If the Grammar sucks i ask that you please ignore it, im no writer.. im deaf and im tired.
CW: violence, choking, gun, blood.. just straight angst <3
Driver had decided to go check out the animal shelter once he got off of work, he had no intention of picking up an animal today but he did want to visit the cats and see who’d be a good fit for him
That’s how he ended up being out so late, he was walking down an alley way. Heading to his car with his hands in his pockets and his head was up. He was focused and his car wasn’t far away
Suddenly a random woman bumps into his shoulder as he walked by, he glanced over his shoulder only to see the woman never faltered in her steps, continuing to walk down the dark alleyway
Driver decides its nothing and turns back to continue walking to his car when suddenly he feels two hands on his neck. His eyes widen as panic surges up his throat. his hands shoot from his pockets to the wrists of the other man
“Do you know how long we’ve waited for six to slip up?”
Six? Who was that? Driver moved, kneeing the man in his gut, this move loosened the grip around driver’s throat
He stumbled back, clutching the bruising skin as he took deep breaths, trying to regain his composure
“Im sorry.. you have the wrong guy, i don’t know a six”
This doesn’t seem to stop the other man, he stood up from his hunched state quickly charging at driver and slamming him to the ground
His head smashed against the pavement, stars burst across his vision as the man ontop of him began to move, his hands quickly finding their way back to driver’s throat
The stranger had leverage now, driver couldn’t do anything except kick around and slap at the mans arms before his eyes starting feeling heavy
“Carmichael stop. We’re trying to send a message not kill him.”
A woman’s voice spoke, the hands moved away from his neck again and drivers eyes shot open as he took a deep inhale, panting heavily underneath the man.. who he could now identify as Carmichael
“Oh we can still send a message by killing him Suzanne.”
Carmichael moves, pulling a gun from his holster before pressing it against driver’s temple
“Where is six, hand him over pretty boy”
Driver swallowed harshly, this was about court. It had to be.. no one else has ever used that nickname on him
“I-i tol-ld you… i have n-no clue wh-o six is”
Driver didn’t think he’ll be surviving tonight, he’ll die protecting court if it came down to it.. he owed him anyways right?
“Maybe this will help you remember”
Carmichael moves the gun down to his torso, letting a shot fire and driver immediately lets out a pained yell, which only made the man laugh
“I can keep going Driver.”
Driver didn’t speak, instead his eyes were squeezed shut as he tried to think of positive thoughts to escape from the torment he was currently experiencing
“Carmichael we’re not gonna get anything out of him.. lets go.”
Carmichael tried to put up a fight, but driver couldn’t keep up with what he was saying, his conscious drifted off as his eyes got heavier and heavier
The two CIA agents left driver in the alley to die, alone in the rain.. a gun shot wound, bruises on his neck and his head was split. And driver wasn’t far from his car. He had almost made it home
Court storms out of the med-bay as soon as he's convinced (what little convincing it took) to go out and look for Driver. It was just an undelivered text message, that wouldn't look out of the ordinary for a normal person...but they weren't normal people. They have too many ghosts chasing them, and Court's worrying in particular about the ones that want his head the most. If they'd found any whiff of his existence near Driver, they would have acted. If Lloyd Hanson wasn't worm food he'd have been even more worried about him being near Driver, but Court had watched his funeral from afar and the corpse was real.
30 miles...30 miles isn't that specific. Court's going to be looking for awhile, he knows this, and that knowledge is gnawing at his neck like a leech with knives for teeth.
Driver’s breathing was starting to slow down, his body curled in on itself. He was still unconscious as the rain pattered over his form, his blood mixing with the puddles of water
His phone had been destroyed when Carmichael slammed him to the ground and if that wasn’t enough damage it was now laying in a puddle of his own blood
There wasn’t much light illuminating the alley way, there was only a neon sign that pointed towards the parking lot
Driver was gonna die soon.. he should really wake up, but he can’t.. his eyes are too heavy and the memories are too nice
He almost misses the neon sign, but he whips the car around in the rain so hard that the tires squeal for mercy before he can really think too much about it. If whoever had done this (It was Denny and Suzanne he knows it he KNOWS) was nearby they would've heard him, but he has enough ammo to put up a fight if need be...he just hopes it won't come to that. The car's headlights spill down the alley...and over Driver lying curled in on himself, motionless, in a puddle. The puddle is too dark to be rain and his jacket's too dark to just be damp, and Court swears under his breath as he climbs out of the car and skids to his knees to reach him faster with no regard for how his knees are now bruised.
Hey, no no no. Come on, let me see those eyes...
He's careful as he unzips Driver's jacket to assess the wound, but his fingers slip in the blood and graze over the gunshot wound and Court freezes. He'd been hoping it wasn't more serious than a stab wound, but the heat-cauterized edges and scorch marks on white satin tell him that not only was Driver shot...but he was shot point blank. The gun was all but pressed to his skin, this was personal. Court kneels and braces his hands under Driver's shoulder's and knees, carefully picking him up. Was moving him smart? Probably not, but every minute they spent out in the open was another minute they were both at risk and he was already hurrying back to his borrowed car. He'd worry about blood on the seats later when they were both safe.
Driver groans when he gets pick up, his face pinches in pain.. a physical reaction, not one that driver was aware of doing
The blood was everywhere’s he was bleeding from the gunshot wound and the back of his head, he was pale from the amount of blood that he’d lost
When he gets put down in the car he gets one last surge of adrenaline and pushes at the mans chest, barely any strength in the shove. his voice hoarse and weak as he spoke
“Don’t hurt him.. he’s got family to take care of.. they need him”
His eyes aren’t open when he speaks, he thinks he’s talking to Carmichael, and he’s out again after he speaks, hand dropping from court’s chest and his head lolled to the side
"Fuck fuck fuck. Hey, I'm right here. Not going anywhere, nobody hurt me," Court whispers and brushes Driver's hair away from his forehead, and he bundles the man all but into his lap as he whips the car away from the curb with another sickening screech--if he'd tried that in Driver's car he suspects the man would've woken up just to hit him, he would've deserved it. He would've welcomed it, actually. If there are eyes on the rooftops Court isn't paying attention to them, his attention is being divided between not wrapping the car around a pole and making sure Driver doesn't die in his arms.
Options are...limited. Hospital was probably the best place Driver could be right now, but did Court want to risk it right now? Absolutely not. He didn't trust a single soul anywhere in the vicinity with Driver right now, not if no one had bothered calling the police when they heard the gunshot. He'd patched up bullet wounds on himself countless times, fished the bullets out with his fingers too. He can do this, but it's going to hurt. Badly. Court grimaces before he apologizes, and he digs his knuckles into Driver's sternum to wake him--He knows a sternal rub hurts like hell, but it might bring him around for a few minutes, at least until they get somewhere safe.
Safe. The biodome. Not how he wants any of them to meet Driver, but it might be his best bet at survival. God, if only he's fast enough. "You with me, pretty boy..?"
He whines out an “owww” after court rubs his knuckles against his sternum, his eyes cracking open slightly as he tries to make sense of his surroundings
“Court…? What’s going on?”
