Aerin Thomas: Serenity Manor. Aerin's back in one of the recovery rooms, which looks like a hospital room, resting in one of the beds. The covers are up to about mid-abdomen, showing the red-stained bandages...one over his shoulder, one through his abdomen, which looks like the worse hit. His eyes are shut, and he's breathing fairly well. Asleep in one of the two chairs is Jesse, leaned over one of the sides.

Ethan Anderson: Ethan enters the room quietly, having left Tori with one of the kin in the main part of the Manor. They'd taken the girl without question after one look at the young man's haggard expression. He scrapes his hair back into a tight tail as he approaches the bed, shuffling his feet in an attempt to be as quiet as possible. He pauses a few feet from the bed, his eyes flicking to Jessie and a hard, bitter frown hitting his face before his eyes settle on Aerin and his expression changes to one of terror.

Aerin Thomas: "Looks far worse then it is, I promise." He says it just before his eyes open, smiling faintly to Ethan. "I'm fine. Ish."

Ethan Anderson: He says nothing, just stares at Aerin, tears rising in his eyes. 

Aerin Thomas: He sighs, wincing as he does, and reaches slowly out to Ethan. "Shhh...it's okay, love. It's okay. Come here."

Ethan Anderson: "You stupid..." He shakes his head and rushes to the bed, catching at Aerin's fingers. "I was so sure I'd find you dead when I got here..."

Aerin Thomas: "They can't kill me, Ethan." He smiles a little and draws the kin's hand up to his lips to kiss. "No matter what they try...they will not stop us. Our conviction is strong, and we have righteousness on our side. Right?"

Ethan Anderson: "I love you so damn much," he says with a whimper, leaning down to kiss Aerin's lips very softly. "I think I'd die without you."

Aerin Thomas: "I'm not goin' anywhere, love." He says it with a brief smile. "I think...even if I wanted to, I'd be drug back. And that's a good thing." He tries to lean up into the kiss...stupid move. As usual, the Gaian tries to deny his limitations, and this time, the limitations win. He groans and settles for letting Ethan travel the full distance to the kiss.

Ethan Anderson: "Bitch," he mutters softly, pressing on Aerin's good shoulder. "Quit trying to save the fucking world. Please, for Tori and mines sake if not your own."

Aerin Thomas: "That's my job, Ethan. I have to save the world. She needs me."

Ethan Anderson: He pulls back to glare at Aerin. Its not a nice look, not by a long shot. "No. Your job is to TRY and protect her. Not save her single fucking hand-d-dedly."

Aerin Thomas: "So at the end of the day, failure is an option, as long as I've tried?" He frowns a little. "Ethan...I wasn't even trying to save the world this time. Just trying to save the next girl from being raped, or the next man from being stomped to death, for the crime of being like us."

Ethan Anderson: "That is not what I said so do not even f-f-f..." he clamps his mouth shut, teeth grinding as tears roll down his cheeks.

Aerin Thomas: "Shhh, Ethan...shhh..." He raises a hand to brush the tears away. "Why are you angry with me? For watching the bars? Or for not being good enough to avoid getting shot?"

Ethan Anderson: "I'm scared!"

Ethan Anderson: He clutches at Aerin's hand, holding it tightly to his cheek. "Its like...I know you love me but...I'm getting it that you love other people too and you're stretched so thin and then you go and get shot and I don't know how to...I can't even imagine..."

Aerin Thomas: "Ethan...hush." He smiles a little bit. "Hush, love. I'm not going anywhere, I promise. I'm in this for the long haul. They really can't kill me, no matter how much they try."

Ethan Anderson: "bull shit. They shot you with silver!"

Aerin Thomas: "And I'm still here."

Ethan Anderson: "Because you were out patrolling with someone who has a head on her shoulders. Even if she does want in your pants."

Aerin Thomas: "Ethan..." He shakes his head. "Yes. She did well. And here you're angry with her."

Ethan Anderson: "I'm not mad at her. I'm mad at you and at the world in general right now," he says with a huff.

Aerin Thomas: "And I still don't get why you're angry with me."

