Elliot's Apartment, Dallas, 1963 | Early, early morning

[defenderofdesmoines]

Was it a good thing that Annie now had so much experience cauterizing wounds that it hadn't taken her much time at all to get the skin on Diego's abdomen fused back together? For right now, it felt like good thing, at least. To her surprise and concern, he hadn't woken up in the process -- he'd stayed completely out (though breathing), all throughout the removal of his clothes (and when she was less worried, those institution-issued tighty whities were getting some commentary), and cleaning and dressing and briefly burning the wound.

Eventually, Annie had fallen into a restless doze at his side, though the slightest movement had her waking up and reaching to check on Diego every few minutes. And good thing, too, since this most recent time when Annie woke with a start as Diego shifted on the mattress, she noticed immediately that his wound had reopened.

"Shit." She should have gone back over that once she'd established he wasn't badly hurt anywhere else, really. Guess she'd have to do it now.

She moved to press a hand into Diego's chest, prepared to hold him steady in case this time he actually did wake up when she burned him, and moved her other hand low to his abdomen. The lamp in the room gave a soft hum, and Annie's hand illuminated, white-hot enough to re-seal that wound for good this time.

Sorry, Diego. Hopefully he stayed out for a little bit longer.

[for the stabbed guy who is, unfortunately for him, not staying out a little bit longer.]

Comments

[knife_bender]

"Good." The last couple days had been hectic, and Diego had spent almost three months worrying about Annie every day. It was nice to finally be alone and have the time to take in everything. "I missed you."

[defenderofdesmoines]

"I'm so sorry it took me so long to find you," Annie said softly, reaching up to touch his face again. "I missed you too, but -- more like when I'm gone at work?"

And not like she'd been gone for a summer.

[knife_bender]

"Wasn't your fault we landed in Texas at two different times." It was Five's fault--and even then not really his fault. "I gotta ask--it was you that got me out of my clothes, right?"

He hoped it wasn't Elliot.

[defenderofdesmoines]

"Oh, I stripped you for all to see," Annie teased, keeping her face straight for about a half second before grinning at him. "No, seriously, it was me, with the door shut. Kinda had to in order to get at your stomach. And we're going to need to get you a new shirt, 'cause I cut the other one off of you."

Honestly, he probably would have loved all of that, had he not been passed out for it.

"Nice tighty whities, by the way." Honestly, he kind of did make them look good. As good as someone could make them look, anyway. Plenty of time to work out when in an asylum, apparently.

[knife_bender]

"Thanks," he said, looking down at himself. "We're in the era before boxer briefs. Weirdly, you get used to it."

[defenderofdesmoines]

"I didn't go that deep when picking out my clothes," Annie admitted, shifting her weight to trace one of her feet along his leg. "Hopefully my bra doesn't cause a paradox."

But imagine Five's face if it did.

[knife_bender]

Diego grinned, very carefully moving to kiss her jaw. "Could always take it off."

Start the women's lib movement, Annie!

[defenderofdesmoines]

Annie shifted a little in response -- she was still getting used to the beard, which was so much more than the stubble she was used to, or even the growth he'd accumulated while handcuffed to a radiator last summer. "You mean right now? Maybe just to be comfortable to sleep."

Of course her mind went right to the conversation they'd had -- by her perception, anyway -- about a week prior. But all of that cute 'we could have sex in the past' flirting had not counted on anyone being stabbed, so Annie was a little hesitant to initiate anything.

[knife_bender]

Diego was not the least bit hesitant. He had been shanked, sure, but it had been almost three months.

"We can sleep later," he murmured before nuzzling against her neck. He enjoyed the beard thing too.

[defenderofdesmoines]

Annie sighed in spite of herself, because the beard on her neck felt kind of great, and reached an arm across him while carefully avoiding his injury. "You're hurt," she pointed out softly, as though one of them being hurt wasn't practically an aphrodisiac for these two, even without the whole separation factor.

[knife_bender]

"And when has that stopped us before?" Diego asked, lifting his head to give her an amused look.

[defenderofdesmoines]

"Neither of us has ever been stabbed before," Annie pointed out, glancing worriedly down at his wound.

