"it's about feeling normal"

Joseph Oda, Detective of Krimson City Police Department [RP and ask blog, sometimes with cosplay]

[yourlookbookmen]

Men’s Look

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[yourlookbookmen]

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[bloody-glasses]

Head-On

[bloody-glasses]

Sebastian knelt in front of his partner, resting his hand on Joseph’s knee. He looked up at Joseph.

It hurt to see Joseph in pain. He was still covered in dirt, sweat, and blood. Sebastian was covered with his own share of cuts and grime, the result of being submerged in pools of blood and the occasional close call with a haunted.

His mind brought forth the memory of seeing Joseph being struck and collapsing. Of helping him up and seeing the blood spattered across his glasses.

The memory and sight of his partner in this state hardened Sebastian’s resolve.

“Glasses or no glasses, we’re getting out of here,” Seb said, attempting to sound lighthearted. “Even if it kills me.”

Joseph didn’t budge, enjoying the warmth of Sebastian’s hand upon his knee. Looking down at Seb’s grizzled features, it was almost as if he had no care for his own bruises and scratches... despite them being in a hospital room.

Brow knitted, Joseph noticed the way his partner was intently staring at him, his body tingling slightly. Although he missed his glasses, he supposed a bit more rest couldn’t hurt.

Seb’s cheery promise hit Joseph somewhat hard... hearing such words in various dire situations over the years. No matter how much time passed between them, he always sounded like he truly meant it.

“Well, I’ll do my best to make sure it doesn’t come to that,” Joseph said, playing it off. “Though I can’t guarantee it’ll go so well if I’m blind.”

It felt insufficient to jest with him over something so serious. His voice became quiet... more soft, though the words seemed loud past his lips given how truly silent their room was.

“I... I need you Seb.”

A pallid palm was placed over Sebastian’s hand, where it rested upon his knee.

[falling-through-autumn]

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[bloody-glasses]

Head-On

[bloody-glasses]

It was quiet enough that the pair could hear the faint ticking of the clock in the main room, down the hall. Besides the creak of the bed, neither of them made a sound, until Joseph had questioned Sebastian.

Did he sleep okay? He wouldn’t admit it, but that was the best sleep he’d gotten in over a year. The stress from Lily’s death and Myra leaving had taken its toll, something Joseph had been witness to.

Sebastian stretched out a bit, pausing when it made him slightly light-headed. “Yeah, I guess I did. You?”

Sitting there, Joseph wondered where Nurse Tatiana had gone… or if she was just politely giving them some privacy. Then again, if she had checked on them while they were sleeping, neither of them would have known.

Something strange passed over Sebastian’s features, but it could have been the other man shaking off restful sleep.

Joseph gave a nod. “Yeah… I feel a little better, now.”

Little did Sebastian know, but he wished they could have remained in bed for a bit longer…

[detective-sebastian-castellanos]

Sebastian turned, letting his feet drop to the floor. He glanced at the door, briefly wondering what Tatiana was up to while they slept. While he was grateful for her assistance, he still wasn’t sure what her motives were. Unlike everyone living they had come across, she wasn’t actively trying to escape.

“How much longer do you think we should stay here, Joseph?”

His partner had been oddly quiet, only speaking a few times since they arrived in this place. Sebastian knew Joseph had been wary, alert enough to know that Tatiana was a foreign entity.

[bloody-glasses]

At his question, Joseph wasn’t sure if he should answer sincerely, or give him an honest response for once.

It wasn’t that he feared the nurse. Strange as she was, cold and aloof, she was far less threatening than everything else they’d witnessed thus far.

His head ached as he considered his answer, a gloved hand moving to his forehead once again. His eyes squinted without his glasses,straining to see clearly anywhere past Sebastian’s bulky figure at the edge of the bed.

“I’m… not sure, Seb.” He opted for the middle-ground. Not an affirmative of staying, but not neglecting the option of leaving, either.

