bakerstreet | the picture prompt meme;

i've already accepted it
but i'm going to kick him if he keeps doing it when i'm trying to sleep

[ Egil knows he isn't actually doing that, not really, and even then, the thought makes him long for those stolen moments in a hotel room or in the ashes of a place he could never go back to. He's still in bed though, rolling over and dragging the blankets over his head to shield him from anything that might try to break his concentration as he curls up and texts him back. There'd always been something personal about the way they talk like this, and he's almost sorry he'd never said anything the last time Jericho had left. ]

take your time
are you feeling okay?

i want it to be a surprise
so i'll get everything we need
i'll drive

[ That's the part he'd been a little hesitant to mention, but maybe he'll still agree to it even without knowing the exact location. He's certain not many people know about it anyway, especially those who might work for his father or likewise hate him, and anyway, it's out of the city. Away from the drama, the stress. Something of a reprieve, and he needs it just as much as he wants it, under the assumption Jericho could do without those things too. Of course, Egil isn't looking forward to the preparations; it means spending even more time with Rusty, and he just wants to roll his eyes into the ground.

But maybe it would be worth it. ]

[ He almost smiles at the thought of Rusty's continued attempts at conversation. He's a good one, one that Jericho more or less trusts despite the blabbermouth syndrome, because he doesn't hesitate or show remorse with what needs to be done. More than that, he knows how to keep secrets. Egil will be safe with him. ]

he doesn't really sleep much. i think all of us that come out of here have that in common. i feel okay. not great but okay. [ It sounds better than the truth, which is that he feels as sick as he always does after turning. Not being a full-blooded wolf means it's harder on his body, and for a brief moment of weakness, he wishes he could have the feeling of Egil's fingers entwined in his. ]

the only reason i'll say yes to you driving is because i'll probably still only feel okay when i see you.

[ It surprises him how easily he's agreed to this, and on top of that how eager he almost feels at the thought of a change in scenery. ]

preparations? are you packing a picnic? i'm a picky eater.

Edited (so much failure) 2017-03-18 02:32 (UTC)

i'll try to remember that for next time
but i still might kick him

[ He's being as nice as he can be, though it's mostly an idle threat. Things haven't been too terrible, and on top of that, he still doesn't have much room to complain about anything. If he thinks of it, he won't say it. Instead, he continues to curl around his phone and quietly type out his messages. ]

you should sleep if you can
try to feel better than okay
even though i'm still going to drive [ Because he'd already given him permission, so he can't take it back now. ]

if you're that picky tell me what you don't like
it's only going to be for a couple days
unless you feel like staying longer than that

[ Truthfully, if Jericho asked him where they were going now, he might have told him. There's a place a couple hours from the city, deep in the woods and sort of isolated. Sometimes, he'd go there with Larus and just sleepover in the cabin or swim in the lake. He'd never climb the trees though, only running far enough it felt like he was leaving his old self behind. It's what he wants out of his trip too, but he isn't sure what any of it's going to bring. ]

i really can't stop you from here. i've been sleeping. off and on. don't worry too much about me. i'll be all healed up in a few days. grapes. raisins. chocolate. candy in general. bacon. tomatoes. mushrooms. cherries. popcorn. nuts. shall i continue? we should see how we both feel but i don't think it'll be a problem. what kind of place is it?

i can't tell if you're encouraging me or not

anyway off and on is better than nothing i guess
just do better than okay, okay?

maybe you should tell me things you DO like if it's longer than that
or there isn't going to be anything good for you
that's not the point of taking you there

a quiet place
outside mostly
i haven't been there in a long time though

[ He wonders if that means it's changed in the same ways he's changed, curling a little tighter under the blanket and feeling sleepy on top of muted excitement. As tired as Egil is, he wants to do this so badly it aches, and he isn't sure if they should wait until tomorrow morning or just leave when Jericho gets back. ]

if you do, we never had this conversation. i like brandy. and apples. i also like the sound of the quiet and the outside.

[ And right now, nothing sounds more appealing. Every moment he spends here is already too long, and even when things with Egil are strained at best, it's still better than what he's used to. He nearly types out the words I miss you before stopping himself. ]

is this a place you used to go to with your friend?

you can't just live off brandy and apples
this is why you're not allowed to be in charge when we go
i'll take care of it

[ Some part of him figures he'll just blame it on the moon and what it does to Jericho, biting down a laugh so Rusty doesn't get the wrong idea and starts talking to him again. Egil wants at least an hour of quiet, though he doubts that's going to last. He could wait until he saw Jericho, but he also knows it's impossible to stay silent when they're together unless he's mad at him. And with that next message, he frowns a little. ]

sometimes
is that okay?

it's worked pretty well so far. i like the sound of you being in charge, too. temporarily, of course.

[ Giving up control is another thing that surprises him, but he's tired. Too tired to think too deeply about anything. ]

it's fine. i was just curious about him. you don't talk about him much even though i know he was important to you.

