I'm certain I could with a bit of bending, but I'd rather not have an audience.
[ All right. He nods gently to Joshua, then calls Ifrit's flames to his left hand. It's far different than Phoenix's. Where the Phoenix is warm and orange, the color of fire in an hearth, Ifrits is red and dark. Magma boiling from the earth.
He lets it surge, let it engulf his arm, heat pouring out. Let's it burn aether, then stops it.
The stone on his arm doesn't budge, which makes Clive frown. Then he calls Garuda, and she responds with a whip of the wind into his hand, a soft whirling tornado that - like Ifrits flames - creeps up his arm. It sends papers flying with the force and like with Ifrit he cancels it.
This time the stone reacts violently and Clive grunts in pain as the stone creeps up his shoulder, flesh turning ashen and grey as it solidifies up like small tendrils and into his neck. Reaches across his throat like spidery fingers and suddenly Clive's eyes widen, his left hand reaching up to grab there, his mouth open.
He can't get air past the petrification, and it's still crawling, up his throat to his chin, across his jaw. The look in his eye is very much: I have made a mistake. ]
[ The first spark of aether being used makes Joshua tense, his eyes narrowing. He suspected it would be something like this, but all the same, he doesn't like it. And seeing Ifrit's flame... Ifrit had been the one to make this all worse, hadn't it? His breath catches in his throat, and only releases once the flames extinguish and Ifrit is dismissed.
But then Clive tries Garuda, and all goes wrong.
He can see the tendrils of petrification webbing out and growing, solidifying, going into his throat. Joshua's heart feels as though it's stopping. He can't breathe. Clive can't breathe. The panic in his brother's eyes-- ]
Clive! CLIVE!
[ The Phoenix's flames are there in an instant when he calls for them, surrounding him, setting his skin and hair alight with flickering tendrils of fire-flash, the Phoenix's tail feathers erupting from his back as his eyes turn a solid, glowing blue. It takes a split second for him to be at his brother's side, the healing flames erupting from his hands in a desperate attempt to stem the progression, to do something.
He turns to look at Will, tears sizzling beneath his eyes as soon as they form! ]
[Will leaps to action, terror making his heart and blood run wild. He doesn't even bother trying to heal- he can tell from scent alone that Joshua's healing outpaces his by multitudes. But there is one thing he can do.
Cursework is a delicate thing. Healing is the simplest magic- just urging the body to do what it naturally already wants to do. Cursing is more detailed, methodical. It's why he never tried to flex that skill on either of the brothers- until he knew how the affliction worked he was just as likely to make it worse than ease it. Or even curse them himself. It takes a knowledge of the intent and source of the blighted magic. He doesn't know the terms antibodies or vaccines, but the logic is the same. To fight an infection one must know it.
But there is, always, the sledgehammer of fever. The reason healing magic is rarely used for illness- a purge could kill the body. Or bake it so deeply there was no recovery. With curses the same is true. Instead of plucking the magic strings free like thread from needlework he was going to have to yank it out by the fistful, leaving carnage in his wake.
But right now he doesn't have any other option.]
Josh, keep healing him, he's gonna need it!
[He grabs at Clive, one hand on the shoulder, the other on the back of his quickly stiffening neck. His dull claws dig in, cat-like regardless of how blunt they are. His eyes slit, glimmering with energy as he dips into the aether and starts metaphorically yanking at where his aether flows into the stone. As he does his blunt claws do the same more literally, scratching at the growths.
And as he works he tries, bluntly, to feed his own prana into the magical wounds. Seasons damn him he wishes he got through more of the book!!! But the basics are enough that he knows, in theory, how this should go. Not that Clive NEEDS more aether- but perhaps his own alien energy can dilute whatever curse is causing this.
What should have been surgery is now a back alley chop-job]
[ It's oddly surreal. He knew there was a chance this would happen, but there's a sort of pride in now knowing it's random. The curse will hit him no matter what, whether in little amounts or large amounts, and it doesn't seem like anything is safe. Ifrits fire took nothing, Ifrit himself took his arm, Garuda before took just a wee bit but this Garuda is hungrily consuming him. Probably like she wanted to when they fought.
What does it mean? There's no logic to the punishment. Is it truly just random?