It looked fine. Burned, and he'd have a hell of a scar, and she would absolutely dress it for him. But maybe later. Before she fell asleep, for sure.

"What if I hurt you?" This really was a big flashback to when she'd had to cauterize his arm, but at least Annie's worries were a little more legitimate this time.

[knife_bender]

"We'll be careful." And quiet. Because this wasn't your apartment, guys.

[defenderofdesmoines]

Well, with Annie involved, it didn't especially matter how verbally quiet they were, anyway. It was going to be noticeable. Particularly given that they'd shacked up with an electronics enthusiast, of all people.

"I'm going to be gentle," Annie warned softly, but she was also leaning in to kiss him again. After all, it was thanks to her insistence while injured that they could still claim that a pawn shop bathroom was the grossest place they'd ever done it.

[knife_bender]

Yeah, Diego didn't realize they were in an electronics store but he was gonna find out soon, most likely.

Diego leaned up slightly to meet the kiss. He appreciated the warning, if only because it was an indicator he was going to have to be patient even though it could not be stated enough it had been three months for him.

The slight twinge in his gut as he moved was a reminder of why they had to be careful.

[defenderofdesmoines]

Yeah, because if that thing opened again, he was going to be awake for the whole thing while Annie cauterized it again. So that was probably a pretty good incentive to observe a little patience.

Though not that much patience, since Annie was already pulling back slightly to pull up her cute little early-60s sweater. "I love you."

Probably something he didn't mind hearing after three months away from her, too.

[knife_bender]

If the dopey little smile he gave her was indication, yes, he had missed that a lot. "I love you too."

Missed saying it too.

"1960's clothes suit you." Much better than the stuff he had been wearing so far.

[defenderofdesmoines]

"Yeah, I might have to go through a whole vintage phase when we get back to the present," Annie replied, peeling off her sweater and tossing it off.

It hit that frosted-glass window, which was...maybe not the best for the discretion factor? Annie winced -- oh well -- before leaning back in to kiss Diego, one of her hands already moving to slide along his arm as her other reached back to unclasp her paradox-inducing bra.

[knife_bender]

Diego could not give a single fuck about the frosted-glass window. Once Annie pulled her sweater off Diego was sliding his over her stomach and hips, enjoying being able to touch her again.

He did his best not to move too much doing it. See, he was listening.

[defenderofdesmoines]

Well, if he didn't hold still, Annie might just have to do it for him.

(That was a recipe for probably not being quiet. Or gentle.)

Annie hummed softly into the kiss, discarding her bra (more discreetly than her sweater) and reaching her hand up to cup Diego's face as she kissed him. And maybe play with the beard a little, since she was already thinking she needed to know what she'd be missing if they cut it down a bit.

[knife_bender]

Diego smiled into the kiss, happy that she was enjoying his new look so much. He hadn't intended for it to happen, but he was enjoying it more now.

He moved one of his hands up to her chest, squeezing lightly.

[defenderofdesmoines]

It was just so new! And Annie had kind of figured he would eventually just decide to grow it out after hearing about it so much, and she certainly would have preferred that for Diego -- but this way meant that she got to see his new look abruptly, without the transition of watching it all grow in.

She slid her hand up into his hair, enjoying the newness of that, too, while her opposite hand moved to cover Diego's. 'Gentle' was apparently going to mean at least a little bit sappily romantic, probably.

[knife_bender]

Yeah there had definitely been some awkward growing out time. Only Lila was there to laugh at him.

"I missed this," he murmured. "I missed you so much."

[defenderofdesmoines]

"I can't imagine what it was like," Annie replied softly, moving her hands away only because she had to deal with her stupid pants. But at least she'd remembered them early! And Diego's had been dispatched hours ago! And she was going to try to keep kissing him while she got these off, as best she could. "I don't know what I'd do if I lost you for that long."

And considering he hadn't known what had happened to her, or to Five, and he still hadn't found his other siblings when he'd ended up here -- Annie's heart kind of broke for how Diego must have felt in those first few days. And it made her just want to try to make up for her absence by being extra clingy, now. (But in a gentle way.)

[knife_bender]

It was extremely useful he was already pretty much naked. One upside of being stabbed!

"Helped I couldn't physically escape," Diego said lightly. "I'm glad you didn't go through the same thing."