heartbeattemple

[heartbeattemple]

Watching them step away, it was clear to her that no matter what she said, no matter how many times she brought up her fear of losing him, Damien wouldn't change his mind.

The fervor in which he brought up the past, of taking care of his nephew, only cemented the fact that it wasn't a question of whether or not the godfather would risk his life again for them. It was a question of when and how.

The woman nodded gently.

"...okay." she conceded. "I'm not, going to stop you. Or try to convince you not to help your nephew." how could she? There wasn't anything she could offer that was greater than that kid's life.

"I guess it doesn't matter...what I say." not any declaration or confession. "You, do what you have to do, and.. I'll talk to you when you get back."

Whenever that was.

Something lurched in the pit of his stomach, being spoken to like that. He’s left staring at her, almost affronted, watching her clutch the necklace he’d saved to give her.

Save him..?

“¿No lo he hecho ya? I’m.. here, I’m doing my best.” His hand came up, gently touching her cheek.

“I’m not trying to throw myself away, Claire.

But this is Theo we’re talking about.”

He shook his head, took a small step away, like needing some space to express this. “I waited outside the hospital room,

and I.. put band-aids on his knees when he scraped them, wouldn’t you? If he was yours-

Wouldn’t his life come first?” He asked.

[heartbeattemple]

One of the pitfalls of caring for people as a profession, you don't always get to leave work at the office. It comes home with you. You can't help become invested.

And that was what usually made everything break down.

It was admirable, all that Damien was.

But she was scared. Watching him try to control his next words that wouldn't come out whenever he wanted them to. Is that what happened to him over there? He tried to do something out of his control?

"Is that, what you wish someone had done for you?"

Now clutching onto the beautiful ruby, Claire's heart was racing, wanting to understand, hoping she could.

"You already tried that, Damien..." her fingers reached up to brush them along the side of his bruised face, just as a reminder. "I don't know if... you risking anything, is going to save it. Is going to save you."

Damien didn’t like the direction this conversation was beginning to take, and maybe that was why Claire called him the king of redirection or something- but he shook his head, because no, it wasn’t about that.

“Claire, if you could see him..” He let out a quiet breath, another shake of his head.

“He’s just starting out. Got all this life to live- it’s worth, more than he could know.”

He sighed, watched her. It was worth protecting. One of the precious things in this world, worth everything he had in him to give to keep it safe.

“I’m not tryin’a throw my..” There’s that engine block, and his brow scrunched, the word lost. His snaps his fingers, “my.. fucking, -life away.” There they were, Jesus.

“So bad that I’d do anything to save his?”

[heartbeattemple]

Well, that's where she thought he was wrong. Maybe he wasn't an active pilot, but he still was one at heart. A drug addict, an alcoholic.. he wasn't one now, yet, he held onto everything he had to, not be that again. A little contradictory, wasn't it.

"...except what?" she gently prodded, the sad look of worry back on her face.

"Damien, your nephew.. Do you really think he'd be better off without you in his life? Or, for you to take his place?"

He waited with bated breath for her to open the gift, so carefully selected for her. But he could see it, she loved it.

Damien shut his eyes to the gentle kiss, his hand finding her waist as his other arm and tremoring hand fell around her.

What she said when their lips parted momentarily took his breath though, and it’s with a weary smile that he shakes his head to gently correct, “But I’m not, a pilot. Anymore.”

You don’t owe anybody your life.

Don’t I?

“I uh.. Yeah. Yeah, no. I know.” His brow scrunched in thought, needing to avoid the woman’s gaze a moment, periodically finding it again.

“Except, y’know.” A gentle shrug.

[heartbeattemple]

Swayed by the man's charms, the nurse's lips formed into an affectionate smile. Now freshly decorated with a flower, she looked down at the box, taking it from him.

She sighed. Yeah, she had been hurt by his sudden trip. But, Theo was important to Damien, and when family needs you, you go.

Carefully, she opened up the box, her smile widening and eyes lightning up.

"Oh... It's, beautiful." the ruby incased in its golden frame brightly sparkled. Claire looked up at him, a softness to her surprise and... love, for the man.

