scawwy ✦ karlach cliffgate

[recession]

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[recession]

It's where I'll be spending the rest of my time until tomorrow's event, I'm sure.

[ Yep, right back onto the bed he goes where he is just going to fucking become a useless body, wincing as his muscles try to relax. He glances up at her once he's there. ]

Thank you.

[ablazement]

[helps him up, tail flicking back and forth anxiously. once he's settled, she eases down on the ground next to the bed, with a sigh.]

Of course. [a beat.] If you need someone to lean on tomorrow, you know who to ask.

[recession]

[ He makes a rueful, somewhat strained noise. ]

If I could, I just wouldn't go at all.

[ablazement]

Yeah, if it were possible I'd just have you stay here.

Really? Just - all over pain? The fuck is that.

[recession]

Ugh -- no, it's specifically from my injury today but -- it hurts. Way more than it should. Not that I exactly have a scale for being slashed nearly in two, but.

[ Kind of helplessly sort of shrugs, wincing instead. ]

Fortunately, I'm not hanging on by sinew anymore, but it feels like it.

[ablazement]

[frowning...]

That's how mine was, but. [she's way more accustomed to pain.] Ugh. Don't say hanging on by a sinew. I've already got enough stress.

[recession]

[ He fucking wheezes in this bed. ]

S'rry.

[ablazement]

[BUDDY]

Do you want more water? [fusses...] You're going to have to kick me out, because I'm not going anywhere otherwise.

[at least for a bit. she has to go upset herself talking to camille at some point.]

[recession]

I don't think I'll have the strength to kick you out, Karlach.

[ Honestly, with an almost creaky wheezy laugh. What a state he's in -- tired, immensely wounded, in pain, and just about in delirium. Also mood on having to go upset yourself talking to the pyre guys. ]

[ablazement]

[she wrinkles her nose at him, sticking out her tongue like a big five year old.]

That's right, you won't. [a beat.] D'you think heat would help at all? Like a compress.

[recession]

Ufh... I don't know.

[ At this point, asking him to brain his own medical state is a lot. He tries though, trying to think through the feverish haze, raising a hand to rub at his good eye tiredly. ]

Cool towel. That's what they always had for kids with fevers. A quiet Whisper would've fixed this, maybe. Make it better. Heat's for releasing tension. No good for fresh wounds.

[ablazement]

[well, she is not very good at cold, but. she watches him for a second.]

Alright - just sit tight, then. I'll be back.

[and she pulls herself up and goes off somewhere? she'll be back in like half an hour. maybe forty-five minutes. she's got like several cans of things that were in the freezers in the gas station, wrapped up like the world's shittiest ice packs.

she'll come over and tuck one against his side, carefully. she is trying so hard, daan.]

[recession]

[ It's fine. He'll just be delirious for a while and also depressed about the state of affairs of things.

When she's back though, he kind of stirs alive again only to relax a bit at the cold cans. He sighs, bringing one to his forehead with a slight wince. ]

That's fantastic. Good thinking.

[ablazement]

[taking care of people makes it so she doesn't have to think about the existential dread of all her friends being dead!]

Thanks. [she says, relieved. she'll stay a bit away so her heat doesn't make them not cold, but.] Portable cold bringer, that's me.

[recession]

[ We really are both going through the dread of all our friends dying but we are definitely taking it different ways. ]

...

You don't need to force yourself to crack jokes to make me feel better.

[ablazement]

[brings you this on the subject of friends]

I'm... [a pause, as she starts to argue that, and then she just exhales.] It's all I've got right now.

[recession]

Just don't want you to be forcing it for my sake.

[ He can only vaguely laugh, a hollow noise. ]

[ablazement]

[a little shrug.]

It's not just you. [that she's forcing it for.]

[recession]

... You ever get worried you act too much?

[ablazement]

Think I should be worried?

[recession]

...

Ah, no... it's nothing. Stray thought.

[ablazement]

[curiously:] Do you worry you act too much?

[recession]

...

I don't know.

Mr. Iwatooshi told me something like that. Like he thinks I'm holding something back sometimes.

Do I come off that way?

[ablazement]

[she tilts her head back, thinking.]

You're a private person. But that's not an act, that's just how you are. [...] You've been through so fucking much, and that's just the shit I know about. You do what you've got to, in order to function.

[recession]

...I'll tell you what I told him, I suppose -- that it's commendable how honest and open you both can be.

It's impressive. Not that I ever felt like I was trying to hide much... not for malicious reasons.

Sounds like you can get a grasp as to why.

[ Because it's fucking miserable all the time. ]