On the run (For salio)

[elementsofchaos]

Back in Ohio again. He's not in Cincinnati this time, maybe an hour or two east, but it's far enough from his previous stopping point in Michigan that he feels as close to safe as he ever does. The further from the Thermopolis compound he gets, the more he can breathe, though he never dares to hope for a full deep breath. He parks on a suburban street near a small brownstone apartment building, sliding open the Grotto's side door to enjoy a little night air. If he smoked, he probably would've lit up, but as it is he simply sits on the floorboards and hangs his legs out the open door. Maybe he should take off his sneakers, feel the grass between his toes for a bit. But no, he always has to be ready to leave at a moment's notice when he's in civilization. There's no telling who could be an agent of his family, willing or unwitting.

Jovan heaves a sigh, turning his attention up to the sky. It's cloudy, he wishes he could see the stars. There's a heaviness to the air, something ominous, but it doesn't feel like a storm. Hard to tell if it's all in his head, but he stills himself and his breathing to listen.

There are sirens in the distance.

Comments

[elementsofchaos]

“Hang on,” Jovan calls from the front. He pulls over onto a side street and parks at the curb. The electric engine shuts off. So he’s really doing this, huh? He must be losing his mind after all.

Going to the steps up to the loft, he pulls out a drawer built into the side of the steps. With a quick look over the options, he takes out a clean t-shirt, a pair of sweatpants, and (after a moment’s hesitation) a pair of slim fit boxer-briefs from a fresh pack. All these he passes to the masked youth. “I’ll try to clean up your shoes, at least. Might need new ones, though.”

Time to give his guest some privacy. Jovan returns to the bag he left by the door, opening it up to take out the bloody shoes. Ugh, these probably are a lost cause. What the fuck did this guy go through? It must’ve been horrible, between all the blood and the obviously distraught mental state. Sighing, he’s about to close the bag when he notices coppery and white hairs clinging to everything.

“By any chance, do you have a dog or cat?”

[salio]

"Oh, thanks."

Accepting the clothes, Sal ducks back into the bathroom to pull everything on. The boxers are a little big but they work fine. The sweats and T-shirt are huge on him, but with the drawstring pulled tight it'll do. Sal's looking extra casual as he shuffles out, finding a spot to sit so he can roll up the pant bottoms enough so they won't drag.

"Yeah, actually. An orange cat named Gizmo. I, um...I had to leave him behind."

Which he immediately feels an immense pang of guilt for. But...it's for the best, isn't it? Gizmo deserves a stable home, and not whatever he can provide. Trying not to sound like he's just lost his emotional rock, Sal clears his throat.

"Guess my clothes bear the telltale sign of cat ownership."

[elementsofchaos]

“Yeah.” There’s no mistaking the pain in the other boy’s voice. Looks like Jovan’s about to pick up another passenger. “Where’s he at right now?”

Without waiting for an answer, he makes his way back to the cab and starts up the van again. He glances back at his guest, clearly not accepting any protests. He might be imagining the voice cooing praise for his kindness in his head, but it might actually be that fucker teasing him.

[salio]

"...my place." Sal answers slowly, swallowing thickly. "Not...not where I was running from. That's Addison Apartments. The house I stay in is a bit closer to the rest of town."

He rattles off the address, taking a deep breath as he leans forward to hold his head in his hands. Each second, the reality of his situation weighs more and more heavily down on him. He feels like he's going to throw up--not that there'd be anything in his stomach to heave.

"It should be empty, right now, but the cops will definitely come to look for me at some point tonight."

[elementsofchaos]

"Got it." Jovan opens the nav app on his phone, enters the address, and pulls away from the curb. They drive in silence, and the entire time Jovan wonders when he started feeling confident enough to pick up a bloody stranger who might've been involved in something horrible. He really hopes this guy escaped from harm and the cops only want him as a potential witness. But he doesn't feel any shift in the other's aura, other than the slow wobble of distress and sorrow. Malice is vastly different. He's felt that before.

