[open] bad doggie!

[torpour]

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! ]]

Comments

[extinctive]

I would, if you have books for it. Used to read to kids back in the day, in fact. What do you usually read, then?

[ just trying to get to know the guy, even for a little. ]

[torpour]

You wont find story books anywhere in this house. [then he points towards the armchair in his room, a book on the seat. it is, despite the unassuming cover, a book on dark ritual magic and blood magic.

a certain someone is delving into darker things, clearly. even if he's going to hurt himself more than the average person in doing so.]

[extinctive]

[ ah, he figured. but the book on blood magic is setting some red flags in figaro's head as he picks it up and leafs through the contents. ]

You think you can handle any of this? Just wondering.

[torpour]

The spell to draw out darkblood is already blood magic.

[that's said in a droll tone, as the erune adjusts the blankets around him, wishing that his omen were here, but no. zuoyou is downstairs, guarding the entrance to the basement so no one can disturb his makeshift workshop.]

Blood magic is also one of the few branches practiced in this whole world. You either adapt and learn, or fall behind. [it's a roundabout way of saying that he finds figaro's question utterly stupid.]

[extinctive]

I know that.

[ he huffs out a laugh. ]

You're talking to a wizard, after all. I'm no stranger to blood magic in my world. I'm talking about the more advanced ones. [ taps a random page on the book. ]

Let me be more specific, then. You sure you can survive pulling any of these off?

[torpour]

That will be decided on a case-by-case basis.

But knowledge, in itself... it's always important. [nehan's tone gets harder towards the end, displeased with the fact that figaro is attempting to bar him from such things. who is he to tell nehan such things?]

[extinctive]

[ a shrug. ]

Well, suit yourself. Nothing wrong with that, but sometimes you are better off not knowing too much about a certain subject. Some food for thought.

[ something something about curiosity killing the cat. he closes the book, placing his hand on the cover. ]

But we should talk about this some other time. Too grim of a topic to talk about after you just turned and all.

[torpour]

You have some gall, to be telling the master of the house what should and should not be done. [his tone has now turned soft, much, much softer, but far worse than previously. his voice carries a hint of a warning, that, bedridden or not, he still has a temper.]

Do not presume to tell me what I should or should not be doing, for my own good or otherwise. I don't welcome that, not in my house, and not any time outside of it.

[not anymore. he has no owners, and he welcomes no orders or suggestions from anyone unless they actually have something intelligent to say.]

[extinctive]

[ oh? feeling jeezed now, aren't we?

figaro continues to smile, however. at the very least, nehan still has some gumption in him to get mad in his right state, so figaro won't have to worry about listlessness in his patient(?). ]

All right, that's fair. I apologize.

[ he lets out a sigh as he holds up both hands in surrender. ]

Not that I don't have faith in you as a fellow practitioner -- far from it, in fact -- but I still want you to be careful. Just because we cannot actually die in this world doesn't mean you can be reckless in your pursuit for more knowledge. That's what I'm trying to say.

[ their reputations as doctors are more sacred in this world, after all. ]

[torpour]

I understand that-- but you still don't have the right to tell me what I can or cannot do at any given time.

I'm well aware of what comes after the choices I make. [then he holds out his good hand.] Give me my book, or get out of my house.

[he's giving the man a choice. and, really, nehan doesn't care what choice he makes.]

[extinctive]

[ ito be honest he could just leave, but that'd be a shitty thing to do as a doctor. ]

All right, all right.

[ but in the end he sighs, and gently puts the book in nehan's good hand. ]

But let me at least give you my assistance for when the going gets tough. You just seem like the kind of guy who wouldn't ask for any.

[torpour]

[nehan takes the book and sits up. adjusting his pillows and bunching up his sheets underneath to make a mound he can recline on, and read one-handed. it's, of course, slow with just the one hand to rely on and needing to pause to huff and puff because this is so much work right out of the bathtub, but he works with determination anyway.]

You're right-- I would never ask. [which makes the offer moot, doesn't it?] I don't know what makes you think I would accept that offer, or call on you when I need it.

[extinctive]

[ that's why he's offering so that nehan wouldn't have to ask himself!! with a twirl of figaro's finger, the pillows readjust themselves to make it more comfortable for nehan's creaky back to lean back on. ]

You're probably expecting some platitude like "we've got to work together", or something along those lines, right? Well, that's already a given so there's no need for me to repeat that.

But you might die again, you know. It's easy to do so in this world, even if we can't permanently stay dead. Who's to say you won't turn again?

[torpour]

I already anticipate turning again. [because there's been blood spilled in his basement and cleaning it up will affect him, he's sure of that. he pushes pillows, softly grumbling-- he knows what position he wants them in, thank you.] I also have ideas on how to keep my beasthood at a low stage, and express only a few traits.

Ideas that only barely involve warmblood.

[after all, they always cant rely on that sort of thing. blood is what got him into this problem, and blood will only exacerbate the issue rather than help it.]

[extinctive]

Oh, do tell. It could be a breakthrough that all of us here are waiting for.

[ the less they can contribute to blood pollution, even if it's wamblood, the better. ]

But when you do turn again [ when, not if. ], no hard feelings if some of your peers decide to kill you again, okay? Like me, for example. I'll even make it painless for you.

[ figaro doesn't know who ended the guy, for the record. it's probably not his place to ask at the moment. ]

[torpour]

I've already been killed, and I'd assign them to do it again. [and he'll have to talk to them about it later, when he's able.] I have a list of people who would be willing and able-- and you're saying you want on it?

[does he even trust the man to do that?]

[extinctive]

[ okay, but the fact that nehan has a list of people that he can contact at anytime to kill him literally is a little funny.

figaro however, doesn't laugh, and he offers a little tilt of his head instead. ]

I'm a doctor. Of course I'd know how to euthanize. It'd be a lot less painful compared to be stabbed on the gut, for example. Less blood spillage too.

But since you already have people lining up just to get a piece of you, I'll back out for now. Though you're free to think it over when you've gone through your list.

[torpour]

Euthanasia is pointless on a beast. If you cant cut or break its neck, you should not be attempting to put a beast down in the first place.

[blunt, to the point.]

[extinctive]

Then I'll knock you out. Put you in an endless sleep where you may dream of better days. There are more non-violent ways, is what I'm saying.

[torpour]

A Paleblood tried that on me, according to those who killed me. It did not work. [because of course it was attempted on him.] I suspect it's because I have a natural resistance against being charmed as such.

If you're adverse to giving quick, merciful deaths, just say so.

[because that? that sounds like cruelty.]

[extinctive]

Oh, not at all. In fact, I could very much kill you where you stand right now if I would, and you won't know what hit you until it's too late. [ all said with a smile on his face. ] But I won't. Because not only is death only a temporary setback in this world, but it goes against my beliefs as a doctor.

[ a sigh, as he closes his eyes. ]

In the North where I'm from, there's a place called the Forest of Dreams. It's a beautiful place that seems as if it came out of a fairytale, but the trees of that forest emit a lethal poison that corrodes its victims from the inside out. The fumes shows the victims wonderfully indulgent dreams, so those who are on the verge of death would come to the forest to lose themselves to one final happy dream before they breathe their last breath.

I used to take patients there as their final favor. Even they wanted to have a taste of happiness, fleeting as it may be.

[torpour]

Death is a happiness unto itself, and I don't need... dreams or softness, or the sort of favor you consider to give to those who actually consent to be your patient. [because nehan doesn't, and he believes that to make a world of difference.

he is no one's patient but funf's.

he never meant to say such things, but he doesn't care to take it back.]

But because death is temporary here, and because I never called on you to be my doctor, I don't care for your methods at all.

[extinctive]

Does it matter? I'd say your stubbornness would kill you one day, but it already went and did that, didn't it.

[ he opens his eyes and stands up, dusting himself off.

death is a happiness unto itself, huh... ]

Either way, this won't be the last time I'll be offering my services to you, whether you like it or not. Because you are staying alive, no matter what.

I'll see you again soon.