getting Marek from the hospital
[from here]
"Uh... David?"
He'd totally not been eavesdropping on her conversation. Really. Promise.
Or, at least, he looks that way. "Yes, Dee?"
"Um." She really hates the idea of ... well, any of this. Fucking Set. "There's... kind of a problem."
He raised his eyebrows over the rim of the reading glasses he totally wishes he didn't need and sets the paper down. "What sort of problem?"
You know, beyond all the other problems they were running into lately.
"Set kind of... put Marek in the hospital. And may have lost him his job."
"Oh did he?" He says, with an expression of and what do you want me to do about it? It wasn't that he didn't want to help the boy but. Right now helping the boy meant helping Set.
"Yeah. That was the doctor, he needs someone to go pick him up." And her expression was stubborn and adolescent and said she was going to do it whether he liked it or not so there.
He tilted his head at her, "and you plan on going in what car?"
She had to stop and think about that. "I could borrow Mom's. Or Marek's." Never mind that that would require actually getting to Marek's place in the first place. "Or get a taxi."
He sighs and pulls off the glasses, setting them down on top of the paper.
This was a bad idea. A really bad one.
"Come on, let's go."
Dee could have collapsed in relief. "Thank you..." Bright... well, bright-ish smile. She couldn't really manage beaming right now.
And off they go. To the hospital. To pick up the boy his daughter has been sleeping with. Who is possessed by Set.
Fucking hell.
"I'd better get the best Father's Day present ever," he mutters as they walk into the hospital.
Dee's smile went a bit shaky. "I got five months, I bet I can come up with something."
He grins at her, "I'm sure you will."
And hey, there's Marek, waiting on them, looking like shit.
Dee... would run up to hug him, except he really does look like he might break if she did that. So instead she sort of trots up and takes his hand and... "Hey...'
Marek had been, at that moment, pushing one of his teeth with his tongue. It wiggled, a little. Christ, he hoped it wasn't going to come out.
David followed his daughter at a more sedate pace, watching the boy she cared so much for with a rather intent gaze. Judging him? Oh yes.
"What happened? They just told me you'd been in a fight..." She was trying to be an adult, really, mostly because it was Marek and David was watching and she really didn't want to turn into a freaked out little girl in front of eithe rof them, for varying reasons. But that was what she was.
Marek smiled a little weakly at her, standing up. "Hi. And...uh." He glanced uneasily over at David. "My boss came looking for me and. Didn't exactly find me. And I guess he was bored." The he there wasn't the boss. He meant Set.
Dee made some sort of noise, because she didn't really want to say what she really felt, which was something along the lines of I'm gonna kill him. Because that would mean hurting Marek, and, yeah. No. "He's a jackass. We're working on it.." Her hands sort of wrapped around his, not clinging. Really. All kind sof irrelevant doubts and insecurities crowding into her mind. "Doc said someone's supposed to keep an eye on you, so, I guess..." She glanced over at David for permission, either to stay with him or take him home.
David forced a smile, "so it looks like we're going to have a house guest," he finished for her.
That caused Marek's eyes to go wide. Well, the one that wasn't puffy and purple, anyway. "Uh no," he backpedaled, "really, that's...okay. You don't have to- I'll...be fine."
"You'll be more fine at a place with people to keep an eye on you and..." More resources than you have at the apartment. "Some place where you can get some peace and quiet rest. And where people know what's going on." That was Dee, being bluntly practical. Because it was safer than... "We'll keep you away from her." Because it was easier than saying 'Mom' and having it all be personal. That still squicked her out
It wasn't exactly Star Marek was worried about. David wasn't doing any help by looking very non-threatening. But he'd likely be giving Marek the hairy eyeball even if he wasn't also Set. He was Dee's boyfriend, after all.
Marek opened his mouth to protest again but before he got very far David let out an explosive sigh, "she's not going to give me a minute of peace if we don't make sure you're okay, kid. And I'm sure as hell not leaving you two alone so just humor us both and quit with the fuss." I'm not going to kill you. Probably.
Marek stared at him for a minute, back at Dee and then figured this wasn't an argument he was going to win. Nor was it one he was entirely sure he wanted to. Going home alone didn't sound like fun. So he nodded, "okay," and mumbled, "thank you."
