As We Know It
Title: As We Know It
Pairing: BB/EW, DM/EW
Rating: PG-13
Content/Warnings: Not fluffy.
Disclaimer: This is a complete work of fiction, no disrespect intended.
Notes: #28, for oneangrykate, and also for kiltsandlollies. Title taken from the REM song.
Billy burst through the front door in such haste that he jammed his finger on the doorknob, barely waiting for the ventilator to turn green before he was rushing upstairs, ripping the breath-mask from his face and taking the steps two at a time when his shout of “Elijah!” echoed back without response.
He found Elijah in the bedroom, sitting on the bed facing the window, unmoving and unresponsive even when Billy skidded to a halt and called his name again from the doorway.
“Elijah,” Billy said firmly, catching his breath while he moved to the closet, already calculating how much they could take without it slowing them down. “We have to go. Now. There’s a mob outside, they’re working their way down Main Street and God only knows how long it will take them to get here. Grab some clothes and whatever else you need, I’m going to pack a first aid kit and…”
“It’s too late,” Elijah said quietly, stopping Billy mid-stream of thought and yanking him to a shocked halt in the middle of the room.
“Elijah, what…?”
Elijah lifted his hand without turning, palm-up so that Billy could see the red pinprick at the center of his palm. The kiss of death.
“How?” Billy whispered in shock, hardly believing even though he could see it. “When? How did…?”
He fumbled for the straps of his breath-mask automatically, but Elijah shook his head, finally turning to face him with bleak eyes devoid of hope. “It’s too late. Physical manifestation means I’ve been contagious for two days, and you and I…”
The blood drained from Billy’s face so swiftly that he swayed, almost stumbling. “No,” he whispered, hands curling into fists. “It’s not possible.”
“Five days ago,” Elijah said calmly, hand still held upraised to display the blood-burst of death for both of them. “I didn’t know…I thought it was safe, the building was clean…” His voice dropped to a whisper, shaking his head in disbelief. “All we did was kiss…”
Billy was completely overwhelmed now, almost too shocked to comprehend. Anger rose up swiftly to take the place of confusion and horror, and he took the easy way out, fists clenched tight so that his short nails bit into his palms. “Who, Elijah?” he asked dangerously. “Who the fuck were you kissing that wasn’t me?”
Elijah didn’t answer. His eyes had distanced again, and he turned back to the window, staring at the empty blue sky as if waiting for something to happen. Billy wanted to scream, to throw things, but they didn’t have time for that, the mob was coming… Not that it mattered, now that Elijah was infected. There was really nothing more a mob could do to them that Elijah already hadn’t.
Billy heard a crash from downstairs, and closed his eyes. Too late. He heard the squawk of the ventilator alarm, and then footfalls on the stairs, rushing up towards them. He turned, expecting the worst, just in time to see a young man around their age stop in the doorway, blond hair tangled into a complete mess and breathing hard, breath-mask dangling loosely from his fingers.
“Elijah,” the stranger said; and that, at least, got a response, Elijah’s head whipping around and his eyes growing wide with shock.
“Dom,” Elijah said, clearly not understanding any more than Billy was. “What are you…?”
“We have to go, there’s a mob on Main and they’ve already started hitting the side streets,” Dom said. Billy caught the flash of a look from Elijah, guilty and afraid, and Billy’s vision hazed briefly red. His eyes flickered down to Dom’s hands, but they were turned and curled, palms hidden from view.
“Is this him?” Billy asked quietly. Elijah didn’t answer, but he didn’t need to; Billy already knew.
“What?” Dom snapped, clearly impatient with their lack of momentum. “Did you tell him?” His focus shifted to Billy. “Look, it was nothing, he said he couldn’t because he had to go back to you, I don’t see what…”
Elijah held his hand up mutely, and Billy heard the hiss as Dom’s words stopped and he saw. “I’m sorry,” Dom said quietly. “I didn’t know, and I don’t know how it happened. I swear I never would have put you in danger if…”
“Save it,” Billy snarled, whirling around to confront Elijah’s soon-to-be killer head-on. “Are you infected? You’re in here without a breath-mask, obviously you don’t care if we are or not.”
“I…suspected,” Dom answered quietly, eyes on Elijah, and then shook his head, impatience returning to overcome grief and guilt. “Look, we don’t have time for this. They’re hitting all of the clean houses, and even if Elijah has a mark, I’m betting you don’t, and these guys aren’t exactly stopping to ask questions. We have to go, now.”
“I’m not leaving,” Elijah stated abruptly, and Dom and Billy both turned to stare at him in shock. “I’m going to die, and it’s not going to be by a horrible disease that will take years to kill me slowly and painfully while the government monitors me and my movements are restricted and healthy people look as if they want to spit on me in the street and…”
He shuddered, and Billy made a move to touch him, but Elijah flinched away, breathing hard. “I’m going to end it my way,” he said fiercely, arms curling around his torso protectively, a helpless attempt at comfort. “And I’m going to do it here.”
