[ though they had never left his room in the first place. and the only reason they hadn't been here earlier was - hm. ]
Bear-kun, I know your game is very important, and I promise we'll be there.
[ their eyes flick to the others, the side of justy's face, the back of morgan's head. back to bear. humoring him, but trying to be honest in their own way. hani needs to tell morgan and justy that they're leaving soon, they need to arrange a ride for everyone to get back. they want to tell bear, too, but they don't want him to think that they're... leaving when he's so happy about them coming back.
He closes his eyes for a moment, his expression softening, some. He doesn't miss the slight pressure of Tylor's touch. He wonders if he'd been a little like this to deal with, fresh from his coma - but it probably wasn't so bad. He didn't really have anything to lose, like Barrett.
He thinks back on something he'd thought when he'd spoken to Brambles, and he tries not to frown.
Finally, his lips part. )
... I'm coming. We're still going to try the restaurants after, and get dessert.
( Like they said they would. )
I said I'd make you something, too. Your favorite.
( The burger. That wasn't on the itinerary for Fresno, but that doesn't really matter. They're all just things that would've been nice to do. That they still could do, just - he doesn't think Barrett will much want to do them, anymore. )
[It's a satisfying answer. Answers. It makes him happy. Oh so happy.]
Cheer loud f'r me. Louder than anythin'. Wanna hear ya so I know you see. H-heh.
[So he could play really well. Really well.]
Got a list'a stuff f'r after. Pretty desserts. Pretty like everybody. Gonna bring it with-- mmn... where's m' phone cause I can show ya th' map--
[He shifts, as though to sit up, only for his entire body to lock up with a shallow, sharp inhale. Back down he goes, a gulping for air that's brief, letting his chest rise and fall as his brain buzzes. Not quite right. Not quite right. He dressed weird today. What's on his leg? Mmm....
His fingers tremble, his eyes screwed shut as he swallows.]
Hani... 's it already tomorrow, Hani? Or today? When I saw ya. Don't... don't remember.
[ Tylor shifts as fast as he can, calmly stepping so he can reach one hand for Bear without losing Morgan too; a gentle but insistent attempt to keep Bear from moving to sit up with the heat of his palm. If that's successful, his hand will remain there even once the pressure eases. He smiles down at him, honestly-- ]
Whoa there, you're okay. Today is today and tomorrow is tomorrow, but right now, you getting rest is what'll help everyone out, alright?
because bear's eyes are closed, he misses the way hani freezes with surprise at the questions. luckily, justy speaks. their justy, always better at these things. ]
I... said good morning. We said good morning. [ hani reminds bear, watching as justy reaches out to help him settle back into bed. they move closer to the headboard to pat his head, running their fingers through his hair to ease away the pain. ] So we still have the rest of the day for whatever we want.
( Mithrun is quiet and impassive, watching Barrett falter, confused, stumbling forward toward their promises - toward them, despite everything. It sits bad in his stomach, in his chest, but it's fine. Maybe it's better that he's in this blissful state between sleep and wake, unaware, for now, just for now.
Life goes on, despite everything. Unfortunately, despite everything. )
... If you're tired, you can sleep. ( He brushes his thumb along his fingers in the hand he's holding. ) We'll go down your list and do everything. But we don't need to rush. You'll need rest for your game. And we'll need to practice our cheer.
( Impassive, impassive. So hard to tell he's troubled, even he can't really be sure. He'd made a list, he had a list... How excited had he been? Even though the day before, Mithrun had approached him at the guild, and... )
[Tylor's hand does the trick, Barrett easily offering no resistant on the press and not struggling to get up beyond it. Whatever he felt was still enough to convince him immediately, his chest still rising and falling far too heavy.]
Rest... we're restin' at the... at the picnic?
[And it's morning. It's morning. Wasn't it morning when Hani was here last? He squints up at them as sweat-misted hair is carefully tucked out of the way.] 's it a different morning...
Don't wanna be asleep. [But they need practice, was it? He nods, a very uneasy and untargetted motion. He needed practice too.] I'll miss all 'f you too much.
[ Tylor glances to Morgan as he goes on, eyes bright with fondness as he tries. His hand starts up its ministrations again, the slow moving circles of a thumb. Then, back to Bear, eyes still carrying the affection over. As if contagious, it stays as Bear speaks. ]
Yes, that's right. It was nice lying together on the grass, wasn't it? The breeze and the clouds?
[ His voice goes a little soft as he goes on. But there's no attemot to fight it now, not while he maintains a hand on the both of them. Only the one on Bear's chest is solid and unmoving and yet still an attempt at comfort all the same-- ]
We'll stay, so you don't have to miss us so much. And even if we nap now, you'll see us again.
[ hani doesn’t add anything about staying because they’re not. but they will come back.
their hand continues stroking him, slow and soothing. ]
You’re our Bear-kun, our Barrett. So even when you close your eyes, you’ll see us. And then when you open your eyes… [ they don’t finish that sentence; instead they slide their hand over his eyes. shh. ]
You can look for us in your dreams, and then tell us about them when you wake.