Eventually he parks in front of the house, leaving the engine running silently this time. "Stay here, I'll be back." Without waiting for acknowledgement, he takes off into the darkness toward the house. He circles the place first, checking to see if anyone is home. That done, he walks up to a back window and touches it, feeling the resonance of the glass. He syncs with it, the elements combining to make it, and coaxes them to remember what they were like in molten form. The glass glows hot and spreads open like a wound, wide enough for him to slip inside using a jump and a burst of wind. Still glowing, the gap seals itself and cools, leaving no trace behind. Jovan has to stand there for a moment until the mild vertigo subsides. Combo spells are always harder than straight elemental manipulation. He's just going to unlock the door and leave that way.

Slowly he makes his way through the first floor, a quiet string of "pspspsps" coaxing the cat to hopefully appear. "Gizmo? C'mon, buddy. Your friend needs you, okay?"

[salio]

It probably would've been helpful for Sal to have said where his bedroom was or where Gizmo's favorite lounging spots where, but he had seemed completely useless in terms of conversation, far too wrapped up in the wake of whatever events had led him to Jovan's proverbial doorstep.

Fortunately, Gizmo is a friendly and sociable cat--if lazy--and likely not having been fed yet is particularly eager to make his presence known to the stranger. A gravelly, rolling meow sounds before the faint tinkle of a belled collar as a head pokes out from one of the downstairs bedrooms. The notable large and somewhat rotund orange cat comes padding over, not even hesitating to begin smelling at Jovan's pantleg and rubbing his side against it.

[elementsofchaos]

Wow, this cat's an absolute unit. Adorable, too. "Hey there, Gizmo. Look at you. Friendly guy, huh?" Jovan leans down to offer his fingers for sniffing. "You smell your friend? He needs you, okay? You come with me and I'll bring you to him. Make sure you get dinner, too."

They can pick up supplies on the road. If all of Gizmo's stuff vanishes, it will look suspicious. This way, it'll appear the cat simply wandered off to find his owner. So once he's sure Gizmo has got his scent and is cool with it, Jovan will carefully pick him up and head to the front door. He'll leave it unlocked and open a bit to make the "lost cat" look even more likely.

[salio]

After giving Jovan an appropriate amount of sniffing, he allows himself to be picked up without protest or struggle. His tail swishes without agitation, seeming comfortable at being held. This is clearly a house cat--and one that has a lot of experience being handled. A nice and easy job for the detour that it is.

It isn't far to the car, but even expecting the kind stranger to return, Sal sinks back and away where he's seated when he hears the door to the van open once more. His knees pulled up to his chest, he seems to be instinctively trying to disappear--or bracing for the very worst. For hands to grab him and haul him out.

Instead, Gizmo leaps out of Jovan's arms at the sight of his owner, padding his big soft body all the way over to bully himself into Sal's lap.

"Gizmo...you really got him."

Sal had thought, by the time he was out of the shower, that he had run out of tears. Being able to wrap his arms around his best friend, however, triggers a whole new wave of gratitude. There's fear, there, too--the realization hitting home that he'd nearly lost this forever. That he wouldn't have ever had the chance to say goodbye and would've likely never seen Gizmo again...just like he'd never see his parents again, or Larry again, or any of his other friends. His body wracks with sobs as tears flood the inside of his prosthetic and he holds the big cat close.

"Thank you so, so much."

[elementsofchaos]

Jovan watches the guy and the cat cuddle for a moment, feeling… something… tight but warm in his chest. He did a good thing, something selfless, made another life a bit better. For once, his abilities had value to someone not his family.

“No problem,” he murmurs, heading back to the driver’s seat so they can get out of there. He tries not to think about anything but getting out of the state, programming his nav to guide him to a state park in Pennsylvania that allows free camping. They can hide out there for a day or two before heading to upstate New York. On the way, he’ll stop at a thrift shop and a dollar store for supplies for his new passengers.

