Dents

[+] 68 State

"I was afraid yew were down fo' the count, Saoirse."

2D's cold, nimble fingers traced foreign shapes on my thigh. His touch was delicate. There was a distinct concern in his tone. His voice hummed beautifully through my head. For a fleeting, delirious moment I wished that he'd sing for me again.

"2D...? Where are we?"

My breath hitched. I blinked. Reality slowly came into focus.

We sped down an endless highway in a car I didn't recognize. We hurtled past the dwindling traffic as 2D weaved us between lanes. Settling on one, he turned to me.

"We still got a'ways to go. Wha' do yew remember?"

"The window... I don't know."

2D looked fixedly at the road, his eyes glossy. His mouth was drawn into a grim line.

"I'm sorry 'bout your head. I really tried to help, bu' we hafta keep moving."

Like clockwork, an electric throb shot from temple to temple. I reflexively reached to touch the source of the pain. Lopsided bandages were wrapped taut around my head, wet with what I assumed to be my own blood.

"Can you tell me what happened?"

2D faltered, his fingers relenting their nonsensical dance as they came to rest on my leg. The engine propelled us forward. The lull of momentum muffled the air around us. The radio was off. A pack of cigarettes sat unsmoked in the center console.

In the synthetic light radiating from the dashboard, he was ethereal. His features had filled out a bit with proper nutrition. His hair was clean despite being unkempt. His typically gentle expression bled discontent.

I wondered how long he'd been driving like this, occasionally glancing at his unconscious passenger, driving to someplace else, looking for something else.

I didn't have to question if he worried about me.

"M - Murdoc found me. I fink 'e planned to take bofth ov us fo' 'is bloody album, 'n he, uh, he... "

"Are we safe?"

"Yew're safe. I promise," he quivered, "I'm so glad yew're alrigh'."

The corners of his obsidian eyes shimmered with the onset of glittery tears. He grasped me tightly enough to crack a couple of my knuckles. I didn't mind.

In truth, I wanted to envelope myself in his embrace, to be surrounded by his presence, to be enthralled by his heartbeat.

"Enyway, I got us into the neighbour's place afta Murdoc hit yew. Sure got lucky no one was home."

A grin pulled at the corners of his mouth. It was inauthentic. I wished that he wouldn't do so for my sake, but I was too out of sorts to tell him not to.

Woozy, I lost myself in the sound of his speech as he continued.

"Yew were out. I had to carry yew on foot to the gas station 'n fix yew up. Then I, uh... I got us a ride 'n we're off to... Someplace betta."

His smile waned. His gaze locked with mine. Without hesitation, he brought my hand to his lips, planting a soft kiss upon it. His nerves were palpable. 

The engine growled on in the night. I admired the interior of the vehicle, noting that we had hitched a ride in a new, high-tech sports car. I sunk into the leather seat.

"How did you get a car like this, anyway," I croaked tiredly, "Last I checked, we're dirt poor."

He cleared his throat.