Thought I heard them talking in their sleep yesterday [OPEN]

[dead_black_eyes]

Who: L, Tony, Belle and OPEN to anyone who might want to come visit them.
Where: One of Locke City's bigger hospitals.
When: August 18- 19
What: Two idiots get in a fight. Belle is a good listener for Tony and talks L out of a rash decision. Also a catch-all for visitors on the 19th.
Warnings: Profanity, violence, feels, two guys displaying some
symptoms of PTSD.




Sometimes, people could afford to be selective about the hospital they were admitted to. Specialized clinics and treatment programs, top ratings, and individual needs were all carefully considered during the best of times. Specifically, when one had the luxury of time.

This was not such an occasion. With one patient bleeding out in critical condition and the other in a dissociative, violent state of psychological shock, the only things that really mattered about the hospital were that they could be speedily admitted and that the facility had enough departments to reasonably accommodate both physical trauma and fractured mental states. The honor had fallen to Locke City's largest and most complete hospital, where Tony Sparado and Lazarus Lawliet had been sedated, separated, and taken to different wards on different floors.

This was two days ago. Now, some things had improved; Tony's condition had stabilized and they were both keeping down food. Other things remained uncertain; L, grimly committed to not answering the Mafia's questions during their captivity, was still not talking.

Regardless of what the future held, both young men would remember Albero's hospitality for a long, long time.

Comments

[oncedevil]

"Huh?" He blinked, at first confused what Shou was talking about, it took him a few moments to fully understand. "Shit, man, you didn't have to do that..." But he was horribly appreciative and a little awed that the guy would show up and just take care of things like that. "Richard'll be glad to know, he was gonna try to handle it. I don't really have insurance, I just barely just started working. I owe you one." More like several thousand but who is keeping track?

Finances weren't something he was really equipped to worry about at this time, so it was a huge relief that he wasn't going to have to try to shoulder that burden when he could barely shoulder his own weight.

"Yeah, yeah, unfortunately the guy shoving a gun into me wasn't feelin' patient enough to let me go put one on first. Kinda rude of him."

Jokes were easier to deal with, even if Tony was still in a somewhat grim state of mind. After everything that had happened, how could you blame him? And no, he really didn't need a lecture right now. That wouldn't help matters any.

[ursoreckless]

"Hey, do you know the kinda tax breaks I get when I line up all this stuff and label it 'charity'?" He was joking a little there too. Yes, if he was an American citizen, it would be a huge break on taxes, but it doesn't quite work the same way overseas. But still, he wasn't about to let Tony go into debt trying to pay off this kind of crap. He would do it for any member of the numbered if he was honest with himself.

"What an asshole. He should get a lecture about how you give a guy a chance to get the right gear on."

But all joking aside, Shou had been a little worried. With that kid coming out that he was in the Keys and saying about how the boss was going to deal with them, well, he really had gotten worried. They knew about him after all.

"Did they say anything about your recovery rate?"

[oncedevil]

It's a good thing Tony knows absolutely nothing about that sort of thing, or he might have tried to call Shou out on it, as it was he didn't so he just accepted that at face value. Painkillers don't make for the clearest most scrutinizing mind, anyway. He appreciates it, spending the rest of his life trying to pay off medical bills because the mafia decided to torture him for the better part of a week was not something he was looking forward too.

Dying would have been cheaper, and that's sad.

"You're telling me, guy's got no manners," Joking helped, a lot. Already he was starting to feel better and less depressed. "Maybe his parents didn't hug him enough when he was a kid."

He had good reason to be worried, it was chance and luck they got out of there at all. And quick response on the part of Richard and Dirk.

"If nothing happens I should be good to be released in a day or two, gotta come back later and have the stitches taken out though. My eye though, might never really see out of it right again." That hadn't quite sunk in fully yet, it was easier to talk about it when everything still didn't feel quite real.

[ursoreckless]

At least he was doing better than he had thought. He had a heart-stopping few minutes that Tony went and died considering exactly what he ended up walking into. He might just be a kid when in the eyes of other mobsters, but he had years of his other's experiences inside of his head. He knew the guy wasn't nice and he knew that these jokers were worse.

"He's gonna get a lesson if he didn't get one already," Shou said, nodding slightly. People like that usually did get a lesson, though not always one that they could walk away from.

If Shou had been able to help, he would have, but he had his own stuff to deal with. But still, he was glad that L and Tony were safe. The rest will just need working on.

"That's good. At least you ain't gonna be sitting here for months, seeing strange shit and blogging about bland hospital foods."

[oncedevil]

Technically he had died, twice, but he got better? His heart had stopped anyway, too much shock in too short a time to handle surgery very well. Thankfully it was under the care of doctors who knew how to deal with that sort of thing. They were worse, so much worse, especially that snake woman Tony had dug his claws into.

"Just lost a pet snake," He grumbled sourly, that didn't seem like much of a lesson to him. Albero would be back, and with a vengeance.