Ethan Anderson: "Because you got shot! Because it scared the hell out of me and because being angrier is so much easier then sobbing."

Aerin Thomas: "Love...what can I do?" He titls his head as he free hand moves unconsciously to scratch at the bandage at his abdomen. "Do you think I could live with myself if I did nothing about what's going on?"

Ethan Anderson: "Aerin. SHut up," he murmurs, sitting gingerly on the edge of the bed. "Just shut up and imagine it was me that got shot or beat because I was sticking up for some k-k-kid or something. Now react. Don't think about it just react..."

Aerin Thomas: He sighs. "I would be freaking out. But I would also be proud that you had the courage to stand up for someone who couldn't stand up for themselves, Ethan."

Ethan Anderson: "I am proud of you," he whispers, lifting a hand to scrub at his eyes. "But it also scared me so bad I...If something had happened and I'd lost you...Tori would have had to go to Liam's...And I'd have been easy meat and I'd have lost my whole family. Plus Jess woke me the fuck up out of a really nice dream and I've been driving for what feels like hours on end watching my rear view in terror."

Aerin Thomas: "I'm sorry, Ethan." He says it quite honestly. "I'm sorry you're scared. I wish to the Goddess I could take it away right now...but I can't. That will have to come later." He pauses, a little guilt coming into his face, and yet...somehow, not regret. "Though I guess I can't say that this was totally because I patrolled."

Ethan Anderson: He sees the guilt and arches a very pale brow, eyes flicking to Jess briefly and then back to Aerin.

Aerin Thomas: "Oh, Christ..." He gives a very much annoyed roll of his eyes. "No, Ethan. I knocked Hauser loopy in the Sept."

Ethan Anderson: The kin narrows his pretty blue eyes at Aerin. "Hey, you get guilty and I"m not supposed to assume that at this point," he asks softly. he sighs and gently runs his fingers through Aerin's hair, fresh tears sliding down his cheeks. "Good for you. Hope you made him swallow some of his teeth. "

Aerin Thomas: "Sure as hell pissed him off," he says with a little grin. It vanishes quickly. "And I promised you. ~IF~ I was going to do anything with anyone...IF...I would talk with you about it first."

Ethan Anderson: "Thank you," he whispers, leaning down to kiss Aerin again. "I'm s-s-sorry I'm such a bitch."

Aerin Thomas: He smiles a bit and kisses Ethan back. "It's okay. I understand."

Ethan Anderson: "Yeah?"

Aerin Thomas: "Yeah." He nods. "I haven't exactly been the most honest guy in the world in this relationship."

Ethan Anderson: "No. You haven't," he says softly, sighing. "Besides, you have to admit you'd be jealous if you found out I'd been say...screwing Alex or something behind your back."

Aerin Thomas: "Nope." He shakes his head, quite honestly, smiling. "I'd just question your taste."

Ethan Anderson: He pouts briefly. "I'd rather you were jealous," he says softly as he gently finger combs Aerin's hair.

Aerin Thomas: "As long as I knew you loved me in the end?" He reaches up and brushes his hand over the scar on his chest. "Love, Ethan. That's important to me. Love and jealousy are two different things. One can bring the other...but they can be exclusive, too."

Ethan Anderson: He leans down and kisses the Rose softly before laying his cheek against it.

Aerin Thomas: He smiles and slips his good arm over Ethan's shoulders. "I'm okay, Love. I promise. This makes me only stronger...my resolve cannot be broken. They will learn what it means to wake me up."

Ethan Anderson: He sighs. "You're not making me feel better Aerin," he says, sitting up and standing. He casts a quick look to Jessie and tugs off his t-shirt and jeans before sliding under the covers with Aerin and curling into his good side carefully.

Aerin Thomas: He winces and hisses a little bit...very had not to get jostled, and he has to move if Ethan's going to get into the single bed. "Sorry. But it's the truth."

Ethan Anderson: "I know," he whispers, wincing. "Sorry. So...silver. You can't just shift and heal can you," he asks.

Aerin Thomas: "No." He shakes his head. "Otherwise, I'd already be out of this bed."