Joshua semi-priming makes him want to make a noise, to shake his head, desperation in his eyes and not from the inability to breathe. No! Stop that! Then the healing rushes into him and the lithification - is it true lithification? - slows. Stemmed by the Phoenix and his eyes water because he wants to beg for his brother not to.
He knows what's going to happen and the guilt is eating away at him. As it should. Tears drip hot from his eyes - he's sorry Joshua - and then there's... agony. It's worse than the petrification was before, as he feels aether yanking, shoved around. It makes him want to black out, be done with it, and his vision dims, sounds pulling away. And something else that makes a portion of him greedy, in the way eating an Eikons aether did. It's not aether but Ifrit? Ultima? the portion of his body that consumes it snacks on it anyways.
And it works. Slowly the combined onslaught forces the petrification back, enough that Clive can finally croak: ]
Joshua, stop-
[ With a voice that sounds like it was dragged through the mud and then a throat filled with gravel. But it doesn't stop there, the petrification crawling back down Clives arm, slowly but sure forcefully relinquishing the hold via Wills sledgehammering and the Phoenix healing the flesh after. Flesh and nerve screams and Clive has to try and push weakly at them both to get them to stop before they hurt themselves. ]
[ Between his healing and whatever Will is doing, it's working. He can see it, the petrification retreating, and hope springs into his heart, swelling in him and giving him the energy to keep going. Tears still spring from his eyes, sizzling into nothing before they're able to track down his cheeks, but Flames, it's working and that's all that he wants.
But Clive is trying to get him to stop, and he refuses. Even the pushing won't make him stop. Until this is finished-- ]
No!
[ It's snarled out, almost in a tone befitting Ifrit rather than the elegant Phoenix. Even though pain lances through his chest, even though he can feel the creeping sensation within him, nothing except death itself can make him stop now. ]
[It's working??! As much as the theory was sound he honestly expected he was going to see his friend die here in this chair today. Drowning in the open air.
As much as he agrees with Clive that Joshua should not be doing this, if they can push it down completely... maybe... just maybe they can kill the curse at it's seed. Even so he keeps his ears focused on the younger brother's breathing. Watching for gasps and gags. His breath is already worrying shallow... but...
Well, it's not like he could stop Joshua if he wanted to.]
[ The no makes him want to growl back in response, or shove his brother away, but he's too busy filling his lungs with air again, brain fog slowly creeping away. He's beginning to feel steadier, the world isn't spinning so much.
But the pain in his arm? That's building still, as the petrification slows stubbornly, creeping inch by inch downwards until it reaches his wrist. Where it stops entirely, not yielding any further. And the pain becomes overwhelming, like acid under his skin, boiling away down to his bones. His hand feels alive underneath the stone but in the worst way, and he makes a noise and finally puts force into his push, twisting his body to get them to let go and to push them away. ]
Enough!
[ For their benefit both and so the pain in his hand doesn't make him lose what he ate that night. He hisses as he holds it, the new skin of his arm aching and uncontrollably as well. Before it becomes totally manageable, however, he's looking at Joshua, angry. ]
And you accuse me-! Come down!
[ If his voice is watery it's because he's ANGRY and not because he's crying as well because if his brother keeps going- ]
[ If it isn't the shout that makes him stop, it's certainly the shove. It disrupts his concentration, the spell guttering out as it cancels, and Joshua takes a heavy step back, off balance.
But it's the anger in his brother's expression and words that makes the semi-primed state melt away, the fire and feathers fizzling into motes of aether. For just a moment, there's an expression there as though he's just been slapped, his own fear and fury briefly tempered by hurt for just a spit second. But then that fury comes back, biting and snapping like a flame. Clive had been the one to do something stupid, and if not for him, if not for Will-- ]
You--
[ But that's all he can get out, because that's when the coughing starts. It's violent, wet, and Joshua can only pull in quick, gasping breaths between them. Sapped as he is, his legs lose the ability to support his weight, and he makes a desperate grab for the couch.
Just in time for the crimson soaking his glove to be joined by the awful sound of retching and even more blood. ]
[ That was what he was worried about. Ignoring his own pain he pushes himself to his feet to grab his brother before he collapses all the way, holding him up as the coughing turns into retching and-
Oh no, oh no no, it's spread. He knows it. His brother has coughed hard before but never this hard, with never this amount of blood.
