bajamutblast | Inbox/Notes

One never knows. I hear you are quite well-traveled. Perhaps there was another.

[He's teasing, and yet there remains a note of curiosity in his voice all the same. For all his life, Dion went where he was told. There was much he had seen, of that he would freely admit. And yet the freedom to wander sounds almost like a fantasy. He knows that Joshua was no idle explorer, of course, but a man on a mission. Yet that mission had taken him to the corners of Valisthea. He can't help but wonder what all the man had seen.]

She is. She found and tended to me after I left the care of your healer. Without her, I suspect I would have met my end long before Origin. [He pauses for a moment, quirking a brow.] Though, I know not what other wounds you refer to.

[He cannot take his shirt off in front of Joshua, he will die.]

[ Well-traveled... Indeed. He supposes he is. In his quest for knowledge about Ultima, he's been to so many places, but... never to take in the sights. Never to enjoy local cultures, never to partake in the cuisine save what was needed for energy, to keep something in his belly. He is Well-traveled, well-studied, but it is all in the name of finding out what truly happened that night at Phoenix Gate, and what Ultima had been plotting.

But he smiles for Dion all the same. ]

You would be surprised. Valisthea experiences a dearth of princes, particularly errant ones.

[ He's about as close as it gets, he supposes.

But as Dion talks about Kihel, he listens respectfully. She had saved him after he'd fled, then. He owes her his thanks in person, if they ever return home. Without her, they never would have made it as far as they did. ]

She sounds lovely. You are lucky to have met her, Dion.

[ But as he speaks, he's already giving Dion a once-over. There are other wounds. He knows so. ]

Hmm. If you're certain. I'd hate to find out later that I've missed something, but I'm sure you know best.

Then perhaps it by fate that we met?

[A single errant prince and a single Phoenix. It's sort of story right out of a childhood fantasy. And one he quickly dashes from his mind before he can dwell too deeply on it.]

I was indeed. And now I can only hope she is being well cared for at home. I sent someone very dear to me to bring her enough coin to survive on. It will have to be enough.

[He can tell by that look that Joshua sees through his lies. It's hard to say whether it's guilt or a fear of Joshua's future wrath that winds up motivating Dion, but either way, he reaches for the hem of the sweater he wears all the same. No fantasy buttons or weird clothing to navigate here. Everyone say thanks, Heimr.

The sweater makes it to his abdomen before he finds himself hesitating. His cheeks feel warmer than they should, and he hates to think about how the rest of his body will fare once all is laid bare but... off it goes anyway. There's plenty of bandages and mottled bruises to be found here. Whatever entity brought him here had mended most of the threatening wounds, but that doesn't mean he's not still beaten up.]

You may have your way with me then, my healer.

Perhaps it is... Fate conspired to have us meet twenty years ago, so that I should be able to stand here, now, mending your wounds.

[ There's a twinkle in his eye as he says it, a bit of mirth in his voice.

Someone very dear to him... Ah, Dion must speak of his attendant. He had sent Jote away for similar reasons, to keep her safe rather than to seek out an individual, but it makes sense. It's nice, knowing that Dion has someone so close to him that he can trust.

But Dion finally gives in to him, and he could let out a sigh of relief if he didn't feel like masking it. His own wounds, from Ultima's exit from his body, had been healed upon coming here, but they had been life-threatening. Joshua has only wanted to ensure that Dion's are the same - the man had fought Ultima directly, after all, and he's well aware of what happens when an Eikon is defeated in flight. Bahamut would not have had anywhere to land to soften the blow of falling out of a primed state, like as not.

The amount of bandages here is... staggering, compared to Dion's arm. Joshua frowns, expression thoughtful. He has enough left on his roll of bandages to cover these, but only just. He will have to restock.

But Dion's words make him pause, and while by some miracle of the Founder his ears don't flush at the tone of it, the feathers of his wings and the small feathers interspersed throughout his hair certainly ruffle up. Flames, he hates these boons sometimes.

He clears his throat, moving to locate the ending of the bandages so that he can unwind them. ]

I will need to remove these first. Pray, hold still a moment - I will try to be gentle. Are there any areas in particular that bother you worse than others?

