newtralize | Then we are dead.

[Newt gives an understanding nod to the other. He isn't all that surprised that the other wants to get to walking first. Getting independent mobility back was one of those things most people wanted. Something people take for granted until they lose that independence.

It's unfortunate that it would probably be awhile before Percival will be able to walk without some sort of assistance. Getting mobility back in limbs was certainly a long, grueling affair.

They would have to do a lot of stretches and exercises to get mobility back before they can get to the point of helping him get back his balance on his feet proper. Newt thinks of the best exercises to start off with.

Ah, right. He shoulder respond to the other.

Newt taps his wrist, similarly to if someone was tapping a wristwatch. He doesn't own a wristwatch, of course. Of course, the other might not understand that he's trying to ask when the other wants to start.

The mediwizards had mentioned that Percival would be allowed to be released soon. While he was far from fully recovered, Percival was at a point where there was very little they can do to help his condition. The rest of recovery would be by his own hand.]

[ Percival gives a little nod of his own as an acknowledgement the Newt understood what he wanted to do.

It takes him a moment to decipher what Newt might've meant. Something related to time? They're talking about recovery so it'll likely be related to a starting point, if anything else.

Its not like he can start immediately and while the mediwizard praised his recovery thus far this morning, he wasn't told for sure when he'd be released. And while he felt like it was time wasted when he should start as soon as possible, he needed to listen to his own body and its current limitations.

There's a soft hum from him in thought.

He could likely spend his time with stretches, at the very least. That wasn't too strenuous on the body as some exercises and he knows he's some time away from being able to stand. That alone he's not quite looking forward to. Immediately thinking about the possibility that his legs were going to give out from under him or the inevitable shakiness, among others.

With this being worked on, everything else on his recovery list should fall into line fairly easy.]

Best course of action would be to wait until I'm released, heal some more, but I would like something of minimal effort to start with in the mean time. To start adjusting.

[ Newt would be one of the first to see him in such a vulnerable state, mentally and physically and he tried to keep such weaknesses out of sight from others if possible. ]

[Newt understands starting off small and that they should start with smaller things than actual things like walking. Percival would surely be like a newborn unicorn on those unsteady legs of his.

Speaking of legs, he gestures at Percival's legs. He then does a flexing motion where he bends his arm back and forth a few times. Indicating that the other should try and bend his legs a few time. They were likely to be stiff from lack of use.

He was also pretty sure that the other was going to struggle with even doing that if he was going to guess. That even moving his limbs extensively was going to be a painful affair. Still, it was necessary for the other to go through this. He wasn't going to get better unless he did.

Newt waits quietly to see how the other will do.]

[ There's a moment of hesitation at the request.

The only time he's really moved his legs since his rescue was with the help of one of the mediwizards during his first assessment once he woke up and even then, there was a certain level of discomfort in the motion that he didn't enjoy in the slightest.

Percival pulls the covers to the side as he sits up, hands braced at his sides as he stares at his legs before taking in a breath. He starts with one of them, bending it slowly as far as he could manage before it became too painful and extending it again. He repeats the motion a few more times before alternating with his other leg and back again, the discomfort can easily be read on his face.

It put into perspective just how long this road of recovery might turn out to be. After some time, he finally stops when he can't bear to continue, as much as he would like to keep going. Baby steps, after all.

Leaning back, he processes the activity; there's a dull ache but it was progress. He glances over at Newt. ]

Who knew sitting in one spot for months could deal such damage.

[Newt offers the other a sympathetic smile as the other struggles to even bend his legs. He had cared for plenty of injured creatures and watched them have to struggle just the same.

It was different to watch Percival struggle though. He felt his chest ache to watch the other barely even do something as simple as bending his legs. Newt was finding it difficult to watch, but he was determined to help the other as much as possible.

There was still the issue of communicating though.

He digs through his many coat pockets for a quill and something to write on though. If he couldn't speak and they couldn't communicate through sign, then there was at least writing. It was slow, but what choice did they have?

Newt holds the parchment out to the other. He keeps his answers short just to make it quicker.]

Muscle atrophy.

[ Percival watches the Newt with curiosity as he shuffles through his coat pockets, watching the other pull out the quill and a slip of parchment. Waiting patiently, he leans forward a little when the sheet is presented to him as he reads the message. Handing the sheet back shortly after, gaze downcast. ]

The staff mentioned the same thing at some point...

[ Quite a great deal of information was told to him after he woke up this morning, everything that wasn't mentioned to him during yesterday's evaluation, most of which he didn't take to heart like he should've. Not that anyone could really blame him, given his current condition.

Besides the obvious physical injuries, the trauma, muscle atrophy sat at the top of the list. Percival can't help but wonder if this sort of thing could've been prevented had he stuck to moving around when he could instead of giving up the notion entirely after the first month. His mistake, really.