Hopefully said passengers can get some rest on the way.

[salio]

More than anything else could have, Gizmo's purring presence sends rumbling waves of calm through his small, shaken body. Eventually, the sound of his tears fades to silence as Sal lays back on the floor of the RV, giving Gizmo maximum room to sprawl on his chest. Between the soothing weight and warmth of the cat and the steady movement of the car, exhaustion kicks in.

Despite all the stress and the horror, despite how on edge and alert he's been, his consciousness fades into a deep blackness as his body gives up. It may be the very best sleep he's had in ages--and that he'll be afforded in the weeks to come. Sal won't stir despite the discomfort of his prosthetics, nor will the ultimate parking of the van coax him back to the waking world.

[elementsofchaos]

While Sal sleeps, Jovan acquires cat food, a stable bowl, a spill-proof water dispenser, and a lidded litter box that will fit in one of the lower cabinets. He’ll work on improving the setup later if necessary, but for now he takes out the few things stored there and props the door open. As big as Gizmo is, he should fit comfortably. Next comes a few sets of clothes and a pair of sneakers from a secondhand store. He has to guess sizes but he’s good at estimating. His guest can pick out more of his own stuff later.

Hours later they’re pulling into a remote part of the woods. Popping the top of the Grotto turns it from a work van into a camper, not that anyone is around to notice. When Jovan goes to check on the other guy, he finds him passed out with the cat purring away. At first, he considers carrying the stranger up to the loft bed, but in the end he converts the seating area at the back into the secondary bed and lifts the sleeping kid and cat onto it.

“I must be out of my mind after all,” he sighs. Kicking off his shoes, he climbs up to the loft and flops into bed fully clothed to sleep off what remains of the night. Hopefully the guy downstairs doesn’t scream himself awake too early.

[salio]

Sal sleeps like a corpse, his mind mercifully black...at least for much of the night. Gizmo ends up sprawling out at his feet, and maybe it's the lack of weight settling him down against the extra bed that rouses his repressed subconscious. It's just before sunrise that he jolts awake, sweating and shaking and gasping for breath. He never usually sleeps with his prosthetics on, and the pressure is suffocating.

Maybe it's just that he's so used to nightmares, but he doesn't scream. Just sits there disoriented and frantic, struggling to undo the bottom strap of his prosthetic so he can shift it up toward his forehead, giving himself a bit more air.

"Where--"

No, he remembers. And his nightmare wasn't just a nightmare. Not this one. Gizmo stirs sleepily, meowing comfortingly as he stretches his front paws toward Sal and yawns, but Sal only has a second to orient himself before a new wave of sickness crashes into him with the weight of his new reality. As the echoed words of his father's pride bounce between his ears. As he remembers how it feels to plunge a knife through skin. As he remembers each dying face of every friend and neighbor and family and loved one--

He barely manages to remember the little van restroom, clambering out of bed and into it just in time to heave into the toilet. Empty. Bile and emptiness. That's all he has left inside. But the shock is gone and now there's only painful clarity.

[elementsofchaos]

The sound of retching rouses Jovan from sleep. It’s too early for this, but he can’t be mad because the other guy clearly has been through hell. After making sure his disguise hasn’t slipped during the night, he comes downstairs silently and goes to the kitchenette area. BRAT diet for nausea: he dishes out a small cup of room temperature applesauce since it’s what he has right now, accompanied by some unsweetened green tea that he waters down and warms to just above body temperature. He pours cold brew for himself and sits down to wait for his guest.

They need to make plans. He was going to ask what happened last night, but hearing the other being sick makes him hesitate. Reliving trauma so soon could make the kid shut down. At the same time, Jovan needs to know where all that blood came from so he can figure out what to do. He doesn’t want to imagine his guest is a killer, especially not with the genuine stress reaction he’s seen, but the possibility isn’t off the table.

Fuck. Why is his life so complicated?