He turns to Will, eyes wet and a little wild. He felt Wills aether or prana or whatever he wants to call it and knows he can't ask the other to continue using it so: ]
Are you able to take my aether? Calling upon the Eikons isn't using any, the curse isn't attached to it for me but Joshua's is. The more he uses, the more he loses. It doesn't come back, it doesn't replenish. But the blessing he gave me, we tried before and it... there was a connection but I can't direct it- Please-
[ Please. The only person Clive will ever beg for is in his arms, again. Because of him. Again. ]
[ The shove is enough for Will to almost topple over too, the sudden dizziness from too much prana usage making the world tilt. He can hear the brothers snapping at each other as if through water. Muffled and echo-y.
But that gagging sound he was waiting for starts, and he jerks his head up (too fast, black spots dancing on the edge of his vision), and rushes over, failing to fully avoid blood and vomit. The look in Clive's eyes is a bit terrifying in a way that the flashes of Ifrit have not been.
Desperation and need. For what he can or can not do. The deep scared part of him whimpers and tries to flee- no no he can't be responsible for if this man lives or dies. With Clive it had been too sudden, he acted on instinct. Just like he had when they fought the Wraiths together.]
... lookin' at me like that, how could I say no?
[ Damn it. Damn them both and his own weak heart. He's face is ashen with exhaustion, but he reaches out touch Clive's now flesh arm, resting his other hand on Josh's heaving back]
Jus'... do whatever it is that you say you did to connect. I'll figure it out from there.
[He's trying to sound confidant, and with so much practice he almost pulls it off. Almost]
[ Thankfully, the heaving doesn't last incredibly long, not nearly as much as the coughing does. Still, it leave his mouth sour and metallic, and the coughing is incessant. It's never been this bad. He pushed himself a little too hard in his panic, and he knows it. But if it meant that his brother didn't suffocate in front of him--
The physical strain of the coughing and retching and the emotional strain of what just happened combine, and the tears from before don't stop, streaming down his cheeks as he continues to cough. Clutching at Clive's chest, his brother's skin ends up getting the worst of the blood splatter - sorry - and he feels almost lightheaded from the gasping for breath he's being forced to do.
He can hear Clive begging Will over it all, and weakly, he tries to shake his head. No, no, Will has already strained himself, he'll be okay, he just needs time to calm the cough. But he knows it will fall on deaf ears... so he doesn't push it more than that. He and Clive are already touching - if Will wants to try it, he won't stop him. He can't. ]
[ This is going so very fucking wrong because of him, and Clive is willing to give up whatever he has to because of it. To make sure Joshua is all right. He doesn't care about the splatter on him, he's had worse and instead cradles Joshua carefully so his brother is as comfortable as possibly while the coughing wracks him.
Then reaches up to Will to take hold of him and tug him down against him too so they can rest physically while they do this.
Cause he knows it's probably going to fuck Will up something fierce.
Carefully he tries what he did earlier, calls the Phoenixs blessing to the surface and finds that connection. That connection that always told him the others were all right, because their Aether endured.
It truly is a blind push from Clive, he can't control this, just direct the Aether to well up. And the Phoenix's blessing is quite a lot.
[Probably a good thing he's sitting now, all three of their limbs a tangled bloody mess, because as soon as he feels the Phoenix in all it's glory instead of in passing? He knows this is gonna be an Experience.
'It's jus' prana, mate. You've been studying for this. It's fine'
But it sure doesn't feel like just prana. There is an Awareness that like before spooks the hell out of him. Though he'd take the familiar and warm bird over whatever THAT is deeper down he can swear is watching him.
It's fine it's fine, he is just the conduit, it won't be passing through him long. Even so he is very glad that he was born to Fall. Fire is his element, even if his skills in elemental magic are pretty shit. He reaches out, luring the aether up and through, trying to make sure most of it is going from one brother directly to the other. But there is no avoiding some of it washing over him.
He breaks out in a heavy sweat, panting like a dog as he works. But the Eikon seems to be flowing as intended- like going home.]
[ It's funny how the Phoenix calls for its own. It was a gift willingly given, and a gift willingly returned. This time, with direction, there isn't anything obstructing the journey.
