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.

Comments

[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."

[churbooseanon]

"More than anyone should ever be left with," David agrees, looking away from the other Washington. "All the pieces in your head that never go away."

Can never go away. He's left you with them forever.

[notyourrookie]

"And all the things you can never forget. It's all there in glorious unfading technicolour." He couldn't forget things, or at least, not the things that he wishes that he could. Maybe he has forgotten things. Things from before. It's hard to tell.

[churbooseanon]

"Where do they end and do you ever begin?" David continues for him. Makes sense. They get each other. They get this.

"How... do you move on?"

This guy has years on him.

[notyourrookie]

Now there's a question. He mulls it over for a moment and then shakes his head. "I dunno. I'll tell you when I figure it out. All that's kept me going since then is spite and rage."

[churbooseanon]

"All I have is fear and love," David sighs, shaking his head. 'Hard to have spite and rage when you're being hunted."

[notyourrookie]

"Hunted?" By the Project? But... "Didn't have time to be afraid. Took too much effort to keep what I knew hidden from them."

[churbooseanon]

David shakes his head. "But I was afraid for them when they were trying to figure out what I knew. When it's people you love, it's always easier to fear."

[notyourrookie]

Wash frowns, giving his double a curious look. "Afraid for who? Sure as hell got no love for the Director or the Counsellor."

[churbooseanon]

Yeah, and now Wash gets a pitying look from a younger self.

"York and North... I... guess that isn't a connection we have."

[notyourrookie]

He stares at his alter for a moment and then looks away, expression growing colder at the mention of them. "They left me. And the next time I saw them they were dead."

[churbooseanon]

"No," David can't help but gasp, pain and betrayal thick in his voice at the very idea of such a thing. Fuck it. He moves to hug his counterpart.

"No. No no no. Oh god no. I hate them for you."

[notyourrookie]

The sudden movement startles him and he's stiff and still in the other Wash's arms when he's hugged. Slowly he reaches up to give him an awkward pat.

"No point you hating them. I've got enough for both of us."

[churbooseanon]

But they didn't leave David. They came for him... And that hurts.

"They weren't good enough for you," he decides.

[notyourrookie]

Wash shrugs, shoulders hunching a little. "I thought we were friends. Guess I wasn't good enough for them."

[churbooseanon]

David just buries his face in his knees at that. He can't imagine it. He doesn't want to imagine it. North and York would never leave him, right?

Maybe they would. Maybe they did.

"I don't want to talk about this."

[notyourrookie]

Wash opens his mouth to say more than shakes his head. "Me either," he admits, although part of him wants to know. Wants to know everything.

"York here is nice enough I guess. He did bring fruit."

[churbooseanon]

"You... can ask me questions," David says simply. It's him that doesn't want to remember. "If the answers won't stick in your head. Do they ever stop sticking?"

[notyourrookie]

"I got good at compartmentalising," he replies. "Sticking things in places where no-one could find them. Sometimes not even me." And a lot of other things he just... destroyed if he could. It was a slash and burn approach but it had kept him alive.

[churbooseanon]

Well, there is hope. "Only been a few months," David admits.