Gordon had been absent through all of the nightmares - probably for the best, since he has enough reason to hate the world. But he walks in as Sue's playing, and since he hasn't seen her - or, really anyone he can talk to - in a while, he stands nearby, watching her quietly as she plays. He's not going to interrupt, just... watch.
Sue is playing about watching Steve die. He didn't die, but she thought he would and the tears are in the notes, in the keys she presses, but not in her face, not even in her eyes, which in other people are always so expressive.
She stops, the music fading out into the Inn.
It takes her a moment, but she sees Gordon and nods at him.
"Haven't seen you around in a while." Of course the nightmares made a week seem like a month.
He gives her one of those characteristics smirks that isn't a smile, and shrugs. "Haven't been around in a while. The door didn't show up." He pulls up a chair and sits in it, eying her. "How're you?"
"Lucky you." Sue mutters as her fingers go back, instinctively, to the piano and she shrugs at the question. "It's been the week from hell in the Inn. Be glad you missed it."
"What?" he asks, before he can really control his first, very emotional reaction. He clamps it down as much as he can, but his hands are shaking, and he's struggling to breathe.
As if he weren't having enough trouble breathing already.
There's almost a hint of sympathy in Sue's eyes when she looks up at him.
"He's fine now. Before we knew about the nightmares, we were sure he was dying. He'd lost thirty pounds, had the lesions, and slipped into that coma." She tilts her head toward the ceiling. "Fucking kid left, and he was fine. Just like that."
Sue is incredibly perceptive and she's had such practice herself at the business of becoming stone that it's not difficult for her to see Gordon's struggle.
She meets his gaze and nods. "He's okay. He's Steve again."
"Oh, shut up," he growls at the 'state the obvious' comment, though his voice is a little rough as he tries to hold back another cough, and mostly fails. "I don't... I mean, I'm just a friend. I'm sure he's... He'll be fine. Without me."
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She stops, the music fading out into the Inn.
It takes her a moment, but she sees Gordon and nods at him.
"Haven't seen you around in a while." Of course the nightmares made a week seem like a month.
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And in no other place would that question be necessary. He's gotten sadly used to it.
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"I'm not entirely sure. Nightmares were coming to life. All caused by some God damned little boy, apparently."
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She runs her tongue across her teeth and sucks in a breath of warm air.
"Steve... went into a coma."
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As if he weren't having enough trouble breathing already.
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"He's fine now. Before we knew about the nightmares, we were sure he was dying. He'd lost thirty pounds, had the lesions, and slipped into that coma." She tilts her head toward the ceiling. "Fucking kid left, and he was fine. Just like that."
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She meets his gaze and nods. "He's okay. He's Steve again."
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Don't mind the slight cough after that. It means nothing.
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"Yes. It is. Thank you for stating the obvious." She notices the cough, but it isn't exactly an easy thing to bring up.
What exactly does that cough mean?
"I'm sure he'd feel even better if he saw you... and saw how much you care."
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"You're an idiot."
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