|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
 Posted: Tue Nov 09, 2010 6:38 pm
{{Backdated RP - orignally written in Gmail and now being moved here))
Zac
Dem
Someone wise once said, that you could pick up the pieces of a broken window...but you couldn’t make it whole again.
With most of the Hospital Cleared out, and being home more often now, Zac felt like the whole world was a broken window. There were a handful of people left in the Hospital, most of them he didn’t know... but some he did.
He was visiting one such today, he continued reading ‘The Never Ending Story’ each day during visiting hours till his voice grew raspy and he had to stop and get water out of the over priced vending machines before he could continue.
He was still angry, he hated that they had fought and felt, that like so many other arguments he’d had with so many people, that the implications had been that all blame lay with him, not that it was shared. People never wanted to share guilt...he thought that was very much a part of what was wrong with the world as a whole. Take the senshi, most of them did not even open their minds to questions... who -were- the Negaverse, and why. What did they want and what were they willing to do for what they believed in. There were a handful whom fascinated him of course because when I proposed the questions to them they paused... Lyra was one of them. He still wanted to really open her eyes, wanted to bring her to their side and see what happened.
But of course Demy still wanted her dead, it was one of their biggest fall outs.
Even with that... the stupid points of contention and the jealousy he felt from the blond every time he went to see his cousin, he didn’t stop coming to read. They may have fought, but perhaps that only served to amplify his need to come day after day. No one likes to be parted on a ‘bad note’ from someone that they have -any- kind of positive feelings for, no matter how tense.
He closed the book a moment and rubbed a palm at his temple where the headache of the day was starting to pound, working its fingers down his neck and squeezing the back of his eyes with a dull yet intrusive ache and tension. The noise of the florescent lights didn’t do anything to help it either, just made him want to climb onto a chair and rip out the flickering bulb and its light metallic yet persistent ‘flink....flink flink flink...........flink’ sounds. They put his teeth on edge and put thoughts into his mind that were far more violent than he would have thought himself capable of...even towards an inanimate object. Of course he wouldn’t do it, no matter how tempting. Something to be said against getting mercury-gas in your lungs.
If he would have been awake, things would be different.
They had parted on horrible terms, their sparring mission turning into a full out fight before being interrupted by their captain. It was embarrassing, scary, and in the end just plain upsetting. After all, one of the last few things spoken between them was how it was over.
Done.
Finished.
Kaput.
If he had been awake he'd be begging at the feet of the other boy, taking back everything he had ever said and swearing that things would be different now. If nothing else his time in Tartaros had forced the previously angry teen to realize things were his fault and his former boyfriend had legitimate reasons to be upset. Demy missed Z, almost more than he could ever explain. His heart ached to see him and if anything, he just wanted to hug him.
The others had woken up or passed on. One by one their fates had been told, whether their eyes fluttered to see the world once more or stayed closed forever. Demy hadn't been so fortunate. For whatever reason his machines beeped on, the blonde still in the unexplainable coma and still dreaming on. His room had slowly emptied, the hospital that was once overflowing returning to it's normal rate of patients. Still, he slept on, eyelids fluttering as he dreamed.
Tartaros had melted around him, and save for one encounter with someone he could swear was actually there his dreamworld had been void of any living person. The visions and ghosts that had haunted his dreams stayed for a while, but soon they too faded, leaving him behind in a silent and empty world. Of all the things he had faced, both awake and asleep, this was the worst. Demetri Wright couldn't handle silence, and he certainly couldn't handle being -alone-.
Back in the real world his body twitched, the machines giving a few louder beeps.
Zac started slightly at the twitch, it made him pause with electric sensations running over his skin, less of anticipation and more in fear of some kind of deadly seizure. He’d seen one of them at least in his time back and forth while the rooms were over crowded. True he had no idea of they had been among the ‘sleepers’ or if it were some medical condition inherent to that patient alone. That lack of knowledge was what put his imagination to work as he froze like a deer caught in the headlights waiting to see what became of that twitch and the beeps of increased enthusiasm.
