[log] five in a bed [closed]

[armoured]

Characters: Alphonse, Clint, Tony, Ecks, and Natasha
Location: building 97
Date: Night of 188
Summary: Al collides with Clint and co.
Warnings: Descriptions of severe malnutrition.

[A standard two-story house with an attic. The first floor has a kitchen, living room, and dining room, while the second floor has two bedrooms and a bathroom. The attic's roof has collapsed and can't be accessed at night. During the night, footsteps can be heard in the attic. "@winston, third day. Someone is in the attic." is written on the wall in pink gel pen. "ALPHONSE ELRIC, STEPHANIE BROWN, FREYA CRESCENT, GREED, EDWARD ELRIC, BIFF, RHYS, DAY FIFTY, TRAVELLING SOUTH-EAST" is carved into the wall. "SHEENA FUJIBAYASHI, ZELOS WILDER, DAY 058, HEADING NORTH" is written on the wall.]

Comments

[armoured]

[Al is there first, not sure whether he'll actually manage to meet with Clint and the others today but unable to go any further. His lungs hurt from gasping down the cold air and his whole body is shaking from the effort of forcing atrophied muscles to work.

But, god, he's so happy too. The pain of it all, even as much as it nearly makes him cry, is magnificent. The sensation, the beautiful and perfect sensation, real pain for his real body. He'll treasure it for as long as he's allowed to endure it.

He's got his old coat swaddled around him like a blanket, legs bare so that he can clean his feet up as best he can, when the others arrive. He turns his head up as soon as the door opens and grins widely.]

You're here! I'm so glad to see you.

[definingfuture]

Al?

[There's surprise written all over Tony's face when he comes in. He tends to be easy to read, at least emotionally, and seeing a young man in front of them looking thin and under-dressed instead of the familiar gray of the armor completely catches him off guard.]

[armoured]

[Of all of them, he's expecting Tony to be least surprised because he actually knows the story behind his armour. But he keeps forgetting how shocking his real body can look.]

Mm.

[He doesn't try and get up, but he does wave one stick thin arm goofily.]

Don't just stand there, you're letting all the cold air in.

[definingfuture]

Alphonse.

[He recognizes what this is, but he was surprised to actually see him. Once Al speaks up he walks in briskly, taking off his jacket as he does and putting it around the one Al has on to add another layer.]

Well, you sure know how to pull a reveal, kid. Are you okay? When did you last eat?

[armoured]

[He nestles into the extra layer looking ridiculous with those stick thin arms poking out of the ends of the sleeves.]

About ten minutes ago.

[He smiles, a little awkward.]

It's not as bad as it look.

[definingfuture]

You- you look fine. Are you sure you're okay? You need more layers.

[He's gentle, but still concerned.]

How did this happen?

[armoured]

[He snorts, that terrible compliment breaking the tension a bit.]

It's okay, you don't have to pretend I look fine.

[Tony is nice, though.]

It's-- well, you know there's a price for reviving, right? I guess this is mine.

[definingfuture]

[Al calls it a price and for a moment Tony just crouches there, trying to process this. Losing his armored body and being stranded like this is, yes, a kind of price, and terrible if he really thinks about it. Returning to being human is the payment the system processed?

He can't take it. He pulls Al forward into a light, quick hug.]

I'm glad you came back.

[armoured]

[The surprise of the gesture means he doesn't even move his arms to hug back until after Tony has moved away, brain taking too long to catch up with the sensation of an embrace.]

I'm--

[Not. But that's only half true.]

I'm here, so I'll do the best I can with this second chance.

[awwnoun]

[ Clint waits a while for Tony to finish talking and fussing with Al first before he goes for it. He puts his stuff down and away, makes sure that his clothes are reasonably dry, and then pulls off the bright purple choir robes and scoots on over to Al, reaching out a hand as if to pull him up. ]

Up you go, kiddo, you're wearing these for the night. [ He's concerned about the warmth and food thing first. Then he can kind of just get used to Al not being a suit of armor. ] I've got food and water too, you can pick whatever you want.

