torpour: (004)
i'm a healer, but... /cocks gun [ nehan ] ([personal profile] torpour) wrote in [community profile] deercountry2022-01-14 09:05 am

[open] bad doggie!

Who: Nehan + OPEN (one thread closed to specific people)
What: Someone (Nehan) died before someone's (Nehan's...) birthday, and not of fun. Featuring the aftermath of said death, an angry squid, and a doctor who's bad at taking care of himself.
When: forward-dated to Jan. 19 and later
Where: Primarily in Nehan's house, but the death thread is set in the wilderness.

Content Warnings: Violence, beasthood, death, paleblood powers, traumatic memories of near-death experiences, some nudity, Nehan-typical self-loathing, mentions of sex, Jan. TDM-style body horror. More TBA as they come up.




a: squid time
[nehan's tub is modest by human standards. large for a man of his (usual) size, but massive for a little squid, almost transparent save for its rainbow-colored insides, the most prominent of which is sunshine-yellow. the squid is absolutely tiny, no bigger than an adult human's hand.

there's a grab bar attached to the wall next to the tub, and the edge of the tub opposite it, clearly for nehan's use when he's an erune, because what will a squid do with those? he cant even reach them. though he's definitely trying, swimming back and forth, and occasionally reaching out with a little tentacle in an attempt to reach it.

but of course, he cant reach it, and that frustrates the squid enough that he jets out a little bit of dark ink. literally farting in anger, this one is.]

b: cant sleep (cw: really morbid jokes)
[the evening after nehan's squid was retrieved from the water and returned to his house, he returns to normal. annoyed as he rises from inky water and having to clean himself, but still, he's a skinny, scarred erune again, without the additions he gained over the past months. an erune that needs a long, long nap, and will head straight to his bed to have said long nap without even drying his hair.

if anyone chooses to stay longer and keep vigil over the once-squid... well, no one is stopping you, not even the omen, who is guarding the door to the basement underneath the stairs, and will not move away.

nehan might not be too much of a host however, when he's bedridden, having gone through a traumatic death and unable to control his limbs well. every time his left arm or leg has a spasm, his expression twists into one of chagrin and irritation, and he clutches at the limb until it stops. he tries to lay under his bedding just to lessen it... but well. that doesn't work as well as he hoped, and it's not proper medical procedure, but when it comes to himself, nehan has never cared a goddamn bit. still...]


... Stay a little longer. Without anything to do, I'll have another death soon, and this time of boredom. [that was a joke. but it's bad and he knows it's bad.]

c: winter mourning's last hurrah (nehan's memories/cw: eventual near-death experience)
[there is a winter mourning in nehan's house, a wreath laying in the seat of an armchair in the living room, and despite looking innocent, it is still active. and if it's touched, instead of dragging some poor unsuspecting bastard into a dream, it drags them into a memory.

the nehan in this memory is an adult, just like the one in bed, recovering from his violent bout with death-- but he's also different. seemingly younger, more filled-out, less scraggly hair, and lacking in the eyepatch and crutch that has become nehan's signature. but his ears have much less fur on them and are tattered at the ends, the shadows under his eyes are darker, and he's sporting fresh bruises on his face, like he's just been in a brawl. or more than just a brawl-- he looks like he's been beaten within an inch of his life.

still, he's walking amongst a crowd that doesn't seem to notice him, in a crowded marketplace in a bustling town with airships flying high above them. he looks like he knows where he's going, and behind him... behind him is another nehan, walking much slower, bearing a crutch and an eyepatch-- the nehan most people know, by now.

he pauses when he notes he's not alone, turning around and ears twitching, then tilts his head towards his younger self as if to say come along.]

d: the days after: achelliac (cw: nudity, self-loathing)
[achelliac's usual clientele may be sailors, but at least they don't turn nehan away. and, as he finds out, some of his fellow customers are fascinated enough with him that he just decides to indulge them with what they want. even if he's here just to deal with the aches of his body that still linger after his rebirth. at least he's no longer suffering from muscle spasms.

the hot springs will deal with what other aches he gets in this place, in any case, that's why he's here-- get himself up to snuff so he can get back to work without problems.

making his way to the pool from the showers is always an adventure in going slow to accommodate his too-thin, too-scarred body and not slipping, just because he leaves his cane with his clothes (he needs a new crutch, a cane just isn't the same...). though he's right at the edge of the pool, he pauses when he sees another man there already.]


