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[excunningthief.livejournal.com]

Date: May 2, 2003, morning
Place: Trilby's room, third floor
Status: Public (Trilby, Raphael)
Summary: Trilby wakes up.


The young man at the workbench looked at the object before him with a triumphant smile. He had a good feeling about this prototype. It was one thing to build a grappling hook gun; it was another to reduce it to this size, with all the little add-ons that he needed... All he had to do now was name it.

A noise from across the room made him look up. A pale stranger was standing in the workroom. "You have given a great service to Dream of the Endless," he said...


Some time later—it was hard to say, his internal clock must have gone out for lunch—he woke up. Someone had thrown the curtains open and the morning light hurt his eyes. It was difficult to discern that much, though, every muscle in his body hurt. His skull seemed two sizes too small for his head.

All in all, Trilby felt as if he had been thrown headfirst into a waterspout. Which, broadly (broadly) speaking, was close enough to the truth.

"Hmm," he said to the ceiling. His voice was annoyingly faint. "Am I dead?"

Comments

[halosphere.livejournal.com]

Raphael looked up from writing in his Journal, setting it aside and moving closer to the being. He himself didn't look much better- blood stained wings, jagged haircut and clothes in as bad a shape as his skin- but he gave a gentle smile, hoping it would be reassuring.

"No. Not dead," he replied. He placed a cup of water in his hands, clasping it in his own so he wouldn't drop it. "Here, drink this. You're dehydrated."

[excunningthief.livejournal.com]

"Ah. Pity."

Trilby eased himself up into a sitting position before taking the cup, with a nod of thanks. His fingers were clumsy, but he could balance the cup in them well enough without help.

He sipped the water, regarding the entity before him. Questions jostled in his mind for attention, but he settled on, "How long was I out?"

[halosphere.livejournal.com]

"Almost a day," he answered, wondering if he should address the beings comment that suggested he'd rather be dead. "I was there when you did the Banishing spell," he said instead. "I'm Raphael. You fell unconscious and I brought you back to your room. If I overstepped I apologize."

[excunningthief.livejournal.com]

"I see." Trilby ran a finger over the rim of the cup. He felt about as strong as soft cider. Still, fainting? How undignified.

"I owe you thanks, then," he said. "I wouldn't have been able to pull it off without you and Baraq. I'm..." He hesitated, his pseudonym escaping him for a moment. "...Jon. Jonathan. No apologies needed."

He took another sip of water. "If the spell worked, then how is it you're still..." With a gesture he took in Raphael's injuries and rumpled appearance.

I'm so sorry, LJ is eating my notifs and then my phone mutineed D:

[halosphere.livejournal.com]

Raphael looked down at himself, chewing uncomfortably at his lip. "They're self-inflicted," he finally said, trying to smooth out his tank top. He really needed to get new clothes, how hard could it be to cut slits for his wings?

He let them curl around, stretching the jagged feathers, and out of pure habit, began to come his fingers through them, preening his mangled wings back into shape. It was interesting, he thought dimly. He had been able to help and not one drop of his angelic powers had been used, he had used the last of it healing Rose (he really should check on her, the poor dear) and all he had now that distinguished him from a human were wings and a few air-shifting abilities.

It's okay, notifications have been down for everyone <3

[excunningthief.livejournal.com]

He examined Raphael's preening over the rim of the cup. Raphael, Gabriel, and he vaguely recalled the creature Baraq being called by a different name. Angels.

He sighed, putting the empty cup on the bedside table and pushing the blankets away. He needed a shower. "I've got a first-aid kit in my luggage," he said, moving to stand, "And a spare shirt or two, they'd be too big for you, but..." A wave of dizziness slammed into him, and he stumbled.

You can email me to let me know I've been tagged if you like :3

[halosphere.livejournal.com]

Immediately Raphael was on his feet, launching to catch him and lay him back in bed. "That's enough of that. You're not strong enough. I'll go get the first aid kit." He tucked him in and fluffed his pillow. "Is there anything else you'd like?"

[excunningthief.livejournal.com]

Trilby would have protested, loudly if not sarcastically (I'm fine, worry about yourself first, or, I've been stabbed in the gut and strapped into a brainwashing machine, a little vertigo is nothing, or You don't look even remotely old enough to be my mother, so kindly stop trying), but by the time his vision cleared he was back in bed.

"Thanks," Trilby muttered, with something resembling good grace. He rubbed his temples. "It would appear that opening a rift across the universe and forcing a primaeval force of evil through it actually does have some repercussions," he said dryly. "No, I don't need anything. This will pass in time." He just had no idea how long.