What -would- he do it Demetri died... the question hung without answer in his mind as he watched dry mouthed and traced a nervous finger around the edge of the yellowed page.
He glanced towards the door, tension drifting through his shoulders again in a wave and his persistent headache made turning his head into a love affair between an icepick and his eyes, or at least that’s how it felt. Should he call the nurse, should he wait?
He glanced back and carefully tucked the bookmark between the book’s pages, marking it doubly with one finger to mark his place before he leaned slightly forward and said very quietly, as though he were afraid to awaken him.
“Dem?”
Zac wouldn’t have to worry about the boy dying before him for too long. True, there was a pause that probably felt like hours when in reality it was only a minute or two. But the beeps grew stronger, and slowly he seemed to stir back to life.
“...Dem?”
No..no wait. Demy was -his- name. Who...who was saying his name? He had been alone, alone for so very long. Who was it that finally broke the silence that threatened to drive him mad?
“...Z-zac? Please man, say it’s -you- and...I..I’m sorry and..”
The words were tumbling out, confused and raspy from vocal cords that hadn’t been used in far too long.
He stirred a moment longer before finally, finally, those bright green eyes fluttered open.
Zac’s eyes widened like saucers and he fumbled to find the nurse call button. “Holyshitholyshit...” He said several times before finally finding it and jamming it with his thumb.
He was awake, he was AWAKE...
Oh god...now what. Sorry? What? What the hell was that about... “Yes its me, who did you think it was, the queen?” He said with his normal terse air that utterly belied the tension that was still lingering in his shoulders and pounding head. Or perhaps only served to prove it was there, who knew. “It’s me.” He repeated... “Idiot....are you ok?” He said, but it wasn’t the furious ‘idiot’ like he’d called him when they fought, it was more like the idiot after something didn’t quite go right with one of his planes, so carefully written out in his notebooks. It was almost a term of endearment in its own right. The complicated language of the permanently stand-off-ish.
“God do you know how long you’ve been -asleep-?” he hissed through his teeth and wondered where the DEVIL the nurse was...and then wondered what she’d do when she saw the blond was awake.
“I’ve...been asleep?”
Now awake, Demy quickly sat up, though this movement also caused a hiss of pain as unused muscles stretched once more. On top of that he seemed slightly...bigger? Had he actually grown while asleep? Poor Zac just couldn’t catch a break.
“I just...man the things I have seen. Are..are you sure I was asleep?! I was totally in a forest with that Rosalind pain in the a** and a kid named Azzo and some other people and just...asleep? Are you SURE? Seriously! I was totally in this forest and there was this talking crow and we had to draw a map and I was cursed and could only talk in song lyrics...”
Here he paused a moment before continuing on.
“And...then all that was gone, and I was along... But I saw a Senshi! But she left too, and the world was silent and empty and I was so -lonely-. I’ve missed you man, I’m sorry for before and just...”
He had to pause again, this time to rub furiously at his eyes as tears started to stream. If he had been asleep maybe -that- had been a dream too, but just in case he was going to apologize. And apologize, and apologize some more.
”VERY sure you were asleep.” He said in a tone that broached no argument.... “Did you grow?! Son of....Never mind, It’s just because you’ve been laying down, you’re awake... that’s good.” He said in a ramble of thoughts that more or less meant he didn’t know what to say. Tears did that to him, they always had. It was like pointing a squirt gun at a cat.
“You haven’t... been alone either I’ve been reading to you.” he said bluntly and held up the book. “...which I suppose proves that you couldn’t hear it...good to know.” He said making a face... “Ok god please stop crying you know I hate that...” He said “Where the HELL is that nurse... god...you’d think you hadn’t just woken up...most everyone else did. HALF THE CITY was in a coma.” He groused.
|
 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Tue Nov 09, 2010 6:43 pm
“You’ve been reading to me?”
He blinked, looking at Zee a moment longer before moving to take in the room. A hospital...coma? Half the city? What -had- happened here?
“I...appreciate that man. Even if I didn’t know, I just....t-thank you. And..others were out? I...”
