soul_logs | [closed] caught my breath on my way home

Entry tags:

[closed] caught my breath on my way home

Characters: Kotetsu & Barnaby
Location: tegur and bani apartment
Rating: G
Time: February 22nd, afternoon
Description: Bunny, meet ~~papa hen~~ mother hen. Mother hen, meet Bunny. Proceed to drive each other crazy. And don't break anything.

[The day Kotetsu and Barnaby had returned from the mission in Norway, only one thing had been on Kotetsu's mind had been sleep. Lots and lots of sleep. And warm clothes. Bed. Warm food. Anything that would make the time in those freezing temperatures merely a dream, along with all the worry he'd held for Barnaby upon their return to Death City. Admittedly he hadn't really known what Barnaby thought when they came back, mostly because he seemed too out of it to do much thinking when they had gotten home.

The younger hero had promptly been carried off to bed and kept there the whole day, and without any negotiation, Kotetsu had gotten them some time off from the Watch in order for them to rest up properly. The second he'd told Barnaby about their mini vacation of sorts he'd received a whole lot of complaining but, Kotetsu didn't care. It was for Barnaby's own good.

Another stream of mental complaints and curses went through Kotetsu's head as he thought about his partner's reckless behavior, something that wasn't ever acceptable because in his opinion he was the only one allowed to do such a thing. To think Barnaby had gotten tired enough to collapse, to almost get himself ki-- 'Bad word. Can't use that word. Not using that word.' With a loud exasperated huff, Kotetsu closed the refrigerator door, suddenly too frustrated to decide on what to make for lunch. All he wanted to do was sit and relax, have a beer, maybe watch some TV. Forget about the whole thing that had happened and how irritated he knew Barnaby had been with him, still was in fact, even though it wasn't fair because Kotetsu was irritated with him, still was, because that's just what happens when he's worried about his partner. His stupid partner who didn't understand that it wouldn't hurt him to be at home for three days. Well, two now, but from what he'd seen, Barnaby wouldn't be able to handle a couple more hours.]

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[Barnaby was sure he had gotten a good month's worth of sleep that day they had returned from their mission. Truth be told, he didn't remember much of the events that had transpired after he lost consciousness in the snow, but he knew he woke up with sniffles, a mild headache, and a miserable partner lecturing him every chance he got. For as much as Barnaby had attempted to argue the day before, Kotetsu had definitely put his foot down and Barnaby had no solid points. He had passed out, after overexerting himself when he was already exhausted, something that had never happened to him before. He had left Kotetsu in charge of getting them both back to safety. And he even heard that he had gotten caught in the tsunami.

Definitely feeling like a punished child, yep. Not allowed to read and on strict orders to rest, the most he had managed to do for the first day was sleep. Sleep, sleep, and more sleep, with very few trips out of bed so Kotetsu wouldn't get angry at him and hurry him back in. Or odd attempts at sleep, seeing as his nightmare-riddled mind ushered him awake every few hours. But now? Barnaby was tired of sleep. He was getting sore staying in bed, his muscles already feeling lazy from the lack of movement (that definitely wasn't the continued exhaustion working out of his system, not at all). With a soft groan, he climbed out of bed, running a hand through his hair to make it somewhat presentable. But with his limp curls and lack of volume, he knew only a proper shampooing would fix this. Later. Later, when his legs stopped feeling so sluggish, he would take a nice, hot shower.

But for now, he would risk Kotetsu yelling at him to make his way to the kitchen. After finishing the glass of water by his bed, he found himself thirsty again. Pulling himself up, he made his way down the hall and towards the kitchen, but he paused in the walkway. Kotetsu was also in the kitchen?

...He figured the bickering would start faster than expected. Mentally bracing himself for it...]

[Initially he'd thought that it was still a little too early in the day for him to have a drink, but considering that it hadn't ever stopped him before back home, Kotetsu gave in to temptation and opened up the fridge door again to retrieve a can of beer-- until he heard something that sounded like footsteps.

Pausing in mid-reach into the fridge, he glanced over his shoulder and caught sight of a very mussed-up Barnaby, and Kotetsu straightened himself back upright quickly enough, displeasure written all over his face.]