[armoured]

[It's so good to see Clint in person, and the smile he has on his face hurts his cheeks for how wide it is. That, in itself, makes him smile all the wider because it's been so long since he'd smiled as wide as that.

He reaches out to take Clint's hand, needing the help to lift himself up from where he's been sat. He's used up all his strength and more getting here.]

Wow, those are-- pretty purple.

[Not that he's complaining.]

Thank you so much, Clint. I really appreciate you coming to help me, you've probably saved my life.

[awwnoun]

[ He helps Al into the robes, and makes sure that he's all wrapped up nice and warm. He smiles a little himself at the look on Al's face. It's sweet. ]

At least I can save someone's. [ Clint says, reaching to ruffle Al's hair a bit. ] I'm glad you're okay. Really, really glad. How are your feet? I'm sure I've got something that can function as bandages.

[ MOM MODE ACTIVATE. ]

[armoured]

[Unfortunately for Clint, ruffling his hand into Al's hair only makes pieces of it break off. It's so brittle after years of no nourishment whatsoever, it's why his long nails are already chipped as well.

At least Al doesn't seem to care when Clint gets fingers full of golden hair.]

They're kind of cut up, I didn't realise walking on the snow would hurt so much. I had fabric wrapped around them, but it didn't help much.

[awwnoun]

[ WAH. Clint is - bothered by this, but he's glad that Al doesn't seem to be. Clint pauses, and then with a somewhat distressed expression, sits Al down. ]

Yeah, that's what happens when you walk on practically ice, man. You're in terrible condition, the snow's not doing wonders for you. Here. [ And Clint lowers himself down on the couch next to Al, slowly. He's really trying not to wince, but it hurts. Deep breath. Then he digs in his bag for food. ]

What do you want? You need to eat something. Slowly.

[armoured]

[It hurts to see the distress in Clint's expression. He knows he looks bad, but he feels as if he must look ten times worse when people give him those sort of looks that blend concern with fear or sympathy.

His body might be atrophied but his mind isn't, eyes sharp on Clint as he sits so slowly and with an almost concealed wince.]

Are you okay?

[Food can wait a moment.]

Are you hurt?

[awwnoun]

[ Clint sighs heavily. Here it goes. ]

No, I'm fine. It's not anything anybody can fix, I've just got that poisoning thing going on. The MN stuff. NM? Whatever. [ He rubs at his wrists. ] I'm not in danger of freezing or starving to death. You are.

[armoured]

[His eyebrows shoot up at that sigh.]

I'm asking because I'm concerned, Clint, because we're friends. Not because I want to fix you, or I think you can't handle what's happening.

[Don't be so defensive.]

We promised to support each other, remember? I can worry about you while you help me.

[ecks]

[Ecks isn't particularly well acquainted with Al to begin with, so she has spent much of the evening in a state of mild confusion over who this emaciated boy is and why he is half naked if he has been here so long.

She happens by him again later, when she's wandering the house in search of useful things, listening for the thing in the attic. She pauses, yellow eyes trained on him.]

Why do you not have shoes?

[armoured]

[He doesn't really know who she is either, but at least he manages not to look particularly bothered by her odd appearance.]

Uh--

[He glances down at his feet as if they'll give him the answer.]

I just didn't have any with me when I... came back.

[ecks]

Did you have shoes before?

[Nosy golem is nosy.]

When I died, all of my things were with me when I woke up again.

[armoured]

The-- outfit I was wearing was my loss, the price they took from me.

[That's kind of, sort of, technically true.]

[ecks]

That is a very hard loss. When I died I only lost language. I did not need language to survive. Did the others bring shoes for you?

[armoured]

No, but Mr. Barton said he's going to carry me when we move off tomorrow.

[ecks]

That is a good solution. My name is Ecks. You are Al?

[armoured]

Mm, it's actually Alphonse, but you can call me Al.

[He's seen her name around the network before, but they've just never seemed to interact.]

It's really nice to meet you, Ecks, have you been travelling with Mr. Barton for long?