Re: Polo and Dreameh's fanfic RP... ;D Jimmy/Kougu [Probably mature]

[Dreambug]

For a moment Kougu looked spaced out, like he wasn't quite focusing on Jimmy's face but something beyond him. Then he seemed to realise what Jimmy had said, and snapped back to the present again. “I'm awake.” He assured him, but it wasn't what Jimmy was asking. “I'm not dying. Just tired.”
“Really?” Jimmy replied sarcastically, glancing at Kougu then back on the road. “Because you look like death.”
There was a long silence as Kougu considered this. Jimmy pulled them down onto a quieter road, and took his chance to bring up the speed. As far as he knew there were no cameras, and the sooner Kougu got there the better.
Just then, Kougu started coughing violently beside him, causing him to jump in fright and the car to nearly miss the next corner. The coughs were gruff, like they were coming straight from the base of his lungs, and he knew then that there was something seriously wrong.
“I think I've punctured a lung.”
“What?!” Jimmy exclaimed at the front window. The bastard! How could he not have noticed?
“I expect the force of the bullet-” Kougu tried to explain, then doubled over and began to choke. Jimmy only noticed then that Kougu was coughing up blood constantly, and although he'd not vomited yet, it was going to happen sooner or later.
Tensing his fists around the steering wheel, he slammed the accelerator down.
“"Are we nearly there?”
“Don't start that.” Jimmy half begged, staring wide-eyed at the road. He was trying his utmost best to keep himself together. I'm gunna lose him again... Just when I need him most... When we need each other most. He's gunna die before I-
“It seems I- I'm not doing so well after all...”
“No sh*t, Sherlock!” Jimmy snapped furiously, feeling his breathing become rapid. The pressure and the fear he'd been holding back from being arrested, and listening to his friend being tortured on the other side of the wall was creeping up on him. But this wasn't the time. If he panicked now it was likely they would crash, and that would definitely be lethal to Kougu as well as him.
“Listen...” He gasped, running a hand through his hair. “Just... Tell me what to do when we get home. Tell me how to treat it. To keep you alive.”
He flashed a glance in Kougu's direction, noticing how weak he now looked.
“Kougu!” He roared. “Tell me what to do!”

[Polo trapped in an inkpot]

Kougu flinched at Jimmy's waspish retort, peering over at him with slight trepidation. Even when he was struggling to breathe and overcome with pain, he still couldn't handle being snapped at. “Listen...”[/i[ Jimmy's voice calmed, just a little, and in return, Kougu allowed himself to relax. The moment he did, his focus began to dwindle. [u]“Just... Tell me what to do when we get home. Tell me how to treat it. To keep you alive.”
Jimmy's face began to blur, and his words  became muffled to Kougu's ears, as though he was speaking from underwater. Vague and unfocused, Kougu struggled to formulate a response, but he couldn't think through the throbbing pain that engulfed him. After a few moments, he seemed to forget what he was thinking about, and the lines of his young face tightened as another jolt of pain shot through him.
“Kougu!" He jumped at the sudden shout, hitting his head on the roof of the car, and flinched away from Jimmy as thought struck by a physical blow, “Tell me what to do!”
"I d-don't know!" He stammered in a panic, his wide eyes fixed anxiously on Jimmy. He was trembling from the fright of the shout , but the forcefulness of Jimmy's tone bullied his wandering mind into concentration, and with his mind as focused as he could get it, he attempted top choke out a passable response.
"The bullet needs to be removed," He answered factually, as though reading from a textbook, "Then the wound will need to be cleaned and bandaged - I wouldn't stitch it after it's had a foreign object inside for so long, I expect I'll only run a higher risk of infection then. There's not much that can be done about the lung if it is punctured, but I hope that it will heal on its own, as long as we don 't allow it to collapse..." He paused a moment, thinking, then continued, "I suppose I'll have to stay still for a while, and keep my upper body upright so I don't drown in my own bl-" He broke off suddenly , then spun around in his seat, and slammed a hand onto the window-opener button. Scrabbling to the edge of the open window, he flung his whole head out, and retched violently, bringing up a sickening mouthful of precious life blood, which splattered the dark asphalt of the road behind them as they raced on into the night. 
He hung out of the window, pale and trembling, and  mumbled weakly as his vision began to blur, "I also probably need more... Blood..."
The last word came more like a breath, for suddenly, he grew unbearably lightheaded, and the world spun violently around him. For a second he felt frightfully ill, then his vision blurred further, and he fainted on the spot, his entire upper body hanging out of the window, pale fingers tapping against the side of the car every time it went over a bump. His skin was ashen, and he was cold as death. A quick glance would tell that he'd been dead for a week, but resilient as ever, he hung on despite the odds. He had promised, after all. The problem was, with a distinct shortage of blood in his burning veins, that promise was becoming more and more difficult to keep...

[Dreambug]

“I d-don't know!” Kougu bellowed pathetically in a moment of panic, but Jimmy's order seemed to be getting his thoughts back together again before he could pass out. Then, before Jimmy would shout at him again, he began to explain.
“The bullet needs to be removed. Then the wound will need to be cleaned and bandaged - I wouldn't stitch it after it's had a foreign object inside for so long, I expect I'll only run a higher risk of infection then. There's not much that can be done about the lung if it is punctured, but I hope that it will heal on its own, as long as we don 't allow it to collapse...”
“C-collapse?” Jimmy stuttered, feeling faint at the word. He could almost envision this lung going flat and deflating like a popped balloon and then there'd be nothing they could do. He wouldn't be able to handle that. He wasn't trained in first aid, and honestly, he had no idea what to do, even with this direction.
“I suppose I'll have to stay still for a while, and keep my upper body upright so I don't drown in my own bl-” Kougu cut off, just in time for him to leap half-way out the car to vomit blood onto the road. In his horror Jimmy slammed on the breaks and pulled the car to the side, then watched from behind as Kougu murmured something and went completely limp, half hanging out the window. It was a miracle he'd managed to stay in after the force of the car stopping, but when he passed out he ended up hanging from the waist out the window. Swearing loudly Jimmy reached sideways and grabbed both of Kougu's legs and yanked him back onto the seat in the car. Blood trickled down Kougu's mouth as if he'd just come from some cheap vampire film, and his eye lids had drooped. He looked barely alive.
“Right. That's it.” Jimmy told himself firmly, swivvelling the car around in a quick U-turn, then sped back u the motorway at lightning speed. “I'm taking you to the hospital.”
He couldn't deal with this on his own. There was no way he was putting Kougu's life in his hands and treat a gun shot wound when he didn't even know how to treat a nettle sting.
“And I swear to Christ, mate, if you die, I'll f*cking kill you.”

If Kougu had had any objections left in him when they reached the hospital Jimmy just ignored him. Kougu was now far too unconscious to notice, and when Jimmy scooped he man up in his arms and paraded into the hospital reception the bright lights and loud commotions wasn't enough to rouse Kougu.
“He's been shot.” Jimmy told the nearest Doctor. “Punctured a lung, I think. It was a robbery in the inner city. He passed out around seven minutes ago.”
Just then a stretcher appeared to take Kougu away to the operation table, and the receotionist warned Jimmy that he was not inclined to wait outside the operation room if he wasn't a family member. But when he told the receptionist that he'd be paying for the operation she was a little less reluctant to keep him there, so he followed the stretcher at a brisk walk, praying to whoever would listen that his friend would make it out alive. And hopefully, when Kougu finally awoke, he wouldn't turn into a crazy mass murderer like he had attempted before.

[Polo trapped in an inkpot]

Once Kougu had passed out, that was it. He resurfaced from it occasionally on the drive to the hospital, but even when consciousness tossed his wounded mind about, it was obvious that he was not with it. The most sense he uttered was delirious babble, and by the time they reached the hospital, even that had ceased.
Barely more than a skeleton with a half-beating heart, Kougu's lifeless form was scooped into Jimmy's arms, and flopped like a ragdoll, limbs hanging down weakly as his friend hurried him into the hospital.
He opened his eyes as they dropped him onto the stretcher, but even though he saw the white fluorescent lights above him, his mind did not compute. For a second he watched them pass by in a blur, heard the distant din of shouting voices around him, and then darkness closed in again, and his last sense of the living world was the sound of the OR door closing behind him.

The operation itself took nearly six hours. As the surgeon would later explain, the force of the gunshot had shattered Kougu's lower rib, and cracked another two. Shards of bone littered his insides like broken glass, and as Kougu had originally feared, one such shard had punctured his lung. The situation was deadly, and halfway through, the attending physician dashed out to call for a specialist. And when he arrived, even he had his doubts. Still, with Kougu's vitals surprisingly steady, the team pressed on. They pumped the blood from his lungs, then delicately stitched up the internal laceration, and prayed that it would hold. The residents on call took over to pick the bone shards from the wound, and repair any remaining damage to the gut. At last, midway through the following day, they closed up the incision, and Kougu was wheeled into the ICU, attached to a morphine drip, and with several bags of blood following him around on their own IV drips. They left him in the corner of the room, and put up screens around his bed, then left him to his own devices, to heal or to die as he saw fit. 