She leaned in again to place a more gentler kiss on his lips, more mindful now of his malestares.

"The pilot, always ready to get out there and save the world." she smiled, a mournful tang to her statement.

She could see it in how hard he worked on his sobriety and helping others through theirs. She saw his kindness whenever he reached out a hand to make sure someone wasn't alone. How much effort he put into staying in the right lane.

"You don't, owe anybody your life. You know that... right?"

Standing in front of her now, the relief- the safety of this woman who knew him so well. He was beginning to feel the full weight of it all, what had happened after getting on that plane.

What he’d done.

What he was going to have to keep doing.

It was heavy enough to crush, but he didn’t. The reminder of what he was holding, made him smile- glad for this, the ability to give them to her along with one more apology.

“Mhm.” He grinned, albeit tired but true. He pulled one of the flowers, gently to tuck it just so behind her ear. “And this too.” He gently passed her the box.

“I got this for your birthday.

I’m so sorry I missed it.”

[heartbeattemple]

Leaning into the kiss, the scraped up lips against hers, felt familiar still.

She smiled at him, worriedly, relieved. Not happy he was going back though.

"You were never a good liar." With her anyway, only because she could tell. It was her job to. She brushed her thumb over his bruised flushing cheek. And with a good look into his warm eyes, she decided that she trusted him.

Her gaze caught the flowers and present in his hands, her demeanor changed slightly less harsher.

"Are those.. for me?" Good flowers.

The cab dropped him at his door, and slowly but as agonizingly as surely he was able to make it up the flight of stairs and until his apartment.

Stuffy. He caught his breath in the close air of the space, the sweet dusty smell of dead flowers from the countertop.

… “Mh. No.” He groaned, muttering to himself, rubbed his head before he limped his way to the window to open it up, air this place out.

Then he texted her.

[text] I’m home

[text] I just got in

@h

[heartbeattemple]

Not just one fight, but two.

The ER nurse looked unimpressed at the victory announcement, jaw set as she heard him out.

Shot??

The emergency room first responder threw her hands up, sighing at the tale. So he was going back there, that was the plan.

"Come inside." She waved him in to continue the conversation more privately, closing the door.

The worry was back on her face as she watched Damien's less than easy gait, figuring out that the fight and GSW had been but just the tip of the iceberg.

"...pinche cabrón." She muttered before going in to hug him tightly.

Then she leaned away, frustrated.

"I told you not to get in trouble— te dije o no te dije?" Once more she hugged him, so very very glad to see him again.

Second time she broke the hug, she cupped his face, looking sad at the injury he sustained, at how broken his already worn body was.

"Are you in pain?"

The cab dropped him at his door, and slowly but as agonizingly as surely he was able to make it up the flight of stairs and until his apartment.

Stuffy. He caught his breath in the close air of the space, the sweet dusty smell of dead flowers from the countertop.

… “Mh. No.” He groaned, muttering to himself, rubbed his head before he limped his way to the window to open it up, air this place out.

Then he texted her.

[text] I’m home

[text] I just got in

@h

[heartbeattemple]

So, she waited, oscillating between every kind of scenario as she did her best to fix the damned toilet again.

Hearing the bell, she hurried to open it, the mild relief at seeing him quickly changed to a worried frown. Ignoring the flowers and presents, her attention was fully on him.

"...what the hell happened to you?" she breathed, then quickly put her hand up to keep the man from advancing.

"I'm not gonna be sweet talked with flowers— dime la verdad, Damien Francisco Óscar Flores,

Were you in a fight??

To help Theo??"

The cab dropped him at his door, and slowly but as agonizingly as surely he was able to make it up the flight of stairs and until his apartment.

Stuffy. He caught his breath in the close air of the space, the sweet dusty smell of dead flowers from the countertop.

… “Mh. No.” He groaned, muttering to himself, rubbed his head before he limped his way to the window to open it up, air this place out.

Then he texted her.

[text] I’m home

[text] I just got in

@h

[heartbeattemple]

Again, she needed to deliberate.

