deercountry | [Open] 🚬 June Flames

[that's a sensation he's not able to say he's felt before. having a blade pushed flat across his back (at least what parts of it can still feel to any real degree...) it's at this time that dabi actually "notes" the presence behind him, though the real tangible nature of it escapes his mind and burned nerves. annoying and unnerving, making him more than ready to have the damn thing removed. if it's also getting rid of the nightmares, double win.

oy, if you're gonna cut anything, cut the cloak; trench can replace that, not his coat beneath.

there's a quick yank and he doesn't flinch, though dabi tenses up in preparation for the pain- ... and it never comes. guess the spell worked. the grunt behind him he chalks up to the exertion of the sword motion. it's a strange sensation, almost "lighter" in the cliche sense. instinctively he arches his back, rolling his shoulders to shrug off whatever might still be clinging to him. no thanks on the touching. he can shake them off himself.

turning his head to look over his shoulder, he brushes at his back a few times, not hitting anything, but still able to ironically dislodge the now-dead creature. turquoise eyes land on the other man, wiping his mouth and shaking his head. looks damaged...]

I got it. What's the matter with you?

[He chuckles a little bit at the question.]

Cover does what it says - it covers you. But someone's got to take the damage.

[In hindsight he should have just used a spell to make sure he didn't take damage from Dabi removing his own, but ah... hindsight. He's a paladin, but that doesn't mean that he primarily thinks of himself as one. And red mage doesn't have any answers for that.]

I'm... ugh. Fine. Probably.

[Shouldn't have done that so soon after taking damage of his own. If he had a healer here they'd be yelling at him. Never mind that he gets hit so others don't have to be... but that's a constant debate between healers and the people they're healing.]

Are you okay? That's the more important question.

[dabi may not come from a world with magic, but he's aware of "powers" in general thanks to the quirks from his world. a damage transfer quirk could theoretically operate the same, plus he's not an idiot, so the pieces click into place easily.]

Idiot.

[there's no monster on the ground he can see to burn, so that's going to have to go unrewarding. leaving nara'a to suffer for his own "heroic" choice, dabi checks the back of his clothes. tch, there's a slice through the cloak, right up the back, and much to his annoyance, it hit the coat from home beneath. luckily didn't get to his shirt or skin, but... irritating.

he knows how to stitch at least.]

"Probably" ain't reassurin. [he shrugs his clothes back into more comfortable place before turning cold eyes on the other man. job's done, one for one, fair trade's fair. should walk right out on him and leave him to lick his own wounds.] Yeah? That's why ya cringin over there.

[he cast the spell, so he should expect the answer, unless he doesn't trust his own magic...]

This a habit for you, takin hits for other people?

Yeah, I am.

[He’ll freely admit his idiocy - he knows it all too well. He keeps jumping into things with no regards for the consequences. He’s got a long history of doing that, to the point where it’s a Problem.]

Wasn’t sure if it’d even work. But yeah, it is. When I’m in a group with a lot of other adventurers, it’s a Paladin’s job to keep the enemy focused on them. We’re sturdier than others and have abilities that help keep us up.

[Unfortunately, Cover doesn’t work with them. ~~Damn game mechanics.~~ He stands and casts Clemency, a white light illuminating him for a moment. He feels the pain fade slightly, and he stands up straighter.]

[It helps, but only a little. A painkiller in the path of a migraine.]

[huh, he's willing to admit it. that's either a good or a bad thing. some people can at least pretend they're not and then surprise you later. other's are open about it and then it's shit working with them the entire time.

but if this guy's going to throwing himself on the pyre like that, dabi's not about to stop him. especially if he's getting the better hand out of the deal.]

So you're the party punching bag. [sorry, he doesn't play video games so has no idea what a "tanky cleric" paladin is. you'll have to go see his boss if you wanna do nerd references.] Kinda explains why your bag ain't a boiled mess.

[dabi only sees another light, not even sure what that one does, but rather than ask, merely gives the man a questioning look. must've done something beneficial, since he stands up without as much a crumple.]

Ya heard anythin out there about these things?