He tries to move but a sharp pain is his head and torso stops him, he has no memory of what happened.. the last thing he remembers is being at the animal shelter
His throat hurts too, he moves his hands to his neck and winces as he presses against the handprinted bruise, and when he pulls his hand away, he sees that it’s covered in blood his eyes widen in fear
“Is this mine? Or yours?”
It hurts to talk. Whats going on.. he’s starting to feel dizzy.. definitely his blood then.. but how did this happen? Did he let his guard down for the wrong person?
"Don't- Don't move, your only job is staying conscious right now. Blood's yours, I have an idea what happened but I can't confirm until you're safe."
Court's attention drifts down to Driver as he blows through a red light without a care in the world, but he can feel the weary scowl from his lap and decides to take it a little easier. On the car, at least.
"...Remember the other day, when I told you people were after me? It's- It's not Court they're after. They're after Sierra Six...and you got too close to me."
He explains the absolute bare minimum as they pause at the next stop light, and he's already fidgeting and looking away by the time he's done explaining what he can; Driver's going to want out after this, and Court isn't going to blame him or beg. Six doesn't deserve this man, as much as he wants this budding thing they have he can't risk putting Driver in danger again.
He speaks softly, but when court doesn’t look at him he lifts a hand up to the mans face, gently touching his cheek
“Look at me court..”
He tries to swallow the pain in his throat, but it doesn’t help much, instead he opts to run his his fingers over court’s stubble as he processes what court said
“I came into this knowing people were after you.. just like you did with me.. it was bound to happen to one of us eventually.. i didn’t expect it so soon though”
He chuckles before wincing, his own joke was pretty stupid and definitely not the right time considering he was actively dying in the arms of the only person who was willing to put any effort into loving him
“You found me.. thats all that matters.. and if you didn’t.. well at least i got to meet you yeah?”
The fingers on his skin are cooler than he would have liked, but Court's glad for them either way as they graze along his jaw. Means Driver's still alive enough to move, and that's still salvageable...he hopes.
"Don't talk like that, okay? I'm not letting anything happen to you, but I'd understand if you wanted me to lose your number after...this."
This is the last stop sign before his place and he takes a beat to look down at Driver going paler and paler in his arms, and he swallows hard around an ache in his throat before things start happening very quickly; He pulls into his drive, all but sprints to the front door with Driver in his arms and his heart in his throat, and by the time Court can think again he's got Driver lying in his bed shirtless on a towel, with an array of tools at his side. Somewhere, distantly, he makes a note to get Driver's car for him as soon as he's fixed up and resting.
"This is gonna be worse than the stab wound, just so you know. And I need you to stay as awake as you can. Think you can handle that?"
“Court.. if you go ghost on me i will personally hunt you down myself, do not delete my number.”
Driver watches the man as he drives, his eyes beginning to droop again, the adrenaline from his sternum being rubbed has worn off
“Besides… my parents were worse, at least you care about me.”
He groans and grumbles as court moves him around, the pain is ridiculously intense, he’s never experienced this level of pain before, sure he’s been in fights, cut by glass from climbing through windows as a kid or even stabbed, but none of it compares to this
“Mm.. i dunno I’m tired court… i wanna rest a little longer.. five more minutes yah?”
Driver was half daydreaming again, his mind trying to make up a happy scenario to cope with the pain.. and of course he daydreams about waking up with court
"I won't, okay? Promise. I think you'd give me a run for my money anyway, you're quicker than me. And your parents don't know what they're missing out on, their loss."
He's rambling now, trying to keep Driver talking so he doesn't slip under while Court's trying to disinfect the gunshot--and he notices with some distress that the bullet is still in there. The bottle of vodka in his hand tips over the wound and he winces in sympathy as he pins Driver down with his other arm, even though the other man isn't squirming as much as he should be.
"No naps right now pretty boy, alright? I'm just gonna keep annoying you and talking to you until I'm done, I'm an asshole like that and you can't sleep with pieces of bullet in you."
He's not surprised his hands aren't shaking, he was worried they would be but...no. Training took over where a panic rabbit was chasing his senses in circles and he carefully, so incredibly carefully, started trying to get the fragments of metal out with tweezers. It was going to hurt no matter what he did, but he didn't have to make it miserable.
I bet you never thought you'd have me coming to you for advice, and I'd appreciate if you don't gloat about it too much...but you have more relationship experience than I do.
Driver...he got hurt because he existed too close to me, by my former handlers, long story. I shouldn't have let myself be weak around him and I did, and he's paying the price and I can't stand myself. He knows some of the mess I was in now and part of me wants to just vanish while he's recovering to make sure he stays safe, I'd just watch him from afar...but I don't know if I can do that to him. Or me. What would you do if you were in my place and had to keep Simon safe?
...Jesus, Court. I don't even know where to start with this. I know you have some really shitty luck, but this definitely takes the cake.
I can tell you that disappearing from him won't fix anything. I tried and it only made everything in my life worse; it ruined my relationships and completely messed me up, so that's not even worth considering. It might feel like the safest option, but it's going to kill you.
So... I say just run away together. At least, that's what I'd do. I'd wipe everything about us off the map, change our names, change our hair, and disappear from everyone but the people you can trust. I know it's pretty fucking cliche, but I really think it's the best option.
Terrible luck seems to run in our family...and surprisingly, that's not the worst idea. But I don't know where we could go that they wouldn't look for us, that's the problem. I didn't think you'd let me disappear again either, I think I missed enough of yours and Ryland's lives the last time. I don't want to risk him getting hurt again either, though, so I'm in a difficult spot.
If the Grammar sucks i ask that you please ignore it, im no writer.. im deaf and im tired.
CW: violence, choking, gun, blood.. just straight angst <3
Driver had decided to go check out the animal shelter once he got off of work, he had no intention of picking up an animal today but he did want to visit the cats and see who’d be a good fit for him
That’s how he ended up being out so late, he was walking down an alley way. Heading to his car with his hands in his pockets and his head was up. He was focused and his car wasn’t far away
Suddenly a random woman bumps into his shoulder as he walked by, he glanced over his shoulder only to see the woman never faltered in her steps, continuing to walk down the dark alleyway
Driver decides its nothing and turns back to continue walking to his car when suddenly he feels two hands on his neck. His eyes widen as panic surges up his throat. his hands shoot from his pockets to the wrists of the other man
“Do you know how long we’ve waited for six to slip up?”
Six? Who was that? Driver moved, kneeing the man in his gut, this move loosened the grip around driver’s throat
He stumbled back, clutching the bruising skin as he took deep breaths, trying to regain his composure
“Im sorry.. you have the wrong guy, i don’t know a six”
This doesn’t seem to stop the other man, he stood up from his hunched state quickly charging at driver and slamming him to the ground
His head smashed against the pavement, stars burst across his vision as the man ontop of him began to move, his hands quickly finding their way back to driver’s throat
The stranger had leverage now, driver couldn’t do anything except kick around and slap at the mans arms before his eyes starting feeling heavy
“Carmichael stop. We’re trying to send a message not kill him.”
