route_1065 | MINGLE TO YOUR HEART'S CONTENT

[Ethan stares down at his lap and doesn't answer. Silence is a surprisingly powerful defense. Besides, even if he did tell him what was going on, he would never be believed.]

[His eyes go wide and he snaps to attention at those words. Shaun's fine? Ethan is up on his knees and suddenly his battered body seems ready to take on a marathon to cross the distance to his son. The last he saw, he was beneath that grate somewhere, in the water, weak and tired and calling for him...]

Where is he? Please, I need to see him. You're sure he's alright?

[Ethan's words come out rushed together. He has no idea that the need to hurry has passed.]

[Just like back during the interrogation. Never said a damn word about what had happened to him or why he was missing the end of his finger. Goddamn nostalgic.]

[There's a bandage wrapped around Ethan's finger, and it's shorter than it should be.]

He was all right the last time I saw him. Got Jayden and a giant weasel looking out for him.

[Blake rubs between his eyes.]

Shit. I didn't wanna go outside today, with whatever the hell is going on, but you're not gonna leave me alone until I show him to you, are you.

[And then he can prove he didn't do what Shaun thinks he did. He gets up.]

Come on, let's go find your kid.

[Ethan cannot forget about the injury he inflicted on his hand; it throbs every time his heart beats and it would be easy to succumb to the weariness of his body if he didn't have his ultimate goal constantly in mind.]

[He recognizes the name of the man who helped him escape from the interrogation. Surprisingly, Blake doesn't sound upset when mentioning him. Perhaps he never found out who helped him. He assumes that the "giant weasel" is someone that the lieutenant is simply not fond of.]

[Ethan's gaze on Blake is unwavering, full of dedication, but far from intimidating. It is clear that Ethan has come a long way (longer than he knows) for this.]

Thank you, Lieutenant.

[Ethan sounds tired but the sentiment is sincere. He is slightly wary that there may be some kind of trap here, but-]

[He spoke too soon. Just behind Blake, a purple balloon-like creature with a face and a yellow heart on the end of both of its strings(?) floats up. Ethan pales and blinks hard. Did they put him on some kind of medicine?]

Behind you.

Edited 2013-11-28 03:00 (UTC)

[Blake's gotten used to Jayden being an asshole, but if he should ever find that little secret out, things could get ugly.]

[Those couple words stop him still. He rounds on Ethan in shock.]

What?

[Immediately, he holds his hands up. He doesn't want to know how crazy this guy's gone.] Never mind. Let's just go find your kid.

[He turns around and immediately has a face full of purple balloon. He scowls.]

One of those little bastards again. How'd it get inside? Usually they just float around and get stuck on the lampposts.

[Ethan would be more startled by Blake's strong reaction but instead he looks at him tiredly and nods.]

[The balloon creature is much more frightening ~~which probably no one else in this world would find to be the case~~. Ethan's been waking up in the middle of streets in the dark but he has yet to hallucinate something like this.]

[Blake somehow doesn't seem that surprised. Sounds familiar with this, even. The little creature seems too animated to be a toy, though, so what is it?]

You... know this thing?

[The drifloon sits itself on Blake's shoulder and curls its strings around his upper arm. It seems ready to go somewhere. Ethan, meanwhile, is stuck between feeling compelled to look at it and seriously wishing he'd never seen it.]

Yeah, there's all kind of mutant animal things around here. Like her.

[He nods at Steve Buscemi, who's come in to see what all the fuss is. She goes up to Ethan, places her paws delicately on his knees, and sniffs him curiously.]

[Blake tries to pry the persistent strings off. It just retangles them.]

These ones aren't so common. It must've followed you. [The strings tug at him and Blake growls at it.] The hell do you want?

[Ethan looks nothing short of confused at that explanation. The pink dog, sweet though she seems, doesn't exactly calm him down right away. He gasps when Steve touches his knees; they're another part of his body that could really use some time to heal.]

