At first the Wooloo was a welcome sign, as was the relative normalcy of the living quarters. There were no broken objects or shattered windows, no signs of forced entry or the chaos that usually followed a struggle. The Pokemon were all asleep, save for the little lamb, and there was no blood anywhere. Guillermo exhaled a breath he didn’t realize he’d been holding.
[break][break]
He reached one hand to scratch under the Wooloo’s chin as she grasped the fabric of his pajamas in her teeth and tugged her inward, towards a living-room-type area. On the couch there was a shapeless lump, originally thought to be a pillow, which revealed itself to be--
[break][break]
--”Alexei?” Memo tried again, concern bubbling back up through his voice. He realized the low hum that he interpreted as normal workings in the home, or maybe a distantly thrumming AC unit, was Alexei, exhaling a constant scream into the pillow.
[break][break]
Memo knelt down in front of the couch, not wanting to startle Alex, one hand hovering over the curve of the man’s back. He didn’t want to touch him and jar him, frighten him, but he also couldn’t let him go on like this. Of course, he had no idea what was going on; he swallowed down thick emotion and his own version of panic as he struggled to ascertain what would be best.
[break][break]
“Hey,” he eventually says, gentle and quiet, trying to avoid being sucked down into his own mire of hopelessness. “Hey, love. Just… just breathe.”
[break][break]
That usually helped him when he was freaking out. He didn’t know if it would really help Alexei, but it was as good a place to start as any.


[break][break]

+ Alexei Ivanov

[attr="class","pokeclass"]

Memo did touch him, now, placing a hand gently on Alexei’s shoulder, thumb coming to rest light against his clavicle, fingers a gentle stroke down the back of his neck. He’d jumped a little when Alex had shrieked but was happy he’d looked up from the pillow. His eyes were dull and slightly misty and his face reddened from rubbing against the fabric.
[break][break]
“Shh,” Memo soothed, hearing the roughness in Alexei’s voice and wondering just how long he’d been screaming. He settled down onto his knees and came a little closer to the couch, other palm planced against the arm of the sofa. Alexei’s next question brought a crease between his eyebrows as his puzzlement and concern began to spill over to his face. “No, love, you’re not dead,” he said, fighting to keep the question out of his voice-- he didn’t want Alex to think he was making fun of him because he wasn’t, at all, he was just-- so-- confused.
[break][break]
He tilted his head, eyes scanning up and down Alexei’s body. “I don’t think so,” he said, hating how unsure he sounded. “No,” he amended, figuring they’d know if he was bleeding. “I don’t see any blood anywhere. There’s nothing on the floor, on the couch, on you. You’re safe.” He emphasized this last word with gentle pressure on Alexei’s shoulder, a light push to ground him, and he looked up into his eyes, willing him calm.
[break][break]
He had so many questions. But they could be answered later. First he needed Alexei to know he was not in danger.



[break][break]

+ Alexei Ivanov

[attr="class","pokeclass"]

Alexei’s eyes swung around like a panicked, trapped animal; Memo swallowed, tempted to take a step back. “I’m sorry, am I-- do you need some room? Or some water?” Or something stronger? He wanted to ask, but judging by how he’d been throwing back the wine at Memo’s apartment without seeming affected, he didn’t want to imagine how much alcohol it would actually take to dull Alexei’s edge.
[break][break]
He seemed to gather himself, if just a bit; his question made Memo frown.
[break][break]
“It’s May 17th,” he said, voice soft with confusion. He stood and moved to the couch, not removing his hand but instead sliding it down Alexei’s back, along where his spine would be, rubbing gently with his palm and fingertips. He left a little bit of space between them so their thighs didn’t touch, not wanting to crowd Alex mid panic.
[break][break]
Ovejita’s sister parked herself next to his legs, and he reached down with his other hand and absently rubbed her ears, not taking his eyes off of Alex.
[break][break]
He had the urge to jump in, then, as he watched Alexei rub at the wraps around his neck-- this was the first time he’d seen him without a scarf, Memo realized-- and promise he could never think Alexei was crazy, but he figured there was something else coming after, and Memo wanted to let him speak. The bandages were… alarming, but he just added it to the top of the huge pile of questions he already had and left it at that.
[break][break]
It was a heavy question. “No, you didn’t,” Memo said, almost immediately; he curled his fingers around Alexei’s hip, drawing him a little closer. “I think that’s something I’d remember.” He kept his voice calm, a gentle murmur with just the slightest lilt of humor, though he was freaking out, just a little bit.




