009 | Boy, it's hot in here

[neverbeamemory]

Characters: Sephiroth & OPEN
Setting: 13th December. Dormitory 03-02, Hallways & Infirmary
Format: Wordy [Action], but will match
Summary: Other people are shivering. They must have just turned the temperature up just for him. Or rather this had developed from yesterdays sniffles.
Warnings: Partial nudity in Part One. General bodily fluids that come with having a runny nose/sneezing at intervals. Lots of sweat, warm would be an understatement.

Morning: Dormitory 03-02

[If any of his dorm mates peered over at Sephiroth's section of the dormitory this morning they might catch a fright. It had been his roughest night since he'd arrived here. There was a bunch of scrunched up napkins in varying states of sogginess on the bed stand on top of the forgotten books (One of which he still has to return to Tohko at some point!) - he'd gone through the entire packet of napkins during the night.

The bottle of Tylenol had been emptied and knocked onto the floor nearby; damn his constitution and being resistant to such drugs but he'd had to take more and more thinking that in the right dosage it might relieve some of these symptoms. Which now consisted of a sore throat which made it hard to talk, the occasional but not-too unmanageable bout of coughing and a running nose which simply shouldn't have that much mucus left in it to drip out. This whole thing was maddening! How his cells allowing this contagion to develop was a mystery, he was definitely made of hardier stuff than this!

Sephiroth's top blanket was crumpled on the floor along with all of his clothing. The thin under sheet had been pushed back away from his body in his sleep and then twisted
between his legs as he'd rolled over in the constant quest to get comfortable; a glistening sheen of sweat graced every square inch of his skin. Sephiroth himself had probably passed out eventually from exhaustion, snoring congestedly through his mouth; unaware and in his rest completely uncaring that he was near baring his backside to everyone else in their room.]


Later: Floor 3 to Floor 1 Dormitory Hallways, on route to the lift.

[Wearing his big leather coat and armor in this heat just wasn't happening in this heat. It was bad enough how wet and sticky it felt inside his leather pants, but he had nothing cooler to wear - he'd even left the gloves and boots in his chest. The floor felt refreshingly cool on his bare feet.

Watching others that he passed, Sephiroth wandered why they all looked so cold but couldn't say anything offhand. He'd sweated buckets last night in the change of temperature the admins had inflicted on them; maybe Jason had finally gotten tired of freezing them all to death. He seemed the type to get bored easily after all.

In fact, Sephiroth stopped by the bathrooms on the way to the lift to splash his face and bare chest with cold water and to run some through his hair. It felt good on the back of his head, at his hairline above where the collar sat. His hair had never looked so limp and the weight of it was adding to how hot he felt; it was a simple matter to pull his hair over one shoulder and arrange a loose braid of it. Then he headed back out into the corridor, heading for the stairwell and the lift downstairs. Point of the day - to try to find something stronger than small jar of Tylenol that he'd been given by Tohko before - the whole jar now gone in a whole night for no relief. His lack of patience just made the sleeplessness worse.]

Afternoon: Infirmary - Floor 2

[The infirmary was where Tohko had gotten the pills before, so the plan was easy. Go there and pin a drone to the wall ask, calmly and in control, if they had anything stronger in stock. The tylenol he'd consumed last night just wasn't either strong enough in general, or in a single dosage high enough to penetrate his own natural defenses which had specifically been generated that way.

After eyeing a few of the drones milling around Sephiroth decided against asking them, he felt just about as hot as his frustration and he was trying to remain calm. There was no reason for him to allow this flu to get the better of him, in fact despite the soreness of his nose from the blowing and rubbing every so often Sephiroth kept at it - he was above human.

As Sephiroth was ferreting around in drawers and cabinets after medication he meticulously compared whatever he found with the empty bottle of tylenol he brought with him from his room in the attempt to find something stronger, that might at least take the edge off the symptoms and make it easier to live with. His mind occasionally drifted to the idea of Hojo's 'clinic' that he'd seen announced on the network. If anyone knew how to diagnose what exactly was wrong with him - No! Not going there.]

Comments

[divinitysoiled]

Yes. The cold was quite annoying, but I wouldn't doubt that it would come back suddenly. [She came close, intent on stroking his neck]

[neverbeamemory]

[He kept one eye on her and the other on his fingers braiding his long silver hair. Occasionally he'd splash a bit more water on himself.]

Hot or cold. It shouldn't matter either way.

[In the last split second before she could make contact with his skin, like lightning Sephiroth raised his hand and gripped around her fingers, stopping her just short from touching him. Hot and clammy hand it might be, it still foretold his strength.

Both vivid green eyes were on her now, trying to calculate her next move.]

[divinitysoiled]

[Dark eyes met bright green ones steadily, her lips curled into a smirk at both the speed and the strength. Very close to being perfectly inhuman. She liked that. Catarina pulled his hand towards her, lips caressing his fingers in a parody of a gallant gesture]

[neverbeamemory]

[The tips of his fingers most definitely didn't feel as warm as the sweat he'd produced as if he were feverish foretold that they should; they were freezing cold.

Steady green eyes never felt trusting enough to leave her ones. Smirk was noted though he certainly didn't want to pursue what he suspected was actually her intention; for one, he felt it was hot enough without increasing his body temperature even further.

After a few moments, Sephiroth shivered and pulled his hand away from her - taking a step away just to put distance from that temptation. Eyes glaring into her, silently expecting an explanation.]

[divinitysoiled]

[The feeling of cold tips against her lips made her lips twitch downward at the touch, more out of how uncomfortable it felt than any real worry about the man's health. She wouldn't have known what was truly unhealthy for him anyway]

... hm.

[She tilted her head, shifting her hips invitingly, making that her only explanation. Then- she started coughing violently, arms wrapped around her midsection]

[neverbeamemory]

[She can't be serious? Wha-

What just happened? That cough had come out of no where. Sephiroth stepped back another step, he'd already caught a cold and this killer fever he was feeling - he didn't need that cough on top of it. Hell he shouldn't be catching anything - that was annoying enough!

The cough was unnervingly violent though, perhaps she was choking on something. Taking care to stay out of what he suspected might be the area he'd get coughed on he moved around her to the side. Bracing one cold hand around her shoulder Sephiroth firmly impacted the heel of his other palm between her shoulder blades - a fine move if someone had a piece of food or something stuck there.]

[divinitysoiled]

[You did not just do that, Sephiroth. Catarina choked on her next cough and freed one arm from holding herself, elbow out as she spun a bit wobbily]

What do you think you're doing?! [She coughed again, a bit more controlled as she tried to free the thickness from her throat and voice]

[neverbeamemory]

Trying to help. Forget it.

[He stepped towards the sink and the tap still running, though there wasn't exactly a glass around to be able to fill up and hand to her.]

Try to drink, keep your fluids up.

[divinitysoiled]

And what advice is that? [Her voice tried to purr again, ruined by the illness in her. If she wasn't feeling well... well, maybe she just hadn't eaten enough]

[neverbeamemory]

Well, them turning the heating up like this. Perfect breeding ground for all sorts of nasty germs. Drink more fluids, flush it all out.

[He spoke semi matter-of-factly but couldn't help the slight growl his own voice held thanks to the sore throat. Her gunky purr only drew a creased 'come on, really?' expression - though he did ponder for a moment why she might be apparently so desperate given her obvious illness.]

Not that you have to listen to me, I'm not a doctor. You know yourself best.

[divinitysoiled]

Hmph. I've never had reason to hear such things.

[Illness was never something she had worried about before. It wasn't something she could catch. Such advice just confused her as much as the slight pounding of her head and the thickness of her voice. She started to step closer to him, hips swaying]

I've always had... better ways to remain well.

[neverbeamemory]

Thought I would be immune as well. Turns out not so much.

[Damn Tower, it was concerning just how much they could manipulate and seemingly turn off natural inbred defenses like they apparently could. Sephiroth turned back to the sink, cupped his hands full of water again and splashed his face once more. That was it now, he wouldn't do it again. There is no way he could be getting hotter at this ridiculous pace.]

And how would that be? [Maybe it was something he could try consider that he hadn't already. He watched her in the mirror, noting the body language but not thinking too much into it. Perhaps suggestive was just her manner.]

[divinitysoiled]

[She smiled as she noticed him watching her in the mirror. Wary. Good man. Catarina leaning in, hands behind her back so her breasts would be the first thing in contact with him]

It's quite a secret. Perhaps it'd be better to... show you in private instead of babbling it aloud.

[neverbeamemory]

[He wasn't quite sure he was getting the right impression and so didn't move his eyes from the mirror. Fixing on her face to try and verify the hunch he thought he was gleaning.

She had to be flirting. Though perhaps inexperienced, Sephiroth wasn't as innocent as all that - along with the breasts now touching his upper arm; he didn't have to ask anymore in order to guess her intention. He shouldn't be surprised at such attention, he did take great pride in his appearance in general but surely walking around without a top on wasn't enough of a trigger to cause such forwardness in other people. Besides, playing around with humans in that regard was about as far from his mind as-

Ah, maybe- ]

You're not human, are you.

[More of a statement than a question.]

[divinitysoiled]

And what gave you that impression? [Not verifying it yet. She was curious how he figured a flirtatious woman wasn't human]

[neverbeamemory]

[He shrugged, which in itself seemed to just curdle the mucus clinging to the back of his sore throat. He refused to cough from it just yet, he had to remain on top of this, he couldn't let it overcome him.]

From what I know of humans, I doubt most would be so inclined to such- [Pause. He swallowed hard, more from the sticky throat than anything but it couldn't have been any worse-timed. It was just a little ego-bruising, making him sound so unsure of what he was saying.]

-mannerisms whilst dealing with this affliction. Most find it difficult to function at all.

[By that 'affliction' of course, he means the flu that is quite obviously going around.]

[divinitysoiled]

[That it did make him sound unsure. She was inerested by that, wondering if he would be untouched, virgin. Those were usually the most delicious.]

You're quite right. I'm not human. I am far from it.

[neverbeamemory]

Care to elaborate?

[Though interest was shown in a raised eyebrow it didn't last because of this damn cold. He turned his face away from both her and the mirror - towards the wall - as he allowed a single, sticky sounding cough to escape. It was followed predictably by a couple of sniff sniff's as well.

Severely irritated by the lack of control he had over this forsaken condition he half-sat, half-leant back against the sink; going back to analyzing her with fire-y eyes.]

[divinitysoiled]

I am a succubus. Sex, desire... I feast upon all of that.

[His eyes intrigued her. So strong, so vivid... So nearly inhuman]

And yourself? What manner of creature do are you?

[neverbeamemory]

Must be a tough diet to adhere to in this place.

[Considering all of the...children he'd seen milling around. And now she was ill and pursuing the only way she knew to get well. Was he wrong to deny her?]

Myself, [He shrugged] There isn't really a single word to define me like that. I was the Chosen one; bred from human, though celestial entity eventually.

[Sure, there were a lot of 'but's' and 'if's' to that statement but Sephiroth wasn't about to expose all of what he was to just anyone, much less someone who had snuck up on him in the bathroom. Besides bringing up Mother might just ruin whatever she thought of him currently.]

[divinitysoiled]

Not as tough as you might think. There are many who find themselves interested in what I have in mind. [And she didn't even need to attack the children, though she did enjoy playing up the demon to annoy and torture some of the more stuck up ones]

[At the word "celestial," her entire demeanor changed. Wary, distrustful, and almost]

I see.

[neverbeamemory]

I suppose being alone can be a terrible burden for some.

[He's always been alone to a certain extent. Before he'd always had Mother's legacy to look up to, to aspire to take vengeance for. Now, all alone in this Tower, Sephiroth could appreciate the appeal of sex as perhaps a temporary balm for their imprisonment. Though it wouldn't be something he'd naturally seek out.]

I was to rule over my Planet, before through some trick it was stolen from me and destroyed.

[divinitysoiled]

[Hm. He didn't talk like an angel she was used to... but he did say celestial. She couldn't trust him. She couldn't believe he was anything but one of those damned things]

And what would you have done?

[neverbeamemory]

Remake it. Use it to find a new Planet and start again there, whichever-

[Sephiroth covered his nose and mouth with the back of his hand as he sneezed lightly.]

Whichever I would have to, given the sorry overdue state it was in.

[Talking about the Planet he'd been taken from just stirs other thoughts. Thoughts of how completely he's now failed the destiny set out for him - that sickening feeling of disappointment in himself doesn't go well with the flu symptoms]

[divinitysoiled]

[Catarina started to circle around him without realizing it, assessing the threat and the claim of "celestial." If he was, he was a definite threat as a being of light. But she couldn't read him. She couldn't decide if he was an angel, good, evil, celestial, demonic... what.]

Hm.