OOM: Worried about Athelstan

[bigarmy_strangepants]

 [[After this]]

Ragnar is worried.

There are many things to be worried about, but at the moment, it's particularly Athelstan he's worried about.

It's been hours since Ragnar came back to find the door between their rooms closed; a brief check of the heart monitor and compass showed him Athelstan was definitely in there and alive, but he just didn't come out again.

At first, Ragnar assumed he just needed to be left alone, and went to do other things, talked to people, agreed with the Goth to meet up for the game of football that their descendants were playing in, and making a fresh batch of olive bread the way Rae had taught him.

But after half a day, Ragnar now wants to make sure Athelstan knows that whatever is the matter, Ragnar will be there and listen, and help if he can.

So he goes up and loudly knocks on that door. "Athelstan?"

Comments

[athelstanthescribe]

Athelstan is lying on the bed, not even trying to find the will to move - until Ragnar knocks.

And then he sits up, schools his expression to more calm than empty, and calls back, "Yes?"

[bigarmy_strangepants]

"Can I come in?" Ragnar asks from beyond the door.

[athelstanthescribe]

"If you want to."

[bigarmy_strangepants]

"I do," Ragnar says, opening the door.

He peers in.

"What happened?"

[athelstanthescribe]

"Nothing", Athelstan says flatly, cutting off that line of questioning before it starts. "How was the football?"

[bigarmy_strangepants]

"It's later today," Ragnar says. "I'm meeting up with Teja for it. Want to come?"

He walks inside and looks down at Athelstan with a raised eyebrow.

[athelstanthescribe]

"I might, though it's no special interest of mine." He looks back at Ragnar; blandly.

[bigarmy_strangepants]

"There will be beer," Ragnar says.

He reaches down to touch Athelstan's cheek.

[athelstanthescribe]

"Maybe people will come and join you and make a party. I've seen others watching football in the bar."

He tips his head slightly into Ragnar's hand.

[bigarmy_strangepants]

Ragnar softly moves his thumb.

"Yes, we are thinking they might," Ragnar says. "But I'd be glad to have you with me, more than anyone else."

[athelstanthescribe]

Just for a moment, something flashes across his expression, then it's gone.

"Then how can I refuse?"

[bigarmy_strangepants]

"You can, if you don't feel like it," Ragnar says. "I'll come back to you right afterwards, in that case."

[athelstanthescribe]

"I think I can find it in me, though I'm hardly convivial company."

[bigarmy_strangepants]

"You don't have to be," Ragnar says. "Just have a beer with me, and if you get bored, I won't hold it against you of you leave."

[athelstanthescribe]

"All right", he agrees.

[bigarmy_strangepants]

Ragnar is quiet, moving his thumb on Athelstan's cheek.

[athelstanthescribe]

After a while, he moves away decisively.

"I should change clothes."

[bigarmy_strangepants]

"Would you...?"

Beat.

"Would you want me to leave for that?"

[athelstanthescribe]

There's a pause of a second, but then he says "No. You've seen it all anyway."

[bigarmy_strangepants]

Ragnar sits on the bed, drawing up his legs.

[athelstanthescribe]

Athelstan goes about it briskly, not looking at him.

[bigarmy_strangepants]

"How badly does it still hurt?" Ragnar asks, quietly.

Because scars can hurt like hell, under the right (wrong?) conditions.

[athelstanthescribe]

"My back? It aches, sometimes, when it's cold. Or if stretched, I imagine, but I don't do that."

[bigarmy_strangepants]

"Would you like me to rub something on it?" Ragnar offers.

[athelstanthescribe]

"It's already as healed as it's going to be. Besides, it's not aching now."