York's Interdimension Basket of Washes

[notyourrookie]

York is done with this. Every Wash needs a comfy, happy and most of all, not horrifying and trauma-inducing space where they can feel safe. A place where the horrors that inevitably await them in their own universes cannot intrude.

And York will provide. Even if he has to drag them across universes to do so.

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[depthlesslock]

York has put a lot of work and effort into this. Making the nest was one thing, almost every pillow, cushion, blanket and duvet has gone into it and the only ones that haven't are the ones he was scared of taking from their owners. So he just went out and brought some more and now the nest takes up most of the main room in the base.

The food was also pretty easy, if expensive because fresh fruit.

No, the really tricky bit is convincing both Washes to be in the same room, especially at the base, for long enough for him to get them into the nest. He's got people keeping an eye on the transponser as well, just in case any other Washes come through. Then they can join in because all the worlds seem determined to screw over his best friend.

[notyourrookie]

York had sounded pretty insistent when he'd called. And he'd sounded like it was serious too.So of course Wash had shown up, albeit warily. Only to find York there in the main room surrounded by masses of pillows and blankets and... bubble wrap? More pillows and blankets than he thinks he's ever seen.

"Uh... what's going on?"

[searchandrecovery]

"York, have you seen my--"

Wow. Okay. York wasn't kidding about the whole...loving environment thing. Wash is a little disgruntled that York is using his vintage Astro Boy blanket, but it looks like every blanket in the base is in this room, so Wash doesn't really have a leg to stand on.

"Um. What are we supposed to...do? Exactly? With that?"

[depthlesslock]

Brilliant! They're both here as planned. Step one: get them in the main room in the base is complete. Commence step two: get them in the nest.

'This is an intervention because you two have been way too down lately. So I made a nest.' He waves his hand to take in the vast expanse of blankets and cushions. 'And you're both going to get in it and stay there until you've at least t-sheered up a bit and preferably started getting on a bit better. In you go!' He ushers them both towards the construction.

[notyourrookie]

"A- nest?" What the fuck. Wash looks at York like he's crazy, and coming from him, that cannot be a good thing.

"You can't just put us into a nest, York," although it does look comfortable. "We're not... not birds or cats that you can bribe with cushions and blankets and... oh hey, is that fruit?"

[searchandrecovery]

York might not agree with the statement that the two Washes aren't cats, but that's besides the point. Wash is fixated on the fruit his other self pointed out.

"It is," he breathes. "Look--oranges. If this was Earth, they'd be in season right now."

He takes the teeniest step closer to the nest.

[depthlesslock]

'You're both definitely cats,' he counters. 'Both of you have admitted to being cats in disguise on separate occasions.'

They've noticed the fruit and both look enticed. He knew that would help. 'Yep. And it's fresh. Oh, and there's chocolate as well. Both of whit-sh you will get if you go in the nest.'

[churbooseanon]

Things happen.

This is a universal fact that David has long since come to accept. No, more than that. Bad things happen. Have not the last months of his life been an exploration in this concept. Wasn't PFL properly summed up, long before everything went to hell, in those words?

Bad things happen. Like you walk towards your apartment door in some grungy old building on some shitty backwater planet far from where anyone would ever look for you. Bad things happen like you know you're walking towards your apartment door and then you're tripping over your feet and counting the fibers of a carpet that does not exist.

There was no carpet in his apartment, except in the rarely used bedroom. His feet are always cold, which is why he wears socks. Doubly true since Eon because the kitten liked to play with his feet and the tiny extra protection of socks always helped. But this isn't the color of the carpet in the bedroom, so David, formerly Agent Washington of Project Freelancer, stares at the fibers for a while and wonders just what memory he's falling into. Because clearly, it's the only rational answer.

Either that or he's finally gone well and truly insane.

[depthlesslock]

A call comes through from one of his friends watching the trnasponser. Someone's come through, and it's another Wash. Great timing! Giving Holly instructions to take care of him until he gets there, he leaves the current two Washes in the nest, under supervision since he doesn't trust them to not get out yet, and drives quickly to the casino.

When he gets there, he hurries inside, wondering how shitty a hand this Wash has been dealt and hoping it's not too bad. Soon see. He rounds a corner and finds Holly talking quietly to the young man who's just shifted worlds.

[churbooseanon]

This isn't real. None of this is real. None of it can be real. For one thing, Leonard Church never knew a woman that looked like this, has never been in a room that looks like this. Nor has David, or Agent Washington, or Epsilon. The only one that has ever been in a room that glowed with faint blue light cast from a...

No.

No no. No nono no no nononono no.

noononononnononoono

David rushes from the woman, finds a corner to put himself in. Back to two walls, minimize angles of attack. He pulls his legs up to his knees and tells himself the only thing that makes sense.

"It isn't real. I'm not here. They can't hurt me. They can't hurt me. I'm not him and she's dead and this isn't real."