His raises his gaze.]

I have a request to make of you, if I may. I know we'll be spending a great deal of time in each other's company and I was wondering, in the downtime between the therapy sessions, if you could teach me to sign? It would make matters easier than you haven't to write everything out on parchment.

[ Of course, he didn't want to eat up all of the free time Newt possessed between aiding in his recovery and caring for the creatures housed in his case. The other had every right to say no but he's hoping he wouldn't. That they could fit it into the schedule somehow without it being too much. ]

[Newt seems to be taken aback when the other makes his request. He had expected plenty of other things that would perhaps pertain to his recovery. Not about learning sign language. Well, perhaps, this technically did pertain to his recovery, but most didn't care to learn. Most would be content with the rudimentary form of communicating (or maybe people just didn't care to communicate with him).

He realizes he hadn't actually answered the other. He just writes three letters down and underlines the first letter as though to emphasize.]

BSL

[Just to make sure the other knew that he wasn't going to get much use of it in the States. They were different enough that they didn't quite overlap.

He wasn't sure if the other would want to learn knowing that it would probably just be a niche skill used to converse with him. He wasn't certainly going to waste Percival's time after all.]

[ If he learned, this would only make the process run more smoothly and Newt would be more in his element then having to converse so shortly on paper. It would take Percival some time to adjust to the difference but in the long run, it was worth it.

Given his position at MACUSA, he only saw it as a benefit given the world confrences he attended and he knows this likely wouldn't be the last time he'd ever see or interact with the magizoologist either.

He wouldn't have made the request if he thought it was a waste of time. The other could certainly be using his parchment on better things like his research. ]

I would still like to learn, if you're up for it, of course.

[ If the other was going to go through the trouble of making sure he was comfortable, he was certainly going to return the gesture. Its the least he could do. ]

[Newt nods for a moment. A slow little nod, like his mind was still computing what the other was requesting before he suddenly stands up.

He places the case on the ground before popping it open and started climbing into it. As though a thought had suddenly occurred. A thought that he didn't bother to share with the other before he seemingly disappears into the case.

Percival, at least, knew what the case was capable of. He can hear rummaging from inside as Newt seems to be digging about, trying to find something.]

[ At first, he thought, perhaps, this was a terrible idea and that Newt was only going along with it because he requested it of him.

Percival's eyes widen a fraction as he watches Newt set down the case and climbs into it, it wasn't until the other had disappeared completely that he attempted to sit forward, wincing once he went too far. Even with curiosity getting the better of him, he knew he likely wouldn't catch a glimpse inside the case.

He leans back and listens to the rummaging down below as he waits for the other to return. ]

[Newt eventually climbs back out kind of haphazardly and awkwardly. He stumbles a bit as he climbs out, but at least he didn't end up falling over. It would be rather embarrassing to go face first into the floor in front of Percival.

Once he staggers back to his feet, he holds some books out to Percival. They were rather old and worn looking. Obviously they had seen a lot of use through the years. They were sign language books.

The silent Brit isn't looking at Percival, but at his worn out boots instead.]

[ Percival wishes he could help the other, offer a hand instead of watching the other struggle but alas, he's stuck here giving a rather sympathetic look.

He reaches out for the books Newt hands him, looking over the covers of each and sliding a gentle hand over them. ]

Thank you... for these. I'll be sure to take good care of them for the time being.

[ With some amount of hesitation, he comes up with a plan for the day. He wasn't due to be released into the magizoologist's care for another day or two, give or take. And with how much he struggled with stretching his legs the barest amount as well as the need to form a better line of communication with his future caretaker, outside of slow guesses and parchment paper notes, he figured it might be a step in the right direction. ]

For today, do you mind if we went over these along with filling intervals for stretching? Keeping it light today.

[Newt nods a little too viciously. He can't help but be a tad excited. It's rare for someone to want to learn something that they wouldn't really make use of like this.

To learn because they want to interact with him.

People have always found him annoying and didn't exactly want to talk to him.

It's even more surprising how quickly he wants to get into it. He can only nod again before gesturing at the book before signing A-L-P-H-A-B-E-T to the other. Hopefully the other understands. To start they had to start at the beginning and that means learning the alphabet first.]

[ There's a flash of a smile at the other's excited nod before Newt gestures and signs what he can only guess would be the first step. Building the foundation.

Percival sets the book down in his lap as he turns the pages until he reaches the alphabet page, giving it a look over. He can see now just how much BSL differed from ASL and it explained the rocky start they had in the beginning when he tried to sign.

He raises his hands and slowly signs Newt's name first as practice before jumping straight into the other letters, furrowing his brows in concentration as the motions are a bit sloppy. Practice will eventually make perfect but it was a long road before he would reach that point.

After going through the alphabet once, he runs through it again before looking up at the other. ]

How was that for the first attempts?

Then we are dead.

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