Diamond on a Landmine
~Prologue~
If you told Arthur Hastings that one day he would he would be off joy and hiding in a bobby's home, he would have laughed at you and called you insane. Then again, all the best people have to be insane in this world… more or less.
He never thought his life could come to this, even off his joy. Him, laying on the ground and cradling his aching ribs in a hallway. He's close to crying, already feeling that sharp pain in his throat he forces himself to swallow. Even if Rodger isn't here, he would never give that man the satisfaction of actually breaking down and sobbing like a child. So, he instead gets up, limping over to the bed and using the wall for support. He's just tired. Christ, he slept better down in his hideouts. Even if the beds weren't comfortable, didn't have blankets or warmth, it was better than living with a man who was this far gone. Weren't the bobbies supposed to protect the Wellies?
By the time he gets to the bed, he can feel the tears escape. From pain? Emotional distress? He doesn't know or care anymore. He flops down onto the bed, letting out a yell as his ribs make a small cracking noise, protesting under his weight. He quickly rolls onto his back, not feeling any better. This is hell. This is complete and utter hell and he wants to escape, bad. But he's scared. Too many people know him now. He'd have all of Maidenholm after him! Not to mention they'd probably call one of the bobbies and tell them where he went. If that got back to Rodger…
Arthur can't think about it anymore. He slowly brings his hands up, wiping the tears away. How? How could it all come to this? How could he let himself be held against his will by an officer?
"Percy..." The name haunted his nightmares, always leaving his mouth in shrill cries. The taller brother either being beaten by those damned Germans, or being pulled away from him. He could still hear his voice. How hurt he was. Arthur had promised to always look after him like a good older brother, and Percy was gone. Gone, but not dead, he has to remind himself. In his heart, he knows his brother is out there somewhere, waiting for him. And that thought alone gives Arthur enough strength to force himself up and hobbles over to the window. No use trying to use the front or back door in this house, as Rodger has a habit of locking him in. And the stairs were guarded by those downer detectors, as if to mock him. So, instead of trying to fight through all of that, he opened the window and swung his legs out. After a few deep breaths, he pushed himself off, falling from the third floor. He was going to get to Percy, whether it killed him or not. And as he fell, feeling as though it took forever, he thought about what led him up to this point. Led him up to the point of jumping out the window with several broken ribs with the only intention to find a man he didn't know was dead or alive.