InsaneJournal

Tweak says, "I want u around 4 a long time."

Henry Claus Ceredig (philosophos) wrote in nevermore_logs,
@ 2024-11-17 23:31:00

Entry tags:

aderyn ceredig, armaan khatri, avery duffield, henry claus, iestyn ceredig

WHO: Avery Duffield, Henry and Add Ceredig, bits of Armaan and Iestyn
WHEN: Same time as this
WHERE: Avery's place
WHAT: Henry telling the bestie Armaan is Armaannapped
WARNINGS: A NAPPING

Henry was so glad for Addy's hand in his as he knocked at Avery's door. They had raced over as soon as Patrick had left the house, heavy with the news that Armaan had been taken. Iestyn had had to work - it was too late to find a replacement really - so Addy had volunteered, with the full knowledge she was going to text Iestyn an ongoing commentary of what was going on and he would reply when he could.

Henry didn't know how Avery was going to take this. Armaan had said things between himself and Avery weren't great for the past week or so, because he was moving out. But now the man was in possible mortal peril. And Avery wasn't good with emotions at the best of times. So Henry gripped Addy's hand, and he waited with her, his guts roiling with worry.

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phantomtruth
2024-11-19 03:58 am UTC (link)

Avery bent over, feeling like he was about to be sick. All that coffee wasn't sitting right with him now. "Oh god," he moaned, "I can't watch this... fuck. Fuck!" He straightened up, running his hands back through his hair, continuing to watch, because he couldn't not. He was not gonna cry, that would be dumb, and unfair, and shitty, and he just was not going to. He wasn't going to hug Addy or anything either, but he didn't shove her away, just moved half a step out of reach.

I know, and it sucks, it's the worst, Iestyn messaged back. I'm so sorry this is happening. You need to look after yourself too ❤️

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philosophos
2024-11-19 04:05 am UTC (link)

Of all of them, Iestyn would know how the images stuck with a person. How being behind a phone, and so many miles away made you feel sick and powerless and panicked, with nowhere to put those feelings. I'm not watching, Henry assured his husband. But I'm staying with Avery. I don't know if they're going to get there in time.

Armaan was still speaking, a flood of panicked words coming out of his mouth, "c- can I c- Can I call m- my boss? Mm. I could maybe- I could get them to- Money. Please. Lemme try. Don't let me die." Armaan clearly couldn't hear the phone ring, though he did shut up when the tinny voice of who seemed to be Armaan's manager came through the phone, begging for more time.

"Why can't they just PAY IT!?" Addy shrieked at the live stream. "He doesn't HAVE TIME! You FUCKS!" If Avery didn't want comfort that was fair, but if she wasn't comforting someone, she was going to get fucking mad that this was happening over money. "I'll give them everything I have if they fucking stop this!" But she didn't have twenty million. Nowhere near it.

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phantomtruth
2024-11-19 04:43 am UTC (link)

Avery balled up his fists, anxious and frustrated. He had to try something. Should he call his dad? The thought made him feel sick but if Armaan- if the worst happened, and he hadn't done all he could, what kind of friend- of brother did that make him?

Picking up his phone, he scrolled through to find his father's number, and he had to really take some deep breaths because his hands were shaking with nerves. Addy was shouting and Henry was sitting with his hands over his face, and Avery felt overstimulated and freaked out, and fuck, the phone was ringing and his father's voice answered, and Avery's voice shrivelled up in his throat as he stared at the video of his best friend bleeding out in a horrible place all alone. Time seemed to stretch like it was going on forever.

"I need- I need money," he stuttered, stepping back from the others, half turning away from them but still able to see the screen. "Please Dad. I need help."

"Avery? I don't hear from you in almost three years, and you call asking for money?" His father's voice sounded exactly the same, and old emotions boiled to the surface, but this was for Armaan.

"No, I- It's not for me. It's for Armaan. I need to save his life. It's an emergency." That's the only reason. The ONLY reason I'm calling.

There was a pause, and the sound of a door closing. "Well... how much are we talking?"

"It's a ransom. They want twenty mil." Say it fast, like pulling off a band-aid.

A longer pause. "Excuse me? How much? Avery, be reasonable."

"That's what they said. I'll- I'll pay you back somehow."

"How on God's green earth are you ever going to be able to pay off a debt of twenty million dollars?"

Avery's stomach was flopping over itself and he felt like he wanted rip off his skin and escape this agony. "I don't have time for this, he's dying, Dad-"

And then all of a sudden, the video blazed white, there were several loud bangs, and the feed was cut. Avery dropped the hand holding the phone and jumped forward, as if he could grab it and pull it back. "NO! What happened!? Armaan!!"

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philosophos
2024-11-19 04:51 am UTC (link)

Henry knew Avery's relationship with his family wasn't good, so his head snapped up when he heard Avery talking to his father of all people. In the background, Armaan was still talking, but Henry was trying not to listen. He heard Armaan beg for his life, and he turned a little green.

