5:20pm - Rush Hour

[lastchancetorun]

Today is not a good day to be taking the rail through Gotham. At least, not at this particular rail station.

Wayne Central. Great station. All done up nice and pretty since the 'incidents'.

Four lockers.

Four trash cans.

Two Benches.

Each of these items contains within it one of these lovely devices. They work on a timer, and when that

Comments

[goshdarnniteowl]

Daniel doesn't work 40 hours a week, or hold down a steady 9-5 job. He goes in whenever the asylum needs him, whenever they call.

He's possibly never been more thankful of this than right now, when he hears the reports on the radio of some kind of attack on Gotham Central Station. A bombing? Something else? No one's sure. Some of the stations are saying 'fear toxin.'

And the only thing Daniel's more grateful for, then, than his lack of steady work hours, is that he went out yesterday and bought two gas masks, from a military surplus store. He'd have preferred to have time to fit them to him and Rorschach's costumes, but they'd still do like this.

He doesn't know where Walter is right now (At work? At the library? Trying to find Jonathan Crane or Judah Stark?), but he knows his phone number -- mostly because he bought Walter he phone, and insisted he hold onto it in case they needed to get in quick contact. He calls him up.

[holyrorschach]

He should wrap the wound to staunch the bleeding, but there's no time until this is all taken care of. Most of the more violent victims of the gas have either been restrained or found their way out to the police. Walter begins trying to gather and herd the remaining victims out towards the exits as well as the ones he's already tied.

Rorschach turns when he's called and hears his partner running towards him. Even the black shifting patterns of his mask are moving a bit more slowly now.
"Need to move a few more out. Still have to check restrooms. May be some still hiding."

[goshdarnniteowl]

"No." Nite Owl grabs his arm to hold him there, as he looks him over. Christ. "You're bleeding. We need to patch this up."

There is no argument here. There is, however, a bundle of gauze and bandages, and gauntletted hands pushing Rorschach's trenchcoat off.

[holyrorschach]

"Nnn... Will be alright."
The distant, dull monotone of his voice wavers somewhat when Nite Owl insists on assisting him. Rorschach grumbles as his partner works to pull his coat away.

"Not here." It isn't safe and it compromises their appearance as 'heroes' to seem fragile and human in the public eye.
"Outside. Out of sight."
He doubts that he can convince Nite Owl just to leave him be until the area is clear.

[goshdarnniteowl]

Now you're starting to figure out how this works, Rorschach. Except how he doesn't even, really, want to go that far. He shakes his head, and points toward a nookish area usually utilised by buskers and the homeless, that's been cleared out already. "Too far. There."

[holyrorschach]

A growling sort of groan hisses through Rorschach's teeth and may be pain, aggravation, or both. Likely both. He snorts out a breath through the gasmask and shakes his head.
"No. No witnesses. Will be fine."

He's going to head outside. He may be learning, but he's no less stubborn for it. The cops can handle the rest and, it seems Batman is on the scene as well. Rorschach would rather be out of the way if he isn't being useful.

[goshdarnniteowl]

Oh, for --

But time spent arguing is time spent not fixing Rorschach up. "Fine." But they're going now, buddy, no stopping for anything else.

Out, and to the nearest secluded spot, alleyway or overhand or whatever, and there's no escaping the Nite Owl's mothering wrath anymore. Trenchcoat still slung over his arm, he looks the wound over. This is bad, isn't it?

[holyrorschach]

The first empty alleyway isn't far. The swirling blue and red of police lights illuminates the area dimly as Rorschach drops down to sit on the stoop of a back exit. He leans against the door and unfastens the gasmask, glad to pull it off. It was making breathing harder. He won't accept that the same can be said for the latex mask he leaves on.

He untucks his shirt and tugs it up so he and Nite Owl can both have a look at the wound. It's ugly, jagged and leaking with every beat of his pulse. Rorschach makes a small sound of disappointment.
"Will need stitches. Tight bandages for now. Will do the stitching myself. At home."
He's getting a little dizzy and tired, but he can keep it together long enough. Maybe just rest a bit in the car.

[goshdarnniteowl]

Nite does the same, tossing the gas mask with the other, and the trenchcoat on top of them, as he looks the wound over. Arterial. Fuck.

He wants to protest. He wants to say they should go to a hospital. But -- he knows what Rorschach will say to that. And he doesn't have the money for a visit to the emergency room, and they'll be packed right now, anyway...

He nods. "Sit up." And he gets to working on the bandages, wrapping them as tight as can be stood. "Talk to me." So I know you're still conscious, so I know how you're doing.

[holyrorschach]

He focuses on slowing his breathing. If he can stay calm and slow his heart rate just a little, then maybe he cans slow his bleeding a little as well.

Rorschach sits up straight when asked. There's a little grunt or two of discomfort at the bandaging, but he mostly doesn't complain. While he understands the request for him to speak, he isn't sure what to say. He pulls the latex mask up above his mouth, finally favoring breathing to total anonymity.

"Did well..." No. It's just the two of them. He's talking to his friend. He should really talk to him. "Nnn.. You did well in there. You're very good with people..." A few deep breaths. "...Sorry I got distracted. Shouldn't have left an opening for attack."

[goshdarnniteowl]

"I'm pretty sure you didn't do it on purpose." It's a crappy joke. But it helps. Helps him, at least, helps him concentrate on something beside the bright red blood on the bandages, on his gloves. "You did good, too. You're better with fighting than I am..." More gauze. "You should really consider a vest, though. Some protection."

So that they don't have to do this again, or at least less often.

[holyrorschach]

"Hmm."
It might be a laugh. There might even be an attempt at a smile before it turns into bared teeth and a hiss of pain.

"Vests are expensive. I'll be more careful..." Rorschach turns his head to look at his partner. Nite Owl's concern for him is still completely baffling.
"I could teach you. Help you get better with fighting."
There's a soft, half distracted smile at the thought of sparring with his partner and Rorschach bites his lip.

[goshdarnniteowl]

"We can save up the money for it." Wrap, wrap.... tear with his teeth. There. That should hold. He'll give Rorschach a hand up, if he needs it, and retrieve the masks and coat. "That would probably be a good idea. Thanks." Smiling back happens. Awesome. Learning to fight!

[holyrorschach]

Normally, he would spend more time arguing the futility of wasting money like that and how he's better off without, but he's tired right now so he just whines. He's so out of it, in fact, that he'll even take the offered hand up...and maybe hold on a moment or two too long. Particularly when he realizes that he let slip and smiled openly and his partner is smiling back. There are a few awkward seconds of standing too close, holding Nite Owl's hand and grinning stupidly before he catches himself and looks away.

*cough* "We should go. Things are taken care of here, I think."
He might still be holding onto Nite Owl's hand.

[goshdarnniteowl]

Aww, man. He's smiling. That might be a first. Smiling and holding his hand.

And holding his hand.

...and still holding his hand.

Daniel looks down.

Yep, still.

"Um."

>_>

"...yeah, we should probably..."

[holyrorschach]

"Err." The red of his cheeks only just barely extends below where the mask covers his cheeks when he notices he's still got a hold on Nite Owl's hand. Rorschach lets go abruptly and pulls his mask the rest of the way down.

One hand holds the bandage against his side as he makes long strides towards where they've left the car, putting distance between himself and his partner. He's still dizzy, but it seems he's made things awkward. They should go.
"Yes. Should go."