warning: impending lore drop part dos
You're Gonna Need More Than A Bandage
Cloth scratched against the clamminess of my forearm with all the subtlety of a bramble bush. Jeff breathed heavily as he prepared the plaster, as if I was gonna implode into insanity at any minute. I'd been unusually quiet for them, I suppose. Something about that moonshine had knocked me down a few pegs last night, my mind still a little hazy as it clung onto the image of Alby and Minho by the fire.
Doubts stirred in the back of my mind, as always. As much as I wanted to believe I could beat their asses as a last resort, the plaster cast said otherwise. Just as well, or I might have already done so. Some of these guys really did have the most punchable faces. I finished my thought and Jeff's head snapped upwards to Alby, who was leaning gravely in the doorway.
"Oh hey Alby. Come to fetch Bea?"
"Not yet. I'm just here for a little chat first." He offered a modest smile towards the both of us and my gaze dragged to the floor. How was I going to approach this? Because the last time I was truthful about my purpose in being here, everyone passed it off as melodrama. The time before that, well, there was a reason I was in the medbay. And now Alby was going to put me on trial just so he could hear me say it all over again and have a reason to chuck me in with the grievers. It all gave fuel to a fire that was starting in the pit of my stomach.
This wasn't working.
"Look at me, Bea." he commanded. My eyes meandered upwards, glancing past a mildly concerned Newt lurking just outside. Slowly, my fingers curled into loose fists.
"What?"
"They're gonna eat you alive in there, you know that."
"Really? That's what you came here to say? Oh, yeah, cos I was expectin' everyone to love me after what I said - because doesn't everyone just adore bein' reminded of the hellhole they're stuck in?" I wrangled back a jagged breath as Jeff steadied my tense arm.
"Bea, I'm on y-"
"You're on my side? You really been provin' that lately, haven't you?"
"Bea-"
"The fire? Chattin' away to Minho about all the bullshit I've been spoutin'? I'm not that bloody stupid."
"I've been trying to convince him!"
"No, you just want an excuse to chuck me in with the grievers!" I jerked my arm downwards, unwinding part of the bandage Jeff had been tenderly wrapping near the crook of my elbow.
"Are you saying I'm a liar?" he lowered his voice, "'Cos hypocrisy doesn't suit you very well."
My lip trembled, and I tried to hide it. Now would be a great time to come up with a plan. Actually, now would be a great time for another flat trans to appear out of nowhere and spit me out into the wilderness again. God, I really was hopeless. Begging for a repeat of those hellish months? You'd think I had a death wish. Reluctantly, I gulped down my pride and tilted my head in his direction.
"Good for you, I know what I'm doing. You ain't going anywhere."
Author's Note: I'm just as surprised as you that I've posted this even though it's been completed for weeks. The next chapter is close to finished despite giving me a shitload of issues (you'll see why), so I just kind of decided now would be a good time to post. I do quite enjoy this chapter because of the pure awkwardness of Jeff just silently working as Alby and Bea squabble. And yeah, this character moment for Bea is pretty fun.
Anyway, have a fandabbydosy rest of the day/week/month/year wherever your geolocation happens to be and hope you enjoyed :)