[detective-sebastian-castellanos]

Seeing Joseph squinting, Sebastian felt guilty suddenly, remembering that the lens of his glasses had been shattered. There was no way he could make his way anywhere in his state.

Joseph was already a walking disaster with his glasses… Sebastian didn’t really want to see how he would fare without them.

“How badly were your glasses damaged? Is there any way we can fix them?

Sebastian frowned when he looked at the desk. He was sure that was were the glasses had been placed. But there was only a coffee cup, the broken lamp, and his lantern.

He found himself fervently hoping that they hadn’t been lost outside the mirror.

Sebastian sighed, walking back towards Joseph.

[bloody-glasses]

Joseph was intimately aware of his missing glasses, not only because of his lack of far-sighted visibility, but his general levels of comfort while wearing them. He felt exposed, honestly. Naked.

And of course he fully admitted that without his beloved spectacles, he’d be even clumsier than usual. The last thing he wanted was for Seb to be his seeing-eye-dog.

“The lens was pretty badly shattered,” Joseph lamented, answering the sincere inquiry from his partner. He supposed that put their plans of leaving back a bit... unless the nurse had another pair lying around somewhere, or they could do some quick repair work.

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[bloody-glasses]

Head-On

[bloody-glasses]

It was quiet enough that the pair could hear the faint ticking of the clock in the main room, down the hall. Besides the creak of the bed, neither of them made a sound, until Joseph had questioned Sebastian.

Did he sleep okay? He wouldn’t admit it, but that was the best sleep he’d gotten in over a year. The stress from Lily’s death and Myra leaving had taken its toll, something Joseph had been witness to.

Sebastian stretched out a bit, pausing when it made him slightly light-headed. “Yeah, I guess I did. You?”

Sitting there, Joseph wondered where Nurse Tatiana had gone… or if she was just politely giving them some privacy. Then again, if she had checked on them while they were sleeping, neither of them would have known.

Something strange passed over Sebastian’s features, but it could have been the other man shaking off restful sleep.

Joseph gave a nod. “Yeah… I feel a little better, now.”

Little did Sebastian know, but he wished they could have remained in bed for a bit longer…

[detective-sebastian-castellanos]

Sebastian turned, letting his feet drop to the floor. He glanced at the door, briefly wondering what Tatiana was up to while they slept. While he was grateful for her assistance, he still wasn’t sure what her motives were. Unlike everyone living they had come across, she wasn’t actively trying to escape.

“How much longer do you think we should stay here, Joseph?”

His partner had been oddly quiet, only speaking a few times since they arrived in this place. Sebastian knew Joseph had been wary, alert enough to know that Tatiana was a foreign entity.

[bloody-glasses]

At his question, Joseph wasn’t sure if he should answer sincerely, or give him an honest response for once.

It wasn’t that he feared the nurse. Strange as she was, cold and aloof, she was far less threatening than everything else they’d witnessed thus far.

His head ached as he considered his answer, a gloved hand moving to his forehead once again. His eyes squinted without his glasses,straining to see clearly anywhere past Sebastian’s bulky figure at the edge of the bed.

“I’m... not sure, Seb.” He opted for the middle-ground. Not an affirmative of staying, but not neglecting the option of leaving, either.

[bloody-glasses]

Head-On

[bloody-glasses]

It was quiet enough that the pair could hear the faint ticking of the clock in the main room, down the hall. Besides the creak of the bed, neither of them made a sound, until Joseph had questioned Sebastian.

Did he sleep okay? He wouldn’t admit it, but that was the best sleep he’d gotten in over a year. The stress from Lily’s death and Myra leaving had taken its toll, something Joseph had been witness to.

Sebastian stretched out a bit, pausing when it made him slightly light-headed. “Yeah, I guess I did. You?”

Sitting there, Joseph wondered where Nurse Tatiana had gone... or if she was just politely giving them some privacy. Then again, if she had checked on them while they were sleeping, neither of them would have known.

Something strange passed over Sebastian’s features, but it could have been the other man shaking off restful sleep.

Joseph gave a nod. “Yeah... I feel a little better, now.”

