PRIVATE CHANNEL: ARCHIMICARUS

[tigermillionaire]

WELCOME TO YOUR PRIVATE CHANNEL, ARCHIMICARUS. FOR SECURE COMMUNICATION, USE 018.07.123.44 *** ARCHIMICARUS has joined 018.07.123.44 <ARCHIMICARUS> hi this is STEVEN UNIVERSE'S channel <ARCHIMICARUS> if you dont kno where i am i probibly went to the forest.... <ARCHIMICARUS> i'll come back soon!!!

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[tigermillionaire]

[Steven is curled up on the couch, wrapped in a blanket with his tail poking out the end. His laptop is sitting on the table next to the couch, but it seems to have been abandoned for the moment in favour of Steven sprawling out in a weird position while sticking his tongue out. He doesn't feel very good and his body is still aching, and so contorting himself awkward for some reason seemed like the thing to do.

His eyes blink open and he clumsily flips himself over, though, when Henry comes in with the box. His tail thumps against the couch.]

It's a box!

[reluctantreceiver]

_{[It pains him to see such a happy, bouncy kid feel so bad, but that thumping tail gets him to smile. He's still Steven!]}

Even better.

_{[Henry sits down and slides the box forward. On the cover is a Rockwell-esque painting of a wheelbarrow with puppies and decoy ducks in it along with a big number one hundred.]}

[tigermillionaire]

[His eyes sparkle even before he manages to figure out what it is.]

It's a puppy! Puppies...

[He laughs.]

One hundred puppies...?

[He swears he normally knows what a puzzle looks like.]

[reluctantreceiver]

_{[Henry's mossy brows peak with worry as he extends a vine to feel the boy's forehead.]}

No, Steven...it's one hundred pieces.

[tigermillionaire]

[Steven's body temperature is usually just a little bit higher than room temperature, and now...it's maybe a bit higher than that? It's hard to tell what a part plant part mammal is supposed to feel like, when sick. Steven definitely seems off, though, slurring his words with more than exhaustion.]

Oh...

[He spends way too long thinking, but why would you want 100 pieces of puppies, but gradually it clicks together.]

OH...and you...puzzle pieces!

[reluctantreceiver]

_{[He just pats Steven's face with the vine before helping him take the lid off and dumping the pieces onto the floor. Luckily, this is a NEW puzzle and not one from a second hand shop. All one hundred puppies are there.]}

It's been forever since I've done one of these. Do you need anything before we start?

[tigermillionaire]

[All one hundred puppies.

One of Steven's feet slips down out of his blanket, his roots curling around the edge of an empty punch bowl sitting on the floor. He's been using it to water himself through the feet for most of the day and he's all out.]

Can I have water? I drank it.

[reluctantreceiver]

Of course.

_{[He makes quick work of fetching Steven a new...soak bowl. He can't blame the kid for not wanting to use his mouth if he's been feeling so icky.]}

What do you think? Should we build the edges first? Or be a littl crazy and start with the middle?

[tigermillionaire]

[He actually really likes drinking water through his feet, even when he's not sick - but during this period of weakness, it's been a real life save. Like being on an IV but without the scary needles and doctor stuff! Wow.

Steven shuffles over and eagerly sticks one of his feet into the punch bowl, his roots spreading around the base of the bowl. Then he pauses to look at the puzzle, his tongue popping out thoughtfully.]

I wanna...make their faces.

[He curls up next to the pile of pieces and starts fumbling around for things that look like puppies.]

That's the best part.

[reluctantreceiver]

Okay, let's do it.

_{[He starts sifting through the pieces carefully, taking his time to turn each puzzle piece right side up so that they can find all the eyes and noses they need.]}

I think I found part of the spotted dog.

[tigermillionaire]

I have a nose!

[He holds up a piece triumphantly. It's probably a nose anyway. He laughs and puts a hand over his face.]

On my face, too. I have two noses but only one is a dog.

[reluctantreceiver]

_{[Henry starts laughing in earnest--it's a pretty rare sound.]}

Oh, no, Steven, you're mutating!

[tigermillionaire]

[He balances the piece of the puzzle with the dog nose on his nose and then sticks out his tongue and pulls a face.]

I'm a werewolf now! Awwooo.

[reluctantreceiver]

You'll be a good dog, though, won't you?

_{[He scans the area and reaches out for a discarded pencil. He holds it up and wiggles it before throwing it across the room.]}

[tigermillionaire]

[His tail totally thumps excitedly at that offering - Steven is really puppy enough in his nymph form when it comes down to it, but instead of reacting to the joke as he might otherwise he just kind of sluggishly sloughs off of the couch with a little laugh.]

Aw, I don't wanna go over there.

[reluctantreceiver]

It was worth a try.

_{[He's still smiling as he starts to place down some of the puzzle pieces.]}

I read in my books that water with crushed up eggshell in it is good for plants. Isn't that weird?

[tigermillionaire]

[Steven lays there on the floor for a few moments, staring at the ceiling. For now he is ignoring the puzzle, besides the piece he has clasped in his hand.]

Is it like...egg minerals?

[reluctantreceiver]

I think so...but I don't think I'm lacking enough vitamins to try it out. How are you feeling?

[tigermillionaire]

Sleepy.

[He curls up in his blanket on the floor, his ears drooping wearily.]

I could use some minerals.

[reluctantreceiver]

_{[Henry's own ears droop in response. He eyes the modest kitchen Ginko has. Surely he has eggs...what the fuck do trolls even eat?]}

Hey, Steven...how about an egg sandwich?

[tigermillionaire]

[He's quiet for a moment.]

...With the shells, too?

[reluctantreceiver]

Maybe...