A woman’s voice spoke, the hands moved away from his neck again and drivers eyes shot open as he took a deep inhale, panting heavily underneath the man.. who he could now identify as Carmichael
“Oh we can still send a message by killing him Suzanne.”
Carmichael moves, pulling a gun from his holster before pressing it against driver’s temple
“Where is six, hand him over pretty boy”
Driver swallowed harshly, this was about court. It had to be.. no one else has ever used that nickname on him
“I-i tol-ld you… i have n-no clue wh-o six is”
Driver didn’t think he’ll be surviving tonight, he’ll die protecting court if it came down to it.. he owed him anyways right?
“Maybe this will help you remember”
Carmichael moves the gun down to his torso, letting a shot fire and driver immediately lets out a pained yell, which only made the man laugh
“I can keep going Driver.”
Driver didn’t speak, instead his eyes were squeezed shut as he tried to think of positive thoughts to escape from the torment he was currently experiencing
“Carmichael we’re not gonna get anything out of him.. lets go.”
Carmichael tried to put up a fight, but driver couldn’t keep up with what he was saying, his conscious drifted off as his eyes got heavier and heavier
The two CIA agents left driver in the alley to die, alone in the rain.. a gun shot wound, bruises on his neck and his head was split. And driver wasn’t far from his car. He had almost made it home
Court storms out of the med-bay as soon as he's convinced (what little convincing it took) to go out and look for Driver. It was just an undelivered text message, that wouldn't look out of the ordinary for a normal person...but they weren't normal people. They have too many ghosts chasing them, and Court's worrying in particular about the ones that want his head the most. If they'd found any whiff of his existence near Driver, they would have acted. If Lloyd Hanson wasn't worm food he'd have been even more worried about him being near Driver, but Court had watched his funeral from afar and the corpse was real.
30 miles...30 miles isn't that specific. Court's going to be looking for awhile, he knows this, and that knowledge is gnawing at his neck like a leech with knives for teeth.
Driver’s breathing was starting to slow down, his body curled in on itself. He was still unconscious as the rain pattered over his form, his blood mixing with the puddles of water
His phone had been destroyed when Carmichael slammed him to the ground and if that wasn’t enough damage it was now laying in a puddle of his own blood
There wasn’t much light illuminating the alley way, there was only a neon sign that pointed towards the parking lot
Driver was gonna die soon.. he should really wake up, but he can’t.. his eyes are too heavy and the memories are too nice
He almost misses the neon sign, but he whips the car around in the rain so hard that the tires squeal for mercy before he can really think too much about it. If whoever had done this (It was Denny and Suzanne he knows it he KNOWS) was nearby they would've heard him, but he has enough ammo to put up a fight if need be...he just hopes it won't come to that. The car's headlights spill down the alley...and over Driver lying curled in on himself, motionless, in a puddle. The puddle is too dark to be rain and his jacket's too dark to just be damp, and Court swears under his breath as he climbs out of the car and skids to his knees to reach him faster with no regard for how his knees are now bruised.
Hey, no no no. Come on, let me see those eyes...
He's careful as he unzips Driver's jacket to assess the wound, but his fingers slip in the blood and graze over the gunshot wound and Court freezes. He'd been hoping it wasn't more serious than a stab wound, but the heat-cauterized edges and scorch marks on white satin tell him that not only was Driver shot...but he was shot point blank. The gun was all but pressed to his skin, this was personal. Court kneels and braces his hands under Driver's shoulder's and knees, carefully picking him up. Was moving him smart? Probably not, but every minute they spent out in the open was another minute they were both at risk and he was already hurrying back to his borrowed car. He'd worry about blood on the seats later when they were both safe.
Driver groans when he gets pick up, his face pinches in pain.. a physical reaction, not one that driver was aware of doing
The blood was everywhere’s he was bleeding from the gunshot wound and the back of his head, he was pale from the amount of blood that he’d lost
When he gets put down in the car he gets one last surge of adrenaline and pushes at the mans chest, barely any strength in the shove. his voice hoarse and weak as he spoke
“Don’t hurt him.. he’s got family to take care of.. they need him”
His eyes aren’t open when he speaks, he thinks he’s talking to Carmichael, and he’s out again after he speaks, hand dropping from court’s chest and his head lolled to the side
"Fuck fuck fuck. Hey, I'm right here. Not going anywhere, nobody hurt me," Court whispers and brushes Driver's hair away from his forehead, and he bundles the man all but into his lap as he whips the car away from the curb with another sickening screech--if he'd tried that in Driver's car he suspects the man would've woken up just to hit him, he would've deserved it. He would've welcomed it, actually. If there are eyes on the rooftops Court isn't paying attention to them, his attention is being divided between not wrapping the car around a pole and making sure Driver doesn't die in his arms.
Options are...limited. Hospital was probably the best place Driver could be right now, but did Court want to risk it right now? Absolutely not. He didn't trust a single soul anywhere in the vicinity with Driver right now, not if no one had bothered calling the police when they heard the gunshot. He'd patched up bullet wounds on himself countless times, fished the bullets out with his fingers too. He can do this, but it's going to hurt. Badly. Court grimaces before he apologizes, and he digs his knuckles into Driver's sternum to wake him--He knows a sternal rub hurts like hell, but it might bring him around for a few minutes, at least until they get somewhere safe.
Safe. The biodome. Not how he wants any of them to meet Driver, but it might be his best bet at survival. God, if only he's fast enough. "You with me, pretty boy..?"
He whines out an “owww” after court rubs his knuckles against his sternum, his eyes cracking open slightly as he tries to make sense of his surroundings
“Court…? What’s going on?”
He tries to move but a sharp pain is his head and torso stops him, he has no memory of what happened.. the last thing he remembers is being at the animal shelter
His throat hurts too, he moves his hands to his neck and winces as he presses against the handprinted bruise, and when he pulls his hand away, he sees that it’s covered in blood his eyes widen in fear
“Is this mine? Or yours?”
It hurts to talk. Whats going on.. he’s starting to feel dizzy.. definitely his blood then.. but how did this happen? Did he let his guard down for the wrong person?
"Don't- Don't move, your only job is staying conscious right now. Blood's yours, I have an idea what happened but I can't confirm until you're safe."
Court's attention drifts down to Driver as he blows through a red light without a care in the world, but he can feel the weary scowl from his lap and decides to take it a little easier. On the car, at least.
"...Remember the other day, when I told you people were after me? It's- It's not Court they're after. They're after Sierra Six...and you got too close to me."
He explains the absolute bare minimum as they pause at the next stop light, and he's already fidgeting and looking away by the time he's done explaining what he can; Driver's going to want out after this, and Court isn't going to blame him or beg. Six doesn't deserve this man, as much as he wants this budding thing they have he can't risk putting Driver in danger again.
He speaks softly, but when court doesn’t look at him he lifts a hand up to the mans face, gently touching his cheek
“Look at me court..”
He tries to swallow the pain in his throat, but it doesn’t help much, instead he opts to run his his fingers over court’s stubble as he processes what court said
“I came into this knowing people were after you.. just like you did with me.. it was bound to happen to one of us eventually.. i didn’t expect it so soon though”
He chuckles before wincing, his own joke was pretty stupid and definitely not the right time considering he was actively dying in the arms of the only person who was willing to put any effort into loving him
“You found me.. thats all that matters.. and if you didn’t.. well at least i got to meet you yeah?”
