Caritas, Sunday

[suitably_heroic]

With Sparkle still off on his island-escape, Atton hadn't really made much of an effort to be back on the island early, this week. There were only so many hours you could spend watching House Hunters without starting to think about vague plans he'd promised Sia he wouldn't even think about. Better to keep busy, save some kids here, cool some heads there...

The kolto patch slapped over his forehead was by far not the worst thing he'd ever shown up to work with, so he rolled his eyes at Tino's concerned look as he got in, slapped something about lemons up on the specials board, and went behind the counter.

Left, came back with a stool, sat down behind the counter. He was almost over that light concussion, thank you.

[[ open ]]

Comments

[notconflicted]

Sia was actually making a concentrated effort to be better about taking breaks from work for her own sanity.

Which meant she got bored.

How are things there?

[suitably_heroic]

Quiet, if you ignore the underwater hellscape outside, Atton texted, rubbing at his forehead. Which I'm happy to do right now.

[notconflicted]

Are you still flooded?

She'd missed so much.

[suitably_heroic]

Nah, we're in some underwater place now. Think Manaan, Atton texted. Except if the gangs took over.

[notconflicted]

Ah, so the island's having fun with you.

[suitably_heroic]

I don't know, I just got here, Atton admitted. It's been a long week.

[notconflicted]

Hearing that from him never seemed to be a surprise.

What's going on?

[suitably_heroic]

Hostage situation, some kids. Sorry if I blank out on this, but I'm still working off the concussion.

[notconflicted]

I'm going to put you in bubble wrap one of these days. Do you want me to leave you alone for now?

[suitably_heroic]

Atton would have argued with the bubble wrap, but it was hard to do so with someone who had seen all of his scars... at least twice.

No, it's fine. Sparkle's on vacation, it's too quiet.

No action, and no one around the island he particularly wanted to spend time with. It was not a great recipe for his brain, concussed or no.

[notconflicted]

Sia considered that a moment, and then dialed him up instead. Actually talking was less quiet.

[suitably_heroic]

It was also less of a strain on Atton's aching eyeballs, so that was appreciated.

"Hey," he answered, bringing the phone up to his ear.

[notconflicted]

"Hi. I don't often hear about hellscapes being too quiet," she greeted him.

[suitably_heroic]

"I mean, I can sense whatever's left of the humans out there running around and jumping up and down on my brain," Atton offered. "So not literally quiet, I guess, just kind of..."

He waved a hand, realized she couldn't see it, shrugged, realized she also couldn't see it, and gave up.

"...You know."

[notconflicted]

"I get it," she said. "How long are you in Fandom for, with the concussion?"

[suitably_heroic]

"Probably just until Tuesday," Atton said, rubbing his forehead. "No real point in staying here, but I'm not going to give Mical the satisfaction of me not taking the bare minimum in days off I forced him to give me."

[notconflicted]

"You're welcome to come out here, you know," Sia offered. "Actually recover before getting shot at again."

[suitably_heroic]

"It's... nice of you to offer," Atton said, after a long pause. "But I'm not really a court person, Si, you know that."

[notconflicted]

"I'm on Bastion, on one of those breaks you're always telling me to take," she said, smiling a little. "No court here. You don't have to, I just don't want you to get worse."

[suitably_heroic]

Atton looked up at the ceiling for a while.

Honestly, his first instinct was always going to be running away, or at least withdrawing into his own head. There wasn't anything directly stopping him from doing that right now, not with Sparkle gone.

He knew it was a bad impulse. He knew he shouldn't. But it was strong.

"If I'm still watching colors swim by tomorrow night, I'll think about it."

It was as close as he was able to wrestle his worst angels.

[notconflicted]

"That's all I ask," Sia said. "Where is Sparkle?"

Since she expected him to be the one saying what she was.

[suitably_heroic]

"The planet's whole travelling kind of got to him," Atton said. "He took off with his boyfriend to... Mexico? I think? Started as a week, turned into three, go figure."

He was not at all abusing the opportunity to go back into a sad hermit spiral.

[notconflicted]

"And you're still coming back on weekends?"

Sia didn't particularly like the idea of Atton coming back every week just to deal with Fandom acting up and then leaving again.

[suitably_heroic]

"I mean, I promised him I'd be around more," Atton said, a little awkward. "Don't want him coming back to an empty apartment."

Beat.

"Please ignore how pathetic that sounds."

[notconflicted]

"That's not pathetic. It's actually sweet."

Which was probably a better word than 'cute.'

[suitably_heroic]

"Kill me now," Atton retorted.

[notconflicted]

"Absolutely not," Sia smiled. "You're allowed your moments."

[suitably_heroic]

"I do not have moments," Atton said. "I'm a tough, hardass Jedi who saves small children from very bad guys and looks extremely attractive and manly doing so. There's no time for moments!"

Also that would involve admitting to feeling more alone than usual and that was just not going to happen.

[notconflicted]

"And if I said that those moments just enhance the extreme attractiveness?" Sia asked.

[suitably_heroic]

"Yes. Well. No!"

[notconflicted]

"Oh. Well, that's too bad, then," she teased.