[depthlesslock]

Holly looks up as York comes in, her expression worried. York's gaze darts from her to the man in the corner and, okay, that wasn't a good start for hoping things were non-shitty.

'He started jabbering a few minutes ago,' Holly says softly, trying not to startle him. 'He hasn't stopped since, I don't know what's wrong.'

'Thanks, Hol. I'll take it now,' he says, and once she's gone, he slowly moves closer to the new Wash. This is really not good. Poor guy.

'Hey. Hey, Wash. It's me, York. Can you hear me?'

[churbooseanon]

York?

The name, the voice, it's perfect. That's safety. Here an anchor to pull him from the grips of Alpha's memories. He doesn't want to live the torture. Don't make him live through the torture in full, terrible detail.

David is up and throwing himself into York's arms immediately, burying his face in his boyfriend's neck.

"Miles," he whispers, his voice raw with emotions ranging from fear to love to simple fatigue. "Miles he won't stop making me remember what happened. You've got to help. It won't stop. I can't make it stop anymore."

[depthlesslock]

Well, that's a reaction. York doesn't hesitate to wrap his arms around Wash despite his surprise. He's thin. Definitely thinner than both the other Washes, he should know, he's hugged both of them. That's also not a great sign. And that's not all.

'I'm--' not Miles. He doesn't finish it though. Let the guy calm down a bit first, then explain the situation and hope he doesn't freak out too much.

'I've got you,' he says instead. Comfort, that's what this Wash clearly needs. And a blanket nest. 'You're safe, I promise you're safe. Let's get you out of here.' The room is a bit creepy with the transponser in the middle. Etheral, but in a kind of freaky way. best to get Wash out of sight of it.

[depthlesslock]

The twenty minute drive ends taking over double that after York drives around aimlessly for a bit so Wash can get some shut eye. If he's anything like the other Wash, he needs it. He'd stay out for longer, but he needs to get back to the two Washes already in the nest.

Parked in the base's garage, he turns to the sleeping man in shotgun and gently wakes him up, calling his name and patting his shoulder.

[churbooseanon]

David is awake instantly, grabbing York's hand and starting to bend his thumb backwards. And... then he drops it, ashamed when he realizes what's going on.

"Not a dream?"

[depthlesslock]

He snatches Wash's wrist, pulling it back and moving his other hand to weaken the strain on his thumb, but then Wash drops him and he quickly lets go as well. He should have expected that.

'Nope, sorry.'

[churbooseanon]

"Sorry," David sighs, looking away from York. "Bad dream. I don't always wake up from them. Epsilon..."

Left him broken. He opens the door and doesn't quite flee the car but it's a near thing. Fuck.

[depthlesslock]

'It's alright,' he promises, also getting out of the car. 'How do... Miles and Nic wake you up?' It feels even weirder saying that than "York and North".

[churbooseanon]

"They talk to me," David says. "They're always up before me. They talk and move around me, they're active. Nic cooks. Miles isn't allowed to cook. He ruins things except for coffee."

He wonders if York is like that too.

[churbooseanon]

So there is the promised fruit. But why is it in the middle of multiple hims and a mound of pillows and blankets. Suddenly David isn't so certain of this idea.

"Uh..." He frowns at the gathering. York had said a nest, but... "Hello."

[notyourrookie]

Despite his earlier protests, the nest is actually pretty comfortable. And there is plenty of fruit. Enough that even he has had to take a break for a while.

He's got his datapad in one hand, catching up on some reading, something that he hasn't really done for ages, and he looks up warily when someone comes in and-

There's a jolt when he recognises him. Another him. That's never going to stop being weird. The Native Wash had fallen asleep curled up in a corner with a mound of blankets.

He looks the new him over. "Hey."

[churbooseanon]

This one isn't the one from this world. David knows it because... Well, he can recognize a few of the scars, ones the other them isn't in possession of. Seems like their worlds are a bit more... like. But this one is older. Interesting.

David shuffles nervously from foot to foot. He doesn't want to know this man's past, doesn't want another memory on top of the others, but he has to ask.

"PFL?"

[notyourrookie]

He sets the datapad aside and turns so he can get a better look at the other Wash, gaze flicking over him. Same scars, some of them. The haunted look in his eyes.

He gives a short nod. "Yeah. Epsilon?"

[churbooseanon]

"Yeah," David says softly before stepping carefully into the mounds and picking up a smaller pillow that had been set aside. "Yeah."

How else could he say it. Here, at last, someone who knew what it was like. "Did he...?"

He can't even put the words into the other man's mouth.

[notyourrookie]

Is that how he looks? Moving like a cat afraid of being kicked one more time. He can believe it. He draws his knees up, letting the other Wash find his spot and settle down.

His nod is tight, his face downcast. "Yeah. Put him in my head. And he was insane. Killed himself in my head and left me with... with everything."