[Asher eyes the other carefully- He very badly wants to ask what happened, mostly because he's irritated that anyone would think to strike someone who looked this miserable. There is a chance that Jin earned the scratches on his own by not being vigilant, as that's easy enough to do here, but Asher isn't too sure he trusts all of their teammates to be forgiving.
The scent of vodka is familiar, harsh. It stings his nostrils as he pours just a tad out onto whatever paper towel he's brought with him, although he focuses his attention on Jin's face soon after.
There is something deep within that hurts as he applies the makeshift wipe to the other's forehead, knowing it will sting.]
Take care of yourself, okay?
It's easy to screw that up when you're not feeling great about yourself. Trust me, I know.
[He winces in pain, recoiling away from Asher's touch when the alcohol touches his open wound. It's not deep, really, for as bad as it looks: Genji hadn't done entirely too much damage when he'd scuffled with Jin. Fortunate, for both the wounded and the makeshift nurse.
He huffs. For as much as Asher cares, it's clear that he doesn't truly know what Jin's life had been like. What it is still like.]
Easier said than done. Believe me.
if jin gets an infection does it count as an std (shittily transmitted disease)
[While it's true Asher may not quite understand, as his identity has never been under fire in quite the same way, he can certainly gauge just how badly it's impacted Jin's confidence.
Clueless in some respects, Asher thinks back to his own experiences in court. The teen has been under some very close scrutiny this evening, but there is something genuine and gentle in the way the older man regards him.
After a long breath of silence, he continues in a whisper.]
Did somebody hurt you?
[Asher gingerly brushes a hair from Jin's face, re-examining the wound.]
No, [he answers a little too quickly,] no one. Not like that. Just a fight that was my own fault.
[Jin falls silent, eyes darting away from Asher's face. He's got a feeling that Asher's digging a little, but what is there to tell? He'd made all of his choices on his own, in the end. It'd been his own decision to run away, to steal and scrape by, to abandon the Kung clan's legacy rather than pretend to be something he wasn't.
No one had hurt him. Not for being gay.
But god, had every word his mother spat gouged right into him, jagged, cutting deep under his skin.
It's lucky that Asher is so bad at this first aid thing: the sting of the alcohol breaks him from his thoughts, and he hisses in pain, swearing under his breath.] Shit, that stings.
[He opens his mouth at that last little exclamation, looking away for a moment, as if to process.]
It's okay to be sad, sometimes.
Like, you need that time to feel whatever it is you've been feeling...
[Asher can't quite figure it out. What is it that made Jin so upset? He was sure that it had been something like attacking an abuser, maybe even causing a serious injury, but now it doesn't seem like that's right at all.]
And I know this sounds crazy, but like! No matter how awful you think you are, there's always gonna be someone who's willing to accept you. Y'know, for you.
Jin gnaws at the inside of his lip, as if trying to bite back the words, but he's been too forthcoming this evening to keep it from spilling out of his mouth.]
Asher, you don't-- [understand, you'll never understand, he can't know what it feels like; he hadn't been accepted, that was the entire reason he'd shaped himself into this pathetic street kid of a thief, wasn't it? He sits up straighter and pulls back from Asher, eyes despondent.]
You don't know what it's like for me. You can't know how hard it is for me to believe that.
[He can buy that he gets better. That he becomes more. But 'always' seems too good to be true.]
[Asher's first response instinct is to be indignant, the kind of fire that typically boils up inside of him whenever his classmates suggest that he hasn't been through anything at all, but it subsides quickly.
That's true, isn't it? What does he know of poverty, of the people who were thrown aside by men like his father. The systems of money and power protect only the privileged few. Learning that his charmed existence had been guaranteed in exchange for an innocent man's life has shaken him deeply, and for that he is (surprisingly) sorry.
But his guilt isn't enough, it doesn't change anything.]
Well, believe it then.
[He will try, from here on out, to change things.
His attempts will be naive and ill-informed at first, but he'll get there. This is an opportunity to start over.]
I don't care what it is, you don't have to tell me.
[Asher looks over at the man, nay, child sitting before him. Perhaps it is foolish for him to assume that the other has done nothing all that wrong, as Asher has yet to find out what crimes his classmates have committed, but he does.
A guy who takes pity on an imbecile can't be all that bad, right?]
I'm cool with whoever you are. With whoever you wanna be.
[A resigned sigh.
Somewhere, deep down, something changes.
Maybe he could have used a little bit of this growing up.]
Let's get you ready for bed, okay? It looks like you could really use some sleep.
The honest, well-meaning words won't heal all the wounds that fester in his heart. It won't change that Asher really doesn't know what he's talking about here. But he's insisting on them all in spite of it. He hasn't given up. He hasn't left-- and here he is, still patching up the wounds of a kid who's still trying to push him away. Shouldn't that count for something? Anything, at all?
He might even trust him with the truth one day.
But for now, he'll take the help. He is sore and exhausted; as far as days go, he'd like to get this one over with as soon as possible.]
[When he wakes, five years older, he'll remember none of this: just an odd feeling of gratitude, a sense that he should call and thank Asher. For what, he knows not.
He doesn't, of course.