Bunny, what'd I say about getting out of bed? If you need anything then just tell me! [He taped one of his pants side pockets where he kept his communicator at all times. Sighing heavily, he closed the fridge and rubbed at the back of his neck, already walking forward to shoo Barnaby back into his bedroom.]

Now that you're here, tell me what you want and then get back in bed. I've carried you around enough so don't think I'm not gonna try it again. Hurry up, out with it and go!

[Getting lectured yet again. Barnaby really did want to punch Kotetsu and tell the older man he was perfectly alright to walk into the kitchen, but he knew Kotetsu would, once again, bring up his collapse. He was already bringing up carrying him back.

Barnaby really, really hated this. He wasn't an invalid!

With a heavy sigh, he just shook his head. This really was too much. This man was definitely too much. Expecting him to use his mirror to summon the man for a glass of water when he had little trouble making the two second trek down the hall was just ridiculous. It wasn't as though he was fighting here. It was still restful... technically.]

I'm not going to collapse again, I've already told you that! Anyway, I just came for something to drink. [But even as he said it, he didn't move from the kitchen. He could carry his own drink back! But judging by the look Kotetsu was giving him, he figured he would be escorted back to bed within a matter of seconds. Well, he would use this time wisely, and defiant as ever.]

[It didn't matter how ridiculous he was being at the moment, all that mattered to Kotetsu was getting Barnaby back into bed as fast as possible, and so once he turned and started to make his way over to one of the cupboards to retrieve a glass, he called out over his shoulder, a finger pointing over to the dinning island where the chairs were.]

You think I'm gonna believe all that when you spent all that time making me think you weren't exhausted? Go sit! --wait no, don't sit, stand there! Or, lean against the wall! Or sit on the floor! Floor's cold though. Sit, go sit! I'm getting you water! [Once the glass was in his hand he quickly went back over to the fridge, opening it again and taking out a small jug of water.]

[Sit on the floor? Or lean on the wall? Part of Barnaby wondered if Kotetsu was just coming up with things to keep himself fussy. But Barnaby couldn't argue him here and he hated it. Just shaking his head, he headed inside and sat at the table, dropping an elbow on the table and using the hand to hold his head. His headache was still dully pounding, not too painful but still annoying.

This was just as tiring as his exhaustion was.] That was a different situation entirely. We had been fighting then. And I haven't even left this apartment today.

Edited 2012-05-30 08:15 (UTC)

[Now with a full glass of water at hand, Kotetsu walked back over to where Barnaby had sat and placed the glass in front of him, though he proceeded to head back to the cabinets in search of something else.]

Drink, but don't drink it all. And I wasn't just talking about what happened during the mission. I mean before it. [He only offered Barnaby a brief glance over his shoulder before peering into a cabinet, moving some items aside.] There's only one reason why you'd just suddenly fall over on me like that. That fight was tough and I know you're not a pushover, but someone who was already worn out to begin with... you followin' me here?

[As Kotetsu set the glass down next to him, Barnaby lowered his hand, giving the man a small nod before sipping. He figured it was just so he wouldn't finish it too quickly, so he just decided to take his time with it. All the while, he had to bite back the urge to snap.

There really was no hiding it, or even ignoring it as he wished. He knew he messed up. If only he had gotten better at masking his tiredness, or working through it, just enough to have made it home on his own. Thankfully, this wasn't a consistent thing. Barnaby rarely found himself genuinely fatigued as he had this past week; he was sure it wouldn't happen again. But the fact that it had...

He just sighed, returning his hand to massage his head.] That was circumstantial as well. Last week was just a little more than I had expected; I thought I'd be fine.

[The whole time Barnaby continued to talk, Kotetsu had just scanned the inside of the cupboard with angry eyes, his hand clenching into the door for a few seconds before loosening, and at that point he couldn't even remember what he'd been looking for.

It wasn't a matter of him thinking Barnaby had done something wrong, and really he wasn't as angry as he probably sounded, but just the fact that he'd hid something such as his well-being behind his back, had made it seem like he'd been more than capable of handling that mission with his own strength when really he'd been just about drained... to think what would have happened if he hadn't decided to keep a close eye on him when the tsunami had suddenly hit...