The fingers on his skin are cooler than he would have liked, but Court's glad for them either way as they graze along his jaw. Means Driver's still alive enough to move, and that's still salvageable...he hopes.
"Don't talk like that, okay? I'm not letting anything happen to you, but I'd understand if you wanted me to lose your number after...this."
This is the last stop sign before his place and he takes a beat to look down at Driver going paler and paler in his arms, and he swallows hard around an ache in his throat before things start happening very quickly; He pulls into his drive, all but sprints to the front door with Driver in his arms and his heart in his throat, and by the time Court can think again he's got Driver lying in his bed shirtless on a towel, with an array of tools at his side. Somewhere, distantly, he makes a note to get Driver's car for him as soon as he's fixed up and resting.
"This is gonna be worse than the stab wound, just so you know. And I need you to stay as awake as you can. Think you can handle that?"
If the Grammar sucks i ask that you please ignore it, im no writer.. im deaf and im tired.
CW: violence, choking, gun, blood.. just straight angst <3
Driver had decided to go check out the animal shelter once he got off of work, he had no intention of picking up an animal today but he did want to visit the cats and see who’d be a good fit for him
That’s how he ended up being out so late, he was walking down an alley way. Heading to his car with his hands in his pockets and his head was up. He was focused and his car wasn’t far away
Suddenly a random woman bumps into his shoulder as he walked by, he glanced over his shoulder only to see the woman never faltered in her steps, continuing to walk down the dark alleyway
Driver decides its nothing and turns back to continue walking to his car when suddenly he feels two hands on his neck. His eyes widen as panic surges up his throat. his hands shoot from his pockets to the wrists of the other man
“Do you know how long we’ve waited for six to slip up?”
Six? Who was that? Driver moved, kneeing the man in his gut, this move loosened the grip around driver’s throat
He stumbled back, clutching the bruising skin as he took deep breaths, trying to regain his composure
“Im sorry.. you have the wrong guy, i don’t know a six”
This doesn’t seem to stop the other man, he stood up from his hunched state quickly charging at driver and slamming him to the ground
His head smashed against the pavement, stars burst across his vision as the man ontop of him began to move, his hands quickly finding their way back to driver’s throat
The stranger had leverage now, driver couldn’t do anything except kick around and slap at the mans arms before his eyes starting feeling heavy
“Carmichael stop. We’re trying to send a message not kill him.”
A woman’s voice spoke, the hands moved away from his neck again and drivers eyes shot open as he took a deep inhale, panting heavily underneath the man.. who he could now identify as Carmichael
“Oh we can still send a message by killing him Suzanne.”
Carmichael moves, pulling a gun from his holster before pressing it against driver’s temple
“Where is six, hand him over pretty boy”
Driver swallowed harshly, this was about court. It had to be.. no one else has ever used that nickname on him
“I-i tol-ld you… i have n-no clue wh-o six is”
Driver didn’t think he’ll be surviving tonight, he’ll die protecting court if it came down to it.. he owed him anyways right?
“Maybe this will help you remember”
Carmichael moves the gun down to his torso, letting a shot fire and driver immediately lets out a pained yell, which only made the man laugh
“I can keep going Driver.”
Driver didn’t speak, instead his eyes were squeezed shut as he tried to think of positive thoughts to escape from the torment he was currently experiencing
“Carmichael we’re not gonna get anything out of him.. lets go.”
Carmichael tried to put up a fight, but driver couldn’t keep up with what he was saying, his conscious drifted off as his eyes got heavier and heavier
The two CIA agents left driver in the alley to die, alone in the rain.. a gun shot wound, bruises on his neck and his head was split. And driver wasn’t far from his car. He had almost made it home
Court storms out of the med-bay as soon as he's convinced (what little convincing it took) to go out and look for Driver. It was just an undelivered text message, that wouldn't look out of the ordinary for a normal person...but they weren't normal people. They have too many ghosts chasing them, and Court's worrying in particular about the ones that want his head the most. If they'd found any whiff of his existence near Driver, they would have acted. If Lloyd Hanson wasn't worm food he'd have been even more worried about him being near Driver, but Court had watched his funeral from afar and the corpse was real.
30 miles...30 miles isn't that specific. Court's going to be looking for awhile, he knows this, and that knowledge is gnawing at his neck like a leech with knives for teeth.
Driver’s breathing was starting to slow down, his body curled in on itself. He was still unconscious as the rain pattered over his form, his blood mixing with the puddles of water
His phone had been destroyed when Carmichael slammed him to the ground and if that wasn’t enough damage it was now laying in a puddle of his own blood
There wasn’t much light illuminating the alley way, there was only a neon sign that pointed towards the parking lot
Driver was gonna die soon.. he should really wake up, but he can’t.. his eyes are too heavy and the memories are too nice
He almost misses the neon sign, but he whips the car around in the rain so hard that the tires squeal for mercy before he can really think too much about it. If whoever had done this (It was Denny and Suzanne he knows it he KNOWS) was nearby they would've heard him, but he has enough ammo to put up a fight if need be...he just hopes it won't come to that. The car's headlights spill down the alley...and over Driver lying curled in on himself, motionless, in a puddle. The puddle is too dark to be rain and his jacket's too dark to just be damp, and Court swears under his breath as he climbs out of the car and skids to his knees to reach him faster with no regard for how his knees are now bruised.
Hey, no no no. Come on, let me see those eyes...
He's careful as he unzips Driver's jacket to assess the wound, but his fingers slip in the blood and graze over the gunshot wound and Court freezes. He'd been hoping it wasn't more serious than a stab wound, but the heat-cauterized edges and scorch marks on white satin tell him that not only was Driver shot...but he was shot point blank. The gun was all but pressed to his skin, this was personal. Court kneels and braces his hands under Driver's shoulder's and knees, carefully picking him up. Was moving him smart? Probably not, but every minute they spent out in the open was another minute they were both at risk and he was already hurrying back to his borrowed car. He'd worry about blood on the seats later when they were both safe.
Driver groans when he gets pick up, his face pinches in pain.. a physical reaction, not one that driver was aware of doing
The blood was everywhere’s he was bleeding from the gunshot wound and the back of his head, he was pale from the amount of blood that he’d lost
When he gets put down in the car he gets one last surge of adrenaline and pushes at the mans chest, barely any strength in the shove. his voice hoarse and weak as he spoke
“Don’t hurt him.. he’s got family to take care of.. they need him”
His eyes aren’t open when he speaks, he thinks he’s talking to Carmichael, and he’s out again after he speaks, hand dropping from court’s chest and his head lolled to the side
"Fuck fuck fuck. Hey, I'm right here. Not going anywhere, nobody hurt me," Court whispers and brushes Driver's hair away from his forehead, and he bundles the man all but into his lap as he whips the car away from the curb with another sickening screech--if he'd tried that in Driver's car he suspects the man would've woken up just to hit him, he would've deserved it. He would've welcomed it, actually. If there are eyes on the rooftops Court isn't paying attention to them, his attention is being divided between not wrapping the car around a pole and making sure Driver doesn't die in his arms.