As the warmth of aether - his aether, his body recognizes it, welcomes it, embraces it - washes through him, it's like weight is taken off of his lungs. The gasping cools to a soft, gentle wheeze, the pain in his lungs and abdomen easing to where it no longer making his head swim and his skin slick with cold sweat. Adrenaline still makes him tremble uncontrollably, but the coughing eases, no more than a strained tickle in his throat.
And, as the Phoenix-tinged aether passes through Will, it leaves a warm, soothing sensation behind. Easing his weariness, if only just a little bit. ]
[ And for Clive, it feels like something in himself diminishes. A long dear friend whose finally gone, leaving behind a cold spot in it's wake. Yet without it's tempering influence, Ifrits burns all the hotter, like it can cover that missing spot with itself.
As he feels Joshua beginning to relax in his arms he sighs, the sound shuddering with tears he's still shedding, and he hugs his brother tightly to him. Will isn't escaping from this, either. Because Clives arm goes around him and hugs him in too.
He has two arms again, he can do this. He can hug them both and let them rest on him because after what he put them through, it's the least he can offer. ]
[ That last bit of aether soothing him is very welcome, because he is pretty sure he would have fainted otherwise. For now he can't manage to squirm at being squished into the hug, his cat instinct annoyed by the pressure but also starting to purr under it]
Whadam'i 'poosed to do? Lookin' at me like a kick'd dog.
[Oh his accent has gone full exhaustion slurring. Rip]
[ Unfortunately, Joshua cannot contribute to the conversation. Not just because his throat is raw, but because it's all sapped him so much that he's barely hanging on to consciousness. He can't even truly open his eyes outside of a gentle flutter that won't stay open, but he can tell that Will is still speaking, that Clive is here and warm and alive.
That's all he needs to know. The warmth of the returning Phoenix aether lulls him into the deep sleep of exhaustion, going limp against his brother. ]
[ Joshua passing out and Will sounding like he's on his last leg makes him - not cry more though he wants to - push himself to his feet. Somehow? Somehow he manages to do this without letting either of them go, carefully shifting them as he moves from his knees and upwards, holding them both up.
He will shuffle the short distance to Will's bed and, as gently as possible, settle Will onto it. He hesitates and looks at his brother as he moves to cradle him, then to the bed, then to Will. ]
Let him stay here with you?
[ He's still in pain, his arm and neck throbbing like an infected open wound, but because of them both he's in far better health than either of them. Which means while they rest, he can clean up, he can watch over them, take care of them. Far easier to do it in one room. ]
[ His voice is soft as he lays his brother down beside Will, taking a moment to strip him out of his outer clothes to toss the bloodied things aside. Then tuck him and Will both in. He'd strip Will too but he might get bit for that. ]
[ And while they sleep, Clive cleans up. He doesn't worry about treading quietly, he doubts a herd of bighorns would wake either of them, but he does take care not to make too much noise. He mops first, to get the larger splatters up, then scrubs on his hands and knees so the blood doesn't set into Will's floor.
When it no longer looks like someone slaughtered a garrison in there, he will begin to pick up the things he knocked around with Garuda. Wills book gets set back, then Clive begins to gather notes and papers and try to make order of them.
When one of them finally wakes up, that's where they will find him. Sitting on the ground surrounded by notes, his legs folded comfortable, and his arms folded over his chest, his head bowed and his mouth open slightly.
Dead asleep, if the faint occasional snore is any indication.
He didn't even bother putting his shirt back on, they all got to be laundered anyways. ]
[Will wakes slowly, and finds himself tucked against another body. For a moment the last month seems a dream, and he's in some roadside inn with some pretty thing that thoguht he was just funny and charming enough. A little less lonely against the cold.
But after a few blurry blinks he recognizes Joshua- and for a breif moment of panic:
'Oh no, Clive is gonna kill me.'
But the memories of Clive knocking on his door and everything after start to come back. he feels a bit hungover, in his defence- prana exhaustion will do that to a bloke. And his stomache growls in protest.
He considers rolling back over, but the snores get his attention, and getting up on an elbow he spots Clive.]
Wha... seriously?
[he can't help but feel a bit fond at the sight. The room smells slightly of blood still, but not as bad as he would have expected. With a sigh he does roll over, but only to lightly shake Joshua awake]
Mornin' bird, time to get the worm. Breakfast, I mean. Or dinner. Whatever.
