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 Posted: Sat Oct 31, 2020 12:24 pm
Kamacite stared into the darkness, the late night sounds of the city reaching his ears. He was no longer in the forest where he'd been for three weeks, but instead back where he'd been when he was first taken by the fog. The mysterious monster was gone, as were the trees and glowing talismans.
He swayed on his feet, the pain coming back to him, and reminding him that this had not been a dream or illusion. The monster had been real, along with everything that happened. It had to have been.
Carefully, Kamacite leaned up against the alley wall on his good arm before allowing himself to power down, letting the magic disappear from around him. He needed help.
Yuuri shakily reached into his pants pocket, the fabric of his sweater already soaking up the blood from his left arm. He pulled out his phone and…
Stopped.
He stared at the screen, feeling emotions well up inside that he couldn’t suppress. There was no one he could call. No one that he knew who would answer. He hadn’t seen anyone from his pack in over a year. Hadn't been able to get in touch with Faustite. Adrien seemed to have moved away as well. And Wolfeite, for all he knew, had lost himself to the Rift and his own mind.
Yuuri clutched tightly to the phone as if doing so would remind him of someone who was still around he could ask for help.
But there was nothing.
Against his will, tears welled up in his eyes. He’d kept his emotions in check around the prissy blond General, but now that he was back and completely alone, he couldn’t stop them from coming.
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Posted: Sun Nov 01, 2020 2:59 pm
Apparently, Jonah was in the habit of encountering injured people while walking home in the early hours of the morning.
Unlike last time, he wasn’t tipsy, having spent most of the evening hiding out at the library, then at a diner once the library closed, making his way through multiple cups of coffee and a few orders of apple pie, with the result that he was now wide awake despite the fact that he hadn’t been home to sleep since yesterday morning. He walked the streets with his laptop tucked away in his old school backpack, sticking to what he hoped were the safer areas of town, but considering the things that tended to happen in this city, there probably wasn’t any part of it that was truly safe.
He came across the figure of what appeared to be a sad boy with a busted arm and skidded to a stop. Being nervous by nature, Jonah’s first thought was to back away and pretend he hadn’t seen anything. The figure was young, but a stranger, and Jonah didn’t do well with strangers.
But Jonah also couldn’t bring himself to abandon someone in need, especially when he might have the means to help.
“Hi,” Jonah said, as timid as always as he slowly made his way closer. “I don’t mean to pry, but… you don’t look so good.”
From the glow of a streetlight, Jonah could see the growing blood stain on the boy’s sweater.
“Um… I mean… You look like you need help, and… Well, I can’t do much. You probably need a doctor…”
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Posted: Sat Dec 12, 2020 4:19 pm
Yuuri stared, his eyes wide in surprise for a moment, before he staggered more against the wall and slumped down against it. He desperately tried to keep the tears from falling, but given the circumstances, he was a little too overwhelmed to stop them.
Standing before him was that half-drunk civilian he'd saved from a youma not too long ago. He didn't even bother asking his name, but if he hadn't bothered saving him back then…
"Thank you," Yuuri said through the tears that he tried mopping away with the sleeve of his good arm. "You're very kind, but I couldn't possibly trouble you. And I don't have the insurance to go to a hospital," he said weakly, surprised he could speak at all.
Maybe it was because he'd met this guy before. Yuuri didn't know him, but he wasn't exactly a stranger. Well, he was a stranger to the other young man, now that he was just a civilian as well.
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Posted: Sat Dec 12, 2020 5:40 pm
“Oh…”
Jonah didn’t know what to do about the other young man having no insurance. It made him feel even more awkward than usual, and guilty, because he never had to worry about things like that thanks to his family. His grandfather might not allow him to have much spending money, but he still made sure Jonah had access to basic healthcare.
For some reason Jonah could not explain. Sometimes it seemed like his grandfather would rather see him dead.
But that was a topic for another time. The important thing was that this young man was injured, he needed medical attention, and Jonah still might be able to help him anyway.