[The movement of Joshua's feathers gives Dion pause. His expression remains quizzical as he sifts back through his words and, Oh, Greagor, smite him for it all. He immediately flinches back from Joshua's hands, expression shifting from confused to outright apologetic.]

Pray forgive my speech, Phoenix. My phrasing was - far from appropriate.

[He can't deny some passing interest in Joshua, no. But surely it is just that — passing. His heart yearned for another man, did it not? And no matter how final their goodbye had been, the fact that Dion yet drew breath surely meant he owed Terence some level of faith.

Never mind the fact that Joshua was little more than a stranger to him. They had shed blood together, laughed together but -

He closes his eyes, trying to force himself to focus on the moment. He could brood and turn these thoughts over within his head later. Right now, he is only making more of a fool of himself by flailing about and avoiding the other man's touch.]

Apologies. [He repeats this, before leaning forward once again.] And, to your question... It all seems to hurt equally.

[Should Joshua wish to continue stripping the bandages away, he'll quickly see why. Bahamut had been pierced clean through by the burst of energy Ifrit had repelled. While it may not have left an entire hole in his torso, there were burns to match the point of impact on either side of his body.]

No. No, it is quite alright.

[ It truly is. He isn't bothered by the words, so much as... Well. It's a similar sensation to when Will had complimented him, really, now that he thinks about it. Perhaps that's all it is, simply adjusting to others being so casual with him.

He gently shakes himself - literally - for a second, getting his feathers to settle again. ]

I am still not used to these boons. They often have a mind of their own. But I would be honored to be your healer, Your Highness.

[ It's said with a little curve of lips, trying to lighten the awkward little bit of tension with some levity. But not for long. He has work to do.

And once he gets the bandages off, he pulls in a breath. ]

Oh, Founder.

[ Dion has been trying to mend these himself? With only poultices, and in places he cannot easily reach alone? These will take weeks to heal, even with proper application of salve...

His fingers itch to cast a spell. He could fix this so, so easily. Dion wouldn't have to be in pain, he wouldn't need daily reapplication of bandages. And Joshua would gladly spend his own energy to do it, too. But Dion had requested no spells, and like as not, Clive would be able to feel it and would kick down the door to make him stop.

So, he bites down on his lip and refrains. For now. To keep the itch from being overwhelming, he focuses on the wounds instead, moving to the sink to wet a cloth so that they can be cleaned first. The other burns were fine without, but these are closer to the heart.

Once he returns with it, he kneels on the floor, oh so gently dabbing at the burns to ensure there isn't anything foreign trapped there. ]

Dion, I must request - no, I insist that you see me daily. If I am to heal these without my magic, we will need to ensure they are clean and rebandaged frequently.

[Dion is not unused to the sharp stabs of pain that comes from these wounds. He's done his best to clean and tend them over the last few days, but it never gets any easier. The marred flesh is tender and angry even still, and no amount of gentleness will completely take away the pain. He has experienced far worse, though. And so while it hurts he needs to do little more than set his jaw and stare at a wall. It will be over soon enough.

Still, he cannot let Joshua's insistence slide. He sighs only a little sharply, and only because it's a sensitive area that's just been brushed. He ignores it for now, shaking his head as he does.]

Every day is far too much, even for you. Doubtless, there are others who need your assistance out there. I will not take you from them.

[And maybe, just maybe, he also doesn't think he deserves that much care and attention. It is but another form of punishment he must bear. To ease the burden would be to casually erase the suffering he had wrought upon others.]

Every day is not too much. Not when it's you.

[ It's murmured quietly as he works, so focused on his task that he doesn't really think about how it sounds until a small handful of quiet seconds later. At which point he pulls in a soft breath, sitting back from the wounds for a moment and glancing up at Dion, then clearing his throat and turning to preoccupy himself with his tin of salve. ]

Because your wounds were obtained in giving us a chance. I may not be directly responsible for making them, but I can be responsible for ensuring that they heal properly.