May I, or do you prefer privacy? [perhaps he should have asked that before he got naked...]

wildcard
[[ hit me with your best shot-- everything is a-ok and will match prose or action, but the actual boss battle is restricted to certain characters. nehan dies on the 19th, revives as a squid on the 22nd and is returned to his house on the same day, while his headcanon birthday is on the 20th. thanks to #justpalebloodthings, nehan can admit that his birthday is coming up to any palebloods. he is also a paleblood, so people can speak to him more freely as well.

people are free to come and go as they like. snooping is encouraged, but the basement is guarded by nehan's omen. i'm also open to changing the memory in prompt c. if we haven't threaded yet, we can just handwave the first meeting and nehan giving out his address. if you're unsure, just ask! ]]
monoceroscaeli: iconsfortherain | dns. (150)

[personal profile] monoceroscaeli 2022-02-02 02:02 am (UTC)(link)
[Interesting that he could just shake off his riptide so easily, and the movement he'd been expecting from Nehan finally comes. The small hit he scores is nothing really to celebrate, but rather it gives him more perspective to his opponent and how he'll handle a fight. Arrogant, brash, and willing to take unnecessary hits to close a distance, it seems. He knows he can heal himself, and quite well too.

So, he'll have to prepare for that. How deep does the well of magic that Nehan wields go? His Vision is an endless pool of power, but is that the same for his opponent?

His fist comes up, blade at the ready when the punch comes. It's as if every element in Teyvat slams up against a hydro wall that he's conjured to take the hit, but he's pleased that Nehan has done so. It pushes the limits of his technique, and he feels it cracking quickly under the pressure. It's going to break if he doesn't counter, but thankfully Nehan's decided to use water in his multi element attack. He can use that to his advantage.

Water vs. water doesn't work well here, but he's not going to tell Nehan that.]


You should have tried this instead.

[A quick swipe of his blade shoots lances of water at point blank range at Nehan as a counter just as the shield breaks, the energy push back from it great as it hurtles out from him to try to get Nehan off of him.]
unsheathedfromreality: (reflect on a thousand lifetimes)

[personal profile] unsheathedfromreality 2022-02-02 04:12 am (UTC)(link)
[Can he feel the magic? Illarion's expression grows more distant still as he reaches for some sensation that tells him there's magic present. Is there a faint indistinct warmth where Nehan's hand touches his?

He can't tell. And--

Then Nehan breaks his fingers. The crunch of shattering bone is unmistakeable.

The shrike blinks once, unperturbed.
] Now I certainly can feel it.

[Remarkable, actually.]
unsheathedfromreality: (as the darkness closes in again)

[personal profile] unsheathedfromreality 2022-02-02 05:03 am (UTC)(link)
[That gets a faint smile out of Illarion to hear.] It is one way to notice magic, not so?

[He leaves his wounded hand in Nehan's care without argument; he'd expected as much, given the man's his healer. The actual magic is also nearly below his notice, but its effects...

A quiet hiss escapes him.
] This is feeling very strange.

[His expression says there's more he could say on the matter. But, also, he'd rather not disturb Nehan at a critical moment. So he waits.]
unsheathedfromreality: (as we make our way through starry night)

[personal profile] unsheathedfromreality 2022-02-02 05:35 am (UTC)(link)
[He's silent a moment when confronted with the question.

He doesn't want to answer truthfully because it doesn't really matter; his comfort with the process isn't an issue.

But,
]

It is. If I must guess, it is because what was once dead wakes briefly to mend itself, and dies again.

I do not take any harm from it.
unsheathedfromreality: (as we make our way through starry night)

[personal profile] unsheathedfromreality 2022-02-02 06:32 am (UTC)(link)
[He cocks his head to one side, regarding Nehan sightlessly with one corner of his mouth curled up in a smile.] This is quite the way to say it, wolfling. Though we have before proven I do not mind this, so much.

[Or didn't. Not that he'd mind it now, either, but he's not capable.