[ Will may have a rough time waking up, but trying to wake Joshua is like trying to wake a stone. The light shaking and speaking do at least bring his consciousness close to the surface, but only just. It then takes a moment for his consciousness to struggle to break through a thick layer of set gelatin to fully arise, and when it finally does and Joshua's eyelashes flutter, it's with a heavy groan of protest.
He feels like he's been run over by a whole herd of chocobos, and his mouth tastes like the floor of a bar after a wild night. When he does finally manage to open his eyes, the world feels bleary, vision blurred and his whole body aching. ]
Huh...?
[ His voice sounds roughly like a very creaky door hinge. ]
![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
timeasmymeasure
no subject
Date: 2025-02-10 04:21 pm (UTC)[He leans back, arms crossed. Though the effect is ruined a bit by the textbook still in his lap]
no subject
Date: 2025-02-10 04:39 pm (UTC)[ All right. He nods gently to Joshua, then calls Ifrit's flames to his left hand. It's far different than Phoenix's. Where the Phoenix is warm and orange, the color of fire in an hearth, Ifrits is red and dark. Magma boiling from the earth.
He lets it surge, let it engulf his arm, heat pouring out. Let's it burn aether, then stops it.
The stone on his arm doesn't budge, which makes Clive frown. Then he calls Garuda, and she responds with a whip of the wind into his hand, a soft whirling tornado that - like Ifrits flames - creeps up his arm. It sends papers flying with the force and like with Ifrit he cancels it.
This time the stone reacts violently and Clive grunts in pain as the stone creeps up his shoulder, flesh turning ashen and grey as it solidifies up like small tendrils and into his neck. Reaches across his throat like spidery fingers and suddenly Clive's eyes widen, his left hand reaching up to grab there, his mouth open.
He can't get air past the petrification, and it's still crawling, up his throat to his chin, across his jaw. The look in his eye is very much: I have made a mistake. ]
no subject
Date: 2025-02-10 04:49 pm (UTC)But then Clive tries Garuda, and all goes wrong.
He can see the tendrils of petrification webbing out and growing, solidifying, going into his throat. Joshua's heart feels as though it's stopping. He can't breathe. Clive can't breathe. The panic in his brother's eyes-- ]
Clive! CLIVE!
[ The Phoenix's flames are there in an instant when he calls for them, surrounding him, setting his skin and hair alight with flickering tendrils of fire-flash, the Phoenix's tail feathers erupting from his back as his eyes turn a solid, glowing blue. It takes a split second for him to be at his brother's side, the healing flames erupting from his hands in a desperate attempt to stem the progression, to do something.
He turns to look at Will, tears sizzling beneath his eyes as soon as they form! ]
Will--!
no subject
Date: 2025-02-10 05:09 pm (UTC)[Will leaps to action, terror making his heart and blood run wild. He doesn't even bother trying to heal- he can tell from scent alone that Joshua's healing outpaces his by multitudes. But there is one thing he can do.
Cursework is a delicate thing. Healing is the simplest magic- just urging the body to do what it naturally already wants to do. Cursing is more detailed, methodical. It's why he never tried to flex that skill on either of the brothers- until he knew how the affliction worked he was just as likely to make it worse than ease it. Or even curse them himself. It takes a knowledge of the intent and source of the blighted magic. He doesn't know the terms antibodies or vaccines, but the logic is the same. To fight an infection one must know it.
But there is, always, the sledgehammer of fever. The reason healing magic is rarely used for illness- a purge could kill the body. Or bake it so deeply there was no recovery. With curses the same is true. Instead of plucking the magic strings free like thread from needlework he was going to have to yank it out by the fistful, leaving carnage in his wake.
But right now he doesn't have any other option.]
Josh, keep healing him, he's gonna need it!
[He grabs at Clive, one hand on the shoulder, the other on the back of his quickly stiffening neck. His dull claws dig in, cat-like regardless of how blunt they are. His eyes slit, glimmering with energy as he dips into the aether and starts metaphorically yanking at where his aether flows into the stone. As he does his blunt claws do the same more literally, scratching at the growths.
And as he works he tries, bluntly, to feed his own prana into the magical wounds. Seasons damn him he wishes he got through more of the book!!! But the basics are enough that he knows, in theory, how this should go. Not that Clive NEEDS more aether- but perhaps his own alien energy can dilute whatever curse is causing this.