[halosphere.livejournal.com]

"Very well." He looked him over. "If you don't mind, I'd like to use your bathroom to clean up. I think I've dragged enough blood around this place long enough. And then I'm watching over you until you are capable of standing without keeling over." His words were firm but his eyes were kind and gentle.

[excunningthief.livejournal.com]

"Go ahead," he said, abandoning getting up (for now) and lying back on the pillows. The bone-deep fatigue was creeping up on him again, even if he didn't want to admit it.

"That said... I'm not ungrateful, mind you, but surely there are other people in the manor worse off than me? I'll survive a few minutes out of your sight, surely."

[halosphere.livejournal.com]

"I'll only be a moment," he said, moving towards the shower and grimacing at the blood he'd managed to stain his carpet with. Great. "I'm just going to shower and get cleaned up, then I'm going to clean up all this blood."

His cheeks colored as he switched on the water as Gabriel showed him. Use the nozzles to adjust the temperature, then...

"YAAAAAY!!"

Scolding hot water darted at him from the showerhead, spraying his face and the hands that had shot up defensively. Fumbling for the handle he managed to turn it the exact opposite way, only to have icy cold water shoot out at him. He lunged for the handle, slipping against the now-wet linoleum. Finally managing to grasp it he shoved it off with a skeetch! and sighed in soaked irritation.

"See?" he finally said. "Told ya it'd only be a minute. And oh look! I did laundry too..."

my kingdom for a facepalm icon

[excunningthief.livejournal.com]

"Right," Trilby muttered, closing his eyes. "Knock yourself out."

He didn't think it was possible to sleep again after being out for so long, certainly not with the events of the night buzzing in his head or with the stink of blood and ashes and dirt on his clothes, but his mind began to drift, and...

The yelp brought him very firmly back into consciousness. He jolted upright. "What the hell was that?" he demanded. "Are you okay?"

Raphy has that effect on people I've noticed XD

[halosphere.livejournal.com]

He shuffled out of the bathroom, toweling himself dry. "Erm... I think I'll shower later." He moved to his side and nudged him back down. "Rest," he said. "Don't worry, I won't let anything happen to you." When Raphael said those words it was always spoken with honesty dripping through evey word.

[excunningthief.livejournal.com]

Trilby's lip curled a little when the damp angel came into view. "If you say so. Did the showerhead attack you?"

He sighed. "I'll sleep. I just have to know this first. All you angels in the manor. Did you come here because of the nightmares, or for some other reason?" He hadn't forgotten the satanist chapel, or the conversation he had with Aziraphale.

[halosphere.livejournal.com]

"I.... was lead here," he finally decided to say. His cheeks were still red. Maybe when he was sure Trilby was alright he'd figure out the shower in his own room. Less chance for humiliation at least.

Sitting in the chair by Trilby's bed he picked up his Journal. "I'll be right here if you need me," he promised.

[excunningthief.livejournal.com]

Trilby sighed. "I know," he said, and he did. Once he said he wouldn't, the angel was as likely to run off and abandon him as he was to step on a puppy. "I appreciate it. But what were you lead here by?"

[halosphere.livejournal.com]

"Honestly, I am not quite sure," he admitted. "I just know that as I was walking through Lower Tadfield this was the direction I was supposed to go. Then I came here and..." He waved a hand, as if trying to pluck the words he was searching for from the sky. He finally just shrugged. "Joe found me outside catching my discorporation. The rest was a bit of a blur, I'm afraid." Except for the nughtmares, he added silently. Those were as vivid as if it had happened hours ago. Which, technically...

"My brothers are here as well," he continued. "Gabriel and Michael." Who were injured and weary... But alive. Oh thank Father they were alive...

[excunningthief.livejournal.com]

Trilby nodded slowly. "I see. Thank you, I won't press you with more questions for now. Feel free to use anything in here to patch yourself up." He looked pointedly at the mess of Raphael's wings.

He paused and worked his jaw for a moment, as if he was unused to the shape of his next words. How often did he actually express gratitude to anyone? Sincerely and unmarred with some smart remark? Not bloody often. "I owe you," he said at last. "Both for this and for last night. If you ever find yourself in need, call me and I'll do what I can."

[halosphere.livejournal.com]

"You don't owe me a thing," he smiled gently. He rose to dim the lights and close the curtains. He needed to rest. "Just sleep now, I'll make sure nothing happens to you." Something in his tone suggested that if anything did try to come after him they wouldn't exist long to regret it.