Once he finally found the small bottle of asprin, Kotetsu snatched it up, shut the cupboard door and set the bottle onto the counter in front of Barnaby louder than he'd intended. His eyes narrowed as he faced his partner, thankfully feeling more weary than irritated, hoping that Barnaby could understand what Kotetsu was really trying to get at.]

You thought you'd be fine, but you weren't. And you didn't tell me. Then you almost got yourself washed off to who knows where. All because you were just a little more tired than usual? [His voice hardened for a moment, unable to mask his frustration and worry.] You're damn right that better be circumstantial.

[As the bottle slammed in front of him, Barnaby winced, looking down at it. Aspirin... Oh, well that was mildly more dramatic than necessary. And although he was rather surprised that Kotetsu had discovered his headache, he didn't remark on it, merely opening the bottle to spill two small pills into his hand.

He really hated that tone in Kotetsu's voice. That concern that had been the cause of why he was being fussed over. Always concern, that constant worry, making sure he was okay in some form or another. It really was too much sometimes.

Barnaby swallowed the pills, drank a bit more of the water, and then focused on the counter in front of him.]

I'm sorry to have worried you. I'll try my best to refrain from repeating that from now on. I'm sure this isn't surprising to you, but I don't normally express when I'm not feeling completely up to par. I'll... do better to contain this if it happens again. [Whether this meant Barnaby would try to keep from exhausting himself again, or just try to hide it better, was a mystery to himself. He wasn't sure he could step out of his own boundaries enough to express any sign of weakness, or even if he could stop his own habits of ignoring his own personal limitations, but for right now, he at least had something to reflect on. A new approach to either problem wouldn't hurt.]

[All Kotetsu did was stand there and listen for a while before walking around onto the other side of the counter until he was at Barnaby's side. He pulled back the chair next to him and took a seat, taking the bottle of aspirin himself and popping two into his mouth and downing it with what was left of the glass of water. When he was finished, Kotetsu just crossed his arms onto the counter and stared ahead quietly while lost in his thoughts for a moment. Here was that familiar speed bump once again, that reminder of how differently the two of them viewed their relationship. It made him slightly guilty to think that he was probably doing more harm than good, constantly reminding Barnaby of what he expected from him, pushing him to be more honest and truthful when he knew for a fact that it wasn't as easy as he thought it should be.

Sighing heavily, a finger tapped at the counter before he finally looked over in Barnaby's direction.]

I know, okay? I know how hard it is for you... all of this. I bet you're thinking I'm being a pain in the ass right now, talking to you like you're some kind of kid that needs to be scolded. But it's not like that. I just-- I'm still getting used to it. [Used to how different things are between them. That gap of time constantly between them that he tends to forget about.]

I trust you to take care of yourself Bunny, to do your best with whatever we've gotta face. I always will. But things are different here. We don't have our old powers to help us out of tough situations anymore. If we did, I wouldn't be hounding you to be more careful.

[Barnaby just shook his head at that, eyes shutting. Another one of these heavy conversations; he would have preferred going back to sleep over this. He already felt useless enough, and having Kotetsu already feeling bad about scolding him...] It's alright. I most likely deserved it.

I... guess it's a little harder trying to deal with not having my Hundred Power. After all, my NEXT abilities developed when I was an infant. But...

[He shook his head crossing his arms on the countertop. Excuses. That was all these were. It had been over a month since he had used his Hundred Power, and he should have been used to not using his powers by now. Really, he was, mentally. But he hadn't fully taken into account his own limitations in battle and energy. He should have. Working every day, and extra projects, on top of his shaky sleep schedule... He should have taken those into account from the beginning. He really felt like an idiot for having let it slip past him. All of the differences this world had, he should have known to be a bit more careful. More observant, in any case.

With a small sniffle, he glanced back at the water.] I'll be more careful. I mean it.

[Those feelings of regret began to bubble up inside him, but Kotetsu made sure to keep them at bay, seeing as they were both feeling miserable enough. No need to make things worse. He'd gotten his point across, and hammering it in wouldn't do any good.