What should have been surgery is now a back alley chop-job]
no subject
Date: 2025-02-10 05:26 pm (UTC)What does it mean? There's no logic to the punishment. Is it truly just random?
Joshua semi-priming makes him want to make a noise, to shake his head, desperation in his eyes and not from the inability to breathe. No! Stop that! Then the healing rushes into him and the lithification - is it true lithification? - slows. Stemmed by the Phoenix and his eyes water because he wants to beg for his brother not to.
He knows what's going to happen and the guilt is eating away at him. As it should. Tears drip hot from his eyes - he's sorry Joshua - and then there's... agony. It's worse than the petrification was before, as he feels aether yanking, shoved around. It makes him want to black out, be done with it, and his vision dims, sounds pulling away. And something else that makes a portion of him greedy, in the way eating an Eikons aether did. It's not aether but Ifrit? Ultima? the portion of his body that consumes it snacks on it anyways.
And it works. Slowly the combined onslaught forces the petrification back, enough that Clive can finally croak: ]
Joshua, stop-
[ With a voice that sounds like it was dragged through the mud and then a throat filled with gravel. But it doesn't stop there, the petrification crawling back down Clives arm, slowly but sure forcefully relinquishing the hold via Wills sledgehammering and the Phoenix healing the flesh after. Flesh and nerve screams and Clive has to try and push weakly at them both to get them to stop before they hurt themselves. ]
no subject
Date: 2025-02-10 05:33 pm (UTC)But Clive is trying to get him to stop, and he refuses. Even the pushing won't make him stop. Until this is finished-- ]
No!
[ It's snarled out, almost in a tone befitting Ifrit rather than the elegant Phoenix. Even though pain lances through his chest, even though he can feel the creeping sensation within him, nothing except death itself can make him stop now. ]
no subject
Date: 2025-02-10 05:43 pm (UTC)As much as he agrees with Clive that Joshua should not be doing this, if they can push it down completely... maybe... just maybe they can kill the curse at it's seed. Even so he keeps his ears focused on the younger brother's breathing. Watching for gasps and gags. His breath is already worrying shallow... but...
Well, it's not like he could stop Joshua if he wanted to.]
no subject
Date: 2025-02-10 05:58 pm (UTC)But the pain in his arm? That's building still, as the petrification slows stubbornly, creeping inch by inch downwards until it reaches his wrist. Where it stops entirely, not yielding any further. And the pain becomes overwhelming, like acid under his skin, boiling away down to his bones. His hand feels alive underneath the stone but in the worst way, and he makes a noise and finally puts force into his push, twisting his body to get them to let go and to push them away. ]
Enough!
[ For their benefit both and so the pain in his hand doesn't make him lose what he ate that night. He hisses as he holds it, the new skin of his arm aching and uncontrollably as well. Before it becomes totally manageable, however, he's looking at Joshua, angry. ]
And you accuse me-! Come down!
[ If his voice is watery it's because he's ANGRY and not because he's crying as well because if his brother keeps going- ]
cw: emeto
Date: 2025-02-10 06:09 pm (UTC)But it's the anger in his brother's expression and words that makes the semi-primed state melt away, the fire and feathers fizzling into motes of aether. For just a moment, there's an expression there as though he's just been slapped, his own fear and fury briefly tempered by hurt for just a spit second. But then that fury comes back, biting and snapping like a flame. Clive had been the one to do something stupid, and if not for him, if not for Will-- ]
You--
[ But that's all he can get out, because that's when the coughing starts. It's violent, wet, and Joshua can only pull in quick, gasping breaths between them. Sapped as he is, his legs lose the ability to support his weight, and he makes a desperate grab for the couch.
Just in time for the crimson soaking his glove to be joined by the awful sound of retching and even more blood. ]
cw: emeto
Date: 2025-02-10 06:19 pm (UTC)Oh no, oh no no, it's spread. He knows it. His brother has coughed hard before but never this hard, with never this amount of blood.