Once Kougu was stable, it was up to the Medical Doctors to take care of him. As it turned out, the Attending on call was one Dr. Russel, a middle aged man with a wealth of experience who was so married to his job that the bags under his bloodshot grey eyes had become a permanent part of his identity. His bony finger boasted no wedding ring, and his silver-brown hair was starting to thin above a set of square, black-rimmed glasses. His white coat was loose around his shoulders, but he donned it like a hero's cloak as he strode briskly into the ICU, parting interns around him like the red sea. It was he who performed Kougu's evaluation, and after he did, the first thing he did was to storm off in search of the dishonest chump who'd claimed that the patient was shot in some 'robbery'.
"Hey," He barked as he entered the waiting room, finding an unfamiliar blonde-haired figure slumped in a chair. "Are you James Mackintosh? ((...Right? XD )) You need to come with me."
He lead Jimmy into a private room nearby, then moved his glasses, and dropped his clipboard on a table. "Have a seat." He said, gesturing to a chair as he sat down on the bed, "I'm going to need you to tell me the truth about your friend in there."
From there, the doctor went on to explain how the gunshot wound was just one of the injuries that his patient had suffered. He mentioned the lashes - perhaps from a bull whip - then went on to comment on what he described as 'so many damn scars, the kid might as well have been Frankenstein's monster'. He couldn't trace the source of all of them, but he mentioned several old bullet wounds, and wondered out loud how the Hell Kougu was still breathing.
"I understand you're just the one who brought him in," Russel admitted with a sigh, "But I have a feeling that there's more to this case than you've let on, and as a Doctor, I feel morally obligated to ask." He drew in a deep breath, "If you know anything that could affect his treatment, then please, let me know. You understand there's such a thing as Doctor-Patient confidentiality, and as far as I'm concerned, all that matters is the welfare of my patient. Just consider that."

Once the discussion had drawn to a close, Dr. Russel left Jimmy alone, and headed off to the cafeteria for a late lunch. Kougu, meanwhile, remained unconscious in his bed, but the peace was not to last long. Resilient as ever, he was barely three hours out of the anaesthetic by the time his subconscious began to stir, urging him toward consciousness once again.

[Dreambug]

Jimmy was not informed about the operation, but he was aware that whatever damage had been done would need to be sorted out immediately. Throughout the operation time and all through the next day Jimmy didn't leave the hospital and barely left the waiting room outside the operation room. His reasons were simple, that he didn't trust that these Doctors wouldn't wheel Kougu to the secret police behind his back, but One could argue he was in fact worried about Kougu, about him dying and about Jimmy being left alone in a country where he would soon be hunted like a criminal.
As the hours went by Jimmy became restless, and he stocked up on coffee shots like an alcoholic to vodka and avoided sleep like the plague.
This was why, when the Doctor finally found him slumped in the waiting room, he was far less reluctant to give away a little bit of information.

Doctor Russel guided him to a quiet room just down the corridor. If Jimmy had been a little more awake he would have paid more attention to the aspects of the room, such as hidden cameras, but the fatigue had taken it's toll on him by this point. He was ready to go to bed.
The Doctor explained Kougu's injuries, saying that the broken bones in his chest had shattered and punctured his lung, and that it was a wonder Kougu was still alive. Still, Kougu was that sort of guy. He tended to cheat death a Hell of a lot, by the sound of it.
But then the Doctor mentioned the lashes all over Kougu's body, and Jimmy felt his heart stop for a single moment. He'd not thought through the lie that they'd been mugged and now Dr. Russel knew something was wrong.
“I understand you're just the one who brought him in.” The Doctor explained. “But I have a feeling that there's more to this case than you've let on, and as a Doctor, I feel morally obligated to ask. If you know anything that could affect his treatment, then please, let me know. You understand there's such a thing as Doctor-Patient confidentiality, and as far as I'm concerned, all that matters is the welfare of my patient. Just consider that.”
With his lack of sleep and constant worry for his friend's life, Jimmy was done with keeping a secret. So in his fatigued state he placed his head in his hands and explained what had happened.
He left out the confidential details, such as who it was who had captured them, but he was honest when he said Kougu had been tortured for information and no doubt they were going to use the same treatment on Jimmy if they hadn't escaped.
The Doctor was as sympathetic as he could probably muster after however many hours he'd been working, and after warning Jimmy that Kougu would take more than usual to wake up – if he ever managed to wake up – and left Jimmy in the waiting room as he went to get his food.

This news shook Jimmy up enough to snap him out of his tiredness, and the thought that there was a possibility that Kougu could never wake up hit him hard. He realised then what he'd have to take on, that he could possibly spend the rest of his life on the run and he would never be able to go home and see his family. There would be no way he'd manage to assassinate the President on his own.
Quietly, Jimmy got to his feet and walked shakily to the nearest lavatory. Then, and only then, did he let the severity of his fear be released. He screamed and cursed and lashed out at the walls. He cried, roared and punched at anything he could touch. But this soon drained his energy, and after over an hour of releasing his panic and fury, he found himself curled up in a ball with his knees pulled to his chest and stared tearfully at the opposite wall with bruised, grazed knuckles bleeding down his hands.
But soon enough he realised how toried he was and that had manipulated his actions somewhat. So, with this in mind he splashed his face, erased any evidence of his angry tears and washed his hands.
A nurse had heard his racket and firmly told him he needed bandages. He had no objections as she treated his pathetic wounds, then let him off to find somewhere to rest.
During his moment of panic he had gained access to Kougu's room, and that was the first place he headed.

Kougu looked horrible, but far more alive than he had done when Jimmy had first brought him in. He pulled up a chair and leant against Kougu's bed. He might have said something, but the chances awere that he was so tired they had lost their meaning, and ended up being nothing but mindless babble. However, his arrival was the last thing he remembered before falling asleep.

He awoke up to a moving pillow, and jerked his head up in fright. When he took a minute to realise where he was, Jimmy realised with a blush of his cheeks that he had actually fallen asleep with his brow resting against Kougu's thigh.
“I... Um...” He croaked, then sat up to rub the back of his neck. It had been an unbelievably uncomfortable position to sleep in and odds are he'd feel the pain for a few days afterwards.
“I was resting my head. I wasn't asleep.” He told himself robotically, as if he had to give an excuse for accidentally falling asleep on Kougu's body. He then realised Kougu's dark eyes set weakly on him, and suddenly the pressure became too much.
The pressure of the gaze, that is.
Jimmy narrowed his eyes. “You!” He snapped, pointing his finger accusingly in Kougu's direction. He looked like he was scolding a child. “Don't you ever do that to me again. You year? Seriously...” With a faint huff, Jimmy crossed his arms over his chest and leant back in his chair like a rebeliious teenager. He then yanked his hood over his face. No reason to show Kougu that he was blushing. “You know how long I've been waiting here? Actually, no you don't. Because you nearly died on me and went all comatose.”
Jimmy went quiet for a moment as he remembered how he had behaved earlier, and glanced down at his bandaged knuckles. What an idiot.
He looked away in a sulky fashion, then let his gaze fall to the floor. “You scared me.”

