Log: There's No Place Like Home

[depthlesslock]

Who: Agent York, anyone at base
What: Coming home at last
Where: For Hire base
When: Sunday 8/9 midday
Warnings: None

There's no place like home, York thinks as he grins up at the building he's been away from for almost exactly two months. It hasn't changed at all, not that he'd expected it to, but the familiarity makes him smile so wide it almost hurts his face.

Sure, he's wheelchair bound and will be until he can get the strength back into his legs, but he's finally home and will soon be back among his friends. Plus he knows the medics here, so the care will be with people he's familiar with and who are familiar with him and that will make things a hell of a lot easier.

He's wheeled up to the door where he insists on letting himself in, tapping in the codes he's known for years and thanking God for the hundredth time that the bullet to his head didn't damage his motor functions. Learning to deal with only having one eye had been hard, recovering his speech is going to be just as tricky. Having to relearn how to move, how to use his hands would have been beyond torture.

The door swings open and he's pushed inside, grinning even at the plain hallway while he takes his helmet - his own helmet, finally returned to him that morning - off and holds it in his lap. He's been practicing with Obi for this.

'I'mm o- h-ho~ome!'

Comments

[ambitious_muse]

Sigma is right behind him in the arrival party, carrying a duffel bag full of York's belongings. His heart swells to see York doing the combination, to hear him calling out into the base. York is so happy to be home. He's just grateful he could be here to witness it.

"Where should we go first?" Sigma asks. "Your room, the recovery ward, or the common area?" York's friends have cooked up a bit of a surprise for him.

[depthlesslock]

He grins back at Sigma, then turns to the datapad he's kept in his hands for communication purposes. It's still way easier than trying to speak all the time, for all it frustrates him. He'd get more frustrated at trying to speak and not getting the worda out or being understood.

common room. He just got out of hospital, he doesn't want to go straight to the recovery ward yet, and they have to go through or past the common room to get to his room anyway, so might as well go there first. Hopefully some of his teammates will be there.

[ambitious_muse]

"Common room it is." York's medic lets him take over the wheelchair once their helmets are stashed. Sigma guides them down the narrow hall past the armory and into the common area. It isn't decorated, but there are already a few treats on the table: steamed edamame with salt, pitchers of lemonade and juice, and a batch of fresh peanut butter cookies, some with chocolate chips (Oquirrh's contribution, since she couldn't come).

"They missed you," he says softly.

[depthlesslock]

York's eyes widen at the sight before him. It's not much, but at the same time it's everything. His friends, his boyfriend and non-hospital food! He's going to have to thank everyone for this. Those cookies are going to go down quickly, who made them? God, if his smile gets any wider, it's going to split his face.

[ambitious_muse]

The wheelchair fits nicely next to the couch. "I suppose you want to eat?" Sigma asks. He takes a seat close enough to York that their knees are touching. "What should we start with? Oquirrh's cookies?" He pours a glass of lemonade and grabs a cookie for himself.

[depthlesslock]

Every bit of contact, no matter how small makes him smile. Not that he's going to stop smiling right now. There's too much to be happy about. Food, yes, that sounds awesome. Cookies sound doubley awesome. And lemonade. Hell, just give him some of everything.

cookies would be great

[ambitious_muse]

He pours a glass of lemonade just to be sure York has something to drink. It balances nicely on the arm of the couch, and if anything happens, he didn't fill it all the way. He passes York a cookie and takes a bite out of his own. Wow, these are good.

[depthlesslock]

York takes the cookie with a nod of thanks, bites into it eagerly and god it's so good! He definitely needs to tell Oquirrh how damn good these are and thank her, but right now he's enjoying the rich flavor in his mouth, such a relief after the bland hospital meals.

[ambitious_muse]

York can't stop smiling, and Sigma can't stop watching him. The difference in his boyfriend's mood is remarkable. It's not just the cookies (which are delicious; he reaches for a second one). It's knowing that York is home. It's like he's been set free, and even though he's still limited by the wheelchair and his trouble speaking, he's in a place that's safe for starting again.

"You," he says, "have the most blinding smile right now. I love it." He would love to kiss it right off York's face, to have that smile pressed against his, but the common area probably isn't the best place for that.

[depthlesslock]

Finishing off his first cookie, he tilts his head to one side, not even trying to hold back the mentioned smile. Sigma's smiling as well, his red eyes alight with it and York is struck again by how beautiful he is.

With a nod, he steals his boyfriend's second cookie, smile turning cheeky as he tucks into it before Sigma can steal it back.

