OOM: Post-retribution

[latino_menace]

This hurts more than he wants to admit. More than he will admit - and it's for this reason that he considers not going home at all for a day or two. Let the worst of the swelling go down, hope that it would stop hurting to breathe, clean up the cuts opened by Jack's fists.

Wait for his hands to stop shaking because of what the witch had done.

But that's not fair to Random - two days in the bar is almost a week in Portugal. And besides, he doesn't want him finding out from anyone else.

So he eases his way back through the door that has obligingly opened to their home, hoping to get upstairs to the bathroom before Random sees him.

Comments

[latino_menace]

He winces at Random's tone. That one never means anything good. And all of a sudden, he feels very tired. Lying in bed and sleeping sounds like the best thing in the world, but Random's there and he's not going to ask him to move And he deserves an answer.

He opens the wardrobe and finds his jacket, the pocket from which a small plastic bag is pulled. Three vicodin later, he feels like he at least has a chance of getting this over with quickly.

'You told me not to get the blood of te Malfoy's on my hands. So I didn't. I found another way to get her locked up.'

A one-shouldered shrug and he runs a hand through his hair.

'I got Jack to do it for me.'

He's sure Random doesn't need anything else spelling out.

[underwater-owl.livejournal.com]

"I see."

He's torn between asking him if he was planning to take him so literally if he shouldn't have just invested in latex gloves, or if they need to sign contracts for the next five hundred years to deal with loopholes, or any number of things.

But he of doesn't.

"How badly hurt are you? Come lie down."

[latino_menace]

Ramon looks at him carefuly, not believing that it's as easy as that. But he's not going to resist the chance to lie down. Right now, he never wants to get up again.

It's done gingerly and he bites the insode of hs cheek to keep from making a noise.

'Ribs. It's OK. And she...I don't know what she did. But it was worse.'

He closes his eyes and the memory of it comes back, making him wince again.

[underwater-owl.livejournal.com]

"Oh."

A little more concern enters his voice and he runs one hand very lightly down Ramon's arm once he's still.

"Will you be alright? Do you want to talk for a bit?"

[latino_menace]

One eye opens to regard him with surprise.

'You're not angry?'

He thought he'd be in a lot more trouble than that.

[underwater-owl.livejournal.com]

He doesn't answer, just rolls over to face the wall away from him.



"Go to sleep."

[latino_menace]

He blinks, then frowns. He can't sleep yet, the drugs haven't kicked in yet and muscles are stiffening around injuries.

'Talk to me. I didn't think you'd...well, not that I didn't think you'd mind. I just thought you'd prefer this than I just killed her or something.'

He'd been trying to keep the promise he'd made to himself. As much as he could anyway.

[underwater-owl.livejournal.com]

"Thank you for remembering me this time. Go to sleep."

He pauses, then half turns, looking back over his shoulder at him for a moment, then turning away to lay his head on the pillow again.

"I'm not going to yell. You've heard everything I have to say about this kind of thing. You know how it makes me feel. Now go to sleep, this is upsetting me and I have to be able to feed Martin in a few hours."

Ramon also knows how he gets. What he can't afford to let happen, not any more, though he's holding on by the skin of his teeth.

[latino_menace]

He reaches a hand out and lays it on Random's side.

'I always remember you. Don't say it like that, you make it sound like I never think about you at all.'

And maybe he hasn't, in the past. But he did this time and he tried. He kind of thinks that merits something.

Of course, it doesn't help that he can't see what's so wrong about kidnapping her in the first place, not really.

'Don't be like this.'

[underwater-owl.livejournal.com]

"This is my life."

He turns now, so instead of not looking at him, he's hiding his face in the pillow.

"I can't really care about how I'm making things sound right now Ramon, if that's alright with you. I might sleep on the sofa tonight if you don't mind. If you don't drop off soon. Took enough valium to knock out a horse though, so I probably shouldn't worry. You'll be too stoned to miss me in a few seconds anyways."

[latino_menace]

'Painkillers. Painkillers, not valium.'

It comes out automatically and the world is starting to look a little fuzzy aroud the edges.

'Always miss you. Don't sleep on the sofa. I'll sleep on the sofa if you want to be on your own.'

It's the last thing he wants. He wants to hold him, regardless of pain. He's trying to remember what the woman said that made him hurt, so that maybe Random would see that he doesn't really want to be on his own right now.

He moves the hand of his side and tries to reach his hair to touch it, but he can't because the angle's wrong and he can't lie on his side to do it properly.

'I didn't want to upset you,' he mumbles, settling for stroking at his arm instead. 'Don't go.'

[underwater-owl.livejournal.com]

"I won't. Could never."

His eyes close tight and he swallows bitterly.

"You can tell me all about your little adventure in the morning. Go to sleep Ramon."

[latino_menace]

'...alright.'

It seems like the safest thing to do. And he's tired and maybe Random is as well and that's why he's mad. So he tries to pull the quilt up but it's stuck somewhere and he can't be bothered to figure it out, just lets it go and lies there, head turned to watch Random for as long as he can keep his eyes open for.

'Love you.'

It's a quiet and drowsy mutter. And then he's asleep.

[underwater-owl.livejournal.com]

Random pulls it up over him, untangling it from their legs and kisses his forehead before moving to curl up in the armchair.

He has to feed Martin soon anyways, and there's no way he's sleeping.