[Polo trapped in an inkpot]

In his semi-conscious state, Kougu battled vivid, nightmarish images in his mind as he lay under the think hospital blanket, sweating and shaking as though from a fever. Despite his wounds, the nightmares kept him tossing and turning, and it was not long until the pain and the panic roused him, and his glassy eyes shot open. The first thing he saw was the eerie whiteness of the light overhead, and in an instant, his head was pounding. Each painful pulse brought a multitude of bright purple dots glowing before his eyes, and when he tried to move his limbs, the only reaction they gave him was an overpowering feeling of pins and needles. He clenched his jaw, gritting his teeth against the horrible sensation, and scrunched his eyes tightly closed, desperate to once again escape his senses... But it was no use. The moment darkness closed around him, the world of sound came to life. He heard dripping, bubbling and beeping. Here a paper rustled, and there a pen dropped. Each sound echoed off the cold tile floors, and the bare white walls. The place reeked of chemicals and medicine; so goddamn clean that it made him feel filthy by comparison. Even before he opened his eyes, he knew where he was... And that knowledge alon e was enough to stab fear so deep into his heart that he felt his body grow cold throughout.
I'm in the hospital. Jimmy-
His eyes sprung open, searching instinctively for his partner, and as he propped himself weakly up on one elbow, he saw that Jimmy was, in fact, passed out over his lap. He looked fine. And in that case, Kougu was far from happy with him.
As he watched, Jimmy stirred, then sat up looking as if he'd just risen from the grave. “I was resting my head." He lied unconvincingly, "I wasn't asleep.”
"You were asleep." Kougu corrected automatically, not that it mattered. 
“You!” Suddenly, Jimmy took on an accusing tone, and Kougu flinched away like a beaten mutt, cowering timidly into the furthest corner of his bed, “Don't you ever do that to me again. You hear? Seriously...”
"W-what...?" He stammered, wide-eyed and stunned.  He was so rattled by Jimmy's outburst, he had actually managed to forget about the hospital entirely, "Do what? What did I do?"
Did I attack him? He thought with a sudden flash of panic, his eyes darting quickly over Jimmy, and noting his bandaged hands, Did I lose it when I blacked out like that?
"Jimmy, I-"
“You know how long I've been waiting here?" His friend demanded grumpily, looking every inch like a sulky teenager. Kougu fell hesitantly silent, wondering if perhaps he had the wrong end of the stick after all.
"Actually, no you don't. Because you nearly died on me and went all comatose.”
"Maybe I was just resting my head?" He muttered under his breath, looking away. It was unlike him to stand up for himself, but now that he was fairly certain he hadn't hurt Jimmy, he was beginning to feel rather peeved once again about the fact that he had been dragged into a hospital. A hospital full of innocent, sick people. Dying people. If Jimmy was trying to play God, then he was doing a damn lousy job of it. 
Kougu opened his mouth to mention this, but a second look at Jimmy rendered him speechless, and he slowly shut his mouth as he considered his friend, brows drawing together into a frown.  Jimmy looked more stressed than he'd ever seen him.
“You scared me.” He admitted at last, looking away.
Blinking in surprise, Kougu pulled away slightly, clearly taken aback by this confession. Jimmy, scared? Impossible. Scared for him? Even more so! Since when had anybody cared if he lived or died, except maybe for Charlie.
His eyes searched Jimmy's disheveled form uncertainly, and at last, he answered quietly, "Sorry."
A moment longer he studied Jimmy, then he swallowed anxiously and looked away, lifting himself carefully into a sitting position. Even with the morphine, his whole body ached, but Kougu did not show it. He looked as fit as he'd ever been, although his chart would claim that he was within an inch of his life.
"You shouldn't have brought me here." He muttered under his breath, looking anxiously around. His muscles were painfully tense, and his face was pinched with nerves. "I told you I'd be fine. Coming here..." He shuddered, then jumped as he heard a child cough one bed away, jerking up his head like an alert watchdog. He strained his ears to listen a moment longer, then shook his head.
"I need to get out of here." He decided firmly, plucking the IV from his arm, and kicking his legs over the side of the bed, even though he could feel them from the knees down. The heart monitor still attached to his chest began beeping more frantically, but Kougu disregarded it just as easily as he ignored the stabbing pains rocketing from his side. All he knew was that he had to get out, get away, before he did any more damage. A half-forgotten memory flashed through his mind, and he flinched, scrambling to his feet and grabbing shakily onto a bedpost to keep from collapsing. The world spun around him, faster, faster, blurring his vision and twisting his gut with nausea. He didn't trust himself to take a single step.

[Dreambug]

Jimmy didn't let himself see Kougu's reaction, but he heard the man mumble quietly ”Sorry” behind him, and this made him blush more. What a softie... Had he actually turned into an idiot, or did he seriously feel shy all of a sudden?
Sulking, Jimmy sank down in his seat, stretching his legs out well under the bed. He did then what he'd always done, and masked his feelings with a sulky expression, looking very much like a child who'd just been placed on the naughty step.
The bed creaked beside him, and he hesitantly raised his gaze to see Kougu sat up beside him. He looked uncomfortable, at best.
“You shouldn't have brought me here.” Jimmy frowned at him. He'd waited a day and a half for a decent 'hello' and that was what he got? “I told you I'd be fine. Coming here...” Kougu looked stressed now. “I need to get out of here.”
“You what?” Jimmy stared at him in disbelief as Kougu ripped the IV drip from his arm and struggled in an attempt to find his feet. Jimmy had stood up immediately, and blocked Kougu from going any further, although it seemed he probably wouldn't manage it anyway.
“Kougu? Kougu, listen to me.” Jimmy clicked his fingers in front of Kougu's face, like this was going to snap him out of his post-coma stupour. “Oi! You are only alive because I brought you here. Now, listen to me.” He placed a hand on Kougu's bony shoulder, applying some gentle pressure to guide him to sit back on the bed. “You just woke up from a huge operation. Now I know you don't like it here, and I won't argue with you. I'm just saying... Give yourself a few minutes to wake up. You do realise you've several broken ribs, a bullet wound and a pierced lung?” Jimmy raised an eyebrow. “I'm tired, and you're in no fit state to drive.” Releasing a sigh, Jimmy rubbed his eyes tiredly. “A few minutes. Please. Then I promise we'll leave.”

[Polo trapped in an inkpot]

“Kougu? Kougu, listen to me.” Jimmy has stepped out in front of him, but Kougu shook his head, attempting to push past. He didn't want to be there. He could hear a child crying down the hall, and the sound echoed tenfold in his mind, reminding him of a time better left forgotten. Again he tried to push forward, but then Jimmy's fingers snapped in his face, and Kougu blinked in surprise, his startled blue gaze automatically settling on Jimmy's face.
“Oi!" The other man said firmly, "You are only alive because I brought you here. Now, listen to me."
"But-" Kougu began objecting, but the light hand on his shoulder stopped him, and he fell reluctantly silent at the touch, shrinking obediently away from Jimmy, and hanging his head. For a moment longer he resisted, then his legs buckled, and he allowed himself to be pushed gently back onto the bed. He shiverred, rubbing the goosebumps from his bloodless arms.
“You just woke up from a huge operation." Jimmy reminded him matter-of-factly, "Now I know you don't like it here, and I won't argue with you. I'm just saying... Give yourself a few minutes to wake up. You do realise you've several broken ribs, a bullet wound and a pierced lung?”
"I know." He muttered, "But-" Jimmy raised an eyebrow at him, and Kougu fell silent, looking up at his friend in trepidation, like a guilty lapdog.
“I'm tired, and you're in no fit state to drive.” Jimmy pointed out, making far too much sense for Kougu's liking, “A few minutes. Please. Then I promise we'll leave.”
Part of him would have desperately loved to agree, but with the voices rising to a deafening cacophony in his brain, Kougu just shook his he ad rapidly, unwilling to accept his friend's proposal. "Do you know how much can happen in a few minutes?" He muttered weakly, staring off down the hall. The child's crying had stopped, and the silence was eerie. From somewhere far away, a woman let out a terrible, strangled yell  - raw with grief. Kougu shuddered, chilled to the bone by the sound alone. "You don't understand..." He muttered, then looked up at Jimmy, and snapped his fingers quietly, "That fast, they could all be dead. That fast-" A shiver wracked him, and he broke off, coughing weakly. He could only imagine how harmless he looked, hunched and trembling, on the brink of death. If only Jimmy understood...
"A few minutes is all it takes." He said solemnly, his whispered voice raw and hoarse, "You- All these people-" He started shaking in earnest now, rubbing his shoulders fervently. He was like a madman seeing ghosts, except his hosts were still very much alive, and all around him. "I can't be responsible for hurting someone I love. Not again, so please..."

[Dreambug]

Despite Jimmy's rather fair compromise, Kougu was certainly not convinced. He was highly troubled by the new surroundings, and although he was still recovering and was in no state to do anything, he was fairly convinced that he was going to hurt someone.
“Do you know how much can happen in a few minutes? You don't understand...”
Jimmy didn't realise the child's crying until it stopped, and it was soon to be replaced with the painful wail of a woman down the hall. Jimmy winced. Hospitals were never very pleasant places to be in.
Fingers snapped in front of his face, and he just stared tiredly at them as if they weren't there. “That fast, they could all be dead. That fast-” He broke off to cough, which shook his frail body almost in a jerked wave. If he'd been more awake, Jimmy would have scoffed at him. He wasn't capable of walking, never mind killing people, in this state. “A few minutes is all it takes. You- All these people-” He was shaking fervently now, and he looked utterly terrified. Jimmy couldn't really blame him, since he'd seen what Kougu could do on the brink of death. But still... If he left the hospital straight away there's a chance that he could deteriorate rapidly. There wasn't much of a choice, now. He needed to stay there, at least for a few more hours. But Jimmy couldn't just let him sit there and panic.
“I can't be responsible for hurting someone I love. Not again, so please...”
“Wait, what?” Jimmy scrunched his tired face into a frown. Had Kougu just used the 'L' word on him? Or was it just a slip of the tongue?
Shaking his head, Jimmy let it drop onto his hands and rubbed his eyes with his fists. There was no way he was fit to drive either. He'd barely had an hour's sleep, and he was on the midst of sleeping again.
“Listen. We can't leave yet, and you know why. You'll do something stupid, overestimate yourself and end up in a coma like last time. I'm not putting up with a scare like that.” He lifted his eyes and, noticing Kougu looking frantically around like an arachnophobic who'd just seen a spider disappear somewhere in the room, raised a finger and prodded him in the head. ((Itachi... )) “You. You are not well, and you are not leaving this hospital until I'm sure you're not going to die the minute you try to walk. Got it?”
Mostly because I'm tired and want another forty winks before we go anywhere.
Jimmy sighed into his palm. “I know you don't like it, and believe me I don't, either. But... Maybe we can get a nurse or someone to take you to a private room? I'm sure they'll have something soundproof. Maybe some sleep meds. That sound fair?” He asked, now struggling to keep his eyes open. He just wanted nothing more than to go to sleep by this point.
“Just for a couple of hours, if that. You need to recover, mate.”