Options are...limited. Hospital was probably the best place Driver could be right now, but did Court want to risk it right now? Absolutely not. He didn't trust a single soul anywhere in the vicinity with Driver right now, not if no one had bothered calling the police when they heard the gunshot. He'd patched up bullet wounds on himself countless times, fished the bullets out with his fingers too. He can do this, but it's going to hurt. Badly. Court grimaces before he apologizes, and he digs his knuckles into Driver's sternum to wake him--He knows a sternal rub hurts like hell, but it might bring him around for a few minutes, at least until they get somewhere safe.
Safe. The biodome. Not how he wants any of them to meet Driver, but it might be his best bet at survival. God, if only he's fast enough. "You with me, pretty boy..?"
He whines out an “owww” after court rubs his knuckles against his sternum, his eyes cracking open slightly as he tries to make sense of his surroundings
“Court…? What’s going on?”
He tries to move but a sharp pain is his head and torso stops him, he has no memory of what happened.. the last thing he remembers is being at the animal shelter
His throat hurts too, he moves his hands to his neck and winces as he presses against the handprinted bruise, and when he pulls his hand away, he sees that it’s covered in blood his eyes widen in fear
“Is this mine? Or yours?”
It hurts to talk. Whats going on.. he’s starting to feel dizzy.. definitely his blood then.. but how did this happen? Did he let his guard down for the wrong person?
"Don't- Don't move, your only job is staying conscious right now. Blood's yours, I have an idea what happened but I can't confirm until you're safe."
Court's attention drifts down to Driver as he blows through a red light without a care in the world, but he can feel the weary scowl from his lap and decides to take it a little easier. On the car, at least.
"...Remember the other day, when I told you people were after me? It's- It's not Court they're after. They're after Sierra Six...and you got too close to me."
He explains the absolute bare minimum as they pause at the next stop light, and he's already fidgeting and looking away by the time he's done explaining what he can; Driver's going to want out after this, and Court isn't going to blame him or beg. Six doesn't deserve this man, as much as he wants this budding thing they have he can't risk putting Driver in danger again.
If the Grammar sucks i ask that you please ignore it, im no writer.. im deaf and im tired.
CW: violence, choking, gun, blood.. just straight angst <3
Driver had decided to go check out the animal shelter once he got off of work, he had no intention of picking up an animal today but he did want to visit the cats and see who’d be a good fit for him
That’s how he ended up being out so late, he was walking down an alley way. Heading to his car with his hands in his pockets and his head was up. He was focused and his car wasn’t far away
Suddenly a random woman bumps into his shoulder as he walked by, he glanced over his shoulder only to see the woman never faltered in her steps, continuing to walk down the dark alleyway
Driver decides its nothing and turns back to continue walking to his car when suddenly he feels two hands on his neck. His eyes widen as panic surges up his throat. his hands shoot from his pockets to the wrists of the other man
“Do you know how long we’ve waited for six to slip up?”
Six? Who was that? Driver moved, kneeing the man in his gut, this move loosened the grip around driver’s throat
He stumbled back, clutching the bruising skin as he took deep breaths, trying to regain his composure
“Im sorry.. you have the wrong guy, i don’t know a six”
This doesn’t seem to stop the other man, he stood up from his hunched state quickly charging at driver and slamming him to the ground
His head smashed against the pavement, stars burst across his vision as the man ontop of him began to move, his hands quickly finding their way back to driver’s throat
The stranger had leverage now, driver couldn’t do anything except kick around and slap at the mans arms before his eyes starting feeling heavy
“Carmichael stop. We’re trying to send a message not kill him.”
A woman’s voice spoke, the hands moved away from his neck again and drivers eyes shot open as he took a deep inhale, panting heavily underneath the man.. who he could now identify as Carmichael
“Oh we can still send a message by killing him Suzanne.”
Carmichael moves, pulling a gun from his holster before pressing it against driver’s temple
“Where is six, hand him over pretty boy”
Driver swallowed harshly, this was about court. It had to be.. no one else has ever used that nickname on him
“I-i tol-ld you… i have n-no clue wh-o six is”
Driver didn’t think he’ll be surviving tonight, he’ll die protecting court if it came down to it.. he owed him anyways right?
“Maybe this will help you remember”
Carmichael moves the gun down to his torso, letting a shot fire and driver immediately lets out a pained yell, which only made the man laugh
“I can keep going Driver.”
Driver didn’t speak, instead his eyes were squeezed shut as he tried to think of positive thoughts to escape from the torment he was currently experiencing
“Carmichael we’re not gonna get anything out of him.. lets go.”
Carmichael tried to put up a fight, but driver couldn’t keep up with what he was saying, his conscious drifted off as his eyes got heavier and heavier
The two CIA agents left driver in the alley to die, alone in the rain.. a gun shot wound, bruises on his neck and his head was split. And driver wasn’t far from his car. He had almost made it home
Court storms out of the med-bay as soon as he's convinced (what little convincing it took) to go out and look for Driver. It was just an undelivered text message, that wouldn't look out of the ordinary for a normal person...but they weren't normal people. They have too many ghosts chasing them, and Court's worrying in particular about the ones that want his head the most. If they'd found any whiff of his existence near Driver, they would have acted. If Lloyd Hanson wasn't worm food he'd have been even more worried about him being near Driver, but Court had watched his funeral from afar and the corpse was real.
30 miles...30 miles isn't that specific. Court's going to be looking for awhile, he knows this, and that knowledge is gnawing at his neck like a leech with knives for teeth.
Driver’s breathing was starting to slow down, his body curled in on itself. He was still unconscious as the rain pattered over his form, his blood mixing with the puddles of water
His phone had been destroyed when Carmichael slammed him to the ground and if that wasn’t enough damage it was now laying in a puddle of his own blood
There wasn’t much light illuminating the alley way, there was only a neon sign that pointed towards the parking lot
Driver was gonna die soon.. he should really wake up, but he can’t.. his eyes are too heavy and the memories are too nice
He almost misses the neon sign, but he whips the car around in the rain so hard that the tires squeal for mercy before he can really think too much about it. If whoever had done this (It was Denny and Suzanne he knows it he KNOWS) was nearby they would've heard him, but he has enough ammo to put up a fight if need be...he just hopes it won't come to that. The car's headlights spill down the alley...and over Driver lying curled in on himself, motionless, in a puddle. The puddle is too dark to be rain and his jacket's too dark to just be damp, and Court swears under his breath as he climbs out of the car and skids to his knees to reach him faster with no regard for how his knees are now bruised.
Hey, no no no. Come on, let me see those eyes...
He's careful as he unzips Driver's jacket to assess the wound, but his fingers slip in the blood and graze over the gunshot wound and Court freezes. He'd been hoping it wasn't more serious than a stab wound, but the heat-cauterized edges and scorch marks on white satin tell him that not only was Driver shot...but he was shot point blank. The gun was all but pressed to his skin, this was personal. Court kneels and braces his hands under Driver's shoulder's and knees, carefully picking him up. Was moving him smart? Probably not, but every minute they spent out in the open was another minute they were both at risk and he was already hurrying back to his borrowed car. He'd worry about blood on the seats later when they were both safe.
