deercountry | [Open] 🚬 June Flames

[Scars, Nara'a is used to seeing. He's an adventurer at least, and he's familiar with the injuries that can come from it. His own injuries are hidden under his clothing - black pants and a loose brown shirt, with a brown cloak on top. It's easy to slip on over his existing equipment. He's a fighter, but he's also aware of how hard it can be to get blood out of fine materials. No thank you.]

[But he isn't used to seeing fresh wounds - there's someone who's walking there with a limp and bruises, someone he doesn't know but... it doesn't matter. He walks towards Dabi in the marketplace, pushing carefully past other people to get near the man.]

Hello - hey. Yes, you. Are you all right? I have a healing spell I can use if you need.

[It's his red mage gear on underneath - his rapier and focus are concealed but within reach. Vercure's better than nothing...]

[his own clothes are the same as normal, a thin white shirt, dark cargo pants, and a long coat with metal cuffs on the short sleeves and the lower half torn into sewn-together tails. though all that's momentarily covered by the black cloak given to him at the very start of his journey here. doesn't do much to hide the scars on his face, however, or his arms, since the sleeves are rolled up to bunch behind the metal cuffs of his coat.

moving forward is a chore, his steps almost dragging and his body leaning forward. dabi keeps to the outer side of the market, home the destination in his mind. though it's clouded by the memories and thoughts, the lack of sleep pulling at his body and mental functions like hands grasping to haul him back.

the first attempt doesn't do anything, the second neither, but the question if he's all right finally breaks through and dabi turns his head to look sleepily at the other man.]

Whaddya want?

[not in the mood for this.]

[He's tired and hiding cracking skin himself, the lines on his arms hidden by the sleeves on his shirt. He smiles kindly at the young man, nodding.]

You look exhausted. What's been going on? You look like you've been through a fight recently. I can help with those, a little.

[He's no white mage - he can't weave aether back together with the ease of someone trained in it since birth or at least since childhood, but he also doesn't like seeing other people hurting. His own hurts are secondary compared to the -]

[Something catches his attention out of the corner of his eye. Is that... no, there's nothing on the young man's back. It looked like it for a moment, but it's not there. ... He's pretty sure, at least.]

I know I'm new here and you don't know me, but I'd like to help.

[they can compare wrecked bodies another time. he doesn't seem to react much to the kind smile, eyes half-lidded and somewhat glazed with denied sleep.]

No shit. [feels exhausted too. dabi snorts slightly.] None of ya business.

[doesn't feel like talking about his sleeping problems. though the mention of a fight gets ignored, the offer to help with the injuries isn't. his eyes narrow slightly, not tired enough to be unable to think.]

And in return?

[dabi's not a man who believes in "free" when something like "help" is offered. the kindness of the heart is just another one of those damn "heroic" traits people exude to get something they want. plus, this place runs on trade.]

Hn. Sorry for you.

[being new here and all. the sarcasm lacing his voice is pretty clear.]

... I'm not asking for anything in return.

[He's aware of the trade system here by now, but thehre's still such things as gifts and doing the right thing. He has to believe in that kindness, even when there's people like this man who don't seem to like that. He's -]

[- No, there's definitely something on the other's back. He stares past Dabi for a second before returning to his gaze with a sigh. It's a sarcastic one - someone who's being defensive. Maybe he was a little harsh.]

I'm not that sorry. But... ah...

[How does he even ask this without sounding crazy? ... He should just go for it.]

There's... something on your back...

This one of ya daily good deeds then?

[he's seen handouts before, given by people who have more than enough, offered out of pity or some kind of self-servicing arrogance to make themselves feel better for "helping" someone worse off than them. ironically, it's the exhaustion that has him lingering instead of walking away immediately.

it's the sudden moment of distraction, and then the comment about his back, that has him setting his jaw and straightening up. shoulders roll and he arches his back once or twice before reaching behind him and pulling on the coat a few times to shake whatever it is off.]

Now?

[He shakes his head. Both of the questions - it's not a 'daily good deed', it's just the right thing to do. There's no counter for any of it, no cosmic balance that has to tip one way or another - he's just glad to be able to help people.]