She wanted to see him. But maybe it just wasn't a good idea. Maybe...

[text] Oh?

Maybe she couldn't help it. It would be nice. She liked to be showered with love and appreciation from time to time. To be wooed.

She smiled at the thought of him.

[text] Bueno

[text] Want to meet up here? Or somewhere else?

The cab dropped him at his door, and slowly but as agonizingly as surely he was able to make it up the flight of stairs and until his apartment.

Stuffy. He caught his breath in the close air of the space, the sweet dusty smell of dead flowers from the countertop.

… “Mh. No.” He groaned, muttering to himself, rubbed his head before he limped his way to the window to open it up, air this place out.

Then he texted her.

[text] I’m home

[text] I just got in

@h

[heartbeattemple]

Head in her hands, the nurse took a moment to herself, to meditate on it. But with more questions than answers, she was already at a loss for what he wanted from her.

[text] I'm sorry it didn't turn out the way you hoped. I know you really tried.

Sometimes it just doesn't work out.

[text] Take all the time you need.

The cab dropped him at his door, and slowly but as agonizingly as surely he was able to make it up the flight of stairs and until his apartment.

Stuffy. He caught his breath in the close air of the space, the sweet dusty smell of dead flowers from the countertop.

… “Mh. No.” He groaned, muttering to himself, rubbed his head before he limped his way to the window to open it up, air this place out.

Then he texted her.

[text] I’m home

[text] I just got in

@h

[heartbeattemple]

i'll open up my heart 🫀

[heartbeattemple]

...este hombre.

[text] What is it with you and deflecting

[text] You're gonna make me ask or te pones los pantalones and tell me??

Ugh.

[text] What did you do?

The cab dropped him at his door, and slowly but as agonizingly as surely he was able to make it up the flight of stairs and until his apartment.

Stuffy. He caught his breath in the close air of the space, the sweet dusty smell of dead flowers from the countertop.

… “Mh. No.” He groaned, muttering to himself, rubbed his head before he limped his way to the window to open it up, air this place out.

Then he texted her.

[text] I’m home

[text] I just got in

@h

[heartbeattemple]

[text] Welcome back

Honestly, she didn't think he'd be home so soon.

[text] How's Theo doing? You get him out?

The cab dropped him at his door, and slowly but as agonizingly as surely he was able to make it up the flight of stairs and until his apartment.

Stuffy. He caught his breath in the close air of the space, the sweet dusty smell of dead flowers from the countertop.

… “Mh. No.” He groaned, muttering to himself, rubbed his head before he limped his way to the window to open it up, air this place out.

Then he texted her.

[text] I’m home

[text] I just got in

@h

[heartbeattemple]

[heartbeattemple]

“You deserve the love you keep trying to give everyone else.”

— Unknown

[heartbeattemple]

"Come home to me" kind of love

[heartbeattemple]

There it was. That self doubt and guilt.

How could he have stopped it? Could Damien have stopped himself all those years ago? She didn't think so. People needed to mess up, to learn.

She sighed.

"Okay well... Now is your chance to stop it from getting worse." but she wasn't sure if she was allowing it to get bad for him.

"Just, be careful." it was her turn to scoff. "Damien, you of all people should know.. you can't help someone if they don't want it. I love—" she sucked in a breath. "You're a good uncle for wanting to bring your nephew back home. But please, don't let this be the last time you try to save other people."

Please come home. Give me your dumb present and those dumb flowers yourself.

“It’s gonna be tougher than I thought.” The words of the person who escorted him to his room. Don’t try to run.

“No, uh. I don’t have my return ticket.

But, I’ll make a plan. I’m making one. We won’t be here too long.

Hey, uh.. Your birthday present.” She still had the keys to his place, hopefully? “It’s wrapped, on the counter. If I’m not back too soon, you should open it.

There’s flowers, too.” They’d die before he got back otherwise. Fuck, he was sorry.

“My nephew is.. Claire, shit, he’s like me.” He scrubbed his hand over the non-busted side of his face. “I might have to drag him out of here. I don’t think he’ll listen.”