Who: Thursday Rae and Matty Mackey What: Guards doing the wrong thing When: Early morning, January 1 Where: On the street and to the hospital Warnings: Assault, broken bones
He had left the party with a group. He was certain of that. But as they walked various people peeled off of the group to head various directions until Thursday was alone. He didn’t think anything of it. He was only a short distance from his place. He was feeling good. The night had been a lot of fun. He had broken his no drinking rule by having a glass of champagne but that shouldn’t be a big deal.
It wasn’t until he was surrounded that he realized the men that had joined him were hostile. He heard the slurs but they didn’t stick. He had long ago learned not to listen. He remembered the first punch, one to his gut that doubled him over but after that he remembered little. One thing living on the streets and doing that job that he did taught him was to turn it off. He just shut down and curled up as small as possible and waited for it to be over. However that happened.
Thursday had no idea how long the beating had lasted. He had definitely blacked out at one point because he could feel the fog of it as he came to. He hurt. Which was the understatement of the century. It took a good long few moments to complete his mental inventory. He had some broken bones. He could identify those. And his head? He wasn’t sure how bad that was but he was conscious. So that was a bonus. It was the internal damage that he wasn’t sure about.
He was just trying to decide if he dared try and move when he heard his name.
---
Matty left after Thursday did. He had a stupid idea. He wanted to head to the woods. He wanted to stretch his wings. He wanted to fly. Flying in the woods was hard with the trees but he could get high enough he could pretend he was flying and stay out of sight. He took a different path and then decided to double back towards the house to grab some mittens or something so he could stay warm when he saw Thursday. His heart stopped. He looked… Matty ran over as fast as he could. His illusions were still a work in progress but he tried to throw one around them, so they were invisible just in case those who did it weren’t gone. He didn’t know if it worked or if it would linger but he knelt down next to Thursday.
Did he touch him? Did he not touch him? He touched something that didn’t look like it could hurt and said, “Thursday? Can you hear me? Thursday?”
---
Matty? He thought he heard Matty. But maybe he was just imagining it because he wanted it to be Matty. Feeling the touch he mentally pulled away but it didn’t hurt so he slowly opened his eyes. “Matty?” He asked, his throat scratchy. When he recognized his friend he smiled and relaxed. “It is you. Why are you here? They….” He had to calm himself down because breathing hurt. “You...they might see you.”
—-
“They won’t see anything,” Matty said. He hoped. He wasn’t sure. He may have just caused a ripple effect. It didn’t matter. He was trying to keep them safe, “What happened? Can you get up? Should I take you to the hospital?” He had a lot of questions but firstly he wanted to know how he could help Thursday. He looked back. The hospital was probably the smartest answer. Could he pick Thursday up? Should he call an ambulance? He should be better prepared for this.
---
Thursday calmed down again when Matty assured him that they wouldn’t see anything. He wasn’t worried about himself at that point he just didn’t want the same thing to happen to Matty. He probably deserved it. He had done enough to fight back. But Matty? He was innocent.
Thursday avoided the question of what happened. He didn’t want to go to the hospital but he knew that if there was any internal bleeding it could kill him without help. Looking up at Matty he blinked a few times to clear his head. “My arms are broken but I think my legs are okay. If … if you can help me up I can probably walk.”
---
Shit. He frowned. Would walking take too long? God, Thursday must be in so much pain. He wondered if he could fly to the hospital. It would be faster but with broken arms? How would Thursday hold on? Matty bent down and very carefully he helped Thursday to his feet. He wished he was better, stronger with illusions. He could illusion the pain away. He didn’t think he could do that.
He put his arm around Thursday’s waist gently and said, “Let’s go. We’ll go as fast as you can make it. Just focus on me and we’ll get you help. I promise.”
---
Thursday tried to stay quiet as Matty helped him up. He knew it was going to hurt but the pain was just too much and he cried out as he was moved. He had to learn hard on Matty as his consciousness wavered from the pain. As it was he was gasping for air which hurt even more. He was just a complete ball of pain.
Once he was upright and could lean completely on Matty he was finally able to catch his breath. Well, sort of. He couldn’t speak so he just gave him a small nod. “Lets go.” he managed to choke out.
