(Untitled)

[buzz_me]

Who: Andy Dowland, Daniel Buzzetti and Knox
What: Questions, confrontations, and spreading the damn virus. Good job, guys.
Where: Andy and Knox's house.

Comments

[feedsoff_fear]

Knox was worried about Andy even though he wouldn't admit it to the other man though sometimes he wonders if Andy somehow knows. He wonders what he's still doing there too, why he was living with the other man that he hardly knew. They were from opposite sides of the law but now law didn't exist, the lines were blurred and everyone was banding together to survive.

Sighing a little as he sits in a chair upstairs, he was trying to read but his thoughts kept muddling everything.

But then it was something else. It hit him quickly and instantly he perked, like an animal sensing fear because that's exactly what it was. Terror. It rushed over him like a warm, tingling wave and he could feel every muscle getting tighter. Stronger. That's what he felt, strong.

But then he was worried, the book falling off of his lap as he ran out of the living room and down to the front door. Nearly tearing it off it's hinges, he ran outside and looked for Andy. Only to find him on the ground being pinned by a man Knox didn't recognize and the fear coming off of Andy was overwhelming.

Next second he's there at their sides, snarling as he grabbed for the man to haul him to his feet and fling him hard as he could which was probably far considering his strength at the moment. "Get off of him!"

[buzz_me]

Daniel could not have been more surprised at the appearance of the second man. He had no idea Andy was living with anyone, much less someone who could have heard and reacted so quickly to the sound of the scuffle outside.

Those, quite honestly, were the thoughts running through his head when the other man grabbed him and threw him, way too fast for Daniel to react.

Daniel hits the ground hard, breath rushing out of his lungs. He sees stars, for a second, but somehow, in all that, old ballet and gymnastics training took over and he managed to land, if not totally safely, then certainly on his ass instead of, say, his head.

And holy shit. No human can throw another human being that far. That's impossible -

Daniel's surprise, and the short burst of fear, vanish onto the surface of his mind. He's calm again, amazingly so. Even a little bit cheerful, as far as that can be taken.

He moves to his feet, roughly, intending to say something about this being a misunderstanding, solvable with a smile and a gracious helping of charm (like everything in Daniel's life).

[i_go_vertically]

Underneath Daniel, Andy isn't thinking about Daniel's power. Or about Daniel at all, really. Because the second he's pinned down - made powerless - he's back in prison, and all of his careful calculation, his assumed calm and his thin meditative shield are shattered.

He's terrified. So terrified that he doesn't even hear what Daniel says.

And then Daniel's presence is gone, Knox's yell echoing between the houses, and Andy scrambles to his feet, shaking like a leaf. There's murder in Knox's eyes, and, for a moment, Andy literally cannot think of any reason to stop that murder. Anything to hold back that tide. If anyone should be dead, around here, it should be Daniel.

Then he remembers.

Andy rushes between Knox and Daniel, because he will stop this. He will.

[feedsoff_fear]

Knox was seeing red and he wanted blood, he really did. He wanted to hurt this man for scaring Andy and for attacking him because that's what it looks like to him. So he sends the other man flying before stepping in front of Andy, shielding him as his breathing is ragged and deep which is another sign of how pissed off he is at the moment.

He felt the brief flash of fear but then suddenly it's gone, at least from the other man. He can feel it ebbing from Andy but that doesn't matter, he's still feeling strong as he takes a step forward.

But Andy is suddenly blocking him which makes Knox growl, "Get out of my way." He takes another step forward, still focused on Daniel.

[buzz_me]

Daniel raises his hands, and takes a breath. "I think this has been quite a," he says, or, rather, he tries to say, because he chokes on the second word. Chokes on it because of a completely unexpected attack of coughing that rips through his lungs.

It passes quickly, but Daniel's lungs aren't quite steady. And he feels almost - dizzy.

Abstractly, Daniel realizes that the pounding in his veins, and the scattered-but-focused concentration that brought him straight to Andy's door might not have been symptoms of just anger.

"Violence is unnecessary," he rallies. "I'm sure we're all rational here."

[i_go_vertically]

Andy only has eyes for Knox. The man is pissed off - enraged, really. Andy saw this, he knew this about Knox, but he didn't know it, all at the same time. He should have expected it, but he didn't.

People's lives depend on Daniel. Their lives might. And Daniel isn't replaceable, right now.