"Thank you," Dee sort of murmured, flicking an annoyed teenager not-quite-glare in David's direction for that. Not that she had expected otherwise. But the thank you to Marek was for going along, at least... something. She wasn't sure anymore, and she was starting to get a little dizzy with everything that was going on. "Car's this way?"
David completely ignored her not-quite-glare and led the way out to the car.
And now it's Marek's turn to follow at a more sedate pace.
Dee stayed mostly by Marek's side, though she did kind of hover between the two men. She was... she really didn't have any idea what to do, practically speaking. Besides making sure that Marek would be oky
The car ride back to the house could quite conceivably be described as "awkward". Marek was just glad Set didn't take the opportunity to make things worse.
He'd probably be surprised to discover David's thoughts running along the same lines.
Dee was mostly hoping that Mom either wasn't home or was somewhere else in the house when they got there. She just wasn't sure Set would stay asleep if Ishtar was around. (Which, now that she thought about it like that... god her life was weird.)
That was, of course, assuming Set was asleep. He could very well have been watching and just choosing not to make an issue out of things.
Yet.
Once they arrived at the house, David led the way into the living area, not feeling overly inclined toward suggesting a room for the boy. Again with the not letting his daughter stay alone with someone who could turn into a psychopath at any moment.
Marek himself didn't particularly care, so long as he wasn't being handcuffed to a chair or something for his own good.
Star wasn't there, or at least, not in the house. She had left a note on the table, weighted down with a silver plume paperweight that was supposed to be a quill but had amused her to no end, what with Raven. David -- Paul said he spoke with Set, so I'm going to see him and Peter. I've got my cell phone on. Love, Star.
Dee just... about out of energy and ideas, she flopped on the couch.
David frowned at the note. Well, maybe they'd find out something but -
He looked sidelong at Marek. They did have Set here. Sort of. And he should likely give Star some amount of warning before she returned. "I'll see about a snack," he said, walking into the kitchen even as he was pulling his cell phone from his pocket.
Marek shot Dee a crooked smile and flopped a little more carefully down, but also carefully just enough distance from her that they didn't look...something. Far enough they weren't touching, not so far it looked like he was deliberately avoiding touching her. Not quite, anyway.
Dee gave her father only a bit of a funny look for that, but then again, rules of hospitality and so on. Marek got her attention after that. "Did the doctor give you any... medication or anything, any instructions?"
Marek produced a paper with the prescription scrawled on it. "Oh yeah, there's this." It's wrapped around a couple of samples he's supposed to use until he can get the prescription filled. "Concussion likely. Bruised ribs. Should take it easy. Wouldn't hurt to put something on the eye. Usual." At least he didn't need stitches or anything.
Dee nodded slightly. "Concussion means you're not supposed to go to sleep for, like... twelve to twenty four hours. I don't know about the ribs. We can fill the prescription..." The rest of it just seemed like, take it easy. Which was a good idea in theory but left them with a lot of time on their hands. Awkward time.
Marek looked up at the ceiling. "This sucks." Like. The whole situation. The only marginally good part is that if it hadn't happened, he'd never have met Dee.
"Ye-ep." Long, drawn out. Tired, sardonic. Cynical. She'd way preferred it when the on ly thing they had to worry about was getting caught having sex before her eightteenth birthday.
He glanced over at her, "I'm sorry." It seemed the thing to say.
What the hell was he going to do now?
"'s okay." She shook her head slightly. "'s not your fault." Set's fault. God, if he ever got a body of his own she was going to kick his ass. Or, well. She'd want to, anyway.
Maybe she could get Paul to do it.
"It's me, isn't it?" And now he was looking down at his hands, at the split skin on his knuckles. "Still me doing it. Whatever it is." He waved a hand, "sure looks like it, anyway."
That's all that's going to matter to most people. Most people wouldn't understand.
"It's not you." Dee was still looking down, but she was positive about this. "It's not you doing this." Although she understood the part about it not mattering. It looked like him. That would be good enough for most people.
"It's not your fault," she said again, more firmly. "It's just a crappy situation you got stuck in, and ... I"m sorry you got stuck in the middle of it."
He frowned at her, "why are you sorry? You definitely didn't have anything to do with it."