[ If there's an ulterior motive to this, he keeps it to himself. ]

not anymore
you'll just have to deal with whatever i decide
i bet you never thought you'd ever say that to me :)

[ The frown he wears only deepens the more Jericho mentions Larus, and it takes longer than usual to reply. ]

what do you want me to tell you?
he was my best friend but he's dead now
there's not really much to say

i'll admit it wasn't high on my list of things to say to you. but things change.

[ The way Egil clams up at any and every mention of his friend makes it exceptionally hard to get information on someone he barely has anything to go on in the first place. There's more he hasn't told you. He can't exactly ask outright, but perhaps it would help to offer something of his own. ]

i'm just trying to understand you better. we're made up of our experiences. i want to show you a drawing of my mother when i get back. she didn't like to be photographed but i've drawn her a lot since she died.

what's the highest one on your list?

[ So he's curious, and that curiosity helps to deter some of the uncertainty he feels reading those last few messages. Doesn't he already know enough about him? But then... Jericho's also right. The things that have happened to him are who he is, and as much as he doesn't want them, he can't change it. Egil sighs and rolls over, presses his face against his pillow before looking at his phone and sighing again. ]

okay
i can't draw like you but i have this [ And he sends Jericho one of the few pictures he actually has of him and Larus together, Egil smiling as his friend looks off to the side somewhere. He remembers how distracted he'd been that day, maybe even a little paranoid, but that came and went with people like them in the lives they lived, so he hadn't really thought anything of it at the time. ]

probably to tell you to stop worrying about whatever you're worrying about.

[ The picture helps put a face to the name, though he has neither of those from his actual source. The chances of them being the same person feel slimmer with each passing day, but if he doesn't entertain the possibility, his leads shrink to nothing. And Egil hasn't so much as breathed information about anyone else that might have been important to him. ]

i'm glad you had a friend like that even if he's not here now. i'm surprised i never heard anything about what happened. the factory doesn't keep many vampires, and then killing a human is a transgression punishable by death.

good thing i'm not worrying about anything right now then [ Because that's really all he wants to talk about honestly. ]

i don't know if anyone knows what happened
i can still ask if you want
but i don't want to talk about any of that like this

[ Another pause between messages, chewing at his lip, and he can't figure out why Jericho is suddenly interested in talking about all this now. Had someone said something to him? Had something happened? There are some things that he hadn't wanted to share with him about it, but only because he didn't think it was pertinent to their situation. It fills him with confusion and a strange sense of dread. ]

why are you bringing it up anyway?

i find it hard to believe you're not worrying about something at any given moment, but maybe i'm just projecting. who would you ask? the family? last i remember that didn't go well.

[ He lets a few beats pass as he closes his eyes, trying to think of a believable reason that doesn't involve actually telling the truth. He's not ready for that conversation, not when he has such little information to offer, and in the end he comes up empty except for the guilt that surfaces. ]

being back here makes the mind wander, i guess. we don't have to talk about it.

maybe i'm worrying about you :) [ He knows what kind of answer that's probably going to get, but he doesn't care. ]

and i don't know
there's always someone to ask you just have to know the right people
but i don't have to

just rest so you can come back and be with me
then we don't have to think about any of that for a while

[ Because he certainly needs it, and from the sound of it, so does Jericho. He doesn't want to put anymore stock into that than what it is though, staring at some of the words he's typed and glad he's already hiding under the blanket to cover whatever expression might be on his face in that moment. Egil's obviously losing his mind from lack of sleep, but there's no point taking it back now. ]

i know you are.

[ He puts his phone down, worrying his bottom lip and rubbing his eyes. He wants to keep pushing, and at the same time doesn't. But his mind is alight with possibilities, and he'll be hard-pressed to let this go. ]

ask. there's something not right about this.

[ And suddenly, just reading those words makes his exhaustion catch up him. It's unusual that he's even awake right now, normally unable to hold on to consciousness for much longer than it takes to crawl someplace safe. He closes his eyes, darkness rushing at him, but he opens them again to respond one last time before he allows his phone to slip out of his hands. ]

i'll see you soon. and we'll not think together.

[ And then he's out like a light, and though he gets several hours of uninterrupted rest, when he's pulled awake to return to his duties, it feels like just seconds later. He sends Egil another text to inform him that he's just under an hour away, then gets dressed and goes upstairs to check in with Cyril -- that ends up in an argument, with Jericho demanding to leave only for Cyril to insist he stay for tests. His only saving grace is that Rusty is scheduled to be somewhere else and someone has to relieve him first.

He's fuming by the time he's on his way, one of Cyril's nameless drivers taking him back to the house they're currently based at, another temporary arrangement because Jericho still doesn't trust any one location just yet. His anger gives way to more exhaustion, and he's half asleep when they pull up to the house.

Rusty meets him outside to inform him that he looks like shit every time he sees him, and though he's grateful, Jericho has to resist the urge to clock him. When Jericho enters the house, the only thing on his mind is how quickly he can locate a bottle of something dark and strong. ]

Edited 2017-03-22 03:38 (UTC)

the picture prompt meme;

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject