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“How you feelin’?” Mark asked as we moved further into the room

“High as a kite,” Leo said with a so home”

“You’re not ready to go home,” Lily countered

“I’ain

They bickered like an old ht soothed me somehow

“Hospitals aren’t my favorite place to be, either,” Mark said in commiseration “I like to hold my own dick when I piss”

“A me do that now” He looked at me “How you doin’?”

“Me?” I asked in confusion “I’m fine”

“Heard you were shot,” Leo said, watching me I looked at Lily “She wasn’t the one who told me,” Leo said in amusement

“I’ a vest”

“She’s still black and blue,” Mark said, countering my words

“It’s a bruise,” Ibruise”

Leo laughed “Still can’t handle people worryin’ about you, huh?”

“There’s nothing to worry about,” I replied “I’ is fine”

“I’lad,” he said

“Me, too”

“I won’t thank you for what you did,” he said, his tone practically daring me to interrupt “And I won’t tell you that I remember when I felt you lay on top of me and cover my head with your arms”

I stopped breathing

“I won’t tell you that I was so out of it that, at first, I didn’t realize as happening, but I was scared as fuck once I figured it out, and the only thing that gave ht there with me”

My nose stung

“I also won’t tell you that you didn’t have to do that That I would’ve gladly taken a bullet if it o home to that sweet baby of yours”

I refused to blink as my eyes filled with tears

“I won’t tell you any of that because I know that you’ll find some way to dismiss it, and I’m not in the lad your sister’s got you back now and I hope you guys are stayin’ local so I don’t have to pay for tickets to San Diego every coupla months”

“We’re stayin’,” Mark said when I couldn’t reply “Cec has been eyeballin’ that property down the road from Casper and Farrah’s”