And Shou had nothing to worry about, Tony didn't blame him, couldn't. Everyone had their own crap going on at all times, he was just glad he had the backup when he needed it.

"Never was real fond of jell-o," An attempt at a smirk, coupled with a bit of a wince. Man they broke his face good. "I'll just get to see the strange shit at home instead of here, yeah?" Heh heh, yeah he hoped this wouldn't continue forever.

[ursoreckless]

They were going to have to keep a kind of list about deaths too, weren't they? All this weird stuff and them going into monster territory meant new things to compare and check off the bucket list.

"Snakes just ain't right for evil plotting. You need a fluffy white cat to talk evil with." Seriously, didn't these people watch the right kind of movies? Where was the style to evil?

"Jello shots are pretty good, but yah, most of the time it's just drinking weird koolaid crap, that stuff." He would reach over to poke Tony, but he looks like he doesn't have a stretch of skin that wasn't black and blue to poke at.

"All kindsa strange shit. I'm gonna make you watch some Karate Bugman."

[oncedevil]

Death list, monster list, though admittedly Tony felt a lot better having someone he could relate to. Turning into monsters, what was that going to mean for their futures? Just how far did the rabbit hole go?

"Maybe it's the cold-blooded thing, makes 'em scarier," No style, just cliches. This mafia was just packed full of them, even had the mobster chewing on toothpicks and all. "The lisp ruined the whole effect, though." He snickered quietly. He'd kind of liked Pistolwhip McGangsterdouche, if only because he was a little unique and had been the first guy Tony ever sliced. If that isn't a way to form a bond he didn't know what was.

Yeah, not much room for poking, rain check on the poke for now.

"Gross, stale koolaid. Don't like the texture, can't chew guess I don't have much choice," Maybe he could talk Richard into sneaking him in some pudding instead of jello. That'd be a nice change.

"Karate Bugman?" Yes please introduce him to ridiculous television so he doesn't have to die of boredom.

[ursoreckless]

All the way down, though Shou was of the opinion that it goes only as far as they let it go. He was going to stubbornly ignore anything that he really didn't want to happen until he can't hide behind his sunglasses right now. It's a good plan. Tony should join him with it.

"I never thought it was that scary. I mean snakes? Just doesn't seem scary the way their tongues are always sticking out and the extra lisping and stuff. Just sort of sad, really." Yup, that's a bond alright, but what kind Shou wasn't sure. He wasn't going to touch it at all.

"What about shakes and pudding and stuff like that? No one thought about getting you a giant frosty or anything?"

"You never saw Karate Bugman? Ever?" Oh yes, he will so do this. Look, he is taking out his iPad and looking it up, grinning to himself.

[oncedevil]

Go for a grand sail down denial? Yeah, he could get behind that idea. Just no sunglasses for him, he was having enough trouble with dealing with his eyesight as it was. Suddenly losing a lot of depth perception was a real pain.

"Lotta people scared of snakes, never bothered me before," He wouldn't hold it against real snakes of course. But modified humans to have snake-like qualities? You bet they were going straight on to his shit-list. But, well, he did tear her apart, so that was probably justice enough. Even if he thought it was silly while he was awake, he'd be hearing that awful lisp in his nightmares for months. He just... wouldn't be mentioning that. "Kinda like spiders, y'know? Not even big 'nuff to hurt you, everyone still freaks out."

A vague little shrug at that, admittedly he hadn't really been awake to make many requests. Mostly the nurses had to wake him up if they wanted to get any kind of food in him, so he really shouldn't be complaining. "Haven't had a lot of visitors. Richard stayed, think he's been staying since he brought me here. Didn't think to ask for anything else."

Oh no, what is this? He perked up a little, leaning forward to try to get a better look. "Sheds get shit access for television, y'know." A dry smirk at that. Like he said before, pretend he's a cave man.

[ursoreckless]

He'll bring the suntan lotion if Tony wants to get into the whole full sail down that river. And he can be the pirate. Eyepatches and nice hats all around.

"I really don't get scared of a lot of things. I guess you can say I'm wired that way." Snakes? Spiders? Ex-girlfriends? Burning cars? What was fear that people talked about? Shou might have a healthy sense of self-preservation but he doesn't get scared.

Well, Shou was here now and he has the ability and the clout to pause in playing with his iPad to play with his iPhone and dial up an order for some ice cream treats that Tony should be able to eat. "That's understandable since you're all sorts of hurting but let's get ice cream. Any special requests?"

Seriously though, he has found some Karate Bugman programs that have subs, so once he got the ice cream order in, he was scrolling through the torrents.

"It's one of the better shows made by my people. It has guys in bugsuits karating people in monster suits with corny theme songs. You'll love it."

[oncedevil]

Only if he gets to have a big fluffy feather in his hat, then he'll be all for being the pirate. Heck, that's what he should be for Halloween this year, he's already got part of the costume!