Little did Sebastian know, but he wished they could have remained in bed for a bit longer...

[bloody-glasses]

Head-On

[bloody-glasses]

There was a slight chill in the air, leaving Sebastian to shiver slightly. He tugged on the blanket he had draped over Joseph, glad it was big enough to cover them both.

Joseph seemed a little more relaxed now that Sebastian was closer to him, their faces only a few inches apart.

Laying together like this made Sebastian even more drowsy than he was before. Joseph was right, he realized. He had been over exerting himself, barely taking a moment to catch his breath. Even more so when he finally found Joseph unconscious in that tub-like machine.

Sebastian’s eyes slipped shut, barely aware that Joseph too, was on the verge of falling asleep.

A bit surprised, Joseph watched as Sebastian pulled the sheet over himself as well, the two men sharing it. Almost instantly, he could feel the heat emanating from his partner’s body… a guilty comfort, as Joseph tended to be cold, the drafty room doing him no favors.

Careful of his breathing, Joseph attempted not to sigh too heavily, or stare at Sebastian’s rugged profile as his partner lay on his back, looking up at the ceiling. His amber eyes looked heavy-lidded, and Joseph noticed a few bloody scratches and bruises marring his already-scarred face. He wondered if he should clean those up before they inevitably took their leave…

Watching Sebastian’s eyes close, Joseph soon followed, unable to fight off the lull of sleep any longer.

[detective-sebastian-castellanos]

Sebastian blinked groggily as he awoke. Suddenly aware of something warm pressed up against his side, he turned his head. Joseph.

He realized that his arm was partially being used as a pillow by Joseph. That explains the numbness. Sebastian almost snorted in laughter, wondering how long they had been like this.

 Sebastian noted that in sleep, Joseph’s face looked peaceful, rather than pained as it had been when he was awake earlier. The bandages wrapped on his head served as a harsh reminder of where they were. Of how real the danger of dying was.

He sighed, laying his head back on the pillow. He stared up at the ceiling.

[bloody-glasses]

Joseph wasn’t sure how long he’d slept, but coming back to wakefulness was a flurry of emotions. Contentedness at how warm he felt, his pain somewhat lessened as he stretched out a leg… followed by confusion to see Sebastian’s features mere inches from his as he blinked his vision back to life.

Was he… dreaming?

It appeared not, as very real pain resurfaced, and he reached embarrassed horror as he’d been sleeping open-mouthed against Sebastian’s upper arm, drooling somewhat.

He attempted to play it off, giving a yawn and covering his mouth with his hand to subtly wipe.

[detective-sebastian-castellanos]

Sebastian felt Joseph stretch out slightly. Hearing his partner yawn, Sebastian assumed he was finally awake. 

He wasn’t actually sure how long they had been asleep, whether it had merely been a couple of hours or several. He certainly felt better than he had before. 

Joseph sat up slowly, enabling Sebastian to move his arm. He clenched his fist repeatedly, attempting to bring feeling back to the limb. Sebastian sat up as well, watching his partner carefully, sure that his partner would be embarrassed about how they ended up sleeping.

Not that Sebastian minded. He rather missed the feeling of having someone beside him as he slept. 

[bloody-glasses]

The proof of his sound-sleep casually wiped against his sleeve, Joseph remained still for a few moments after that much-needed stretch.

He attempted not to look at Sebastian for too long, now that he knew he was awake, and opted for sitting up. Joseph could hear blood rushing in his ears, a headache still throbbing beneath those tightly wrapped bandages.

Unsure of what else to say, neither of them acknowledging their intimate sleeping position as Sebastian shook out his surely-numb arm, Joseph broke the silence.

“Did you sleep okay?”

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[bloody-glasses]

Head-On

[bloody-glasses]

There was a slight chill in the air, leaving Sebastian to shiver slightly. He tugged on the blanket he had draped over Joseph, glad it was big enough to cover them both.

Joseph seemed a little more relaxed now that Sebastian was closer to him, their faces only a few inches apart.