[Polo trapped in an inkpot]

Kougu heard Jimmy scolding him as though from a distance, but he couldn't bring himself to listen until a finger prodded him sharply in the forehead. He blinked once, then crumpled onto the bed as though a switch had been flicked, calming himself and looking obediently up at Jimmy, ready to hear reason. Of course, whether or not he was willing to agree had yet to be seen. But for now, he had got a grip.
“You. You are not well," Jimmy informed him firmly, "And you are not leaving this hospital until I'm sure you're not going to die the minute you try to walk. Got it?"
Eyebrows drawing together in a frown, he glanced away, rubbing his arm absently. With those fierce eyes in his face, he desperately wanted to agree, but he just couldn't bring himself to do it. Why couldn't Jimmy understand? He couldn't stay in the hospital. He just couldn't...
"Jimmy," He objected softly, "I just-"
“I know you don't like it," His friend cut him off, "And believe me I don't, either. But... Maybe we can get a nurse or someone to take you to a private room? I'm sure they'll have something soundproof. Maybe some sleep meds. That sound fair?”
Kougu looked dubiously at Jimmy, but considered his suggestion reluctantly. He still didn't like it, but in a private room, he supposed he could probably keep himself under control. At least, he hoped as much... And there was no denying the truth in what Jimmy said; he was not well. In fact, it was a wonder he was able to keep his eyes open in his pitiful state.
"I don't know..." He mumbled, glancing anxiously toward the door.
“Just for a couple of hours, if that. You need to recover, mate." Jimmy pressed, and another glance at his friend showed Kougu the bags below his eyes, and the dark rings underneath. Just like that, his decision suddenly became a thousand times easier to make. Jimmy needed to recover, too.
"Okay," He agreed at last, sighing heavily, "I guess you're right that I can't walk out in this state, so I'll stay..." He started scratching at his head again, clearly growing anxious, "Just as long as you'll keep me in check, in case I..." He trailed off, swallowing nervously, and cast another miserable glance over the ICU.
"I don't trust myself in these places." He concluded grimly, snatching up the loose, dripping end of his IV, and calmly reattaching it to his arm. He felt instantly better.

True to his word, Jimmy managed to organize a private room, and the two were shepherded in there a few minutes later. Kougu insisted on walking despite the nurse's strong objections, and he was pleased to find himself completely worn out by the time he collapsed into his new bed, the sutures in his chest throbbing something awful. Still, he tolerated it. In the end, this would all be worth it, if only for Jimmy to get some rest.

[Dreambug]

Thankfully Kougu didn't take much more effort to persuade, and when he finally agreed to stay at the hospital a little longer, Jimmy offered him a lazy smile. He could feel his eyelids drooping already.
“I guess you're right that I can't walk out in this state, so I'll stay...” Kougu agreed, and although Jimmy could sense he was nervous he had given up caring. Now, he wanted sleep, and now he had permission to do so it was all he could think about. “Just as long as you'll keep me in check, in case I...” A brief pause, then, “I don't trust myself in these places.”
“Thanks.” Jimmy grunted, and with a tiny smile placed his head in his hand and closed his eyes, allowing himself to doze lightly until the nurse came to organise with him about the private room.

It was a decent size, perhaps not worth the money Jimmy had had to pay for it, but as long as he got a few more hours' sleep he would have slept in a cupboard under the stairs if need's be.
Kougu had managed to walk there with far more enthusiasm than Jimmy, but by the time he'd got back into his bed he was far more worn out. In a way this had worked out to both their advantages, because it means Jimmy wouldn't have to stay up and guard Kougu,and Kougu wouldn't have to worry about hurting anyone. Not that he would have anyway.
“Ya see?” Jimmy told him quietly, folding his coat into a makeshift pillow as he positioned himself across the two-person bench. It was better than nothing. “This is... Much...” He yawned loudly. “Better.”
It was for him, anyway.

[Polo trapped in an inkpot]

Once he had got into bed, it didn't take long for Jimmy to follow him into the room, and Kougu had to admit that having him there was almost as relieving as it was terrifying. On one hand, he trusted Jimmy to keep him under control. On the other hand, he had no idea what he'd do if he woke up kneeling in a pool of his best friend's blood... After all, it wouldn't be the first time. He shuddered at the thought, and rubbed his head miserably as it began aching even through the powerful pain medication that left him numb to his physical wounds. 
"Ya see?” A quiet voice mumbled beside him, breaking through his thoughts and making him jump, “This is... Much...” Jimmy paused to yawn, “Better.”
He uttered a half-amused snort in response, and muttered reluctantly, "Yeah, I guess..." He rubbed his arm, and looked up to scan the room, looking for any potential weapons, and trying hard not to imagine killing his friend in every possible way. By the time he finally looked back to Jimmy, he was feeling sick to his stomach. He was about to demand to be released again, but as he opened his mouth to speak, he realized that Jimmy had fallen asleep where he lay, crumpled up on the bench beside the bed, with his arm hanging over the side. Despite himself, Kougu let his expression soften. Sighing and shaking his head, he pulled off his blanket and tossed it loosely over Jimmy, then lay down on his back. He wouldn't be able to sleep anyway, and Jimmy looked so damn tired, Kougu just wanted him to have a comfortable sleep for once. He knew his friend had not had many of those since they'd embarked on the mission.
"Sleep well, my friend." He muttered quietly, rolling over to turn out the light. The room had no windows, so the moment he flicked the switch, they were bathed in darkness. He looked back to Jimmy's indistinct form, hidden in the gloom, then rested his head back on his pillow, and stared up at the ceiling, frowning anxiously. He still heard the voices in the back of his head in the silence, even quiet and muffled as they were. They were always there...
With another quiet sigh, he closed his eyes, and rested with his arms folded over his chest, tension locked in every muscle. He could not have been further from sleep.

Jimmy slept through the rest of the day, and on into the following night. Kougu rested all the while, but he never slept. At times the pain would get to him - mostly that in his head - but after a few moments of quiet fretting and panic, he'd settle down again, drenched in cold sweat, to await the next attack. He was used to it. Without anything to distract him, it was always the same. The memories built up in his head, overpowered him, and played out like a movie, over and over again... His whole life, he had endured the same curse, but it never became any easier. The only thing he took solace in was that Jimmy was still there beside him, as solid and dependable as he had proved himself to be each and every day since the start of the mission.

[Dreambug]

When Jimmy closed his eyes, he was at home. He sat with Amelia, aged seven, in the sitting room on the plain, woollen rug littered with Action Men, and barbie dolls. It was a memory he remembered well. Trying to get Amelia into Action Men had been a challenge he'd never been able to succeed. She just wasn't interested.
“Come on, Amy. Why can't Barbie marry Action Man? Ken looks like a girl.”
“Ashen man is ugly.” Amelia sulked. “Barbie likes Ken. Ken is more hansomer than Ashen Man.”
“But...” Jimmy pulled a face at the sight of the strange-looking Ken. Amelia had scrawled lipstick all over his face, and he didn't even want to know where she'd found it. “Why is Ken wearing make-up?”
“Barbie kissed him.” Amelia replied, jerking her chin proudly. “Barbie liked wearing make-up and kissing Ken.”
“But w-” Jimmy began, then shook his head and dropped it on a hand in despair. “I give up. Fine. You make an isle for them to walk down, and I'll play the wedding music.”
“Barbie girl!” She jeered, waving a rather scary-looking barbie in his face. “Sing Barbie Girl! That's their wedding music!”
Jimmy looked at her worriedly. If he sung that song even once he'd be humming it in his sleep, and the look of that doll would give him nightmares. But like the trusted brother he was, he began singing the song in the highest pitch he could manage. It hurt his unbroken voice, but it was enough to make Amelia smile. He silently dreaded the nightmares later, though.
Just as he'd got to the second chorus, his mother's scream caused them both to jump in fright. Frowning, Jimmy turned round to see a herd of men in dark uniforms, armed with sleek, black AK47s all pointing at Jimmy and Amelia. His sister started to cry, heart-wrenching wails, which riled the intruders strongly. One of them told her to shut up. Jimmy tried to comfort her, but she kept wailing. She was too scared.
One man dragged her up by the hair, but Jimmy reached out a hand to stop them.
“P-please... Don't hurt her.” He begged. Where was his mother?
As if to answer his question he heard his mother scream again, and somewhere behind the cloud of black uniforms he watched her fall to the ground. Blood spurted from somewhere, he didn't know where, but he was certain that she'd been shot. Without realising it he started to scream and cry, but before he could even remember Amelia, she was picked up and taken away from him. Something sharp poked his head and he froze.
The gun nib was the only thing he could see for a moment, then he heard a voice whispering in his ear.
“Congratulations, kid.” The voice snarled. The sound of a fist hitting bone then echoed through his ears.
Amelia!
“You just made it on the most wanted list.”
Then the shot rang out.

