wanted a serious title but i'm wondering which of them is shrek and which is donkey (we know)

[brokeassgoing]

Continued from all this beauty

[He's had a pretty hard time stumbling around after his injury...but that doesn't really stop him. Whiny as he is, Badou had too much to do. Sure, he'd stayed mostly at home these past few days, but he's been very busy. No laying around, no unconsciousness for too long.

He's been developing the film he'd taken during the last job, carefully cultivated in the darkness of his nasty little bathroom, the chemicals would sting his nose if he wasn't used to this already.

So it's no surprise he's been so focused he's forgotten to do some stuff around the place, lately. And will probably not notice a new visitor in the form of his little old man buddy, either.]

Comments

[oldmanfive]

You fucking asshole. All this time and you think you have nothing?

[ Thanks. Good to know their friendship means shit all to him. Five looks away because his emotions are so raw right now he's saying more than he wants too. It's one thing to be attached to his family but is it weird to be attached to someone who is just a friend?

Oh sweetheart, he's in that position you were in before you found your way back to your family. Dolores says with a sad sigh. ]

What?! [ He sputters at Dolores, before he flinches due to the pain.] No, he isn't! He's just being a hypocritical dumbass! [ He snaps at Dolores.

You two are more alike than either of you like to admit. ]

We're not alike!

[brokeassgoing]

What what? Who the hell--

[what is this. they were arguing and now Five is??? is he hallucinating? this is even more frustrating, if not concerning]

Hell no we're nothing alike. For one, I've got like 2 feet on you. And at least I'm logical.

[oldmanfive]

Since fucking when? There's nothing logical about you! You're a fucking dipshit! I'm not sorry that I left your ass behind. The Handler would have outright killed you! Because of me, you get to live another day to be a selfish asshole who plans on throwing his life away.

[ You're welcome! He looks away from Badou, but refuses to look at Dolores in case she starts in on nonsense again. His chest feels tight and aches as he finds it a bit harder to breath, but refuses to say anything about it. ]

[brokeassgoing]

Oh wow thank you great malevolent savior! Because of you I had to get new bandages, your sister almost blew us up and the rest of us were worried sick thinking we'd find your corpse!! I am so so grateful, words can't express how much I love this experience!

[Five might be ready to have a panic attack, Badou's about ready to bust a gasket here, his face as red as his hair and his teeth clenched so hard his head aches]

No one asked you to do that-- no one wanted you to. If all of us worked on this together we could have shaved that stupid bitch middle aged man bald!

[oldmanfive]

Why did you stick around then? Why do you even care! You got nothing to come back to, remember?

[ Because their friendship really means nothing in the long run. He's just kidding himself that their friendship means anything at all. If he wasn't so sore and exhausted, he would be kicking Badou's ass himself. Why does Badou pretend to care, if he plans on going off to get himself killed on his quest for vengeance? Why is it so hard for him to see that Five only wants to help him? Five can't understand and he refuses to voice that pain and confusion because it means admitting that maybe Badou's friendship means more to him than he thought possible...but Badou's words have some bite to them.]

If you hadn't fucked up on that tailing mission in the first place, maybe I could have sniffed out the trap before it was too late!

[ Five! Dolores practically shouts at him for taking such a low blow, but he's not exactly thinking rationally right now as his chest just keeps on getting tighter. Of course, he's hurting physically, but he's also hurting emotionally and he can't stop himself from lashing out. Maybe Badou cares or maybe he's just been Five's friend out of guilt or feeling sorry for him...

Five, you're not being fair. Dolores insists, as Five feels like he's about to choke on his own breath. ]

[brokeassgoing]

[Five's comment yanks the breath right out of Badou more than any of his anger could. He audibly gasps, takes one staggering step back.

If-- if Five's going to blame him, then fine. Fine. So he'd screwed up. So he can't do any of this right when it really counts...it's one thing to get himself caught when it's thugs and drugs, but when it's someone's life on the line...

When it's someone's life on the line, when it's his friend's life on the line...he fumbled. He dropped the ball. Badou just stands there, his throat tight, his face hot.]

[oldmanfive]

[ Seeing Badou's reaction almost makes him want to apologize but the moment he opens his mouth to speak again, it falls shut. He can feel his heart racing in his chest. Though the sudden silence is brief as Grace walks into the room and shuts the door behind her. For a robot, that usually keeps a neutral or happy expression, she looks decidedly displeased.]

You sit down.

[ She orders Badou pointing to the chair near Five's bedside as she walks over to Five and checks his IV. ]

You shouldn't be yelling, dear. You're raising your blood pressure. Neither of you should be arguing for that matter. Why are you two being so silly about this?

