Sober Ain't No Fun

[Tom Collins]

"Home, sweet home!" Collins grinned, shutting the apartment door behind him. He carried Angel over to the couch and put her down, then made a big deal out of his sore back by stretching quite obnoxiously. "Damn girl, you get heavy after three blocks and four flights of stairs."

He stopped stretching for a moment and winced as his head began to hurt. "Aw shit, a hangover already? Ugh. Sober ain't no fun."

[Angel Dumott Schunard]

"I told you you could put me down, honey." Angel reminded him, smirking at his dramatic stretching. Her face turned more serious as he complained of a hangover. "Already? That was quick..."

She took her crutches and put them against the floor, pushing herself painstakingly to her feet. "Here, you lie down, and I'll go get some aspirin for you." She swung off into the kitchen, hiding the fact that her hips hurt with every step as best she could. She didn't want Collins worrying about her.

[Tom Collins]

"Hey, I'm supposed to be your knight in shining armour - and knights in shining armour never let their princesses walk home, especially not when they're hurt. Have you never seen a Disney movie?" Collins asked, sitting down on the couch where Angel had just been. "And you'd better not be in pain right now. I don't want you doing anything that'll hurt you."

[Angel Dumott Schunard]

"You /are/ my knight in shining armor," Angel called over her shoulder. "The ones in the movies usually have horses, remember?" She giggled, crutching over to the cupboard to grab the pills.

"I'm fine, baby." She paused, wondering how to reach a cupboard above her head when she had to hang onto her crutches. Finally, she left one under her arm and let go, reaching up to open the door. She had just grabbed the pill bottle when the crutch slipped out from under her arm and sent her stumbling against the counter. The rattle of the pill bottle helped to cover up her quiet hiss of pain.

She quickly grabbed her crutch again and got resituated, sticking the bottle in her pocket. She somehow managed to fill a plastic cup with water, then, holding the edge of the cup in her teeth, went back into the living room. She crutched up to Collins and reached up to grab the cup, holding it out to him. "Here, honey."

[Tom Collins]

"Ang, you okay?" Collins called out toward the kitchen as he heard something rattle against the counter, then shrugged and figured that she was fine, as she didn't answer. He frowned as Angel crutched into the room - she was obviously struggling.

"Thanks, baby girl," he said, taking the cup from her hand. "Um... did you forget the aspirin?"

[Angel Dumott Schunard]

"No, it's right here." Angel reached into her pocket, grabbed the pill bottle, and handed it to him. After a moment, she wavered on her feet, her legs not wanting to support her weight any longer. She quickly sat down next to Collins, hiding her momentary weakness. Knowing Collins would've noticed, she gave him a reassuring grin.