“No!” Jimmy wailed into a cushion. His vision was black but the images were still there, in his mind. He could hear his little sister being beaten by the men who were after him, see his mother being shot before his eyes, feel the gun nib poking his temple.
“Amelia...” He gasped, suddenly realise his breathing had been blocked by the blanket wrapped around him. Or, at least, half-wrapped around him by this point. He'd been kicking constantly in his sleep, and by this point his face was drenched with a web of tears. He was in the trance of his dream, and when he opened his eyes all he could see was darkness, and the shadows of those figures who would be hunting them down as he slept.
Jimmy forgot about Kougu, then. He forgot where he was and who he was supposed to be. At that moment he was nothing more than a scared little boy taken away from his family, terrified for his life, and all he wanted to do was go home.
A soft little sob left his lips then, and as he curled up in his seat and pulled his knees to his chest, he cried... Really cried. Perhaps for the first time in months.

[Polo trapped in an inkpot]

Although he didn't sleep, Kougu soon managed to settle into a light doze, and the world around him faded out as he let his thoughts stray with careful control, keeping his imagination as far from his usual haunting memories as possible. It was like trying to control one's dreams, but since he wasn't sleeping, he had the ability to do it. His half conscious state carried him far into the night, until it was finally interrupted by a muffled sound beside him. Waking dizzily back to reality, he rubbed his eyes, and peered into the gloom. He could have sworn he'd heard his friend's voice...
"Jimmy?" He asked softly, but as he squinted at the dark, hunched form beside him, all he heard was a strangled sob. Instantly, he froze, every muscle in him tensing at the sound. For a moment he was certain he'd misheard, but then it came again, and in a heartbeat, Kougu had swung his legs over the edge of the bed.
"Jimmy, hey, what's..." He trailed off as his eyes adjusted to the dark, tracing over Jimmy's buried head and shaking shoulders, to the twisted blanket lying mangled over his bed.  Jimmy seemed unhurt, and as far as Kougu could tell, nothing had changed in the room.
In that case, it must have been one hell of a nightmare.
Empathy overwhelmed him, and with a concerned frown, Kougu climbed out of bed and sunk to his knees beside Jimmy's bench. His friend was crying in earnest now, and Kougu was so shocked by the sight that for a moment he wasn't sure what to do. Then empathy struck again, and as the desire to comfort Jimmy grew fierce and desperate, he did the only thing he could think of, and wrapped his arms around the man's shaking shoulders. Shifting over slightly, he perched himself on the edge of the bench, and pulled his friend close to him, cradling his head so delicately, it might have been made of porcelain.
"It's okay." He whispered as he rubbed Jimmy's shoulders reassuringly, feeling awkward and uncertain in the midst of the embrace, "It was just a dream, it's over now. It's not real." Silence had deepened his voice, and it sounded calm and comforting in the darkness, more so than he felt. He hadn't a clue, really, how to comfort his sobbing friend. All he knew was that he had to try... For he knew Jimmy's pain, and never in his life would he wish that on another. Let alone somebody he cared for so deeply.
"You're fine." He repeated pointlessly, a cold hand slowly stroking Jimmy's hair, "Everything's fine..."
He winced as pain jolted through him, but even then, he made no move to leave Jimmy's side. The heart monitor in the corner scolded him with its harsh beeping, but he was deaf to all except the heart-wrenching sound of Jimmy's sobs, and numb to all but his desperation to hush them. In a strange and harsh world, Jimmy was all he had, and he had proved more than once that he'd sooner die than let any harm befall the man beside him. Seeing him in this state, well... It was enough to cleave his heart in two. And he didn't even understand why.
"Please..." He whispered, giving Jimmy's hair another gentle stroke, and struggling desperately to keep his voice from trembling, "Please don't cry."
I know it hurts, but please... I can't bear to see you like this. Not now. Not any more...

[Dreambug]

In the darkness it was hard to see anything, and through the blur of his tears Jimmy could barely see a figure coming towards him. For a single moment he gasped with panic, the images of his dream haunting him, and he scrambled back in his seat. But when he realised he wasn't going anywhere, and when he recognised the warmth and scent of a familiar figure, he soon relaxed and succumbed to his tears.
When the embrace came, Jimmy accepted it like he'd been craving it for a lifetime. Techinically he had, at least since his little sister had been kidnapped. He just... Hadn't searched in the right places.
“My family...” He sobbed into the strange-smelling hospital gown, allowing his head to be cradled and digging his face into it like a cushion. “They took my family. Th-” He hiccuped into Kougu's gown, then sniffed and lifted a hand, awkwardly wiping away the tears. He was too tired, too desperate for comfort to care who was comforting him. It could have been a nurse for all he knew, but to know someone was still there to care about him got rid of his moment of lonliness, and for that he was grateful.
As Kougu began to quietly shush him, stroke his hair, hold him like a lover, Jimmy let himself be lost in a mix of fear and panic because he knew, then, that this person would be with him all the way through it. It didn't take much to let the horrors of the dream overwhelm him again and within seconds, the panic attack began to arise. Jimmy gasped and sobbed into the thin material, clutching to Kougu as if in fear that if he let go he'd lose the ability to control himself, to breathe altogether and risk passing out. But Kougu kept holding him all the way through it, and as it subsided, Jimmy felt his heart rate slowly go back to normal.

He took his time to catch his breath again, and as tiredness began to take over for the second time Jimmy found himself still clutching to Kougu like a lifeline, his strong yet trembling arms wrapping around Kougu's waist. It was an open-back gown, but Kougu's entire middle had been bandaged over to protect the lashes on his skin from becoming infected. Too tired and comfortable to move, Jimmy's fingers brushed gently over them. He could feel the warmth of Kougu's skin beneath it.
He knitted his eyebrows together, confused as to why he'd noticed this, Jimmy turned his head to say something, perhaps a thank you, when his lips accidentally pressed against Kougu's warm neck.
The contact made him nervous.
And yet, he couldn't pull away. crying. But he couldn't see Kougu's reaction, and the tears drying sticky in his eyes didn't help his vision. He squinted to see his friend's dark eyes, but saw nothing but a shadow. So, he made up his
“K-” He tried, but his voice came out strangled from mind.
Releasing a sigh, he tightened his arms around Kougu's waist, careful to avoid the lashes, and pressed his cheek against Kougu's bony chest.
“Thanks.” He croaked, sniffing up the remaining tears. “I... I needed that.”

