[ Beneath the weariness of a difficult night that's taken its toll, Tim smiles with half-lidded eyes at the attempt-- Ann's stab at detective lingo. He wants to jokingly suggest a film noir marathon while he recovers, but hesitates. In this day and age that's probably a bit esoteric. Why not just stick to the doctor thing, he thinks to himself. Maybe there's better material there... ]
Trust me, real doctors would say the same thing.
[ Tim's his own worst critic. So even he knows there's a better quip out there he just hasn't found yet. But fortunately he's not wont to say something egregious enough to spoil the moment. To spoil the equilibrium they've both been searching for, desperately reaching for in the dark. Not so much the dark in this room... but the dark of things left unsaid. The dark Tim was willing to get lost in, to hide any accountability owed to Ann.
Because maybe, at it's core, that's what this comes down to. That Tim's selflessness is to a fault, but indeed-- what kind of fault? How much of his derring do is actually a self-inflicted punishment? How much of this mission is just self-flagellation... and how long has it been that? He knows he has what it takes to save lives, to stop the bad guys. None of that has been called to question. But why has he allowed himself to torture Ann like this, the way he did moments before they reached an agreement?
It's like he needs someone to witness him doing what he can. To show that what he's doing matters, that he matters. Even if doing all he can might kill him.
Then she asks her question. Gives him a chance to breathe like he never has. The chance to allow himself to do so. ]
Rest here...? I can do that. I should do that.
[ Speaking of which, he soon rests his hand on Ann's, hers that she planted on Tim's thigh. ]
Whatever we order in is on me.
As for saying anything, don't worry about it. I like talking to you. I like being here.
[ He's settled enough now that shifting in bed is no longer necessary. Gone, for now, is any chance of inflicting pain on himself, making one wrong move to cause discomfort. Still, he feels he has more to do to alleviate the discomfort he's placed on Ann. ]
Though for the record, this isn't what I meant by taking any excuse to see you.
[ Talk about a Monkey's Paw sort of predicament, eh? ]
We don't even need to, like, cuddle cuddle. I don't know.
no subject
Trust me, real doctors would say the same thing.
[ Tim's his own worst critic. So even he knows there's a better quip out there he just hasn't found yet. But fortunately he's not wont to say something egregious enough to spoil the moment. To spoil the equilibrium they've both been searching for, desperately reaching for in the dark. Not so much the dark in this room... but the dark of things left unsaid. The dark Tim was willing to get lost in, to hide any accountability owed to Ann.
Because maybe, at it's core, that's what this comes down to. That Tim's selflessness is to a fault, but indeed-- what kind of fault? How much of his derring do is actually a self-inflicted punishment? How much of this mission is just self-flagellation... and how long has it been that? He knows he has what it takes to save lives, to stop the bad guys. None of that has been called to question. But why has he allowed himself to torture Ann like this, the way he did moments before they reached an agreement?
It's like he needs someone to witness him doing what he can. To show that what he's doing matters, that he matters. Even if doing all he can might kill him.
Then she asks her question. Gives him a chance to breathe like he never has. The chance to allow himself to do so. ]
Rest here...? I can do that. I should do that.
[ Speaking of which, he soon rests his hand on Ann's, hers that she planted on Tim's thigh. ]
Whatever we order in is on me.
As for saying anything, don't worry about it. I like talking to you. I like being here.
[ He's settled enough now that shifting in bed is no longer necessary. Gone, for now, is any chance of inflicting pain on himself, making one wrong move to cause discomfort. Still, he feels he has more to do to alleviate the discomfort he's placed on Ann. ]
Though for the record, this isn't what I meant by taking any excuse to see you.
[ Talk about a Monkey's Paw sort of predicament, eh? ]
We don't even need to, like, cuddle cuddle. I don't know.
It's enough just to be next to you.