Coming Home

[fishandclips]

Australia was supposed to be an easy trip... In so far as traveling across the world to visit a continent that is actively out to kill you can be considered "easy." It wasn't that he had not enjoyed himself... some of the time. But he never would have agreed to this blasted trip if he had known what was in store for him.

He is absurdly grateful to be back on the ground once his flight back to America lands. Extending his trip had been a nightmare, but the doctors had refused to clear him to return on his original flight date. Shaun and Georgia had been apoplectic, and he just knew he was going to be hearing about that for the next... however long. Maybe there would be an outbreak somewhere soon to distract them.

By the time he makes his way through security and customs and is able to head outside to the pick up area, his head feels like it may just split apart. All he wants is to climb into a car and sleep until they're back to their flat, and then maybe sleep for a day or ten.

Mahir knows the odds of that happening are slim to fucking none, because he lives with Shaun and Georgia Mason, and he's been on a bloody airplane for almost sixteen hours, which means he hasn't been able to do anything with the site. Not that he'd been up to doing much in the days since his concussion, either. Things are probably such a mess, and just the idea of having to clear it up (or worse, look at his emails) makes him tired. More tired.

There. He spots the car and heads for it, beyond relieved to see Shaun and Georgia already waiting for him.

Comments

[adaptiveimmunities]

Shaun is pacing next to the car. He feels itchy in a way that he's not quite able to articulate, so it's coming out as even more restlessness than usual. He's been like this for over a week--ever since they first lost contact with Mahir--and he knows he's driving George crazy, but it's not like he's the only one being a pain in the ass. George has been practically unbearable, and not even calling to yell at Mahir's doctors had made her tolerable.

He glances at his watch. "Has his plane fucking landed yet?"

[choosetruth]

George heaved out a sigh and shot Shaun an irritated look through her sunglasses. She feels just as out of sorts as he does, of course, but you don't see her pacing a hole in the sidewalk.

She has broken two pens. But that's completely different.

"I promise, as soon as I see him or develop a psychic connection to the airplane, I'll let you fucking--Mahir!"

And then she does, in fact, see him. She feels a surge of relief that surprises her in its intensity. It's only long habit that has her snagging the back of Shaun's shirt before he can take off running.

"Blood test first."

She produces one from her pocket and tosses it at Mahir. One of the first signs you might be turning is a loss of coordination.

Of course, that's also a sign of a concussion. Even so.

[fishandclips]

"Oh, for--" Mahir lets out a string of Extremely British curses under his breath. He doesn't nearly fumble the catch because he's turning, or even because of the concussion. It has more to do with the fact that his hands are full with his luggage, and he's in the middle of walking, but he doesn't drop the test.

His suitcase, however, topples over onto the sidewalk and his laptop bag follows with a loud clunk. Lovely, god knows what state his equipment is likely to be in now. He sighs and jams his hand into the test, leveling a frustrated look in Georgia's direction. "Yes, thank you. Welcome home, Mahir; we've missed you, Mahir; how are you feeling, Mahir. Do you know, I've had at least three of these since that infernal plane landed. If I'm amplifying, it's due to blood loss from all of these sodding tests."

He really is happy to see them, despite his current levels of frustration and exhaustion.

[adaptiveimmunities]

Shaun is less cautious than George--it helps that nothing short of actually killing him is going to make him amplify, and even that's still a question mark he's not ready to turn into a period--and he starts toward Mahir as soon as he comes into sight. He doesn't bother waiting for the blood test to work its magic before pulling him into a hug.

"Glad you're back. George was a mess."