[But the thing is still there, and he's hesitant to cast a spell for fear of hitting the young man. It's clinging on tightly, whatever it is. As the shape comes into better focus it's... awful. Long nails and scaly skin, attached to the other like some kind of weird piggyback ride.]

No. It's still there.

[just a simple shake of the head conveys all that and dabi growls softly in disgust. another one of those damn "heroes" who seek to help where there's no call for. he wonders if this one has the same chance as ending like the first one to try that here. pretty fatal price to pay for that help...

but for some reason, maybe it's because he's so tired and drained, the affirmation that thing on his back is still here? that gets a more irritated response and dabi reaches back to grab the hood and neck of the cloak. with one big pull, he drags the entire thing over his head and off his arms, stripping the cloak off. then gives it a few shakes before tossing it over the nearby stall's counter.]

There.

[For a moment it looks like the thing's getting dislodged, but in the moments he can't see it as the cloak is pulled off... he has no idea. All he knows is that -]

It's still on your back.

[This... is going to take some more work.]

I'd hit it to try to get it off, but I don't want to hit you.

[He's here to help, not to harm, so hurting the other is the absolute last thing he wants to do.]

[dabi shrugs his shoulders to settle the coat on his body, half to get it comfortable, half to try and make sure whatever was on him was gone. but it's when the man says it's still on him that his eyes narrow.]

Ya tryin to fuck with me?

[the first time, he was too tired to do more than grumpily acquiesce. but now, it's starting to irritate him. he can't feel shit on his back.

motes of blue flame start to puff and spit into being along his shoulders and back, immediately filling the area close around him with a high heat. he's going to torch himself in a few seconds.]

No, I'm not trying to fuck with you.

[He watches the fire start, backing up slightly to avoid anything catching. He's not sure how he's doing it, but he's not going to question the other.]

[But as the flames start up on the creature, he can sense more than see the same flames on the other.]

Are you immune to heat and fire, by any chance?

[his tired brain makes hastier decisions than his non-tired brain would. and one of those decisions includes sending fire rushing up along his back and blowing off in a plume of blue flames that scorch the air around him.

if he feels any sensation of burning, dabi isn't showing it, the fire fading out once he's done with that quick upward jet. whatever's one his back should be gone by now. unless it's some insane creature that can tolerate some insane degrees celsius.]

Now?

[He watches the jet pierce through the thing, loosening its grip and burning up.]

It seems to have let go. Do you feel any different?

[He wants to ask if he feels 'better', but he gets the sense this guy will just make fun of him for the sentiment.]

... I wonder why it was clinging to you? Do you remember anything happening recently that was unusual?

[dabi snorts softly when the stranger tells him the thing's let go. not that he feels any different. whether there was a thing there or not, he doesn't know. could be the guy got spooked at the show of fire and opted to stop pissing around with him.

so he goes for his cloak again, drags it off the stall, and swings it back around over his head and shoulders. only to have him start probing those questions again.]

Ya still goin on about... that...

[his voice trails off as the weight and darkness of the cloak settle around him once more. exhausted as before, it's strangely comforting enough. he's left dazed on his feet, eyes not seeing anything, almost like sleeping while awake.

and the thing once more settles on his back. the food source won't be driving the feeder off on its own.]

[Oh, hells.]

... I don't know why you can't feel it. It's definitely there. It climbed back on but now you're just going to call me a liar.

[Ugly little thing. He scratches at his skin, feeling the cracks underneath his gloves. He's not sure what's causing that either...]

And you seem like the kind of guy who might attack someone he decides he doesn't like.

[He's seen enough angry people to put two and two together.]

[good news is, he's not going to call him a liar. bad news is, it's because the cloaked man's gone into a slight stupor, fading somewhat as a waking dream wanders across his visage. what he's seeing is anyone's guess, but the creature on his back seems to hold on tighter.

it takes a minute or so for dabi to blink once or twice, seeming to come back to reality in time to hear the tail end of whatever was being said. attacking who he doesn't like... yeah that's not exactly untrue.]

