[Closed] You and me, another proverbial tree

[smokedout]

who: Jamie Dodger and Eichi Tenshouin
what: Hospital visits
when: August 14th and August 20th
where: Local hospital
warnings: Dodger and Eichi. (will update as needed.)

--

jokes on you this is a fake cut, threads are below because there's two of them.

Comments

August 14th

[smokedout]

[Dodger hadn't gotten back to Eichi immediately... even when he was 20, he never liked being in hospitals. Hell, he was supposed to get stitches for his scars and never did because of that. But he does come back, finally, and sits beside Eichi until he wakes up.

When the idol's eyes open, he gives him a hesitant smile.]

Hey... still no memories, but I figured I'd give you a visit.

[finethanks]

[Even if Dodger had come sooner, he wouldn't have seen much from Eichi. He's pale, hooked up to an IV with fluids and some type of medication, and he hasn't been able to properly sit up. Even now, when his eyes open, it feels like a struggle to keep them that way, and the blinding, familiar whiteness of the hospital is suffocating.

But now there's someone here, he realizes, and turns his head just slightly to find Dodger. That's right... He'd been with him when this all went south, hadn't he? And without a memory of Eichi at all, he wonders what that must be like.]

This was poor timing, wasn't it? [He even sounds tired, but a shaky hand still shifts slightly, like he's trying to think about moving. It's all he manages.] Let's cancel that date completely, and I'll reschedule it for another day.

[smokedout]

[That gets a small laugh out of Dodger, and he reaches to take Eichi's hand and run his thumb lightly over the back of it. He looks like hell... but not the worst he's seen, honestly.]

We can try again when you're out of here. [He sits up a bit, running his fingers lazily over Eichi's hand in a gentle sign of affection. He... doesn't know what level of affection is normal between them, but he's just playing it by ear.] Maybe I'll remember you by then, too.

[finethanks]

[He'd squeeze it back for the show of it, if he could. Instead, he just gets this icy cold hand in his as Eichi lets his eyes drift closed.]

I wonder... I'd like to be out of here sooner rather than later, but it's been some time since my health was this poor. I thought I was managing it just fine, but it seems I still managed to push myself too far.

[smokedout]

You're an idol, yeah? Maybe hold back on the concerts... I hear those can get pretty exhausting.

[He's quiet for a moment, his gaze wandering down to their hands. What the hell is he doing...]

Can I ask you something? What do I usually.. act like, toward you?

[finethanks]

Would you hold back on something that gave your life meaning?

[That's all he decides to say on that, coughing quietly and unable to cover it. That question, though... His hand twitches in Dodger's hold.]

How do I put this... Like a puppy, I suppose. Always craving attention and watching me like you're trying to figure out what I'm thinking, or what I'm likely to do next. You may think you're being fairly guarded, as well, but your actions and your eye tells me enough.

[smokedout]

[That makes him go silent for a several moments while he thinks that over.]

...I don't live a very meaningful life. So I couldn't tell you.

[As much as he'd love to say he'd be able to hold back... who knows. He's never had something that really sparks him up in the first place. Nothing except Janet... who he's killed over, but who is no longer around. So he can't think of what his life could possibly be worth at the moment.]

So, if you know what I'm thinking so well, what do you think I want from you?

[finethanks]

[He quietly files away that first line. No one should think their life isn't meaningful, especially not someone with a healthy body. It's infuriating, a little, and he doesn't want to snap. It's not polite.]

Let's see... my connections, largely. Sex, as well, it seems. And if I were to guess, though I'm certain you'd deny it, direction that no one else is giving to you.

[He's not very good at guessing anything people want from him beyond things like this, so he doesn't say anything related to feelings at all because he honestly thinks there must be nothing like that there. This is just one of those using relationships he knows so well, surely.]

Company, on top of all of that. It isn't so bad, is it?

[smokedout]

I guess it isn't.

[It makes sense. Even that last part... without Janet, he could really understand needing direction. And getting it from Eichi seems.. so much better than whatever he's been up to.]