"Heh, lucky. Wonder what that's like," Oh, one day he might understand, but for now Tony was pretty good at knowing what fear felt like. Especially when it came to cars and being picked up by creepy mobsters. Lot of fear, he was pretty done with fear right about now.

You kids and your fancy technology. But yes, ice cream, man that'd be great he could totally go for some ice cream. Something that wasn't dubious "green" flavored jell-o, please. "Strawberry?"

Shou you are officially his hero.

"Sounds right up my alley," Well now he was kind of excited. He had a soft spot for particularly corny and over the top programs, this was perfect. Especially if ridiculous costumes were involved.

[ursoreckless]

He can have two big fluffy feathers in his hat. That way people would know he was just that special on this trip down denial.

"According to my parents? I'm the reason why they went gray by the time they were thirty." Deny the fact that he was a holy terror? Never. Shou was just that good at being that bad and he knows it.

"Strawberry coming up." Shou was getting himself one of those fancy frozen coffee mocha things of ice cream slushie. For Tony he'll get a fancy strawberry slushie ice cream thing with sprinkles. Extra sprinkles for all.

Just don't ask him to wear a cape. He might just take Tony up on that offer.

"I knew it would." okay and now he will have to hijack the tv using a couple fancy little wires to patch into the feed and then boom, the bug-suited heroes were on the screen.

"Okay, we'll start with Karate Bugman Kuugra. He's the first one of the henshin group."

[oncedevil]

A most spectacular and impressive hat for a most spectacular and impressive trip down the river. There was a lot to deny, after all, might as well make a spectacle of it.

"Heh heh heh, from what you've told me I'm not surprised." Really, Shou's poor parents. And it will only get worse from here on out, but it promised to be one hell of a wild ride.

Tony brightened up as much as he could at the news of strawberry, perfect that was just the ticket. Better than gross medicines any day. Especially the sprinkles.

Hey if Shou wants to wear a cape to complete his hero outfit Tony won't stop him.

The hospital staff might be a little annoyed later on but for right now they were just going to have to deal with it. If they played anything that wasn't terrible nature documentaries or the most bizarre children's shows known to man then this wouldn't have had to happen.

"Henshin group?" Okay admittedly he'd probably have a terribly difficult time following the story line, his brain being as fuzzy as it was, but whatever it was good entertainment regardless.

[ursoreckless]

They both had a lot to deny; it would be a very long trip on a very long river so maybe they would need two hats.

"Someone had to make up for the perfect angels my siblings are." He loves them a lot and he hopes they will make good with their future careers. Shou just wasn't one for that kind of life.

"The ice cream should be here in about ten minutes," he said after finishing up the call and then dials up the Karate Bugman program.

"Henshin is the type of transformation, sorta like magic girls but more manly. Showa group is a more cybernetic or monster, while henshin are magic or technology transformations."

[oncedevil]

Two hats and make sure to pack a lunch.

An amused snort and a lopsided grin at that. "Not your style, I take it?" He was feeling better, talking and not focusing on what was going on in his own head. Sometimes getting away from yourself was the best thing you could do.

"You've got ice cream connections, too?" Shou, you are fantastic. Simple as that.

"There are words for that? Huh, the more you know," Idly he rearranged his pillow so that he could lean back without having to lay down completely, all this holding himself up was weirdly exhausting. Everything was exhausting. "Never really had a chance to learn about this stuff before."

[ursoreckless]

"Me? Be a good boy and do what I'm told and never talk back? You really must not know me that well," he replied, giving a wink. And since this was Shou who had a slight problem with winking, it looked more like an extreme squint with a nose wrinkle but his heart was in the right place.

"There's a place down the block that delivers for the kids." Being stuck in a hospital sucks and the ice cream store owners knew that. It also helped that he did know a couple people there as well.

"Now you've got time to learn," he replied and hit play on the phone. There was a moment of lag but then the screen came to life with brightly colored men in spandex did a bunch of poses and the theme started up.

[oncedevil]

A chuffed laugh, muffled though it was it came off as definitely genuine. No, even in his most delusional Tony couldn't imagine Shou as the 'good boy' type. "You? Not a chance," He agreed, still chuckling even if it did hurt a little. He'd rather hurt from laughing than not. That wink, of course, just got Tony's best attempt at a grin. You've got a good not-wink, Shou, don't let anyone tell you otherwise.

"Well that's convenient." He wasn't of the capacity to question it, so Tony took Shou's words at face value. Besides, who cared how he got the ice cream only that it was coming and it was finally not awful stale jell-o.

At that, it was as if a light suddenly dawned on him. Time. Something he'd never valued as much as he did right now. He was alive, in a safe place, and actually had somewhere to go that wasn't a cardboard box tucked in the corner of a building somewhere. "Huh... you know... you're right." Sometimes it was the little things that made the big things so much easier to handle.

He settled in to enjoy some excellently campy entertainment.