A couple promised closed (or semi-closed) logs

[warriorscribe]

Characters: Enoch and Lucifel, and anyone who would visit his room too. Just let me know! Also, Enoch and Lancer.
Setting: Dorm 3-18 backdated to November 1st, Floor 62 backdated to December 1st
Format: I'll match!
Summary: Enoch has had something very unpleasant happen to him as a punishment for too many failed riddles. That is an understatement. Also, he and Lancer agreed to a sparring match.
Warnings: Talk of being flayed may happen if you press for information. (If this is one of your listed squicks I'll actively avoid it coming up), maybe blood or broken limbs in the sparring match? There is a tangent involving sexual discussion.


Dorm 3-18, November 1st


He woke with a scream.

Or tried to. In his sleep paralysis it was only a choked sound as he stared at the ceiling wide-eyed. Unable to move or speak, all he had was the nightmare he'd just lived, punctuated by Eleven's shrill screaming. All he had was that he was not in pain. Parts of him were still numb from revival, but he was not in pain.

An involuntary, low, distressed moan was what told him he could move again. Shaking and pale, he pushed himself up. He was covered in a sheen of sweat and his gaze was unfocused, glazed-over. He raised a hand, still numb and tingling, and pressed it to his own chest. With something between a laugh and a sob, he curled up on himself, a tight human ball on the bed.

Unlike the time that had given him such an adverse reaction, there was nothing driving him to keep going. Only the horror of what had happened.


Floor 62, December 1st

The beach had always been a calming place for him. That is, until his return to Meridian. As he waited for Lancer, he watched the waves, arms folded as his thoughts wandered. Mostly, they wandered to Armaros, and their time in Meridian. Time spent there, he on a large dune watching as Armaros swam.

And now, he was here. Torn apart. In so much pain he could only blame him.

A nautilus shell washed up against his foot. He bent down to pick it up, idly playing with it as he waited for Lancer, stewing in his own thoughts.

Comments

[brbtalkingtogod]

The archangel lifted his left hand, reaching out to wipe away the tears that were streaming down the face of the blond. How much time would it take for Enoch to recover, he wondered every single day. And by now it almost felt like not even all the time of the world would be enough to fix him.

But what could he do to help Enoch in this Tower where he too was helpless?

[warriorscribe]

His attempts to stop crying only made it worse, eventually leading to him hyperventilating through his tears, choking, gasping breaths punctuating his sobs as his body shook, once again panicked. Apparently, trying to stop before he'd cried himself out wasn't going to happen this time. It was just too much...

[brbtalkingtogod]

"It's alright Enoch, you don't have to force yourself." He could continue crying if it helped him. Lucifel had just wanted to make sure that...

... What exactly had he wanted to be sure of? That Enoch was there, that he looked like not a thing had happened to him?

[warriorscribe]

Without proper feeling in his arms, he clung the only way he could: he buried his head against Lucifel's shoulder, eventually catching his breath and, a few minutes later, quiet, dead silent except for the shaky breaths against his guardian's shoulder.

He looked up at Lucifel with reddened eyes. "I'm sorry...I tried to survive..."

[brbtalkingtogod]

Lucifel leaned his head against Enoch's while he listened to him. The archangel knew that he tried his best to survive... but like so often in this place, the scribe didn't have much luck.

"You're not at fault..."

[warriorscribe]

Enoch slumped against him again, quieting a bit on hearing that. After a moment more, he spoke again, quietly and subdued.

"I'm so tired, Lucifel. It feels as if I've been here a hundred years..."

[brbtalkingtogod]

"I'd have known if that had been the case." But with all the things they have been through it didn't surprise him that everything here was like a heavy burden on him.

"Are you comfortable like this?"

[warriorscribe]

It's certainly changed him a bit - only a little over a year ago he might never have admitted this fatigue to Lucifel until something else forced him to. He sighs, one hand attempting to grasp the back of his shirt, but he's unable to keep his grip.

But caged in, in a way, by Lucifel's arms and head...it was comforting, after what he'd just been through.

"I...I suppose..."

[brbtalkingtogod]

"... You suppose?" The archangel raised an eyebrow at him questioningly. How could he be comfortable like this? Lucifel could only wonder about that.

[warriorscribe]

"It's...nice to be close."

Even if he can't actually hold onto him in return.

[brbtalkingtogod]

"Well, sure... you seem to have a hard time moving though."

He got that the scribe might not want to move at all in this state, but it felt like something was off.

[warriorscribe]

"I still can't feel my arms, it's like I slept on them. A leg as well, this time..."

Honestly, that's not so bad. Irritating, at most, but it's his emotional state that's dominating his focus right now.

[brbtalkingtogod]

"... What do you mean you can't feel your arms?"

This was something Enoch hadn't explained to him yet.

[warriorscribe]

"The last few times I've died, one or both of my arms have been numb for a time..."

He doesn't sound particularly distressed about it. How can he, emotionally exhausted as he is?

[brbtalkingtogod]

"And why do I only hear about this now?" And here he had thought that he knew everything one has to know about the Tower since he got here.

But there wasn't the time for this. Lucifel pinched the bridge of his nose and took a deep breath.

"Nevermind."

[warriorscribe]

"I never thought to say anything..."

Enoch raised his head to look at Lucifel. He didn't sound happy, not that he could blame him.

[brbtalkingtogod]

"It's fine." He'd ask about it on another day he decided. Talking about this in Enoch's current state wouldn't be much of an encouragement.

"Do you want to drink anything?" He was sure Enoch wasn't very hungry at the time being.

[warriorscribe]

A smile flickered briefly into existence. "I think...now would be a good time to open up some of these wine bottles."

[brbtalkingtogod]

"... Sounds like it." Especially since the only person he had to babysit was in his room already and wouldn't wander off anywhere.

[warriorscribe]

"They're under the bed where we left them...and some more in the trunk." Though, Lucifel would have to get up to get them.

[brbtalkingtogod]

"Alright." That was fine with him. Lucifel let go of him and got up to get the wine from under the bed.

[warriorscribe]

Enoch made an attempt to maneuver himself into leaning against the wall, but not watching his arm meant he just pushed himself against it while lying down. He watched Lucifel passively as he got the wine. Maybe he'd start to feel better once he had some of it in his system.

[brbtalkingtogod]

"Will you be fine, drinking in this state?" From the looks of it Lucifel would probably have to feed Enoch the wine if he could only hardly keep himself up.

[warriorscribe]

"I don't think that matters very much at this point..." Actually watching his arms this time, he managed to get himself propped up against the wall. He shivered against the cold metal, but he probably looked a lot more able to drink like this.

[brbtalkingtogod]

"If you're sure." For the beginning he took three bottles and sat down next to Enoch again. Then he would work on opening one for them.