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[highhealplz]

Date & Time: Oct 8th, around midnight/1 AM
Location: halls/cafeteria!
Characters: Ashraf Salib and ???
Summary: ashraf looks like a bloody horror movie extra and desperately needs a shower. naturally, this is a great time to go for a stroll.
Warnings: blood and... remainders of gore? no actual gore unless something goes terribly wrong, dude's a healer.

[ A: Hallways ]
He's not moving too fast. It's slightly faster than a trudge, but a few paces below a stroll; both arms hang limply at his sides, with one of his hands clutching two golden, cross-tipped rods, and he watches the ground as he walks.

But more noticeable than the slumping posture or the slow steps, would probably be the way his beautiful, ornate robes look completely done for. They're soaked in blood, from a giant rip in the back suggesting a solid axing had happened somewhere around his spine, to a wash down from the neck, reminiscent of a cut throat. Blood mats his hair and has dried on his skin, but looking a little closer will show no visible wounds at all. The guy might look horrifying, but he's doing pretty okay for a victim of attempted manslaughter.

It's been a long night, man.


[ B: Cafeteria ]
One of his first destinations has been the cafeteria. It's late enough that it's emptied out, and he's free to slump at a seat at one of the tables and not worry about scaring anyone with his admittedly disturbing look. He'll take care of that... soon. Somehow. He hasn't worked out yet how he'll do it with just a 5 minute shower, but he'll work something out.

But for now: tea. He sips slowly as he stares at the far wall, willing himself to unwind. Exhaustion is just around the corner, if he can just do away with the dancing nerves of recent battle.

Comments

b, take my self-indulgent introspection

[velveteened]

( it's perhaps becoming a bad habit to wander, late at night, but here we are; even after a few weeks the base feels as sterile and claustrophobic as ever, and the network is still — at many moments more upsetting to look at than oz would like to admit.

(with talk of the ue and its goals and its successes, with project chimera and talk of changing the past in so many ways, with cloned children and strategies and plans and it's overwhelming, and it doesn't help that the base is really not so different from the holding compound, as if fleeing from exsilium and leaving it to its fate hasn't been bad enough.)

the cafeteria is a nice place to go, besides, with how little he likes the observatory and the vr room being a technology he's still picking up — and anyway there's only so much time one can spend in the one room, even a room that can pretend to be about anything. tea is a thought that he entertains himself, for while he's here anyway, but the emptiness of the room (and, let's be honest, how BLOODY AND TERRIFYING THOSE CLOTHES ARE) means he spots ashraf right away and quickens his step to approach him. )

What happened? Are you okay?

( though the latter seems like a stupid question from a distance! maybe are you bleeding to death on a table holy shit this is not a time to drink tea would've been more appropriate. )

GLADLY

[highhealplz]

[ He glances up at the sound of a voice, blinking a few times. He only remembers to smile a little bit after that. ]

Ah... yeah, I'm fine. [ His smile turns a little wry as he glances down at himself. ] I know, I know, it looks pretty bad, but it's alright.

[velveteened]

( the possibility occurs to him that this oddly calm man might actually have been the one to make someone else bleed like this.

that would be unfortunate. )

Are you sure? It — ( really does look pretty bad ) there might still be someone at the clinic.

[highhealplz]

[ He waves a hand which, a second later, goes to covering a yawn. Man, maybe he should give up on this tea and just head to bed... ]

No, no... 'm the head of the clinic, so if I needed help I'd just... y'know. [ He gestures vaguely. Y'know? Y'know. ] I healed myself already.

A

[deadelfwalking]

[Koltira patrols the corridors of the moonbase regularly, just as he had patrolled the streets of Exsilium. It's a different set of purposes, though: on the island, he wandered the city in search of threats to snuff out, people to help. Up here, in this confined space, he walks out of an increasingly violent restlessness. He cannot simply exile himself to the craters beyond the base; though he has no need to breathe, it's still not physically practical to remain outside for long.

But staying inside has become problematic, too. He's stalking through the hallway, considering this, considering the vacuum of space and the heartbeats of everyone around him, thrumming so quickly, so loudly in their chests -- and then he spots Ashraf.