[break][break]

+ Alexei Ivanov

[attr="class","pokeclass"]

Memo was quiet as Alexei laid to bare his scars, both physical and emotional. Memo’s breath caught at the sign of the jagged marks around his neck, so very, very close to snuffing out Alexei’s life. His stomach rolled with nausea and his heart ached, ached that someone could do something like this to someone important to him-- but also with something else.
[break][break]
He resisted the urge to reach out and lay fingertips across the marks, though he wanted to. He resisted the urge to lean in and try to kiss them away, though he wanted to. And deep within his chest, like a pilot light clicking to life, there was a furious rage just beginning to kindle in the tinders of his heart.
[break][break]
He listened as Alexei showed him the mark on his leg and his hand, and was quiet for a moment after. He was stuck somewhere between wanting to scream and rage and demand to know who did it, and wanting to start crying. It was horrible that there were horrible people in this world, people who would do this to another human being at all.
[break][break]
Guillermo took Alexei’s scarred hand in both of his and brought the jagged mark to his lips for a gentle kiss. Then he held the limb in his palms, resting it in his lap, curling his own fingers around it where Alex couldn’t.
[break][break]
“But you’re alive,” Memo said, soft. He reached up and gently brushed some of the rampant blonde hair back behind Alexei’s ear, dragging his knuckles across the man’s cheekbone, before returning to holding his hand. “You’re alive, and you’re so, so strong. That’s what matters.”
[break][break]
And nothing like that is ever going to happen again.





[break][break]

+ Alexei Ivanov

[attr="class","pokeclass"]

Guillermo was quiet, listening to Alexei speak. There was a revulsion brewing in his stomach like a pot of morning coffee, though a thousand times as bitter. He had to bite his tongue to stop from asking who it was and launching into a Liam Neeson worthy hunt to take them down and end them.
[break][break]
But right now wasn’t about him.
[break][break]
He leaned back so Alex could show him the last scar.
[break][break]
I’ll never say another bad thing about Mike.
[break][break]
“That’s terrifying, love,” he said, as soothingly as possible. “But you made it. You’re here and you’re alive.”
[break][break]
And I’m here and I’m never going to let anything bad happen to you again.
[break][break]
He puts a gentle hand on Alexei’s knee, squeezes. He’s completely forgotten that he looks a mess, himself.
[break][break]
“Do you need anything? Water? Tea?”

[break][break]

+ Alexei Ivanov

[attr="class","pokeclass"]

Everyone had their damage. Some people were just better at hiding it-- they could afford to get the dents and dings buffed out, cover it with a shiny new wrap, or just buy a new outlook all together. Alex had been through something incredibly traumatic so there was no wonder he was still feeling the aftershocks.
[break][break]
Guillermo squeezed his knee again, a gentle smile coming to his face.
[break][break]
“Absolutely,” he murmured.
[break][break]
He scooted back a smidge to give the taller man room to lay on the couch and patted his lap, indicating Alexei could curl up in a ball there instead of in the corner of the couch all by himself.
[break][break]
“Have a lay,” he said. “We’ll just ride it out. You’ll make it through the night and the day and the day after, because you’re strong and amazing and death quakes in fear of you.” His tone was genuine-- he had full faith in Alexei’s strength.

[break][break]

+ Alexei Ivanov

[attr="class","pokeclass"]