Driver groans when he gets pick up, his face pinches in pain.. a physical reaction, not one that driver was aware of doing
The blood was everywhere’s he was bleeding from the gunshot wound and the back of his head, he was pale from the amount of blood that he’d lost
When he gets put down in the car he gets one last surge of adrenaline and pushes at the mans chest, barely any strength in the shove. his voice hoarse and weak as he spoke
“Don’t hurt him.. he’s got family to take care of.. they need him”
His eyes aren’t open when he speaks, he thinks he’s talking to Carmichael, and he’s out again after he speaks, hand dropping from court’s chest and his head lolled to the side
"Fuck fuck fuck. Hey, I'm right here. Not going anywhere, nobody hurt me," Court whispers and brushes Driver's hair away from his forehead, and he bundles the man all but into his lap as he whips the car away from the curb with another sickening screech--if he'd tried that in Driver's car he suspects the man would've woken up just to hit him, he would've deserved it. He would've welcomed it, actually. If there are eyes on the rooftops Court isn't paying attention to them, his attention is being divided between not wrapping the car around a pole and making sure Driver doesn't die in his arms.
Options are...limited. Hospital was probably the best place Driver could be right now, but did Court want to risk it right now? Absolutely not. He didn't trust a single soul anywhere in the vicinity with Driver right now, not if no one had bothered calling the police when they heard the gunshot. He'd patched up bullet wounds on himself countless times, fished the bullets out with his fingers too. He can do this, but it's going to hurt. Badly. Court grimaces before he apologizes, and he digs his knuckles into Driver's sternum to wake him--He knows a sternal rub hurts like hell, but it might bring him around for a few minutes, at least until they get somewhere safe.
Safe. The biodome. Not how he wants any of them to meet Driver, but it might be his best bet at survival. God, if only he's fast enough. "You with me, pretty boy..?"
If the Grammar sucks i ask that you please ignore it, im no writer.. im deaf and im tired.
CW: violence, choking, gun, blood.. just straight angst <3
Driver had decided to go check out the animal shelter once he got off of work, he had no intention of picking up an animal today but he did want to visit the cats and see who’d be a good fit for him
That’s how he ended up being out so late, he was walking down an alley way. Heading to his car with his hands in his pockets and his head was up. He was focused and his car wasn’t far away
Suddenly a random woman bumps into his shoulder as he walked by, he glanced over his shoulder only to see the woman never faltered in her steps, continuing to walk down the dark alleyway
Driver decides its nothing and turns back to continue walking to his car when suddenly he feels two hands on his neck. His eyes widen as panic surges up his throat. his hands shoot from his pockets to the wrists of the other man
“Do you know how long we’ve waited for six to slip up?”
Six? Who was that? Driver moved, kneeing the man in his gut, this move loosened the grip around driver’s throat
He stumbled back, clutching the bruising skin as he took deep breaths, trying to regain his composure
“Im sorry.. you have the wrong guy, i don’t know a six”
This doesn’t seem to stop the other man, he stood up from his hunched state quickly charging at driver and slamming him to the ground
His head smashed against the pavement, stars burst across his vision as the man ontop of him began to move, his hands quickly finding their way back to driver’s throat
The stranger had leverage now, driver couldn’t do anything except kick around and slap at the mans arms before his eyes starting feeling heavy
“Carmichael stop. We’re trying to send a message not kill him.”
A woman’s voice spoke, the hands moved away from his neck again and drivers eyes shot open as he took a deep inhale, panting heavily underneath the man.. who he could now identify as Carmichael
“Oh we can still send a message by killing him Suzanne.”
Carmichael moves, pulling a gun from his holster before pressing it against driver’s temple
“Where is six, hand him over pretty boy”
Driver swallowed harshly, this was about court. It had to be.. no one else has ever used that nickname on him
“I-i tol-ld you… i have n-no clue wh-o six is”
Driver didn’t think he’ll be surviving tonight, he’ll die protecting court if it came down to it.. he owed him anyways right?
“Maybe this will help you remember”
Carmichael moves the gun down to his torso, letting a shot fire and driver immediately lets out a pained yell, which only made the man laugh
“I can keep going Driver.”
Driver didn’t speak, instead his eyes were squeezed shut as he tried to think of positive thoughts to escape from the torment he was currently experiencing
“Carmichael we’re not gonna get anything out of him.. lets go.”
Carmichael tried to put up a fight, but driver couldn’t keep up with what he was saying, his conscious drifted off as his eyes got heavier and heavier
The two CIA agents left driver in the alley to die, alone in the rain.. a gun shot wound, bruises on his neck and his head was split. And driver wasn’t far from his car. He had almost made it home
Court storms out of the med-bay as soon as he's convinced (what little convincing it took) to go out and look for Driver. It was just an undelivered text message, that wouldn't look out of the ordinary for a normal person...but they weren't normal people. They have too many ghosts chasing them, and Court's worrying in particular about the ones that want his head the most. If they'd found any whiff of his existence near Driver, they would have acted. If Lloyd Hanson wasn't worm food he'd have been even more worried about him being near Driver, but Court had watched his funeral from afar and the corpse was real.
30 miles...30 miles isn't that specific. Court's going to be looking for awhile, he knows this, and that knowledge is gnawing at his neck like a leech with knives for teeth.
Driver’s breathing was starting to slow down, his body curled in on itself. He was still unconscious as the rain pattered over his form, his blood mixing with the puddles of water
His phone had been destroyed when Carmichael slammed him to the ground and if that wasn’t enough damage it was now laying in a puddle of his own blood
There wasn’t much light illuminating the alley way, there was only a neon sign that pointed towards the parking lot
Driver was gonna die soon.. he should really wake up, but he can’t.. his eyes are too heavy and the memories are too nice
He almost misses the neon sign, but he whips the car around in the rain so hard that the tires squeal for mercy before he can really think too much about it. If whoever had done this (It was Denny and Suzanne he knows it he KNOWS) was nearby they would've heard him, but he has enough ammo to put up a fight if need be...he just hopes it won't come to that. The car's headlights spill down the alley...and over Driver lying curled in on himself, motionless, in a puddle. The puddle is too dark to be rain and his jacket's too dark to just be damp, and Court swears under his breath as he climbs out of the car and skids to his knees to reach him faster with no regard for how his knees are now bruised.
Hey, no no no. Come on, let me see those eyes...
He's careful as he unzips Driver's jacket to assess the wound, but his fingers slip in the blood and graze over the gunshot wound and Court freezes. He'd been hoping it wasn't more serious than a stab wound, but the heat-cauterized edges and scorch marks on white satin tell him that not only was Driver shot...but he was shot point blank. The gun was all but pressed to his skin, this was personal. Court kneels and braces his hands under Driver's shoulder's and knees, carefully picking him up. Was moving him smart? Probably not, but every minute they spent out in the open was another minute they were both at risk and he was already hurrying back to his borrowed car. He'd worry about blood on the seats later when they were both safe.
