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Wash gently guided a rather off-kilter Jerry as far away from the Life Labs as he thought he could manage. He held his breath at every corner- and not just at the reek of whiskey and vomit on his friend's breath. He knew Sasha planned on making her own visit to the doctor. To run into her now might be disastrous. He tried not to eye the bottle in the other man's hand, but his mouth was set in a line of thinly veiled concern and, somewhere beneath that, a touch of sadness. He believed in Jerry, he knew he was better than this- the problem was, did Jerry believe in himself?

He slowed his brisk pace finally, ducking into an empty classroom, leading Jerry gently to a seat. To take a break, maybe, before trying to make it back to his dorm, or wherever the other man wanted to go.

"You're ok, man, you're alright," he murmured soothingly. He wasn't ok, and he wasn't alright, obviously but- he didn't know what else to say.

"What happened back there? Seemed kinda...intense." Yeah, talk about something else. He had a sneaking suspicion that the alcohol might be more attributed to a certain lady hunter than it did his interrupted conversation with the doctor, but he didn't want to broach the topic. Let the man come to it in his own time. Wash couldn't imagine what would have brought him to the life labs in the first place. The moon hunter was not among the mysterious doctor's biggest fans, to be sure; he had a penchant for being more cruel and callous than was necessary. He prayed the man would be kinder to Sasha.

He bowed his head for a moment, and prayed for Jerry, too. They could all use a little divine intervention today.

((ALSO-

His face still looks ridiculous. ;D ))

Of all the things he had braced for, that comment was NOT one of them.

"My...what?"

Wash grinned uncertainly. Scribbly?

Oh, Wash, Sally sighed. Go find a mirror.

The classroom was devoid of mirrors, but he managed to get a good look at his reflection in the panes of one of the chamber's many windows. He stood there, blinking for a couple seconds. Slowly, a deep chuckle joined his friend's manic laughter, until he had to lean against a desk for fear of loosing his balance. After a short time, he straightened, wiping tears from his eyes.

"Well." He tried to keep a straight face, and failed, grinning and scratching the back of his head in embarassment. "I, uh. Was playin' Jenga. In the Life area... I guess the lab techs gotta do somethin' to pass th' time."

"Been kind of an off day, all 'round," he remarked carefully. He tried to keep the tone lighthearted, teasing.

Wash gazed out the window, trying to maintain a blank face. He didn't want to show sadness, or pity; he wasn't sure if either would be welcomed.

"You don' have to talk 'bout it if you don't wanna." He took a deep breath through his nose, letting it out slowly, before turning to his friend and taking a seat in a desk next to him.

"Only, it seems like you got a lot on your mind."

Wash shook his head. "I dunno, man." He sighed again, heavily, and tried for honesty, meeting his eyes and unable to hide his concern. "He's many things but - a liar, it don't seem like it'd be one of 'em." It was a hard thing to say, and a cold comfort. He paused, bit his lip, then finally asked, "Did you know your father?"

Wash tried to say something, anything to help alleviate the other man's distress.

"Don't pay no mind to what he said. He's a cold, cruel, vexin' thing. Don't let him have the best o' you, he don't deserve it." He shook his head as angry as he was aggrieved. What a terrible way to find out about a parent. Almost as terrible as- well. It was best not to make that comparison, however apt.

"You're a better man than he is, Jerry. I'm sure your father was a good man, too."

"Yeah, alright man." He got up, offering the other hunter a hand. He could help Jerry to his room- it was the least he could do, right?

"No, don' say that," Wash chided gently. He kept a guiding hand on Jerry's back, carefully directing him. "You jus'...had a bad day, right? It happens to all o' us. Without lemons, we wouldn't know how sweet a peach could taste." It had been one of his mother's favorite sayings, but it rang hollow today.

He gathered up his courage. He didn't want to reopen old wounds but- he didn't like how far gone Jerry was already, and that he had another bottle to take with him... He couldn't just leave him like this. Not without saying something. He didn't trust the other man's mood, and after H's antagonizing - well, he didn't want to test just how far a FEAR shield could protect someone from alcohol poisoning, or. He swallowed. Other things.

"I ran into Sasha earlier," he stated quietly. "She...Told me what happened. Wanted me to check on you.," he added. "Woulda never though t' look for you in H's office, though. I am sorrier than I know how t' say that you ended up with that...that horrible man after what you already been through today."