[Fin] Backup

[BlackFireKitsune]

With the bleeding more or less stopped, Abel tossed the bloody towels into the nearby trash can before he stepped over to the sink to wash up. "The sooner the better, yeah," the blond said with a nod as he watched the water running over his hands, rinsing the blood off - or at least the blood he could see, at any rate - and pulling it down the drain. Suddenly reminded of a scene in an old play he hadn't read or seen since high school, he gave himself a mental shake and finished cleaning his hands off. Once they were dry, he fetched out a few different bandages to use based on the size and placement of Zevran's wounds, and handed half to Taavi so they could tag-team them and finish up quicker.

As he crouched down and worked on the lower wounds, Abel debated the current situation. Zevran lived in a warehouse, of all places, without running water and with people he wasn't sure if he'd want to spend any length of time with, with fresh wounds that still needed to be looked at professionally that he might need help with in the morning or at some point tomorrow, depending on how much more they decided to bleed. Did he really want him to stay around in case Alyssa showed up again? ...did it even really matter at this point, now that she'd seen him and met him inside his apartment? Probably not.

Resisting the urge to sigh and instead settling back on his heels, Abel glanced up at the back of Zevran's head. "I dunno if you'd want to after all that mess," he said in somewhat self-deprecating tones, though he said no more of the previous encounter with Alyssa, "but you're welcome to spend the night if you'd rather not go out again. I've never had a run-in with a hungry knife-bird before - Skarmory, 'scuse me - but based on what I'm seeing it doesn't look even remotely fun."  

[TawnyAngel]

Stay here? Really? Taavi turned to Abel with an expression of surprise, it seemed like a strange offer to make to him because surely all Zevran wanted to do was get home and rest? He knew he would if their places were reversed. Regardless of the odd moment though there was work to do still and he got to it, carefully dressing the cuts on Zev's back with the dressings and bandages Abel handed him. It was a good job Abel had such a good first aid kit, really.

Zevran also resisted the urge to sigh, in relief in his own case; instead of sighing he chuckled. "Appearances are often deceiving but in this case, accurate. I would appreciate not having to make my way home and you will find I am quite compact, I can sleep anywhere." A mattress or similar would be a bonus but he had slept on floors before and likely would again. "As for the mess as you say, consider it forgotten if that is easier?" Could he find out a little more about Alyssa? Perhaps. Then again perhaps it was better not to go looking, people who smiled like that were not powerless whereas he - largely alone in this land - had only his own wits and skills to survive with. Something to consider his position on another day then, a day when thinking came easier and he didn't feel quite so tired.  

[BlackFireKitsune]

As he set about dressing the other wounds on Zev's back, Abel gave Taavi a tired look that said either 'not now' or 'I'll tell you later.' Rather than specifying to Taavi, he responded to Zevran instead, "You can sleep in my bed, I can sleep on the floor somewhere. I'm not about to make you sleep on the floor after all the not-fun you went through today." Even though Zevran said to consider the mess forgotten, he didn't believe for one minute that the blond would actually do so - not a chance. He could only hope he didn't think about it too much...  

[TawnyAngel]

O...kaaay something Abel was going to tell him about something later? And Zevran did want to stay, so something was up with wherever it was he lived? Or maybe it was just a long way but the look Abel had given him seemed to say otherwise.

"Oh no," Taavi shook his head, "Abel you sleep on the couch and I'll sleep on the floor. I camp a lot! And I have a camping mattress thingie so I'll be comfortable. I mean, um, if that's okay?" Maybe Abel would rather have the camping mattressaaaahhhh, crap. Dinner: they were going to need to have that and he didn't want Zevran asking questions about what it was they were having, he'd seen too much already. "Err, and, sorry I didn't have time to go grocery shopping," Taavi continued with a slightly awkward laugh. "I was going to but then she was here and you weren't and... so I haven't been and we basically just have ramen." As saves went he though that had been pretty good, maybe kinda awkward but he was kinda awkward so it was probably okay?

"Um, and that looks good," Taavi concluded as he finished up bandaging. "If you don't see anyone about them you'll need to keep those cuts really clean or you get all the infection, and nobody likes that."

Done; good. No longer having his wounds manipulated in one way or another Zevran relaxed and swivelled on the chair to grin up at Taavi. "I am told that in most things I am perfectly filthy but I will be sure to keep clean in this, I wouldn't want to undo all of your hard work! And..." Abel had actually offered to let him have his bed. This was a little difficult to wrap his mind around and so the tattooed man's smirking grin faltered a fraction for just a moment before returning full force as he thought of a response. "And you have my thanks Abel, the only way your offer could be better would be if you had offered to join me. In light of the excitement I have already had today however, perhaps not such a good idea. And if I, or other circumstances, have interrupted your grocery shopping perhaps I can at least buy the two of you dinner in thanks?" Taavi had sounded extra awkward about that; why? Was he trying not to make an issue of it and failing to do so or was it something else?  

[BlackFireKitsune]

"That's all right," Abel countered with a dismissive shake of his head, "I don't mind sleeping on the floor." He straightened up and began putting away the various supplies back into the first aid kit, noting what he'd need to buy more of to replenish what they'd used. An amused smirk forced its way onto his face at Zevran's words though - the first since their ride there - and he shook his head. "You shouldn't be doing anything like that right now, not with all the fun you had today." With that he snapped the first aid kit shut...

...and turned an honestly surprised look at Taavi. "I forgot all about groceries," he admitted, eyebrows raised for a moment or two before they lowered back to their normal place and his expression morphed into a sheepish one, "or lack thereof, I guess I should say. Don't worry about it man, we can always go tomorrow," he said as he put a hand on Taavi's shoulder. While dinner would be wonderful - so very wonderful - he couldn't in good conscience just accept Zevran's offer like that. He wasn't obligated to buy food for them, especially after the whole tense situation with Alyssa. So, the blond shook his head and said, "You don't have to do that Zev." If he insisted, though, well - who was he to say no when he so obviously wanted to buy them food?  