If the Grammar sucks i ask that you please ignore it, im no writer.. im deaf and im tired.
CW: violence, choking, gun, blood.. just straight angst <3
Driver had decided to go check out the animal shelter once he got off of work, he had no intention of picking up an animal today but he did want to visit the cats and see who’d be a good fit for him
That’s how he ended up being out so late, he was walking down an alley way. Heading to his car with his hands in his pockets and his head was up. He was focused and his car wasn’t far away
Suddenly a random woman bumps into his shoulder as he walked by, he glanced over his shoulder only to see the woman never faltered in her steps, continuing to walk down the dark alleyway
Driver decides its nothing and turns back to continue walking to his car when suddenly he feels two hands on his neck. His eyes widen as panic surges up his throat. his hands shoot from his pockets to the wrists of the other man
“Do you know how long we’ve waited for six to slip up?”
Six? Who was that? Driver moved, kneeing the man in his gut, this move loosened the grip around driver’s throat
He stumbled back, clutching the bruising skin as he took deep breaths, trying to regain his composure
“Im sorry.. you have the wrong guy, i don’t know a six”
This doesn’t seem to stop the other man, he stood up from his hunched state quickly charging at driver and slamming him to the ground
His head smashed against the pavement, stars burst across his vision as the man ontop of him began to move, his hands quickly finding their way back to driver’s throat
The stranger had leverage now, driver couldn’t do anything except kick around and slap at the mans arms before his eyes starting feeling heavy
“Carmichael stop. We’re trying to send a message not kill him.”
A woman’s voice spoke, the hands moved away from his neck again and drivers eyes shot open as he took a deep inhale, panting heavily underneath the man.. who he could now identify as Carmichael
“Oh we can still send a message by killing him Suzanne.”
Carmichael moves, pulling a gun from his holster before pressing it against driver’s temple
“Where is six, hand him over pretty boy”
Driver swallowed harshly, this was about court. It had to be.. no one else has ever used that nickname on him
“I-i tol-ld you… i have n-no clue wh-o six is”
Driver didn’t think he’ll be surviving tonight, he’ll die protecting court if it came down to it.. he owed him anyways right?
“Maybe this will help you remember”
Carmichael moves the gun down to his torso, letting a shot fire and driver immediately lets out a pained yell, which only made the man laugh
“I can keep going Driver.”
Driver didn’t speak, instead his eyes were squeezed shut as he tried to think of positive thoughts to escape from the torment he was currently experiencing
“Carmichael we’re not gonna get anything out of him.. lets go.”
Carmichael tried to put up a fight, but driver couldn’t keep up with what he was saying, his conscious drifted off as his eyes got heavier and heavier
The two CIA agents left driver in the alley to die, alone in the rain.. a gun shot wound, bruises on his neck and his head was split. And driver wasn’t far from his car. He had almost made it home
Court storms out of the med-bay as soon as he's convinced (what little convincing it took) to go out and look for Driver. It was just an undelivered text message, that wouldn't look out of the ordinary for a normal person...but they weren't normal people. They have too many ghosts chasing them, and Court's worrying in particular about the ones that want his head the most. If they'd found any whiff of his existence near Driver, they would have acted. If Lloyd Hanson wasn't worm food he'd have been even more worried about him being near Driver, but Court had watched his funeral from afar and the corpse was real.
30 miles...30 miles isn't that specific. Court's going to be looking for awhile, he knows this, and that knowledge is gnawing at his neck like a leech with knives for teeth.
Rylee had made her way back to where she met Court yesterday. Rocky followed along with more pastries and a sandwich for Court. She had no clue as to whether or not the other had eaten, but figured she'd try to relieve some stress from the other.
"Surely Court knows we're coming...right?" She asked her Eridian companion.
There were thankfully more people to keep an eye on Ryland so Court was outside the med bay for a quick break, eyeing a pack of cigarettes he'd confiscated from Colt before ultimately deciding that habit wasn't worth resurrecting as he handed them off to Silverbird. "Get rid of those, Bird. And don't try eating them."
He looked up from chastising the Eridian who looked like they wanted to do exactly that when he noticed Rylee walking up the beach, and he raised a hand in greeting. Yesterday he'd...fucked up, to put it mildly. His lack of social skills had really come back to bite him when he'd brought up her sister and he'd just as soon not think about that anymore, actually. That look on her face had hurt too much.
"I have eyes everywhere kid, saw you coming a mile away," he commented lightly, half his mouth pulling up in a smile before it faded away. "How'd the visiting go yesterday?"
Rylee chuckled. "Of course you do." Her smile widened. "It went wonderfully! Sebastian's really great at what he does."
She came to join him on the beach, sitting near him, but careful to leave a little distance in case she made Court uncomfortable.
"We brought you some lunch. And breakfast too, in case you didn't have either." Rocky padded up to the man, sliding the bag off her carapace. "It's just a sandwich." She commented.
He thought for a minute and conceded that the last thing he'd eaten was that takeout at Driver's the night before, and his stomach gave an interested growl that had him grimacing. Rocky and Silverbird both chirped at the sound in alarm and he snorted a laugh. "Okay, sue me, I forget to eat...constantly. I was more worried about Ryland than food."
Court took the food gratefully and rummaged through it, and he fought the urge to put most of it away for 'just in case.' That was an old habit he may never end up breaking. "I've only met Sebastian once, he seemed...I'm going with enthusiastic, about jazz. Not really my thing but whatever makes the guy happy."
He ate a little of the sandwich, fighting the urge to inhale it, and he looked up at Rylee with a complicated expression. "...M'sorry about yesterday. That wasn't my business to bring up, should've kept my nose out of it."
Her smile fell only a bit into a sadder smile. "No, it's okay. I only just regained my memories about the two of them a few years ago, and built up the dream in my mind that if they were alive, they would've stopped Stratt from putting me on the Mary. I-I still haven't really come to terms with it." She admitted.
Rocky began to chitter with Silverbird happily.
"I'd recommend trying out Seb's. That's the place he owns. I think Driver was planning on going there at some point, maybe the two of you could go together."
"He was asking about you, by the way. He was a bit worried." She admitted. "I didn't say too much, just that you were stressed, and then he told me to make sure you actually got a break." She smirked at Court with a knowing glance.
"...For whatever it's worth, if I'd known Ryland was going I would've stopped it. The project was so secret I couldn't get clearance to look at anything about it beyond what the public knew, and there isn't much I can't get access to," Court grumbled, staring at the other half of the sandwich in his hand. He didn't mention that he would've blown Stratt's head off her shoulders if he'd known Ryland wasn't going willingly, but he had a feeling Rylee understood better than anyone.
Driver coming up again made his ears go a faint pink, but he didn't react much more than that. "He- I'm alright, really. If he asks me to go to Seb's I will, since he seems to be making it his mission to make me relax." Court had a sneaking suspicion that Driver was going to be making him take more breaks...but he wasn't as put-off by that as he thought he'd be. "Appreciate you not telling him too much, by the way. He knows what he needs to for now, he has enough going on without worrying about me too."