Ethan Anderson: "Mnn. Maybe not," he says playfully, trying to find some sense of normalcy in all of this.

Aerin Thomas: "Ethan..." He chuckles a little and nestles into him. "You know...nice as this is...you think we can get the clothes on sometime before Jesse wakes up? She did save my life, she's a great person, and I'd really hate to see her be uncomfortable when she wakes up. Not now, mind...just later."

Ethan Anderson: "Aerin. I'm wearing boxers," he says softly, sighing. "And I'm not moving from your side except to shower when it really is morning. I'll get dressed then."

Aerin Thomas: "And she can see that with the blanket over us?" He arches an eyebrow. "You really don't have to try and claim your territory to her, you know. I told you already. If I was going to do anything, I would talk to you about it first. I'm not saying I don't appreciate you joining me, at all. Just..."

Ethan Anderson: "This isn't about territory. This is about me not being able to sleep unless I feel you next to me," he whispers.

Aerin Thomas: "Other then the dream Jesse woke you up from last night?" Said calmly, even soothingly. He's not trying to start a fight, just make a point.

Ethan Anderson: "This is about Jessie waking me up to tell me that you were shot and feeling my whole life start to fall apart," he says, voice thickening as Aerin feels tears wet his shoulder, ethan holding back a sob.

Aerin Thomas: "Your life isn't going anywhere, Ethan." He nuzzles the other's forehead. "I promise."

Ethan Anderson: "I know but...I could have lost you...fuck." he sucks in a sharp breath. "To someone...that I can deal with. To a bullet? I just need to be with you for a while, okay?"

Aerin Thomas: Aerin Thomas [PB 3]: d10: Per+Emp: 8,7,9,8,10,5,5,

Aerin Thomas [PB 3]: d10: Specialty: 8,

Ethan Anderson: ((Aerin's getting shot scared the shit out of him...Nothing else matters but that Aerin is okay... But he is still terrified. He loves the man so much it hurts and its confusing. Yes, there's a little jealousy but most of that is swamped by the fear and the need to feel Aerin with him.)

Aerin Thomas: He sighs a little bit and nods. "All right...but tell you what. Before we cuddle down here...can you do me a favor?" He gives Ethan a hopeful smile.

Ethan Anderson: "What," he mumbles, lifting his head slowly.

Aerin Thomas: "They won't let me smoke in here...and Jesse's got a thing against smoking anyway. Help me outside, so I can have one? It's been kind of a rough night, and I haven't had one since before I walked into the Park."

Ethan Anderson: He blinks slowly at Aerin, brow arching. "And if I don't?"

Aerin Thomas: "Then, uh...you'll have to stop me from stumbling my way outside anyway, and possibly re-opening the wounds?"

Ethan Anderson: "I'm going to bite you," he mutters, sliding very carefully from the bed to jerk on his jeans.

Aerin Thomas: "You'd bite a man when he's down?" He smiles regardless, and pushes himself into a sitting position, with effort and a groan, before swinging his legs off the bed. He starts struggling his way off the bed to get to his clothes, folded up on the other chair.

Ethan Anderson: "Sit still," Ethan says with an exasperated sigh. He tiptoes to the cair and grabs Aerin's pants, easing them up his legs slowly. "I brought other clothes for you. Left em with Dante."

Aerin Thomas: "Thank you." The tank top, of course, has the holes in it, but he probably shouldn't put that on anyway and cover the wounds. He slides his pants on and slowly rises, keaning precariously over for his cigarettes and picking them up.

Ethan Anderson: "I would have gotten those too," he murmurs with a sigh.

Aerin Thomas: "I'm fine. It's only a flesh wound." He mimics the Monty Pyhton skit with a faint grin.

Ethan Anderson: "Tis...Its...Tis only a flesh wound," he says in an atrocious attempt at an English accent. "You're going to be the death of me," he mumbles, sliding under Aerin's arm on his good side.

Aerin Thomas: "Never if I can help it," he says softly, smiling a little before he moves to head outside with him. ((And I'll Be back in a few. Gotta get us food.))