The Iron Man [Serial]

Mending

After David's light show, we walked from the Necropolis to Mena House. There were drivers for the vehicles that carried equipment or luggage, but by and large, we processed in our intimate groupings along a common path. The particular positions in which some walked—close without being too close and exchanging glances—gave evidence to relationships within our group, but at the time I gave it little mind, as I pushed Murphy's chair along the road.

It was a three-wheeled wood and cane rolling chair; two large wheels at its sides and one behind. This third wheel made it awkward to push from behind. It seemed designed for a person retaining more strength of upper limbs than lower, but Murphy's need was for overall support while his body still wearied quickly after his long sleep.

I didn't complain. Neither did Murphy complain when the chair got stuck or I had to maneuver around some obstacle. As we neared the hotel, there was a step, and Hedone, who was near, offered to help lift the chair.

"I'll walk," Murphy said.

Hedone remained near as Murphy pushed himself from the chair then walked up the step with his cane. I lifted the chair over the step.

Inside, Murphy remained standing. He looked at me.

"Are you sharing a room, Jean?"

"Most of us are—" I realized belatedly what he'd said. I laughed. "You must be tired to call me that."

"What?"

Hedone looked from e to Murphy, then said quietly, "It sounded like you called him Jean."

I don't know how to describe Murphy's expression.

"I am so sorry," he said.

I shook my head. "It's fine."

"Jules," Murphy said.

"Let me just go speak to Garin," Hedone said, before rushing off.

"Jules," Murphy said again.

"Ha." I sighed.

He smiled at me.

"Shall I help you to bed?"

Murphy nodded.

I put my right arm about his waist so that he might lean on me. At the stairs, we happened across Caroline as she was ascending alone. When she reached the top of the stairs, she turned back for a moment to watch us climb, and though Murphy did not slow, he leaned heavily on me.

"If you need something for pain, or a sleeping powder, Thierry likely has some," she said.

Murphy said nothing, but clutched at my shoulder.

"Non, merci. Bonne nuit, Caroline."

"Bonne nuit, Julien." Caroline took her leave of us and continued along the hall.

"Do I know her?" Murphy asked.

"We saw her, in Venèxia, on the terrace. She is Thierry Jewel's sister, and though he was mixed-up in that Velvet market business with Jean-Daniel, he has been recruited by The Malik for the special cabinet due to his knowledge of chemistry."

"Did they—? It wasn't them who attacked me?"

I was uncertain how to answer. I had always hoped that when Murphy woke he would tell us who assaulted him on the Lido. I knew, secretly, due to something I had since found amongst his possessions, that Murphy had been lured to that spot. But, I was also certain the small note I had discovered could not be from whom it said.

"Do you not know yourself?" I whispered. "Murphy, I know you received a note, and Valentine had assumed you'd gone to meet me, but I'm sure that note was a forgery, whomever you believed it from." There were two of us who might have used the same initials.

Murphy was silent. I stood there in the corridor, with his arms draped over my shoulders, for what felt like a long time.

"You found it yourself?" He then asked.

"In your jacket pocket, along with some other small items."

"If someone else had found it and blamed one of you for what happened to me...." Murphy's lips touched my face ever so briefly.

It would have been like Apollo's suspicions that some Lido nightflower had rolled Murphy, except with me as the suspect. At least, they had no capital punishment in the Impero.

"Let's get you to bed," I said.

When we came to my room, Hedone and Garin were at the open door, loading a luggage cart.

"Garin's going to go stay with Dolores," Hedone explained.

"We were all sharing," I said, as I lead Murphy into our hotel room.

"Two beds," he observed.

"All right then. Good night!" Garin carried his small foot locker from the room.

"Ha," I said, as Hedone closed the door.

"I'm not tired; I just want to have a lie down for a bit," Murphy said. He walked past his luggage to the bed Garin had vacated. 

"I have some mending to do," I said.

Murphy looked directly at me then, as he took down the keffiyeh from his head. 

I had meant I had garments in need of repair and decoration, but I did not need to be told the time apart had broken what we'd had. And, as I went to collect my sewing kit, I knew I didn't even want what we'd had. I'd already grieved over the loss of what we potentially could be.

I wanted that. Everything we might be together. More and better.

I was only just experienced enough to know that wasn't going to come immediately or all at once, but I knew it was time to start.

I took up my sewing kit and a few shirts and then I scrambled up over Murphy's legs to sit beside him on the bed.

He didn't tell me to move.

So, I stayed.

"My lavender shirt. That was you?"

"Ha. It had a blood-stain and a small hole."

"And you didn't throw it out?"

"I wanted to wear it. I did. I wore all your clothes, Murphy," I confessed. "I wanted you to be there so much that I had to be you!"

"Yet you are more yourself than ever." Murphy touched a finger to my chin. "You turned a symbol of injury and defeat into one of defiance. I'll wear it tomorrow."

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Chapter 72! The Iron Man has passed 3,200 reads and 500 votes. And, I debuted the 'vinty' cover. Followers or those who have The Iron Man in their library will probably already have seen I made a new Extra chapter for the alternate covers.

The media for this chapter is the video for 'Fix You' by Coldplay. I was uncertain what I was going to write for this chapter and then the word 'mending' came to mind while I was working on covers. And when I searched for songs about mending, this eventually came up.

I don't think we 'fix' people, but I do think it's a natural human reaction to try or wish to fix a person if we think something is wrong. But, really, we fix problems, or injuries, or illness, or things that are broken, whether they be tangible or otherwise.

I think the next chapter may be an investigation of The Great Pyramid, or at least the beginning of that.