Rylee hummed in acknowledgement. “I guess. Maybe I’ll have to find their death certificates as closure.” She smiled sadly.
“He’d probably love to go with you. And he’s definitely trying to make you take a break. I think it’s wonderful that you two have each other. But you also need to make him take a break. Both of you need breaks. I swear I’m going to kidnap both of you and put you on the Mary where there’s almost nothing going on to take a break.” She laughed. “And you really think I’m just going to spill everything you told me when it took you a while to even mention something happened to Ryland? I know you two are close but both of you are so shrouded in secrets.” She commented with a chuckle.
"Secrets keep you safe, it's...at this point it's less of a conscious choice than a knee-jerk reaction," Court muttered softly, and he began fidgeting with a chunk of the bread in his hand until it was nothing but a tiny ball. "I don't know how to take care of somebody anymore, Rylee. Not in a way that doesn't end up with them needing a funeral. But...I can try. I think one chronically overworked person is enough in a- whatever he and I are doing."
He said it matter-of-factly, they still hadn't really put a label on things and that was fine. They were grown men with enough baggage between them to kill a normal person, labels were for people with the luxury to focus on them. "And I'd prefer to never set foot in space, actually. Solid ground is where I belong." Court chuckles to himself, shivering slightly at the idea. "If anything it sounds like you need one. If you're anything like Ryland you're probably running on...coffee and spite, maybe a nap somewhere between if Rocky's not on your case like our Rocky is for Ryland. Am I in the ballpark?" Yes, he was deflecting the conversation away from himself, but he'd said plenty for the time being.
Rylee hummed. “Well, the way I see it, you take care of your brothers well enough. That’s why you’re here, right? And I’ve seen how Driver looks at you. I may not be good with words because I’ve only had my wife and two Eridians to talk to for about 5 years, but I know you’re doing just fine. I know they love you dearly.” She returned with a smile. “And that’s all someone really needs.”
She laughed after a few minutes of silence. (She hoped it was at least comfortable). “Right now? Yeah, no, you’re right. I was up late last night. Couldn’t sleep. Ended up going out to buy a cd. Metalstorm, I believe. Don’t have that one on the Mary. Anyways, yeah. You’re right.”
Talking about the boys was safe territory, he could do that. Court let out a quiet laugh and shook his head, remembering every single Incident they'd gotten into since he arrived and practically feeling a new grey hair sprouting up. "They don't make it easy for me to take care of them, that's for sure. Even mostly confined to this dome they somehow manage to get themselves nearly killed on a regular basis...It's a talent, I guess. You'd think one of their partners would be up to the task of keeping them breathing, but..."
Court trailed off and tapped his finger on his knee rhythmically, his agitation seemingly focused into that one digit. The knee itself was only held back from jiggling up and down by Silverbird loafing on his foot to chirp to Rocky. "The only Metalstorm I know is the last movie Colt worked on before I wound up here. I used to try to keep track of him that way, didn't work very well once they figured out a better way to cover his face though."
She smirked. “I bet those two were trouble. But hey, they’re doing okay, even if they’re constantly in trouble. That may be how they handle being stuck in the dome. Why do you think I travel the dimensions.” She smiled.
“Yeah, I saw something about your Colt being the stunt double in this movie. That’s why I picked it up.” She glanced over to him. “It’s wonderful that you’ve been there for these two. That just proves how great of a brother you really are.”
"...Wasn't, for most of their lives. But thanks." His smile was strained at the edges so he dropped it, now tightly wrapping the rest of the bag so nothing fell out and stuffing it carefully into Silverbird's bag. "No trying that either, last time you tried to eat human food you were sick for two days. Leave it in the bag." he mutters to the Eridian, who squawks indignantly before wiggling their carapace in a little whistling laugh. "Silverbird's as bad as a toddler that eats cheese puffs off the carpet..."
Court leaned back against the rock and braced himself on his hands, staring up at the simulated sunny sky. "I'm proud of them both, though. And you. Nobody in this family gets to have it easy in any universe, but all of you did some amazing stuff. As long as you're happy, you're doing something right."
She stared at him, just blinking. She didn’t know what to say. “I-“ She tried. Wow. How long had she ever been told anything like that? She held back tears as she tried to find something to say. His words rang through her head, interrupting all of her thoughts.
She tightens her hands around her pants. “You-you mean it?” She choked out.
He glanced up when he heard her breath hitch around tears and moved closer, enough that he could rest his hand on Rylee's shoulder in a gentle squeeze. "Meant every bit of it, I'm not really in the habit of lying to people's faces unless I'm getting paid to," he hummed, keeping his tone as soft as possible.
"All I ever wanted was...for them to get out of that shit hole. I wanted them safe and happy, even with me not there to make sure of it. They're both happy, safe is a work in progress," he sighs, shaking his head with a faint smile that looks very worn around the edges. "But you're smart like they are, I have every reason to be proud. I'm sure your sisters would be proud of you too, Rylee."
She nodded, letting a few tears fall. Court somehow had a way with words that was absolutely breathtaking.
“Happy is okay. Happy-happy is good for now.” She repeated. Images floated through her mind as she remembered why she had been stuck on the Mary for so long. “You-you should feel proud as well. Do you really think they’d be this happy without you? I’m sure they got along fine without you, but they seem almost infinitely better with you around. I think you’re the reason they have as much courage to get through all their troubles because they remember you’re there now.”
Court was quiet for a long, long minute while he absorbed what she'd said; He didn't want the praise or feel he deserved it, he'd just been a shield for them and they flourished after they got out...but they wouldn't have gotten out if he hadn't gunned their father down. They all would've died in that house. He tensed and quickly removed his hand from Rylee's shoulder before he could bruise her, and he clenched his fists in his lap to keep the memories at bay.
He had saved them. They wouldn't be here to be brave without him.
"I- Mm. I did what I had to, they're...they grew up into good men, both of them," Court said shakily, mostly speaking to the ground because he didn't trust himself to look up. Having the space to experience his emotions was quickly becoming something Court was deeming 'not worth the trouble', all it did was make him feel like he was going to throw up half the time, when it wasn't turning him into a mushy-brained idiot every time he thought about Driver's fingers running through his hair.
“You did what you had to, yes. But you also did so much more. They have a family the can talk with, and that they can enjoy time together with. Because of you. They wouldn’t be here, be this happy, without you.” She turned to smile at him. “There’s a difference between hurting, and protecting. And from what I can tell, you’ve done a whole lot of protecting.”
She grabbed a small handful of sand, holding it in her hands.
He'd done a lot of both, but he didn't say as much as he folded his arms over his chest. She didn't need to know any of that. "I think you're laying it on a little thick...but I appreciate it. I did my best for them. Can't tell you how many bruises I got so they could have a half-decent childhood, but it was worth it."
Restlessness was getting the better of him, he could tell, but all he needed was something for his brain to focus on that wasn't Ryland...or himself. Court dug in one of his pockets and produced a pack of watermelon gum that was already half gone, and once he'd popped a piece into his mouth he extended the open end towards Rylee with a raised eyebrow. "So where are you headed when you leave here? This dimension I mean, are you headed back to your wife and Rocky's mate?"