Wait...maybe...that’d make sense?
“Man I dunno where I really was but stuff was going on and others were totally there, do...you think other people being out was connected to that? Like the people I saw...m-maybe they were out too? I just, I -don’t know- it wasn’t like any dream I’ve ever had, it was...real. In a weird sort of sense...”
And finally, he simply couldn’t contain it any longer. Despite any protest from the shorter boy, Demetri Wright got to his feet. Once there he quickly crossed the room, dragging the IV pole and all, and gathered up his little buddy in a bear hug.
“AAA!! PDA PDA!!” He said in alarm counting on that to be the -exact- moment that the nurse returned. “YOUR GONNA RIP OUR YOUR IV-DRIP! SIT YOUR a** DOWN -RIGHT- NOW!”
he demanded flushing a bright pink, it was refreshingly familiar.
Of course the nurse DID enter at that moment, gossiping with one of the Doctors, whom was in the process of ignoring the path of the person who was bringing a food cart through like they didn’t exist... The nurse turned into the room, saw the empty bed, saw the embrace and gasped turning back to the door to tell the Doctor who was now cursing out the food-staff for scuffing his shoe. The nurse ran INTO the doctor who lost his balance and flipped OVER the cart in a crash of jello and grape juice. It was probably the most satisfying thing Zink had seen in his time visiting the hospital.
“...There is Karma...” he said enigmatically and shared a wry grin with the server, who’s hair was dyed black and oddly worn in a mullet.
Demetri, oblivious to the act of karma playing out before them, released Zee and actually scrambled behind him as all the loud noises did nothing but startle him. All his senses were overly sensitive at the moment, and the spectacular crash sounded about ten times louder to the recently awakened blonde.
“I don’t WANT to sit down I’ve been sleeping forever...I guess? And I just want to stand up and...kinda...tired...”
He slumped back to the ground, sitting in a crumpled heap behind the shorter boy. He wanted to be up, he wanted to run around and be hyper and just be himself again.
But he was still -tired-. Sleeping forever only weakened his body, rather than actually rest it.
“You DID get taller...” Zac said wide eyed and looking peeved. “God damnit I grew and you grew TOO, I’m going to tie BRICKS to your head!” HE declared shaking his head.
“And of course you’re tired, You’ve been lying in bet getting no exercise and eating through an IV drip. Never mind that you’ve been deprived of caffeine and sugars so long you’ll probably be more affected by them than normal.” He informed him and fetched the plush off the side stand and thrust it at the persistently taller boy.
“...you need a hair cut.” He informed him and flipped a hand at the over long bangs. “Your getting ‘my’ bangs.” He stopped unsure what to say next.
“... Lot to catch you up on too.” He said knowing that sooner or later he’d have to tell Dem WHY everyone had fallen into a coma and the consequences of it there after.
“I could REALLY use a Rockstar...”
Figure, first thing he wanted to eat after being in a coma for over a month, and it’s a Rockstar. He’d probably be asking for tacos next.
He took a moment to blink and rub at his bangs. Sure enough, they had grown out pretty long and one side was flipped in front of his eye. Almost a mirror image of Zee. Freaky...yet -cool-.
“I dunno, I kinda like it like this...”
Yeah, haircuts and Rockstars were more important to talk about than whatever the nurse and doctor would say.
“...A lot? Like..good news stuff or bad news stuff?”
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Tue Nov 09, 2010 6:45 pm
“You can’t have a Rockstar until the nurses clear you for eating that kind of thing...OR tacos OR tater tots, or tater tot tacos, or taco bagels, and especially pixi sticks... your fish are fine by the way.” He added. “...Good...bad... both.” He said wondering just how hard Dem would take the newest news on ‘Wiseman’... at least they were down Senshi as well but things had just not gone well for anyone in the city in his opinion.
“Everything changed, but everything is sorta the same too.” He said and shrugged. “Glad your awake.” He added at the end and glanced away.
“Awww COME ON I just woke up and I must not have had one in forever can’t I have one, please?”
