A small part of him wonders if this is some strange, fucked up hallucination. If the drugs are just that strong this time around and this weird dream will shatter, fall apart around him and open back up to the bleak hospital room. But the bed feels real and his whole body practically sinks into it. He hasn't even bothered to take off the coat yet, either.
"Mm, food sounds awful," he groans, the admission blunt. "I mean don't get me wrong, I'm hungry, but it's better for both of us if I don't eat anything right away."
The next couple of days will be horrific. They always are, filled with shakes, nausea, night-terrors and cold sweats. Partner all of that with the absolute need for a fix and the creeping sounds of the undead? Well.
"This bed might be better than the bath, I swear. Are all fancy beds this soft? I'm not used to a bed that doesn't have a spring that occasionally stabs you in the ass just to remind you that you're alive."
He slowly rolls over onto his back and reaches a hand out for one of hers, giving it a little tug. "You're sure this is all real? Like, you're not fucking around, right? You're there and I'm here and we have a whole suite? A suite with TV and room service? I feel like the Queen of England if she got hit by a double decker bus and someone killed her corgi but you know. Still the Queen."
What does the other side of this situation look like? When the withdrawal is done and they're left with whatever remnants remain? It won't be pretty, and part of him wants to warn her, but he wants to apologize before that. "You know... this is gonna suck a lot. I'm usually in places where they can lock the door and let me do my thing until I'm done and we all move on with our lives. I mean we do the happy, sit in a circle and talk about our deep, dark inner turmoil, but before all that comes the really bad shit. I..." He swallows hard and looks back up at her. "You... don't really deserve to see me like that," he laughs, a nervous sort of edge to it. "Gonna be a real clown show, let me tell ya."
"That's fine, you just let me know when you're ready."
She prefers the honest admission, not wanting him to force anything or do anything that he's not ready for. Besides, it's not like they wouldn't be able to offer anything later, if he changes his mind.
With a small laugh, she settles back against the pillows, stretching out her legs on the bed. She adjusts her position so that she's more on her side, though, when he tugs her hand and she gives his hand a small squeeze. "I'm definitely not fucking around, it's all very much real. I promise. You get a suite, with a TV, room service, and a bathtub that you can use at your disposal."
As he speaks and he warns her of what's to come, a small smile crosses her lips and she gives his hand another squeeze. "Klaus, don't worry about me. I want you to do your thing. If you want to do the circle and talk about our inner turmoil, we can go all out." It's said with a small tease, but she gives him a reassuring smile, her expression a bit more serious so he can know that she means what she's saying. "I'm not going anywhere, Klaus. You can get sick of me and I can go out for a walk while you do your thing, but I'm not leaving this place without you. If you want me here, holding your hand, or holding your hair back, or holding you, or just watch TV together... Whatever you want, I'm here."
She looks down at their hands together before turning back to him. "A doctor will be available next door, and he'll monitor you to make sure you're okay. But the room is for you to roam as you want. You can pick either bed - or both, it's up to you. The bathroom has plenty of space, or you can lay down on the couch. Just let me know what you need, and we'll make it work."
Klaus snorts a little bit at the thought and turns his head to look at her for a moment. She swears it's not a dream but he can't shake the feeling that it might be. That it's just some trip waiting to go bad because good things don't happen to him like this. They never do.
"You understand that this is the fanciest, nicest place I've been in since I was kicked out? I mean, I've been a lot of rooms and in a lot of beds but I swear this is the nicest thing I've ever felt. Can we take this to California with us, please? You said if I needed anything..."
He's joking, of course, and he rolls a little closer to her, if only so he can bury his face against her shoulder. "I mean, the pillows would do, too. They're nice. They're so fluffy and they put little chocolates on them, too.
He settles back down with a sigh, and when he slows down, it's evident how exhausted he is, the lines of his face deeper, the circles under his eyes darker. His body feels like it's slowly being subjected to the press of gravity. "I know I said I wanted a bath before, but walking sounds pretty awful right now and this coat is warm enough."
