Zachary was dimly proud of himself for not jumping at the hand on his shoulder, instead reaching to close his own hand around it tightly. He forced his eyes shut (not that it would do any good), trying to fool himself into thinking that was all it was.
"Markham?" he said, wondering where the hell his cell phone had disappeared to during the crash, and then shutting that thought off. Abe could find it, right? "Mom, and D-Dad..." Not that they would understand what had happened, but they would probably be super-pissed about the car, which was the sort of normalcy Zachary needed right now. Anything aside from the roiling dread in his gut.
He could feel her. Zachary could feel Lachesis like he could feel his own arm. She was there, part of him, and he wasn't scared. Not really. More than anything, he was overunderwhelmed. She was a goddess, but she was him; it felt unnaturally natural.
Abe just... shook his head. What else could he do? How do you speak to the blind when you can't speak at all? He wanted to say he'd already contacted them. That Markham would help. They'd be taken care of. But how...?
The only other thing he could think to do was give Zachary's shoulder a small, reassuring squeeze.
The noise of Mario collecting a coin in a classic video game sounded. A text! Abe didn't dare remove his hand from Zachary's shoulder, so he fished his cell phone out of his pocket with his bloodied hand. He flipped the lid open.
theyre coming will c u at hosp
He smiled, relieved. Thank God. He was still in the middle of thinking how to convey this to Zachary, when his phone sounded again.
calling parents now. be careful!Even more good news. He just... wished he could share it
( ... )
"If th-that's one of your WoW friends texting to s-say you'll be late for a siege, I swear," said Zachary, lacking any real conviction, but he needed something to try and channel the anger into. Even if that turned out in failure.
The movement had him shift in surprise, trying to piece together what Abe was doing, and then... he had an armful of older brother. He sucked in a breath, forced the nausea down, and changed his grip to take a piece of Abe's shirt and cling.
Abe managed an airy sort of laugh, even though his pulse was still elevated and his head was still swimming. He probably was missing a raid ("siege"? Really, Zachary?) but he didn't care. He was quitting anyway. Not that it mattered right now.
Abe didn't mind the clinging. Not at all. He was pretty clingy himself when he wasn't trying to be some pillar of strength (which wasn't often, granted, but he rose to the occasion, that was for sure).
He said nothing else, letting simmer the realization that he and Abe could no longer communicate. What were they going to do? Not even only he and Abe, but with Markham... heck, even with his parents. Everything had changed in one single instant and Zachary selfishly clung to the before, as if there was any hope of it returning to him.
Zachary always knew he had been going to go blind, ever since he could comprehend the concept, yet after eighteen years of living with the faintest maybe of Fate changing its mind, it finally struck. And he didn't want it
( ... )
Comments 61
"Markham?" he said, wondering where the hell his cell phone had disappeared to during the crash, and then shutting that thought off. Abe could find it, right? "Mom, and D-Dad..." Not that they would understand what had happened, but they would probably be super-pissed about the car, which was the sort of normalcy Zachary needed right now. Anything aside from the roiling dread in his gut.
He could feel her. Zachary could feel Lachesis like he could feel his own arm. She was there, part of him, and he wasn't scared. Not really. More than anything, he was overunderwhelmed. She was a goddess, but she was him; it felt unnaturally natural.
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The only other thing he could think to do was give Zachary's shoulder a small, reassuring squeeze.
The noise of Mario collecting a coin in a classic video game sounded. A text! Abe didn't dare remove his hand from Zachary's shoulder, so he fished his cell phone out of his pocket with his bloodied hand. He flipped the lid open.
theyre coming will c u at hosp
He smiled, relieved. Thank God. He was still in the middle of thinking how to convey this to Zachary, when his phone sounded again.
calling parents now. be careful!Even more good news. He just... wished he could share it ( ... )
Reply
The movement had him shift in surprise, trying to piece together what Abe was doing, and then... he had an armful of older brother. He sucked in a breath, forced the nausea down, and changed his grip to take a piece of Abe's shirt and cling.
Reply
Abe didn't mind the clinging. Not at all. He was pretty clingy himself when he wasn't trying to be some pillar of strength (which wasn't often, granted, but he rose to the occasion, that was for sure).
Reply
Zachary always knew he had been going to go blind, ever since he could comprehend the concept, yet after eighteen years of living with the faintest maybe of Fate changing its mind, it finally struck. And he didn't want it ( ... )
Reply
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