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[bajamutblast]

I won't make this prettier what are you talking about.

Notes:

- Gigaflare (March) = 3x Remaining

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[bajamutblast]

[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.

[kingincognito]

[ 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.

[bajamutblast]

[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.]

[kingincognito]

[ 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. ]

[bajamutblast]

[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.

[kingincognito]

[ 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.

[bajamutblast]

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.]

[kingincognito]

[ 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. ]

[bajamutblast]

[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.]