Trio Maxwell-Chang (trio) wrote in worldsapart, @ 2007-08-14 21:13:00 |
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Entry tags: | .50episodes, .logs, .writing challenge, aurèle de sauveterre, vincent donnelly |
Red Wash
Title: Red Wash
Author: oneforsorrow and trio
Fandom: Worlds Apart (Original - worldsapart)
Pairing: Vincent + Aurèle
Prompt: 004. Water
Word Count: 1596
Disclaimer: Worlds Apart, Vincent, and Aurèle belong to the authors.
Rating: PG
Warnings and Notes: none
It was a good half hour of silence between them, Vincent concentrating on driving and trying not to glance over at his passenger too often. He had no idea just what to offer in the way of conversation, really. Asking about Aurèle's fight was right out, and commenting on the weather seemed ludicrous. So he settled for the silence, hoping that perhaps it would at least allow Aurèle to doze along the way. When he finally stopped, it was in the driveway of a small, two-story house. Vincent got out, moving to open the door to the house before going 'round to the other side of the car to rouse the poor guy. "Aurèle?" he murmured, hoping he'd pronounced the name correctly. "It's time to wake up. We're here."
"...Nnngh...?" Aurèle looked up groggily, then tried to stand -- and failed miserably, leaving him cringing in pain. He had to use his right ankle, the sprained one, to get out of the car, and he wasn't quite certain how to manage it. After another try, he simply sank back into the seat again, bracing for another go.
"Stop," Vincent murmured, moving to angle himself half-inside the car, trying to get Aurèle out. "Look, put your arms on my shoulders. Use me for balance," he directed softly, swallowing a little and ignoring the golden eyes so close to his own.
Aurèle wound his arms around Vincent's shoulders, then carefully pulled himself out of the car using Vincent for support. Once he was out, he sighed in relief, shaking a little from sheer pain.
Vincent's arms closed around him in turn, just supporting him for several long moments before he finally murmured, "It's more comfortable inside, you know." He offered a half-smile as he shut the car door.
"Let's go inside, then," Aurèle murmured. He held on just a little longer, then started to pull back, not wanting to make Vincent uncomfortable.
Vincent nodded, not releasing Aurèle just yet. "Lean on me. The less damage you do to that ankle of yours, the faster it'll heal." Shifting so that his arm was curled around Aurèle's waist, he started to guide the other man inside his home.
Aurèle hop-shuffled alongside Vincent, grateful to not have to be walking on his own. "Just put me in a corner somewhere, I'll be fine..."
"Actually," Vincent said, sounding casual as he reached for the door to nudge it back fully open for Aurèle. "I'd planned to put you in the bathtub initially. You're filthy, and it'll help those cuts if you get cleaned up first, and then we clean and bandage them."
"...You don't have to wash me," Aurèle murmured, his cheeks reddening beneath the tan. "No need to make you do that, too. But a bath would be damn nice."
Vincent froze, turning red as he shifted to peer at Aurèle. The tint of his cheeks clashed badly with his hair. "I... wasn't planning to wash you," he murmured, voice rough with embarrassment. "I was planning to just make sure you got in okay and then go wash your clothes."
Aurèle smiled faintly. "Good. That'd be helpful..." Nevermind that his clothes were torn in places. He glanced up at Vincent, waiting solemnly for the other boy to continue walking. "Straight to the bathroom, then?"
"Yeah," Vincent nodded, relaxing a little and offering a wry laugh. "Think you can get in and do whatever you need without my help?"
"I think so," Aurèle murmured. "The soak would be good for my ankle, too."
"Yeah," Vincent agreed, maneuvering Aurèle to the back of the house, and into a horribly cramped little room serving as his bathroom. A tub was there, taking up fully half of the room, with a sink and toilet beside it on either side of the door. Once inside, Aurèle could see there was barely enough room for the two men to stand still, let alone do much to help each other. Vincent closed the lid of the toilet, gesturing at it. "Sit down and I'll start your water, then get out of your hair."
Aurèle sank down onto the toilet, already shedding his shirt without waiting for Vincent to leave. "The hotter, the better. I like to broil."
Vincent laughed at the thought, nodding and turning it up to where he could just bear the heat himself before turning back to Aurèle and getting an eyeful of that tanned skin. He paused then, simply staring for a moment before finally asking, "Aurèle... what happened?"
"...I was attacked," Aurèle mumbled. "Don't worry about it, it's not important. I'll be fine."