I tried cleaning up my room a little and... uh. [He hesitates.] There's these pictures in the closet - I... figured you'd know what this thing is.

[He pulls a picture from his pocket... it shows Reaper, his mask shifted to let out smoke, a hint of his face visible in the shadow of the mask. It seems he hadn't noticed Dodger taking it, at least at the moment it was taken.]

My closet's full of pictures of this, and it's creepy as hell... but I can't remember why the hell I've been following it.

[finethanks]

[Oh man. He wants to laugh, he really wants to laugh, but that will cause a coughing fit for sure, and he doubts Dodger would appreciate it. He keeps it to his little smirk of a smile instead, watching that picture for a moment.]

That's Reaper. Death, you know? I've told you time and time again to stop following him, but you're so stubborn, you won't listen at all. You should get rid of them while you can't recall that stubborn reasoning of yours.

[smokedout]

How am I not surprised that I've been stalking the Grim Reaper...

[He sighs quietly, and lets the photo drop to the floor. If anything, he feels like Reaper has been following him... he hasn't made the connection between messaging his parole officer for permission to go places, and the cloud of smoke with a chilling face that following him whenever he's out. But he does connect that cloud to the photos in his closet.]

...I guess it makes sense I'd start chasing death once I lost Janet, huh.

[finethanks]

[Don't say sad things like that, he'll feel bad. It gets Eichi to pause, and he turns his head back up to stare at the ceiling.]

I'm sorry, but you haven't told me anything about this "Janet" at all. You must hold her to your chest, a well-kept secret.

[smokedout]

Maybe I do now.. but hell, I used to shout it to the world. I kept her a secret for two years, and almost got killed to keep it - I was fucking sick of hiding it when we got away from all that.

[A hand reaches up to run over his scars while he speaks - they're important, a reminder of her and everything he's done for her. Everything he's lost to give her what she deserves.]

She worked in her mom's flower shop when we met... she always smelled like milk and roses, doodled roses in her planner when things got quiet. She was nothing special to look at, but damn... she meant the world to me. And I meant the world to her. One of those... made in heaven sorta deals.

[He's silent for a moment.]

I can't remember what happened to her. My memory cuts off- before I lost her. But I know she was gone before I came here, to... Riverview.

August 20th

[smokedout]

[It's barely been a day since he got his memories back... the first few hours he'd been awake he'd just laid around contemplating what the hell he should do. He'd even.. checked through his video feeds on the network, and swore at how often he had shown the wall of notes in the videos...

Finally he'd ended up getting Reaper's attention so he could go visit the hospital, and... when he gets to Eichi's room, he's yanking softly at the collar on his neck. He flinches at a shock as he moves to Eichi's bedside, sitting and leaning on the bed to lay his head on his arms, watching the idol quietly for a moment before speaking.]

So. We're dating, huh?

[There's a humorous note in his voice, the only hint that his memories are back.]

[finethanks]

[It's been too many days now. He's been stuck in the riverview hospital before, but never for this long. This is as serious as things have gotten back home. Constantly wavering health, a need for this stupid IV, the inability to even lift a spoon to eat. He doesn't want people to see him like this at all, but it doesn't stop them from coming. Dodger may be the person he minds the least, somehow, and he doesn't really know exactly why.

Still, those words tell him it's something new, and he can't help but breathe out a chuckle.]

You're back, Jamie. Haven't we been on dates? From what I recall, that was your idea. [He may be a miserable skeleton on a hospital bed right now, but he can still sass.] You were so cute.

[smokedout]

I never said I didn't like it.

[He takes Eichi's hand, and moves it into his hair. He doesn't expect him to have the strength to pet him, but hey, the pressure is nice even if his hand stays still.

Eichi's never looked this bad before... and hell, he can't help a pang of sympathy for him. Hospital visits are a messy affair for him... but least this time there's no blood or bruises.]

You'd better get out of here soon... it's way too fucking clean in here for me.