[ She distinctly looks disappointed as she looks between the pair. She glances over to Five and then Badou. ]

Do you or do you not value your friendship?

[ It's a blunt question, she's not mixing words here and she's obviously addressing both of them. Five inhales sharply at being faced with addressing his feelings. ]

...yes.

[ It's the only word he can get out while he feels like the world is closing in all around him. ]

[brokeassgoing]

[it's absolutely the Mom Voice that gets him shrinking into a chair and not the fact that she's a robot. Badou feels properly chastised in a way he's never felt, or at least it's been a long time and not in a professional setting.

it's a weird feeling. distracting only slightly from the guilt teeming in his head, the rage bubbling beneath the surface that could spark at any moment. the despair.

does he value their friendship? is this friendship? well, he wouldn't just wait around for anyone to come to after being tortured. or try to show his favorite movies. he still has to make Five watch the Predator movies...

so softly, quietly he says:]

Yeah.

[oldmanfive]

[ Grace looks between the pair again expectantly. Five instinctively averts his gaze as he's not quite sure that he believes Badou.]

Then what exactly is the problem? Why are you two arguing?

[ Five remains silent his chest heaving as he considers Grace's question. He's not good with addressing his feelings, he just sat through several rounds of his siblings being emotional at him. But they don't really know what it feels like to be utterly alone because they went their separate ways by their own design. But Badou knows. He's been alone since his brother's death. He's never tried to replace Badou's brother, that wasn't even a thought.]

You were already hurt, Badou. There was no way that I was going to let you come with me. It was my fuck up that you got hurt in the first place. The fact that it turned out to be a trap was even more my fuck up. I'm sorry I got you involved in the first place. But the Handler is my burden. I made the deal with the devil and I don't want you or the others trying to clean up my mess.

[ Grace's expression immediately saddens at that admission, though he refuses to meet her or Badou's gaze. ]

Oh Five. Always so strong for everyone else, but you have let us be strong for you too.

[ She glances over to Badou again.]

If I leave you two alone, can I trust that you'll act like the adults you are suppose to be?

[brokeassgoing]

[the apology does nothing to stave off the rage, if the clenched jaw is anything to go by. but he glances at Grace, nods.]

We'll be fine.

[because the second she leaves, reassured or at least assured she'll come in here to nip it in the bud, Badou leans in and snarls-]

I don't give a crap, jobs go wrong all the time, that doesn't matter to me. You getting into your thick tiny little head that you had to do this by yourself is the dumbest thing I've ever heard! And I'm pretty sure one of your brothers thinks the Earth is flat. Deals with the devil bitch have nothing to do with you going off on your own-- like you gotta be the martyr. You got a martyr complex? Hmmm? Do ya?

[oldmanfive]

[ Five glares at Badou because who is being thick here? He replies in a low voice, because he doesn't want to see Grace come back in with that look of disappointment again.]

What don't you get? I handle my business alone. I underestimated the job and you got your ass hurt and nearly killed. Why is it so hard for you to understand that I work better when I'm alone. This wasn't some fucking team mission bullshit. If I had worked this case alone in the first place, I would have caught on the trap, but I made a stupid mistake in involving you.

[ He really thought it would easy enough that Badou could get a pay day and that shit just blew right up in his face. ]

And I only did that because you constantly complain that you never get paid for the work that you do with your partner! There's nothing martyr about this shit. I tried to clean up a fucking mess and fell into a trap. There's nothing I can do about it now. So what the fuck do you want from me, Badou? Why are you so goddamn triggered that you can't fucking let it go?

[ Even his siblings weren't on his ass this much or least not right off the bat. He knows he's going to get plenty of more lectures once he's actually healed. ]

[brokeassgoing]

[it's you, Five, you're the one being thick, it's you. always. he slaps a hand against the bed, the emphasis it brings isn't what it'd be if this were a table or anything, but still. there's fire in his eye.]

You don't work better on your own, you've gotten your own ass shot up by yourself-- and then there's no one to back you up! I want you to allow yourself to have back up, Five! That's what I freaking want!

[it isn't even about the money. it was never about the money at all-- sure, he'd love to get paid more, this was nearly professional and all.]

You're a martyr because you think you need to solve everything on your own. Even if it's your own shit, it doesn't matter!

[oldmanfive]

I'm nearly sixty fucking years old, Badou. [ He snaps, before letting out a frustrated sigh. ] All of you are still so young. You all got your whole lives ahead of you. [ He pauses as he reaches over to grip Badou's shirt. ]

Well you would if you weren't so determined to go get yourself killed on a revenge quest. [ Though he doesn't have enough strength to keep his grasp, so he lets his arm drop back down as he looks up at the ceiling. ] This is just borrowed time, I'm living on. Sooner or later, my past is going to catch up with me. And there is nothing you or my siblings can do about that.