Klaus sighs. "I feel like shit, Al. Where's the fun in getting clean, anyway?"
Allison breathes out a small chuckle. “I think you’ve got the right idea, we definitely need these in California.”
If it’ll get him to go with her, she’ll fill the house with these beds and all the pillows he wants. The fact that he phrased the question with Can we take this to California with us is enough to make her heart soar, but she tries to not get her hopes up. One day at a time.
She leans her head against his when he rests against her shoulder, a small smile on her face. When he moves to settle down, she only lets go of his hand so she can reach for the duvet at the foot of the bed so she can cover their legs before she settles a little closer to him.
“Then let’s not move,” she suggests with a small smile as she takes his hand. “Why don’t you try to get some sleep, hm? The fun will come later, you’ll see. In the meantime we get to hang out in a fancy suite in the city. Together.” With her free hand, she reaches up to gently brush his hair back. “We’ll figure all this out, okay? I’m not going to leave you alone, Klaus. I promise.”
Her promise feels like it's spoken in another language, like it's something he can't quite translate, because he's never heard anything like it. The idea that he might not be alone when this day ends, that he might wake up to a familiar face and a familiar room? Foreign.
"You don't have to stay, you know," he says, words already turning into a sleepy slur. "If you're not tired."
He doesn't know what time it is, but when he closes his eyes all he can see is the sun in the car window, feel the hum of the road, the feeling of Allison's fingers in his hair. He dares to let himself think: he's home. There's always been an ease, a trust, between them that has managed to stay in tact somehow between her leaving and his staying.
"I won't sleep long," he says, eyes still closed, the words a mumble against her shoulders. "I wanna hear about everything. I've missed you."
"I know," she assures him quietly, continuing to run her fingers gently through his hair in hopes that he won't fight the sleep that is already starting to claim him. "I'm not moving, though. A nap sounds pretty good right about now."
It's not really a lie; between the adrenaline she had been buzzing on, the concern, and the rollercoaster of emotions that she has been on since he woke up, she really is tired. She also wants him to know, though, that she's really not planning on moving. He can rest his eyes, and she'll be here. No matter how long he sleeps for.
Turning slightly, just enough to kiss the top of his head, she smiles gently before she settles close to him, resting her head against his. "I've missed you, too. So much, Klaus." Her eyes sting with tears, but she closes them even if the small smile remains on her lips as she whispers, "I'll fill you in on everything, I promise."
They finally had all the time in the world, after all.
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no subject
"Mm, food sounds awful," he groans, the admission blunt. "I mean don't get me wrong, I'm hungry, but it's better for both of us if I don't eat anything right away."
The next couple of days will be horrific. They always are, filled with shakes, nausea, night-terrors and cold sweats. Partner all of that with the absolute need for a fix and the creeping sounds of the undead? Well.
"This bed might be better than the bath, I swear. Are all fancy beds this soft? I'm not used to a bed that doesn't have a spring that occasionally stabs you in the ass just to remind you that you're alive."
He slowly rolls over onto his back and reaches a hand out for one of hers, giving it a little tug. "You're sure this is all real? Like, you're not fucking around, right? You're there and I'm here and we have a whole suite? A suite with TV and room service? I feel like the Queen of England if she got hit by a double decker bus and someone killed her corgi but you know. Still the Queen."
What does the other side of this situation look like? When the withdrawal is done and they're left with whatever remnants remain? It won't be pretty, and part of him wants to warn her, but he wants to apologize before that. "You know... this is gonna suck a lot. I'm usually in places where they can lock the door and let me do my thing until I'm done and we all move on with our lives. I mean we do the happy, sit in a circle and talk about our deep, dark inner turmoil, but before all that comes the really bad shit. I..." He swallows hard and looks back up at her. "You... don't really deserve to see me like that," he laughs, a nervous sort of edge to it. "Gonna be a real clown show, let me tell ya."
no subject
She prefers the honest admission, not wanting him to force anything or do anything that he's not ready for. Besides, it's not like they wouldn't be able to offer anything later, if he changes his mind.
