[Faith's Apartment, Milliways Staff Wing]

[flybywash]

He figured, at first, that it was just the kind of thing that came with...well, with being a corpse for a nice long fifteen-minute stretch.

But that ain't right. Not really.

Because the rest of him's feeling a little better; it doesn't hurt as much to breathe anymore, as the reconstructed muscles lose some of their stiffness the more he exercises them. His hands only shake a little when he eats. He left leg moves around okay, even if it can't support a lot of his weight yet.

But his right leg can't do anything at all.

It's not numb. It just...doesn't work. Best he's managed so far is a half-hearted toe wiggle.

What a gorram stupid thing to panic over after coming all the way back from the dead. It didn't make the fear any less, though -- when he discovered it and called for Faith, his voice was trembling almost as badly as it had when he'd first woken up on the floor of Milliways. She didn't waste any time in fetching both a pair of crutches and a wheelchair from Bar, and they're by his nightstand now.

He's tried to use the crutches twice, out of necessity, and became fast friends with the floor both times. Wheelchair's not much better; it's harder to turn the wheels than he expected. Easier to just stay in bed as much as he can.

Besides, he's supposed to be resting anyway.

So that's where Wash is now: curled up in Faith's too-big guest bed, dozing lightly, and keeping to the left side of it without thought.

Comments

[faithful-slayer.livejournal.com]

Faith winces, a little, and opens the door further, stepping into the room, not checking to see if Michael's behind her - very probably she doesn't have to look. Slayer senses.

"Did I wake you? I'm sorry."

[rebelheartalien.livejournal.com]

He is behind her, but hangs back a little, leaning against the doorway. He nods a greeting, with a quiet, "Hey."

[flybywash]

To Faith: "No, no, it's...well, yeah, you did." He smiles slightly. "But I have this crazy assumption that a lot more sleeping's gonna be happening today. I can cope."

He pushes himself upright as best as he can manage, rubbing his eyes, and gives the blue guy a vague, weak sort of wave. "Hi." Pause. "...Are you really blue, or is this me post-trauma hallucinating?"

[faithful-slayer.livejournal.com]

Faith looks aplogetic, still, until the blue comment, at which point she chuckles.

"He's really blue. Wash, this is my brother, Michael. Michael, this is Wash. He's like a brother too, except with inappropriate commentary attached."

[rebelheartalien.livejournal.com]

"The blue's a long story", Michael says with a shrug. "Good to meet you."

[flybywash]

"Same to you, Michael." He eyes Faith. "Inappropriate commentary?"

[faithful-slayer.livejournal.com]

"Well, not where Zoe can hear me."

Faith looks so innocent.

Isn't she just so angelic?

[flybywash]

Angelic like SATAN, sure.

Wash's smile fades. "You didn't, um." He chews his lip. "See her out there, did you?"

He's not expecting a yes; Zoe'd be here right now if she had. But he has to ask.

[faithful-slayer.livejournal.com]

Faith's expression falls.

"...no. 'M sorry. I'd bring her straight here, if I had."

[flybywash]

One corner of his mouth twitches back up into a humorless half-smile. He looks down at his lap.

"Yeah," he says. "I figured."

A moment to breathe, and he looks back up at Michael, forcing a bigger smile.

"So Michael. What's your where and when?"

[rebelheartalien.livejournal.com]

Michael is only too happy to go along with the change of subject. He can guess who 'she' is, and he understands.

"Used to be Roswell, New Mexico. I live here a lot of the time now, though, and on another planet for the rest."

[faithful-slayer.livejournal.com]

"New Mexico is on Earth," Faith explains, to Wash. "America, like New York."

Then, to Michael, "Earth sort of doesn't exist anymore in their world."

[flybywash]

"Really?"

His eyebrows go up. "What planet?"

[rebelheartalien.livejournal.com]

"It's called Antar. Don't know if we're from the same universe or what."

[flybywash]

Wryly, "Not if you're talking about the same New Mexico I know about. But...planetary dwellers not from Earth. I approve of this."

[rebelheartalien.livejournal.com]

Michael half-grins. "Yeah, I think we're pretty well outnumbered here."

[faithful-slayer.livejournal.com]

"Special. Unique. Rare snowflakes, the both of you," Faith says, with a grin at Michael. "All pretty and fragile."

[flybywash]

"Hey," Wash protests. "Who just came back from the dead here?"

This is the closest he's come to his usual smirk in a while.

[faithful-slayer.livejournal.com]

"You're the rarest snowflake of them all," Faith deadpans.

OK, Buffy's come back twice, and Daniel managed it like ten times, but that's beside the point.

[rebelheartalien.livejournal.com]

Michael just eyes her, trying not to look amused. And failing.

[flybywash]

"Gorram right I am. A titanium snowflake."

He looks inordinately proud.

It helps, being able to make jokes again.

[faithful-slayer.livejournal.com]

"A beautiful, loudly dressed snowflake," Faith agrees. "With a dinosaur fetish."

[flybywash]

"It's enthusiasm, Faith. Not fetish-y."

[rebelheartalien.livejournal.com]

"Dinosaurs?" Michael asks with a grin.

[faithful-slayer.livejournal.com]

"Yeah." Faith is grinning too. "Should have seen him when I told him they made movies of Jurassic Park."