"Knox," is all that manages to force its way out of Andy's throat. Then, "Red," softly, even though he knows that Knox must be high on power right now, because Andy's heart is still pounding, the taste of the flashback still lingering in the back of his mouth.

At Daniel's words, Andy's emotions turn sour, conflicted. Because if Daniel had hurt Andy - and he would have, he would have without a second thought - then he wouldn't have regretted it. He'd smile and protest something about them all being rational people and it would be just like this, only Andy would have been a broken and bloody mess on the ground.

[feedsoff_fear]

Knox arches a brow, watching the man as he started to choke and cough. He would never admit out loud that he was hoping he broke a rib or two, he'd find some sort of satisfaction if one had punctured the jackass's lungs but he won't say it out loud.

But the fact that he suddenly acts all gentlemanly pisses Knox off more, causing him to take another step forward but hearing Andy speak stops him for a second. Allows the "Red" to sink in a little and his eyes start to clear as he looks to Andy.

He can still sense the fear, it's still feeding him but the look on Andy's face manages to make him stop. Swallowing thickly for a moment, he draws in a breath and then nods before looking at Daniel, "Get out of here." He growls, "Don't care who you are, you touch him again, I'll rip your heart out." He could do it.

[buzz_me]

Daniel couldn't really have planned this in a way that made it more a complete failure. He shouldn't have pushed Andy too far, and he's disappointed, keenly disappointed that he didn't find out what he wanted to know.

Disappointed enough that it hurts.

And what the hell was that? It feels like a completely foreign emotion.

"I'll go," says Daniel - but he stops, short of leaving. "Why won't you tell me?" he asks Daniel, and he's aware that the pitch of his voice has changed from the low, confident timbre.

[i_go_vertically]

Andy looks back, to Daniel. "Your power is who you are," says Andy, "and no one can show you who you are but yourself."

He gives one last, deliberate look at Knox, then slips past Knox, back towards the house. Because he honestly can't take another look at Daniel.

[feedsoff_fear]

Knox watches Andy slip away to the house and then he turns back to Daniel, her eyes dark and predatory. He could kill him right now and no one would have to know, no one would find his body.

But still he keeps himself from doing so.

Still, he moves forward, "Go." His voice is a low warning as he intends to watch the man leave till he is out of sight and then he would go back into the house.

[buzz_me]

The nerve. The absolute, utter nerve of Andy Dowland. To dare to imply that Daniel should already know -

With effort, Daniel holds himself in check. Turns his back slowly, deliberately on the other man - what was his name? Red? - and walks to Val.

God, Daniel is tired. How did he not notice this before? He's so tired. He feels like he might be coming down with something.

Oh, no. It can't be.

Of course it can't be. He hasn't been in contact with anyone who has the disease, as far as he knows.

With one last glance back, Daniel mounts Val, and spurs her to a trot, heading back towards his farm.

[i_go_vertically]

Andy glances back, over his shoulder, to see Knox issue the ultimatum. To see Knox restrain himself from doing Daniel harm.

Andy's a little disappointed, on one level, because he almost hoped that Knox would violate Andy's wishes. But he knows - he knows it would be wrong.

Doing violence is doing harm, and harm against others is, eventually, harm against self. And how would that help anything?

"It just would," mutters Andy, falling back into a chair.

[feedsoff_fear]

Knox waited till Daniel was out of sight and he frowned a little before turning to head back into the house. He was seething a little as he slammed the door closed behind him.

Finding Andy where he was sitting, he tilts his head, "What the hell was that about?"

[i_go_vertically]

Now that the adrenaline has withdrawn, and with it the sharp, immediate fear, Andy can't stop shivering. It's subtle, and he'd usually be able to hide it well, but Knox watches him too closely. He's too tuned in.

"He asked me a few questions," says Andy, nonchalantly. "It got out of hand," and he closes his fist, to hide the tremors.

[feedsoff_fear]

Knox frowns a little as he watches Andy shivering a little and he looks around to see if he can spot a blanket or something. Not that he figured Andy was cold but maybe it would help.

"What the hell was he asking you questions about?" He scowls.

[i_go_vertically]

"Daniel Buzzetti," says Andy, carefully, "wanted to know about his power. And he assumed that I could tell him."

He leans back in the chair, letting out a breath. "How far did you throw him?" asks Andy. "Looked like a ways. You must have had a pretty big boost." From Andy's own terror.