“Well… um… what if you didn’t have to go to a hospital?” he asked, pulling his phone out of his jacket pocket. “I… I know a doctor. I’m sure I could take you to him! Just… let me see if he’s working.”
With shaking hands, Jonah found August’s contact and began to compose a message.Quote: To August: Hi this is Jonah. I hope you’re well. I found someone injured on the street again and I wanted to know if maybe you had the time to help? He says he can’t afford to go to a doctor but his arm looks pretty messed up. Maybe another youma? Idk…
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Posted: Sat Dec 12, 2020 6:36 pm
Yuuri wasn't entirely sure what the other young man meant by knowing a doctor, but if he were completely honest with himself, he just really didn't want to be alone at that moment. The chance that he would have crossed paths with someone he'd seen before was… he didn't know, but it wasn't very likely to happen, of that he was sure. ---------------- August was not working. It was one of his days off, and he was enjoying it out on his terrace with a bottle of wine and cigarette. The text from Jonah was a surprise, but not unwelcome. But August scowled at the idea of him bringing someone over, especially if a youma was involved.
Still, there were practical uses for a warm body. After all, it wasn't as though he often had the chance to collect energy with his profession. Quote: To Jonah: Bring him over. I'm at home.
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Posted: Fri Dec 25, 2020 11:44 am
If Jonah had known August was drinking, he would have tried to figure out something else. It probably would have involved taking this stranger to the hospital anyway, and then begging his sister to ask their grandfather for enough money to cover the expenses, which would have been frustrating and humiliating, but worth it if it meant he could help someone. Since he didn’t know August was drinking, Jonah wore a small, satisfied smile after reading the text.
“He can help,” Jonah announced. “Let me get an uber.”
He felt a little guilty again that they might be staining someone’s upholstery with blood, but the uber drivers around Destiny City were probably used to that sort of thing by now, with how often strange and violent things seemed to happen to people. They’d just be very careful. And he’d tip them as well as he could.
“Um… so… do you want to talk about what happened?” he asked while they were waiting. Carefully, Jonah approached the young man to help him walk out of the alley. “I’m… I’m Jonah, by the way. You don’t have to talk if you don’t want to, but… I’ve had bad things happen to me, too. This city is…”
Scary would be the most truthful thing to say, but Jonah didn’t want to seem like a coward, so he settled on saying, “... weird.”
Realizing he was rambling again, Jonah winced. The last thing he wanted to do was annoy someone he was trying to help.
“Sorry. The uber will be here soon and… Dr. August doesn’t live far. He just… he has kind of a scary face?” Jonah warned him. “But I think he’s nice.”
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Posted: Fri Dec 25, 2020 2:04 pm
I know, I saved you before, Yuuri thought to himself as he allowed Jonah to help him out of the alley. He felt dizzy, but did his best to remain upright, not wanting to burden his surprise savior.
"Yuuri," he quietly introduced himself when Jonah offered his name. He still wasn't sure what to expect from this Dr. August but Jonah seemed to trust him.
But then again, Jonah had easily accepted help from a long haired stranger in a bright sort-of kimono.
"There was a monster," Yuuri offered, thinking it wouldn't be polite to not say anything when Jonah was going out of his way. Hopefully a monster would be enough to explain away the dirt and blood that had caked onto his skin from being in that place for so long. And his clothing, other than the fresh blood, was still relatively clean.
"Sorry, I…" he paused, lifting his sweater sleeve once more to wipe what was left of the tears on his face away. "It's difficult to explain," he went with, deciding he should really just keep his mouth shut. Just because he saved this young man before didn't mean he could trust him.
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Posted: Fri Dec 25, 2020 3:42 pm
Jonah didn’t blame Yuuri for not being able to explain. This was especially true if Yuuri had never encountered any of Destiny City’s scary things before. It took some getting used to.
Not that Jonah was used to it. He was still terrified every time he came across something that didn’t quite make sense, but that also didn’t stop him from going off on his own at night. Was that bravery or stupidity? Jonah wasn’t sure he wanted to know the answer.
