london_spy | John

(from here)

"I really hope you're right," Danny said, looking out the window with a frown.

Soon enough it was time to go back to their rooms, and Danny kept himself busy until nightfall. He'd mastered the art of slipping out his room, and had the path to the boiler memorized. He'd snagged a candle from an emergency kit at the nurse's station, and was holding it tight in one hand as he lingered by the furnace, waiting for John.

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

From:

petty_dabbler

John had nicked the orderly's lighter at lights out and pocketed it. He got stalled by a janitor in a jumpsuit who grumbled to himself as he mopped up some vomit. John took him in and thought there was no way the man was just a janitor. He looked too...

Maybe Danny had a point about it being a government thing.

No, couldn't possibly be.

He finally made his way to the boiler room and slipped inside. In the dim light he could see Danny.

"Could you get one?" he asked.

From:

london_spy

Danny held up the candle in show.

"I did," he whispered. "There's a vent back here that leads to a closed off wing of the hospital. We might be better off there."

From:

petty_dabbler

"Definitely less risk getting caught," John nodded. "Lead the way."

From:

london_spy

Danny nodded, gesturing for John to follow as he led him around the furnace to a heavy metal vent. Easily Danny unlatched it, leading the way.

The vent was long, but eventually they found themselves in the basement of the unused wing. It was old, dusty, and full of ancient equipment.

"We don't have to be as quiet here, I don't think."

From:

petty_dabbler

"Good," he said, then began to poke around. On one wall was a shelving unit full of boxes. John poked through the rubbish and came out with a bit of blue construction chalk.

"This will make things easier," he said and then drew a big circle on the floor. A strangely perfect circle. The kind that took practice.

"Alright, hand me the candle," he finally said, holding his hand out for it.

From:

london_spy

Danny handed it over, observing the circle and then looking around the room. He still didn't understand how this would get them out, but he was desperate.

From:

petty_dabbler

John lit the candle, then he lit a cigarette and offered the pack and lighter to Danny.

"Stay back, love," he said.

John let the candle drip a bit, then pushed the base into the wet wax to keep it upright in the center of the circle. The whir of machinery was audible off in the distance. Once it was burning well, John sat on the outside of the circle and opened the buttons of his shirt. One of his many tattoos was traced with a fingertip and John began to chant softly.

The flame flickered, grew, then dropped back down. John kept on, though, and the flame grew twice as tall as the candle, dancing there in the air.

"Hello, my beauty," he smiled. The flame wavered back and forth. John stopped tracing the symbol and took a breath. "Let's take a little peek, hmm?"

A black dot appeared above the flame and began to circle. It rotated faster and faster, growing wider and wider.

"Shit...Danny, get down!" he had time to say while throwing himself to the floor. He shot his leg out and kicked over the candle and the vortex exploded, then vanished.

From:

london_spy

Danny was in shock, and his reaction was slightly belated as he fell to the ground, landing on his backside hard.

"What- What was that?"

From:

petty_dabbler

"Magic and science are like oil and water," he said, picking up his cigarette and tucking it back between his lips.

"Or maybe like sodium and water, because they don't mix. Guess I can say this isn't supernatural. I'll be buggered if have any other idea, though."

From:

london_spy

"...What?" Danny replied, still baffled, then shaking his head.

"Fine, so- Maybe we run? Hide here until we figure out how to leave?"

From:

petty_dabbler

"I doubt there's even any toilet paper here," he chuckled. He pressed what was left of his cigarette between his teeth so he could button up. "We need someone who knows science. I'm no help here."

From:

london_spy

"Do you know anyone?" Danny asked, moving closer. He wasn't sure why, but he very much didn't want to be on his own after whatever that had been.

From:

petty_dabbler

One last drag, right down to the filter, then John dropped it on the floor and smashed it with his slipper.

"I don't know. Your doctor boyfriend?" he shrugged. "I'm not entirely sure who's here that is of any help at all. Might be on our own."

From:

london_spy

"I dunno if he'd be game, he's still not sure," Danny sighed, leaning against the wall.

From:

petty_dabbler

"We could convince him," he said. "If both of us face him maybe he'll see it."

John pulled out another cigarette and held his hand out for the lighter he'd given to Danny. He paused a moment for a good, deep, soul shaking cough first, though.

From:

london_spy

"Perhaps," Danny agreed, though he seemed unsure as he handed the lighter over. "I don't know. Maybe we should just run," he said, though he didn't sound hopeful about that either.

From:

petty_dabbler

"Where's there to run if we don't know where we are?" he asked. "All my life, running away has never been the answer."

Of course, standing and fighting had usually not been the answer, either, but John never ran away. Stupid, stubborn, bullheaded, and unbelievably lucky, he knew he'd get them out. Just not tonight.

From:

london_spy

Without really thinking, Danny took John's hand and squeezed, before awkwardly letting go.

From:

petty_dabbler

"Hey. Come here. It's alright," he said as he caught Danny's retreating hand to pull him closer. "I have never come across anything that didn't have an explanation. Might be a bloody weird explanation, but there's always some order in chaos," he said, sounding genuinely hopeful.

From:

london_spy

"I walk past friends here, and they don't know me. Not that I have many friends, but- I feel very abandoned, I suppose, and that's never been good for me. Danny on his own is a man who tends to lean into bad habits. Destructive habits," he admitted.

From:

petty_dabbler

"Can't have that, love," John said kindly. It was charming, refreshing in a way, just how normal Danny was. John decided then that no matter what, he was going to keep Danny out of his world as best he could. The man didn't need tainted with the horror of a warlock's life. He'd keep Danny safe from that.

Perhaps he should have thought of that before he'd tried to blow up the room.

"We're going to get out somehow," he promised. "Why don't we just hang out in here a bit, though, okay?"

From:

london_spy

Danny nodded, then impulsively leaned over and kissed him. It was a soft kiss, cautious even, but it was very much a kiss and it lingered a moment before he drew away and leaned back against the wall again.

From:

petty_dabbler

He was just a little surprised and smiled as Danny broke away.

"You've never been in a mental ward?" he asked.

From:

london_spy

"No," Danny said, shaking his head. "Nearly wound up in prison, but not the mad house, no. ...You?"

From:

petty_dabbler

"A couple-a times," he said. "They always let you out eventually. That's the way these places work. When the money runs out, and it always runs out, they cut you loose."