[finethanks]

[The hand thing is the biggest sign that Dodger is back to normal, he thinks. He'd already gotten the impression from his words, but now it's confirmed, and as an attempt at a reward, he moves shaky fingers slightly in an attempt at a pet. A weak attempt.]

It's a sterile prison, isn't it? [Even if he wants to sound strong, there's a backing to his words that shows how bothered he is to be here. There's no way he can hide it with how miserable he feels right now.]

I'd rather wear that collar of yours than be stuck in here. The medicine they provided me with works less every day. I wouldn't mind if you stole me away from here, but I'd probably die.

[smokedout]

I hear you...

[There's a moment of silence, before he leans over to press a kiss to Eichi's lips. Another stolen kiss, affectionate and lazy.]

Let's trade - I'll die alone in a hospital bed and you can get shocked every time you try to make yourself comfortable.

[Sounds like a good trade-off to him.]

[finethanks]

[It's strange to him that Dodger would kiss him while he's looking like this. Sick, skinnier than he had been when he was first admitted, oxygen at his nose and an IV in his hand, wearing this dull hospital gown and paler than ever. But he's not going to protest the warmth that comes from it, even if Dodger is much cooler than he would be without that collar.]

I won't be dying here. [He has more important things to protest, like this. It's firm, powered by the fiercest willpower imaginable, and hiding plenty of fear. But his eyes stay strong as they flick to Dodger.]

Pain is a form of pleasure, you know. Be glad that you can feel at all while suffering the consequences of your own actions.

[smokedout]

You really do get off on seeing me like this...

[He offers him a lazy grin, although it wanes steadily as he watches him. He's so.. meek. Strong, but in a way that reeks of denial to him. And god, Dodger hates looking at him like this.]

You into mixing pain and pleasure, kid? I might do something with that once you're outta here...

[finethanks]

It's some sort of justice.

[Though he laughs lightly as he says that, clearly not thinking very seriously on those words. Justice, like some sort of hero delivered it. There's nothing like that.]

Are you trying to send me back to the hospital before I've even left? [He doesn't want to outright admit to Dodger what his interests are, but he won't go out of his way to hide them, either. So... just comments like this.] I'm not sure how much you'll be able to do with your collar holding you back.

[smokedout]

That's not a no. [He snickers softly.] I'll get this thing off sooner or later... and maybe I'll get a real shock collar for you. See how long you can last with it.

[The least he can do is... pretend it isn't that bad. But much like with Shigeru, it has gears turning in his head - wonder if he can come up with some crackpot cure to strengthen Eichi up for his own gain. Or at least make him feel strong in the moment, let them deal with the consequences later.]

Besides, this thing only keeps me from burning you. I could do plenty with my bare hands. Or a knife.

[finethanks]

...

[It's still interesting that Dodger is here, saying things like this while he's in this state. Eichi doesn't fully get it. There's nothing to be gained with him like this here. Not when he's not rubbing it in, or waiting something out. But for as much as he's turned down Dodger's sinful advances, those crazy words are all more thrilling than they have any right to be. Can he save this for a time when he's not hooked up to a heart monitor?]

These sound like ideas far past a third date, you know.

[smokedout]

[There's a spark of amusement in Dodger's eyes, when he glances at the heart monitor and sees a moment where his heartbeat speeds up. He's got the kid's interest, and that means... whatever the hell he's doing, it's going the way he wanted it to.]

Maybe that's just what I want you to think - maybe I know you'd be more willing to get intimate with me if you thought I was serious about keeping you around once I've fucked you.

[His conspiratorial tone is complimented by a playful smile on his lips, as he moves Eichi's hand from his hair to kiss its knuckles lazily.]

[finethanks]

[Don't look at his heart monitor. Eichi feels vulnerable again in just this quick way, and that's irritating enough that he can move past his weak strength to push his fingers at Dodger's lips, his own attempt at a shove.]

There's nothing about you that makes me think you'd be serious in any way towards me, Jamie. Besides, idols are pure and innocent, you know? Don't I give the appearance of an angel?

[Totally]