Okay, a really good mate of mine, bless him, is trying to educate me in English films. About time really since I've lived in this lovely country for exactly six years this summer and will soon move away again X(.
Anyhow, so he told me that since I liked Inception and Tom Hardy's performance in it, I should watch this film. Apparently he's 'well funny' in it. Tentative question: was I the only one who thought it was a bit heartbreaking when Bob 'fessed up to One Two? I thought the whole thing was quite sad actually. The rest of the film is funny I have to say, but that struck me a bit ….sad… I wanted to hug him. Anyways check this out:
Family Ties
"This crap is gonna be the death of you, you know that, right Bobby?"
The man in the hospital bed shifted under the covers and blinked up at his visitor, pupils almost lost in the gray of his irises due to the morphine streaming in his blood.
"Sophie? The fuck you doin' here?" He slurred, wincing when he tried to sit up, forgetting about the stitched up hole in his gut and falling back against the mattress when it made itself known. He remembered then and frowned at the young woman standing next to the bed.
"You meant to be at uni." It was meant to sound chiding, but he did not quite manage and anyways, she was still glaring at him, like it was him who was missing lectures and getting marked down for it.
The visitors own gray eyes saddened and she sank down on the edge of the mattress and gripped his cold hand, staring at the IV line under the skin. "You're my big brother." She eventually said as if that explained it all, but his foggy brain was not that quick to follow, so his forehead crinkled in confusion.
"You almost died." Sophie continued, still not looking at him and he might not be the sharpest tool in the shed right then, but he could tell that she was fighting with tears.
Any other time, he would have hugged her tightly for comfort, like he had done ever since they had been little kids, but he was pretty sure that was not a good idea right then, what with the throbbing in his middle and squeezed her hand instead.
"You're such a twat, you know!" She suddenly snapped, tearful eyes looking up with sudden anger and he felt himself shrink under her glare. "Taking a goddamn bullet for that worthless piece of crap!" Her shoulders were quivering with rage.
Bob just about managed to open his mouth, but before he could say anything in his defense, she continued, tears now streaming freely. "He doesn't even love you back! Never has; too much of a cunt to let you go too though! Why don't you just leave? He just keeps you around for the dirty work, you stupid fucker!"
Her accent which had faded ever since she got that scholarship at the posh uni was back on fully throttle and the sick man flinched at her words despite himself. He closed his eyes for a moment at the sight of her breaking down like that.
She started to sob outright and he knew he had to do something. He looked at her slumped form sitting on his bed, crying her heart out and lifted his hand to her head, guiding her to lie against his shoulder and carefully wrapping his arm around her back loosely. It was a poor substitute to the way he had held her when she was little but it would have to do.
Sophie kept most of her weight off him, so it would not hurt him, but did not protest and continued crying into his shoulder.
"It's alright, Sophs. I'm ok. I'm still here." He muttered into her short chestnut hair, suddenly feeling a lot more alert than a few minutes ago. Waking up to find his baby-sister having a mental breakdown because he nearly did not survive the fact that he had pushed his boss and best mate out of the line of fire was decidedly sobering.
"Yea, but how long?" She hiccupped and gingerly pushed herself back up, to look down at him. "You're going to get yourself killed, Bobby. What am I going to do without my big brother?"
He tried to give her a smile to reassure her. "I'm not going anywhere, little sis. Someone's gotta pay the bills."
She was not buying it, knew him too well. "You have to stop. Just got to." She told him undeterred and with a note of finality.
"You what?"
"You heard me. You have to just walk away from this whole shit. " She crossed her arms over her chest. "My degree is paid for and as soon as I get a job, I'll make enough money to take care of you too."
"And I'll be what? The idiot big brother who lives with you?" There was a lot more force in it than he had planned, but it was a soar spot and she was digging in all the wrong wounds.
"Don't be a tit." She snapped right back, "you could as well just admit you're staying for that big tosser out there."
He could not stop his eyes from flicking to the door and she caught it but instead of enraging her more, she deflated.
"You sure know how to pick 'em, don't you Bobby?" She asked, hand rubbing through the short rasps of his hair with affection.
"I can't help it." He protested weakly, adrenaline slowly wearing off and leaving him feeling drowsy. He really could not. He had tried. For years he had tried and ever since the secret was out it had become even more difficult.
"I know you can't big bro'. I know you can't" Sophie muttered wistfully, taking his hand again and squeezing a little. She sighed heavily. "Just promise me you'll be careful and try to stay alive. I need you."
Bob's lids by then had started to grow heavy again and he was fighting it, to shoot her a smirk. "I will." He rasped tiredly and squeezed her hand. "Need to be there to scare off my sis' boyfriends, don't I?"
"Don't you dare." She gave a tiny laugh, but there was still too much worry there. "I mean it, okay? No more jumping in front of bullets."
He hummed in reply, eyes already drooped shut, but still held her hand tightly and pulled it to his mouth, planting a kiss on it, because he knew she hated that.