---
Matty was careful as he brought Thursday to the hospital. He held him as close as he could, trying to keep him still. He brushed light kisses against Thursday’s head as they walked, trying to distract him. He didn’t try to make conversation, he didn’t think that would help. They just had to get there. It probably didn’t take as long as Matty felt like it did but they got there. As they entered the emergency section, there were others hurt. Matty’s heart ached. This night was unforgivable. He flagged down a doctor. Thursday needed help and now.
---
Thursday didn’t remember much after Matty had gotten him onto his feet. He kept slipping in and out of consciousness. When Matty finally got him to the hospital and to a doctor he managed to thank his friend before finally succumbing to the blackness and completely passing out.
The next thing Thursday remembered was waking up in a hospital bed. He was completely disoriented and had no idea where he what happened. When he was awake enough he began to struggle, trying to get out of the bed. He needed to run. He needed to get away before they put him back in his cell. He moved too much and the flash of pain had him crying out and he collapsed back on the bed, panting and whimpering again from the pain.
---
Matty refused to leave Thursday, which, of course, he had to for a bit but as soon as he was put in a room, Matty was there, sitting on an uncomfortable chair, making sure not to leave Thursday’s side. A nurse suggested that maybe Matty wanted to go home for a bit but he refused. Thursday didn’t leave his side when he needed him and he wasn’t about to do that to Thursday.
When Thursday woke, Matty was on his feet. He put a hand on Thursday and said, “Hey. Thor. It’s okay. You are safe. Just relax.” Should he get a nurse? Or something? Isn’t that what they did on TV?
---
It took a few moments for the words to sink in but when he heard ‘Thor’ he finally focused on the voice and the face. Matty. He immediately calmed down and got his breathing under control. It hurt less when he was breathing normal instead of panting. Opening his eyes he moved to reach for Matty’s hand but couldn’t. Looking down he saw both arms were splinted so he could barely move them. Looking up he found Matty’s face .”Where am I?” He asked, softly.
---
Matty smiled as Thursday calmed down. He reached for Thursday’s hand and touched it lightly. Thursday looked like a battered mess. A wave of anger flashed through him, as it had every time he thought about anyone hurting Thursday like this.
“Hospital,” Matty said, “Your arms were broken and your couple of your ribs. So you have a bit of healing to do. And sleeping. And making me look after you like some sort of sexy nursemaid.” He could make jokes, right? Laughter was the best medicine, “Do you want me get the doctor? Check you out?”
---
Thursday wasn’t sure if being in the hospital was better than where he had been. When he was here he was completely at their mercy. They could do whatever they wanted, even more easily than before. What if he ended up in the experiment again? Or worse?
At Matty’s comment about being a sexy nursemaid he did smile and managed to move his arm enough to touch his hand. “No. Don’t get the doctor.” He closed his eyes. “I .. I need to get out of here as soon as possible.” He said softly.
---
Matty could understand Thursday’s hesitation when it came to being in the hospital. The smell gave him flashbacks of the experiment too. His back ached with phantom pains but that was all the more reason not to leave Thursday’s side. Nothing was going to happen to his friend.
Matty sat carefully on the edge of the bed, not letting go of Thursday’s hand. He was here for him. He nodded, then realised, hello, Thursday had closed his eyes.
“We’ll ninja you out of here,” Matty promised, “But until we can, I’m not leaving your side. I got you.”
---
Thursday didn’t want to admit that it probably wasn’t safe for Matty to be here either. Just because he wasn't a patient didn’t mean they couldn't grab him and force him. But he didn’t want to think of that. And the selfish part of him needed Matty nearby.
Matty’s ninja comment made Thursday smile. Between his own invisibility, if he could manage it, and Matty’s illusion they could most definitely ninja out of there. “Thank you.” He said softly. “I’m … afraid.” It took a lot ot admit that out loud.
---
Matty had not even thought of himself. They had both been here for three years and they hadn’t been dragged back to the experiment yet. Not even when Matty had been shot down more than once for trying to fly. Still, who knew when that would change?
“I’m here,” Matty said softly, gently squeezing Thursday’s hand, “I’m not going anywhere. I’m not leaving you. They already suggested once I let you rest in peace and I made my place in that chair. So you focus on getting better and I have your back.” He smiled softly to Thursday. He meant every word of that.
---
“I love you, Matty. I couldn’t have survived this without you.” Thursday squeezed Matty’s hand then closed his eyes. “I need to get better enough to get out of here.” He whispered then slowly slipped into sleep despite fighting against it.