[Polo trapped in an inkpot]

As Kougu comforted Jimmy, he began to mumble something incoherent, babbling through sobs, but Kougu just hushed him, and within moments, he was crying again, so desperately that Kougu was sure his heart would break. The sound was agonizing to him, and even though he felt each of Jimmy's sobs shake his own body, he stayed firmly glued to his side, muttering soft reassurances, and comforting him as best he knew how. The minutes trickled by as Jimmy clung to him like an abandoned kitten, and slowly, Kougu felt the shaking, trembling thing in his arms begin to quieten. Opening his eyes, he glanced down at Jimmy, and allowed his shoulders to relax at last, loosening his grip.  As his muscles slackened, another searing pain stabbed through him from the wound in his side, and his jaw tightened as he struggled not to wince, biting back the pain. For a moment it overwhelmed him, but as the lightheadedness struck and his vision began to blacken, he felt a soft touch on his back, and it pulled him back from the brink. The lashes in his skin stung faintly at the contact, but something in the way Jimmy's fingers moved lightly over his bandaged skin enchanted him, and he found himself go suddenly dead still, as if a spell had been cast over him. He felt so calm, so utterly peaceful, that he barely felt anything beyond that gentle touch. Gradually, his eyes slipped closed, and he breathed out a quiet sigh into the darkness as his shoulders dropped another inch, releasing tension he hadn't even known he was holding.
Then, just as he was about to relax completely, Jimmy turned his head, and the tension ripped back through his muscles as he felt a warm, damp touch on his neck. Jimmy's breath wafted over him, causing his skin to crawl with goosebumps, and Kougu's breath caught in his throat, threatening to choke him as his whole world shrunk to nothing but the feeling of Jimmy's lips on his neck, sending warmth radiating through him. Deaf to the quickening beeps of the monitor in the corner, Kougu gulped as he felt his heart begin to race. He was terrified, and yet somehow, the feeling was not unwelcome. There was no weight in his stomach, just a hot swoop of something strange and foreign, a feeling he didn't recognize. He shuddered, frightened by his own reaction, and after a moment that lasted a lifetime, his friend's lips moved away, leaving Kougu's neck cold, with his hairs standing on end.
What just happened? He wondered shakily, trying to swallow the dryness in his mouth as his heartbeat gradually quietened back to normal. He licked his lips, then opened his mouth to say something, but before he could speak a word, Jimmy beat him to it. 
He heard his friend try to speak his name, and though his voice failed him, Kougu remained quietly, watching him anxiously in the darkness. He couldn't quite make out Jimmy's face, but when the strong arms around his waist tightened, it reassured him that so far, he had done no wrong. The heavy body in his arms expanded slightly to release a sigh, and as Jimmy's head came to rest on his chest, Kougu brought a hand automatically to stroke his friend's hair again, just like he had to comfort his sister many, many years ago. 
Just as he was about to lose himself in the silence, a soft voice murmured quietly from the gloom, “Thanks. I... I needed that.”
At this, Kougu felt his lips pull into a smile, even as his eyebrows drew together. Warmed to the core by those few simple words, he shook his head, his throat too tight to answer. He couldn't even begin to express how wonderful it was to feel needed again... And for once, he actually believed it.

He raised his head slowly, his face settling back into its usual neutral expression as he stared across the room, one hand still moving mechanically over Jimmy's back. It was strange, even with his friend in his arm, and his control jeopardized by pain, he was not afraid. At that moment, he knew that his sanity was absolute, and though he did not understand it, he knew that feeling the comforting throb of Jimmy's heartbeat through his warm chest was enough to keep his mind from failing. His thoughts were clearer than they'd ever been. Blinking placidly, he dropped his gaze, and felt his lips pull back into a smile as he looked upon the dim form of Jimmy's head, resting tiredly against his chest. At last, he inhaled deeply, and finally found the voice to answer.
"Don't thank me." He replied, his voice hushed and gently, "I haven't really done anything." Running his tongue over his dry lips, he leaned back carefully against the wall behind him, wincing at the pressure on his bandaged wounds, and added quietly, "I know what it's like, to wake up from a nightmare with your demons all around you. To find yourself back at your lowest point, with nobody there to save you..." He trailed off, closing his eyes against the thought. "We've suffered the same pain. I've been where you are now, countless times." You don't have to feel ashamed...
"I just want you to know that I..." He hesitated a moment, "I understand what it's like. So don't thank me, please... If anything, I should be thanking you."
Again he paused, licking his lips anxiously again with his dry tongue.
"Jimmy, I... You've become like a brother to me. Until now, all I've ever known is solitude. Even if I try get close to someone, I'm always terrified that if I so much as look at them, they'll just break at my feet." His voice quavered, and he felt his fingers curl slightly against Jimmy's back, feeling the warm, sturdy flesh, and letting it strengthen him. "But since you've come along, I feel like we understand one another... And that I can trust you not to break, even if you're by my side. I guess I'm just trying to say that I..." He chuckled under his breath, "Well, I needed that, too. You're the best friend I've ever had, and I'm glad that you came here with me. So thank you, Jimmy. For everything."

[Dreambug]

The panic attack had completely worn Jimmy out, even after so many hours of sleep he realised having a warm chest to lean on and listening to a heartbeat thumping gently into his ear was comforting enough to send him back to sleep again. But Kougu kept holding him up, which both prolonged the comfort and kept him from falling asleep in Kougu's arms.
When Kougu first spoke Jimmy couldn't hear him, as he had gone deaf to the sound and only heard Kougu's heartbeat. But then the words grew louder, pulling Jimmy out of his daze, and he quickly force dhimself to concentrate on what Kougu was saying.
“I know what it's like, to wake up from a nightmare with your demons all around you. To find yourself back at your lowest point, with nobody there to save you...”
Jimmy frowned into Kougu's hospital gown. He didn't really want to remember the horrors he'd just faced.
“We've suffered the same pain. I've been where you are now, countless times. I just want you to know that I... I understand what it's like. So don't thank me, please... If anything, I should be thanking you”
“Huh?” Jimmy grunted stupidly, lifting his tired head to stare up at Kougu's dark form. Had he heard that right? Kougu was thanking him, but for what?
“Jimmy, I... You've become like a brother to me. Until now, all I've ever known is solitude. Even if I try get close to someone, I'm always terrified that if I so much as look at them, they'll just break at my feet. But since you've come along, I feel like we understand one another... And that I can trust you not to break, even if you're by my side. I guess I'm just trying to say that I... ” There was a long pause, and Jimmy became aware that Kougu was holding tightly onto him, as if in fear that he would fall if he let go. “Well, I needed that, too. You're the best friend I've ever had, and I'm glad that you came here with me. So thank you, Jimmy. For everything.”
He was listening in earnest now, taking in each word with fascination. He'd never known Kougu to open like this before, and now he did Jimmy was... Surprised. Surprised that it all made sense to him. Surprised that this mysterious man, even after he'd loosened up a little bit, was finally starting to seen less mysterious and more misunderstood. Kougu had been wary of him when he finally admitted defeat, and Jimmy knew how Kougu had been with Charlie. He presumed Kougu was just a little bit weird, but it seemed there were reasons for his actions.
Sniffing away his tears, Jimmy frowned tearfully up at his friend. “You're... Thanking me for crying on you?” He mumbled, laughing despite himself. He wasn't used to other people being soppy with him, even when he was being soppy himself. Even his own mother would have told him to suck it up by now.
Unsure of how to take the emotional speech, Jimmy quietly dabbed his eyes with his sleeve, then reached up to find Kougu's hair and slowly, gently, dragged his hand through it. It was meant to be a teasing gesture, but he was gentle enough to show that he was actually grateful for the moment of pity Kougu had given him, even though he wasn't the injured one. “Get back on your morphine.” Jimmy teased, his smile evident in his voice. “Hey, I'm grateful. I really am.” He reminded the man, still wiping the sticky tears from his eyes. “I just- I didn't realise-... You're weird, Kougu, and a little mental. I've always known that, and yet I know that I can trust your word. Although I doubt it sometimes, I know that all this...” He began to gesture around him, then realised Kougu probably wouldn't be able to see him, so dropped his arms back down. “This whole 'bigger picture' sh*t... It's real. I can see now what will happen, and although it sucks mentally and physically, it needs to be done. I'll stay with you through this, mate, as long as you promise to stay with me. When you can, at least.” He shrugged.

[Polo trapped in an inkpot]

As his eyes adjusted to the darkness, Kougu saw Jimmy turn to look at him, and said with a watery laugh, “You're... Thanking me for crying on you?”
Honestly, Kougu had never thought about it that way, and for a moment he was too surprised to respond. But Jimmy's laugh was contagious, and after a moment, he found himself echoing it, much to his own disbelief. "Well," He chuckled, reaching up awkwardly to sweep his hair back from his face, "When you say it like that, it does sound a little bizarre... But yes, I suppose that I am."
The amused smile lingered on his lips as he watched Jimmy wipe his eyes, but when he felt a touch on his head, it fell away instantly. He'd not seen Jimmy's hand approaching, and even though his friend's fingers brushed gently through his hair, he couldn't help but flinch in response. He felt his thick hair part before Jimmy's fingers, causing his scalp to tingle. It was not unpleasant, but he had to suppress a shiver as goosebumps began creeping up his neck.