Small, weak-ish smile. "Family crap? You shouldn't have to go through this..." Dee slouched down further into the couch, one hand gesturing around at, well. Everything. "This is the kind of stuff my family deals with. My parents are all..." Small snort, because it sounded stupid no matter how many times she said it. "Reborn gods. We moved across the country because the stupid chaos god nearly killed my Dad because my Mom's the sex goddess of Iran or whatever it is now. It's stupid family shit, and you shouldn't have to deal with any of it."
Marek was choking back a laugh. "Right. Of course. Are we entirely sure we aren't all insane?"
Annnd right about then David returns with a tray he's slapped together with stuff to make sandwiches in one hand and a bottle of soda in the other. He doesn't mention calling Star. "This should do."
Dee looks over at her step-father (her Dad, not that she'd ever call him that to his face) with a tiny grateful smile. "Yeah, pretty sure." Some things could be faked. Turning into a bird... not the way he'd done it. "Thanks."
He nodded, glanced at Marek. "I'll just...be in the other room." With the door open so he could listen to them talk.
Marek tried for a harmless smile and winced as he leaned over to, you know, fix a sandwich. Because he's still a growing boy donchaknow?
"Stop that," Dee said almost automatically, suddenly having flashbacks to what little remained of her childhood, her mother helping David. "No bending like that with broken ribs. Here." She figured she could piece together something, she'd watchd him order sandwiches often enough.
He's not used to having someone else take care of him so he blinks at her a moment before sitting back. "Uh. Right. Er, okay?"
Poor, silly boy.
That jus tmade her feel even more awkward, self-conscious. Gangly. Young. Something.
But, really, you couldn't grow up Ishtar's daughter without acquiring some measure of unconscious grace. She didn't drop the mayo knife or anything. And handed him a sandwich after a few moments. "There you go."
He smiled, taking it from her. "thanks." He wasn't a picky eater anyway. Anything she'd have made would be just fine but it's nice she tried for something she knew he liked.
She managed a smile back, curling up where she was, shoulder against the couch.
"So I guess this isn't the time," he says between bites of sandwich, "to make suggestive comments about having to stay awake all night."
Plus, it's not really late at all.
Dee laughed, and was startled by it. Startled that she even could laugh right now when she didn't feel like it at all. Until right then. "I don't think a lot of head movement is good for you either," she told him, making a face. But still smiling under that.
Marek grinned and felt better. A little tension eased. "You're probably right. Guess we'll have to find something else to do to stay entertained." He paused. "Scrabble?"
"Scrabble?" Somehow, that hadn't been a suggestion she expected to hear from him. And she still wasn't sure he wasn't joking. "Really?"
He'd been joking. But hey, they did have to do something. "Why not?"
"Because you'll make up words and put down dirty words for the rest and then I'll have to explain to my parents why their scrabble board is ... saying lewd things." She wasn't quite prepared to say 'suck my cock' out loud in her home when her father was in the next room.
Marek widened his eyes one good eye at her in mock-astonishment. "Me? Do that? You must have me confused with someone else." It's like she'd played the game with him before or something.
"Uh-huh." She poked him gently in the thigh, one of the few parts she could think of that wouldn't hurt him. "I could never confuse you for someone else."
"Mmmm. Damn." He took a last bite of sandwich. "Something else then?" Strip poker was right out.
"Movies?" Dee shrugged, even smiling a little. Her eyes flicked over at David's direction. "Daytime TV. Video games..." Meanwhile she was feeling at least good enough to come up between Marek's knees and lean pretty close over him, supporting herself on her hands.
He smiled up at her, "I don't think I'm in much shape to beat you at DDR..."
"But you can kick my ass at Soul Calibur." And now she stretched out over him, tucking her head to his shoulder a bit. "Or we could probably do other things."
"I like other things."
David might not like them. Depending. But Marek does.
"We'll have to be all slow and careful, but I think we can manage."
"I'm game if you-"
From the other room comes the sound of someone clearing his throat. Loudly.
Dee makes a face. "I shoulda picked you up myself and taken us both to the pool house."
David calls out, "there's cameras in the pool house."
Marek blinks. Mutters. "Is he serious?"
"He better not be." Halfway glaring in David's direction.
He doesn't indicate one way or another. He is, however, smirking to himself in the other room.
Marek's making faces. "A movie, then."