He knew what his grandfather would say, anyway. It wasn’t nice.
“I’ve seen a few monsters,” Jonah said, trying to set Yuuri at ease. He didn’t want Yuuri to think that he thought Yuuri was stupid for talking about things that shouldn’t be real.
Jonah still felt stupid about it sometimes, even though he knew they definitely were real.
“They’re called youma, I think,” he continued. “Which is Japanese for monster, isn’t it? I mean—” Jonah winced and cut himself off, looking guilty. He shouldn’t assume based on appearances, but he thought, with a name like Yuuri...
“It’s okay,” he reassured Yuuri instead. Jonah made a point of not watching Yuuri wipe the tears away, in case he was embarrassed by it. “I watched Dr. August stitch his own leg up in his apartment, so he can definitely help. Well… I didn’t watch. I turned away, but I was there and I helped where I could.”
Jonah trailed off again, biting his lip nervously, worried that he might be coming across as annoying. He let a period of silence drift over them in case Yuuri didn’t want to talk, helping Yuuri stay upright as they waited for the uber to arrive, which soon pulled up to the curb.
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Posted: Fri Dec 25, 2020 5:13 pm
The assumption that he was Japanese didn't bother Yuuri. When Jonah cut himself off, Yuuri shook his head to show that it was okay. "I'm half," he offered, hoping it would ease his surprise benefactor. Jonah seemed a lot more skittish when he wasn't half drunk.
Although he didn't mind listening to Jonah talk, Yuuri was also glad that it didn't seem as though Jonah needed him to respond. He was grateful for the silence as they waited for the uber.
The uber ride was blessedly quiet too, or at least no one expected Yuuri to talk. He was in pain and trying not to dwell on what he was going to do when he got home, or how he was going to take care of himself.
Still, this Dr. August seemed a bit strange. Why would he stitch himself up at his apartment and not go to a hospital?
And the questions continued in Yuuri's brain as Jonah helped him back out of the car once they arrived at the building this Dr. August lived.
"What kind of doctor is Dr. August…?" Yuuri asked quietly, and a bit nervously as he looked up at the building, and trying not to put too much of his weight on Jonah.
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Posted: Fri Dec 25, 2020 6:47 pm
Jonah didn’t realize he hadn’t explained anything about August until Yuuri asked.
In his defense, he didn’t exactly know what to say.
“He’s… um… a surgeon,” Jonah said.
He didn’t know a lot about what August did, but he knew enough. Or so he thought. August had explained some of it when Jonah stayed with him. Then again, August wasn’t the talkative type, so the information Jonah did have was limited. He knew the basics, not the details.
“ER stuff, I think. Maybe? Like… really gruesome things. If you were mauled by a monster, you’d probably see him at the hospital.”
Jonah winced again, glancing at Yuuri out of the corner of his eye now that they were in an area of town with better lighting. Being mauled by a monster might actually be what happened to him. He definitely looked like he was in a lot of pain.
Gingerly, he led Yuuri into the building. Being that it was such a fancy place with decent security, they had to be buzzed in, but a quick message to August to let him know they were there took care of that easily enough.
“Sometimes he looks kind of mean,” Jonah warned Yuuri again. “I guess he has a resting b***h face? He might look like he could kill someone, but I promise he’s… nice.” He was nice to Jonah anyway, or as nice as August probably ever was to anyone. “I stayed with him before, so…”
Jonah had no idea if anything he said was helping at all.
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Posted: Fri Dec 25, 2020 8:59 pm
Yuuri stared at Jonah with wide, concerned eyes, but not really knowing what to say to explain his anxiety. Maybe Jonah was right and this doctor was perfectly helpful and could get him patched up and on his way without having to worry about going to a hospital, but something was giving him a very bad feeling.
