lukewarm (krii7y)

trust

* warning: homophobic language/attitudes

"Panic on the brain, Michael's gone insane
Julie starts to make me nervous
I don't really care what they would say
I'm asking you to stay
In my bunker underneath the surface"

twenty one pilots - level of concern

— —

A tired John was rudely awoken by a stranger in the dead of night. Feeling annoyed, he broke his slumber and looked at the figure in the dark, only for the person to be a police officer telling him to move. Taking a deep breath, he analysed the situation before opening his mouth.

"I'm not doing anything to bother you, I'm just sitting at my sister's grave. Do you have a problem with that?"

The police officer blinked, it seemed like he was okay with John's reply. It must have been about one in the morning, but this officer was in a bad mood. John had a feeling something was wrong, he followed the officer's eyes to his hands, his painted rainbow fingernails, his face, his lips and his gaze. Then he realised what the officer's problem was.

"I don't know what people like you do this kinda shit. Do you see anyone else here at this time?"

By that point, John was very silent. When he observed his surroundings, there really was nobody else there except them, which meant no witnesses. Slowly, John got up. He wasn't going to listen to him, but he wanted to put some distance between them because he felt rather nervous.

For the first time since that fateful day with Tessa, he felt genuine shock when the officer pushed him down to the ground. John felt dizzy and a mix of emotions as his fingernails and clothes were covered in dirt, he tried to steady his breathing as he realised what had just happened. There was some kind of hate in the officer's eyes, the kind of hate maybe he'd experienced somewhere before.

He got up again, the next few moments were a blur and a struggle followed,

The next thing he knew he was down the station, completely aware and unaware of what had just happened. He didn't vibe with the whole being in handcuffs. As soon as he realised where he was, he kept asking for one person.

And so they came, and as said by the receptionist, he was out of uniform because he didn't work in the force anymore. John frowned, wondering how he was going to get out of this mess.

Eric sat next to him on the bench. John refused to talk.

"I can't keep saving you if you refuse time and time again to save yourself," Eric told him firmly.

He hoped it would get him to realise how serious the situation was.

It took John a few minutes, but he told him. Eric sighed heavily, he reached out to put an arm around him, but thought better of it. He got up to go and put a good word in.

—

John and Eric stepped out of the station after two and a half hours. The younger man thanked him quietly, he knew he wasn't the easiest person to fight for.

"I can drop you off at work in a bit," Eric offered.

In response, John wrinkled his nose. He wasn't sure how to deliver what he was about to say. A part of him was trying to develop himself as a person, but the other part wanted to stay stubborn and closed off to the world.