"I guess." Dee's pouting.
"Uh... David?"
He'd totally not been eavesdropping on her conversation. Really. Promise.
Or, at least, he looks that way. "Yes, Dee?"
"Um." She really hates the idea of ... well, any of this. Fucking Set. "There's... kind of a problem."
He raised his eyebrows over the rim of the reading glasses he totally wishes he didn't need and sets the paper down. "What sort of problem?"
You know, beyond all the other problems they were running into lately.
"Set kind of... put Marek in the hospital. And may have lost him his job."
"Oh did he?" He says, with an expression of and what do you want me to do about it? It wasn't that he didn't want to help the boy but. Right now helping the boy meant helping Set.
"Yeah. That was the doctor, he needs someone to go pick him up." And her expression was stubborn and adolescent and said she was going to do it whether he liked it or not so there.
He tilted his head at her, "and you plan on going in what car?"
She had to stop and think about that. "I could borrow Mom's. Or Marek's." Never mind that that would require actually getting to Marek's place in the first place. "Or get a taxi."
He sighs and pulls off the glasses, setting them down on top of the paper.
This was a bad idea. A really bad one.
"Come on, let's go."
Dee could have collapsed in relief. "Thank you..." Bright... well, bright-ish smile. She couldn't really manage beaming right now.
And off they go. To the hospital. To pick up the boy his daughter has been sleeping with. Who is possessed by Set.
Fucking hell.
"I'd better get the best Father's Day present ever," he mutters as they walk into the hospital.
Dee's smile went a bit shaky. "I got five months, I bet I can come up with something."
He grins at her, "I'm sure you will."
And hey, there's Marek, waiting on them, looking like shit.
Dee... would run up to hug him, except he really does look like he might break if she did that. So instead she sort of trots up and takes his hand and... "Hey...'
Marek had been, at that moment, pushing one of his teeth with his tongue. It wiggled, a little. Christ, he hoped it wasn't going to come out.
David followed his daughter at a more sedate pace, watching the boy she cared so much for with a rather intent gaze. Judging him? Oh yes.
"What happened? They just told me you'd been in a fight..." She was trying to be an adult, really, mostly because it was Marek and David was watching and she really didn't want to turn into a freaked out little girl in front of eithe rof them, for varying reasons. But that was what she was.
Marek smiled a little weakly at her, standing up. "Hi. And...uh." He glanced uneasily over at David. "My boss came looking for me and. Didn't exactly find me. And I guess he was bored." The he there wasn't the boss. He meant Set.
Dee made some sort of noise, because she didn't really want to say what she really felt, which was something along the lines of I'm gonna kill him. Because that would mean hurting Marek, and, yeah. No. "He's a jackass. We're working on it.." Her hands sort of wrapped around his, not clinging. Really. All kind sof irrelevant doubts and insecurities crowding into her mind. "Doc said someone's supposed to keep an eye on you, so, I guess..." She glanced over at David for permission, either to stay with him or take him home.
David forced a smile, "so it looks like we're going to have a house guest," he finished for her.
That caused Marek's eyes to go wide. Well, the one that wasn't puffy and purple, anyway. "Uh no," he backpedaled, "really, that's...okay. You don't have to- I'll...be fine."
"You'll be more fine at a place with people to keep an eye on you and..." More resources than you have at the apartment. "Some place where you can get some peace and quiet rest. And where people know what's going on." That was Dee, being bluntly practical. Because it was safer than... "We'll keep you away from her." Because it was easier than saying 'Mom' and having it all be personal. That still squicked her out
It wasn't exactly Star Marek was worried about. David wasn't doing any help by looking very non-threatening. But he'd likely be giving Marek the hairy eyeball even if he wasn't also Set. He was Dee's boyfriend, after all.
Marek opened his mouth to protest again but before he got very far David let out an explosive sigh, "she's not going to give me a minute of peace if we don't make sure you're okay, kid. And I'm sure as hell not leaving you two alone so just humor us both and quit with the fuss." I'm not going to kill you. Probably.
Marek stared at him for a minute, back at Dee and then figured this wasn't an argument he was going to win. Nor was it one he was entirely sure he wanted to. Going home alone didn't sound like fun. So he nodded, "okay," and mumbled, "thank you."
