[Lance has spent most of the last few days--or however long it's been?--keeping his distance from people, startled whenever someone moves too quickly or gets too close, and yet it's like in an instant that's been switched completely off; from Nate the hug is welcome, and something they both need, and after his usual moment of surprise he manages to return it with just as much feeling as Nate's putting into it.
They're both here, somehow. Somehow they both made it, again.
The empathy bond lights up--it's practically impossible to prevent it without effort, and neither of them are bothering--and Lance's emotions are artificially dimmed, repressed and mixed up, except for his own feeling of relief which he lets himself feel at its real strength. They're both alive, and they're back in this world, and as bad as it is it's not the Aerie. There's hope here.]
It's okay.
[He's not sure if he's reassuring himself or Nate more, but probably both. They can both use it.]
[ He squeezes a little too tightly, a little too long, because because there's a stupid, small part of him trying to make up for when he wasn't there to do exactly this. Lance's reception warms him, even with the muddled emotional cocktail, and Nate's state is equally fraught. Stronger than the confusion is the giddy relief of getting someone back that you thought you had lost. ]
I'm glad to see you too, dumbass.
[ The laugh he emits is choked and Nate relinquishes his hold with no small amount of reluctance, hands settled on Lance's shoulders as he finally steps back to give him some breathing room.
His assessment is quick, perfunctory, because they don't have the luxury of lingering and what he comes up with is a friendly, undeniably affectionate: ]
[Lance doesn't protest, trying to will some reassurance through the empathy bond while also allowing himself to feel some of Nate's relief along with his own. They don't get many moments to really feel that way.
When Nate does pull away and makes his comments, Lance gives a quiet laugh of his own before asking--]
What are you talking about?
[His tone is laden with clearly feigned innocence, which is not helped at all by the faintly amused smile on his face; he knows he looks terrible, pale and exhausted from spending most of the time since he returned running around nonstop, but he doesn't need to really try to downplay or hide it from Nate and so he doesn't bother. Otherwise, he's mostly back to how he normally looks in this world--from a hoodie to his ridiculous light up sneakers--aside from that a pair of stolen sunglasses are resting on top of his now very curly hair.
But as he does his own brief once-over of Nate, he notices a change immediately, and isn't sure whether or not to mention it. It doesn't take a psychologist to put together what might have prompted it, and he doesn't want to call Nate out on the issue just yet, so he decides to hold off for the moment.
Instead, more generally--]
Probably a loaded question, but... How are you doing? Do you know yet?
[Because he might not, and that's entirely understandable. Saying it's a lot to process is an incredible understatement.]
[ He ignores the look, knowing in his heart of hearts that whatever Lance takes note of is something that will inevitably come up in conversation later. He's wonderfully predictable like that, except for the part where Nate despises being a subject of intense scrutiny and they both know it.
He decides to cut him off at the pass with uncharacteristic bluntness, because the last few hours back have felt like some kind of insane fever dream. ]
I'm tired, and processing another life, and kind of annoyed that I keep getting recognized in the street.
[ He jerks his head at Lance's sunglasses knowingly, shoving his hands in his pockets. Trying not to think about the look on Lance's face when Dean Winchester stabbed him in the Quarry.
The way he'd tried to help. The way he always tries to help, always to his own detriment. ]
[The first part of that response is to be expected, at least aside from how forthcoming it is, but the rest of it prompts a brief grimace.]
Sorry. I was going to warn you about that.
[He hadn't thought Nate had been out anywhere yet, and he crosses his arms self-consciously as they move into this topic. It's bad enough for him just being recognized from his brief stint in the quarry, and everyone seeing him die live on television, but he can't imagine what it must be like for Nate. Nate's experiences were much more long standing, and much more... Exploitative, and invasive, and probably many other words.
It's something he definitely plans to try to talk to Nate about later, but not right now unless Nate brings it up himself. It's too much to put on him immediately after returning and having to deal with the shock of just readjusting, especially since there's the added factor of what must have happened for Nate to have returned.]
Unfortunately the sunglasses haven't been working too well. If you're going to go this route, you might want to try a hat too.
[And changing how he dresses, but Nate's already done that and so Lance will continue to not mention it for now.
He's quiet a moment, trying to decide what to even say, but then finally manages--]
That was a little um... Weirder than what happened in Hadriel.
![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
no subject
They're both here, somehow. Somehow they both made it, again.
The empathy bond lights up--it's practically impossible to prevent it without effort, and neither of them are bothering--and Lance's emotions are artificially dimmed, repressed and mixed up, except for his own feeling of relief which he lets himself feel at its real strength. They're both alive, and they're back in this world, and as bad as it is it's not the Aerie. There's hope here.]
It's okay.
[He's not sure if he's reassuring himself or Nate more, but probably both. They can both use it.]
I'm um, really glad to see you.
no subject
I'm glad to see you too, dumbass.
[ The laugh he emits is choked and Nate relinquishes his hold with no small amount of reluctance, hands settled on Lance's shoulders as he finally steps back to give him some breathing room.
His assessment is quick, perfunctory, because they don't have the luxury of lingering and what he comes up with is a friendly, undeniably affectionate: ]
You look like crap.
no subject
When Nate does pull away and makes his comments, Lance gives a quiet laugh of his own before asking--]
What are you talking about?
[His tone is laden with clearly feigned innocence, which is not helped at all by the faintly amused smile on his face; he knows he looks terrible, pale and exhausted from spending most of the time since he returned running around nonstop, but he doesn't need to really try to downplay or hide it from Nate and so he doesn't bother. Otherwise, he's mostly back to how he normally looks in this world--from a hoodie to his ridiculous light up sneakers--aside from that a pair of stolen sunglasses are resting on top of his now very curly hair.
But as he does his own brief once-over of Nate, he notices a change immediately, and isn't sure whether or not to mention it. It doesn't take a psychologist to put together what might have prompted it, and he doesn't want to call Nate out on the issue just yet, so he decides to hold off for the moment.
Instead, more generally--]
Probably a loaded question, but... How are you doing? Do you know yet?
[Because he might not, and that's entirely understandable. Saying it's a lot to process is an incredible understatement.]
no subject
He decides to cut him off at the pass with uncharacteristic bluntness, because the last few hours back have felt like some kind of insane fever dream. ]
I'm tired, and processing another life, and kind of annoyed that I keep getting recognized in the street.
[ He jerks his head at Lance's sunglasses knowingly, shoving his hands in his pockets. Trying not to think about the look on Lance's face when Dean Winchester stabbed him in the Quarry.
The way he'd tried to help. The way he always tries to help, always to his own detriment. ]
Good call on the shades.
no subject
Sorry. I was going to warn you about that.
[He hadn't thought Nate had been out anywhere yet, and he crosses his arms self-consciously as they move into this topic. It's bad enough for him just being recognized from his brief stint in the quarry, and everyone seeing him die live on television, but he can't imagine what it must be like for Nate. Nate's experiences were much more long standing, and much more... Exploitative, and invasive, and probably many other words.
It's something he definitely plans to try to talk to Nate about later, but not right now unless Nate brings it up himself. It's too much to put on him immediately after returning and having to deal with the shock of just readjusting, especially since there's the added factor of what must have happened for Nate to have returned.]
Unfortunately the sunglasses haven't been working too well. If you're going to go this route, you might want to try a hat too.
[And changing how he dresses, but Nate's already done that and so Lance will continue to not mention it for now.
He's quiet a moment, trying to decide what to even say, but then finally manages--]
That was a little um... Weirder than what happened in Hadriel.
[Putting it mildly.]