Pretty much. It's a job that someone's got to do. Usually I let someone else handle it, but...

[If he got brought here with his Paladin job stone, there's got to be a reason for it. Even if it's just random chance, chance can be important, too.]

I haven't heard anything about these things at all... I've been listening on the network a bit, but the most I've heard has been about ghosts.

[His isn't around right now. Lucky him.]

I'm still getting used to this place. I've been trying to interject where I can, but it's a lot of listening and information gathering.

So ya don't normally do this kinda thing?

[he understands being variable in your skill set, but it's kinda surprising he'd let someone else do this sort of thing in his party when (as far as this little instance has shown) he seems to be good at it. stupid, but good.]

Maybe these things are related to the nightmares people've been havin...

[either way, only time's going to tell if that was the cause or not. a good night's sleep wouldn't be remiss after all the sleepless drudgery dabi's been going through the past several days.]

Uh-huh. So far no one's been shovin information or suppressing it.

[so far.]

No, I tend to be the one behind the enemy giving it a good smacking with spells or a scythe.

[He's very good at it! And it gives the healers less of a headache.]

They might be. And I've just been staying quiet. A lot of the time people just don't realize you're there if you don't say anything. They forget things are public...

[It's a little strange to have so much information all at once, but he's getting used to it. His journal is getting a workout, though.]

... I should probably... go and get this stuff healed up properly...

[Speaking of healer headaches...]

[dabi regards him in silence for a while. seems strange to have a group if one person can be both the attacker/defender and the healer. but then again, he's not one to talk, since he's allied with his own group in his world. as much as "alliance" is more an agreement to mutual benefit. they simply happened to be going his way and he could use them to further his own plans.]

I know. [he's done quite a lot when it comes to stalking other people and gathering information certain figures thought no one would be able to find.] Idiots make things a lot easier to gather.

[dabi's used to the information being so much, having come from a world with news feeds, internet, smart phones, and all the rest those things bring in. just... they certainly didn't do their work on a "magic rock" like the omni.]

Follow me.

[he heads off, gesturing with one hand for nara'a to come with.]

[He nods at the assessment of... well. Idiots. While he wouldn't say everyone is, he's much more comfortable talking one on one. He's dealt with sensitive information before, and the idea of everyone knowing your business is... awkward, to say the least.]

[He hesitates a moment when Dabi tells him to come with, but nods and follows along. He doesn't have much to lose by following the other guy, and he's been relatively decent so far. Granted, his bar for social decency isn't the best to measure by, knowing some of the adventurers he's worked with... but still.]

... Thanks.

[It still hurts somewhat, but he can manage through the pain. He's used to fighting when injured even if he really shouldn't be.]

[guess someone hasn't figured out to put his videos on private? that or the people on the network either haven't half the time or simply want everyone in the fucking city to hear them and see their business. like a lot of the social media happening in dabi's own world. something he used to his advantage.

ignoring the thanks, dabi leads them further away from the marketplace, skirting the forest until they can get to a less traveled area. there's a house here that his little brother brought him to when he first arrived and it's sort of been a rest stop for him when he was out this way.]

When we get where we're goin, I'm gonna leave ya for a bit to get some stuff, and then come back. Wait for me.

[warning him now so he doesn't think dabi just dropped him off and vanished.]

[He's used to linkshells, but those can have multiple people on them. Face to face or written is the only real secure way of communicating information. This video chat thing is new for him. ~~Goshdarn kids and their new toys.~~]

[He follows along without too much trouble, armor clanking quietly as he goes. He hasn't had a chance to switch back yet, but he will when they stop. The statement gets a soft noise of surprise from Nara'a, who then nods. That's... more kindness than he was expecting, but he's glad for it.]

I will. Believe me, I'm not going anywhere fast right now.

[What he wouldn't give for the ability to teleport from anywhere again...]