He'd at least wanted to offer better support, say something about how it had been hard on him too, dealing with the sudden lack of NEXT powers, making them more like regular people than anything else... but Kotetsu knew it would have been somewhat of a lie, because unknown to Barnaby, he'd been preparing for this sort of day for more than a year. One minute. That's all he had left the last time he'd been back home. The sudden complete loss still took some getting used to, but really, he hadn't had the same kind of limits to grow accustomed to as Barnaby had. This was something he'd been waiting for. Like a sneak preview of sorts.

Another thing he didn't like being reminded of, and Kotetsu reached up a hand to rub at his temples.]

Just try to remember that. There's nothing wrong with taking it a little easy once in a while. Kind of the benefit of us being heroes, but without the whole list of responsibilities we had back home. The official stuff and all.

[Kotetsu paused when he recalled the little sniffled Barnaby had made and he looked up, opening his mouth to continue his fretting but he hesitated. Barnaby would be fine. He was at home and in good hands, and he knew now to not push himself so hard, so there was no need to suffocate him with worry.]

...you want anything? I guess, you don't need to go back to bed if you don't want to.

I guess so...

[With another nod, Barnaby propped his head up on both hands, fingers resting against his forehead. Taking it easy once in a while... That was just difficult. Barnaby rarely sat still. It was really just during those times when he listened to classical music did he really take time to himself, but otherwise he just found other things to do. And he had been quite busy...

He just hated wasting time, even if it was for his own good. Well, even with the permission to stay out of bed, he was still pretty much confined to the apartment. It took him a few more seconds before he just set his hands back down, sitting up straighter. No use moping. With the aspirin working its magic, at least his headache was dissipating.]

Could I have another glass of water? And... is it alright if I have a few of the books back? Or am I still banned from researching right now?

[He'd been about to reach over to set a hand on Barnaby's head (gently of course, what with his headache and all) until he paused mid-reach and frowned. Though mostly it was a pout. That hand dropped down to the counter as he leaned over to get a better look of Barnaby's face.]

Water is a yes, books are a no. I know how you get when you've got books in your hands. You're never gonna get your head out of them and next thing you know you haven't eaten or slept and you're literally face-first in one. No researching until you're better! [Carefully, he used a finger to set a gentle poke at Barnaby's head for emphasis.] Whatever goes on in that head of yours is enough to deal with for a few more days, nothing extra!

I'll still remember to eat! And sleep!

[Or at least he could hope. But with Kotetsu poking his forehead and having hidden or moved his books around, Barnaby knew he wasn't getting them back today. It was enough to have him glaring, doing his best not to match that pout with his own.]

Fine. Well, if I'm not allowed to read, what would you suggest I do?

[Kotetsu huffed, pulling his hand away as he scooted out of the chair, picking up the glass so he could refill it.]

I dunno, do something a regular guy like you usually does with their free time. TV? A movie? --but you're not allowed to use the computer without my permission, and I've gotta keep an eye on what you're doing. That ain't a free pass. I may be old but I know what's on the internet.

[Not even the internet? There was no more feeling like a scolded child than he did right now. Really, he felt like he needed to stomp to his room and slam the door. Punished... He was never punished like this! Not even at the orphanage, or the Academy. Or even from Maverick.

Well... Kotetsu did say television was alright. Maybe he would do that.]

Would it kill you if we watched an educational channel, or the news?

[By now he was very well of aware of what it was like to share a close distance with a very pissed Barnaby, and Kotetsu knew without looking over his shoulder that Barnaby was definitely pissed, but he would stick to his word and keep up the rules for the last two days of their day(s) off from work, and nothing would change his mind.

Once the glass was refilled, Kotetsu went back over to the counter and set it back down for Barnaby, pursing his lips in thought before crossing his arms over his chest.]

That's fine, but if I see you tryin' to take notes on something, I'm taking those away. And the second you look tired, it's off to bed with you.

[Pissed and absolutely miserable, that was Barnaby. But as long as Kotetsu was watching him, Barnaby didn't have a chance at fighting back. Involuntary compliance. With TV rights, so long as he didn't try to work through it.

