Re: [#19]: Liam & Seven
It surprised him how easy 'this' was. Yes, there were still nerves fluttering about in his stomach, but they were calming as the minutes ticked past. It didn't feel awkward or strange, and maybe that was strange in and of itself. But he was staring, just a little, and Liam had to chuckle as he took a swig of beer. He didn't comment on it, not as Seven looked away with that laugh in the back of his throat. It had been a long time since anyone had looked at him with even feigned interest, and the attention was, frankly, nice to experience.
"Yeah, I've got the basket," he responded, taking one up, hooked over his free hand, the flashlight offered a moment later clutched as well. They started out together, away from the others that lingered still at the registration table. He kept the pace, silent as they were, simply enjoying the quiet and the peace of the trees around them. The air was just this side of cold, but nice, pleasant even if you kept moving and got the blood pumping.
He turned at the sound of Seven's voice, a brow already raised in anticipation of the other's words, but they were cut off quickly, suddenly, in a way that left Liam dumbfounded for a long moment.
The flashlight's beam danced as it fell, rolled away, and Liam was quick to go to Seven's side, dropped down into a crouch with a concerned hand on the other's shoulder. He didn't see anything amiss, not yet, no apparent reason why the other man was flat on the ground as though something had hit him hard.
"Hey. Hey- Are you alright? What happened?" Concern warmed that soft Southern drawl, and the hand on Seven's shoulder tightened with that concern. "Can you tell me wh-" And that's when it hit him in turn.
From somewhere up above, something fell, dropped onto his back, clinging to his shoulders tightly. His breath caught and he nearly pitched forward with the weight that was dangling there. His shoulders strained and his neck was tight with tension, and the flashlight? Well, he didn't know where his had fallen. No, there was just a pit of panic growing in his stomach, and he slapped his hand at Seven's shoulder frantically.
"Up. We need to get up. Something's here. Something- I don't know what. Can you get up?" He was insistent, even with that weight on his back dragging him back and down, and were those claws digging in, sinking in for purchase?
Liam batted that thought aside and tried to hook an arm beneath Seven's own to haul him up.