02.23.10 - Long Overdue (Sidney's Promotion)

Location: Salamandastron Training Room and Leaders' Office

Characters Involved: Sidney, Darklett

Sidney is nearing the end of his workout, and it shows. He's sweaty and scruffy in equal amounts, and he wears a faint grimace as he holds himself suspended from a bar set into a wall. His knees are bent, ankles crossed. His biceps are bunched up with tension from keeping himself in that position, his chin hovering just about an inch above the bar.

On the other hand, Darklett hasn't begun training yet. He's about to start, actually. He steps into the vast room, spotting Sidney over there holding himself from the pull-up bar. Halting in his walk for a moment, he decides to go towards the private, though he's sure not to disturb the other hare.

There's a little twitch to one of Sid's ears. Just about every second, like a built-in timer. Finally, with a shallow exhale from the exertion he lowers himself until his feet touch the floor, then exhales with a grimace. Ow. He takes a step back, rubbing at one bicep, then greets Darklett with a worn-out smile. "Ah, hey."

"Hey, Sid. What's up?" Darklett rocks on his footpaws casually. He's out of uniform, wearing a short sleeved shirt and loose pants. "Er, maybe I should let you cool down for a second before I bother you..." He grins, looking at the private's haggard appearance.

Sidney steps over to a bench to pick up his canteen from where he left it and his shirt. The cork is popped open and he takes a large swallow, while making a gesture at Darklett, then shaking his head after. "No, it's all good, I'm about done now I think. How's it going?"

"It's, uh. It's going pretty good, actually. Despite everything." Darklett shrugs. "How's Taye doin'? I haven't seen him. I went up to the infirmary to check on him last night and he was already out." He sounds strangely approving of this fact. :P

"Better. You know.. improving in small increments," Sid says with a shrug. He pours some water out onto his hand and rubs this over his face. Nice and cold. "He's been hobbling around, yeah."

"Heh." Darklett nods. "I need to talk to him. So, if you see him before I do, send him my way." He shrugs. "Good to see you're working through all of this stress, at least. It's kind of wracking... But hey, we might have some actual action around here now, right?"

"Ah yeah?" Sid's ears perk a little with curiosity. "Sure, I'll let him know. At least he's probably not in too great a radius from the infirmary, I figure." His shoulders move in a slow shrug. "Just trying to keep on going like usual. Mostly I'm worried about Mike.. Taye's fine, just grumpy about his arm."

Darklett nods understandingly enough. "Yeah, it was pretty ugly being there when he found Tameus's brass knuckles in the water by the Halyard docks. It... It kind of worried me. But he'll be alright, you know? He'll push through it like he needs to." He takes a big breath. "I'm still worried about Taye's arm, though. It's... It really worries me, you know?"

Sidney cringes with sympathy. Twice. First at the mention of Mike, then Taye. To the first he just huffs, and to the second he nods, looking down at the canteen in his hands. "It's .. worth worrying about, is the impression I get," he says quietly. "He's worried. I'm worried... I don't think the healers can really tell right now if it'll.. even heal all the way. Or ever get all its strength back."

Darklett lowers his head, eyes closed. "...The... The hardest part, is..." Darklett inhales, looking up the ceiling. "Sid, go get cleaned up and meet me in my office. I've got a favor to ask of you, so... Take your time and clear your head, alright?"

Sidney looks up from the canteen to Darklett's face, his ears splaying a little to the sides. "Dark? .. major?" he asks with a note of confusion. It shows on his face also. "I mean, sure, 'course. Sure.."

"Thanks." And Darklett starts working his way out of the training room and to his office, sighing audibly.

Sidney watches Darklett go, then turns to gather up his shirt from that same bench. As he does so he sends another curious glance at the departing major, before he heads toward the exit as well, to make a quick stop at the baths.

-

Darklett is waiting on Sidney to show up, opening up his drawer and closing it, looking up to the ceiling to search for thoughts. He's pretty nervous, but he's got to clear that before Sidney gets here. Can't let anyone know he's questioning what he's about to do, here!