[ And responsible for making sure that Dion is not in pain because of them. He slicks his fingers with the salve, and applies it to the worst of the burns with the same gentleness as the ones on his arm. It has to hurt something awful. There's no way that it couldn't. He will have to ask Pure Vanilla if there isn't something he could apply to reduce or eliminate the pain.

But for now, as he plasters gauze pads to the ones on the front and makes his way around to Dion's back, he murmurs something softly. ]

Forgive me.

[ Because, just for this, just because he wants to relieve a little bit of Dion's pain obtained on his and Clive's behalf, he lets the Phoenix's fire light on his hand. The most gentle healing spell he can manage works its way into his skin, calming the ache and the burn. It won't last, it isn't knitting flesh together, but it will at least help for a short while. And if it draws ire from either Dion or Clive, he will take it with no amount of shame. It's the least he can do. ]

[Oh, the way his heart flutters at the words. It isn't fair for Joshua to talk to him in such a way, he thinks. It's so easy for his mind to run away with itself, and before long the tips of his ears feel just that slightest bit warm.

It takes him a long moment to remember to respond, to shake his head. While he understands the sentiment, there is a problem with it all.]

These wounds are not from you. [Despite the correction his voice is gentle.] It was in your attempts to stop me in my rage. They are a reminder of what I have done.

[If there's more he wants to say, he can't seem to manage it. Joshua is right that it hurts, and he finds his hands gripping tightly at the fabric of the bed below him as a result. His eyes water reflexively, but he's long since used to blinking that away.

There is one advantage to his suffering, for Joshua at least. Dazed as he is, he doesn't register the apology until the pain ebbs. It's an unnatural shift, he swiftly realizes what's happened, but it's still far too late.]

Joshua - [There's not anger in his voice, but sorrow.] Please - no more. Do not weaken yourself, especially not for me.

[ Good. He'd been banking on the element of surprise, so that Dion wouldn't stop him before it could take effect. The spell is blessedly quick, so by the time Dion is asking him to stop, he's already finished with all that he wanted to do.

The feeling of it taking hold on him is nothing more than a gentle twinge, and he easily passes it off. ]

Only this once. Just once. Just to ease the pain for a short while.

[ It's a soft reassurance, that he isn't going to do it again. But in lieu of anything numbing, it was all he could do. And he wanted to.

But hearing his name, rather than "Phoenix", makes his lips curl up. He won't remark on it, but it's nice to hear. He will keep that small smile to himself as he patches up the burns on Dion's back, where the other man can't see it. ]

If you require a reminder, they will scar, and you will have one. But you need not suffer so in the process. You need not repent, Dion - no one is asking it of you, and expecting it of yourself will only hurt others. So, please. Take this relief I've given you, and relax. For Kihel, if not for yourself.

[It doesn't settle well with Dion. The look he gives the man is desperate. Nausea curls within his gut, while his own self-doubt tickles at the back of his mind. He doesn't deserve this kindness. He doesn't. But he knows that Joshua will not hear of his complaints, and even if he did, there aws nothign to be done. The damage had already presumably taken hold.

He is left, then, to simply sit with his discomfort as Joshua works. He stares down at the floor, picking out flaws in the grain beneath his feet, all while he waits for the other man to finish. Unfortunately, it means there's little else to do but listen to that which Joshua says. It is a low blow, he thinks, to use Kihel against him, but the effect Joshua had been seeking is achieved. She had put such work into keeping him alive and patching him up. To do any damage to it would be to spite her legacy.]

You are... correct. [Still, his discomfort only grows. His feet itch. All at once, he wants to be alone.

But he won't be so impolite as to directly tell Joshua to leave. He simply nods once again and waits. It will be over soon enough, and then he can make an excuse of needing rest.]

[ In using Kihel's name, Joshua had hoped that it might serve as a motivation. Something. He'd initially thought to use himself, but... Well. He frankly wasn't certain that using himself for a motivation would work. They don't know each other well on a personal level, after all. But he cares for Kihel a great deal.

