Holes and Patches [OPEN FREE FOR ALL]

[leapoffayth.livejournal.com]

After the battle, the warriors' task was over. Their job, for now, was to rest and recover for the time being.

The healers' job, on the other hand, was far from over. Some exhausted from the battle, others rotating in, they took to their bay and continued the process of treating the wounded. Some patients were free to leave in a few minutes, while others would have some time (or quite some time) on the cots. Their mission: relax. Stay as still as possible.

Unfortunately, the temptation of so many familiar faces alive and about would ultimately prove to be too great. Keeping track of this group was going to be a third task all its own.

[this is a free for all for all your injured! Have them socialize, be thorns in the medics' side, try to escape, or bring the medics together for some action. Just note in your post if you'd like a medic to visit your character---if not, it's time for a chat!]

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[battorch]

Tim went to see him the first instant he was able to, no delays. He'd heard about what had happened. About who they'd lost. And he knew that he had to see Conner right away. His best friend, who had been there for him when he'd been through the same spot. Even though he hadn't wanted to talk about it. They'd made a promise to each other to be there for one another, and this was that kind of thing.

Only, once he was there, he realised that, despite everything, he didn't really know what to say. After everything, he'd have thought he'd be able to recite words of comfort easily enough. But he knew that there was only so much he could do. Because this kind of thing didn't just go away.

"Conner," he said after a moment, voice natural, despite the fact that he was still wearing the cowl. He stepped forward, and hesitated again, before he put one hand on his friend's good arm, and said, "I'm sorry. But... I'm here, okay?" He didn't plan on leaving any time soon, even though he was still largely ignoring his own pain.

[so-pregnable.livejournal.com]

Superboy didn't even seem to see him at first, but then he looked over at Tim, and tried to figure out what he was supposed to do. He didn't want to alarm him by acting weird, after all, but at the same time, he respected his friend enough to not put on a mask of being okay.

He eventually settled with saying, "I know."

He knew Tim was there for him. He also knew Tim understood, after all the people he'd lost. He remembered Tim breaking down, telling the Titans about how his dad had died. Tim had let them all in, even when it went against his batty nature to do it.

"Can you get the curtain? I think I'm gonna lose it in a second."

He didn't want anyone else to see. Tim, though--Tim could. Tim'd been there through a dead girlfriend just like Kon'd been there for him through the same. That was just how it worked. They talked about cars, they talked about girls, they talked about where thought they fit into it all, all the philosophical stuff, and when it got bad, they talked about the things that hurt, about the hurts that they couldn't let anyone else see.

[battorch]

"Yeah," Tim said, quietly with a nod, dropping his hand back before he turned to get the curtain like his friend had asked. He understood it-- he knew where Conner was coming from. And he knew how much he wouldn't want other people to be seeing it, either. It wasn't something to share with just anyone.

Conner was one of the only ones that Tim really let in and shared everything with, and Tim was more than willing to do that same for him. He just hated that there wasn't a lot he could do for him, beyond letting him talk and being there to listen. And to make sure he didn't close it off in him, either, as much as a hypocrite as that might make him.

With a quiet sigh, he pulled the cowl back, opening himself up more, as he approached the bedside again. "Just... talk to me, okay, Conner?" It had probably already been clear-- but he wanted to say it anyway. He couldn't say a lot more than that.

[so-pregnable.livejournal.com]

"I don't--I don't even know what to say. It feels like the world should have ended."

Tears started to trickle down his face.

"Of course, it did already, but you know what I mean. Everything--everything should have just...stopped."

How could the universe just chug on without Superman in it?

Wiping at his face, he sobbed, "It doesn't make sense. Nothing--nothing makes sense."

Slowly, he shook his head.

"And I don't know how... how he expected me to follow through after him. I'm not ready. I don't even know if I ever will be. But I can't let him down."

[battorch]

"I know," Tim said quietly, but he didn't say a whole lot more than that. This was about letting Conner talk, letting him get it out there. Because that was important, no matter how much or little it would help right then.

He reached out, put his hand on his friend's arm again, a small physical gesture of comfort, keeping his eyes on him. "It doesn't make sense. It never does," he said, softly, "I'm sorry."

His voice became a bit firmer, more sure, before he said, "But you won't let him down, Conner. You never could. You should know that. You'll be ready when you need to be."

[so-pregnable.livejournal.com]

"I already did. That creep made off with some of his blood. He said he was going to do something with it that'd make Kal glad he was dead so he couldn't see it."

He wiped at his face again.

"I had to get Kara and I out but who knows what he's doing with it right now..."

[battorch]

Tim's jaw and free hand clenched slightly at that, expression serious. Because that was unacceptable. "So he was screwing with you," Tim said, voice taking on a bit of its darker tone. "And if he is up to something? We'll stop him. There's no way in hell anyone's getting away with this."

He loosened himself up slightly, before he said, "And-- I think getting Kara out of there and making sure the both of you were safe? That's what he would have wanted you to do, Conner."

[so-pregnable.livejournal.com]

It was what he needed to hear.

"He probably would have wanted that, wouldn't he."

That was Kal all over.

Holding onto the cape, looking down at it, he said quietly:

"I'm gonna miss him."

Fat tears rolled down his cheeks.

"I'm gonna miss him so much."

And then he pretty much lost it, and bowed over, crying silently, into his hand, shoulders shaking.

[battorch]

"Yeah," Tim said quietly, hand dropping from Conner's shoulder, while he started. "I know you will, Conner. We all will." He stepped a little bit closer, then hugged him, only careful enough to avoid agitating their injuries.

[so-pregnable.livejournal.com]

Kon hugged him back, with the usual gentle care he reserved for squishable friends like Tim, and tried to get the crying under control.

It was...unmanful, in his opinion.