At least good old Demy was back, in some form. Even as he sat still on the floor, those green eyes hiding something behind the tired joy of seeing Zee again. It almost seemed like...fear. Odd.
“I want to go home..and see the fish, and you can catch me up on everything good AND bad and things can be -normal- again...no weird forests, no talking crows, and no lack of you.”
That was the most important thing of all.
He let out a sharp chuckle and shook his head looking away. No lack of him hmm? So much for the impact of their big fight. “You know the way Hospitals are...” He said simply and fingered the book he’d been reading to him before offering it.
“You should read it for real some time, maybe parts of it made you dream those strange things.” He offered, though he wasn’t sure that was at all true.
“Damn... I’m going to find someone to see if you can be released this is nuts.” He said shaking his head fristrated and headed for the door “I’ll be -right- back.” he said firmly.
**small flash forward**
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Tue Nov 09, 2010 6:49 pm
‘Right’ back was never really enough for Demy. Now that he was awake he wanted to be doing things -now-, exhaustion be damned. He was awake! He was healthy, minus the affects of being asleep for so long, and god damnit he really just didn’t want to be here anymore. It was depressing and empty and...hrmph.
Book in hand, he had moved back to his bed and sat down to wait. At least he could do that much, even if he really didn’t want to. The book was leafed through for a few minutes before something else caught his eye. A little envelope sitting on the bedside table, addressed to “Demetri”. UGH, who still called him that? God he hated that name....
When Zee came back into the room, the blonde was sitting very still on the bed, busy looking down at whatever note was inside that envelope. Whatever it was, it didn’t look like good news.
“Their coming back with the release papers, notifying everyone who needs notified... and their bringing food...something about a rainbow platter...what’s that?” He asked finding a chair and frowning and pausing. Rather deliberately he moved to look and or take it from the blond.
“I...m-mom..I...”
When Zac snagged the note from Demy, a quick read through revealed two facts. First being that Demetri Wright’s father was rather horrible at breaking news with any sort of feeling. The letter was written in such a monotone manner it looked as though Aiden Wright didn’t care about his son or the news he was delivering at all.
The second was that while Demy did eventually wake up from the weird coma, his mother hadn’t been so lucky. In it’s rather heartless manner, the letter served only to inform Demy that his mother was no longer of this earth. Killed in an accident as she fell asleep at the wheel. The one he had just so recently really gotten back into contact with and had started to actually -bond-. Not that he would have told anyone that, since in his own version of his past the bond had always been there.
It didn’t make the news any less difficult to take.
“Oh...” he said, not sure what else to say, that awkward pause that hung there between them like a confession fallen flat. He scowled at the letter with narrowed eyes...was there anyone in this world whom had any kind of ‘text book normal’ family? Did all parents have to be some kind of certifiable a** or DEAD? The frustration of Beth’s mother’s death, accidental but she’d been a good person, wove together with the disgust at the letter. Shame, damned shame that it would call too much attention to remove the man from the world along with his own mother and father. <******** it... He’s on my list... maybe we can convince our parents to set up some kind of lovers homicide suicide quarrel.... except no one would believe my Mother and My father gave even the remotest s**t about each other. He growled with curled lip.
The documents for his release did finally arrive... no one was there to drive Demy anywhere of course... and Zac had only a Bike he’d borrowed from his own house, given that Demy had been in a coma so long, it looked like he’d be doubling up.
“Come on...” He said, he was, oddly, honestly trying to be sympathetic. Or at least a distraction... he didn’t think it was working. “Let’s...go get you some tacos. Screw rainbow food...”
He had been quiet the rest of the time in the hospital, and attempts at conversation met with an awkward silence rather uncharacteristic of the blond. The release was handled with numbness. While the nurses seemed thrilled to see him actually -awake- he just couldn’t meet their enthusiasm with any of his own. So -this- was how it felt to lose someone you love permanently. This is what he had put Beth through. -This- is why Zee had been all over him for doing this when really he had just been trying to do a good job. He finally understood.
