looking at him is his favorite thing to do, you know. it has been for some time, and regan wishes it felt easy to do this time; instead, he's just barely glancing, flickering his eyes away, flinching from the sight of his labored breaths and wincing at the smell of iron in the air. he comes forward readily when he's pulled and his chin dips, watery eyes locking with holden's, and it's then that he somewhat begins to register the guidance. breathe, the man with the wooden stake lodged between his ribs tells him, and he swallows tightly over the plea reverberating both of his eardrums. "...okay," he whispers, the word thick in a tight throat. "i will. get you home," as holden lowers into the seat, regan does what he can to assist him; guides his hip, secures his foot inside, shuts the door and then whips around ( again, too fast, scrambling with hyper feet around the front of the truck ) to the driver's side.
for the first time in his life, he genuinely forgets to buckle up β or maybe he just doesn't care, it could be either. his gaze flickers to holden when he's being given instruction even now, and while there is a large part of him that wants to argue, but just the mention of cops is enough to make him pale. his second enemy on earth. it goes doctors, and then cops. "okayokayokay," this is hissed out through his teeth as he's pulling away, head shaking, rejecting even just the idea of that happening. no cops, he's thinking. no cops, no cops, no cops. while they're driving, he connects his phone with a shaking left hand to the car's speaker, speed dials his sister. she picks up on the second ring. "scout?" he shouts into the car, and a groggy yet concerned voice comes through the car speakers: "bubba? what's wrong?" β "kids in bed. all of them, even sawyer. especially sawyer. kids in bed, potions ready, pullout set up, towels all over it, anything first aid you can find," all of this is said with an urgency, his eyes firm on the road, hands trembling on the wheel. "whoa, what? reganβ" his sister starts, and regan ends the call before she can ask any questions, eyes wide on the road; one hand, reached out to squeeze his shoulder, the other on the wheel. "talk to me, holden. talk to me, please. you gotta stay awake, baby. stay awake."
this is a pathetic display, he knows; tears in his eyes as he just-borders on speeding towards his house, holden half-dead next to him, somehow the calm one in this situation. it's all his fault, he knows, too.