[ambitious_muse]

"Excuse you!" Laughing, Sigma snatches for his cookie and manages to break off a piece, though two chocolate chips fall into York's lap. "You're such a thief. But at least you're mine."

[depthlesslock]

York laughs and quickly eats his cookie half before Sigma can try and take the rest of it back. Being a thief is practically ingrained in him at this point, which is fine for work and teasing. He's well aware of where the chips went and he's hardly going to be the one to pick them up. If Sigma wants them, he can get them himself.

[ambitious_muse]

He's not wasting chocolate chips. "Your pants are going to be a mess," he teases, reaching and plucking the chocolate out of York's lap. And if his hands linger on the inside of York's thigh, well, his boyfriend started the teasing in the first place.

[searchandrecovery]

Wash perks up at the sound of York's voice. He's back! York is home. Wash is already beaming as he finishes hanging up the last of the streamers. Decorating the kitchen is clearly an idea that makes sense, right? That way the pancakes and the coffee and the good smells are all in one room.

"York!" Wash bursts into the common room and practically launched himself on top of York. "You're back! For good! Really, really back!" He gives his friend a hug before adding, "We've got a surprise for you in the kitchen."

[maine_makes_growly_noises]

Maine stands at the stove, listening for York. He has just finished frying vat meat sliced thin as bacon. Now to finish the last of the pancakes. He has made some blueberry, some chocolate chip, and some plain. There's whipped cream, fresh berries, and syrup. Breakfast is his favorite meal of the day; what better meal with which to greet a returning friend?

[depthlesslock]

'Wass-!' York wastes no time in wrapping his arms around his best friend as soon as he's close enough. There we go, much better. Sure Wash visited him pretty frequently in hospital, but this actually solidifies that he's home.

More surprises? Well, he's not going to complain.

[searchandrecovery]

"Yup! Surprises galore. You deserve them." Wash wheels York into the kitchen probably a little faster than he should. Maine's finishing off the meal, the kitchen is decorated with purple, green, yellow, and red streamers. It's a welcome home party for sure.

"Welcome home!"

[maine_makes_growly_noises]

Good timing. Maine stacks pancakes and bacon in groups of three on a couple of plates. York isn't in here yet, but he'll have his pick of lunch. Toppings cover the counter; now he adds the plates, hopefully where York can reach them.

"Welcome back," he says, glimpsing Wash come in with the wheelchair.

[depthlesslock]

Okay, he wants Wash as his deisgnated wheelchair pusher from now on. This is way more fun than the trundle speed the medic pushed him at. They reach the kitchen in no time and York cheers at the sight before him. Who wouldn't be excited over pancakes?

'Hhey, Mmai...' Still can't manage "n", but now he's giggling over Maine being called "May".

[searchandrecovery]

When it comes to welcome home parties, Wash understands the importance of expediting matters. It's too bad that the cranky hospital staff don't. Oh, well. At least he's home.

Wash can't help but grin at "May," either. "Right, so May--I mean Maine--and I thought that you could stand one more surprise. We've got pancakes and toppings and enough coffee you could swim in it!"

Okay, maybe that's an exaggeration, but Wash did make several pots.

[maine_makes_growly_noises]

May? Is that his name, now? Maine shakes his head but grins. He won't make fun of York's speech, not when he has made clear progress. Let the joke be on him for once. It's wonderful to hear the Thief laughing again. The base has been too quiet without it.

"Chocolate chip or blueberry?" he asks, raising the plates in question so York can point. "Shake your head for plain."

[depthlesslock]

York snickers as Wash "accidentally" uses his slip up for Maine. And Maine just goes with it which is a relief in itself. Of course, the man understands what this is like, he gets it. Shouldn't have expected anything other than this, really. But he's still grateful.

He points to the chocolate chip. Why have plain when there's chocolate chip? Now where's that coffee Wash mentioned?

[searchandrecovery]

Wash is already on the coffee, filling up a too-large "I <3 NY" mug with the brown elixir.

"One hundred percent, grade-A caffeine goodness. Don't drink it too fast. We don't want you to like, go into shock or anything."

[maine_makes_growly_noises]

Chocolate chip it is. Maine doesn't remember what toppings York likes, but he probably can't go wrong with whipped cream. He hands York the plate and the canister, then rifles through a drawer for silverware.

[depthlesslock]

York pulls his mug over to him and takes a moment to just breathe it in. Hell, even the smell is delicious. Good thing Sigma snuck him coffee sometimes or he might be overwhelmed. He drinks it carefully, wary of the heat and nods in thanks to Maine when he setd the plate of pancakes down.