But as the remainder of his patching up passes in relative silence, he finds himself wondering if it worked. If Dion's silence is contemplative, or discomfort. It isn't as though he can read minds, so it's difficult to say. But he remains silent, too, save for soft, short instructions to move an arm this way, hold this position, whatever makes it easier at any given moment to wrap the bandages around Dion's wounds to hold the gauze in place.

And as he finishes, he glances over to the stove. The water sounds like it has started to boil, so he finished just in time. He shifts off the bed, wiping his fingers on the cloth at his waist again as he moves to take the kettle off the flame.

But as he pours the water into the cups, he hesitates. The leaves curl and spin in the cup as the water settles from its pour, and he slowly eases the kettle back down. ]

If I've made you uncomfortable, I apologize.

[ Just to cover any possibility. Just to be safe. He isn't sure, but they had been chatting fairly regularly until they abruptly weren't. He isn't sure if it was his healing, or his mention of Kihel, or both. ]

[Dion glances up as Joshua moves away. He had hardly realized so much time had passed. Now that he's by himself and fully bandaged, he finds himself shifting about, testing the range of motion he has with the newly applied bandages. It's a bit tighter than before, but that's to be expected when someone can actually reach his wounds.

He doesn't expect Joshua to apologize, of course. Not because Joshua wouldn't but that Dion had hoped his discomfort were not so obvious. He isn't sure if it's a failing on his part, or if it's simply Joshua's own emotional intuition. Either way, though, he's been caught. It leaves him with two options. Lie, or admit his discomfort and address it.]

It is not that. [He says like a liar.] The wounds were more sore than I expected. It took far more energy from me than I would have anticipated.

[He shifts, elbows bracing against his knees as he looks to the floor.]

I hope you will forgive me if I ask to rest now, rather than finish our tea.

[ Ah.

Joshua breathes in softly, closing his eyes. If Dion truly is exhausted, it would be wise to let him rest. While his healing may have relieved some of the pain, he knows that it won't relieve exhaustion. Provided Dion is telling the truth, at any rate. He fully believes that he is, but a little voice in the back of his mind can't help but wonder.

But, he puts on a smile and turns around nonetheless. ]

It's quite alright. Understandably, healing takes a lot of energy out of your body, and you do need your rest. But I will leave your tea with you, in case you should want it. I'll leave the tin, as well.

[ Just in case he wants more later. It is good - that's why he brought it. As a gift. He hadn't intended to return with it anyway. ]

Do you mind if I bring mine back with me? I will return the mug to you when I see you for your change of bandages.

I should very much like it, yes. I think it shall help me settle down for the time being.

[That, and he also just doesn't want to say no to Joshua any more than he already has. The man has gone above and beyond for Dion in the last few minutes. Upset though he may be by the reminder of Kihel, he still doesn't hold it against the man. He just needs to be alone to lick his wounds.]

Please feel free. I shall manage without it.

[Especially since, at this rate, he's liable to skip tomorrow's clinic appointment. Between Joshua's insistence on healing him and his own upset, he isn't exactly feeling eager about doing it all again.]

I hope you will not mind if I do not see you out properly?

[No leading him to the door way or ensuring he makes it down the hall. Right now, it's everything in Dion's power not to outright lay down on the bed. Maybe being tired wasn't exactly an outright lie.]

[ Joshua nods to that, glad that Dion is at least willing to take the tea. He slips his glove back on, then picks up both mugs, carrying one to Dion so that he can take it. ]

You'll want it to steep a couple minutes more, unless you'd like it weaker.

[ And then, he's left with his own mug, and the tin of salve. The latter of which gets slid back into his pack, of course, and then he returns to cupping the mug in his hands. ]

It's all right. I will take no offense. Please, rest. I will see you tomorrow for another application of salve.

[ And, with that, he turns to move to the door. ]

[Dion's fingers fold around the mug, holding it tight. It does burn at his skin, but he's handled worse. He's used the heat of a flare between the tips of his fingers, after all. If anything, it's a pleasant reminder of something he does not have any longer.]

Right. Tomorrow.

[He is less and less sure that he will be making their appointment after all that has happened, but like hell will he say that straight to Joshua.]

Go well, Phoenix.

[He gives him one last nod before turning his attention away fully.]

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