[TawnyAngel]

"Oh? Well okay then you can have my camping mattress then," Taavi agreed easily with a shrug and a brief flash of a smile, so long as Abel was happy that was fine.

Also, did Zevran ever miss a chance to make something about sex? It seemed like not but as it hadn't been directed at him Taavi was able to grin a bit rather than get flustered. "Yeah, um, I think you're at fun capacity today. Passing out part way through wouldn't be great right?" Then he really would have to call an ambulance and explaining what had happened would be super awkward.

"Um, and yeah," Taavi shrugged and smiled wryly, "it's not your fault I derped out there." If he wanted to though....

"Hummm, that would rather spoil the fun yes," Zevran agreed with a sage nod, which he followed up with a wink and a grin. "Perhaps another time then. As for dinner," he waved a hand dismissively, "de nada, I could hardly order food for myself and leave the two of you eating ramen. And besides I think it is a fair trade for accommodation for the night." He didn't actually feel like eating, all he wanted to do was lie down and go to sleep, but he knew he ought to eat something. Anyway he would probably be hungry later, once he had rested.

Zevran shifted cautiously in his seat to fetch his phone out of his pocket and pulled up a search for local take outs. "Humm... Pizza? Chinese?" he suggested aloud. Usually he had no trouble with deciding on what he wanted but as he didn't actually want anything right now as such he was more than open to suggestion.  

[BlackFireKitsune]

"All right, thanks," the blond said with a nod. A camping mattress would be better than just the hard floor, for sure. While the couch would be better, he wasn't about to take it when Taavi was still technically a guest too, albeit one who was staying considerably longer than intended... "The only time that should happen is when you're too drunk," Abel added with a wry smirk, unable to help himself. Another time, hum...

"Well, if you're sure," he said when Zevran did indeed insist - for which he was incredibly grateful because holy crap was he sick of ramen - and offered the other blond a sincere smile. "I really appreciate it." Not that he'd know quite how much, but that was all right. With the kit put away, Abel turned and gestured to the living room, "Let's get out of the cramped kitchen and head into the living room, yeah? It's a lot more comfortable in there. As for dinner," he went on as he stood near Zev in case his friend wanted to lean on him for support, "I'm not picky, so whatever you're in the mood for is fine with me."  

[TawnyAngel]

"Oh no," Taavi laughed and shook his head, "if I'm that drunk I'm probably going to be sick first. Not sexy! Um, and yeah, whatever! You're the one buying so um.... Yeah, thank you!" Could he not go five minutes without being awkward? Ugh! Oh well.

"Living room sounds good," he added, heading in that direction himself.

"Quite sure," Zevran replied with a smile as he got to his feet.

...Ah, yes, he was definitely tired.

Zevran closed his eyes for a moment and shook his head as though to clear it, resting a hand on the back of the chair to steady his balance. "Perhaps pizza then?" he suggested lightly, it was easy and the first thing that had come to mind. He could feel sweat prickling his brow, that and feeling dizzy wasn't exactly perfect but he didn't feel cold or confused so this was more inconvenience than a real concern.

"Humm, and it occurs to me that I still have blood on my clothes, and no shirt," Zevran added, opening his eyes again and looking over at Abel with a smirk. "Though the latter is not a problem - I do provide something to look at, even with bandages! - but I would prefer not to ruin your furniture. I don't have a proper change of clothes with me though so I shall have to sit around in swimming trunks I suppose as that is all I have with me. A tragedy, no?"  

[BlackFireKitsune]

As Taavi headed into the other room, Abel continued to linger near Zevran in case he needed support. He wasn't going to start holding onto him right away because he probably wouldn't appreciate it - at least not in that manner - but he wasn't about to just leave him entirely. If he didn't need help then that was fine, but if he did need help he wanted to be there to provide it. "Pizza sounds good to me," he agreed easily with a short nod.

The other comment needed a bit of thinking first. His first reaction was a wicked smirk, a soft chuckle and a shake of his head. No, he wasn't about to complain about having something to look at, as Zev so aptly put it, especially since it wouldn't mean any ruined furniture. He'd feel bad though, and he might get cold, especially after losing all that blood... "I can loan you something to wear until you get back to your place, if you want," he offered with a light shrug, "though I won't force you into it if you'd rather sit around in your swimming trunks."  

[TawnyAngel]

"Humm." Zevran pondered the offer for a few moments before nodding to Abel, smirking again of course. "I will take you up on that offer but not just now I think, it is quite warm in here today so I will be comfortable but I think it might be wise to have pants to walk home in tomorrow." Was Abel lingering nearby to help him? It seemed likely but he would ask before just grabbing for the other blond anyway. "Perhaps for now though you could lend me a strong arm to the bathroom so that I can change and wash up a little?"  

[BlackFireKitsune]

Abel couldn't help but chuckle a bit. Of course he'd want to sit around in his trunks for a bit. Of course he would. "Whatever you wanna do," he said with a half-shrug, still smirking. Just pants, hm? Come to think of it he hadn't had a shirt, and he didn't know how much blood his jacket had on him... He made a mental note to give him a shirt along with a pair of pants later, when he asked for them. What he did ask for, though, was an arm to hold, so an arm he presented with a flourish. "Of course," he said agreeably, ready to offer whatever support he needed for the time being. No, there was no way he'd let him go back to that rundown place he was currently calling 'home' in this sorry state. Not tonight, anyway.