[OOM] Post-nightmares.

[stuck_mynock]

Atton is stumbling down the hallway, dragging one leg behind him. He's wearing his sleep clothes, which pretty much consist of a pair of wool trousers, and he's covered in soil. Blood, too, as he seems to be have gashes on practically every part of his body, and the two have mixed together to form some sort of brownish-red paste that masks the wounds and bruises below.

He's not entirely certain where he's heading. It's not down to the bar, but he forgot the actual destination some time back.

Comments

[stuck-mynock.livejournal.com]

Atton's worried by the slightly mad way Sam's talking. Sam gets a squeeze and another nudge.
"'S okay. It wasn't real. What happened then?"

[necessary_child]

"He said stuff. Only he was dead too, all blood going drip, drip, drip. And the doors wouldn't stop slamming. And then he went to cut me and I ran again, but there were more people, only they weren't really people but they looked like the people I used to know before they died and they were saying stuff because I left them but they left me, really, same as everyone does. And they were all sort of - clawing at me and all the blood and spit and stuff went drip, drip, drip."

...Sam is, of course, totally sane. Really.

[stuck-mynock.livejournal.com]

Atton's really worried now. Granted, he's not entirely certain of his own sanity, but at least it's not showing.

"Hey. Look at me? 'S wasn't real. 'S all okay."

[necessary_child]

Well, everyone has their off days.

He leans back against Atton, and does look up at him, this time. "Yeah."

[stuck-mynock.livejournal.com]

Atton cleans Sam's wounds with the Force, wraps bandages around. It's comfortingly repetitive.

"And 'm not going t'leave you. Promise. If I die, I'll come back t'the bar." Lightly. "Have t'make sure you don't get into trouble."

[necessary_child]

"Can't be sure've that, though, can you?" Sam leans against him more heavily. "That you'll come back, I mean."

[stuck-mynock.livejournal.com]

"Can. Ghosts exist in my world, after all, and I bet they can open doors." Atton grins, without really feeling it. "And you're my best friend - 'M not leaving you behind."

[necessary_child]

"Okay."

It is possible that Sam's clinging, a bit. Just possible.

[stuck-mynock.livejournal.com]

"I promise, okay? Thief's honour."

Atton's rather hoping that Sam's forgotten about Atton's promise to tell him about his own nightmare.

[necessary_child]

"Okay." Sam leans his head on Atton's shoulder and doesn't say anything, for quite a while. Possibly quite long enough for Atton to think he's forgotten.

But eventually -

"So," a little roughly; his voice still hurts. "What happened to you?"

[stuck-mynock.livejournal.com]

Atton resists the urge to swear.

"It's nothing. Really. I mean, 's was the hospital again, and ..." He breaks off into a small laugh. "'S was a mob of people waiting for me, y'know? T'punish me for being so dirt and filthy and stupid and for hurting so many people and for failing t'protect people, and." He cuts himself off, sharply.

[necessary_child]

Sam's hand finds its way to curl into Atton's hair.

"Shhh. 's nothing wrong with you, Atton. It's okay."

[stuck-mynock.livejournal.com]

Atton just frowns, concentrating on the process of cleaning and bandaging wounds, silently.

[necessary_child]

"I mean it, Atton." Quietly. "I'm glad you're here."

[stuck-mynock.livejournal.com]

"They weren't. They all treated me like an animal, 's what people think - I don't have any self-control, I just go and wreck things." Atton is starting to shake again. With a loud laugh: "They said they'd give me a burial once the beatings stopped."

[necessary_child]

"I don't think that." Sam curls tighter around Atton, as tight as the bandages and injuries - both his and Atton's - will let him.

"That why you're covered in dirt? Because they tried to bury you?"

[stuck-mynock.livejournal.com]

"Did bury me. 'S honourable people. Very just. Kept t'their word."

[necessary_child]

"Shouldn't've buried you." Softly. "Shouldn't've hurt you."

[stuck-mynock.livejournal.com]

"Should've. Everybody has a right to revenge."

[necessary_child]

"Not against you. You're a good person, Atton." Sam inspects his hands, briefly. "You made the blood go away."

(Drip, drip, drip.)

[stuck-mynock.livejournal.com]

Atton frowns, but decides not to question it, instead just finishing up with the bandages and reaching around to take Sam's hands, silently. They're given a squeeze.

[necessary_child]

Sam offers him a brief smile. "We fail so hard, sometimes, Atton."

[stuck-mynock.livejournal.com]

"We do."

Beat.

"Wanna go get cookies?"

[necessary_child]

Sam squeezes Atton's hands, giving him a bigger grin. It's not entirely genuine, but it is definitely there.

"Cookies sound good. I think I'll let you win this time, though. Out of the kindness of my heart, see."

[stuck-mynock.livejournal.com]

"'S is a very kind heart." Atton says, solemnly, struggling to his feet and offering a hand for Sam. "Let's go, then."