(no subject)

[fifth_garde]

[He'd drove all night, habitually remembering to drink from the cold flask of cheap coffee he'd picked up from a diner and even more habitually to chew on aspirin. He had to keep the pain in his arm at bay, occasionally it would spasm causing him to jerk the wheel to one side. His eyes were aching, and either that was because of the exhaustion or the emotions which were rattling around in his head, both of which weren't things he was able to take care of right then.

He'd eventually caved in and put on the radio, listening to some random popular music station so he wasn't left with just his own thoughts. He didn't exactly enjoy the music but it was better than utter silence, every now and again he'd press a wad of napkins against his temple, which had crusted over but wasn't entirely finished bleeding yet.

Finally reaching the town he'd left Owen in earlier that day, or actually the day before considering it was now five in the morning, he could've simply ran but he'd either end up running into a wall or phasing half way through one and winding up dead.

He parked the car in the same car park he'd left the BMW and transfers the chest from one trunk to the other, after all he'd rather ditch Al's car for the stolen motor, regardless of the convenience of having a car with actual insurance papers.

Finally he drags himself into the corridors of the hotel, it seeming deadly quiet for the fact it was so early, he vaguely remembers Owen's room number having only seen it once before and slumps against the doorframe, tapping lightly on it and hoping Owen would hear.]

Owen? 's me... I mean, Five, y'there?

Comments

[magicalmishaps.livejournal.com]

It's not about seeing, it's about checking to see whether or not your responses are what they should be. I need--

[And his penlight flies out of his bag and into his hand, and that one does make him blink.]

Thank Christ. ...Will others inspect the site afterwards?

Wait-- I'm not done yet. Stay sitting for a minute and look into the light for me, please.

[fifth-garde.livejournal.com]

[He looks into the light and tries his best to follow, but his reactions seem sluggish and disjointed, whether that had anything to do with concussion or just plain exhaustion he had no idea.]

No site left, it was a little house in the country. I blew it up, there'll be no trace of anything.

[He frowns.] He'd jus' bought it, anyway. There'll be no trail.

[magicalmishaps.livejournal.com]

[If Jason cries, Owen will be undone completely, so he's just going to try to not look at the obvious pain on his face as he cleans the cut on his head. The reaction times are concerning him, but he can't afford to let Jason sleep if he's potentially concussed.]

...Okay. I think we're done for the minute. ...Go get cleaned up. I'll be right outside the door if you need anything, okay? I'll have clothes waiting, too.

[fifth-garde.livejournal.com]

[He nods and walks towards the bathroom, locking the door and proceeding to fight his way out of his clothing. He stumbles into the shower itself and puts the water on, waiting for it to get hot. He scrubs himself clean, trying his best to ignore the pain until his skin is red and buffed as well as possible. He stands there for a moment when finally some emotion floods him more than the water was able to.

He leans against the shower wall before finally realising the man who was more than any parent could have been was actually dead. That's when the tears start, they weren't the dignified tears he'd expected to shed but instead these were ugly body-racking sobs. He let himself slide to the bottom of the shower while he hopes the water somehow muffles what he knew were ridiculously loud sobs.

Eventually though the water gets uncomfortably cold and he realises his face must look a godawful mess. He guesses he'd finally purged the first set of his grief, though that wouldn't be the end of it at all. It was just enough for now.

He climbs out of the shower, sniffling slightly before he pushes the button again to turn the shower off. He grabs a towel from the rail and dries himself off, trying it around his waist considering his total lack of clothes. He unlocks the shower door and walks out again, eyeing Owen carefully for any hint he might have heard what went on in the bathroom.]

[magicalmishaps.livejournal.com]

[He heard pretty much everything, but he will never speak of it, nor will he give any inclination he heard, though sitting on the other side of the door and listening to that from anyone would be painful, much less from Jason.

That's not really the point, however; what is important is that he has underwear and a pair of loose, draw-string pants for Jason to change into. No t-shirt, since Owen's going to need to get at his shoulder again.]

I'm going to need another go at that shoulder, if you can stand it.

[fifth-garde.livejournal.com]

[He blindly accepts the clothes from Owen and drops his towel, the nudity contained absolutely no sexual implications. It was just easier than trying to conserve any kind of dignity.

He pulls on the clothes and sits again on the bed beside Owen, nodding.]

I'll be fine, I just need somethin' t'drink... [Yes, the awkward post-crying stage where it made it very difficult to speak without starting up again. Though, he wasn't about to lose his shit any time soon.]