[salio]

Sal has to give himself a minute for the worst of the cramps to settle. He rinses his mouth out with a couple quick handfuls of water after the bile is flushed. As his head clears further and the shakes subside to a gentle tremble, he hears the sound of movement in the RV. Shit.

Feeling guilty as he re-fixes his mask, Sal shuffles out, clearing his throat. "Hey, um...sorry, if you had to hear that. I didn't mean to wake you."

[elementsofchaos]

Jovan shrugs and sips his coffee. “It’s okay. Doubt either of us got much sleep last night.” He slept but it was restless and filled with vague feelings of unease. “Applesauce and tea are for you. Go slow, but you need something. We don’t have to talk about yesterday now, but we will eventually.”

He gets up and goes to the back, over the converted table-bed. Opening the doors there turns them into a little wooden deck and a makeshift awning. Settling there with his travel mug, Jovan gives his guest some space to chill out and eat.

[salio]

Walking the rest of the way to accept the mild breakfast and tea, Sal nods to himself. He doesn't want to talk about it, of course, but knows that he'll have to. It's best for both of them if he rips off the band-aid as fast as possible. The stranger deserves to know what he's getting himself into, and Sal wouldn't be able to live with himself (he barely can as it is) if he got someone so kind involved in this big, bloody mess.

He takes a couple sips of tea, letting it settle in his empty stomach, thankful for its warmth.

"Thank you, again. For the tea...and for being so considerate." He hesitates, then, holding the small cup in one hand and the mug in the other. "But...I think I should. It's not going to get any easier to talk about."

Still, he'll at least eat the applesauce, first. Sal's pretty sure if he doesn't, he'll lose what little appetite he has.

"Can I sit with you? I won't get too close."

Gizmo's already trotting over, flopping his big body down at Jovan's side and tucking his legs underneath his orange girth.

[elementsofchaos]

He already adores this cat. It’s calming to give the big orange loaf head scratches while sipping his coffee, and if he’s about to hear Some Shit then he wants to stay calm.

“Yeah, it’s okay. Come enjoy the deck, the sun should be coming up through the trees soon.” He’s already sitting on one side of the deck and Gizmo will be between them, not that he has to really worry about defending himself at worst case. He’s not feeling any elemental power from this guy.

[salio]

"Thanks."

He's already doing so much thanking, but Sal doesn't anticipate the gratitude stopping anytime soon. Even if he gets pushed away after he explains (which he's fully expecting), Sal will still hold the guy in high esteem foe all the help he's given.

Padding over, Sal sits on Gizmo's other side and looks out at the forest, the pre-sunrise morning light. Anticipation before Dawn. Setting down the mug of tea, Sal scoops a bite of apple sauce underneath his prosthetic. As he does, it's easy to catch a glimpse of gnarled scar tissue at his jawline. There's only so much he can hide when he's eating, but Sal's used to that.

"Gizmo really likes you." And then a pause, realizing that there hadn't been a point up until now to introduce himself. "I'm Sal. My friends call me Sally Face."

[elementsofchaos]

Jovan pauses in petting Gizmo long enough to glance over at Sal, one eyebrow raised. “That’s… a nickname, yeah. Um, I don’t really have any friends but… I’m Sebastian. You can call me Seb or Bastian or whatever.” So he’s locked in an identity with this guy now, which means becoming that identity and remembering all the nuances until they go their separate ways. Life just got more difficult for who knows how long.

Sighing, he goes back to his tactile cat therapy. “So you really want to tell me your story, huh? Last chance to tell me to screw off and run for it.”

[salio]

"It's what school bullies called me as a kid--because of the prosthetic, I guess. So I started calling myself Sally Face and they couldn't use it against me anymore." It was one of the only ways he'd ever really been able to take any power over his life. He had friends now, of course. Eventually, it really did become his nickname, instead of something he just said to make it sound like he had them.

He eats another spoonful of applesauce, swallowing it slowly, staring down at his lap.

