—i play the heroine, i play to their sympathies.

[appeale]

WHO: rudbeckia de borgia & etc.
WHERE: various locations
WHEN: check subject lines
WHAT: catch-all & overflow log
WARNINGS: will update as needed. see individual threads for specific warnings and mind ruby's character cws

Comments

[appeale]

[ We're already moving on to the practical?! ]

I can try...

[ it isn't the first time she's ever had to bandage something, accustomed to taking care of her own scrapes, bruises, and worse; it might be the first time she's ever put any attention towards doing it properly, to a higher standard than "serviceable."

her hands are clumsier than Sakura's, fumbling to keep the dressing in place while she wraps the bandage, but the intent to follow the instruction she was given is undoubtedly there. ]

Is this too tight?

[craters]

（ we should be glad that any manner of shinobi medical training comes with a practice round instead of a practical application tbqh... #childsoldiers. ）

No — it's good, see?

（ she hooks her fingers beneath the bandage, demonstrating the amount of give it has. ）

Depending on the material, you may need to adjust for tightness' sake.

[appeale]

Ah, did I do it correctly, then? Thank goodness!

[ her joy is effusive, even for such a small accomplishment. (she did have at least that much faith in herself, but god, it would have been a disaster if she couldn't do that much right.) she begins undoing the bandage, so that Sakura doesn't have to do it herself one-handed. ]

I suppose proper bandaging is one of the most important skills to start with... Are there any others that are broadly applicable, Dottoressa?

[ Please make me into someone who is just a little bit useful...! ]

cw: disembowelment mention

[craters]

More important than anything else is how you talk to your patients.

（ she says that after a brief cause, as she takes the bandage with a nod and begins rolling it back up. she can re-use it after a round of disinfectant. ）

Whether a patient has a splinter or a broken bone, they're coming to see you because they trust you to help them. Making them feel foolish or small doesn't help anyone. Take them seriously, do your best... if your bandages are a little crooked, they won't care. People remember how you made them feel.

（ it does help to be good at the actual hard skills as much as the soft, but learning how to bandage, or splint, or stitch... those things are so much easier than being calm when a patient is holding their intestines in their hands. ）

[appeale]

[ it's a thoughtful answer that might have warmed anyone else's heart—but Ruby's is cold in the way of a rock that has never seen the sun. so she just has to act, the same as always? that isn't difficult at all. even before she was Rudbeckia, controlling how others perceived her was part of her everyday survival. a soft voice, a kind manner, the air of someone gentle and trustworthy: she's played that character plenty of times already.

she can do it now, too. ]

I see... [ Ruby's smile softens and she looks around the makeshift clinic as though she's taking it all in. ] Your patients must feel very well cared for. It's apparent in the way you speak how passionate you are about your work.

[ this girl will undoubtedly become someone trusted and respected among the Restless, whether her reputation spreads to all of Stygia or only circulates through their band of recent arrivals. that's why Ruby needs to get in on the ground floor. she doesn't want any of the spotlight she's certain will fall on Sakura; what she wants is to feel assured that Sakura would vouch for her, if something were to happen. she's the kind of person whose words will carry a lot of weight in the future. ]

Knowing that we have you here to keep us healthy and well is very reassuring, signora.