He turns to Will, eyes wet and a little wild. He felt Wills aether or prana or whatever he wants to call it and knows he can't ask the other to continue using it so: ]
Are you able to take my aether? Calling upon the Eikons isn't using any, the curse isn't attached to it for me but Joshua's is. The more he uses, the more he loses. It doesn't come back, it doesn't replenish. But the blessing he gave me, we tried before and it... there was a connection but I can't direct it- Please-
[ Please. The only person Clive will ever beg for is in his arms, again. Because of him. Again. ]
cw: emeto
Date: 2025-02-10 06:26 pm (UTC)But that gagging sound he was waiting for starts, and he jerks his head up (too fast, black spots dancing on the edge of his vision), and rushes over, failing to fully avoid blood and vomit. The look in Clive's eyes is a bit terrifying in a way that the flashes of Ifrit have not been.
Desperation and need. For what he can or can not do. The deep scared part of him whimpers and tries to flee- no no he can't be responsible for if this man lives or dies. With Clive it had been too sudden, he acted on instinct. Just like he had when they fought the Wraiths together.]
... lookin' at me like that, how could I say no?
[ Damn it. Damn them both and his own weak heart. He's face is ashen with exhaustion, but he reaches out touch Clive's now flesh arm, resting his other hand on Josh's heaving back]
Jus'... do whatever it is that you say you did to connect. I'll figure it out from there.
[He's trying to sound confidant, and with so much practice he almost pulls it off. Almost]
cw: emeto
Date: 2025-02-10 06:45 pm (UTC)The physical strain of the coughing and retching and the emotional strain of what just happened combine, and the tears from before don't stop, streaming down his cheeks as he continues to cough. Clutching at Clive's chest, his brother's skin ends up getting the worst of the blood splatter - sorry - and he feels almost lightheaded from the gasping for breath he's being forced to do.
He can hear Clive begging Will over it all, and weakly, he tries to shake his head. No, no, Will has already strained himself, he'll be okay, he just needs time to calm the cough. But he knows it will fall on deaf ears... so he doesn't push it more than that. He and Clive are already touching - if Will wants to try it, he won't stop him. He can't. ]
no subject
Date: 2025-02-10 06:53 pm (UTC)Then reaches up to Will to take hold of him and tug him down against him too so they can rest physically while they do this.
Cause he knows it's probably going to fuck Will up something fierce.
Carefully he tries what he did earlier, calls the Phoenixs blessing to the surface and finds that connection. That connection that always told him the others were all right, because their Aether endured.
It truly is a blind push from Clive, he can't control this, just direct the Aether to well up. And the Phoenix's blessing is quite a lot.
Use it however you can, Will. ]
no subject
Date: 2025-02-10 07:02 pm (UTC)'It's jus' prana, mate. You've been studying for this. It's fine'
But it sure doesn't feel like just prana. There is an Awareness that like before spooks the hell out of him. Though he'd take the familiar and warm bird over whatever THAT is deeper down he can swear is watching him.
It's fine it's fine, he is just the conduit, it won't be passing through him long. Even so he is very glad that he was born to Fall. Fire is his element, even if his skills in elemental magic are pretty shit. He reaches out, luring the aether up and through, trying to make sure most of it is going from one brother directly to the other. But there is no avoiding some of it washing over him.
He breaks out in a heavy sweat, panting like a dog as he works. But the Eikon seems to be flowing as intended- like going home.]
no subject
Date: 2025-02-10 07:22 pm (UTC)As the warmth of aether - his aether, his body recognizes it, welcomes it, embraces it - washes through him, it's like weight is taken off of his lungs. The gasping cools to a soft, gentle wheeze, the pain in his lungs and abdomen easing to where it no longer making his head swim and his skin slick with cold sweat. Adrenaline still makes him tremble uncontrollably, but the coughing eases, no more than a strained tickle in his throat.
And, as the Phoenix-tinged aether passes through Will, it leaves a warm, soothing sensation behind. Easing his weariness, if only just a little bit. ]
no subject
Date: 2025-02-10 07:30 pm (UTC)As he feels Joshua beginning to relax in his arms he sighs, the sound shuddering with tears he's still shedding, and he hugs his brother tightly to him. Will isn't escaping from this, either. Because Clives arm goes around him and hugs him in too.
He has two arms again, he can do this. He can hug them both and let them rest on him because after what he put them through, it's the least he can offer. ]
Thank you, Will... thank you.
no subject
Date: 2025-02-10 07:34 pm (UTC)Whadam'i 'poosed to do? Lookin' at me like a kick'd dog.