And, uncharacteristically, grabs him by the arm.]

What the bloody hell happened to you?

[He's already guessing, though. Angrily.]

[highhealplz]

[ He blinks as he stops, more surprised by Koltira's taking his arm than the unplanned-for sight of him. True, he'd sort of suspected that he'd run into Koltira sooner or later, and likely have to explain himself, but so soon? But he smiles tiredly nonetheless, and tries not to lean forward onto him. It'd be really nice to lean against something, and Koltira is so cool and refreshing... ]

Oh, hi there. [ Wait, but that had been a question, not a greeting. ] It's alright, nothing I didn't ask for.

[deadelfwalking]

[He hisses, not loosening his grip at all.]

Explain yourself.

B

[moralperil]

[The only way Mahdi can keep his head together is to just not be Mahdi for a bit. He's been utilizing thought-form and slipping back into his role of a helpful observer, passing unseen from room to room though always respecting privacy. It's by a whim he ends up in the (frankly, depressing) dining area. Mahdi sends over a blessing and projects warmth and safety to Ashraf before getting closer and realizing.... yikes.

But he looks okay. He's a healer, after all. Still, the fact this could happen in such close-quarters here is disturbing.

Mahdi materializes about a foot behind Ashraf, where he wasn't before.]

What the fuck happened to you, Ashraf?! You're a mess!

[Mahdi slaps a hand over his mouth. Someone has a habit of picking up verbal tics from boys he spends too much time with, apparently.]

[highhealplz]

[ He's too tired for any startling, and the fact is that he's recognized the voice before he occurs to him to be surprised by the suddenness of it. But still he blinks, and aims a vaguely impressed glance back over his shoulder. ]

Mahdi, jeez. Swearing in the presence of a holy man? [ But he scoots, making room to sit next to him. ]

[moralperil]

Sorry! I didn't mean to swear! [Mahdi is absolutely horrified... For several reasons. He sits next to Ashraf gingerly.] Are you... What happened?

a!

[lexiconning]

[ It's safe to say Syllona is an insomniac. She's found herself out walking so often she's started up a pattern for which halls how many times for how long, adjusting when needed to avoid...people. Or, well, that was the usual plan. Funny how a run-in with a werewolf shapeshifter kinda throws off your groove.

When she turns a corner and sees so much blood all over this man she stops dead in her tracks, staring, looking more and more perplexed and nervous the longer she does.

What? ]


What-?

[highhealplz]

[ He looks up at the sound of a voice and blinks a few times, tiredly. A kid... and here he looks like some kind of nightmare. He slows a little, feeling guilty. ]

Hey... [ He offers a smile and a little wave. Not hurt, see? ] Nice night for a walk, huh?

[lexiconning]

[ She starts at his wave, maybe a little too spooked already for just running into him. It's possible he healed, sure, but the squinting look she gives him is clue enough she's far from reassured. ]

Was it the- the cat? [ She speaks low, almost conspiratorial. ]

OK A

[eyecontact]

[the familiar face part isn't what clicks first because uh, blood, bloody walk. Jericho's shoe squeaks his halt, nearly dropping the guitar in his hands which is double the shock as he gawks.

he somehow gets a shade paler when he sees it's Ashraf.]

[highhealplz]

[ He almost doesn't look up, and might have run into Jericho entirely if not for that squeak of his shoe. But he does manage to stop, look up, and smile. ]

Oh, hey... [ oh god don't demand an explanation, he'll feel bad being cagey to Jericho. ]

[eyecontact]

[well too bad, mister casually wandering around looking like fresh hell. even as he backs up, Jericho's jaw drops, horrified, very plainly spelling out WHAT HAPPENED?

very hasty, now...he has to set the guitar down (carefully), make sure it doesn't topple over, and turn around and – yikes – give himself free hands to help this mess of an old roommate!

but, you know...he's standing upright, not toppling over...what's he even supposed to do?]

b bc nightowls everywhere i guess

[irritating]

[ Rummaging around in the pantry and gathering up as many unhealthy snacks as she can find (as always) is none other than Apollo, who also doesn't seem to be concerned with the odd hour of the night.

