featheradrift | Inbox (The City)

Yuu, sorry to reach out to you urgently like this, but do you have a moment? It's urgent. Is it possible for us to meet somewhere? We'd like to pass on a warning, but it's best done in person.
Alhaitham let me know that you have a storage unit in the city. Would that be an alright location to convene?

[ It takes a long moment for the drifter to reply the text, as he's preoccupied by other matters, but he does, about an hour later. After he reads the text, he curses himself for being slow to check and replies immediately. ]

It's that restaurant I invited you all to when I first arrived. I'll be there immediately.

[ He'll get there as quickly as he can, which is about thirty minutes. ]

[ in the intervening time, kaveh's at least managed to wash the blood from his hands. the message is welcome. he breathes a sigh of relief, and shows it to alhaitham, before thumbing out a quick reply. ]

Alright. We'll see you there, Yuu.

[ inside the restaurant, they make a ghastly sight, kaveh thinks. it's not as though they had the time to go back and get changed, though kaveh wishes that he had thought ahead and at least asked yuu to bring a blanket or something to cover up the very obvious bloodstains that they're both sporting, seeped deep into their clothing. but in the intervening moments, it was just enough to get netzach to yesod's apartment, where midnight is certain to be watching over the two of them. it would have to be enough, for now. kromer was still at large in the city. the prowl has an air of an escaped zoo animal, a creature of fangs and claws talking prey in a concrete jungle, and kaveh knows now how she picks her targets.

he is picking at a cut on his forearm with distaste when yuu arrives, jolting up at a prickle because alhaitham's inadvertently tugged on his hair: ]

Ow! [ kaveh scowls, ] I asked you to detangle my clips, not detach my hair from my head. If it's that bad, perhaps I ought to just cut it all off.

[Alhaitham is just as bruised with thin lacerations around his exposed arm and torso. His sash is missing and the thin fabric of his shirt has been unfortunately torn. Luckily semisheer spandex is, in whatever civilization this city references, a very popular material. He has so many of them.]

It hurts because you keep moving your head. If you hold still and stop picking at that cut, this will be much easier.

[He gets another clip dislodged. It's around them he looks up to see Yuu and cants his head in greeting before going right back to his task. As if, you know, they aren't beat up.]

[ Blood is the first thing he sees and his eyes widen in alarm and panic, but calms slightly as they bicker normally. They must be okay, he thinks, as he walks towards them quickly and checks them over. Cuts and bruises everywhere... ]

What happened? Who did this to you both?

[ yuu sweeps into the restaurant. kaveh looks up. there's a moment of relief as he perks up at the sight of him, hale and whole, before he offers him a reassuring nod - that quickly turns into another scowl as it tugs at his clips.

alhaitham. kaveh reaches up to swat at his hands. he tilts his head. ]

... we're alright, Yuu. Come sit with us, first. [ but kaveh knows what it's like, to be on the waiting edge of news. he tips his head. ] Do you remember the person who sent out the Secret Santa assignments? A woman named Kromer.

[Alhaitham, who has just told Kaveh to hold still, lets out an aggrieved sound as he drops his hands.] We picked the fight with her, actually, but it's because she stabbed someone because they might not have had a human body. Yuu, can you hold Kaveh's head still since he's incapable of doing it himself?

[ He does remember that, though he hadn't really been paying attention to who had sent out those messages. Someone who might not have had a human body? There were several people in the city who weren't human. Lestat and Midnight both come to mind, but there was also Netzach... Though he did say he had a human body now. He wonders if they'll name someone he knows as the victim.

The drifter steps closer to the pair though, both to look at the mess of Kaveh's clips in his hair and to better examine the two for injuries. He still has no idea how to deal with open wounds though. He should really learn. ]

Someone with an agenda against non-humans? Guess I should've expected not everyone to be friendly.

[ The mess in Kaveh's hair isn't that bad... He gestures to the clips. ]

Want me to try?

Please. I'd rather you give it a try, Yuu. [ for yuu, kaveh cants his head. ] I can't believe Alhaitham asked you to hold my head, like I'm some sort of sumpterbeast who can't get my blinders quite right.

[ kaveh sniffs, but the heat isn't there. instead, there is worry as kaveh observes yuu. ] It isn't just non-humans, however, I think. Netzach was the one who Kromer injured. He mentioned specifically a human body - and she stabbed him to make sure of it. That suggests to me that something visibly non-human. Perhaps a fluid other than blood, or mechanical parts.

That made me think of you, Yuu. We wanted to warn you as soon as we could. She is still at large.

[The visible roll of his eyes. Alhaitham shifts in his seat, knowing Kaveh is going to start gesticulating and making things worse again except he won't complain as loudly when his scalp is pulled if it's Yuu doing it.

So Alhaitham, instead, clasps his hands along the sides of Kaveh's face to hold it steady. And to nudge it upright from where he's tilted it.] The punishment for assault won't set in until overnight. But that will only be handcuffs for a day.

She's a tall and broad woman with silver and blond hair. You should expect her to pick a fight if she finds out you aren't human.

[ Oh, Netzach. He frowns. He doesn't like that, actually. That Netzach got hurt. He hadn't expected to care much but he does. ]

And what part of me looks non-human exactly? [ Maybe the part where no visible puffs of steam come out of his mouth in the freezing cold??? ] Your concern is unneeded. I can handle myself.