"I don't want to, but I don't have anywhere to run to, either. I..."

He pauses, feeling a slight tremor run through him again. It's not like he can ask Sebastian to help him to do more than he already has. And what is his own plan, even? The future feels like a black hole, right now, threatening to suck him in. Him, and everything else that he has left. Where his legs had been dangling over the edge of the RV, he tucks them up against his body again. Sal sighs.

"You should know what you've gotten involved with, Seb. That's only fair."

[elementsofchaos]

“… I’m listening, Sal. I’ve seen and heard some crazy shit, I’m not running away.” He can’t help feeling a pang of sadness for Sal. No one with an ounce of genuine evil in their heart could brush up against Jovan’s power and not make him recoil. He’s felt that before, souring the aura of his own cousin. Sal’s nothing like that asshole.

“Take your time. Keeping everything in your stomach is more important right now.” The horizon is slowly brightening, with hints of warm color highlighting the edges of clouds. Should be a nice day to stock up on natural supplies. He’ll have to do inventory later.

[salio]

Sal stays quiet for a moment, finishing his applesauce. If Sebastian says that he's known crazy, Sal isn't going to question that. But just how crazy is crazy? Because the things that he's seen...he wouldn't have believed any of it, either, if he hadn't been bulldozed with it all, head on.

"Okay," he finally says, putting the empty container to the side and taking the mug of tea in his hands again. He lets it warm his palms for a moment, taking a breath. "Let's just watch the sunrise, first. I'm not sure where to start."

He can start with the obvious, but just blurting out the deed that he'd done right off the bat...it might not leave room for any explanation.

"Is that okay?"

[elementsofchaos]

“Yeah.” Jovan sips his coffee and pets Gizmo and tries really hard not to think about how this could mess up all his hard work over the last couple of years. Another person is an anchor slowing him down, allowing for slip-ups and cracks in his disguises. He has to be even more careful with securing food at the same time needing more of it. Everything about this is a terrible idea.

Yet he can’t bring himself to chase Sal off. Humanity is something he cherishes almost obsessively, and pushing Sal away would be the same as damaging the humanity he wants to preserve in himself. His family thinks they’re above normal people. Jovan knows his family is nothing more than a collection of twisted, broken puppets manipulated by powerful forces. Keeping Sal close is like hanging onto a piece of what he’s at risk of losing forever.

[salio]

Sal watches the sky as it slowly lights up more than he drinks his tea, though he does still take the idle sip. By the time that the gloomy gray has lit into a light, clear blue, the tea has started to chill, Sal's stomach has settled, and he doesn't want to talk about what happened any more than he did minutes earlier.

He glances briefly at Sebastian, at here Gizmo now sits purring and content, and takes a breath.

He's kind.

It's not courage that he's feeling, really, nor is it comfort...but there's a resolve there. Sal can work with it.

"Whatever crazy looks like to you...this might be worse. I don't blame you for whatever you might think of me." Turning the mug around between his fingers, he asks: "do you believe in evil? Like, irredeemable, devoid of anything human, evil?"

[elementsofchaos]

Jovan has seen evil. He's brushed against auras that seethed with hate and malice, felt corruption that sinks beyond bone deep. It's evil that he swears only wears a human skin but has nothing human beneath. It's on the news every day: prejudice and rage, crime, people hurting people. He knows the source, the natural influenced by the supernatural. Chaos might have its place in the world, but that doesn't mean he likes some of what results from its influence. It's why he's running, why he resists. He doesn't want to be a very large part of that grinding, erratic machine.

But he knows there are things outside the effect of chaos as he knows it, forces that are chaotic but not part of the elements he was born to serve. There are true monsters that don't answer to the Seven or the Scion, and keeping them under control is also part of his family's role. No chaos but their own, after all. He's different. He fights because he loves humanity, not out of his family's sense of superiority.

"Yeah," he answers softly, without hesitation.