[written can be intercepted and copied or changed and face to face can be recorded or recounted wrong. but he wouldn't deny the security compared to trusting "private" on a local network. it's going to be stored somewhere...

dabi isn't really concerned about the armor clanking away behind him, figuring the man could dismiss it at his will and is opting not to, for some reason. maybe it's holding his injuries in or something. that and they're not going for stealth at the moment. though he'd prefer it if things were quieter... mental note: do the armor thing first before moving.

it's a while for their trek, but soon they're in front of an old run-down cottage , a place dabi knew well from an event when he first arrived.

there's an old tub in here...]

Get settled inside. I'll be back.

[It's true that it's helping him keep standing - it's stiffer so he can't slouch. At least it's not violently loud - he's seen some people who wear armor that's terribly, terribly noisy.]

[He's silent until they reach the cottage, tilting his head a little curiously at it before nodding. He heads towards the door and pauses - looking over his shoulder at Dabi before returning to his trek inside. The door opens easily and he settles in, changing back to his previous outfit, curling up against the tub and closing his eyes. He'll... be fine. Eventually. He can wait.]

[dabi heads into the forest without looking back. once the door closes behind him, he shoves off the ground, blue flames igniting from his feet and quickly crawling up his body to send him aloft. unlike his father and shouto, flying is dangerous for him, due to the output of flames eventually reaching his threshold for overusing them, resulting in his body cooking itself alive. so he opts to fly in "spurts" launching himself with stronger bursts and then letting himself soar from momentum alone, with the double advantage of the wind cooling him off as he goes. somewhat resembles a certain u.a. student's method, but whatever. gets him where he wants to go safely.

it'll be almost twenty minutes before he returns. the tub's on the second floor, and it looks like it has seen some use. not water use, but fire? a heavy-duty item made from some kind of solid material he's not entirely sure what it is. stone most likely, but the exact type is lost on him. a drain hole in the bottom has been plugged up with something rubber.

dabi sets a plastic bag down on the counter.]

So where're ya fucked up?

[He's managed to strip open his shirt so he can take a look at the wound. It's not bad, but it's a solid slice through his stomach. He looks up at Dabi and gestures towards it, breathing steadily. It's not actively bleeding despite it being red and angry-looking.]

[He looks at what Dabi's brought with him - most modern medical items are likely lost on him. But he can recognize bandages, if not antibiotics.]

Here. I'll... as long as I can hold myself together it'll heal in time, but... anything that helps it is going to get me less shit from the people I live with.

[dabi arches a brow at the injury. hadn't expected that kind of wound, though the lack of blood is strange. can't tell if it's a cut, an abrasion, a burn, or some kind of reaction. then again, between the burn on his back and the slice through the monster before, guess it's to be expected if he took all that damage.

nara'a's right in looking to his supplies. a scant collection of modern medicines. a bottle of antibiotic spray, burn cream, needle and thread, gauze, and bandages with a fastener.]

They're gonna give ya shit for killin a monster?

[dabi crouches down beside the other man and gestures for him to take everything off the top. he has to get to his back too. so long as he's not bleeding, he won't make him get in the tub. but if he does... get in the fucking tub.

and gloves, he's wearing disposable gloves.]

They'll give me shite about getting myself hurt.

[The mark is less angry red than most people would expect, and he's a bit colder to the touch than he looks like he should be. Coldblood, from all indications. He does strip off his shirt and turn around and it does look like a very bad sunburn - no blistering, but definite signs of initial burns. Thankfully not a third degree burn.]

[He's built pretty sturdy and the cooling effect of his blood has helped keep some of the worst burns from forming. Nara'a sighs and rolls his shoulders, the thinness of his build belying the muscle underneath. He's definitely strong even if he's not ripped.]

Even if I explain, she'll be mad at me... and I don't know if you've got much experience with angry teenage girls, but they can get scary.

[Not... the most intimidating creatures in the world, but definitely ones he'd rather not deal with if he can help it.]

Too bad for you.

[no pity from him. dabi doesn't feel the cold because he's naturally resistant to freezing temperatures. then again, his nerves are rather numbed anyways due to events in his past, so it's not much a point. there's a quiet "tch" of annoyance from him when nara'a displays his back. even after incinerating that creature, the man's displaying far too little damage for his pride to be comfortable with the demon's "damage mirroring" threat.

