averagemedium | [Off-Comm Threads]

[On the other hand, Ryan's pretty sure it's a decent topic-- a little more reassurance that he's okay, that he doesn't blame him for it, doesn't seem like it'd be misplaced. Maybe he'll be twitchier than usual if he's touched without seeing it coming, and maybe he'll be anxious in the morning, not knowing what he's going to wake up to-- but he's dealt with possession enough times. The concept's similar enough.

His voice is quiet, possibly a little hard to hear over the running water.]

I just want you to be around. Everything else, I can take as it comes.

[He has to concentrate more to hear him, but he laughs when he does. It was a simple enough answer, but he was okay with that. Serious topics didn't suit him, even this was more personal than he usually got.]

That's easy enough. You'd have a harder time getting rid of me!

Good, because you'd have a pretty hard time leaving.

[It's mostly teasing. Mostly.]

So what about you, anyway? Same thing, or?

Pretty much!

[But he hums a little as he tries to consider it.]

Nothing else is really necessary, yeah? I'm pretty happy as is.

[That time he gets a much more genuine-looking smile as Ryan glances back over to him, but he continues scrubbing in silence for the time being-- if he gets distracted he's liable not to finish it, and thanks to using it as a makeshift bandage the stains are more extensive.

...he doesn't manage total silence for too long, though, eventually asking without looking up-]

You'll be okay, right?

[And Henry's perfectly alright with the silence, satisfied with the company and the not wanting to murder him, and is a bit zoned out when Ryan speaks up again. He laughs on instinct, glancing back over finally, watching him scrub at stubborn stains.]

What do you mean? I'm always okay!

Then what're you staying over there for?

[He raises an eyebrow slightly, the look he gives him mostly neutral; there's a definite hint of worry there, though, brow faintly furrowed.]

...not wanting to get in your way?

[Not that that's ever really stopped him before, now that he thinks about it.]

--where should I be?

Wherever you want to be? I'm not saying you have to move, just-- asking.

[He shrugs slightly, attention turning back to the sink.]

[He's quiet, not replying for a long few moments- and then, instead of saying anything at all, he steps over to stand just behind him. Threading his arms around to hug him, he rests his head against his back.]

[Ryan pauses his work as soon as he feels arms around him, reaching with one still-dripping hand to settle it on top of one of Henry's. He's silent in response, not really feeling the need to comment-- he just gives his hand an affectionate squeeze, letting it linger there before he reluctantly pulls it back to start finishing up.]

[The hand-touch gets a more genuine smile out of him, even if he can't see it, and Henry holds him a bit tighter for a moment. And he stays quiet like that for a while longer, only eventually mumbling:]

Are you gonna be okay?

...I will be when all this is over.

[He shuts off the tap, staying right where he is for now; he's comfortable, he doesn't feel like dislodging Henry to go hang the shirt up to dry yet, and he'll just be wringing it out for longer than is really necessary.]

And if it never ends?

[And Henry's not inclined to move anywhere for the time being, clinging just a bit tighter.]

That's a long time to not be okay.

...if it doesn't end, I'll just-- adjust. Managed just fine when the whole seeing-death-everywhere business never went away, yeah?

[He finishes wringing out the shirt and shifts in his grasp, turning to face him and drape his arms over his shoulders.]

I'll make it work.

[Henry doesn't want to point out the things that could go wrong there. He doesn't want to think about the things that could go wrong there, how that can change a person, one small, horrible experience at a time.

He turned out fine, after all.

And he's more than fine with it when Ryan shifts around, burrowing his face against his chest again, leaning against his body.]

Totally! What's a few accidental murders here and there? Or waking up in the park with glass in your hair and blood in your mouth you don't recognize, huh? We'll just come back and bandage each other up and laugh about it~

--wait, that's just an example, right? That hasn't actually happened, has it.

[Not that he would really be surprised if it had, but... it's a little more worrying than what he's already heard about breaking things, more worrying than what he's woken up to find himself doing.

If he's already killed someone in his sleep then maybe Ryan really should be worried about waking up.

He's shoving that thought aside as hard as he can, leaning down to rest his chin on top of Henry's head.]

Uh.

[The pause there is probably answer enough, and Henry idly scratches at Ryan's back with one finger while he tries to to think of something reassuring to say.]

...maaaybe it wasn't human? Or they got a way with just a good bite out of 'em?

...yeah, let's-- let's just hope that was it.

[Well, shit.

Not that it's anything he didn't half expect, honestly, but shit.]

At least it's probably not just you?

Yeah, it seems like most of the city is learning about the joys of a good killing.

[About time, really. And as thoughts went, that wasn't even an unusual one.]

Just don't you start, okay? Awake or not, I'll take care of it~

Promise you I'm going to try not to start, okay?

[And after giving him a light squeeze, he adds-]

...but if I did, that's exactly what I'd want you to do. Just. For the record, and everything.

...what do you mean?

[Henry pulls back, not quite frowning at him, but looking a lot more neutral than usual.]

I'd want you to take care of it. Make it stop, if I couldn't.

[He shrugs one shoulder, shifting uncomfortably as his fingers dig in to the fabric of his shirt.]

...so, uh. I guess this is-- my request for you to kill me if it ever happens.

[For a few seconds he stares at him, before a mild, and entirely normal smile crosses his expression.]

Sure.

[Lying. If Ryan went crazy, he'd protect him. If anyone else tried to stop him, he'd kill them. If Ryan tried to kill him- he'd let him, if he couldn't stop him safely.]

--You've gotta do the same though! I don't want to wake up remembering offing ya, right?

[Hypocritical, but he didn't particularly care.]

[There's a long pause before he finally nods, just slightly.]

...Okay, yeah.

[Also lying. He has enough problems killing the enemy, even if Henry were trying to kill him he's not sure he could manage it in self-defense. The fact that they come back doesn't really matter, not when the memory of doing it would never go away-- he would rather be killed than kill.]

I'd try, anyway. Think you're a lot better at it than I am.

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