Title: Scenario 5: Here With Me Author: J'Kitty (The Showstoppa.) Fandom: Askewniverse Feedback: Onlist if possible, jabinkle@unity.ncsu.edu later Pairing: Jay/Bob Rating: Let's do an R for the language, a G for the actual sex, and an NC-150 for the angst Disclaimer: Kevin 0wns j00! Archive: Sure, lemme know Type: Sunburst from "He Went Away"; Double Songfic Notes: Bob's song (the song used for Bob's POV parts) is Michelle Branch's "All You Wanted". Jay's song (the one used for his POV's) is Michelle Branch's "Here With Me". Yeahyeah, I'm trying to be the showstopper by double-songing here, but I couldn't find one that suited both of them. :D Hell. He didn't know how long he'd been here. He didn't know when he'd gotten here, or how he'd gotten here. He knew he was in a club somewhere. It was dark and unpleasant and dank. And Jay was off in his own drug-induced little land. Even with drugs, Bob was in this land, he reflected sourly. He'd spent most of the past three months trying to avoid reality at any costs. He'd done anything from anyone. Come close to dying a few times, closer not to coming back to reality a whole lot more ///It's been a long long time, since I looked in the mirror./// But when he looked in the mirror, all he saw was a reflection of all the things that Bob had loved. His hair, which he hadn't cut because Bob had loved it. His eyes which Bob adored. And it hurt him more than Bob leaving, just being reminded that Bob had loved him once. /// I guess that I was blind, now my reflection's getting clearer, now that you're gone. /// The bar mirror reflected him perfectly. Perhaps too perfectly. He could see every crease in his face. Every cheating crease. Every cheating crease that had drive Bob away. And he hated himself. &&& Bob had never known what had driven him to flight that day. Something with being fed up with Jay's cheating. He had regretted every fucking second of it. Since he had arrived in this new town, nothing had been the same. /// I didn't know that, It was so cold, And you needed someone, To show you the way/// He couldn't just pretend that he'd never loved Jay. How could he have hallucinated for one moment that he could ever survive without that blustering blond bombshell. He was more alone than he'd ever been. He could see now, that Jay hadn't known what he was doing. How many serious relationships had Jay been in during the eight years they'd been friends? None. He should've realized. He should have. Jay didn't know what to do. He wasn't spiteful, or trying to cheat, or prove anything... he simply didn't know how to act. And he couldn't understand Bob's fury at him, because Bob never told him. _I'm an idiot._ ///So I took your hand, And we figured out, That when the tide comes, I'd take you away.../// So it was on a Wednesday morning when he decided that he had to go home. And by Wednesday night, he was there. But Jay wasn't. It didn't take long to find out where he was. Or what he'd been doing. &&& Jay wasn't sure what he was on. He didn't particularly care. The world was laced with light and sound. The women were beautiful, the men too. But they all looked like Bob. In some way, all of them. /// Well, I'm not the same girl, you used to know, I wish I said the words, I never showed /// Coming here to the bar... that hurt too. Everything hurt these days. Waking up hurt, living hurt, being around hurt. Not seeing Bob hurting, reading his books hurt. Everything. /// I know you had to go away, I died just a little, And I feel it now, You're the one I need, I believe that, I would cry just a little, Just to have you back now, Here with me /// Silently, he began crying. No one noticed. He watched his reflection cry in the mirror. He took another huge swig of whatever he'd started drinking at the night. The liquid in the jar shimmered like it was blue, and any other time he'd be delighted with it. But it reminded him of the time he and Bob had gone to the pool together. /// You know that silence is loud When all you hear is your heart And I wanted so badly Just to be a part of Something strong and true But I was scared and Left it all behind /// He had finished the bottle. Demanded another from the barkeep. He didn't want to remember how he got home tonight. And if he didn't get home, then oh well. Another night spent out in an alley, or in the rain, or behind the bar. At this point, it didn't really matter. He'd been mugged five or six times. Beaten up more than he cared to remember. Gotten several ribs broken, a couple of fingers, his nose once. /// I never will forget That look upon your face How you turned away And left without a trace But I understand that You did what You had to do And I thank you /// He sighed and sucked down another half bottle of the blue stuff. &&& His heart broke when he saw Jay in the bar. The boy had always been lanky, but now he was just sallow and sunken. He looked as though life had left him. It probably had, given the stories. People had sworn that Jay had never missed a party, and every party he was at, he ended up in a state where he couldn't even remember his name. But he always mumbled about brown eyes and dark hair. Their conclusion? Someone had worked a number on Jay, and they weren't sure who she was. /// If you want to I can save you I can take you away From here /// And he began walking towards the bar. &&& Jay could barely remember who he was. The bartender knew his routine by now. Jay would pay as he came in, drink his fill, and pass out somewhere quietly. No trouble, no fuss. /// And I'm asking And I'm wanting you To come back to me Please? /// In the mirror, he hallucinated that Bob was walking over towards him. And he cried harder. /// I would cry just a little Just to have you back now Here with me /// And the hallucination reached out, and put its hand on his shoulder. He felt it, and felt better than he had in ages. He definitely had to ask Sharkey for more of this stuff tomorrow. It made fake-Bob touch him. /// Here with me. /// &&& Bob leaned in and whispered, "If you want to, I can save you." Jay fell off the stool into his arms, and Bob carried him outside. /// Please can you tell me So I can finally see Where you go When you're gone /// Jay was rambling, and incoherent. He was on something, and he was going fast. The two miles to their apartment sped by quickly. Bob fairly ran. Jay's breathing was shallow. Bob muscled the door open, and began pouring fluids and food into Jay. Anything he thought might calm him down. Bob finally fell asleep at the foot of the bed, when Jay's breathing had quieted, and he slumbered peacefully. /// And all you wanted Was somebody who cares /// &&& Jay woke up, and Bob was there. /// Here with me. ///