Yet, instead of the expected noise of annoyance, he heard her sigh again and just before he drifted off again, he felt her place a kiss on his forehead.
Maybe he had been far more gone than he had thought. She must have been really scared, he mused. It would be his last conscious thought as the drugs pulled him under.
When she stepped out into the bleak corridor, Sophie had to take a deep breath and leant back against the door for balance.
He was all right. Her brother was fine for now and sleeping peacefully in that drug induced haze. She had not managed to convince him to lead a safer existence, but that was to be expected.
He had been part of the Wild Bunch for too long to just up and leave, especially because of certain members. She let her head fall back against the door. If her brother were to get himself killed there would be hell to pay, she would make sure of that.
"How is he?" A low Scottish voice spoke from somewhere to her right and her eyes snapped open.
"How is he?" She snarled without opening her eyes, every word dripping sarcasm and anger. "That all you got to say?"
"Sophie…"
-"Shut it! I'm talking!" She told the big man across from her and this time her fiery glare did meet his. "My brother saved your ugly butt from a bullet, flat-lined on the table for almost a whole bloody minute and all because he's in fucking love with you!"
"I… I'm not a fag." One Two managed dumbly when she had to take a breath, but it must have been the wrong thing to say, because suddenly she was right in his face and despite the fact that she only reached mid-chest, he could not help but back up against the wall.
"I don't give a flying fuck! That's not what this is about! It's about the fact that you keep him around like a bloody loyal dog on a leash!" The small woman had dropped her voice to a menacing hiss, noticing the nurses staring at them.
"W-what d'you mean? I don't do shit!" He was quickly growing more and more agitated and Sophie felt a deep satisfaction because right now, this man was a threat to her family and she refused to tolerate it, just like Bob had refused to tolerate those of her boyfriends who had wanted to break her heart.
"Are you that stupid or are you just playing? You say jump, Bobby is just going to ask how high! He'd do anything for you as long as you keep him around."
She turned away from him then, pacing back to the door of the room "Why couldn't you just tell him to fuck off? Sure, he would hurt for a bit, but then he could move on."
Her right hand slid up to touch the door deep in thought. "He always does it. He falls for some cock-less prick and only leaves if he gets chucked out or something. Loyal like a dog one of them said once."
She turned back around to see One Two staring at her, not comprehending. "You know, he's my big brother, so he always watched out for me when I needed it, but who's going to watch out for him?"
"I…" The Scot started, but she interrupted him.
"I'll be damned if he gets himself killed for an idiot like you!" She told him, and once again walked right up to him, making him feel almost as uncomfortable as when he had let her brother talk him into a slow dance because he had wanted to make the stupid sod happy before he was being put away.
"I'll say this once, but I'll say it clearly!" Sophie sneered at him. "If Bobby dies and it is in any way whatsoever related to you and your stupid half-arsed plans, I will find you and cut your dick into tiny little slices like a salami, that clear?"
One Two swallowed hard. "I didn't want this to happen." He told her sincerely. "I didn't know! I swear I didn't know he'd do some stupid crap like that. I thought he was over the whole thing."
For some reason, this admission managed to drain all anger out of her and she just stood there, giving him a sad look. "Well, now you do," She murmured as if that was all she had wanted, "and you had better at least watch out for him from now on."
Her raised eyebrow was enough to remind him of her threat and he gulped but nodded.
"You know you've got one spitfire of a sister." One Two remarked when he, still feeling a bit guilty, gave Bob a ride back to his flat after he got discharged from the hospital. Mumbles had come along as well and was snoring away in the backseat.
Still looking pale and blurry-eyed, his mate grinned broadly nonetheless. "Yea, she is."
"And she swears like a fucking sailor." The Scot continued, eyes back on the road.
Bob turned his head, giving him a close inspection, and then the grin broadened even further. "She scared you, didn't she?"
"What? No, hell no." One Two shifted uncomfortably, not helping his case.
The other man just snorted and went back to looking out the passenger window.
"She's the smart one. Always deserved better than the shithole we grew up in." He spoke again after a pause.
His friend nodded because he did not know what else to say. "What's she studying then?"
Bob moved restlessly, one palm rubbing at the still healing stitches. "Medicine."
The Scot gave a whistle. "She'll be a doctor?" It was an unnecessary question and the younger man rolled his eyes but nodded.
"Well, make sure she won't have to patch you up too often." One Two spoke in the sort of voice that was overly loud to not sound like he cared and more like an order. Mumbles grunted awake behind him from the sudden noise and glared at him through the mirror.
Something bright flickered through Bob's eyes, then he looked away again, hand still resting over his injury. "Nah, I'll be careful. Want to see her get married to some nice bloke and be happy." His tone was pensive and he did not say anything else, refusing to look at One Two afterwards.
I know it doesn't exactly fit the tone of the film but you know...
Would love some feedback!