towerofanimus | you need a bloody shower [post-event mingle]

you need a bloody shower [post-event mingle]

Characters: Any and all!
Setting: Floor 77, sauna
Format: Action-mingle - start your own threads!
Summary: The event is over and everyone who was stuck in the dorms needs a serious bath.
Warnings: Post-event shenanigans? Also baths so p much everyone is at least partially naked.

And so now that you've made your way free of the hell that is the dorm rooms -

This floor mimics a sauna--there are three entrances: one for men, one for women, and one for mixed. Inside each room is the wooden interior one would expect. Outside each area is a small changing room with lockers--if you look, you'll find one with your name on it. The locker will only open up for you. It might be a good place to store things, actually...

- it's time for everyone to take a bath! There's both hot, steamy stalls and large hot spring pools - but you'd better hurry! It's gonna get crowded in here kind of fast.

And hey, keep that towel closed, there's children in here!

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[He blinks in confusion.]

--H-He does?

[That is...almost unjustifiable. But Rick can't bring himself to dislike the kid, so he scrounges for reasons otherwise, stammering his way into an excuse.]

...W-W-Well I...uh...M-Maybe he s-sees s-s-something in her that w-we d-don't. He ah--w-works with s-souls, right? So I g-guess he could s-see into her s-soul or...

[He shrugs helplessly.]

[Diarmuid reaches out and gives Rick's shoulder a squeeze to try and calm him.]

Rick...stop. There is really no way of knowing why. He didn't answer me when I asked. If you want to like him, like him. I would like to like him as well. He seems like a sweet child...

[After all, when Zo had sent back his attempts at making the folded paper animals Diarmuid had sent him instructions for, Diarmuid had kept them. They are still in his trunk even now.]

I just can't trust any of them completely. Not as much as I trust the rest of us who are fighting.

[Rick ceases talking on command, silently flushing red with stifled protests and embarrassment. This is probably for the best--by the end of Diarmuid's explanation, he's realized that arguing with the servant is both unnecessary and very silly. Rick bows his head.]

...I...yes. I s-see w-w-what you m-mean.

[He looks up with wide, hopeful eyes.]

...I-If it h-helps, I w-would choose--ah-- [Wide gesture, as if drawing in the entire sauna.] --u-us over th--them. I m-mean, I--I h-hope it n-never has to...well...

I am sure you would. You have a gentle and optimistic heart. There is nothing wrong with being that way. I...was once like that.

[His eyes sadden and suddenly seem quite distant.]

Don't ever lose that. It is hard to get back and much needed in this place.

[Rick pauses for a good while, regarding Diarmuid pensively. So there's more at work here than just Tower-induced paranoia...]

[..."a gentle and optimistic heart." Rick remembers Diarmuid's heart--it had an unpleasant scar over it, and he hadn't asked why. This only assures him that he doesn't want to know--rather, he doesn't need to know, save how it affects the servant's outlook currently.]

[Without warning or explanation, Rick leans in to give him another hug.]

[Diarmuid seems grateful for the hug. He smiles slightly, though the smile is sad and brief. Deep down, he is glad that Rick doesn't ask for an explanation. While he would have given it, the past is the past and it is better for him not to dwell on it as much as possible. Especially during times like this.]

Thank you.

...Y-You h-haven't lost a-anything.

[Apart from the typical stuttering, Rick's voice does not waver; he seems to believe this.]

Y-Y-You're one of the k-kindest p-people I know here...w-whatever it is you th--think you're d-doing...keep d-doing that. Okay?

I will try. I will try.

[The words are soft, said almost like a mantra, and as much as he says it to others it might as well be.]

Trying is all we can do, because without it, there can be no success. Sometimes it is just harder than others to keep going. Some days you feel the loses and failures more acutely than others.

This is one of those days.

[Rick seems genuinely confused.]

...I-I don't u-u-understand. E-Everyone's safe, we're all b-back t-together again...that's a-all that m-matters, r-right?

[Diarmuid shakes his head, smiling a little guiltily.]

I am a warrior trained, Rick. We work better when there is something new to face. A new danger to stop or a person to protect. The moment that all stops...we tend to find ourselves with too much time to think about things we probably don't need to think about so much just because we need something to keep our minds busy.

Does that makes sense? Yes, for now things are over and everyone is safe and that means my mind thinks about things it probably doesn't need to think about so hard.

[He nods, slowly and pensively.]

...Y-Yeah, I...think so...

[Then his face suddenly brightens with inspiration.]