( Pensive again. Yeah, he's staying. Mithrun himself doesn't have a clear idea of how much, or for how long, but - eventually Barrett will come to. And - his thoughts pause there. He doesn't know what purpose he can serve by staying. Would it help Barrett at all, even? He isn't sure.
But he also thinks Barrett gets a little deep in his head, and not all his brothers know all of it. (And his past self may have gotten it out of him due to duress, so half that information probably isn't fairly Mithrun's, either, but he has it.) He just doesn't like the idea of leaving him alone, when he knows what football means to him. )
... We'll stay until you fall asleep. ( He's fine volunteering Tylor and Hani for this - he doesn't think they'd mind. ) I'll be back.
( Fortunately, visiting hours are limited or else he'd just do the most direct thing and curl up here like a scruffy cat. )
[Even if he only remember bits and pieces in the haze, color and texture and faces and feeling.
His eyes flutter underneath Hani's hand to his eyes, touch to his hair, his chest drawing in a slow breath, rising under Tylor's firm hand. His free hand lifts to blindly rest between the two touches occupying his body, while the other wrings a bit tighter against Morgan's fingers.]
...Don't wanna wake up alone. Don' wanna... mn...
[But the touch is warm and distracting, and the buzz of drugs lulls, and he can feel the spots start to dance and the sounds of the room start to pitch in and out in a fog. Unable to resist it, unable to understand why he might want to.
He hums again, wearily. A mumble at first. A dialogue, distant, to the wrong person in that moment of reality slipping as sleep takes over.]
--Hold my hand till we sleep, okay... kay... 'tll be okay, Booker--
[Both his hands tighten protectively, enough that the moments he slips back to sleep are more evident in how his grip finally goes slack than anything else.]
[ There's a reach for the hand as it comes to rest between Hani and him. Gentle, but solid and warm, heart beat steady. Once his grip goes slack, Tylor leans down to shrug the bag off quietly as he can. As he rises, he leans ro whisper to Morgan. Do you want to stay and sit with him a while?
The responding nod is all he needs before he is lifting Morgan and setting him as softly, quietly as he can on the edge of the bed. Right beside Bear, asleep.
Tylor leans against the bed too, wordlessly rolling his shoulder from the soreness. Eyes glance to Hani, then to Bear. But they find roost on Bear's cast. He steps around Morgan to lean into the bed on his other side, nearly back to back so he can feel it if Morgan decides to topple.
He moves slow enough that it's clear he is making a pointed effort not to make any noise. Given enough time, eventually a cute lion is lounging right where Bear will see it when he wakes. Then a cute bunny joins the doodle on one side, on the other a wolf. He pauses, glancing to Hani, this time with a head tilt over deciding what to doodle them as.
Once that's settled, he caps his sharpie with another whisper, to no one in particular-- ]
[ hani keeps their hand cupped over bear’s eyes until they know he’s slipped off somewhere meadow warm. and a moment more after that, because they don’t want him to see them leave. they would block his ears if they could, lest these words make it into his dreamland. ]
とり, a bird. So I can always fly back to you.
[ a fond glance at both morgan and justy, though somewhat muted. ]
I’m leaving. I didn’t want to tell him. But I’ll be back in a couple of days.
[ either they’ll arrange for someone to drive the rest of them back, or they can extend their hotel reservation. whatever morgan and justy want. ]
Will you… tell him? That I’ll be back like I promised?
[ that they'll be there when he wakes up. just… a little delayed. ]
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[ though they had never left his room in the first place. and the only reason they hadn't been here earlier was - hm. ]
Bear-kun, I know your game is very important, and I promise we'll be there.
[ their eyes flick to the others, the side of justy's face, the back of morgan's head. back to bear. humoring him, but trying to be honest in their own way. hani needs to tell morgan and justy that they're leaving soon, they need to arrange a ride for everyone to get back. they want to tell bear, too, but they don't want him to think that they're... leaving when he's so happy about them coming back.
ah, what to do... ]
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He closes his eyes for a moment, his expression softening, some. He doesn't miss the slight pressure of Tylor's touch. He wonders if he'd been a little like this to deal with, fresh from his coma - but it probably wasn't so bad. He didn't really have anything to lose, like Barrett.
He thinks back on something he'd thought when he'd spoken to Brambles, and he tries not to frown.
Finally, his lips part. )
... I'm coming. We're still going to try the restaurants after, and get dessert.
( Like they said they would. )
I said I'd make you something, too. Your favorite.
( The burger. That wasn't on the itinerary for Fresno, but that doesn't really matter. They're all just things that would've been nice to do. That they still could do, just - he doesn't think Barrett will much want to do them, anymore. )
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Cheer loud f'r me. Louder than anythin'. Wanna hear ya so I know you see. H-heh.
[So he could play really well. Really well.]
Got a list'a stuff f'r after. Pretty desserts. Pretty like everybody. Gonna bring it with-- mmn... where's m' phone cause I can show ya th' map--
[He shifts, as though to sit up, only for his entire body to lock up with a shallow, sharp inhale. Back down he goes, a gulping for air that's brief, letting his chest rise and fall as his brain buzzes. Not quite right. Not quite right. He dressed weird today. What's on his leg? Mmm....
