005 || video

[necrowmantic]

[When Henry appears on the feed, he's somewhat bloodied up. There's claw marks on his face, bloody punctures at his throat and along one arm, as if he'd been attacked by some large predator. He doesn't look to be in any serious danger, though, and he grins up at the video with his usual sort of good nature.]

Hey guys! So who else has been having an extra murderous fantasy or five? You know, really-kind-of-awesome intrusive thoughts, when you're talking to someone, and suddenly want to rip their head off? Or peel back the skin of their face 'cause it looks soft, or slit their ankles open or--

Well, you get my meaning! And sure, most of that's normal enough to think, but not this much! And since no one else's gonna come out and ask, I will--

Isn't it great?

[The laughter there's enthusiastic too, maybe too much. It's hard to tell over the feed, but he looks a bit underslept.]

I guess I mean- how weird is this, huh? From the people I've talked to, it's not just me being a bit more bloody-minded either! Soooooo I was wondering how widespread this really was! And if it's gone beyond crazy thoughts.

Like, I think I broke into someone's house and smashed their stuff, so if that was yours- uh, sorry about that.

Maybe someone put something in the water again. Other than that, I'm totally out of theories!

[Henry seems about to shut it off there, but there's a scratching noise behind him, and he sighs.]

One last thing- anyone else having a liiiittle bit of trouble with their powers today?

[He twists the camera around, to show a large, three-legged shadow-wolf lurking, scraping its way along the ground towards him. Its remaining limbs are twisted up, and just watching it walk is uncomfortable. Limp, crow-like wings sprout from behind its shoulderblades, and drag uselessly at the dirt. There's blood spattered around, along its muzzle; whatever this thing was, it wasn't friendly.]

...I made that, but I wasn't trying to. And it's not listening to me either- kind of weird, huh?

Comments

[necrowmantic]

You could handle one before though, I bet you could do more than that now.

[He tilts his head at the look, blinking at him.]

Something up?

[averagemedium]

--just thinking. [He gives his head a shake to clear it, trying to shove the thought aside. Absolutely not testing it, not right after he'd dealt with that backfire.]

Hopefully I won't have to test exactly how good it is for a while. Promise I'll let you know when I do, though.

[necrowmantic]

Good, 'cause I totally want to watch!

[Content as he is to stay nestled with him, he pokes up at Ryan eventually.]

--But should we head back soon? Didn't meant to drag ya out here.

[averagemedium]

If you're feeling better, sure. I didn't want to drag you off before you were up to it.

[Ryan withdraws his arm and quickly pushes himself to his feet, offering a hand out for Henry.]

Going to need to get that blood washed off, anyway.

[necrowmantic]

I wish I could stay coated in blood!

[Taking his hand, he carefully climbs to his feet. But no new flashes of pain appear, and he relaxes again.]

--Thanks for coming out, anyway. It feels safer with you here.

[averagemedium]

I know, but I would really rather not have to clean it off of everything. You can be as bloody as you want outside the house, 'kay?

[He doesn't mind laundry but seriously, he's washed the sheets twice this week already.

Ryan gives his hand a light squeeze, keeping hold of it as he turns back toward the house and sets off.]

You know if anything happened you're still the more capable one here, though. If anything I ought to be telling you that.

[necrowmantic]

Mm, not that sort of safe. I'm forgetting a lot more these days.

[And he keeps a firm grip on his hand.]

And I'll try to remember about the blood! I don't mean to track so much in... I'm not really sure how it happens!

[averagemedium]

...forgetting what kind of things?

[His frown's worried as he glances over, eyeing him.]

Important stuff, or...?

[necrowmantic]

Bits and pieces. Like the sleepwalking stuff- sorry if I disappear during the night, I'm not trying to! I always wander back eventually.

[He bites his lip, actually trying to think about it, to put words to it. Give him a minute.]

It's more than that, though. I lose track of who I'm not supposed to kill. Sort of?

[averagemedium]

And you were threatening to string me up with shadows. Sounds like you'd need it more than me, yeah?

[It's meant to be teasing. It just doesn't quite come out as light as he wants it to, maybe a little bit distracted.]

...just be careful. I'm not going to bother asking you not to do anything, but if you're not sure if you should or not-- tell me?

