(no subject)

[pullsneedles]

Lucas rubs the towel on his head, drying his freshly-washed hair as he emerges from the bathroom. It's been a long day, but a good one. Somehow the sadness of approaching autumn is lessened by the bright mums ready for planting.

But tonight is a good night to settle in with one of his books, this time one with information on the Runaway Five. It seems like a good one to share with Duster.

Comments

[herr_bookman]

After Autor stopped by the bar for a fresh blazer and some smoothies, he walks to Lucas' room and knocks hesitantly on the door.

[pullsneedles]

Lucas wasn't expecting company. Perhaps it's someone to see Duster?

"Coming!" he calls, heading over to the door.

[herr_bookman]

Autor stares at shoes until Lucas opens the door for him. He has his new blazer hanging on his arm, and he hopes the other boy doesn't panic when he sees him covered in ink and blood and with a broken nose. To hide it, he raises the smoothies to shoulder level.

[pullsneedles]

"Shoot, what happened, Autor?" he asks, tossing the door open. He lets the towel on his head slide down to his shoulders as he holds his hands out to take the smoothies.

[herr_bookman]

Autor kicks himself. He should have known better to think he could hide behind smoothies. "Hi, Lucas," he says, raising his hand in a little wave. "I... I provoked someone, and they shattered an inkwell across my face."

[pullsneedles]

"They hit you with what?!" he asks both for clarification and in disbelief.

The smoothies are set down next to the book, and he pulls a chair out for Autor.

"Here, sit yerself down and I'll help."

[herr_bookman]

"An inkwell," Autor says, sitting himself down, "while wearing a metal gauntlet. Guppy did a fine job tending to me--I used to have a cut across my cheek, here--but it's not comparable to what you can do, so... If you don't mind, I'd appreciate it."

[pullsneedles]

Lucas winces, imagining how it must have felt.

"Yeah, I can handle it. I'll getcha with Healing and Lifeup."

He stops to concentrate, and then, "Healingγ!" followed by, "Lifeupγ!"

Autor should get a familiar rush of PSI.

[herr_bookman]

The PSI is warm and comforting, and Autor closes his eyes as it straightens his nose and knits his skin back together.

"Ahh, that's much better," he says, shoulders sagging. "Thank you, Lucas. I owe you." He begins stripping of his old blazer and reaches for the new.

[pullsneedles]

"Ah! But you're still a mess," Lucas says, padding over to the bathroom. "Here, lemme getcha something to clean up with."

[herr_bookman]

"Thanks," Autor says gratefully, as he changes into the new blazer. "Guppy managed to clean my face off--and good heavens, did that hurt!--but the rest of me is still... ugh."

He stands, shaking himself out. "I don't think I'll ever forgive Miss Ashida."

[pullsneedles]

"Well, this'll get the rest," he goes, carrying a bucket of warm water and a clean hand towel. Then he sighs, "I never seen anybody hurt another like this here."

Sure, he's seen fighting and destruction, but he hasn't seen one patron hurt another like this before.

[herr_bookman]

Autor lifts one shoulder in a shrug. "It... It happens," he says, with the words feeling empty. He dips the towel in the water and rings it out, applying it to his chin and neck with a soft sigh.

"I'm sorry I involved you in it, especially since you're already dressed for bed."

[mindofathief]

The first thing Duster sees when he wakes up from his unexpected nap is the darkening skies through the trees. Looks like it's another night of milling around the bar practicing the bass, taking a walk, and sometimes light thief practice, all thanks to his weird sleep schedule.

The mp3 player he was listening to has already automatically shut off, so he unplugs the earphones and stuffs the whole thing in his pocket. It would probably be a good time to eat something, Duster thinks, but it wouldn't hurt to stop by his room to say goodnight to Lucas, then continue being awake for the next six hours.

He walks back inside and takes the steps slowly one at a time, as he's still a bit out of it after just waking up, and there's no reason if it's not night yet.

Approaching the door, Duster lightly taps the door. "Lucas? You in there?"

[pullsneedles]

"Yeah, I'm in for the night," Lucas calls, going to get the door.

He supposes he doesn't really need to, what with this being their room now, but it's always nice.

[mindofathief]

"I just want to say-" he is interrupted by Lucas opening the door.

"Oh, I just wanted to say good night, since you're goin' to sleep. I'll be stayin' up a bit longer."

[pullsneedles]

"Oh sure. Say, y'didn't see Autor on your way up, didja?"

[mindofathief]

"I'm not sure. I didn't see him on the stairs, if that's what you're askin'. Why? Do you need him?"

[pullsneedles]

"No, but he came by here not too long ago. Somebody hit him in the face with an inkwell."

He folds his arms over his chest.

"I patched him up all right, but I ain't seen anybody do that here before."

[mindofathief]

"Is-is he okay?!" Getting hit in the face with glass is a very painful thing.

"If he's still awake, I can go see him an' ask how he's feelin'."

[pullsneedles]

"Yeah, he's all right. He went to see one of the doctors downstairs before coming up to me."

Lucas scratches at his cheek.

"He might not wanna talk too much about it. He said he baited 'em. Not that it makes hittin' him all right, but he didn't say much more about that. The person who did it is in the cells for three nights."

[mindofathief]

"Milliways has a jail? I'm surprised I never heard of it before."

He motions toward the room.

"You wanna sit down inside an' talk?"

[pullsneedles]

"Yeah. There're security people here, but I've never got in trouble with 'em."

He nods, yawning a little before stepping back in.

"Yeah, I think so. I found another book, too."

[mindofathief]

Duster walks into the room and sits on his bed.

"Another book? What kind this time?"

[pullsneedles]

"I got one about the Runaway Five. They were on my list of things to look up."

He picks it up from the little desk acquired for the piles of books.

"I was introduced to 'em here, but I remember seein' a picture of 'em back in New Pork City."