[magicalmishaps.livejournal.com]

[The thought doesn't even occur to Owen, or it would have occurred a lot earlier when he cut the shirt off. Mostly he's just focused on how awful that wound looks, and how he isn't fully sure he really has sufficient supplies to deal with it here. He has, however, thought of drinks; there is a selection of orange juice, sports drinks and bottled water on hand.]

Take your pick.

[He sets aside gauze, antiseptic cream with mild anaesthetic and tape on the bed.]

...I'm really sorry, but this is going to hurt worse than the last time, and then it's going to get better. Trust me, all right?

[fifth-garde.livejournal.com]

[He takes the sports drink, ever mindful of the fact that he really must have burned through a lot of energy earlier just to have been able to perform the way he did with his Legacies. He bites the cap off one and takes a generous gulp of it, helping him sooth his throat.]

's fine, honestly. I can work with pain.

[It had been part of his training to push pain away to deal with at another time, physical pain that is.. and thinking of his training just brought up the emotional pain which he also didn't want to deal with. He also realised that meant he'd peaked in terms of training now that he had no one left teaching him how to be a Garde.]

[magicalmishaps.livejournal.com]

I believe you. I just generally dislike causing it.

[He will probably be causing quite a bit of it, despite this, making sure the wound is properly cleaned and covered with cream before applying the cause and taping it into place. He'll check to see how well it's healing tomorrow --or later, to be more accurate-- and if not... Well, he'd cross that bridge when he came to it. There were spells, but...]

Just this one now.

[He brushes his thumb across Jason's temple while inspecting the wound now it's cleaned up. Fortunately, this one is a lot less serious, and all it requires is disinfectant, anaesthetic, and two butterfly stitches.]

...I'm still worried about concussion, so you're going to stay awake for a little bit, though I know you have to be exhausted. And there's a good chance we'll have matching scars, though I tried to ensure it'll heal cleanly.

[fifth-garde.livejournal.com]

[He mutters out a couple of expletives, it was painful even by normal standards.]

Tomorrow I'll fix it. I brought somethin' with me I just can't use it tonight.

[He'd use the healing stone.. the injuries were serious enough to require that level of healing and he'd just get drunk to ignore the pain.]

'm gonna be fine, 'n yeah if the swimmin' feelin' is anything t'go by I have concussion. But I can't just turn up in a hospital, 'n like I said once I get my head together I can heal everything like that.

[He manages a weak smile when Owen's done patching him up.]

Thanks.. I had nowhere else t'go.

[magicalmishaps.livejournal.com]

No, I know. I understand. We'll wait it out for a while and see how you're feeling a little later.

...I understand. And I-- I know what that's like. So you don't have to thank me, even if you feel as if you do.

[fifth-garde.livejournal.com]

I do though, y'had no reason t'help me. I'm still basically a stranger.

[He stands up, drinking more of the sports drink and sitting more comfortably on the bed. He just needed a few days to work everything out, eventually he'd heal on a mental level. The physical healing was going to be a lot simpler but it would involve going to get the chest which would be significantly heavier without the added adrenaline boost.]

'm surprisingly.. awake. I feel I should pass out any moment but even thinkin' about sleep seems difficult. [He sighs and leans against the headboard, wincing slightly.]

[magicalmishaps.livejournal.com]

You're--

[And he pauses, because he really isn't completely how to finish that sentence for a moment. When he continues, his voice is soft.]

If I'm being absolutely honest, I have no idea what you are, but I strongly suspect that you were very much on the way to being something at least a lot like a good friend.

I like you. I like being around you. I relate to your circumstance. We can help each other a lot. And I'd help anyone in trouble if I could. So I have a lot of reasons help you, and no reasons not to help you. Let me--

[Jason's getting pillows arranged behind him now to ease the strain on his chest. Owen rests against the headboard beside him, one knee drawn up, on which he rests his chin.]




...Ironically, I'm a bit crap at this as a friend.

[fifth-garde.livejournal.com]

[He's not too sure how to take that, it was interesting to be considered anything close to anything, but he'd felt it too. He tilts his head to the side, just short of resting it on Owen's shoulder.]

Y'know... I was thinkin' the same thing, 'n this could be the painkillers, exhaustion and mental trauma talkin' but it might be nice t'actually have a friend who wants me around rather than just needs it.

[He sighs, taking another drink.]

's nice, really.

