Title | Brotherhood of Man
Disclaimer | I don't own this show, it owns me. Title from 4 Non Blondes.
His hands shake now.
It's something they all notice, something they all try to ignore. It reminds Wolfgang of the drug addicts in his neighborhood; reminds Capheus of his mother in pain and without medicine. Beneath the drug haze, they can all feel his pride of once being the steadiest hand in the police station turn to ash in his mouth.
Seeing Will like this, feeling the dreamless disconnect, it makes them all ache in ways they've never felt before. Yrsa spoke of losing a member of her cluster, the pain piercing and absolute. If Will being in a constant drug induced state made them feel like a limb has been amputated, they collectively shudder at the thought of permanently losing each other.
Kala quickly checks Will's vital signs, more for reassurance than medical purposes, and feels the rush of new love bursting in Riley's heart, in her heart, a sensation she has never felt before. (She ignores the memory of rain and the strong taste of coffee in her mouth.) Beneath all of Riley's love and affection, Kala can also feel the shame she feels for cursing another good man with her love, and the guilt of loving Will anyway.
Maybe Yrsa was right; love inside a cluster is pathological.
Kala immediately thinks of Wolfgang, momentarily flickers in his sight, before she feels him push her out. Instantly she feels the warmth of Capheus and Sun's support. They all feel Lito's annoyance. His new found ideology of doing anything to be with the one you love has made him a constant thorn in Wolfgang's side. Nomi, however understands Wolfgang's hesitation. She also once knew what it was like to never feel worthy of someone else's love; what it was to feel like a monster. Wolfgang nods gratefully back at her. Sun, eyes never moving from Will, clutches her fist, and is satisfied when she feels a tremor in his fist, their fist. He's waking up.
Will's hand, large and calloused, caresses Riley's neck, their neck, and the intensity of the physical connection shocks them all into silence.
"I keep telling you, you're not cursed." He mumbles sleepily, and the connection between the eight of them breathes anew. Riley smiles neutrally and doesn't argue, not when his moments of lucidity are far and few in-between. The only times he's mostly conscious are for practical reasons, like eating and when Sun does her morning exercises to keep his body from deteriorating.
Pressing a quick kiss to his lips, Riley moves to prepare the next syringe.
"Wait." Capheus calls out, moves to sit next to Will and feels Sun settle beside him, conjuring the memory of loud and bright fireworks over their heads.
"I like it when we are all here together." He smiles, and his happiness of simply being radiates through all their chests. A connection that was once the most alien is now the most natural feeling in the world, one they don't know how they lived without. One by one, like a homing beacon, they all gather around Will.
Riley immediately settles against his side and the physical touch reverberates through the cluster. Out of the corner of her eye, Riley sees Kala reaching for Wolfgang's hand, feels her relief when he doesn't pull away, but instead squeezes back. Lito smiles smugly while Nomi rolls her eyes at him, a smile on her lips nonetheless.
"Me too." Will smiles down at her, at them, eyes half lidded but full of love.
Riley kisses him as they push the needle into his arm.