“The fuck you are,” Billy yelled, and Dom’s hand briefly touched his arm, too quickly removed for Billy to do anything satisfying like throw it off or punch him.
“We’re going,” Dom ordered, in a tone that said his would be the last word on the subject. “We can make it to a hospital, maybe they can do something. It’s early for you yet, and even earlier for Billy.”
Billy’s head jerked around at the mention of his name, but Dom ignored him, taking a half-dozen steps into the room and kneeling beside the bed where Elijah still sat, rocking slowly back and forth. “I’m getting you out of here,” he said softly, and Billy swallowed, too bombarded by conflicting emotions to be sure of what he was feeling now, watching another man touch Elijah’s hand. “We both are. We have to go, Elijah.”
“Go without me,” Elijah whispered, and Billy saw the glint of tears when his head turned, one breaking loose to trickle shining down his cheek. “You haven’t manifested yet, you can get into a clinic. Take Billy.”
“I’m not leaving you,” Dom said, and Billy’s temper wanted to snap but he was too broken, wearied by the hopelessness of this situation and all-too-aware of the clock ticking relentlessly on the bedroom wall.
“No one’s leaving anyone,” Billy bit off, finishing the motion he’d started earlier and grabbing his coat from the closet, finally galvanized back into motion. “Get up. If we make it to the next town before nightfall there’s a good chance we can get Elijah into a clinic with us, and they won’t discharge him once he’s been admitted. No one is being left behind, and fucking no one is fucking killing themselves, do you hear me, Elijah? Now get up, we’re out of time.”
“I’m sorry,” Elijah whispered, and the look in his eyes broke Billy’s heart all over again.
“I’m not blaming you,” he said, softening just a little because Elijah looked too close to breaking right now for him to push any more than he had to. “I’m angry, I admit that. But I’m not letting you die, do you understand? We’re leaving together, and we’ll deal with this. I promise.”
There was a long silence, Billy holding his breath waiting, and then Elijah’s head dipped once in a yielding nod. Dom exhaled and stood up shakily, and Billy felt his legs tremble, pressure building behind his eyes until all he wanted was to close them and sleep, and forget all of this.
There was the sound of smashing glass somewhere nearby, and screams co-mingled with shouts. Dom tugged Elijah’s unresisting body off of the bed, and Billy snagged a handful of clothes and a duffel bag, the time for actual packing now lost.
“All right,” he said grimly, hefting the bag onto his shoulder and strapping his breath-mask back into place. “Let’s go.”
Pairing: BB/EW, DM/EW
Rating: PG-13
Content/Warnings: Not fluffy.
Disclaimer: This is a complete work of fiction, no disrespect intended.
Notes: #28, for oneangrykate, and also for kiltsandlollies. Title taken from the REM song.
Billy burst through the front door in such haste that he jammed his finger on the doorknob, barely waiting for the ventilator to turn green before he was rushing upstairs, ripping the breath-mask from his face and taking the steps two at a time when his shout of “Elijah!” echoed back without response.
He found Elijah in the bedroom, sitting on the bed facing the window, unmoving and unresponsive even when Billy skidded to a halt and called his name again from the doorway.
“Elijah,” Billy said firmly, catching his breath while he moved to the closet, already calculating how much they could take without it slowing them down. “We have to go. Now. There’s a mob outside, they’re working their way down Main Street and God only knows how long it will take them to get here. Grab some clothes and whatever else you need, I’m going to pack a first aid kit and…”
“It’s too late,” Elijah said quietly, stopping Billy mid-stream of thought and yanking him to a shocked halt in the middle of the room.
“Elijah, what…?”
Elijah lifted his hand without turning, palm-up so that Billy could see the red pinprick at the center of his palm. The kiss of death.
“How?” Billy whispered in shock, hardly believing even though he could see it. “When? How did…?”
He fumbled for the straps of his breath-mask automatically, but Elijah shook his head, finally turning to face him with bleak eyes devoid of hope. “It’s too late. Physical manifestation means I’ve been contagious for two days, and you and I…”
The blood drained from Billy’s face so swiftly that he swayed, almost stumbling. “No,” he whispered, hands curling into fists. “It’s not possible.”
“Five days ago,” Elijah said calmly, hand still held upraised to display the blood-burst of death for both of them. “I didn’t know…I thought it was safe, the building was clean…” His voice dropped to a whisper, shaking his head in disbelief. “All we did was kiss…”
Billy was completely overwhelmed now, almost too shocked to comprehend. Anger rose up swiftly to take the place of confusion and horror, and he took the easy way out, fists clenched tight so that his short nails bit into his palms. “Who, Elijah?” he asked dangerously. “Who the fuck were you kissing that wasn’t me?”
Elijah didn’t answer. His eyes had distanced again, and he turned back to the window, staring at the empty blue sky as if waiting for something to happen. Billy wanted to scream, to throw things, but they didn’t have time for that, the mob was coming… Not that it mattered, now that Elijah was infected. There was really nothing more a mob could do to them that Elijah already hadn’t.