“Get back on your morphine.” Jimmy teased, and Kougu jumped despite the lightness in his voice, suddenly aware of the fact that he was still sitting uncomfortably close to Jimmy, with one arm still wrapped around his back.
"Ah..." He cleared his throat, and pulled back his arm with an awkward little chuckle. "Right, sorry."
Blushing crimson, he scrambled off Jimmy's bench, and almost toppled over as a wave of dizziness struck him. Swallowing it back, he flopped clumsily back onto his own bed, letting his legs hang over the side as he sat there, scratching his head uncomfortably. The heat lingered in his cheeks, and even in the dark, he found himself to shy to meet Jimmy's gaze. 
Lucky for him, Jimmy seemed oblivious to his awkwardness, and continued to fill the silence while Kougu sat and fretted.
“Hey, I'm grateful. I really am.” He said earnestly, and Kougu cast him a hesitant glance, his features softening as he watched Jimmy scrub away the final traces of his tears. “I just- I didn't realise-... You're weird, Kougu, and a little mental." Somewhat taken aback by this                            rather direct - though accurate - summation of him, Kougu blinked in surprise, then nodded as Jimmy went on, "I've always known that, and yet I know that I can trust your word. Although I doubt it sometimes, I know that all this...” His arms moved vaguely in the gloom, “This whole 'bigger picture' sh*t... It's real. I can see now what will happen, and although it sucks mentally and physically, it needs to be done. I'll stay with you through this, mate, as long as you promise to stay with me. When you can, at least.”
"Try not to die, you mean?" He answered, surprising even himself when he laughed out loud. It was not a sound that often left his lips, but when he laughed in earnest, there was something infectious about the sound. It was somehow relaxed and refined all at once, like some bizarre classical music. "Don't worry," He smiled, pushing back his hair and swinging his legs back onto the bed, "I'm not going anywhere. I may be mental, but I was right in thinking I can count on you. This shit really does suck," He smiled, amused by the strange sound of the words spoken in his polite tone, "But honestly, I think we make a pretty good team. We will succeed. I'd bet my life on it. Of course," He raised his arm, "I'd probably be a little less optimistic if this Morphine was still half full."

[Dreambug]

“Try not to die, you mean?” Kougu replied, but by the sound of it, he was smiling. Jimmy frowned at him. Why was that something to smile about? “Don't worry, I'm not going anywhere. I may be mental, but I was right in thinking I can count on you.”
Jimmy regarded him with a cock of his head. He knew Kougu was crazy, that was no mistake, he knew when to trust his word on something, especially something as serious as this.
“This shit really does suck,” Jimmy smirked at Kougu's casual choice of words, totally out of place to his polite tone. “But honestly, I think we make a pretty good team. We will succeed. I'd bet my life on it.”
“I think we've both done that already.” Jimmy mumbled.
“Of course, I'd probably be a little less optimistic if this Morphine was still half full.”
Jimmy actually laughed outloud. He'd not expected a guy like Kougu to have a sense of humour, especially not at this time. Then again, Kougu might not have been pulling a funny. Still, Jimmy found it amusing.
“I'll get the nurse to give you more if you run out, it's fine.” Jimmy folded his hand in a casual wave. “I'm rather enjoying you being high, to be honest.” He winked, only just moving his face in the darkness. He was being truthful, too. Perhaps in more ways that one.
“Geez...” He groaned, stretching his arms over his head. It felt like night time and he was still tired enough to doze, but his entire body was aching. There was no way he'd be able to survive going back to sleep and expect himself to wake up ready to leave. He'd feel like a grandpa.
His mouth stretched into a loud, wide yawn. “I'm gunna go look for coffee.” He grunted matter-of-factly, dragging himself to his feet. “You want anything? Although it'll probably just seep out 'ya belly.” He teased, rather proud of his slightly gory joke, and scratched his stomach shamelessly from under his coat.

[Polo trapped in an inkpot]

"I'm not high."Kougu objected automatically. After a moment's thinking, however, he quickly amended, "Well, I suppose I'm not completely sober, either..."
If I was, I probably wouldn't have been hugging you like a teddy bear until a second ago.
Clearing his throat awkwardly, he pushed back his hair, then pulled the blankets over his knees, trying to pass the faint shiver that wracked his body as a result of the chill in the stale night air. But as it turned out, Jimmy was too busy stretching to notice anyway.
“I'm gunna go look for coffee.” He announced through a yawn, “You want anything? Although it'll probably just seep out 'ya belly.”
"Ugh." Kougu pulled a face, "With that charming image, I think I'll give it a miss." He offered a faint smile, then waved Jimmy off as he walked off in search of his coffee, leaving Kougu alone with just the steady beep of the heart monitor for company. 

Kougu had intended to leave the next day come hell or high water, but as luck would have it, the early hours of the morning saw him burning with fever, and it took only a few more delirious hours for him to lose consciousness altogether from the infection. Even on a course of strong antibiotics, the fever burned for all of the following day, and Kougu drifted in and out of consciousness by the hour. Sometimes he'd come to calm and focused, but when the delirium was at its worst, he would often panic weakly about the hospital situation until the excitement tired him, and dropped him dizzily into the dark once more.

His fever broke the following morning, and by that time, Kougu was utterly fed up, and more than ready to never set foot in a hospital again. He was far from healed, but in his mind he was absolutely fine, and he told Jimmy as much as he dressed and gathered his things to go.
"We've wasted too much time here already." He pointed out as he dropped a tub of antibiotics into his pocket, "God knows what's been happening out in the world while I've been lying around. We need to get a move-on now." As he finished buttoning his coat over the bandage holding his side together, Kougu looked up at Jimmy, and asked, "Have you got a car here? Honestly, I barely remember how we got here..." He smiled sheepishly, "In any case, are you ready to go? It's probably best if you drive for now."

[Dreambug]

Jimmy decided to take a break from sitting in a dark room for a few hours, and instead spent his time wandering aimlessly around the hospital, black coffee in one hand and a chocolate bar in the other. It didn't matter to him that it was nearly 3am, or that he probably wouldn't get the chance to burn it off that day. In fact, he didn't even care about anything besides survival. Besides... His stomach was empty.
He had chomped through his second duo Mars bar when he finally arrived back in Kougu's room, where he saw his friend fast asleep again in his hospital bed, and smiled fondly at the sight. Hearing him crying must have been a real shock for Kougu – it had been a real shock for him, too – but Jimmy had been incredibly grateful for the concern. He sat back down on the double-seated sofa and kicked his feet up, sipping the rest of his cold coffee. Kougu may have been shot and tortured, but when he was finally at peace with himself, deep asleep, Jimmy had to smile. He was a good guy, and he deserved a decent sleep every now and then.

Jimmy wasn't sure how he'd got back to sleep again, but when he did he was greeted with a handful of nurses rushing into the room. Kougu's heart monitor was going crazy with his frantic heartbeats, but just before Jimmy had the chance to panic, a single nurse injected him with something. Probably something to help with his temperature. Then, without a single word, they left the room.
This happened a few times, but after a couple they figured it was going to happen for a while, and left Kougu to recover on his own. His body was fighting some sort of infection, and there wasn't much they could do about that besides feed him antibiotics.

The next morning, after Jimmy's morning walk, he came back to find Kougu already out of bed and helping himself into his clothes. Jimmy wasn't surprised. Still...
“You look like shit.” Jimmy told him frankly.
“We've wasted too much time here already.” Kougu had obviously chosen to ignore him. “God knows what's been happening out in the world while I've been lying around. We need to get a move-on now.”
Shrugging, Jimmy took another bite out of his Mars bar. He had no intention of rushing out there yet, but Kougu could think hat he liked.
“Have you got a car here? Honestly, I barely remember how we got here... In any case, are you ready to go? It's probably best if you drive for now.”
Finally realising Kougu was actually ready to go, Jimmy stared unblinkingly at him. He still had a mouth full of chocolate. Was Kougu actually serious? He was going to do this again?
It wasn't surprising really, after the way Kougu had underestimated his condition in the past. But this was ridiculous. He'd been shot and tortured, and he expected to be better within a few days?
But when Jimmy thought about it, he couldn't argue. Kougu would be much more comfortable recovering at home, and he was right in thinking there was a risk if they stayed there that someone would track them down.
Glancing over Kougu's ready stance, his buttoned coat and the bag over his shoulder, Jimmy just sighed.
“Alright.” He grunted. “Just give me a minute to get ready.”

Due to Kougu's persistence and Jimmy's general laziness, he was still in the process of putting his coat on as they wandered down the hospital coridoor, praying that they didn't see the Doc that had sent them there in the first place.
Jimmy glanced in Kougu's direction. It was evident he wasn't well, what with the beads of sweat glistening on his brow and the way his cheeks flushed. But he did a good job of hiding it, despite their situation.
“The car should still be close to front reception if I remember right.” Jimmy told him, answering the previous question. “It's gunna be a little difficult trying to make it out there without someone noticing, though.”
Still, Jimmy led Kougu around the hospital – he'd been the one to learn it's layout with his hours of walking around – following the signs that brought them to the front reception. There was a cafe and an Emergency Room right next to it, which meant it was an unfortunate meeting place for most people. It was busy that morning, but not busy enough for Jimmy not to notice the two policemen who were checking into the Reception desk. Jimmy froze in his spot, then raised a hand to Kougu's chest to stop him.
He turned his head to try and pick up on the conversations.
“Hi... NYPD... Male... Shooting... Torture...”
Narrowing his eyes, Jimmy cursed under his breath. Damn you, Doc!
“They're investigating us.” Jimmy whispered, turning his back to pretend to examine a magazine stand. It was actually a leaflet stand about safe sex, but he tried to ignore it. “We won't get out of here with them around.” He craned his neck to glance around the room, when he noticed another coridoor that had a sign pointing to a fire exit. Jimmy tapped Kougu's arm, and gestured in it's direction.
“Fire exit.” He told him simply. “Come on.”