[Oh his accent has gone full exhaustion slurring. Rip]
no subject
Date: 2025-02-10 07:40 pm (UTC)That's all he needs to know. The warmth of the returning Phoenix aether lulls him into the deep sleep of exhaustion, going limp against his brother. ]
no subject
Date: 2025-02-10 07:45 pm (UTC)He will shuffle the short distance to Will's bed and, as gently as possible, settle Will onto it. He hesitates and looks at his brother as he moves to cradle him, then to the bed, then to Will. ]
Let him stay here with you?
[ He's still in pain, his arm and neck throbbing like an infected open wound, but because of them both he's in far better health than either of them. Which means while they rest, he can clean up, he can watch over them, take care of them. Far easier to do it in one room. ]
no subject
Date: 2025-02-10 07:47 pm (UTC)Hm..? Yeh, yeh.
[he waves a hand in what is PROBABLY agreement, not even looking up]
no subject
Date: 2025-02-10 07:51 pm (UTC)[ His voice is soft as he lays his brother down beside Will, taking a moment to strip him out of his outer clothes to toss the bloodied things aside. Then tuck him and Will both in. He'd strip Will too but he might get bit for that. ]
Sleep, you more than earned it...
no subject
Date: 2025-02-10 08:05 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2025-02-10 08:20 pm (UTC)When it no longer looks like someone slaughtered a garrison in there, he will begin to pick up the things he knocked around with Garuda. Wills book gets set back, then Clive begins to gather notes and papers and try to make order of them.
When one of them finally wakes up, that's where they will find him. Sitting on the ground surrounded by notes, his legs folded comfortable, and his arms folded over his chest, his head bowed and his mouth open slightly.
Dead asleep, if the faint occasional snore is any indication.
He didn't even bother putting his shirt back on, they all got to be laundered anyways. ]
no subject
Date: 2025-02-10 08:51 pm (UTC)But after a few blurry blinks he recognizes Joshua- and for a breif moment of panic:
'Oh no, Clive is gonna kill me.'
But the memories of Clive knocking on his door and everything after start to come back. he feels a bit hungover, in his defence- prana exhaustion will do that to a bloke. And his stomache growls in protest.
He considers rolling back over, but the snores get his attention, and getting up on an elbow he spots Clive.]
Wha... seriously?
[he can't help but feel a bit fond at the sight. The room smells slightly of blood still, but not as bad as he would have expected. With a sigh he does roll over, but only to lightly shake Joshua awake]
Mornin' bird, time to get the worm. Breakfast, I mean. Or dinner. Whatever.
no subject
Date: 2025-02-10 09:15 pm (UTC)He feels like he's been run over by a whole herd of chocobos, and his mouth tastes like the floor of a bar after a wild night. When he does finally manage to open his eyes, the world feels bleary, vision blurred and his whole body aching. ]
Huh...?
[ His voice sounds roughly like a very creaky door hinge. ]
(no subject)
From:(no subject)
From:(no subject)
From:(no subject)
From:(no subject)
From:(no subject)
From:(no subject)
From:(no subject)
From:(no subject)
From:(no subject)
From:(no subject)
From:(no subject)
From:(no subject)
From:(no subject)
From:(no subject)
From:(no subject)
From:(no subject)
From:(no subject)
From:(no subject)
From:(no subject)
From:(no subject)
From:(no subject)
From:(no subject)
From:(no subject)
From:(no subject)
From:(no subject)
From:(no subject)
From:(no subject)
From:(no subject)
From:(no subject)
From:(no subject)
From:(no subject)
From:(no subject)
From:(no subject)
From:(no subject)
From:(no subject)
From:(no subject)
From:(no subject)
From:(no subject)
From:(no subject)
From:(no subject)
From:(no subject)
From:(no subject)
From:(no subject)
From:(no subject)
From:(no subject)
From:(no subject)
From:(no subject)
From:(no subject)
From:(no subject)
From:(no subject)
From:(no subject)
From:(no subject)
From:(no subject)
From:(no subject)
From:(no subject)
From:(no subject)
From:(no subject)
From:(no subject)
From:(no subject)
From:(no subject)
From:(no subject)
From: