grammar and spelling… use… computers to help you… use your friends.. your grandma......

[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, 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?

[highhealplz]

Mm, yeah.

[ Seeing as he's too tired to keep that up, he'll drop it and the smile easily enough. He rubs absently at one shoulder — through the stained slit there. There's a matching tear on the opposite shoulder, making them look pretty intentional when taken together. ]

But don't worry, it was just a... [ He waves a hand vaguely. ] You know. There's no mass murders running around to worry about, is the point.

[scinlae]

I'm not worried.

[ the reply is quick, sharp, she almost glares at him for the assumption. she does not care, she has no capacity for it, especially for him. nevertheless she doesn't feel like dealing with him keeling over and dying at her feet.

further inspection she notices the pattern in the tears, it was no beast who did it for sure. the damage was done by weapons, a blade of some sort. ]

You need to sit. [ don't be fooled, she says it like a command than a suggestion. ]

[highhealplz]

I think I need a step past that, and there's an uncomfortable cot out there with my name on it...

[ He pauses to stifle a yawn with the back of his hand, then drops it back to his side for good. ]

But I think I'll have some tea first. Want to come with?

[scinlae]

Very well.

[ who can say no to tea? not her, not since she has been drinking it and coffee a lot lately. the latter being ashraf's fault. ]

[highhealplz]

[ He glances up and around, to make sure he's still on the right track, and — right, good. He nods in the direction he'd been going, inviting her along, and starts forward. ]

We've got a pretty sad kitchen here, but at least there's a kettle.

[scinlae]

[ subtly she keeps close enough to ensure that if he falls he does not fall onto the cold and hard floor. (not that she cares) giving the cafeteria an only momentary glance, it looks like the rest of the base to her; white, cold, and metal.

she misses the city, even in the rain it had some trees. ]

You should count yourself blessed we do not stay in a hovel, you would not have even that.

[highhealplz]

True.

[ He manages not to fall, not even to stumble, although his steps are significantly slower than usual. He leads back through the cafeteria and into the kitchen behind, and once he has water in the kettle set to boil, leans heavily against the counter. ]

If you think about it, this whole station is an enormous blessing. What if we hadn't had it? We might be living back with the dinosaurs.

[scinlae]

[ she settles nearby, positioned nicely to make a dash for the exit even though there is no danger. ]

I would prefer it. [ that's right she said it, even though she hasn't the faintest what a dinosaur is. ] Beasts are easy to avoid when you know their behaviors, here there is no escape, no life. Only metal, darkness, and an unending void.

[highhealplz]

[ What good humor he'd had left sinks, and he stares at the glowing top of the stove under the kettle. Finally, with a sigh, he breaks its spell and closes his eyes, sweeping a hand through his bloodied hair. ]

Not forever, though.

[scinlae]

Not forever. [ a laugh. ] That is what they say, but is their word truly to be trusted?

[highhealplz]

[ He glances over, and for once, doesn't look cheery. The look is sharp, almost challenging. ]

That's what I say.

[scinlae]

[ now that is a surprise, such sharpness from a healer. it is almost unbecoming. her eyebrows raise but she does not back down, doubts remaining plain across her face. ]

Words are meaningless, only gusts of wind, without actions behind them.

[highhealplz]

I know.

[ The look lingers a few seconds more, then melts into weariness as he drops his gaze away again. Softer: ] I know. We're working on it. There's just... a lot of steps to take.

[scinlae]

There always is. [ and thus her doubt. they may have steps, they may have plans, but nothing is set is stone. disasters can happen, they have seen as much already, and things can change. ]

I trust you injuries are not one of them.

[ thought she had dropped that, didn't you? ]

[highhealplz]

[ He considers that with a small frown, thoughtful. ]

No, I think they were one of them, actually.

[scinlae]

What? [ ... not the answer she was expecting. ] You cannot be serious.

[highhealplz]

It was for...

[ He fiddles with one of the bloody tears absently, trying to figure out how to best word it to someone unfamiliar with the situation and terminology. ]

You could call it stress relief. I was helping someone. And now that her head is clear, I think she can be of use to our efforts.

[scinlae]

[ realization is quick to dawn and bring a frown to her face. ]

You allowed this? Are you mad?

[highhealplz]

I asked for it, actually. [ Which... yeah, makes him sound a little masochistic, he can appreciate that. But he only shrugs it off. ] Her kind need to inflict suffering, or else they suffer themselves, and I happen to be able to heal.

[scinlae]

You are mad. [ she cannot fathom it, allowing another to inflict suffering in order to ease their own. he may as well have handed himself over to death, regardless of his ability to heal. it was sheer luck that he could and even had to strength to. ]

[highhealplz]

But it makes sense, doesn't it?

[ The kettle is finally whistling, and he pauses to silence it and pour the water before he continues. ]

—Anyway, it makes sense. Her need costs me nothing, and now she's thinking clearly and useful to us as a group.

[scinlae]

No, it doesn't.

[ yes, pour that tea she will angrily drink while she huffs in apparent displeasure at your stupid actions ashraf. ]

It will cost you your life.