and if i die before i wake

[alwayspay]

Bang, bang, bang, bang. There is a universal rule out there that all teenage boys must make as much noise as possible whenever possible. There totally is. Look it up. There's no other reason why he would make so much noise dragging a skateboard over some steps if there weren't

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[selfmadman]

Don is stretched out on a convenient if not comfortable bench, chest rising and falling steadily. A hat rests on his face.

The banging does nothing to aid his already agonized attempts at sleep, and after a third round of it he shifts--gingerly--into a sitting position.

"Why aren't you in school?" It comes out a croak.

[alwayspay]

Martín is aware enough to take note of Don's expression, and he lifts the skateboard off the ground obligingly. He may be a teenager, but at least he's a polite one.

"I'm homeschooled?" he offers, as if it's a suggestion. "And, uh, it's past sunset. School's long over, dude."

It's a little odd to use 'sunset' as a time marker rather than an actual hour, but he isn't aware of it.

[selfmadman]

Of the things competing for Don's attention right now--among them a pounding headache carrying on where the skateboard left off and a rising tide of nausea--peculiar chronographic practices don't even rate.

He sets his hat beside him and hunches over, shuts his eyes. "So what's in the backpack?"

[alwayspay]

He unzips the top and produces a basketball. What, were you expecting books?

"I got aspirin." He should probably try to lower his tone, but he doesn't. He shortly produces a bottle from an outer pocket. "My sister gets headaches, but if your hangover's that bad you outta drink water. That's what they say."

[selfmadman]

At the appearance of the basketball Don musters a distant approximation of a smile; you'd be forgiven for mistaking it for a wince.

"That is what they say." If he had a glass of water in hand he'd waste no time in drinking it, but getting to his feet and instituting a search...he'll stay put. Thanks.

[alwayspay]

"I don't got water, dude," he says sympathetically, shaking two pills out and offering them. "You probably shouldn't be napping here anyway."

[selfmadman]

Don shrugs, careful to confine the motion to his shoulders. "Wasn't my first choice."

He reaches for the aspirin and passes a minute or so staring at the tablets, trying to gather enough spit to choke them down. Then, quickly, he pops them in his mouth.

"Thank you."