♦ } breathing in the chemicals

[rigging]

[ Alright, so Kenzi convinced him. Jesse's going to talk to Galen, he is. He just... gets distracted. Talking with Wallie lasted longer than he expected, and by the time he got back, Galen wasn't in his room. So Jesse took residence in one of the other empty rooms and ended up sleeping through the rest of the night and day. He was so tired.

But when he gets up, he gets coffee. Brings it to Galen's room early, like earlier than Jesse feels like he should be up at, it's like seven -- and knocks on the door. ]

Hey. You awake, baby? [ Jesse says against the door, gnawing on his lip. ]

Comments

[rigging]

[ Ooh, ouch, Galen. Jesse hunches a little. He just doesn't want you to worry. ] Just that facetwin of yours. He's a dick.

[gleans]

[ :c Galen reaches to run his free hand through Jesse's hair. ] Yeah, no kidding. Did he give you shit?

[rigging]

Just a bit. [ Sigh. ] It's no big. I ain't gonna let anybody bully me 'round, you know that.

You tell me if he gives you shit, though - speakin' of, I heard you got punched.

[gleans]

Yep. [ He smirks a little. ] In a totally fair and well matched fistfight. Obviously made it out alive, too.

[rigging]

Ain't you a badass. [ Jesse snorts, pushing at Galen's chest a little.] That totally explains why Miss Murder calls y'Squishy, then.

[gleans]

[ A-pfff. ] Miss Murder. Yeah, Kenzi thinks my resilience is like... way low-grade, man. She obviously doesn't know how many times I've smashed myself on stages.

[rigging]

Nah, yer pretty tough. [ Really, he is. Even through the whole... ordeal, he was strong. Jesse wedges himself closer, reaching to wrap his arms around Galen's neck the best he can, tangling his hands in Galen's hair and kissing him once. ] But m'still gonna look out for you. Alright?

[gleans]

I know. [ Have a kiss back. ] I'm gonna look out for you too. The best I can. [ Even when... oh, no, Galen, don't think about that now, Jesus. ]

[rigging]

[ Jesse's quiet for a long minute. ] That - that counts, even when it's during my time. You know that, yeah? It don't matter what happens, m'still there. I ain't going anywhere.

[gleans]

[ He laughs a little, but it's kind of sad this time; he avoids Jesse's eyes. ] ... Kenzi talked to you, huh.

[rigging]

She actually dragged me into a room and put a lamp in my face t'interrogate me. [ Don't worry, he sounds vaguely amused. ] She wouldn't tell me what y'think happens, though.

[gleans]

[ Okay, getting a snort in at that is a nice distraction. But... then he looks a little bemused, glancing up at Jesse. ]

What else could it be, Jess? She told me you said I get sick. I'm -- I'm pretty sure schizophrenia is the logical conclusion, it's -- it's okay.

[rigging]

Wh - [ ... ] No, it's - no, that's not it. [ Man, that's so... weirdly normal in comparison. Jesse stares at Galen, keeps his gaze. ] It ain't that. Promise. And it's -- it's gonna sound crazy, or like m'lying, but I wouldn't. Okay?

[gleans]

It -- it isn't. [ Wow, that's so hugely relieving and so... not, at the same time. Galen licks his lips, swallows back his nervousness. ] Okay. So -- what the hell is it?

[rigging]

Even if it was I wouldn't leave you. [ Jesse says first, firmly. Look, he'll even hold your face in his hands to make sure you are getting it, Galen. ] D'you get me?

[gleans]

[ That little shiver isn't upset sneaking back up on him, nope. Galen's lips press flat, and he nods. ] Yeah. Yeah. I get you.

[rigging]

[ He brushes Galen's hair out of his face, frowning. ] You... y'did get sick. But it weren't your fault. This - this thing finds you. I dunno what it is. We - we ain't talked about it much, but your boy, your monkeyface, he thought it was a nightmare. Like, a for real, living nightmare.

[gleans]

You... [ Galen narrows his eyes, and even though his vision is a little fuzzy without his glasses, he can see that Jesse is completely serious. A real, living nightmare? That's what makes him sick? ]

You're serious. But, what -- how? Nightmares are just nightmares, just -- negative brain shit. [ ... Right? ]

[rigging]

M'serious. [ Jesse sighs, running his fingers through the back of Galen's hair absently. ] S'what I thought too. But this thing, this... dog, sorta, 'cept it was more like a buncha snakes pretending to be a dog - bit you. And y'got dark. Pulled people's nightmares up and used 'em against 'em when they were sleeping.

[gleans]

Wait -- [ Galen closes his eyes, shakes his head. This makes no sense. ] Wait, what? How? I -- [ This is hard to believe, let alone figure out. He's imagining some fantasy snake dog biting him in real life, and then he sneaks in on people? But then he remembers Jesse asking him if they were awake, not dreaming, and his head hurts. ]

I -- fuck. I don't understand.

[rigging]

You was asleep. It was all when we was asleep. [ Jesse explains. ] It took y'over and we tried t'get rid of it, but it had us trapped in the end. And then you got it. You fixed it yourself, 'cause the nightmare you was fucking us up. [ He feels like he isn't doing a good enough job of explaining, and he just wants to reassure Galen that it worked out. Sort of. ]

But y'beat it. You... you - were recovering. When I got here. [ Shift. ]

[gleans]

So I was... in. Your dreams. [ What. Galen tries to process this, mouth dry and stomach squirming. Something took him over and fucked with his friends, is what Jesse is saying. Suddenly Jesse's reaction when he showed up makes more sense, even though he doesn't want to believe it, and it stings.

One arm slips around Jesse's middle. He needs the anchor. ]

Oh -- shit. Oh, babe -- I hurt you. That's why you didn't trust me.

[rigging]

[ Jesse scrunches and doesn't meet Galen's gaze. He's still holding, still close, but only because none of this happened to this Galen. He still feels safe with this Galen, and that... is relieving and painful at the same time. ]

Just a bit. [ Only because he promised not to lie. And he doesn't want to hurt Galen with it, so he quickly moves on. ] But that ain't happened for you yet. And - and I think I can help stop it before it does, yeah?

[gleans]

Oh my god. [ Galen closes his eyes, presses his forehead against Jesse's. ] This is so fucked up. How do you stop something like that?

[rigging]

I dunno, just - lucid dreaming? Patrolling, sorta? M'gonna figure it out. I got this chance, m'gonna take it.

[gleans]

Baby. I'm so sorry that this even fucking happened. [ Kees. ] I can -- we can try that, I guess. Whatever you think might help. I'll tell you if I notice anything weird, too.