The Wicked Ones

13. The Hobo makes a Grand Entrance

"No, I'm certain I'm not. You must have misheard, I mean you had just gotten stabbed after all."

"I was still fully conscious when I called you and I am absolutely certain you called me James like... Six times."

"You called me a full panoply of nicknames while you were waiting for death and you don't see me making a fuss about it."

"Well that's because I always call you darling. I think you might actually be getting used to it now." He smirked at her mischievously. "Actually I think you might even like it."

"Just because you're in a hospital bed doesn't mean I can't smack some sense into you Morningstar."

"You wouldn't hit a man who just escaped Death's sweet embrace." He paused for a few seconds. "And who you happen to reallyyyy like."

"Oh shut up !"

"Make me."

"You know what I just might !"

Though she was in part annoyed by how he was acting, she couldn't help but smile. He sounded like himself, a bit too much like himself actually, but who was she to complain... Without answering, he took her hand in his and held it tight.

"You know Lizzy, you kinda saved my life back there from what the doctors said. I think that makes us even for the time I literally got shot for you by my own gang mate. To be honest... I joke about death a lot, comes with the shitty life experiences I guess, but yesterday when that dude broke into my apartment and started to attack me ? Oh I wasn't joking anymore..."

He closed his eyes and laid there in silence for a few seconds, only periodically squeezing Blythe's hand tighter, as though reliving the memories of the day before. After a while he tried to sat up and cleared his throat.

"Woah woah woah big guy, what do you think you're doing ? Lay back down !"

"No no, I gotta sit up to talk more clearly so I can give you the dude's description."

"Morningstar, lay back down or so help me god I will handcuff you to the bed."

"You know, taken out of context that could sound very wrong... Anyways, he had curly blond hair. Kinda long I guess... Shorter than yours but a tad longer than your white haired friend. Very green eyes. Pretty sharp features, one heck of a jaw... Strong build, I mean obviously muscular enough to take me down. And a ton of scars everywhere, like a street cat."

She put her hands on his shoulders and forced him to lay back down, the man struggled a bit but he was weakened and she was quite strong. Soon enough he was down, struggling a bit for air after the effort he had made.

"See... That's what happens when you don't listen to me. Look, James, I appreciate your help, I really do. But you have to rest, you clearly are in no condition to fuss around to try to help me. For now, just lay down... Sleep for a bit. And for the love of God, if the nurses or doctors tell you to do something : do it. Or I will personally come back to the hospital to kick your butt."

"You would love that, I have a very nice ass."

Blythe rolled her eyes and groaned at the joke.

"Can you be serious for thirty seconds or is it too hard for you..."

"Alright, alright. I'll listen to them, if they tell me to jump out the window, I'll make sure to do so. Before you go anywhere, please tell me the fact that I tried to pay attention to his face while I was getting stabbed is worth something."

"It is. It's worth a lot. Asterin and Alexander have gone to get some surveillance footage, we can cross reference with your description and hopefully get an identity."