It was only when they had gotten to Zac’s bike that Demy made any attempt to talk. And even then it was a simple “I’ll drive” and nothing more. Only because Demy really couldn’t see Zac managing to peddle the bike while trying to look over him if he rode up front. Height differences and all that.
“You can get on the back, I’ll manage.” Zac said with a small frown, “I’ll stand, you use the seat.” He waited for an answer, twisting the key to the bike chian between his fingers while he waited for an answer. Maybe he should break down and call a taxi, maybe he could put the bike in the trunk... or come back for it. Did it matter? He didn’t feel like arguing but it wasn’t fair to Dem to make him peddle.
“...” he wished he had something more to say but he ended up looking away even when he tried to make himself do a stare down with the blond.
“Unless you want time to yourself... that’s cool.” he said trying to be understanding.
“Please don’t leave me alone...u-unless you n-need to go see Beth or something. I’d...understand.”
Right, he -really- didn’t want to be left alone. The pleading look on his face made that fact quite clear. But the last thing he wanted to do right now was start -another- fight with Zac and thus if the shorter boy HAD to leave then Demy would allow him. He’d certainly pout and whine and cry about it when he was alone, but he wouldn’t openly guilt trip Zee over it again.
“I’ll peddle man, don’t worry! I can handle it and it’ll be easier...if I get tired I’ll let you take over okay? There’s a taco place nearby, I’m sure I can make it there and then we’ll figure the rest out over tacos...just...if you can stay d-don’t leave me alone...I’ve missed you and I could really use some company...please.”
His tone was almost heartbreaking. He was quite close to dropping to his knees and literally begging for Zee to stay. But he told himself he -wouldn’t-.
“Alright ALRIGHT...chill, I’m not going anywhere...” He said looking worried for a moment at the sheer desperation in his face.
“You can pedal for NOW but the -second- I say you look too tired, we swap...ok?” He said folding his arms and baring NO argument on the matter.
“We should hit taco-hell, they have a new Hill-dew that you’d like I think.” He said trying to change the topic to a more friendly venue again.
“Okay! I got this Zee, you’ll see. We’ll make it to the taco place and I won’t be tired or anything. Let’s go!”
It sounded more like he was trying to convince -himself- rather than Zac. But before they could discuss the topic any further he climbed onto the bike and waited for the other to do the same.
“There’s a new Hill-dew out? Man how long -have- I been asleep? Like...a week or something?”
Clearly he had no idea at all. A week hardly touched how long the city had been in chaos.
“Definatly... longer than a week.” He said with a small cringe. He did his best as they biked to the taco-place, to fill Dem in on what had happened, better perhaps to do it on the move so that people passing by would hear only bits of conversation he’d decided.
At least he could pass on happy news about the Hill-dew... it was a tiny favor amid all the things that he was afraid would make waking up again seem like it had been a very very bad idea.
He had started the trip somewhat chatty, despite the mood. Likely he was trying to cover up devastation he was feeling at the moment. While it was getting more and more obvious that Demetri Wright was a frequent liar, he still wasn’t very good at covering up his emotions.
Still, he tried. Questioning here and there to get a bit more info on the various happenings of the city. But the longer the trip went on the quieter he became. Waking up...might -have- been a bad idea. City at war? Negaversers killed? Friends killed? All on top of the fact he was still quite confused as to what had gone on while he was asleep (what WAS that forest?) and that he was still reeling from the news of his mother’s death...
Demy was not a very happy camper at the moment.
Eventually they made it to the taco place, Demy keeping his promise to himself that he could actually make it the whole way. It seemed to have drained him considerably however, and combined with his quietness he just wasn’t acting like himself. Still, he climbed off the bike and moved to follow Z inside. Bad news be damned, he was still going to make the effort to act normal and eat some damn tacos. Even if his head was screaming at him to curl up in bed and just cry.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Tue Nov 09, 2010 6:52 pm
Despite himself, or rather despite his normal disinclination to -touch- people overall, Zac’s hand came to rest for a moment on Dem’s shoulder.
