[ CATCH-ALL ] and I broke my heart in two

[londonbound]

Who: Rhy Maresh & others
When: throughout September, early October
Where: Castle Thorne, Nott, Horizon
What: In the aftermath of the attack on Nott, Rhy is doing his best to help out as a healer in the fields, taking on the firefighting quest, and otherwise being fucked up about all the damage and casualties already piling up.
Warnings: blood, possible violence, will add as needed.




(( hit me up @ belleteyn or @ lenafish#3861 on disco. PM is cool too.

I'm happy to write you a custom starter!! even if we've never threaded before!! i am simply very bad at open ones. ))

Comments

[londonbound]

[ It happens without warning, before Rhy can even respond.

Stephen's fingers touch his shoulder, and Rhy's magic reacts, striking like a viper as soon as the distance is closed. He doesn't know how he does it, or what it is.

Rhy only knows that one moment, he was drained and lightheaded and very likely about to faint-- and the next, the warmth of magic floods him, energy and vitality singing through his blood. The exhaustion seeps from his fogged mind, after a few moments restoring clarity. Not that it helps him understand. Not yet. ]

[sorser]

[Where Rhy feels revitalized, the opposite happens to Stephen. It's as though something's latched on; the comparison of a snake sinking its fangs into him is an apt one, biting, draining, a sensation that feels paradoxically languid, yet utterly sudden.

It's as if warmth and energy are draining from him, siphoned away. He feels weakened, foggy, his other hand outstretching to brace itself against the wall, else he go tumbling to the ground. Somehow, he manages to wheeze out-]

Rhy? What're...

[Is he doing this? How? Why? Stephen's brain strains to dredge up an answer to this unexpected problem, but coherent thought jumbles in his mind, doesn't even make it out of his mouth. He only manages to grip his shoulder harder.]

[londonbound]

[ He sees Stephen sway, reaching for the wall. The way the color drains from his face, leaving him confused and a little too pale.

Rhy gasps, in part due to Stephen's harsh grip squeezing his shoulder and in part because of his own shock. Suddenly feeling much better himself, he jumps to help, moving forward to support the older man before he loses his balance against the wall. ]

Stephen! Are you all right? What happened?

[sorser]

[Woozy, woozy. Unsteady. He barely manages to keep on his swaying feet, and it's fortunate that Rhy moves forward to support him, or else the sorcerer might have actually toppled over face-first into the ground.

It's only when Rhy is directly in front of him that his eyes manage to focus on the young man, face pinched into a frown.]

It's like... [He struggles to find the words. To form them in a coherent way, leaving him only with simple descriptions falling off his tongue.] All of the energy's been drained from me. Like I haven't slept in a week.

[londonbound]

[ Rhy stares at him, with slowly dawning horror. ]

Oh, no...

[ He feels better. Not because of the jolt of adrenaline or the worry for Stephen. He feels physically better, in a way that's undeniable. It doesn't make any sense, but it's also impossible not to make the connection. Too much to be a coincidence. ]

I-- Did I hurt you?

Lean on me, here.

[sorser]

[No, the connection's well made by now. It's the only thing that's made sense, and even less of a stretch is the assumption the Singularity may be to blame; doling out strange abilities to those otherwise unaware of them would be nothing new.

But this means, too, that Stephen doesn’t see it as anything more than an accident.]

...I’ll be fine.

[And he won’t be accepting more guilt to be piled onto anyone’s shoulders, not on a day like this one, where it’s the last thing Rhy would need.

And so: trust. He nods, shuffles forward a step, and reaches out to lean on Rhy, an arm across his shoulders.]

If it's just... a transfer of energy, that just means I'll need a long, long nap to recharge.