He nodded.] I won't take notes. And I'll be fine. I'm sure I can make it through an hour long program without looking tired. [Or so he hoped. He was already starting to feel tired. Taking the glass, he moved it closer, lifting it up, but he paused before he drank it.] ...thank you. By the way. [And with that, he began to drink again, trying to finish as much and as fast as possible so he could move again. Once the cup was a bit more than half empty, he rose to his feet and headed for the living room.]

[The toughest love imaginable, and he wouldn't let up for anything. Ah, the pains of being a caring and occasionally responsible adult with fatherly experience. Barnaby was screwed from the beginning. Kotetsu lingered for a while, not sure if Barnaby would make another fuss about the added rules of his forced confinement, but as soon as he was thanked his expression lightened and waved him off, turning back around to get himself a beer. Hey, he deserved it by now!]

What's that for? We're partners, what else am I supposed to do? --and don't go thinkin' this is even easy for me, because I'm staying with you afterall. This is time off for me too, and you know I'm not the biggest fan of that. This is as hard on me as it is for you. [Not exactly, but at least he could share some of Barnaby's woes. Three days of no work. Wonderful, all sarcasm included.]

[With a dry, faintly-amused laugh, Barnaby just shook his head and sank down on the couch. This really was mutual sense of uselessness in the apartment. Probably more on Barnaby than Kotetsu, but neither of them could work while the other one was off. Well, technically Kotetsu could patrol on his own, but he seemed determined to stay there.

Probably to keep Barnaby from enjoying anything.

He could only hope he'd feel back to normal by tomorrow; it was taking far too long for him to bounce back, and even though he felt like he could work, he knew there was no going anywhere until he felt decent, or until he could properly lie about it. Sinking back against the couch, he grabbed the remote, changed the channel to some science program, and immediately yawned.]

[There was a quiet click and hiss of the tab as it was opened, Kotetsu lingering about the seat where Barnaby had been. When he lifted the can to his lips and peered over at his partner's spot on the couch, his eyes narrowed slightly when he saw the tell-tale yawn. He hadn't even gotten around to watching anything and he was already in danger of falling asleep.

He pulled the chair aside and sat, setting his can on the table while he folded his arms over the back of the chair, watching Barnaby carefully. Silently. Like a hawk.]

You sure you don't want anything else? You're gonna nod off in no time at this rate. Not that there's a problem with that.

[That yawn was only to bring more oxygen to his brain, most definitely. Barnaby still felt a little groggy, but definitely nothing ready to put him to sleep just yet! After all, he had just barely been up for half an hour, tops. Frowning, he just crossed his arms as he glanced at the television.]

I can't think of anything else. I'm not particularly hungry, so I'm fine with the water.

[He won't fall asleep. Or so he hopes. The commercials were just somewhat boring, but once the show started, he seemed decently focused on it. Most of it was focus... Most of it.]

[Yes of course, that's how yawns work. ...is that really how they work? I have no idea. If you're lying I'm going to be very disappointed. Kotetsu only gave out a little 'hmm' as a sign that he'd been listening. Eventually turning in the chair to get his beer, he faced the television and Barnaby and just watched the screen quietly for a while. A very short while, because Kotetsu was never meant to stay quiet for long. After a long sip of his beer, he called over.]

Oh yeah, I talked to Kerrigan afterall while we were doing that BREW watching stuff. I'm thinkin' I got kinda lucky with that talk. ...also thinkin' she might not be that bad off with the Judge. They're both kind of the same. Quiet and intimidating. Little creepy sometimes too.

[Scientific facts, broski. Yawning helps Barnaby take in more oxygen so his blood can pump faster and reach his brain and then he can have more mental strength to convince himself that he's not sleepy at all. But he could already feel himself losing focus on the television, eyes glazing over. Something was going on, but he really wasn't paying attention--

Oh. Kotetsu was talking again. Barnaby almost jumped before he turned around and looked at Kotetsu, rather surprised by the news as well as the sudden chatter.]

So I'm guessing it went well? What happened?

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[closed] caught my breath on my way home

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