scraping the bottom

[musubi]

Characters: [ou] Isamu Nitta and OPEN.
Setting: library
Format: any
Summary: The growths that helped Isamu survive in the passageways of Amala are falling away, leaving a sickly, vulnerable mess of a teenager behind.
Warnings: Possible grossness?

The following message, meant to be filtered but failing to be so, is left on the network:

H -
help
- I

Isamu will not respond to anyone who answers, but will remain curled up in his seat at the console, knees pulled up to his chin. He's shivering, despite the layer of sweat that's causing the crumbling dirt-like remains of the growths to become mud on his skin, and he's hardly slept in days. One might think that being shirtless still would be counterproductive to his recovery, but he doesn't want anything touching his skin right now.

Withdrawal from the magatsuhi, the energy the demons fed on, is doing a number on his system. For now, the worst has basically passed, but he isn't aware of this. As far as he's concerned, he could be dying again and he doesn't know what to do.


((ooc: Sorry for a second post so soon, but I didn't want to inflict this on others when they had their own plots/intros going on.))

Comments

[nottheonly]

[Slowly but surely, they trudge toward their destination.]

...Say, what's your name, exactly?

[musubi]

Isamu.

[He'll give his whole name if she asks, but right now he doesn't think that's necessary.]

[terreifying]

I'm Rei.

[She too gives him only her first name.]

[musubi]

[He wants to answer with something rude, such as how much he doesn't care what her name is, but he has enough sense to know that's probably not the best thing to do to your main source of support.]

...Okay.

[terreifying]

...Sooo, are you new here? Haven't seen you before.

That is the most terrifying Rei icon ever.

[musubi]

None of your business.

[Ah, there's the rudeness.]

I know, right?

[nottheonly]

You know, if you're new, I could help you with getting around. Or tell you important stuff. But I guess that's really not my business.

[musubi]

[She gets nothing more than a grunt in response to that, and he stumbles into the wall where he has to pause for a breather.]

[nottheonly]

[She waits to see when he'll recover.]

...Are you sure you don't want the carry?

[musubi]

[He nods, finally pushing away to walk along beside her again.]

[nottheonly]

[She remains silent, walking alongside him and watching to see if he stumbles again.

[musubi]

[He will, several times, but at least he's staying upright. That's the important part.]

...Are we almost there?

[nottheonly]

Yeah, almost. I don't know if you can make it down the stairs, though.

[musubi]

I can make it.

[He frowns. He's made it this far. A few little stairs aren't going to stop him.]

[nottheonly]

Okay. Don't trip, though, because we'll both go tumbling down.

[musubi]

I'm not gonna trip...

[Well he doesn't know that for sure, but he's gonna damn well do his best not to.

She warned you about the stairs, bro.

It isn't until near the bottom that his shaky legs decide they've had enough of this and he sees an inevitable tumble coming. Rather than fall flat on his face, however, he makes sure to plop down right on his backside before that happens, sitting on the third to last step.]

[nottheonly]

[Rei squats down next to Isamu.]

Wow, you did great! Didn't think you'd make it so far.

[musubi]

[He tries to huff at her, but it's hard to tell with his already heavy breathing.]

...Told you I would.

[terreifying]

[She claps him on his back.]

Just a little more! And then you can say you showed the stairs who's boss!

[musubi]

[He glares at her for that, but pulls himself slowly back up onto his feet so he can finish the rest of the way.]

[terreifying]

[She stands up alongside him and offers him her arm again.]

[musubi]

You said it was close now, right?

[Because he can only pretend his legs won't give out again for so long.]

[terreifying]

Yep, just a few more steps down the stairs and it's into the infirmary.

[musubi]

Good.

[And he'll be mostly silent the rest of the way, as talking takes up time he could be using to breathe.]

[nottheonly]

[And Rei too remains silent, right up as they get to the beds.]

So, which one do you want?