At one point during her scavenging she notices someone else is around, but she is wholly undeterred by their presence and just continues on doing what she's doing. Eventually she also notices that oh hey, he looks kind of messed up; but still she says nothing because honestly, the guy looks pretty chill over there as far as she's concerned. But then she realizes that she's met him once before, and that's when she decides to say hi. ]

Oi, fairy godmother. [ She's better with stupid nicknames than real names, sorry Ashraf. ] You're aware you're a fuckin' state right now, yeah? [ Just, you know. In case he didn't notice. ]

[highhealplz]

[ He's noticed her (it's hard not to, with the rummaging), but he's been mostly able to ignore her. Hands around the warm mug of tea and eyes closed definitely helps. He cracks one eye open when he's addressed though, realizes he knows the voice, and looks over fully. ]

Really? [ Not too exhausted to be smarmy, that Ashraf. ] That's news, actually. Will I come through alright, do you think?

[irritating]

Seen people walk away from worse. You even got all your limbs n' shit so sugar, you're gonna be fine.

[ Probably not the reaction or prognosis that most people would have upon seeing a guy covered in blood and wearing ripped up robes in the middle of the night, but his lack of rolling around in agony was pretty obvious to her. The whole calmly drinking tea thing didn't exactly scream mortally wounded man, either. ]

Probably been a rough night though, huh?

b, for she is the biggest nightowl

[scinlae]

[ she has spent her nights wandering for reasons she cannot truly understand. in truth she cannot stomach her new company despite the affection she may have for donny, so she slips out often and walks until her feet grow sore with ache and exhaustion finally takes her. but that is not this night, this night she is awake and seeing clearly.

which may be why she notices him quickly, the usual whites of his robes stained deep red, ripped and torn. her feet move before her mind fully understands what she is doing, a hand reaching out to pick at a pieces of blood soaked clothes. ]

You look dreadful. [ no wounds ─ none that are visible anyway, he must have already healed them. ]

[highhealplz]

[ He'd almost missed her, head down as it is. But he stops short when a hand comes into his range of vision, and just manages not to walk right into her.

Oh. Morgana. He smiles, though it's a tired one. ]

Thanks. You're beautiful as ever, looks like.

[ Maybe not the best moment for flirtatious greetings. Hmm. Must be the tiredness talking. ]

[scinlae]

[ that was terrible, but she does not comment on it. an eyebrow raises only to lower again. flatter harder ashraf, preferably when you do not look as if you have been ripped apart by a pack of wolves or worse. ]

Is all this your blood?

b

[infiltrative]

[ His sleep cycle is fucked which is no surprise in the slightest and also why Huell finds himself walking through the halls for a midnight snack more and more often. Tonight is no different, he finds himself wandering into the cafeteria some time after midnight. He doesn't notice the bloody figure at first, he's too preoccupied with the goggles he's fiddling with in his hands, soft digital beeps breaking the silence of the room as he does.

It's the smell he notices first because when you have a teammate whose powers require them to be bleeding all over the place, the sharp smell of blood becomes an unfortunately intimate one. It's what gets him to look up and promptly freeze in his tracks. ]

Crivvens—! [ That is ... a lot of blood. Whether it's the guy's own or someone else's or both is kind of hard to tell. So he stays where he is as he goes with the benefit of doubt and throws out a wary: ] Are you okay?

[highhealplz]

[ Crivvens, that one's new. He takes a disorientated and sleepy second to focus on the word and wonder where it's from before it occurs to him to smile at this concerned stranger. Whole enough to smile, see? All's well. ]

Yeah, I'm fine. [ He even offers a little wave. ] This stuff is old.

[ Nevermind that most of it still wet and red... ]

[infiltrative]

[ Frankly, that smile is not reassuring at all. It edges him closer to the 'crazy axe murderer' category but the guy seems out of it enough that it could be blood loss too, so Huell hooks his thumbs into his belt at a lack of pockets to shove his hands into before casually strolling over.

Closer and the lie is even more obvious. ]

That don't look so old to me. What happened?