"Thank you," Dee sort of murmured, flicking an annoyed teenager not-quite-glare in David's direction for that. Not that she had expected otherwise. But the thank you to Marek was for going along, at least... something. She wasn't sure anymore, and she was starting to get a little dizzy with everything that was going on. "Car's this way?"
David completely ignored her not-quite-glare and led the way out to the car.
And now it's Marek's turn to follow at a more sedate pace.
Dee stayed mostly by Marek's side, though she did kind of hover between the two men. She was... she really didn't have any idea what to do, practically speaking. Besides making sure that Marek would be oky
The car ride back to the house could quite conceivably be described as "awkward". Marek was just glad Set didn't take the opportunity to make things worse.
He'd probably be surprised to discover David's thoughts running along the same lines.
Dee was mostly hoping that Mom either wasn't home or was somewhere else in the house when they got there. She just wasn't sure Set would stay asleep if Ishtar was around. (Which, now that she thought about it like that... god her life was weird.)
That was, of course, assuming Set was asleep. He could very well have been watching and just choosing not to make an issue out of things.
Yet.
Once they arrived at the house, David led the way into the living area, not feeling overly inclined toward suggesting a room for the boy. Again with the not letting his daughter stay alone with someone who could turn into a psychopath at any moment.
Marek himself didn't particularly care, so long as he wasn't being handcuffed to a chair or something for his own good.
Star wasn't there, or at least, not in the house. She had left a note on the table, weighted down with a silver plume paperweight that was supposed to be a quill but had amused her to no end, what with Raven. David -- Paul said he spoke with Set, so I'm going to see him and Peter. I've got my cell phone on. Love, Star.
Dee just... about out of energy and ideas, she flopped on the couch.
David frowned at the note. Well, maybe they'd find out something but -
He looked sidelong at Marek. They did have Set here. Sort of. And he should likely give Star some amount of warning before she returned. "I'll see about a snack," he said, walking into the kitchen even as he was pulling his cell phone from his pocket.
Marek shot Dee a crooked smile and flopped a little more carefully down, but also carefully just enough distance from her that they didn't look...something. Far enough they weren't touching, not so far it looked like he was deliberately avoiding touching her. Not quite, anyway.
Dee gave her father only a bit of a funny look for that, but then again, rules of hospitality and so on. Marek got her attention after that. "Did the doctor give you any... medication or anything, any instructions?"
Marek produced a paper with the prescription scrawled on it. "Oh yeah, there's this." It's wrapped around a couple of samples he's supposed to use until he can get the prescription filled. "Concussion likely. Bruised ribs. Should take it easy. Wouldn't hurt to put something on the eye. Usual." At least he didn't need stitches or anything.
Dee nodded slightly. "Concussion means you're not supposed to go to sleep for, like... twelve to twenty four hours. I don't know about the ribs. We can fill the prescription..." The rest of it just seemed like, take it easy. Which was a good idea in theory but left them with a lot of time on their hands. Awkward time.
Marek looked up at the ceiling. "This sucks." Like. The whole situation. The only marginally good part is that if it hadn't happened, he'd never have met Dee.
"Ye-ep." Long, drawn out. Tired, sardonic. Cynical. She'd way preferred it when the on ly thing they had to worry about was getting caught having sex before her eightteenth birthday.
He glanced over at her, "I'm sorry." It seemed the thing to say.
What the hell was he going to do now?
"'s okay." She shook her head slightly. "'s not your fault." Set's fault. God, if he ever got a body of his own she was going to kick his ass. Or, well. She'd want to, anyway.
Maybe she could get Paul to do it.
"It's me, isn't it?" And now he was looking down at his hands, at the split skin on his knuckles. "Still me doing it. Whatever it is." He waved a hand, "sure looks like it, anyway."
That's all that's going to matter to most people. Most people wouldn't understand.
"It's not you." Dee was still looking down, but she was positive about this. "It's not you doing this." Although she understood the part about it not mattering. It looked like him. That would be good enough for most people.
"It's not your fault," she said again, more firmly. "It's just a crappy situation you got stuck in, and ... I"m sorry you got stuck in the middle of it."
He frowned at her, "why are you sorry? You definitely didn't have anything to do with it."