Sidney arrives something like ten minutes after they parted ways at the training room. He's still damp from a quick bath, the fur on his head sticking up in a few spiky cowlicks, and he's in uniform now, buttoning up the front of his tunic with one hand while he knocks on the door.

"Come on in," Darklett shouts so he can be heard on the other side of the door. He straightens up in his chair, composing himself.

The door opens, and Sid gives a glance in - over the rest of the office, then at Darklett. He steps in and shuts the door behind him, then approaches the desk Darklett sits at. One can only assume the major chose this setting for /some/ reason, so Sid's bearing is less casual than usual, and he stands straight when he stops in front of the desk, giving the major a salute.

Darklett smiles up from his seat. "Go ahead and sit down, Sid. Private." He clears his throat, straightening again. "Like I said, I have a favor to ask."

Sidney returns the smile with one of his own. A curious one, of course! He sits down, reaching to straighten the collar of his tunic slightly and slouching less than he usually would. He's actually pretty straight at the moment. "Just name it, then."

"Sidney," Darklett begins. "You work hard... You know that. That's why I don't want what I'm about to say to come across the wrong way. But I would be lying if I said that this wasn't a move made out of necessity."

Sidney's brows furrow just the littlest bit, faint creases appearing across his forehead. He nods, though, ears angled upward with interest. "Okay.. go ahead. Just tell me what you need from me, Dark.. I'll do what I can."

Darklett nods. "Sidney, with the injuries to Taye threatening the fulfillment of his duties, it was plain to me that I needed to find... Not a replacement, but something close to it." Darklett opens up his desk drawer, pulling out a wooden box and placing it on top. "And quickly. And after giving it some thought, you were really the only reasonable choice. It may have been frustrating before, but now I can only thank the stars the other majors really haven't taken notice of you." He places his fingers on the side of the box shoving it across his desk to the private. "Private Sidney," he stands up. "Should you choose to accept, I am hereby promoting you to a Lieutenant under my command."

Sidney's dark eyes grow a little wide. Whoa, his expression says. He sinks back just a little in his seat, not slumping, but leaning away slightly while he views the major with increasing surprise. It's all across his face - his mouth even hangs slightly open, for just a moment, before it turns into a bit of a grin. "... holy hell, Dark, I thought you were asking /me/ for a favor. This is.. this... I /promise/," he says with sudden earnestness, leaning forward again, his hands pressing to the edge of the table. "I /promise/, I won't let you down." Now his grin is beaming.

"...Heh." Darklett grins, shoulders bouncing in a quiet chuckle as he watches the full gamut of emotions on display before him. "Good to hear, Sid. I knew you'd be up for it." He points to the box. "In there's a new belt buckle for you, as well as the patches indicating you as a lieutenant. You..." Heh. "You don't have to pretend you know how to properly attach them. No one will judge you for having it done."

Sidney reacts with a short laugh, and now he does for a moment sink back and down in his chair - like the promotion's done him in a little. "I'll let you handle that, then. .. thank you. Really. This is... this is really great, Dark," he says, shaking his head again, a bit in awe, as he gets up from his chair now.

"You'll be great. I can already tell." Darklett raises his paw in a salute. "This is long, long overdue, Lieutenant."

Sidney stands up straight again, and salutes back at Darklett. Meanwhile his grin is swallowing his face. ".. hey. I'm /Major Darklett's Lieutenant/," he mutters to himself, and then reaches to open the box. He lifts out the belt buckle, and tilts it side to side, looking at his reflection in it. Shiny!

"Congratulations, Sid." Darklett drops the salute, grinning, himself. "I still need to talk to Taye about this, so... Try not to run into him until I talk to him, okay? I don't want him getting the wrong impression."

Sidney grins in reassurance at the older buck. "I'll avoid him as best I can til you give me the go-ahead to.. not."