Armaan on one side, begging for them to save him, "please- don- My family- They won't- Please- I don't want to die", and Avery on the other, begging his father for the means to do just that. To save Armaan's life. It was excruciating and he was so pleased when Addy came to wrap her arms around his shoulders. He wasn't watching when the screen flashed, but Addy had been-

And then she was whooping in Henry's ear. "It was Patrick!" she screamed, jumping up to go to Avery again, "I saw Patrick!" That blinding flash- Oh she knew the light of a saint's halo well enough. And Patrick's was the brightest of them. She had seen him for a split second before the screen had blazed white, and then the feed had cut. Sure, the gunshots were a worry, but Patrick was there! "They found him, Avery! They found him!"

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phantomtruth
2024-11-19 05:24 am UTC (link)

Avery's knees nearly gave way beneath him. They found Armaan. He was going to live. Oh shit.

After a long moment, he finally registered the voice saying his name from the phone, and lift it back up to his ear. "He's fine. He's safe. I don't need this anymore," he said in a daze, and hung up. "I'm gonna- I-" He let out a breath, and turned on his heel to go and lock himself in the bathroom, just to give himself some breathing room, and also in case he was going to puke, because it felt like a real risk right at this moment.

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philosophos
2024-11-19 05:30 am UTC (link)

Henry honestly felt like he was going to puke too, but he concentrated on messaging Iestyn instead so he didn't. They found him, Iestyn. Addy saw Patrick on the livefeed. We don't know any specifics yet, but they found him.

As soon as he pressed send, a message came through from Patrick. "Avery, he's okay!" he yelled, so Avery could hear him in the bathroom. "The ambulance is there! They're going to take him to a hospital. Patrick will tell us where, and we can meet them there if you want!" Henry was going either way.

The relief was palpable and as soon as he finished yelling the update to Avery, Henry burst into tears. His friend was going to be okay. He was so relieved when Addy pulled him into her arms and started rocking him.

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phantomtruth
2024-11-19 10:22 am UTC (link)

Oh thank all the gods. I'm so relieved! I can go on without stressing out now, Iestyn messaged back. Are you ok??

Avery heard what Henry said and turned on the tap, running the cold water over his skin as a way of distracting sensations from his adrenaline and away from his core. He needed to calm down and it was so hard, he was so overwhelmed, but the cold helped.

His phone buzzed a minute later, and he looked down at the screen. Freddie. Sorry for the delayed reply. Things have been hectic. Armaan will be alright, and we are enroute to hospital where he will have surgery. I'll tell him you asked after him, I know he will be happy to hear it.

His father had not tried to call him back at all. He didn't know how he felt about that. Dimly he wondered if he'd made a mistake, but it was too late for that now. He splashed his face with cold water, dried himself off, and exited the bathroom to see Henry and Addy together. Awkward.

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philosophos
2024-11-19 10:27 am UTC (link)

Henry sniffed and sat up when he heard Avery exit the bathroom. He sniffed and wiped at his eyes, "sorry," he said, feeling snotty and ridiculous. But he had been so scared. "Sorry, I-" His phone buzzed and Henry glanced down at it to see messages from his husband and from Patrick.

"Right, I know what hospital they're going to," he said, before replying quickly to Iestyn. Having a wee relieved sob. We're headed to the hospital now. "Will you join us, Avery? We can see him."

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phantomtruth
2024-11-19 10:45 am UTC (link)

Avery didn't respond to Henry's emotion, allowing him to pull himself together without disparagement. Avery knew he didn't feel great either. It was just awkward, that was all.

"Yes, okay," he said in reply, looking around for his hoodie, feeling a little dazed. Yes, he would go, he needed to see Armaan for himself, and make sure he was alive, and apologise for how much of a child he'd been.

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	philosophos 2024-11-19 10:49 am UTC (link)
	Henry rose off the sofa, and he sort of fixed his clothes, straightening himself up. He took Addy's hand in his own, and offered Avery a tight smile as they got ready to leave. "Should we bring him anything? Clothes, or- God, I don't even know." (Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

	phantomtruth 2024-11-19 11:02 am UTC (link)
	"Most of his stuff is at Freddie's," Avery said, looking around towards Armaan's room. "I don't know what he'll want." After a moment of deliberation, he shook his head. He didn't know what to grab and he couldn't think clearly enough to make himself figure it out. "Freddie will have- Freddie will know what he needs." (Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

	philosophos 2024-11-19 11:07 am UTC (link)
	Henry nodded then, accepting that, "okay, let's get out of here," he said, shooing Addy out the door. As they closed the apartment door behind them, Henry leaned a little closer to Avery and he said softly, "I'm so glad he's going to be okay." (Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

	phantomtruth 2024-11-19 11:13 am UTC (link)
	"Yeah. Me too." Avery nodded, and then reached out and clasped Henry's upper arm for a moment, giving it a light squeeze before he let go and headed down the stairs after Addy, missing whatever expression Henry might have had on his face as they headed out. (Reply to this) (Parent)

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