Billy heard a crash from downstairs, and closed his eyes. Too late. He heard the squawk of the ventilator alarm, and then footfalls on the stairs, rushing up towards them. He turned, expecting the worst, just in time to see a young man around their age stop in the doorway, blond hair tangled into a complete mess and breathing hard, breath-mask dangling loosely from his fingers.
“Elijah,” the stranger said; and that, at least, got a response, Elijah’s head whipping around and his eyes growing wide with shock.
“Dom,” Elijah said, clearly not understanding any more than Billy was. “What are you…?”
“We have to go, there’s a mob on Main and they’ve already started hitting the side streets,” Dom said. Billy caught the flash of a look from Elijah, guilty and afraid, and Billy’s vision hazed briefly red. His eyes flickered down to Dom’s hands, but they were turned and curled, palms hidden from view.
“Is this him?” Billy asked quietly. Elijah didn’t answer, but he didn’t need to; Billy already knew.
“What?” Dom snapped, clearly impatient with their lack of momentum. “Did you tell him?” His focus shifted to Billy. “Look, it was nothing, he said he couldn’t because he had to go back to you, I don’t see what…”
Elijah held his hand up mutely, and Billy heard the hiss as Dom’s words stopped and he saw. “I’m sorry,” Dom said quietly. “I didn’t know, and I don’t know how it happened. I swear I never would have put you in danger if…”
“Save it,” Billy snarled, whirling around to confront Elijah’s soon-to-be killer head-on. “Are you infected? You’re in here without a breath-mask, obviously you don’t care if we are or not.”
“I…suspected,” Dom answered quietly, eyes on Elijah, and then shook his head, impatience returning to overcome grief and guilt. “Look, we don’t have time for this. They’re hitting all of the clean houses, and even if Elijah has a mark, I’m betting you don’t, and these guys aren’t exactly stopping to ask questions. We have to go, now.”
“I’m not leaving,” Elijah stated abruptly, and Dom and Billy both turned to stare at him in shock. “I’m going to die, and it’s not going to be by a horrible disease that will take years to kill me slowly and painfully while the government monitors me and my movements are restricted and healthy people look as if they want to spit on me in the street and…”
He shuddered, and Billy made a move to touch him, but Elijah flinched away, breathing hard. “I’m going to end it my way,” he said fiercely, arms curling around his torso protectively, a helpless attempt at comfort. “And I’m going to do it here.”
“The fuck you are,” Billy yelled, and Dom’s hand briefly touched his arm, too quickly removed for Billy to do anything satisfying like throw it off or punch him.
“We’re going,” Dom ordered, in a tone that said his would be the last word on the subject. “We can make it to a hospital, maybe they can do something. It’s early for you yet, and even earlier for Billy.”
Billy’s head jerked around at the mention of his name, but Dom ignored him, taking a half-dozen steps into the room and kneeling beside the bed where Elijah still sat, rocking slowly back and forth. “I’m getting you out of here,” he said softly, and Billy swallowed, too bombarded by conflicting emotions to be sure of what he was feeling now, watching another man touch Elijah’s hand. “We both are. We have to go, Elijah.”
“Go without me,” Elijah whispered, and Billy saw the glint of tears when his head turned, one breaking loose to trickle shining down his cheek. “You haven’t manifested yet, you can get into a clinic. Take Billy.”
“I’m not leaving you,” Dom said, and Billy’s temper wanted to snap but he was too broken, wearied by the hopelessness of this situation and all-too-aware of the clock ticking relentlessly on the bedroom wall.
“No one’s leaving anyone,” Billy bit off, finishing the motion he’d started earlier and grabbing his coat from the closet, finally galvanized back into motion. “Get up. If we make it to the next town before nightfall there’s a good chance we can get Elijah into a clinic with us, and they won’t discharge him once he’s been admitted. No one is being left behind, and fucking no one is fucking killing themselves, do you hear me, Elijah? Now get up, we’re out of time.”
“I’m sorry,” Elijah whispered, and the look in his eyes broke Billy’s heart all over again.
“I’m not blaming you,” he said, softening just a little because Elijah looked too close to breaking right now for him to push any more than he had to. “I’m angry, I admit that. But I’m not letting you die, do you understand? We’re leaving together, and we’ll deal with this. I promise.”
There was a long silence, Billy holding his breath waiting, and then Elijah’s head dipped once in a yielding nod. Dom exhaled and stood up shakily, and Billy felt his legs tremble, pressure building behind his eyes until all he wanted was to close them and sleep, and forget all of this.
There was the sound of smashing glass somewhere nearby, and screams co-mingled with shouts. Dom tugged Elijah’s unresisting body off of the bed, and Billy snagged a handful of clothes and a duffel bag, the time for actual packing now lost.
“All right,” he said grimly, hefting the bag onto his shoulder and strapping his breath-mask back into place. “Let’s go.”