“I can get take out... we can go to the dorm...” He said tentatively. Yes he was fresh out of the hospital yet again, but even with broken Ribs Dem had never been so quiet... he had a lot to take in, a lot of things he’d believed in taken away... or maybe just things he’d wanted to believe in... like normal happy families.
"No..it's okay man, we can stay here..."
Okay actually he wanted to leave. But he wasn't feeling up to more peddling and asking Zee to peddle the bike all the way home wasn't fair either. He could put on a 'happy face' long enough to catch his breath before asking the other to go back home.
"It's....just a lot to take in..."
A long calculating look met his happy face, not unusual perhaps but the little frown that appeared as Zac studied him was perhaps a little more unusual. “...I’ll get someone to pick us up and -drive-... Or I’ll pedal. It’s not that bad. I need the exercise anyhow.” He said his tone indicating he was quite serious, though he sweetened the pot with... “...besides your fish probably miss you...”
“..I DO miss the fish...but I don’t want to make you pedal all that way...”
Demy bit his lip, considering. Going home -would- be nice. They’d have food, and if he wanted to curl up in his bed and stare into oblivion he could.
“..I...would like to go back to the dorm though...I’m sorry man, it’s a lot to ask and I just got out and everything but....yeah.”
“Just help me hold on to the take out ok? Assuming you still want the tacos I mean... If I put them on the handlebars it’ll be like last time I tried to play delivery and I’ll tear em open on something.”
He was worried about Dem... part of him wanted to be irked but he was more focused on the budding low level anxiety for Dem’s state of mind. Lord knew he’d been... what was it... a touch unstable before this ... coma thing. And now...now he was drowning in bad news having slept away a large chunk of his life in a vivid and apparently realistic dream...what would THAT do to your head.
“Totally still want tacos man, I’m not THAT sick...”
He smirked the tiniest bit and nudged Zee up towards the front. Tacos were a definite. Leaving without them would only make him sadder.
“I can help hold onto them, no problem.”
Demy glanced up at the menu a moment, but soon enough he was asking something else of the shorter boy.
“I...know you don’t like to man and I know things have been weird but....” He leaned down, knowing that if he said it too loud the answer would definitely be no. Whispering it might be best. “Would you mind...I dunno...s-sleeping next to me tonight? I’d just...feel better if you did. Safer. I know that’s just weird but please? It’d really help...”
Zac’s eyes went wide, his mouth opened like he was about to object on the firmest, loudest and potentially crudest terms he knew, the bright familiar creep of a blush that -raced- across his cheeks seemed to strangle the voice out of him, redoubled by hearing the teen at the counter call the person ahead of them to order.
He shut his mouth determined to not look like one of Demy’s guppies and then, after an eternity gave a “We’ll see”...which of course meant YES... how could it be anything but yes, after all it was helpful for him to do such a thing, and it wasn’t as though they had not before.
“Thanks...”
He could breathe a sigh of relief now. The idea of going back to sleep was terrifying. What if he didn’t wake back up? What if all of this had been a dream? Then at least maybe his mother would stlil be alive...but then again he could also wake up to an even more horrifying reality. What -was- reality anymore? Everything was so muddled in his mind it was hard to tell up from down let alone reality from dreamland.
-Definitely- needed a snuggle buddy tonight. Hopefully Z wouldn’t yell at him too much for being too close.
When it was their turn at the counter, Demy did yet another surprising thing and made a simple order of two tacos. -Two-. Usually he could put away a fair share of tacos. But today? Today he only wanted two.
Zac -stared- at him and wondered if perhaps...his stomach had shrunk while he was in the hospital. He quietly added a take home box that he thought could be stored without turning into a nasty soggy mess JUST in case, along with his own normal ‘one’ and handed Dem a cup for a fountain drink. Sadly the new flavor of soda promiced was only available that way... he’d just have to be careful not to end up wearing it, or with Demy wearing it on the way back to the dorms.
The rest of the way home was... uneventful, but it hung with the events of not only what went before, but what had come with waking.
What then...lay in store? Only time would tell
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Reply
