Joseph Van der Berg (cup_of_joey) wrote in nevermore_logs, @ 2012-09-25 03:37:00 |
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Entry tags: | joseph van der berg, lena rainmayr |
WHO: Joey and Lena
WHAT: Joey coming home
WHEN: Monday morning
WHERE: Joey and Xavier's apartment
WARNINGS: Creepy memories
Being sprung from the hospital brought with it a mixed bag of emotions. It had been weeks of being hooked up to tubes and machines, and tests and surgeries; Joey was more than ready to get out of that sterile place. Joey entered the door of the apartment he hadn't set foot in for nearly two months, and he was met with overwhelming silence.
Joey used to love the open plan apartment, but now the vastness of it made him feel small and unprotected. He was too easily spotted and there was nowhere to hide. He kept his back pressed against the wall once the door was tightly closed behind him. Walking the perimeter of the lounge with his back to the walls was somehow less threatening than chancing crossing the open expanse of the room. He could see in front of him and no one could sneak up on him from behind.
When he reached his room, Joey ran for his bed and he jumped onto it so he could curl up into the corner. He wrapped his arms around his legs, his eyes surveying the room with rampant attention. He was alone for the first time in weeks and it felt horrible. His life had been touched with indelible poison and he couldn't shake it.
He sat on his bed for several hours, unwilling to move. Then there was a knock on his door. His stomach was a mass of waring butterflies. No, something bigger. A mass of warring albatrosses.
"Who is it?" he called out, his voice wavering like a vibrato. There was no answer and if it was possible, Joey shoved himself further back into the corner until his shoulderblades ached. What if it was a demon or even Lucifer himself? What if they had come for him again and this time they would kill him. Get his hopes up and dash them to pieces like glass on concrete.
Mustering his courage, Joey eased off his bed and edged towards the door. "Hello!? He called again. Is anyon-"
He was cut off by another knock.
Albatrosses.
"WHO THE FUCK IS THERE?!" Joey demanded, the cracks in his resolve breaking open entirely.
A beat and then, "It's Lena!"
"Oh for fuck-" Joey felt like his knees were about to give way with relief. He stumbled towards the door and the moment it was open he dragged her inside. "Oh, Jesus, Lena-" He wrapped his arms around her and kicked the door shut.
"Ack, okay! Hi, baby!" Lena awkwardly put her bag down and then she returned the hug.
"What are you doing here?" Joey asked, clinging.
"Thought you could use the company." She patted Joey's back and reluctantly he let her pull away. "And I was going to ask you to stay with us for a few days but I figured you'd been away from home for long enough, hmm? When is Xavier getting back?"
Joey couldn't even explain how much it meant to him for Lena to do this for him. It was too hard, so instead he just answered her question. "A few days. He's out of the hospital too, but staying with his parents."
"I can stick around until he gets back. I cleaned your fridge out while you were gone. Your milk was like a month old and smelled like toejam." Lena grinned at him and then reached for her bag. "So I brought stuff to fill it up with. How are you getting around?"
"Okay. Everything still hurts, but I can walk again, thank fuck." Joey was sort of rendered speechless by Lena doing all this for him. "You don't have to stay-"
"You shut up right now," she said, moving to kiss him. "I'm staying and I am going to make you something to eat. I see hospital food didn't make you gain any weight back."
"Tastes like sawdust."
"I have no doubt. Go take a shower and put product in your hair. You know you want to. Lunch will be ready when you get out. Go on! Everything's going to be fine."
Joey's lip wobbled and he whispered, "thank you."
"Get!" Lena pointed to the bathroom and Joey grinned and headed towards it, his heart feeling lighter than it had in months.