With a small laugh, she settles back against the pillows, stretching out her legs on the bed. She adjusts her position so that she's more on her side, though, when he tugs her hand and she gives his hand a small squeeze. "I'm definitely not fucking around, it's all very much real. I promise. You get a suite, with a TV, room service, and a bathtub that you can use at your disposal."
As he speaks and he warns her of what's to come, a small smile crosses her lips and she gives his hand another squeeze. "Klaus, don't worry about me. I want you to do your thing. If you want to do the circle and talk about our inner turmoil, we can go all out." It's said with a small tease, but she gives him a reassuring smile, her expression a bit more serious so he can know that she means what she's saying. "I'm not going anywhere, Klaus. You can get sick of me and I can go out for a walk while you do your thing, but I'm not leaving this place without you. If you want me here, holding your hand, or holding your hair back, or holding you, or just watch TV together... Whatever you want, I'm here."
She looks down at their hands together before turning back to him. "A doctor will be available next door, and he'll monitor you to make sure you're okay. But the room is for you to roam as you want. You can pick either bed - or both, it's up to you. The bathroom has plenty of space, or you can lay down on the couch. Just let me know what you need, and we'll make it work."
no subject
Klaus snorts a little bit at the thought and turns his head to look at her for a moment. She swears it's not a dream but he can't shake the feeling that it might be. That it's just some trip waiting to go bad because good things don't happen to him like this. They never do.
"You understand that this is the fanciest, nicest place I've been in since I was kicked out? I mean, I've been a lot of rooms and in a lot of beds but I swear this is the nicest thing I've ever felt. Can we take this to California with us, please? You said if I needed anything..."
He's joking, of course, and he rolls a little closer to her, if only so he can bury his face against her shoulder. "I mean, the pillows would do, too. They're nice. They're so fluffy and they put little chocolates on them, too.
He settles back down with a sigh, and when he slows down, it's evident how exhausted he is, the lines of his face deeper, the circles under his eyes darker. His body feels like it's slowly being subjected to the press of gravity. "I know I said I wanted a bath before, but walking sounds pretty awful right now and this coat is warm enough."
Klaus sighs. "I feel like shit, Al. Where's the fun in getting clean, anyway?"
no subject
If it’ll get him to go with her, she’ll fill the house with these beds and all the pillows he wants. The fact that he phrased the question with Can we take this to California with us is enough to make her heart soar, but she tries to not get her hopes up. One day at a time.
She leans her head against his when he rests against her shoulder, a small smile on her face. When he moves to settle down, she only lets go of his hand so she can reach for the duvet at the foot of the bed so she can cover their legs before she settles a little closer to him.
“Then let’s not move,” she suggests with a small smile as she takes his hand. “Why don’t you try to get some sleep, hm? The fun will come later, you’ll see. In the meantime we get to hang out in a fancy suite in the city. Together.” With her free hand, she reaches up to gently brush his hair back. “We’ll figure all this out, okay? I’m not going to leave you alone, Klaus. I promise.”
no subject
"You don't have to stay, you know," he says, words already turning into a sleepy slur. "If you're not tired."
He doesn't know what time it is, but when he closes his eyes all he can see is the sun in the car window, feel the hum of the road, the feeling of Allison's fingers in his hair. He dares to let himself think: he's home. There's always been an ease, a trust, between them that has managed to stay in tact somehow between her leaving and his staying.
"I won't sleep long," he says, eyes still closed, the words a mumble against her shoulders. "I wanna hear about everything. I've missed you."
no subject
It's not really a lie; between the adrenaline she had been buzzing on, the concern, and the rollercoaster of emotions that she has been on since he woke up, she really is tired. She also wants him to know, though, that she's really not planning on moving. He can rest his eyes, and she'll be here. No matter how long he sleeps for.
Turning slightly, just enough to kiss the top of his head, she smiles gently before she settles close to him, resting her head against his. "I've missed you, too. So much, Klaus." Her eyes sting with tears, but she closes them even if the small smile remains on her lips as she whispers, "I'll fill you in on everything, I promise."
They finally had all the time in the world, after all.