Laying together like this made Sebastian even more drowsy than he was before. Joseph was right, he realized. He had been over exerting himself, barely taking a moment to catch his breath. Even more so when he finally found Joseph unconscious in that tub-like machine.

Sebastian’s eyes slipped shut, barely aware that Joseph too, was on the verge of falling asleep.

A bit surprised, Joseph watched as Sebastian pulled the sheet over himself as well, the two men sharing it. Almost instantly, he could feel the heat emanating from his partner’s body… a guilty comfort, as Joseph tended to be cold, the drafty room doing him no favors.

Careful of his breathing, Joseph attempted not to sigh too heavily, or stare at Sebastian’s rugged profile as his partner lay on his back, looking up at the ceiling. His amber eyes looked heavy-lidded, and Joseph noticed a few bloody scratches and bruises marring his already-scarred face. He wondered if he should clean those up before they inevitably took their leave…

Watching Sebastian’s eyes close, Joseph soon followed, unable to fight off the lull of sleep any longer.

[detective-sebastian-castellanos]

Sebastian blinked groggily as he awoke. Suddenly aware of something warm pressed up against his side, he turned his head. Joseph.

He realized that his arm was partially being used as a pillow by Joseph. That explains the numbness. Sebastian almost snorted in laughter, wondering how long they had been like this.

 Sebastian noted that in sleep, Joseph’s face looked peaceful, rather than pained as it had been when he was awake earlier. The bandages wrapped on his head served as a harsh reminder of where they were. Of how real the danger of dying was.

He sighed, laying his head back on the pillow. He stared up at the ceiling.

[bloody-glasses]

Joseph wasn’t sure how long he’d slept, but coming back to wakefulness was a flurry of emotions. Contentedness at how warm he felt, his pain somewhat lessened as he stretched out a leg... followed by confusion to see Sebastian’s features mere inches from his as he blinked his vision back to life.

Was he... dreaming?

It appeared not, as very real pain resurfaced, and he reached embarrassed horror as he’d been sleeping open-mouthed against Sebastian’s upper arm, drooling somewhat.

He attempted to play it off, giving a yawn and covering his mouth with his hand to subtly wipe.

[bloody-glasses]

Head-On

[bloody-glasses]

There was a slight chill in the air, leaving Sebastian to shiver slightly. He tugged on the blanket he had draped over Joseph, glad it was big enough to cover them both.

Joseph seemed a little more relaxed now that Sebastian was closer to him, their faces only a few inches apart.

Laying together like this made Sebastian even more drowsy than he was before. Joseph was right, he realized. He had been over exerting himself, barely taking a moment to catch his breath. Even more so when he finally found Joseph unconscious in that tub-like machine.

Sebastian’s eyes slipped shut, barely aware that Joseph too, was on the verge of falling asleep.

A bit surprised, Joseph watched as Sebastian pulled the sheet over himself as well, the two men sharing it. Almost instantly, he could feel the heat emanating from his partner’s body... a guilty comfort, as Joseph tended to be cold, the drafty room doing him no favors.

Careful of his breathing, Joseph attempted not to sigh too heavily, or stare at Sebastian’s rugged profile as his partner lay on his back, looking up at the ceiling. His amber eyes looked heavy-lidded, and Joseph noticed a few bloody scratches and bruises marring his already-scarred face. He wondered if he should clean those up before they inevitably took their leave...

Watching Sebastian’s eyes close, Joseph soon followed, unable to fight off the lull of sleep any longer.

[bloody-glasses]

Head-On

[bloody-glasses]

The question caught Sebastian off guard. He hadn’t expected his injured partner to question Sebastian’s well-being. Particularly at a time like this.

“I’m fine.”

Joseph looked like he didn’t believe him, and suddenly Sebastian doubted himself as well.

This wasn’t a normal situation they were in. As far as he knew, Connelly was dead. Krimson was in ruins. Everything he knew was being questioned by the hellish world. Sebastian still wasn’t sure if this was the real world or not.

