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Lucas continues to drag Liam until the door gets kicked shut behind them. It unfortunately looks like they've walked into one of the rooms at his local shelter, but there's a creaking spring bed, so it suits the purpose. If they even make it to the bed. He just drops Liam on the ground once they've reached the middle of the room and starts pacing in front of him, trying to work up some of his old anger. In a moment, maybe he'll remember Liam is there.

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"You are welcome." Lucas flicks his cigarette again and stares across the room, the ghosts of what went through his mind during still spinning there.

He knows he shouldn't ask, but he can't help it. "...Why did you cry? While we were..."

"It made me remember many things."

"Oh. I'm sorry."

"Do not be. It was not your intention." He looks a bit surprised that Liam would even think to say that.

Liam shrugs, tracing his finger lightly over the ruined veins in Lucas's arm. "Yeah. But still."

It makes him shiver, though he suppresses it quickly. He looks at Liam.

"... I have too many memories."

Liam nods, both in sympathy and empathy, distracting himself by lifting his shirt and examining the burn on his stomach.

"It is why I began to take my drugs." This is a good moment to pocket that money, now that he thinks about it.

He examines his own unblemished arm thoughtfully. "I wanna try. Show me how."

He frowns. "Why?"

"Doesn't matter why. Please?"

"It matters."

Liam shrugs. "I'll tell you after. And I'll psy you for it."

"You will tell me first." Lucas' furrowed harder.

"You're not always gonna be around to focus my pain," he explains, uncharacteristically shy. "I need another outlet, or else I'll end up doing something stupid when my feelings get to be too much."

"Morphine is the opposite of pain," Lucas says quietly, looking down at his arm. "It will not supply that need."

"Physical pain dulls emotional pain. So does morphine. Please, Lucas?"

He thinks about it for a minute, looking Liam over, then frowns.

"No."

"Why not?"

"I will not be the one responsible for a future that is like mine." His fingers curl into a fist beside his leg.

"Then I'm just gonna find somewhere else to do it. Somewhere less safe, where people can take advantage of me." Liam pouts, feeling inexplicably hurt and thus behaving like a bratty child.

Ouch. Lucas stares at him and breathes for a second.

"If you wish to hurt... find me then. I will find something."

Liam shrugs, drawing his knees up to his chest and holding them tightly.

"You should let me. You should let me because you shouldn't care what happens to me."

Lucas hesitates, biting his tongue.

"... I care that it is not my responsibility," he lies quietly. "And that you will pay me another day."