His fingers tremble, his eyes screwed shut as he swallows.]
Hani... 's it already tomorrow, Hani? Or today? When I saw ya. Don't... don't remember.
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Whoa there, you're okay. Today is today and tomorrow is tomorrow, but right now, you getting rest is what'll help everyone out, alright?
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because bear's eyes are closed, he misses the way hani freezes with surprise at the questions. luckily, justy speaks. their justy, always better at these things. ]
I... said good morning. We said good morning. [ hani reminds bear, watching as justy reaches out to help him settle back into bed. they move closer to the headboard to pat his head, running their fingers through his hair to ease away the pain. ] So we still have the rest of the day for whatever we want.
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Life goes on, despite everything. Unfortunately, despite everything. )
... If you're tired, you can sleep. ( He brushes his thumb along his fingers in the hand he's holding. ) We'll go down your list and do everything. But we don't need to rush. You'll need rest for your game. And we'll need to practice our cheer.
( Impassive, impassive. So hard to tell he's troubled, even he can't really be sure. He'd made a list, he had a list... How excited had he been? Even though the day before, Mithrun had approached him at the guild, and... )
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Rest... we're restin' at the... at the picnic?
[And it's morning. It's morning. Wasn't it morning when Hani was here last? He squints up at them as sweat-misted hair is carefully tucked out of the way.] 's it a different morning...
Don't wanna be asleep. [But they need practice, was it? He nods, a very uneasy and untargetted motion. He needed practice too.] I'll miss all 'f you too much.
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Yes, that's right. It was nice lying together on the grass, wasn't it? The breeze and the clouds?
[ His voice goes a little soft as he goes on. But there's no attemot to fight it now, not while he maintains a hand on the both of them. Only the one on Bear's chest is solid and unmoving and yet still an attempt at comfort all the same-- ]
We'll stay, so you don't have to miss us so much. And even if we nap now, you'll see us again.
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their hand continues stroking him, slow and soothing. ]
You’re our Bear-kun, our Barrett. So even when you close your eyes, you’ll see us. And then when you open your eyes… [ they don’t finish that sentence; instead they slide their hand over his eyes. shh. ]
You can look for us in your dreams, and then tell us about them when you wake.
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But he also thinks Barrett gets a little deep in his head, and not all his brothers know all of it. (And his past self may have gotten it out of him due to duress, so half that information probably isn't fairly Mithrun's, either, but he has it.) He just doesn't like the idea of leaving him alone, when he knows what football means to him. )
... We'll stay until you fall asleep. ( He's fine volunteering Tylor and Hani for this - he doesn't think they'd mind. ) I'll be back.
( Fortunately, visiting hours are limited or else he'd just do the most direct thing and curl up here like a scruffy cat. )
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[Even if he only remember bits and pieces in the haze, color and texture and faces and feeling.
His eyes flutter underneath Hani's hand to his eyes, touch to his hair, his chest drawing in a slow breath, rising under Tylor's firm hand. His free hand lifts to blindly rest between the two touches occupying his body, while the other wrings a bit tighter against Morgan's fingers.]
...Don't wanna wake up alone. Don' wanna... mn...
[But the touch is warm and distracting, and the buzz of drugs lulls, and he can feel the spots start to dance and the sounds of the room start to pitch in and out in a fog. Unable to resist it, unable to understand why he might want to.
He hums again, wearily. A mumble at first. A dialogue, distant, to the wrong person in that moment of reality slipping as sleep takes over.]
--Hold my hand till we sleep, okay... kay... 'tll be okay, Booker--
[Both his hands tighten protectively, enough that the moments he slips back to sleep are more evident in how his grip finally goes slack than anything else.]
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The responding nod is all he needs before he is lifting Morgan and setting him as softly, quietly as he can on the edge of the bed. Right beside Bear, asleep.
Tylor leans against the bed too, wordlessly rolling his shoulder from the soreness. Eyes glance to Hani, then to Bear. But they find roost on Bear's cast. He steps around Morgan to lean into the bed on his other side, nearly back to back so he can feel it if Morgan decides to topple.
He moves slow enough that it's clear he is making a pointed effort not to make any noise. Given enough time, eventually a cute lion is lounging right where Bear will see it when he wakes. Then a cute bunny joins the doodle on one side, on the other a wolf. He pauses, glancing to Hani, this time with a head tilt over deciding what to doodle them as.
Once that's settled, he caps his sharpie with another whisper, to no one in particular-- ]
See, now there's no way he'll wake up alone.
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とり, a bird. So I can always fly back to you.
[ a fond glance at both morgan and justy, though somewhat muted. ]
I’m leaving. I didn’t want to tell him. But I’ll be back in a couple of days.
[ either they’ll arrange for someone to drive the rest of them back, or they can extend their hotel reservation. whatever morgan and justy want. ]
Will you… tell him? That I’ll be back like I promised?
[ that they'll be there when he wakes up. just… a little delayed. ]