<<< Just breathe..., Tag: Kel

[Derek Addams]

July 28th, 6:14 PM
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Derek's eyes narrowed as he inhaled through clenched teeth, expecting the worst as the medical staffer pressed the stethoscope to his chest. The breath became sharper, he wasn't sure if it was from the pain, or the medical device that felt like it had been riding around in Bobby's jockstrap. He'd finally been able to get rid of the bloody and ragged shirt he'd been wearing from the attack, and had washed off most of the blood with the sponge, but as he took off his image inducer, he became fully aware of the real damage.

He could barely see a single area on his entire upper body that wasn't marred with some kind of bruise. He assured the attending medic and explained his ability and that he was fine with those, that they didn't cause him any pain. Although her eyes narrowed, she seemed to accept that explanation.

He glanced at her, a woman with curly blonde locks that resembled a hundred Slinkies super-glued to her head. Her face was locked in a serious expression as she listened through the stethoscope, her face scrunching up a bit. He held his breath before exhaling. Mostly because she asked. And partially because she was so cute with her face in that expression. The woman had a pig-snout. And he was hardly one to laugh at someone for a physical mutation, but still, it was odd.

The doctor then asked him to step behind the X-Ray machine, remove anything metal and inhale. He did as best he could and then took his place back on the bed, laying back as she looked over the pictures.

"It looks like you've got a couple of cracked lower ribs." She informed him with a smile. "They're almost hairline, so it shouldn't take more than a week for them to heal for you" she added with a knowing wink. "Tonight should be the worst of it, but, I'm putting you on work-leave, and I'll get you something for the pain. In the meantime, I suggest you stay in bed and keep ice on your abdomen. If any particular side hurts a bit more, lay on it. Sounds weird, but it'll help your bones knit." She picked up a clipboard and and scribbled across it. "I'll be back in a few minutes. Try not to move too much."

And with that she turned to leave as Derek laid back on the inclined bed.

Okay... well... he thought. At least that's cleared up.

Then he remembered. Kel... The two of them had been hanging out quite a bit lately since that day on the lake and the movie party, but had never actually been on a real "date". He'd made his move a couple of days ago, just casually asking if they should go on something "official"... something "fun" and more pointed than something they could do at any time. There was a fair going on in Salem, so he figured that was the perfect opportunity to really try and see if there was something more to this feeling than just "hanging out".

He winced as the sigh came on. He'd left him a message on his voicemail when he was driving the kids and Galford back to the mansion. He must have been busy... he thought. Considering what had happened, he couldn't guess what everyone at the mansion was thinking about it, or what they were doing... but he didn't want to leave him hanging with a response of "Oh, I forgot to call you... yeah, I'm fine..."

Which, as was becoming increasingly clear to him, he wasn't.

[Kelrian]

As could be imagined, it had been one fucking stressful day. There was talk of increasing security, though their security was already past state of the art and going into the realms of science fiction. Even if nothing was changed officially he knew that everyone was on edge, alert, from the non-com students to the longest standing X-Men. Xavier's wasn't publicly known as a mutant school, but it was a very widespread secret. The further a secret was spread, the more likely it was that it would be found out by the wrong people. If there was an attack on the school, they would be prepared.

Knowing Scott, the man was already planning out what to do in the event of an attack. If he hadn't had it figured out years ago. Wouldn't be a surprise there. He had to know something like this was bound to happen at some point. He would have expected something more subtle than a direct attack on Mutant Town, at least without support from the government.

Of course they had to focus on the worst that could happen. If what was happening wasn't bad enough as it was. He was tied up in knots over it all. He hadn't been inside when the initial broadcast of the attack in Mutant Town. Before it was played again, however, he had been filled in and couldn't sit still through the updates as the reporters found more out about what had happened. He was too worried about the people there. X-Factor had come onto the scene to save the day, but he couldn't focus on that. He'd seen the ugly bone deep hatred some humans had for their kind before. First hand. It had been a pretty painful lesson for the silly clueless kid he used to be...

The attack was like a splash of ice cold water, reminding him that things hadn't changed even though things had gotten quieter for a while. It wasn't that it was all starting again. It was that it had never ended and this explosion of violence wasn't the beginning of something terrible it was just part of the ongoing cycle of hatred. And fuck he wanted to believe that things were getting better, that they were making a difference, but how could he really believe that?

Then it hit him. Derek was there, he'd taken the interns. After that, Kel had just stared at the television blankly. He wasn't sure how much time passed until he managed to snap out of the daze. Managed to at least partly convince himself that Derek would be fine, that X-Factor had taken care of everything. To give at least some of his attention to what might happen, to keeping the kids from hysterics if not calm. To making sure that people ate. To keep composed because he wasn't just a student and the kids didn't need to see him ready to panic.

Finally he'd went to take a hot shower to force himself to relax enough that he wouldn't be a useless knotted lump of anxiety. He'd meant to take off for the evening but with how everyone was freaking out over this and the very real danger of their school being exposed, he was sure he'd be needed for security. And, well, it wasn't like he was going to be doing anything without Derek.

It wasn't until much later that he saw that he'd missed a call while he had been in the shower. From Derek. He cursed under his breath and checked the voice mail that flashed on his cell. It was frustratingly vague but hearing his voice did what the shower didn't do. Reassured him that he was at least well enough to call him. Asking around, he found that Derek and the interns that had been at X-Corp were back. They had been back for quite a while now. The students were badly shaken but unharmed. They'd be getting some counseling for that he was sure. Derek was in the infirmary. He'd been hurt.