--I-In that c-c-case, we just--n-need to find s-s-something to keep you o-occupied! How a-about...well w-what can you think of?

[Diarmuid laughs softly.]

It sounds like you understand just fine. Honestly, I'm not sure what I want to think about right now. It would be nice if I could stop thinking for a while. I'm...tired.

[He looks out toward the baths.]

For now, there is some nice warm water. Perhaps, I should try to focus on that instead of anything else?

[Rick mirrors the servant, chuckling and giving a quick nod.]

Y-You're right. I-I-I m-mean, for b-both things.

[Diarmuid had a good point, actually--how long has it been since he's slept in his own bed? Sure he woke up in it this morning, but was he even sleeping before then? How long? Not long enough.]

...Not thinking... [Rick's mouth curls into a wry smile.] ...n-now there's s-s-something that c-comes n-n-naturally to me.

[Diarmuid reaches out to ruffle Rick's hair and then directs the man toward the water.]

You are too hard on yourself, but I will let it go for now since not thinking is what we should be doing. Shall we?

[Oh noes hair ruffles!! Rick giggles and playfully swats at his hand.]

I s-s-suppose that's why w-we're here, r-right? [He shrugs, turns on his heel to go into the sauna proper--]

[--and there is...something on his back, just below the base of his neck. In the steam-filled room, it might look at first like a large, discolored sore; but closer inspection would reveal it as some kind of flat, opaque purple gem, grown into the skin. If it's causing Rick any discomfort, he doesn't show it. Investigate?]

Edited 2013-10-24 18:05 (UTC)

Right.

[Diarmuid laughs and begins to follow Rick to the water when his eyes catch sight of the spot. His vision is enhanced enough that he easily realizes it is a gem, but beyond that he cannot tell anything else about it.

His good mood rapidly is replaced by worry.]

Rick, what is that?

[Rick glances over his shoulder, at first confused, but Diarmuid's expression drives him into a similar state of worry.]

--W-What's what? I-Is there--?

[He spins in an attempt to follow the servant's glance.]

[Diarmuid reaches out and gently takes Rick's shoulder, turning the man so that his back it to him again. He then reaches out an lightly touches the skin next to the gem.]

Here. There is a dark gem of some sort embedded in your skin. Is that usually there?

[Rick doesn't actually feel Diarmuid's hand near the gem, but as soon as he realizes what's going on, he instinctively flinches away and blushes deep, embarrassed red.]

--O-Oh! Uh--

[The blonde man goes to pull up his shirt collar, only to remember that he's not wearing one. This seems to send him into a miniature paranoid breakdown. How many other people around had also noticed and just didn't say anything? Oh but it's so gross, they can't go without judging him, all of them, wondering what could possibly be wrong with that hideous knot--]

--S-S-Sorry, I--y-yeah--um--i-it's b-b-been--sh--should've--a-a-ah--

[And then he started to panic a lot.]

[Diarmuid grabs a hold of Rick's shoulders and gives him a slight shake.]

Rick. Stop.

[The words are sharp, stern, and meant to cut through the panic that is gripping the man.]

Why are you so upset? What is it? Is it hurting you?

[Rick does as commanded and clamps his mouth shut. His face has drained of color and he shivers very slightly under Diarmuid's hands, but is too mortified to pull away, trapped by the shoulders. It takes several moments of gaping to internalize the questions he's been asked, and a few more after that to answer.]

[The first reply is a slow shake of the head--no, it's not hurting him. The second is less direct and said mechanically, like a prerecorded message.]

...I-I'm n-n-not...s-s-s-supposed to...t-to t-t-tell...w-what I c-can do...

[And a lousy job he's been doing at that--a good chunk of the Tower knows he's a shapeshifter at this point. But the powers in practice are clean, simple...not something Rick would feel too embarrassed about showing off, as they weren't too off-putting on their own. Their origins are less pleasant, at least in Rick's eyes; and if he's reviled by his own mutation, he can't imagine how disgusting it must look in the eyes of others.]

Edited 2013-10-26 15:40 (UTC)

So it has to do with your powers? It's not something that has appeared after you arrived in the Tower?

[The expression on Diarmuid's face is as far away from disgusted as it can be. In fact, he looks very relieved.]

I was afraid one of the Administrators had done something to your body without your knowledge. If it is suppose to be there, then let us speak no more of it. Especially if it upsets you so much...

[Diarmuid has to admit that he is curious about how the gem ties to Rick's powers, but there is no way he is going to ask more with Rick already so distressed.]

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you need a bloody shower [post-event mingle]

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tw - suddenly, body horror?

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