Jin can't trust him yet. Sentimentality is nothing to go on-- and besides, whatever his teenage self had said or done couldn't have made much of a difference.]
no subject
i mean, have u seen ellen pompeo???? the woman is fire]
Uh, right. Yeah!
Sorry.
[he doesn't kno how 2 do this]
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[With a sigh, Jin scoots closer, eyeing Asher with uncertainty.]
If that's all you have, I guess it'll still work. To clean the cuts, I mean.
im so mad... asher. did u even wash ur haNDS
The scent of vodka is familiar, harsh. It stings his nostrils as he pours just a tad out onto whatever paper towel he's brought with him, although he focuses his attention on Jin's face soon after.
There is something deep within that hurts as he applies the makeshift wipe to the other's forehead, knowing it will sting.]
Take care of yourself, okay?
It's easy to screw that up when you're not feeling great about yourself. Trust me, I know.
[Empathy, a virtue and a vice.
Hopefully it won't do him in.]
this is unsanitary asher ur doing it all wrong
[He winces in pain, recoiling away from Asher's touch when the alcohol touches his open wound. It's not deep, really, for as bad as it looks: Genji hadn't done entirely too much damage when he'd scuffled with Jin. Fortunate, for both the wounded and the makeshift nurse.
He huffs. For as much as Asher cares, it's clear that he doesn't truly know what Jin's life had been like. What it is still like.]
Easier said than done. Believe me.
if jin gets an infection does it count as an std (shittily transmitted disease)
[While it's true Asher may not quite understand, as his identity has never been under fire in quite the same way, he can certainly gauge just how badly it's impacted Jin's confidence.
Clueless in some respects, Asher thinks back to his own experiences in court. The teen has been under some very close scrutiny this evening, but there is something genuine and gentle in the way the older man regards him.
After a long breath of silence, he continues in a whisper.]
Did somebody hurt you?
[Asher gingerly brushes a hair from Jin's face, re-examining the wound.]
god i hope not. also here comes the homophobia ):
[Jin falls silent, eyes darting away from Asher's face. He's got a feeling that Asher's digging a little, but what is there to tell? He'd made all of his choices on his own, in the end. It'd been his own decision to run away, to steal and scrape by, to abandon the Kung clan's legacy rather than pretend to be something he wasn't.
No one had hurt him. Not for being gay.
But god, had every word his mother spat gouged right into him, jagged, cutting deep under his skin.
It's lucky that Asher is so bad at this first aid thing: the sting of the alcohol breaks him from his thoughts, and he hisses in pain, swearing under his breath.] Shit, that stings.
no subject
It's okay to be sad, sometimes.
Like, you need that time to feel whatever it is you've been feeling...
[Asher can't quite figure it out. What is it that made Jin so upset? He was sure that it had been something like attacking an abuser, maybe even causing a serious injury, but now it doesn't seem like that's right at all.]
And I know this sounds crazy, but like! No matter how awful you think you are, there's always gonna be someone who's willing to accept you. Y'know, for you.
no subject
Jin gnaws at the inside of his lip, as if trying to bite back the words, but he's been too forthcoming this evening to keep it from spilling out of his mouth.]
Asher, you don't-- [understand, you'll never understand, he can't know what it feels like; he hadn't been accepted, that was the entire reason he'd shaped himself into this pathetic street kid of a thief, wasn't it? He sits up straighter and pulls back from Asher, eyes despondent.]
You don't know what it's like for me. You can't know how hard it is for me to believe that.
[He can buy that he gets better. That he becomes more. But 'always' seems too good to be true.]
no subject
That's true, isn't it? What does he know of poverty, of the people who were thrown aside by men like his father. The systems of money and power protect only the privileged few. Learning that his charmed existence had been guaranteed in exchange for an innocent man's life has shaken him deeply, and for that he is (surprisingly) sorry.
But his guilt isn't enough, it doesn't change anything.]
Well, believe it then.
[He will try, from here on out, to change things.
His attempts will be naive and ill-informed at first, but he'll get there. This is an opportunity to start over.]
I don't care what it is, you don't have to tell me.
[Asher looks over at the man, nay, child sitting before him. Perhaps it is foolish for him to assume that the other has done nothing all that wrong, as Asher has yet to find out what crimes his classmates have committed, but he does.
A guy who takes pity on an imbecile can't be all that bad, right?]
I'm cool with whoever you are. With whoever you wanna be.
[A resigned sigh.
Somewhere, deep down, something changes.
Maybe he could have used a little bit of this growing up.]
Let's get you ready for bed, okay? It looks like you could really use some sleep.
1/2
The honest, well-meaning words won't heal all the wounds that fester in his heart. It won't change that Asher really doesn't know what he's talking about here. But he's insisting on them all in spite of it. He hasn't given up. He hasn't left-- and here he is, still patching up the wounds of a kid who's still trying to push him away. Shouldn't that count for something? Anything, at all?
He might even trust him with the truth one day.
But for now, he'll take the help. He is sore and exhausted; as far as days go, he'd like to get this one over with as soon as possible.]
Yeah, I... I could really use some rest.
2/2
He doesn't, of course.
Jin can't trust him yet. Sentimentality is nothing to go on-- and besides, whatever his teenage self had said or done couldn't have made much of a difference.]