Whatever happened that could have hurt Derek, Kel tried not to think of it as he made his way down. He was invulnerable, dammit. He couldn't get hurt. For the first time that day his worries gave way to anger. Angry at what had happened, how many people had been hurt and killed, that people had to live fearing for their lives and their loved ones like this. He was fuming. That he had become used to this, that he hadn't even been that surprised when it happened. It had been, 'oh this again'. What was wrong with people? What was wrong with him that those lives could seem like nothing but statistics on the news... and a warning.

Kelrian stopped at the door. He didn't like to visit the infirmary. He'd spent too much time there when younger to like being down there too long. Funny since Avery was one of his favorite people at the mansion and she spent most of her time there. He could see where Derek was, the bed was screened off from the rest of the room as usual. He steeled himself and walked over, not seeing any of the infirmary staff around. Wouldn't last long he was sure.

"Hey Derek," he said quietly, coming around the screen. "There's no one here to tell me I shouldn't be bothering you..." Yet. He tried a smile. It didn't work. Derek looked like he'd really been smashed about. The fuck happened there? He wanted to ask so many questions. More than that, he wanted to hug him senseless. If only it didn't look like that would hurt like hell.

"I was worried," he added in a half mumble, reaching over to mess with Derek's hair. As he did so, something occurred to him that shouldn't hurt. A quick kiss right on the lips. Without thinking he did just that. They might not be going out for their first date tonight, but that didn't mean Derek had to stay in the infirmary alone.

[Derek Addams]

Derek glanced at the floor beneath his dangling feet, waiting for the doctor to come back with the painkillers, still wondering if Kel ever got his message. Footsteps announced the approach of someone he couldn't see beyond the screen. He figured he'd give him a call once he woke up tomorrow. Somebody was bound to tell him he'd gotten out okay, right?

"Hey Derek. There's no one here to tell me I shouldn't be bothering you...

The voice sent a happy chill up his arms as the blonde regen rounded the corner and paused. Derek could only guess it was from how rough he looked. But it was the kind of thing he was used to by now. "Oh, hey Kel!" He forced a grin as he straightened up a bit. He was gonna try and make a joke about the situation, something about a horrible mistake with banana smugglers, but today, he just wasn't really feeling it. He'd been worried about him. It felt a bit weird since Kel knew that he was, for the most part, indestructable. Worrying now, with him in medical, he could understand.

"Oh, nah... I'm fine... kids are fine too." he waved it off, trying to keep as positive as he could about surviving a massacre as Kel crossed over to him and ran a hand through his hair. He tried not to let it get himself goofy as he explained his injuries. He didn't want him to worry more. "I mean... Doc said I got a couple of cracked ribs, but I sh-" He didn't finish before Kel had leaned forward and shut him up with his lips. There came the goosebumps again as Derek held his breath for a second. And just as suddenly as it happened, Kel pulled back, leaving a slightly stunned look on his face.

"I.. guess you were worried." he smirked. "Normally you don't get one o' those 'til after the first date..."

He chuckled and regretted it, but he managed to make the wince look something like a wink. "I'm fine... really." he smiled, not entirely sure who he was trying to convince here. "It sucked ass... but, still mostly in one piece."

He wondered if he needed to apologize for not being able to follow through on their plans. He knew it was a stupid thing to worry about now, but well, that was him, always wondering if he was fucking something up.

[Kelrian]

It had to have been something pretty damn bad to have done so much as crack Derek's ribs. Kel knew that he was supposed to be invulnerable. It seemed that even invulnerability had its limits. He would have much rather been wrong, his worries without a basis, but it could have been worse. He was just happy that Derek wasn't too badly off. Cracked ribs sounded painful, but he was pretty sure that wouldn't take too long to heal. Though he could easily be wrong. It wasn't as though he had anything much to base it off of, something like that would heal before the pain really set in. One of the reasons he didn't like making a big deal of it when he did get hurt, no matter how bad it was. It never lasted and it didn't begin to compare to what others went through.

He cracked a smile at the momentarily stunned look on Derek's face. It had sorta come out of nowhere. If he let himself think about it, there would be all kinds of second and third guessing himself.

"Really? Someone must've forgotten to tell me," he said when Derek mentioned that most people waited until after the first date to kiss, as if he'd never heard of the idea. Though come to think of it, he had never really gone on an official date or anything. With anyone. Not something he was planning on mentioning yet. Didn't want to give the impression he was all upset about not getting to go on his very first date. He hadn't even really thought about it until it was brought up, not since he found out the news. It was more important that Derek was back, and mostly alright. He could think clearly again.

Kel pulled a chair over to the bed and straddled it, resting his chin on the back. "Well I'm glad you're mostly in one piece," he said, wondering about him insisting that he was fine. People who weren't even there were freaking out over the mere idea of what happened. He couldn't imagine actually being there even after everything he'd gone through himself. "But... are you? Alright, I mean," Kel mentally flailed for the right words. He wanted to say something supportive. Even if it had pissed him off at the time the way that Derek had kept after him when he'd nearly drowned... it had helped somehow. Too bad he couldn't find the right words.

Instead he asked, arms wrapped around the chair back, "What did they do to you?" He just couldn't wrap his head around what could have hurt Derek. It seemed like nothing even fazed him, and then something like this happened.