... he could burn him up right now.

petty, and he ignores it. well, only after toying with the idea for a few seconds. what? the guy would come back. that's the stupid part of this place. death's not permanent.]

Stop movin.

[doesn't need him rolling his shoulders and arching his back. but with that taken care of, he pops the burn cream cap and starts working a few thin lines across the burn on his back. it's gonna be like sunscreen.]

Met one or two. They didn't bother me again.

[He snorts at the admonishment, but stills. He's doing all right, everything considered. The touch of the other has him twitch for a moment before he relaxes. The younger man isn't about to put a knife through his back. He can relax.]

[It's just difficult. He wants to trust Dabi and he wants Dabi to trust him, but he's aware that Dabi isn't... the easiest person. He can tell that from... well. A lot. But the only way to get any trust is to give it.]

[He closes his eyes and chuckles at the latter bit.]

I live with one. She can be a handful when she gets going. And she has a friend who crashes at our place who I very much don't want to piss off.

[He's not entirely sure what D's deal is, but he is entirely sure that he doesn't want to mess with him.]

[he's got more dangerous hands than a knife. but luckily there's no current attempt to immolate him. dabi's quick, but thorough with his work, hands practiced with applying things like this.

nara'a has a nice desire in him, but dabi doesn't trust anyone. after his life, he stopped thinking other people were anything more than useful or useless to him. "trust" beyond a mutual agreement for mutual benefit was never an option.

you live longer that way.]

So ya let yourself get pushed around and bitched at by 'em?

[it's obvious he's callously unamused by the notion. however that's possible.]

[At least allyship is better than nothing. He'll take that over being enemies with someone any day.]

[... Most days.]

[He's aware he's going to get himself hurt with how much he tries trusting people, but there's no other option. He believes in the goodness of people, no matter how faint or vague. Maybe it's because of who his soul was a long time ago, but he can't stop hoping for it.]

Not pushed around... but I'd rather not deal with the whole situation. I don't like worrying people. Usually it's me who does the worrying.

[dabi's used to being enemies with most people he comes across. that's the life of those labeled 'villains' by their society. allies would be the closest he got to anyone.

once he gets the man's back treated, he applies a a few strips of gauze and then gets out a shirt (clean) he stole from somewhere in trench. this he tears apart into a swath of fabric and puts against his back for the time being.]

Lean back against the tub.

[now he can work on his front without having his back get all fucked up from the stone surface.]

If ya don't like the situation, why do you put yourself in them?

[checking on the injuries on his front. that strange cut-but-not-a-cut being most pressing.]

[He follows instructions, turning around - it's clear that if it was even a tiny bit deeper it would be a bad cut, but by some miracle it's just barely not. Possibly something to do with the magic the thing was using to transfer injuries, possibly due to his own defenses. It could be said that his body knows better than to get hurt if possible - his physical aether tends to stick together better than most.]

[The question has him tilt his head. It's... a strange question to him, but maybe it wouldn't be if he were more of a lonely man.]

Because I care about them. I carea about other people. Myself? I'm... used to being put in danger. Cut, burnt, beaten... even if I'm not directly fighting a monster I'm the one people look to first to throw into harm's way because I've pulled situations out of bad places before. I could say no... but then someone else would get hurt and the situation probably wouldn't even get resolved.

[it's more that it's red and inflamed rather than oozing blood like a gash of this sort would've suggested. bleeding in this world is bad... but without it gushing all over the ground, patching it up is made a lot easier. he has to judge whether or not to suture it, but since it's not badly cut, dabi opts for ointment, salve, and bandages to hold it close together and heal. another wind of gauze around it will keep the doctored area sheltered.

guess he'll rely on the man's magic and whatever else is going on with him to do the lion's share of the healing.]

So ya some kinda human shield. [it earns a wry scoff.] That's an idiotic way to live life.

[should he be wasting his medical supplies on someone who's simply going to jump in the way of a proverbial bullet again? now he regrets it.]

Hey, that crystal thing ya used earlier. [on a different topic.] How's it work?

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