[brokeassgoing]

[he peers down at Five's hand at his shirt, at the retreating strength as he lets go. rage still teems within him because he hates this. he hates this so much!]

So you're old as shit, we'll put you in a home then! You don't have to go out like Lassie, you little ass. So what if we're young! We young whippersnappers wanna spend our lives helping you out.

Watch us do something about it. Watch us.

[oldmanfive]

[ Five tiredly glances over to Badou at the way he says 'we' and 'us'. ]

Yeah? That's going to require you to be around, Badou. You can't ask me to stop doing things on my own and then turn around and do the same fucking thing yourself.

[brokeassgoing]

[its still strange to think of people he didn't grow up with actually giving a crap about him...he waves a hand dismissively]

That's something I'm still figuring out. I'll cross that bridge when I get there. I'm not the one doing things on my own right now.

[oldmanfive]

[ Five just shakes his head as his gaze returns to the ceiling. ]

What's done is done, Badou. I can't change it and I can't make promises that I'm not sure I can keep. I could tell you all what you want to hear but I would just be outright lying if I did. [ It's a sad admission but he makes it nonetheless. He looks back toward Badou. ] I'm sorry I made you worry...I'll try to ask for help but I can't guarantee that I always will.

[brokeassgoing]

You should maybe keep these promises! If you don't wanna die that badly, at least. Don't lie. Don't be a little asshole and just run off. Gurantee! You can be counted on all the time, so why can't you just slow down??

[he doesn't want the apology, the sad admission, he just wants Five to be okay]

[oldmanfive]

Give it a rest, Badou. [ He sighs with the adrenaline wearing off he's feeling so tired again.] I'm not going to promise anything. Besides, do I look like I'll be running off anytime soon?

[ He asks with a grimace as the pain is also letting itself be known again. ] I think I need Grace.

[ He says as he could really use another dose of pain medication. ]

[brokeassgoing]

[he also sighs. rakes his fingers through his hair.

then gets up]

I'll go get her. Be back in a sec.

[and turns to go fetch her without a backwards glance]

[oldmanfive]

[ Oh Five, why must you be so difficult? Dolores asks with a sigh, but Five chooses to ignore her as every bruise, cut and mark on his body throbs and aches.

Meanwhile Grace is one flight downstairs at her charging station, knitting something, while lets Five and Badou have some privacy to work out their difference. She does have an internal alarm set to check on Five to make sure he is getting his medications and what not. ]

[brokeassgoing]

[he does a full circlet upstairs before he runs into her upon going downstairs-- whatever this is. he knows she's a robot but uh. did not expect her to actually be plugged in. it makes sense! but he just stares, dumbfounded for a full second before he blurts out--]

I didn't do anything-- but Five needs your presence.

[oldmanfive]

[ Grace glances up at Badou and merely nods as she puts her knitting aside and disengages herself. ]

Of course, dear.</>

[ She gets up and heads toward the stairs to the upper dormitory rooms and makes a beeline to Five's room, trusting that Badou isn't far behind her. As she steps into the room, she frowns upon seeing Five looking paler and sweaty. She closes the distance and places a hand on his forehead. ]

Oh sweetheart. You're running another fever.

Huuurts.

[ He mutters softly, sounding like the young boy he looks like. Grace pulls a capped syringe from her apron pocket and injects it into the IV bag, before adjusting the drip to move a little faster. She runs her fingers through his hair, brushing it off his forehead.]

It'll be okay, dear. Just get some rest.

[ She glances over to Badou. ]

You can stay if you'd like, but it is only a matter of time before he falls asleep again.

[brokeassgoing]

[he also appreciates that she took his word for it that this isn't his fault or anything. what a wonderful mom. with the good stuff and taking people's word for what it is. amazing.

he scoots his chair closer to Five's bedside and props his elbow on the edge of the bed, leaning into his hand as he watches.]

Mmm. I'll keep him company, don't worry.

[this...debate? this argument is over for now. but he has the feeling they'll both be fighting to not bring it up again later.]

[oldmanfive]

[ Five groans in spite of himself as Grace urges him to drink some more water before she leaves him to rest. She readjusts his covers, and then turns on heel to leave him and Badou alone again. Though she pauses to rest a hand on Badou's shoulder. ]

Be sure to get some rest yourself. You are still healing too.

[ She advises and then she is out the door again. Five lies against the pillow, feeling like he's been hit by a truck. He holds his midsection as his ribs were still bruised and tender and all the arguing earlier has definitely put stress on them.]

Plan on lecturing more...?

[ He asks Badou with a bit of slur to his words. ]