[Polo trapped in an inkpot]

Jimmy was reluctant at first, but Kougu's presistence soon paid off, and he found himself traipsing weakly down the corridor, following in Jimmy's footsteps. It was easier that way, because frankly, he was concentrating so hard on putting one foot in front of the other that navigation was proving tricky. There was just no room in his mind for anything else. 
At first walking was difficult - he was still fairly weak, after all - but he soon settled into a trance-like state as he followed Jimmy, and because of it, he didn't notice the impending threat of the police until he walked straight into his friend's outstretched hand. “They're investigating us. We won't get out of here with them around.” Jimmy hissed, and for a moment Kougu just blinked in foggy confusion. Then his gaze flickered to the officers, and comprehension dawned. "We should find another way-" He began, but Jimmy was already ten steps ahead of him. “Fire exit." He said, pointing, “Come on.”
"Right."
Letting Jimmy take the lead, Kougu followed on quickly behind him, casting an anxious glance over his shoulder. He was beginning to forget the pain in his side now, and walking was becoming easier. Not easy, but easier.
Just as Jimmy was about to open the door, Kougu looked forward again, and in the nick of time, his sharp instincts kicked in. "Wait!" He said, grabbing Jimmy's shoulder before he could reach for the handle. "The alarm." He pointed to a cable stretching from the door to the wall, then stepped forward, and stood on his toes to reach it. Luckily he was tall enough, but he grimaced as the stitches in his side stretched. Still, he managed to pluck the wire free despite the pain, disabling the alarm, then dropped back onto his heels, a faintly uncomfortable expression on his face as he struggled to hide his agony. His hand twitched beside him, and he shoved it into his pocket, refusing to clutch his ribs and draw attention to the wound. He supposed that it was partly habit, but if he was to be completely honest, he had to admit that he wasn't keen on seeming weak in Jimmy's eyes, either.
"Okay," He breathed out sharply, then pulled open the door, and ushered Jimmy out, "Let's get out of here, and fast."

[Dreambug]

Jimmy was more than ready to storm out of the fire exit before Kougu stopped him. “The alarm.” Kougu warned him, pointing to a wire running from the door into a hole in the wall. He wasn't sure how he could have missed it.
Without giving Jimmy a chance to answer, Kougu reached up on his tiptoes and plucked the wire from the door. It must have taken a lot of effort on his part, and Jimmy winced in sympathy for him. The poor guy... Being taken to a hospital must have been Hell enough for him, but now they had been reminded how dangerous it was to pretend they were normal citizens and be seen in public. He was probably as nervous as Jimmy was.
“Good call.” Jimmy replied under his breath, noticing Kougu keel over for a moment in agony. But he hid it quickly and with one quick motion, opened the door for him.
“Okay,” He grunted. “ Let's get out of here, and fast.”
Jimmy didn't need to be told twice. He jogged out of the building, already having the feeling that they were being chased, and kept an eye behind him to make sure Kougu was still following him.

The car was, thankfully, very close to the hospital doors, so it wasn't so much of a problem to get there. Jimmy helped Kougu into the passenger seat, then ran to the driver's side and leapt into the car.
They couldn't have got out there fast enough.
For the first few blocks Jimmy was glancing nervously in the rear-view mirror, expecting the cop car to be chasing them loudly down the street. If there was a car chase they would definitely lose with a scrap heap like the thing he was driving, so he kept aware all the time. But his attention soon diverted when he realised Kougu's condition was deteriorating. Quickly.
“Mate... Mate, wake up.” Jimmy snapped his fingers as they rolled to a stop at some cross roads. “Don't make me take you back there again.”

[Polo trapped in an inkpot]

The moment they were through the door, Jimmy started jogging, and Kougu stumbled after him. It was difficult to keep up, with each gasp of air tearing painfully at his lungs. Once or twice he missed a step, but although it was not graceful, he made it to the car just after Jimmy did, and took a second to catch his breath as his friend helped him into the passenger side. He mumbled his thanks, then pulled on his seatbelt as Jimmy dashed around to the driver's side, and flung the gear lever forward, revving the car into action. The rusty old thing shuddered and coughed, but soon the engine roared into life, and they went flying out of the hospital parking lot. As they rounded the first corner, Kougu felt a wave of dizziness hit, and he stared out of the window to see the streetlights flashing by in a blur. As he watched, the world slowly reduced to a dull haze of black and silver, and he felt his eyes droop.
“Mate... Mate, wake up.”
"Hm?" He opened his eyes, surprised to find that they had closed, and blinked in surprise when Jimmy snapped his fingers under his nose. “Don't make me take you back there again.” He threatened, and for a moment Kougu wondered if he meant it. He eyes Jimmy cautiously, before eventually deciding that it was an empty threat, and managing a small smile instead.
"I'm fine." He promised. "Don't worry about me. Let's just get back." He nodded toward the road, where the car in front had suddenly slammed on breaks, and added quickly, "Watch it!"

The car jerked to a stop, and Kougu winced as the harsh movement jostled his delicate ribs. Another throb of pain overwhelmed him for a moment, but then he shook his head, clearing his mind, and frowned through the windshield at the line of cars in front of them.
"There shouldn't be traffic here." He muttered, frowning and leaning to the side in an attempt to see down the line of cars. Despite the traffic jam, there was no hooting. The silence was eerie.
"What's going on...?" He sat there tensely a moment longer, then the lights of the car in front went off, and Kougu turned to Jimmy. "Shut off the engine." He said, "This line isn't moving, and I want to see what's going on. Come on." With that, he grabbed the doorhandle, and shoved the door open with his foot. The first time he tried to get out, he fell back down, but after a muttered curse under his breath he gave it a second try, and managed to find his feet. It cost him a momentary wave of dizziness, but this time he was expecting it, and he braced himself for balance.
As the dots cleared from his vision, he blinked twice, then looked around for Jimmy.
"Let's go find out what's happening." He pressed, looking back in the direction of the queue as he heard the distant sound of shouting voices, "I don't like the look of this."

[Dreambug]

The sudden abrupt stop didn't mean a lot to Jimmy, but he winced when he caught Kougu grasping his stomach at the corner of his eye. Poor guy... He'd been so focused on getting away that he'd forgotten for a moment how badly Kougu was injured.
“Sorry.” He murmured, no matter how pointless it was.
But Kougu wasn't listening. He was already staring down the never-ending row of cars in front of them, an unreadable look on his face.
“K-”
“There shouldn't be traffic here.” Kougu told him, looking more concerned now. Jimmy soon joined him. He was right... What was causing it? Of course there was always traffic in New York, but it was always moving, always loud, always caused by road works or something like that. But where was the shouting, the beeping horns, the angry drivers?
Kougu murmured something beside him, just as the lights on the car in front of them turned off. Jimmy narrowed his eyes suspiciously. So... What, not even a complaint?
“Shut off the engine. This line isn't moving, and I want to see what's going on. Come on.”
Jimmy shut off the engine quickly, then shot Kougu a look as if he'd grown a new head. “Are you insane?” He demanded. “What if there's a mad gunman down there, or something?”
But like the idiot he was, Kougu ignored him and attempted to get out. The motion caused him to look even more ill than before, and Jimmy was damn near fuming when he watched Kougu go dizzy for a moment. He wasn't going to make it on the ride back with that attitude.
“Let's go find out what's happening.” Kougu insisted. “I don't like the look of this.”
“Well someone has to look after you.” Jimmy sulked, getting out the car and slamming the door behind him. The frigid wind hit him hard, and he stuffed his hands miserably in his pockets. He was far less willing to take on some scary guys in uniform than he had been a few days ago, especially after the nightmares he'd been having. But he had a point. If he couldn't persuade Kougu to stay, he'd have to follow hi and make sure he didn't drop dead suddenly.
“Fine. But if our car gets stolen it's your stupid fault.” Jimmy grumbled, veering around the front of the parked car to follow Kougu down the road. He was right, there was definitely something wrong, but Jimmy wasn't sure whether he wanted to know what it was.
“Come on then, mophead.” He cocked his head in the direction of the front of the queue. “Lead the way.”

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