[magicalmishaps.livejournal.com]

[Owen gives him a slightly wry smile.]

Be sure to let me know if you happen to change your mind once your faculties return. ...Speaking of which, I've got more painkillers, if you need them. I'm worried about giving you too many, but those injuries are fairly... severe.




...We can talk about it, if you want.

[He means the other, non-treated injuries, obviously.]

[fifth-garde.livejournal.com]

[He finds himself staring at the ceiling.]

Guess we'll find out in a few hours then, 'n no more painkillers. My heads swimmin' enough as it is.

[He frowns and claps his hand lightly on Owen's thigh.]

'm not ready for that yet, really. 's a floodgate ready t'explode 'n neither of us are able t'deal with that.

[magicalmishaps.livejournal.com]

That probably for the best. You can sleep in a little while, but I'll have to wake you periodically to make sure you're all right.

[Owen glances at him at that and shifts over the tiniest fraction so their shoulders are touching.] ...Take all the time you need. ...But I'm here when you're ready. And I can deal with whatever you need me to.

[fifth-garde.livejournal.com]

Don't need t'sleep, we can talk about anythin' else except that.

[He sighs, it was too much for him to handle right now and he wasn't about to start sobbing again right there on the bed because he probably wouldn't stop until he rendered himself unconscious.]

What do I do next...? [That was the only thing he couldn't find an answer for, usually someone made his long term plans for him.]

[magicalmishaps.livejournal.com]

You will eventually. You've burned through god knows how much adrenaline. You have to let your body rest. ...And your mind, too.

...Well, if the Mogadorians were able to track your last location, I would suggest that you get as far away from the place they found as possible.



You could always come back to England with me, if you wanted. I have... contacts, resources, that could be very helpful to you.

[fifth-garde.livejournal.com]

I could?

[He considers it, it would be his first real move by himself. Sure he'd spent a lot of time in different hotels and motels all over the world but that didn't mean he'd ever had another home. He swallows thickly and lies totally back against the pillows, closing his eyes.]

I guess I could, I mean.. it's a great offer. It's new 'n different...

[He sighs and dreads the outcome of his next question.]

What does that make us then? Friends, roommates, casual fuckbuddies? [Yes, Five was all colours of deep tonight...]

Owen fails so much at this, I'm sorry. :| :| :|

[magicalmishaps.livejournal.com]

I, uh.

[Damn it, Jason would not ask him that if he were firing on all cylinders! Owen is so very bad at this.]

Er. No. Yes. Maybe? All... Of the above? More? I don't-- You know, I've never, um--




How about we just think of it as 'title pending', for now?

Ahahaha, Jason is bad.

[fifth-garde.livejournal.com]

[His head was swimming a little more now, especially with the fact that his adrenaline was rapidly leaving him.]

Title pendin', that works for now. Never did like labellin' things.

[He rests his head on Owen's shoulder, sighing.] 'm sorry, layin' this shit on you. When are you, I mean, when are we goin' t'England anyway?

He's doing better than Owen! He has legit reason to be all messed up.

[magicalmishaps.livejournal.com]

I do. Usually. ...But this sort of defies categorisation, and for once, I'm not going to prod at it.

[That feels oddly comfortable, and Owen turns his head, resting his cheek against Jason's still-damp hair.] If you keep apologising, I'm going to poke you in your shoulder-wound.

The day after tomorrow. But... I can change the ticket to earlier, if you want, and... Do you have a passport that will get you through customs?

J is just doped up and will die if he falls asleep w. Owen...

[fifth-garde.livejournal.com]

Hey, that'd make you a bad nurse. Pretty sure threatenin' the patient is frowned. [He laughs breathily.]

I do, I mean I don't always run from place t'place. I like flyin' 'n that's not in my list o' skills.

[Usually Jason would move away when things start to get comfortable, but he figures there's nothing in the way of it right now and maybe a bit of comfort would do him well.]

Though, what class d'you fly...? [He might force Owen to upgrade his ticket or something, considering he may be in a bad way but that doesn't mean he likes people.. after all the only humans he spoke to he singled out to begin with.]

It has to happen some day! :P

[magicalmishaps.livejournal.com]

Well, tough luck for you, because I'm going to be a doctor, and they've often got a crap bedside manner.

[If Owen is going to let him anywhere near his permanent living space, they'll have to get very comfortable. He's picky about people seeing and touching his things.]

Business-- coach is making a bad thing worse, and first draws too much attention.