Small, weak-ish smile. "Family crap? You shouldn't have to go through this..." Dee slouched down further into the couch, one hand gesturing around at, well. Everything. "This is the kind of stuff my family deals with. My parents are all..." Small snort, because it sounded stupid no matter how many times she said it. "Reborn gods. We moved across the country because the stupid chaos god nearly killed my Dad because my Mom's the sex goddess of Iran or whatever it is now. It's stupid family shit, and you shouldn't have to deal with any of it."
Marek was choking back a laugh. "Right. Of course. Are we entirely sure we aren't all insane?"
Annnd right about then David returns with a tray he's slapped together with stuff to make sandwiches in one hand and a bottle of soda in the other. He doesn't mention calling Star. "This should do."
Dee looks over at her step-father (her Dad, not that she'd ever call him that to his face) with a tiny grateful smile. "Yeah, pretty sure." Some things could be faked. Turning into a bird... not the way he'd done it. "Thanks."
He nodded, glanced at Marek. "I'll just...be in the other room." With the door open so he could listen to them talk.
Marek tried for a harmless smile and winced as he leaned over to, you know, fix a sandwich. Because he's still a growing boy donchaknow?
"Stop that," Dee said almost automatically, suddenly having flashbacks to what little remained of her childhood, her mother helping David. "No bending like that with broken ribs. Here." She figured she could piece together something, she'd watchd him order sandwiches often enough.
He's not used to having someone else take care of him so he blinks at her a moment before sitting back. "Uh. Right. Er, okay?"
Poor, silly boy.
That jus tmade her feel even more awkward, self-conscious. Gangly. Young. Something.
But, really, you couldn't grow up Ishtar's daughter without acquiring some measure of unconscious grace. She didn't drop the mayo knife or anything. And handed him a sandwich after a few moments. "There you go."
He smiled, taking it from her. "thanks." He wasn't a picky eater anyway. Anything she'd have made would be just fine but it's nice she tried for something she knew he liked.
She managed a smile back, curling up where she was, shoulder against the couch.
"So I guess this isn't the time," he says between bites of sandwich, "to make suggestive comments about having to stay awake all night."
Plus, it's not really late at all.
Dee laughed, and was startled by it. Startled that she even could laugh right now when she didn't feel like it at all. Until right then. "I don't think a lot of head movement is good for you either," she told him, making a face. But still smiling under that.
Marek grinned and felt better. A little tension eased. "You're probably right. Guess we'll have to find something else to do to stay entertained." He paused. "Scrabble?"
"Scrabble?" Somehow, that hadn't been a suggestion she expected to hear from him. And she still wasn't sure he wasn't joking. "Really?"
He'd been joking. But hey, they did have to do something. "Why not?"
"Because you'll make up words and put down dirty words for the rest and then I'll have to explain to my parents why their scrabble board is ... saying lewd things." She wasn't quite prepared to say 'suck my cock' out loud in her home when her father was in the next room.
Marek widened his eyes one good eye at her in mock-astonishment. "Me? Do that? You must have me confused with someone else." It's like she'd played the game with him before or something.
"Uh-huh." She poked him gently in the thigh, one of the few parts she could think of that wouldn't hurt him. "I could never confuse you for someone else."
"Mmmm. Damn." He took a last bite of sandwich. "Something else then?" Strip poker was right out.
"Movies?" Dee shrugged, even smiling a little. Her eyes flicked over at David's direction. "Daytime TV. Video games..." Meanwhile she was feeling at least good enough to come up between Marek's knees and lean pretty close over him, supporting herself on her hands.
He smiled up at her, "I don't think I'm in much shape to beat you at DDR..."
"But you can kick my ass at Soul Calibur." And now she stretched out over him, tucking her head to his shoulder a bit. "Or we could probably do other things."
"I like other things."
David might not like them. Depending. But Marek does.
"We'll have to be all slow and careful, but I think we can manage."
"I'm game if you-"
From the other room comes the sound of someone clearing his throat. Loudly.
Dee makes a face. "I shoulda picked you up myself and taken us both to the pool house."
David calls out, "there's cameras in the pool house."
Marek blinks. Mutters. "Is he serious?"
"He better not be." Halfway glaring in David's direction.
He doesn't indicate one way or another. He is, however, smirking to himself in the other room.
Marek's making faces. "A movie, then."
"I guess." Dee's pouting.