catch-all log

[bolthead]

Characters: Barry Allen + various
Date: throughout November
Location: misc. places
Situation: misc. situations
Warnings/Rating: nnnnnothing crimefighting!! bats being grouchy. barry wanting to touch shockwave's equipment—i mean what.

(ooc: you're more than welcome to drop a starter if you want to tag in, or shoot me a pm/pp me and we'll get something set up!)

Comments

[corage]

[Hal just blinks at Barry here, almost owlishly even.]

I'm not acting. [Really, he isn't. He flexes his arm again just to prove it, and then hitches a shoulder.] You don't need to worry, really. I'm okay.

[bolthead]

[He opens his mouth to say something, stops, blinks, and then squints at Hal.]

Is the ring giving you some sort of anesthetic?

[corage]

[--oh crap, he screwed up somewhere didn't he.]

Er. Maybe? [Do the rings of the other Lanterns do that? Hal isn't too sure about that.]

[bolthead]

[Considering just who his best friend is, Barry's still fairly ignorant when it comes to all the different things Green Lantern rings can and cannot do. Had Hal just confidently stated 'yes' Barry probably would've dropped the subject and attempted to maneuver the wounded Lantern to the nearest clinic.

As it is, he doesn't like the uncertainty currently in Hal's voice. He stares at the ring, stares at the knife, and then in the space of a second, pulls out the knife and jabs it into Hal's shoulder just hard enough to draw blood.]

[corage]

Wha--

[Flash, just like his name, moves too fast for Hal to really understand what he's doing - and by the time he does, blood his already dripping down from the wound and Hal is making a distinctly annoyed face rather than an expression of pain or agony.]

What the heck are you doing? Do you want me to faint from blood loss or something?

[bolthead]

Neither of your wounds are deep enough to cause major blood loss within such a short amount of time; you're fine.

[The words are automatic. While he's had plenty of experience with the police department to back up his words, he's honestly more concerned over the lack of reaction to pay much attention to potential blood loss.]

You didn't feel that, did you. [Said as a statement, not a question.]

[corage]

[Annnnd he's caught, isn't he. Hal just cringes a little because yeah this is not what he had hoped would happen.]

Yeah. [Since its useless to deny it--] Your point?

[bolthead]

[His point is that it's not normal, but that implies then that Hal himself isn't normal and somehow he figures that's not what the other man wants to hear. And for all he knows, this Hal might have just come from a planet where pain receptors aren't a scientific miracle of life. (He doubts that but hey, it could be possible.)]

Have you always not been able to feel pain? [Let's get that out of the way first.]

[corage]

[Hal just kind of does a noncommittal shrug thing, neither confirming nor really denying anything, although his answer is more helpful in that regard.]

Uh, no? I'm a normal guy, if that's what you're wondering. [Well, at least until he got his ring. But that's another thing altogether.]

[bolthead]

[Define 'normal'. But that's a good enough answer as any, if only because it tips the scales towards one direction. Unfortunately, Barry's no medical doctor and things that don't involve dead bodies aren't really his area of experience. Though at the rate things are going, he might end up with one on his hands if he doesn't figure out what's up with Hal.

Part of him wants to bulldozer forward and interrogate Hal like he would any suspect; another part of him realizes that could be incredibly alienating.]

We should get you patched up first. Is there a clinic you prefer?

[corage]

[Yeah Barry bulldozing forward isn't going to help with things here, you made the right choice.

At the question Hal simply lifts his uninjured shoulder and shrugs.]

I'm fine with anything. [Well, so long as he doesn't have to deal with the other Hal.]

[bolthead]

Clinic it is then.

[And before Hal can protest, he's being picked up and carried and then deposited on a clinic bed some six feet away. The kedan nurses are protesting at the sudden intrusion, but Barry simply waves a hand and points to Hal's stab wound.

All that done, he turns back to the patient.]

Sorry about that. I figured it would be faster. [Apology out of the way:] Do you mind if I ask you a few questions? I promise I'll make it quick.

[corage]

[akl;jare Barry what are you even doing--

Hal barely has any time to react once more and he really has to wonder if this is going to be a thing because yeah Barry, rude. Kind of. But at least you're nice about it so...]

Right. [Under his breath, and Hal takes in a new one before he gets to the next bit.] And even if I said 'no', I doubt you'll listen to it.

[He's a superhero too, you know. He knows these things.]

[bolthead]

[Hey now, that's hurtful.]

If you say no, I won't ask.

[Not all superheroes are douchebags, okay? Some of them actually take the time to listen every now and then. Sometimes he wonders if that's the only thing he's good at, listening, because most times it seems like he just messes things up more when he opens his mouth.]

I won't lie and say I'll be happy about it, but you have a right to say and do what you want, when you want.

[corage]

[Well that is certainly a change. Hal blinks, surprised by those words - and it's not hard to appreciate Barry just a little more. Guess he's actually different from the rest who just seem to demand respect and stuff without giving him any whatsoever.]

You're nice enough about it, so-- [Shrugs] --feel free, I guess.

[bolthead]

[There's a ghost of a smile on Barry's face at the acquiescence but it fades quickly enough as he gets to work. He's not going to waste this opportunity in case Hal decides to change his mind.]

I'll make it quick. [Like everything else he does.] How long has this been going on, as far as you can remember?

[corage]

[A brief pause as Hal recalls it all.]

Since Halloween. [Bluntly. Yeah, it makes it obvious, but its not like Hal can lie though it anyway.]

[bolthead]

[Of course. The disappearances and their side-effects. He really should have guessed, all things considered. But at the same time it's relieving to know that whatever's afflicting Hal is part of some common thread and not an additional thing he now has to worry about. There's enough going on as it.

Barry nods, filing that information away before he follows up with another question.]

Have you noticed anything else strange since then? Physically, mentally...?

[corage]

[Hal shrugs again here.]

You mean aside from--? [Gestures to himself here.]

[bolthead]

[Hal sure is eloquent, isn't he? Barry sighs and places his hands on his hips. Why does it feel like he's talking to a child right now?]

Yes, aside from that. You should get it checked out, by the way.

[He means specifically by Batman, but any specialist clinic should probably do.]

[corage]

[Because Hal is a manchild here, true story.]

Besides that, there's nothing else.

[And that is the truth this time.]

[bolthead]

[Most Lanterns are manchildren. Luckily, he's had enough experience with other Hal that he isn't fazed by the behavior. Hal's answer gives him half a second's pause; how is he to know there's not something else being hidden? But Barry's always tended more towards faith and suspicion so he accepts the words without much fuss.]

That's good to hear. [Really, it is.] You really should get it checked out though.

[He's not kidding about that. He will pester you until it's done.]

[corage]

[He gets the point by now Barry you've said that like seven times already.]

Yeah, yeah, I heard you the second time. [Waves it off.] Don't concern yourself over it.

[bolthead]

[And he'll keep saying it until it happens!! Or until he starts feeling bad about it, like right now.]

You're [important? a teammate?] a friend. I'll be concerned until we find the root cause of all of this.

[corage]

[It's nice that Barry considers him a friend, since Hal does feel better after that. It's nice to know that somebody has his back - somehow.]

You're not the only one. [Hal is honestly concerned too, but as it stands there's really nothing he can do about it, so. He just has to try and live with it.]