the tall tales
When Konstantin heard the gun go off they did not know immediately that they had been shot. There was only: an impact in their thigh, their femur vibrating against their hip, a sensation of heat. Distantly they felt the weight of Bartholomew's hand at their waist and heard shouting, the susurrus of noise coalescing into a man yelling "Lay down the gun!"
Konstantin reached for Bartholomew's hand and told him to run. They urged Bartholomew through the castle's open doors and into the protective ring of guards that waited for their monarch, the bite of gunshots snapping at their heels. The doors came shut with a great groan and Konstantin sat down when the lock clicked, their leg awash with a sudden searing agony. Hearing faded; they watched Bartholomew as he crouched beside them, his hands fluttering over their wound like nervous insects, shouting something at them. Their eyes swept shut with a breath.
When Konstantin woke they lay in a hospital bed and Bartholomew sat in a chair to their right. He had Konstantin's pendent in his hands, running the coin restlessly over his fingers. He jumped when he caught Konstantin watching him. "They had to take it off for the MRI," he said, turning the necklace over in his hand.
Konstantin nodded. They coughed once and said, "Are you safe?"
Bartholomew rolled his eyes with a reluctant laugh. The line was from a lullaby Konstantin had sang to him when Bartholomew had been a child and unable to sleep for want of his father. He said, "Only because you took a bullet for me." Konstantin gave him a patient smile and Bartholomew sung with a smile, "I'm in that warm place."
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Konstantin reached for Bartholomew's hand and told him to run. They urged Bartholomew through the castle's open doors and into the protective ring of guards that waited for their monarch, the bite of gunshots snapping at their heels. The doors came shut with a great groan and Konstantin sat down when the lock clicked, their leg awash with a sudden searing agony. Hearing faded; they watched Bartholomew as he crouched beside them, his hands fluttering over their wound like nervous insects, shouting something at them. Their eyes swept shut with a breath.
When Konstantin woke they lay in a hospital bed and Bartholomew sat in a chair to their right. He had Konstantin's pendent in his hands, running the coin restlessly over his fingers. He jumped when he caught Konstantin watching him. "They had to take it off for the MRI," he said, turning the necklace over in his hand.
Konstantin nodded. They coughed once and said, "Are you safe?"
Bartholomew rolled his eyes with a reluctant laugh. The line was from a lullaby Konstantin had sang to him when Bartholomew had been a child and unable to sleep for want of his father. He said, "Only because you took a bullet for me." Konstantin gave him a patient smile and Bartholomew sung with a smile, "I'm in that warm place."
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