Uh-huh... [whatever.] I'm gettin outta the sun.

[and makes to leave the market, wanting to go somewhere quieter and darker.]

[He opens his mouth to protest, but that isn't going to do anything so he shuts it. He wants to help, desperately... but he doesn't have anything that can help at the moment. All he can do is move out of the way and watch the other man go.]

[His heart hurts as he watches him, but... he can't save everyone, can he?]

[What a joke he is.]

[dabi feels better once he's away from the sunlight, even if there's not a huge amount of sun that streams down from trench's usually cloudy skies. that said, he doesn't stop too far away from the white-haired man.

turning, he looks over his shoulder at him, eyes narrowed. someone stubbornly continuing to spout the same shit... and he doesn't look like the kind of guy who'd go around pranking people for fun.]

Ya comin or what?

[he said he wanted to help.]

[He nods and follows after the younger man. He's not going to let this opportunity go to waste.]

Yes, of course.

['If you'll have me' is what he wants to add, but the other wouldn't have offered if he hadn't meant for him to come.]

[Now's no time for his bashful nature to shine through, so instead he squares his shoulders and walks next to Dabi.]

I'm Nara'a, by the way.

[not sure this is an "opportunity" for someone, but if the man's still intending to be of some "help" to him, then... dabi stays where he is, beneath a shadowed part of a nearby building, giving them an easy view of the people in the marketplace nearby.

he merely tilts his head towards the bustling crowd, ignoring the introduction.]

And whaddaya see on their backs?

[part of him still wants to think this is some damn prank, give him a reason to torch this guy in his irritation. but... it's cause of his exhaustion that he's suspicious of the truth now.]

[He stands nearby - not too close, for fear of being too intrusive. He doesn't want to scare off the other.]

... I see nothing on them. And I don't know why. Has there been anything... unusual going on? Unusual signs, symptoms... even having unusual dreams or nightmares might be a symptom.

[He wishes desperately there was an actual healer here - he can't quite discern what kind of aether the thing is. He's not sure why - maybe it's a property of this place, since his senses for it have been off since he arrived. But a healer would know more what to do about this sort of thing, and all he can do is guess until he finds the right answer.]

[scare him off? pft, hardly. annoy him off? very likely. dabi's not one to stick around someone he doesn't like. usually isn't above killing someone like that either. if they're useless to him that is.]

So it's just me, huh. [he sounds sarcastic, as if reconsidering the moment's benefit of the doubt. the question, however, earns a few moments of silence, considering what to say and whether he wants to. but finally the younger man sinks down against the wall to sit, too tired to stand for now.]

Mostly dreams. Usually don't. Now they're keepin me up all damn night.

[Well. 'Scare' as a general term. But yes, he'd rather not be a burnt crisp, thank you Dabi.]

... You too? I thought I was the only one. ... Are you waking up with wounds afterwards? Because I am, too.

[He hesitates if he wants to reveal this, but at this point he's just desperate for the other to believe him. Maybe he's trying too hard, but that's just sort of how he rolls...]

[He takes off his glove and shows Dabi his hand. It's cracked all over, like a hard-boiled egg ready to be peeled.]

[there's no promises an encounter won't end with charcoal when it comes to the villain, but for now, this guy's safe from it.

especially when he insinuates a similarity between them. dabi's eyes flick to the side, turquoise orbs regarding the silver-haired man with silent expectation.

better prove it with that claim. he doesn't offer an answer until after nara'a removes his glove and shows him his hand.]

That's gross.

[looks like you could start peeling it right away. but it does prove his point.]

Sometimes, yeah.

Yes, it is.

[He puts his glove back on because he doesn't want to look at it much more than Dabi does.]

I wonder if that thing's causing it...

... You don't see one on me, do you?

[He hadn't thought of that, but it's a distinct possibility. Maybe the other guy just hasn't mentioned it? Or maybe he hasn't really looked. The creature only showed up when he was staring for a while, after all.]

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

cw: minor body horror

no subject

no subject