[necrowmantic]

Just a bit, yeah.

[His own tone is as light as ever, but it's possibly even less genuine than usual.]

But that's why it's safer with you. You can just tell me if I need to murder something. I don't have to wonder.

[averagemedium]

You do realize if you left that up to me I'd almost never tell you yes, right?

[He's considering, though. Now that he stops and really thinks about it, he's... honestly not sure why he was just going to pack up and go. It seemed like the best way to do things, to shake off whoever's been fucking with the shadows in the house, to just be alone for a while. And maybe that's still what he needs, he's not certain, but it doesn't sound like it's what Henry needs right now.

So he pauses there, stopping to turn to him.]

--you could come with me. When I leave the house, I mean. I'm getting out soon as I find a place.

[necrowmantic]

--you're what?

[Henry's even distracted by the notion of never being told to kill things (surely enemies wouldn't count, right, right), and if Ryan hadn't stopped walking, he would have himself.

His expression never changes, but his fingers dig into his hand and don't relax.]

You were gonna tell me, right?

[averagemedium]

I was definitely going to tell you!

[Sometime. He hadn't... really thought about that, just about going as soon as he could.]

It's... just that I haven't even figured out where I'm going yet.

[necrowmantic]

[Maybe it was amplified by the corruption going around, but he had the sharply paranoid thought of of course he wasn't going to tell you, why would he do that, and he's silent for a second too long, before laughing.]

That does make it tricky, huh? I just don't want to walk in your room and find all your stuff gone. That would get pretty awkward.

[averagemedium]

You won't, okay? Promise you I'm not just leaving like that.

[...anymore.]

You know I like having you around. I mean-- if you don't want to come that's okay, I won't mind if you'd rather stay there, but I'd still want to see you.

[necrowmantic]

...Okay.

[He's not sure if he believes him, and then is not sure if that's because of all the other odd feelings or not, and it's actually a little unsettling.]

But of course I want to be there! I thought- that's part of this whole thing, right?

[averagemedium]

It is if you want it to be? I mean.

[His smile's small, slightly sheepish, as he reaches up to rub at the back of his neck with his free hand.]

It's kind of... usually not a thing people do that soon, where I'm from. We're already basically roommates anyway but you know, getting a different place is kind of--

[Ryan has to pause there while he figures out how to phrase it.]

I'm not sure I'd call it a big deal, exactly. Just. Not generally a thing people jump into.

[necrowmantic]

So you were gonna jump into it on your own and not tell me until afterward?

[There's an edge of a threat there that he didn't intend, and after a moment, he lets go of his hand to reach up and hug him instead.]

...I just want to be around, okay?

[averagemedium]

[He doesn't quite manage not to look guilty, which is probably all the response necessary-- the hug's more than welcome, though, and he clings gratefully.]

I'll let you know soon as I figure out where I'm going, okay? And then there's never going to be any worrying over whether somebody's going to be in the kitchen, or how thick the walls are, or-- any of that.

[necrowmantic]

Though if we're bugging the neighbors, it serves them right for sending shadows after you.

[Slightly muffled, as he's occupied with burrowing his face up against Ryan's throat.]

You are okay with me coming along, though? You said this works different in your world.

[averagemedium]

Doesn't mean it has to work that way here. It's just... not what I'm used to.

[He combs a hand through Henry's hair, letting his fingers tangle into it briefly before he pulls it back.]

--think we'd better keep moving, though, or we're not going to make it back for a while.

[necrowmantic]

...yeah.

[He doesn't point out that he didn't really answer his question, realizing that he didn't necessarily want to hear it.

So he just pulls back with another small laugh.]

--And people can disappear at any time, right? Even less reason to delay.

[averagemedium]

Exactly. No point in waiting just for the sake of saying we did, yeah?

[He doesn't take his hand this time, instead letting his arm rest loosely around Henry's waist.]

If it feels like it's a good time, that's all I need.

[necrowmantic]

[Automatically, he tries to move closer, having to hold back a little to keep from interfering too much with walking anywhere.]

That's totally good enough. My world kinda works that way too- there's a lot of fighting, and who knows if you're gonna survive the next battle, right? Everything has to move quickly.