"By who?" Vincent pressed, brows drawing together in worry.
Aurèle flinched and looked away, head ducked so he could hide behind his bangs. "It's not really important," he murmured.
Vincent started to press further, then sighed, drawing back and staring at him for a moment longer before nodding. "Okay. If you wanna talk about it, I'm right here, okay?" he finally offered.
"You wouldn't want to hear about this," Aurèle said softly. "Trust me."
Vincent moved to head out of the room, then paused in the door, looking back. "I think you'd be surprised," he murmured, before disappearing through the door to leave Aurèle in peace.
Aurèle blinked, startled, then hesitated before sliding over to the tub. He slipped his pants off, then climbed into the water, wincing faintly as water got into all his cuts and tinged the water red.
For several minutes, there was simply the quiet lapping of water overlaying the distant sounds of Vincent moving around the house. Finally, though, the bathroom door creaked open again. "Are you you ready for me...," Vincent was asking, the words quickly shifting to a new question as he saw the water. "Are you still bleeding?"
"A little," Aurèle confessed as he continued to scrub at himself. "Some of these cuts are pretty deep. I don't think I need any stitches, but maybe some gauze and bandaging..."
"Change out the water," Vincent suggested, hesitating inside the door as he debated going in. "Are there any on your back?"
Aurèle pulled the plug on the water, watching as it drained. "Yeah, I think there's a few." He'd been shielding one of his younger gangmembers, and their attackers hadn't liked it.
Vincent nodded, moving inside. "Lemme see the washcloth," he directed, moving to kneel beside the emptying tub. "I'll clean off your back, then go take your clothes."
Slowly, Aurèle offered Vincent the washcloth. "...Do you have anything against psychics?"
Vincent froze, hand hovering over the washcloth. "...Why would you ask me that?" he whispered, shoulders tensing up as he looked at Aurèle carefully.
That told Aurèle all he needed to know. "Don't worry about it," he mumbled, curling over himself a little. "Look, don't worry about my clothes, I'll just put them back on and go."
Vincent opened his mouth to protest, then realized. "...You're one, aren't you?" he asked, voice barely a whisper, as though anything louder might be dangerous.
"Mundanes attacked my gang," Aurèle whispered. "They hit us hard when we weren't expecting it. I need to find my mates, they're all hurting and they're scattered everywhere..."
Vincent drew back slowly, staring at Aurèle carefully for several seconds before drawing a breath. He rose to his knees, reaching past Aurèle to start the water again, replenishing what Aurèle had already drained away, then reached for the cloth once more. "Do you know where?" he asked quietly, tense.
Aurèle nodded slowly. "I could find them if I was able to walk. I can feel them. They're unconcious, and hurt..." He shuddered and hugged himself, curling over his arms as he closed his eyes tightly.
Vincent hesitated, closing his eyes for a long moment before sighing quietly. "Your gang... how do they treat others?" he asked carefully, because this was dangerous ground for them. Things could get ugly... very ugly... if he didn't head them off.
"As long as no one comes after us, we don't like to jump others," Aurèle murmured. "We'd rather be left alone. But if someone else is attacking an innocent person, we don't just stand by, either."
Vincent hesitated, then nodded slowly. "I'll help you," he said, very quietly, offering no more of himself than that. He had little doubt that Aurèle would figure things out soon enough, but he'd prepare for it - prepare for the fallout that was destined to occur. He finished with the cloth, dropping it into the water between Aurèle's legs, and rose from where he'd knelt. "Let me get your clothes in the wash."
Aurèle nodded softly. "...Thank you," he murmured. "I appreciate it." He paused, then looked up, noting quietly, "You never told me your name."
Vincent blinked at that, then laughed wryly, the nervous energy surrounding him dissipating a bit with the realization. "I'm sorry. I guess I kind of forgot." A pause, then he added, "Vincent."
"It's a pleasure, Vincent," Aurèle said softly. "Thank you."
"I'll be here when you're ready to get out," Vincent promised finally, moving to gather up the clothes Aurèle had discarded and slip out of the door. He wondered, inwardly, how Aurèle would react when he finally found out just why Vincent was so wary of psychics.
Aurèle offered a faint smile to Vincent. "Thanks," he said softly. "I'll be done pretty soon."
"Take your time," Vincent returned, just before he closed the door quietly. He paused on the other side for a moment, then headed toward the basement to put the clothes in the wash. Things... were going to get interesting.