Way Back When
Chapter Seven: Slight Dramatic Tendencies
A/N: Well, lovelies, another thank-you to BEABT (sorry, name too long to write out) for such a fantastic idea that I just had to recognize her now and, potentially, later. Also thanks to danie, for her review, Read4urlife for reviewing, making me a Fav Author, and making WBW a Story Alert, mystic luna mage for adding me to Fav Story, the review from LITDV, and Fav Story from flying high 12. :D
Disclaimer: I disclaim.
Onward!
The sandwiches were finished too quickly for my liking. I was still hungry after two and a half, but it was worth it because Fang got to eat as well and maybe, just maybe, he was beginning to trust me. I decided to push my luck. But before I could speak, Fang took control.
"Hey."
I turned to face him. "Yeah?"
"What did you call me before?"
Uh oh. He didn't let go, did he? I thought fast. "Call you…when?"
"Before, when we were talking."
"Um, I called you something?" I know, I know, it was the best I could come up with.
Not good enough. He read me like a book, which I should have anticipated. "C'mon, I'm not stupid!" Obviously. "What did you call me…you know…that name?"
I sighed. Well this could be a problem. Any help here, Voice?
You got yourself into this one.
Thanks. Not.
"I called
you…Fang…" I said tentatively.
"Why?" He was staring at
me intensely, almost as if angry.
Because that's your name. "I don't know," I lied, "why is it such a big deal?"
He sat back abruptly. "No reason."
I scoffed. "Oh, sure." When he wouldn't say anything else, I hastily changed the subject. "Lemme see your leg."
He instinctively drew his left leg against his chest. "Why?"
"I wanna make sure you're not badly hurt!"
"I'm fine."
"Liar." We had a staring contest. I was the first to look away, feeling my face flush. Suddenly, the cage rattled. I jumped.
"Here," Fang said gruffly, not meeting my eye. I slipped my fingers through the cages and nudged up his pant leg, then gasped.
"Have you even taken a look at this?" I demanded, staring down at the wound. It was a deep gash on his lower calf, bathed in dried blood and dirt from his jeans.
"I've had worse," he answered stoically.
"For cryin' out loud!" I said, exasperated, "You're gonna get yourself killed."
He shrugged.
"Don't you want to live?" I asked, suddenly afraid. This was not the Fang I knew, or remembered. Hadn't this happened before, when we were young? Wouldn't I have remembered it?
You had a four-year-old's mind then, Maximum. Even as advanced as you were, you wouldn't have recognized suicidal thoughts.
So is this my mission? I whispered. Save Fang from-from offing himself?!
Among other things, yes.
Among other things!
Well there are still several other flock members, Maximum. They aren't going to heal themselves.
I dropped my head into my hands. Great.
"Um, are you ok?" I looked up. Fang was reaching through the cage bars, trying to get my attention.
"Yeah," I answered shakily, "Fine." Wordlessly I lifted my shirt slightly, and began ripping at the bandages around my torso.
"What are you doing?!" Fang demanded.
"There's way too much cloth here," I said, panting slightly as I tore at the gauze, "Jeb worries too much."
"So why are you taking some off, instead of listening to…Jeb?"
"Because-" I grunted, "I-don't need-all of it and-you-need-some-or you'll get-infected!" Triumphantly, I tore off a long strip of gauze and snatched Fangs' ankle with my fingers. He tried to yank away, but I deftly wrapped the bandage around before letting him go. He stared at me, dark eyes unreadable.
"What?" I squirmed slightly.
"You don't need to take care of me. I can take care of myself."
"Obviously not, since you weren't doing anything about that wound!"
"Well it wasn't that bad!"
"Yeah, it was!"
We were shouting, and, realizing this, lowered our voices. "You could have died. I'm going to have Jeb look at it anyways, you lost a lot of blood."
Fang glared at me. "You have slight dramatic tendencies," he commented.
"Yeah, well…"
I trailed off as the lab door was opened again, and a whitecoat came in. He glanced perfunctorily at the two of us, then said, "Go to sleep."
"It's too bright," Fang growled, looking at the whitecoat coldly. The man looked startled.
Quickly I said, "I thought Jeb was coming back to check on me?"
"Mr. Batchelder has left for a conference. He will be back in a few days. In the meantime, you are in my hands," he took a pause to leer at me in an I'm-going-to-make-your-young-life-hell kind of way, "So you had better do what I say, mutant!" He kicked my cage for emphasis. "And as for you!" He kicked Fang's cage, earning him a more powerful glare. "Learn to sleep in the light. It's all you'll be getting now." He turned back towards me once more. "Behave yourself. This one saved your skinny rear from extermination today, but next time you may not be so lucky."
"You stay away from her!" Fang snarled. The whitecoat and I stared at him in shock.
"You watch yourself!" The man retorted, finally gathering his little wits about him at last. Pointing at me, he snapped, "And watch your girlfriend."
"Yeah? I'm not his girlfriend you jerk!" I yelled, "And why don't you watch your back?" I paused for an I'm-going-to-make-your-puny-suckish-life-hell kind of look and added, "Cuz it's got a spider on it."
For some reason, sadists seem to have an irrational fear of spiders. This one was no different. He strode from the room as fast and his legs could take him, shaking his back the whole way.
Fang and I shared a grim, but triumphant look. We had won this round, but even Fang recognized that without Jeb, we had a serious problem.
"I won't let them hurt you," Fang vowed suddenly, "Not this time."
"I can take care of myself!" I snapped, using Fang's line.
"You could always use a backup. And I've got your back."
Well done, Maximum. Fang is stable for now. His desire to protect his one friend is currently winning over his depression. But if you are out of the picture, he may relapse. Be careful.
I heard my Voice, but didn't answer it. I knew that I'd need to extract a promise from Fang as soon as possible, one where he swore never to harm himself in any way, much less commit suicide. I hadn't missed the way he'd said; he wouldn't let them hurt me THIS TIME, not EVER. Somehow, I was going to have to get him to promise EVER. And that could be difficult. But it had to be done. If not, pretty soon, there wouldn't be a Fang.
A/N: K, so this one is short, but it's what I've got for now. Just shows you Fang's problem, and now Max's. Can she save him? For god's sakes, I hope so. And what'll happen without Jeb to protect her-and Fang-from harm? Stayed tuned to Way Back When to find out! Review please! Mondays and Tuesdays are hard for me so I may not be able to post till at least Wednesday but keep on talkin'!
Update: So I managed to post today but it was cuz for some reason I had like no homework. I just don't want your expectations too high!