[ He positions himself so it's easier to work with the clips in Kaveh's hair and attempts to gently detangle them from his hair. He takes care to hold the locks of hair he works with, so it doesn't pull at Kaveh's scalp as he tugs on the clips, though on occasion he has to use both hands to work out the mess of strands. ]

Netzach looks as human as you do, and she found out regardless. It's the exhibits. [ kaveh's eyes darken as he tips his head back to let you do as he will, scowling a little when alhaitham's hands come for his cheeks. but he holds himself still in alhaitham's grasp, briefly closing his eyes at the memory of it.

netzach, bleeding out. that gaping wound in his shoulder. ]

It's this city, bringing up secrets and identities in ways that we can't control. She was looking through the exhibits before we confronted her; if she saw yours...

Right. [The issue isn't his appearance. It's the way this place peels them open and presents it to the world in a hideous dissection of what makes them them.

Alhaitham's hands are warm and steady against Kaveh's cheeks.] I'm aware you're capable, but it's better that you know she is a potential threat to you rather than be caught unaware. Now you can be on your guard if you cross paths.

[ The clips start detangling from Kaveh's hair, one by one. It takes time, but the drifter stays focused and keeps his fingers gentle all throughout the process. ]

She won't be able to connect that display to me if I wasn't there when she saw it. Even if she knows a puppet exists here, she won't act until she finds out who it is. Unless she's an absolute moron who's more than happy to make an enemy out of everyone here.

[ But fine, he gets that they're concerned for him and want to make sure he'll know there's a potential threat. He does appreciate it. ...because he thinks he wants to teach her a lesson, later. When all messes are sorted out and everyone is fine. Then she'll know the true danger of messing with someone out of her league. ]

Anything else I should know?

She didn't seem at all interested in making amends for what she did to Netzach. I doubt she minds making a few more enemies along the way. [ says kaveh, through the kind of gritted teeth that suggests he wishes he could have left more than just a few bruises.

but that was all - alhaitham was outmatched, as was he. it had been a draw, and it had been a warning shot on both ends, but kaveh does not want to see that fight to its conclusion. he doesn't think either of them will come out of it alive. ]

Yuu, she has a sword. A proper one, of metal. She's quite skilled in it. I don't know how well you fight, but I wouldn't want to see you cross her path until we've our own prototype sword at the ready.

Yuu is more comfortable with hand-to-hand combat. [His gaze fickers over Kaveh's shoulder.] It was an ordinary blade. How resilient is your body against steel?

I can handle a sword. I told you I was raised by swordsmiths. They also taught me combat styles that are normally meant to test the sword's quality, but it functions just fine in a real fight.

[ Like his smithing knowledge, the sword style he's most familiar with is Isshin style. He ought to practice that too, once he obtains a sword. That also needed to be taught to the smiths who would be inheriting the art. ]

More resilient than the average human. She'd require considerable effort to damage me.

You mean wound you.

[ says kaveh. he tips his head back so he can look at the wanderer out of the corner of his eyes. there is no levity there marked in crimson. there is only concern, and care. ] I don't want you hurt, Yuu.

[Kaveh attempts to tip his head back and Alhaitham's grip flexes as he holds it still.] Which you know is not entirely avoidable in this place, and that's why we're warning him. If it does come down to it, Yuu is sure to be a better match against her. He has centuries more experience than either of us, right?

[ The last of the clips finally come out of Kaveh's hair, and he takes a moment to run his fingers through the locks to untangle them and smooth them out. There. He places the last clip on the table and steps back to give them room. ]

In the Abyss. You wouldn't even be able to imagine the creatures I've fought.

[ But that was when he still had his latent abilities, and the upgrades the Doctor had given him. As he is right now, he isn't sure he'd last more than a few weeks in the Abyss. Actually, he would do his damn best to last far longer. There is absolutely no way, even in this state, he'd allow himself to lose to that waste of space Tartaglia in strength. He has his pride as a former Fatui Harbinger. ]

You worry too much, Kaveh. Worry about yourself.

[ the last of the clips comes loose. the way yuu cards his fingers through his hair is gentle. gentle, much in the way he works the minute fragments of the forge, gentle, much in the way he sets down his dishes for a meal. in the abyss, he says, you wouldn't even be able imagine the creatures i've fought.

kaveh closes his eyes. the back of his eyelids burn. ]

You can't posit that I worry too much and that I ought to use that worry for myself. If you'd like me to reduce my overall worry, then stay safe, and preferably without a stab wound to your name. Or I will fuss, as you and Alhaitham like to put it, and that's both promise and threat.

[The clips are finally undone and Yuu cards Kaveh's hair. Alhaitham brings his hands down to Kaveh's shoulders, and then off completely.]

Speaking of that, I think it's time for us to properly deal with our own injuries. Surely anyone else can be warned by a call.

A promise and a threat. Must it always be both at the same time?

[ He rolls his eyes with a slight tinge of fondness. It's almost a catchphrase of his now. Like he knows how much of a menace he can be. How much he rubs the drifter the wrong way sometimes, with the overbearing consideration he has for him. ]

Need me to grab anything?

When I've stubborn fools to impress myself upon, why would I have anything less than both?

[ says kaveh, tart and right-quick. but it is also kaveh's way to open his mouth protest - ]

text. @kaveh, right after netzach gets stabbed by kromer

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to action!!

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