ic contact - deerington

[suicidemission]

"It's Chuck. Leave a message."

Comments

voice; un: wuwho, March 28th

[royalfling]

Hi Chuck!

[ Okay, Wu. You've done this a few times now. You can do it. You can actually say something useful. ]

Um, thank you. For helping Mako. I, I'm really sorry I put you three through all of that. That you went through all of that. But I'm glad that you were there for him. And for me.

I'm back now. Clearly. This deathflu thing sure is awful, but it beats being a stiff!

[ Is that funny? Is this something to joke about? Wu has no idea. He's never died before. ]

[suicidemission]

Wu!

[ chuck is practically screaming into the phone. ]

Wu, holy shit, what the fuck -- you're back? Are--where are you?

[royalfling]

Oh-- oh!

[ He's been back for a few hours, took a nap, figured out exactly what happened after he died (nothing good), and then decided to catch up with his friends.

The screaming is what he should have expected, probably. ]

I'm back! I'm at home! I'm-- not okay, but better. I'm alive? That's what I mean.

[suicidemission]

Jesus--

[ he wheezes a little into the phone. He'd been expecting it, because people do come back, but hearing him is just...fuck. ]

Can I come over??

[royalfling]

Yeah, yes. Of course! You should come over. I, um. I'm kind of tired, but if you're okay with hanging out on my bed, why not? You can see Fritter again!

[ Because that's important right now. But she is on Wu's lap, happily napping. ]

[suicidemission]

Yeah, yeah of course - that's completely fine. I won't bother you too long. I just --

[ want to see for himself. ]

[royalfling]

I'd love to see you. The door should be unlocked, my room is on the second floor, to the left.

[ Wu wouldn't mind seeing his friend, either. It's boring, being sick ]

I'll see you soon.

[suicidemission]

[ please believe chuck's abandoning his FEAR shift and running over, pushing past any sleepers that happen to be out and about. 

Not many, these days.

He bursts into Wu's house, shouting his arrival, hauling ass up the stairs and skidding into Wu's room. ]

Wu!

[royalfling]

[ The shout startles Fritter, and that startles Wu, who had fallen into a feverish doze again. Fritter leaps to the side, staring with wide eyes at Chuck.

Wu, on the other hand, sits up with a bright smile. Or as bright as it can get in his condition. ]

Chuck!

[ His voice is hoarse, quieter than it normally would be, but that doesn't stop him from reaching out a hand for Chuck. The other one is bundled against his chest in a sling ]

That was quick.

[suicidemission]

Sorry--

[ he woke the little baby, whoops. Sorry. But he's just...hng fuck he's so goddamn glad to see Wu alive, sitting there like nothing happened. ]

I was patrolling. So I just...ran here.

[royalfling]

[ They've both been sleeping all day, so it's not like they're losing necessary sleep.

That makes Wu's heart swell, that Chuck would drop everything to see him. He really is a good friend, a best friend, and Wu is grateful for him, for having him here.

Wu takes his hand, tugging Chuck next to him. ]

Oh! Is everything okay? Anything to patrol?

[suicidemission]

I don't really give a shit about my patrol.

[ He's not in his armor for once, so small mercy there - he's able to sit comfortably, letting Wu pull him down. ]

How are you feeling?

[royalfling]

Uh, not good. Bad. Pretty bad.

[ He laughs, leaning back into the pillows. He looks pale, drawn, a little sweaty, and is in more relaxed clothes than Chuck has probably ever seen him before. ]

But that's better than being, uh, dead, so.

[suicidemission]

You look like shit.

[ Tactful, Chuck. ]

Yeah. Yeah, it is. Do you need anything? I can probably burn some tea for you or something.

[royalfling]

[ At least Wu laughs, shaking his head. He knows he looks awful. ]

I feel like, um. Shit.

[ Chuck, stop making him swear ]

No, it's okay. I've drunk at four cups of tea today. I'm just, just glad I'm back. I, thanks for helping Mako. With everything.

[suicidemission]

[ This is his legacy. When he is old, he can look back and say I taught the precious cinnamon roll of a king how to say shit and fuck, and he will be proud. ]

Of course, anytime. Is he okay? He was pretty messed up.

[royalfling]

He's....

[ Not good. Not good at all. If Chuck runs into him at the safe house, he'll see that Mako looks nearly as bad as Wu does. ]

He's going through a lot. Not just me, but his best friend, ah, left. While I was gone.

[ And Bolin, if Bolin was ever really here? Neither of them can agree on the answer to that. ]

[suicidemission]

[ Oof. That's rough. Chuck drags a hand over his face, working his jaw a little. ]

Well, fuck a duck. [ That's awful. Chuck can't imagine losing Wu - it would wreck him. ]

[royalfling]

Yeah, it's--

[ Bad. Rough. Wu takes a breath. ]

But we're here for him! And I'm back now. I'll try to get him to sleep.

[suicidemission]

And we're here for you.

[ He isn't gonna ask about the whole dying thing, not right now. They know the 'who' - they just don't know the 'why'. ]

You're gonna need a lot of rest. I think this flu shit lasts a while.

[royalfling]

Ah-- yeah. I plan on staying in bed with Fritter! Mako made me some soup. It's pretty good.

[ He gives Chuck a weak smile ]

I'll get through it!

[suicidemission]

[ ngh. you worry him. you're too chipper to have all of this just happened. ]

Yeah, you will. You'll be alright in no time. How you doing, y'know. Mentally with all this?

[royalfling]

Um... okay. I guess.

[ He doesn't really want to dwell on it. If it dwells on it, he sees Orpheus' body, beheaded and bloody; he hears his own arm snap, feels the pain wracking through him; he feels his life burning up, searing from the inside out.

He swallows, hard. ]

I don't know. You're not, not supposed to remember that. Dying.

[ A beat ]

I guess you do. Right?

[suicidemission]

[ He gets it. He doesn't overly like talking about his death too much, but ]

I remember, yeah. It's only cause we're here. I think under normal circumstances, we wouldn't.

[royalfling]

[ Wu nods slowly, looking down at his knees, covered by the blankets. ]

How do you deal with that? With remembering it?