He had been trying to keep up his composure for Joseph’s sake, but his partner being injured like this finally grounded him. Joseph could have… died.

Sebastian didn’t realize he had zoned out, staring blankly at Joseph. Until Joseph gently laid his hand on Sebastian’s.

Thinking nothing of it, Joseph was truly concerned for how Sebastian was holding up. It didn’t matter that he was hurting. They both had a habit of brushing things off… especially as of late, neither bending or admitting when they weren’t doing as well as they’d like.

But, they both had their tells…

The truth was, Joseph didn’t believe him. He’d known him long enough to see that he was perturbed. Though, more often that not, Joseph didn’t push… knew that Seb had his quiet ways of dealing, especially after the seemingly endless tragedies that had befallen him.

So, he remained quiet, simply attempting to bring his partner back by placing a gloved hand upon Sebastian’s… feeling the warmth of his skin even through the worn leather.

“Do you… want to lie down?”

A simple offer. He had to be exhausted.

[detective-sebastian-castellanos]

Sebastian should have known that after all these years, Joseph would have seen right through him. He hadn’t had a moments rest, not since he had awoken in that sadist’s domain. It felt like eons ago since then.

Joseph asking if he wanted to lay down stunned him for a moment, as he stared blankly at his partner. Even as he watched, Joseph was making room for Sebastian on the bed.

Sebastian nodded numbly. He clambered onto the bed, settling in next to Joseph. Even as they lay together, Joseph watched him warily. He was surprisingly coherent for a man with a wound such as his.

“We’re going to make it out of here, Joseph,” Sebastian promised. Together, he added silently.

[bloody-glasses]

If there was one thing Joseph was, it was observant. Perhaps not the closest to many, but he knew Sebastian, he felt, better than he knew himself.

Unlike Seb, Joseph had gotten a few rests... though mainly due to unconsciousness. Sebastian was working hard, not only to fight his way through this, but to carry Joseph, too. Joseph certainly didn’t feel as if he was pulling his weight, so the least he could do is provide some space for his partner to rest a while.

Scooting over, Joseph pulled the light sheet back, making room for the bulkier man as he curled up near the wall. Joseph didn’t need a lot of room, just a space to lay his head, mainly.

He felt oddly tingly as Seb laid beside him, taking up half the pillow.

“Yeah...” Joseph sighed, when Sebastian broke the eerie silence. “I know we will...” They always did.

[bloody-glasses]

Head-On

[bloody-glasses]

The question caught Sebastian off guard. He hadn’t expected his injured partner to question Sebastian’s well-being. Particularly at a time like this.

“I’m fine.”

Joseph looked like he didn’t believe him, and suddenly Sebastian doubted himself as well.

This wasn’t a normal situation they were in. As far as he knew, Connelly was dead. Krimson was in ruins. Everything he knew was being questioned by the hellish world. Sebastian still wasn’t sure if this was the real world or not.

He had been trying to keep up his composure for Joseph’s sake, but his partner being injured like this finally grounded him. Joseph could have… died.

Sebastian didn’t realize he had zoned out, staring blankly at Joseph. Until Joseph gently laid his hand on Sebastian’s.

Thinking nothing of it, Joseph was truly concerned for how Sebastian was holding up. It didn’t matter that he was hurting. They both had a habit of brushing things off... especially as of late, neither bending or admitting when they weren’t doing as well as they’d like.

But, they both had their tells...

The truth was, Joseph didn’t believe him. He’d known him long enough to see that he was perturbed. Though, more often that not, Joseph didn’t push... knew that Seb had his quiet ways of dealing, especially after the seemingly endless tragedies that had befallen him.

So, he remained quiet, simply attempting to bring his partner back by placing a gloved hand upon Sebastian’s... feeling the warmth of his skin even through the worn leather.

“Do you... want to lie down?”

A simple offer. He had to be exhausted.

[bloody-glasses]

Do you still remember how it feels to turn into a haunted?

There are some things our minds can forget, repress… and by god, I wish that was one of them.