Not that he had much of a choice at this point. It was either meet this doctor with the resting b***h face, or go to a hospital and get slapped with an insane amount of medical bills. Maybe he should have thought more about the medical side of things before giving up his Japanese citizenship. “Jonah, come in,” August said when he opened the door, sounding enthusiastic even for August. He didn’t have anything with him, but he smelt of alcohol and cigarette smoke. Of course, in the time Jonah stayed with him for that week, he would have already known that he smoked and drank while off the clock.
For a moment, he didn’t seem as though he noticed the injured guy Jonah had brought with him, but eventually made room for Jonah to help bring him inside. He would deal with the unwanted guest first, and then let himself enjoy the company of one of the few people that didn’t try to run when they saw him.
“You’re welcome here anytime you know,” August insisted to Jonah, apparently a bit more talkative when he was under the influence. Yuuri, on the other hand, looked as though he definitely wanted to leave. After having Jonah help him into the building and up to the top floor, he couldn’t say his confidence was very high being looked at like he was little more than trash.
Was this the resting b***h face Jonah was telling him about?? Surely not. This Dr. August didn’t seem to glare nearly as hard at Jonah.
“I think I can just use some bandages at home,” Yuuri mumbled, weakly tugging against Jonah’s grip, feeling as though his heart was going to explode if it beat any faster. If he could run now, maybe he wouldn’t be murdered.
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Posted: Sat Dec 26, 2020 9:15 am
Jonah’s face went through a variety of expressions in the seconds after August opened the door — pleasure when August seemed at least slightly pleased to see him; embarrassment when he thought to himself that he shouldn’t be so obviously pleased by that; confusion when the smell of alcohol became apparent to him; and finally concern as he glanced between August and Yuuri, gaping a bit when he realized he’d brought Yuuri for treatment by someone who wasn’t even completely sober.
“I… but you’re… you can’t… he’s hurt and you were… drinking.”
Jonah finished the stuttered observation on a loud whisper. He sounded almost scandalized, which was probably hypocritical of him considering he’d been under the influence when he helped August last time. Jonah was sure the two situations were different. After all, he wasn’t the one who’d be doing any stitches.
He almost inched backwards, wondering if he should help Yuuri back out the door or if that would be rude, uncertain if Yuuri would even make it anywhere else before passing out from pain or blood loss.
“This is… this is Yuuri,” Jonah continued with halting introductions. “Yuuri, this is… Dr. August. I’m sorry, I thought—… You didn’t say you were drinking!”
Flushing faintly, Jonah’s eyes widened at the sudden volume of his own voice. He clamped his mouth shut, lips twitching between a tense line, a concerned frown, and a disapproving pout.
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Posted: Sat Dec 26, 2020 10:50 am
A rare amused smirk crossed August's lips at Jonah's stammering and torn hesitations. But this was one of the things that intrigued August about Jonah - his inability to really make up his mind. Was something dangerous or interesting? Could this be helpful or just end up worse? Really, August was curious as to how Jonah's mind worked, and how he came to conclusions, or at least acceptance.
"I wasn't aware you wanted me to disclose that. Besides, I am entirely capable of performing surgery if need be," he insisted, directing both Jonah and Yuuri towards the guest room where Jonah had stayed in before.
"I can operate in the laundry room," he said, shutting and locking the door behind the two once they were inside. There was no need in bringing them up to his bathroom where he'd worked on himself.
"Jonah, you know where the supplies are," August said, gesturing for Jonah to go and get the kit for him.Yuuri stared with wide eyes from Dr. August to Jonah and back, unaware if he was physically trying to pull himself away from Jonah's helpful grasp, or if his body was giving up and he was collapsing under the weight of blood loss and fatigue.
"T-thank you for your offer. I really… don't want to impose. It's not necessary…" he mumbled weakly, but he wasn't sure Dr. August even heard him, or if he did he didn't care. Unaware of any better place to operate --
He wasn't really planning on operating on him, was he??
-- the laundry room seemed entirely reasonable to avoid getting blood and dirt elsewhere. But Yuuri wasn't entirely sure how he felt about being helped by someone who had obviously been drinking and only seemed to care about what Jonah said.
