded with a smile. "Thank you, Spike. I'll see you in the morning. Khan might be awake by then as well. You could finish your hangout without him being stupid tired." (Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

	bloodislove 2025-05-09 02:58 pm UTC (link)
	Spike laughed. "Oh, that just made it more interesting tonight," he replied, going to the door. "Goodnight, Miss Chapel. Karuna." He let himself out and closed the door gently behind him. Well, he'd certainly have an interesting story to tell Darcey when he got home, at least. (Reply to this) (Parent)

(Read comments) -