He tips his head down, like he could watch the erune rub his palm. The magic's taken; the bones are solid again, the flesh between them untorn and whole.
]

It is much the same with our healers. The shape of magecraft is set by how you practice to achieve it; there will always be some who must drug their patients before they grant them miracles, else the pain is too great.
unsheathedfromreality: (my companions in this escapade)

[personal profile] unsheathedfromreality 2022-02-02 07:46 am (UTC)(link)
I am difficult, [he acknowledges, with a smile and without apology. He takes his hand back and settles back down in his own chair.] And I thank you, that you have undergone this effort for me. The pain of healing does not trouble me. And, I might be so bold, I prefer touch to a potion.

[He...really missed people touching him without the intent to do him harm.]

Though I have thought how you might make a potion to suit me, though I do not think you would wish to do it.
searingwing: (An empty mirror)

[personal profile] searingwing 2022-02-02 02:16 pm (UTC)(link)
[He knows better than to let himself think beyond what is necessary right now. But the relief on the youngest looking head is plain. He isn’t a fool.

It’s the only thought he has time for when one of the other heads snaps at him. He thrusts his arm up, covered in thick ice as his chains slither about him. The moment it bites down on the ice he draws a true knife with his other hand.

And slashes with the precision of an assassin to cut its throat. His face is a blank mask but he can hear the rain. Nehan is a friend and any one of them having to be put down like this would tear at his gentle heart.

Tonight his dreams will be of rain slicked roads and death.

He takes a slash to the side and the pain is bright but his blood seals over it quickly. The better to reinforce the weapon that he is.]
unsheathedfromreality: (my companions in this escapade)

[personal profile] unsheathedfromreality 2022-02-02 02:19 pm (UTC)(link)
It has no dearth of blood and flesh. [Which was to his advantage given the Unearthed's only method to heal themselves, but also dangerous. Mostly to those around him.] But it is as you say--magic is sufficient.

[It amuses him on some level to be a challenge. And, come to think of that--] Is there aught else you need me for, while you are having me here?
searingwing: (I'm on another broken avenue)

[personal profile] searingwing 2022-02-02 02:39 pm (UTC)(link)
Yes. And it puts together the last piece…the hunters found the carcass when they were making sure nothing else was attracted to the area.

[Then he sighs, rubbing his face. He had burned the body and felt like he had failed somehow. But Nehan is a grown man who makes his own choices. Just as he had when he decided upon Yuri approaching him while he was corrupted that Yuri could kill him.

As he had needed to be. He shuts those memories away. The honesty tugging at him again.]
I don’t know what else to say. Ask me something, please.
unsheathedfromreality: (only memories to hold alight)

[personal profile] unsheathedfromreality 2022-02-02 03:09 pm (UTC)(link)
[The question surprises a chuckle out of him.] Made herself a very fine nest.

[He's not even going to question why she was doing that while he and Nehan were otherwise occupied; the symbolism's obvious and a little weird.

Omens, gods bless 'em.
]
searingwing: (And I just need a minute)

[personal profile] searingwing 2022-02-02 03:11 pm (UTC)(link)
[He had expected a more vicious question. Or more personal. The question asked is. He blinks.] This morning on Kaeya’s couch. Just running myself into the ground isn’t an option.

[This raggedness is all years and years of pushing himself. All to make his father proud. Then to justice and doing what is necessary. Loneliness, depression, all those damn things he repressed have slipped through the cracks now he’s forcing himself to rest more.]
unsheathedfromreality: (reflect on a thousand lifetimes)

[personal profile] unsheathedfromreality 2022-02-02 03:38 pm (UTC)(link)
[He shakes his head at that.] She grew bored with the pantomime after a time, and swept it out herself for the other birds to find. I am suspecting they will want it, nearer spring.

Besides, [and smoke wisps up around him, resolving into Iskierka--back to her moth-bird form, and small enough to perch on his shoulder,] I do not know she would have wanted to keep it anyway, now that I am dead again.

[Less interested her now.

She cocks her head at Nehan, studying him through faceted red eyes.
]
searingwing: (pic#15176132)

[personal profile] searingwing 2022-02-02 03:38 pm (UTC)(link)
[He stares at him in confusion. Is he implying-] No? We just started courting.

[Translation: they live apart and are absolute idiots.]

It would be too forward to be in his bed.

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