He couldn't tell what was worse… getting help from a questionable doctor, or being left in that cellar with General Blond b***h.
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Posted: Sat Dec 26, 2020 2:13 pm
“You can’t perform surgery in a laundry room!” Jonah insisted, aghast. Somehow, in his shock, he was able to string a full sentence together without stammering once.
Maybe August was joking? Jonah hadn’t been aware that August had a sense of humor. He seemed like a pretty serious guy. Which was fine. Jonah didn’t have much of a sense of humor either — not because he was serious like August, but because he was pretty sure no one would find him funny if he tried.
August didn’t sound like he was joking, but… he’d been nice to Jonah before, so Jonah felt the need to give him the benefit of the doubt.
“He’s… he’s joking,” Jonah decided, offering Yuuri what he hoped was a reassuring smile. “This is… this is fine, okay? I can help! You need to sit, you’re… you look very pale.”
And he was suddenly heavy. Whether or not Jonah thought it was a good idea for August to be doing anything after he’d been drinking, Yuuri clearly needed to get off of his feet. Jonah helped him into the guest room and led him into the bathroom, where he eased Yuuri onto the toilet.
“I’m sorry,” he hastily apologized. “I didn’t know he was—… But it’s okay! We’ll just look and see what’s wrong, and… if you need more than bandaging, we can… um… maybe he knows someone else who can help? But… you can’t just go home. That’s… that’s a lot of blood.”
Jonah felt a bit faint just looking at it.
He waited until Yuuri looked a bit more steady before scampering off to rummage around for the necessary supplies.
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Posted: Sat Dec 26, 2020 3:38 pm
He wasn't joking. August's smirk faded when it seemed as though Jonah was serious about helping this guy. But why? Jonah's text made it seem as though he'd never met this guy before he found him. Why did he care if this guy couldn't afford going to a hospital or not?
August crossed his arms and followed Jonah and Yuuri into the guest bathroom. It wasn't as large as his bathroom upstairs, but it was big enough for the three of them to be in there and not run into each other.
He watched as Yuuri was helped out of his blood covered sweater, which was suspiciously free of damage. Even under the influence, August could tell that this young man's clothes looked much cleaner than he did. Like he was wearing something else.
"How did you get that wound?" he asked, watching the young man suspiciously for a moment, and then decided it would be easier to just take this guy's starseed and have an ambulance called to take him away. Yuuri swayed unsteadily on the toilet he'd been helped to, wincing as he peeled the sleeve of his sweater away from his arm. He was definitely going to need some good bandages if he wasn't going to get stitches. And he wasn't sure he wanted this guy operating on him, or whatever he was planning.
While Yuuri appreciated Jonah's concern and offer of help, he wasn't sure this was going to result in him coming out any better.
Jonah ran off to get supplies, he assumed, which left Yuuri alone with Dr. August.
How did he get the wound?
A monster… It attacked him, and then several days later he was injured again, right before being transported back to Destiny City.
The words weren't coming out of his mouth. He was having difficulty breathing as it was, but his eyes widened in horror as Dr. August's appearance changed into that of olive green and red.
A Negaverse Captain?
Wait! Yuuri wanted to yell, but his voice wasn't there. Instead he fell sideways off the toilet, stupidly wedging himself between it and the glass shower in his attempt to get away from the officer. How was he supposed to stop him? To tell him that he was Negaverse too??
The Captain ignored the hands Yuuri clutched over his own heart, and moved them away easily in his fatigue.August powered back down the moment he had the young man's starseed, frowning as he did so. He'd taken a quick look at it before locking it away into his subspace pocket, and realized maybe he couldn't get rid of this young man as easily as he wanted. Well, he could, because he had a feeling no one would be looking for him. But he couldn't exactly get credit for a starseed that was already corrupted.
Before Jonah made it back down to the guest bathroom, August had pulled Yuuri out from beside the toilet and hoisted him up to carry him into the bedroom. It would be better while he was unconscious, anyway.
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