tushanshu | [Video]

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[The six hour cart ride from shore left Hellboy with a crick in his neck and a bad taste in his mouth. Not much surprises him anymore, and after spending who the hell knows how long being hunted by the Baba Yaga, he was glad to be out of her reach, even if he knew he was nowhere near familiar ground.

The guys who fished him out of the ocean had no problem telling him where he was or how he got there, but after a few moments of conversation, Hellboy realized that he just didn't give a crap. Wherever this "In Between" was, he knew it couldn't be good. It was only a matter of time before the real reason he was here reared its ugly head.

Until then...]

Anyone know where a guy can get a drink around here?

[He looks like utter crap, every inch of him cut and bruised, his hair falling out of its knot at the base of his neck, and his jacket blood-soaked and tattered to pieces, but looking presentable is obviously the last thing on his mind.]

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Yeah. It was something.

[He turns the empty glass in his hand, mind buzzing with alcohol. This's a good place. This's where he likes to be, where he can take things at face value and let anything deeper just fade into that pleasant hum.]

Sounds like it. [She sighs a little before getting out of her seat, and gently pats Hellboy on the back.]

Come on. Seems like this place is closing soon, and we still have to walk back home. [Grin.] You can still walk, right?

[His reaction is a little delayed as he zones back to attention.]

I'm not that drunk. [He slurs, heaving himself back to standing. His stone hand doesn't leave the bartop until the floor stops moving under his feet.] I'll be okay.

I'm sure. [But she's just going to go ahead and duck under his fleshy arm so she can help support him.]

Let's get going, Big Guy.

[He leans on her, because she's a good friend and all. He staggers forward a step before turning back to the bar, gesturing to the bartender.]

Hey. [But the man is occupied with talking to another patron, putting up his hand that says he'll be there in a minute, but Hellboy doesn't seem to notice.] Hey. How about one for the road?

[After a minute of convincing, he coaxes the guy into giving him what's left of the bottle. Okay. Now he's ready to leave.]

I'm pretty sure I gave that guy a crap ton of money. Might as well get my money's worth.

Can't hurt. [Except for the part where he might feel hungover in the morning, though with everything he's got, he's probably going to be sore, anyway.]

You ready to go, now?

Sure. [But as they make it toward the door, he shouts back over his shoulder:] Hey, buddy, you can keep the change.

[The bartender just stands there, watching them go in muted shock.

Then back out into the night they go. He won't lean on her too much, but he doesn't mind walking with his arm around her shoulder. It's nice to have her close after so many years of being apart.]

[It is nice, and it's something Liz hasn't been able to enjoy for a long, long time.

Though it is darker than it was when they first arrived - so Liz takes a moment to focus before she summons up a small ball of fire to hover ahead and light their way. She may have been in a rough place - and she may still be in a rough place - but she can handle the little stuff fairly easily.]

[The city is strangely quiet compared to the life it had just hours before. Storefronts are dark, the music has stopped, and curtains are drawn over the lighted windows. It gives Hellboy a sense of foreboding that sobers him up a little, and he shakes his head slightly, trying to gather his thoughts.]

Guess these gangs have people pretty spooked.

Yeah. It's... not much compared to what we get back home, but it's definitely something.

You're sure there's nothin' else going on here, Liz? 'Cause you and me... [He trails off, wracking his booze-soaked brain for the right words.] Can't be a coincidence.

I don't really know. I haven't figured that one out, yet. [But she's glad he's here, even if she doesn't know the reason why.]

Guess we'll find out. [He sways a bit, trying not to knock her over.] But not today, all right?

[As if he can control such things.]

[Definitely not today.]

Careful. Don't want you falling over.

Yeah. [He nods, focusing on keeping upright.] Think it's time I called it a night.

[They're almost there, right?]

We'll be there in a little while. [Liz will probably just lead him to her suite. She's fairly sure that if he falls asleep somewhere and she's not there the day after, then he'll go back to thinking she's just a dream. And she is not interested in having that conversation a second time.]

[That's fine by him. For now he'll just focus on walking. It's good thinking on her part, because that's gonna be the first thing on his mind in the morning. Or, well, the first thing after he realizes he feels like crap.]

[And Liz will support him all the way back and into her suite, before finally heading into her bedroom.]

There you go. You could use the rest, anyway. [Far more than she could. Sleeping has become more of a waste than anything else, these days.]

I'll be okay. [He collapses face-first into bed with a groan, but manages to turn himself over, his stone hand resting heavily on his chest.] Night, Liz. [Yawn.]

Night. [She gently pats his good shoulder before reaching over to pull the sheets over him.]

I'll be outside the bedroom if you need me. [For any reason.

And with that, she'll leave him to rest. Goodness knows, he needs it.]

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