Post by newwwwusername on Jan 16, 2023 0:25:24 GMT
Full title on AO3 : When The Spotlight Isn't On Mr. Cellophane
Additional warnings : Smoking, self-injurious stimming, internalized ableism, general lack of understanding of neurodivergence, past emotional abuse from a spouse, referenced drinking
Chronology : Immediately after Amos leaves the courthouse
Background relationship : Roxie/Amos (past)
Headcanon : Autistic!Amos
Billy stood outside of the courthouse for a while after he left, smoking a cigarette and watching the hustle and bustle of reporters crowd the latest crime scene. He hadn't been expecting anything regarding Roxie to ever come up in his life again but, just when he thought he was free of all that junk, her to-be ex-husband came stumbling out of the building, a dazed look in his eyes.
"You okay there, Andy?" he asked, getting a frightened look in response. He went to repeat the question when Amos suddenly turned away and stumbled down into the nearest alleyway. He frowned and followed close behind. He wasn't even sure why he decided to follow- It's not like he and Amos had ever been particularly close. But, something about the man made him care enough to see what was wrong. Huh.
He looked down the small alleyway and quickly spotted Amos curled up against the wall, hitting himself in the head with one hand and clawing at his scalp with the other. Oh?
Billy quickly ran over and reached out to stop the violent motions but got a distressed hum in response to the contact. He didn't know what was happening, and that made him worry. He was Billy Flynn. The best lawyer in town. He'd learned the way of the court so well that he never lost a case. He didn't get confused.
But, oh he was confused now.
"Amos, can ya look at me?" he asked, his voice edged with panic as he dropped the I don't know his name bit. Amos shook his head frantically, much to Billy's annoyance. "Can you tell me what's wrong?" Another shake of the head. Billy sighed, sitting down next to the other man. He didn't know what was happening or what to do... The next best thing he could do was just wait it out, he supposed.
A few minutes passed, and Amos' self-injurious behavior began to slow down until it stopped completely, and he just sat there, silent as ever. He was firmly avoiding Billy's gaze, afraid of ridicule from the lawyer. He heard an intake of breath and prepared for the hateful comments to begin, just as they always had whenever Roxie found him like that. However, to his surprise, the hatred never came.
"You okay, Amos?"
"What?" Amos asked, throat suddenly dry. There was no way in hell the silver-tongued prince of the courtroom just saw that and was anything but disgusted with him, right?
"Are ya deaf?" Billy chuckled. "I asked if you're okay"
"Oh, uh" Amos swallowed nervously. "Yeah, I'm okay, Mr. Flynn" he muttered. "I'm real sorry you had to see that"
"I've seen worse" Billy dismissed. "I'm a lawyer" he added, getting a genuine smile from the other man, which he considered a win. "Do you wanna explain what it is I just saw?"
"That happens sometimes when I get real upset" Amos explained timidly, deciding he owed Billy some sort of explanation. He didn't, and Billy wouldn't have been upset if he didn't give one, but he still felt the need to. Who could blame him? He was just fresh off a relationship with a woman who chastised him for every little thing even though he'd been nothing but kind to her. "It's silly"
"Everyone has something" Billy shrugged. "You want a drink?"
"What?"
"You really gotta get your hearing checked, Andy" Billy chuckled. "I was gonna go get a drink, 'cause it's been a long day. Do you want to join me?"
"Oh, I'd really better not" Amos smiled weakly. "What, with rent, and-"
"It's on me" Billy waved his hand. Amos' smile became a bit less fake.
"I'd love to"
"Great" Billy stood up, holding out his hand to help up the shorter man. "Let's get goin' then"
Additional warnings : Smoking, self-injurious stimming, internalized ableism, general lack of understanding of neurodivergence, past emotional abuse from a spouse, referenced drinking
Chronology : Immediately after Amos leaves the courthouse
Background relationship : Roxie/Amos (past)
Headcanon : Autistic!Amos
Billy stood outside of the courthouse for a while after he left, smoking a cigarette and watching the hustle and bustle of reporters crowd the latest crime scene. He hadn't been expecting anything regarding Roxie to ever come up in his life again but, just when he thought he was free of all that junk, her to-be ex-husband came stumbling out of the building, a dazed look in his eyes.
"You okay there, Andy?" he asked, getting a frightened look in response. He went to repeat the question when Amos suddenly turned away and stumbled down into the nearest alleyway. He frowned and followed close behind. He wasn't even sure why he decided to follow- It's not like he and Amos had ever been particularly close. But, something about the man made him care enough to see what was wrong. Huh.
He looked down the small alleyway and quickly spotted Amos curled up against the wall, hitting himself in the head with one hand and clawing at his scalp with the other. Oh?
Billy quickly ran over and reached out to stop the violent motions but got a distressed hum in response to the contact. He didn't know what was happening, and that made him worry. He was Billy Flynn. The best lawyer in town. He'd learned the way of the court so well that he never lost a case. He didn't get confused.
But, oh he was confused now.
"Amos, can ya look at me?" he asked, his voice edged with panic as he dropped the I don't know his name bit. Amos shook his head frantically, much to Billy's annoyance. "Can you tell me what's wrong?" Another shake of the head. Billy sighed, sitting down next to the other man. He didn't know what was happening or what to do... The next best thing he could do was just wait it out, he supposed.
A few minutes passed, and Amos' self-injurious behavior began to slow down until it stopped completely, and he just sat there, silent as ever. He was firmly avoiding Billy's gaze, afraid of ridicule from the lawyer. He heard an intake of breath and prepared for the hateful comments to begin, just as they always had whenever Roxie found him like that. However, to his surprise, the hatred never came.
"You okay, Amos?"
"What?" Amos asked, throat suddenly dry. There was no way in hell the silver-tongued prince of the courtroom just saw that and was anything but disgusted with him, right?
"Are ya deaf?" Billy chuckled. "I asked if you're okay"
"Oh, uh" Amos swallowed nervously. "Yeah, I'm okay, Mr. Flynn" he muttered. "I'm real sorry you had to see that"
"I've seen worse" Billy dismissed. "I'm a lawyer" he added, getting a genuine smile from the other man, which he considered a win. "Do you wanna explain what it is I just saw?"
"That happens sometimes when I get real upset" Amos explained timidly, deciding he owed Billy some sort of explanation. He didn't, and Billy wouldn't have been upset if he didn't give one, but he still felt the need to. Who could blame him? He was just fresh off a relationship with a woman who chastised him for every little thing even though he'd been nothing but kind to her. "It's silly"
"Everyone has something" Billy shrugged. "You want a drink?"
"What?"
"You really gotta get your hearing checked, Andy" Billy chuckled. "I was gonna go get a drink, 'cause it's been a long day. Do you want to join me?"
"Oh, I'd really better not" Amos smiled weakly. "What, with rent, and-"
"It's on me" Billy waved his hand. Amos' smile became a bit less fake.
"I'd love to"
"Great" Billy stood up, holding out his hand to help up the shorter man. "Let's get goin' then"