Are they dangerous?

[That is, could these creatures wander around and hurt Shaun?]

Followed me? From where?

[The drifloon seems to pout at Blake and pulls with all the non-existent strength it has in those black appendages. One of them uncurls and gestures insistently toward the door.]

[Steve hops back when the fellow makes a pained noise. He smells of blood and burns. Blake frowns.]

Goddamn. You look like hammered shit.

[Just like when they hauled him in. By all rights the bastard shouldn't've been standing.]

[He breaks his gaze and stays in this world.]

Nah. Some of the ones out in the field are a pain in the ass, but the ones in the cities are usually friendly. Who knows where they show up from-- all right, all right! I'm coming!

[Blake heads toward the door so the damn balloon will leave him alone, and jerks his head at Ethan to follow him.]

Get moving. You wanna see your kid or not?

[Ethan ain't winning any beauty contests anytime soon. He doesn't respond to Blake's observation; standing is taking up enough of his energy as it is.]

[He is reassured upon hearing that these incredibly weird creatures weren't so bad. It's also always good to know you're not hallucinating.]

Right.

[Ethan blinks at the balloon as it turns and looks happily at him, as if telling him to cheer up and that it's going to be okay. As soon as it turns its attention back to Blake, though, the Drifloon is all serious and pointing the way.]

[Shaun's somewhere nearby, taking advantage of the change in scene to battle all kinds of new pokemon. Right now he's got Chase the Charizard out battling what appears to be two crossed swords floating off of the ground.

He's very into the battle, shouting out commands and ignoring the world around him, even if it doesn't take his level 100 Charizard that long to cause the double-edged sword thing to faint.

He looks happy. And dry. That's a big change from the last time Ethan saw him.]

[Blake lets the thing pull him along, now and then glancing back to make sure Ethan Mars is still there. Still alive. Christ, but that's a relief. Blake knew he hadn't killed him, but like they always tell him, knowing and having proof are two different things.]

[Steve marches along beside him, and the balloon thing gets more and more excitable. Blake ignores any weird shimmers in the air.]

[Before long, he can hear a little kid's voice in the distance, and see a shape standing above the grass. He's gotten tall.]

[Steve yaps and runs toward him so she can grab his pant leg and point toward the bearded man.]

[Usually Blake turns and goes the other way if he sees Shaun around. Today's an exception to a lot things.]

Hey! Kid!

Look who I ran into.

[Ethan manages to keep up and doesn't pay the least bit of attention to his audible breathing and the way his accelerated heartbeat seems to only make his hand hurt worse. None of it matters if he is truly on his way to see his son alive and well.]

[He hears the voice before he sees him. Shaun, looking bright and healthy and happy. Hell, it isn't even raining anymore. Blake barely gets the words out of his mouth before Ethan is rushing toward his son and crying out his name.]

[Shaun turns around at the word 'Kid'- still too much on the battle high to recognize the voice calling it- but then he sees who's with Blake.

He freezes in place for a split second, eyes wide like he's seeing a ghost (well, he kind of is).]

Dad?

[But then he takes off running toward Ethan full tilt, nearly tripping over his own feet.]

DAD!

[Blake hangs back, watching. The see, I told you he wasn't dead can wait.]

[Steve trots back to him and stands by his side. He bends down to scratch her head, idly glancing toward the reunion.]

[he murmurs to her] That's some goddamn Hallmark shit, ain't it.

[Steve shushes him.]

[Ethan falls to his knees and catches his son in his arms, squeezing and rocking him in his embrace.]

Shaun, oh thank god, I-

[He draws back just enough to hold Shaun's face in his hands. The boy looks older, has gotten taller, but Ethan's not about to question that just yet.]

You're okay? Who found you?

[Ethan's eyes are watery. Don't think you're going to leave your father's side before he leaves, Shaun.]

[And, uh. Sorry if he smells just a bit.]

MINGLE TO YOUR HEART'S CONTENT

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