003 ♦ [action]

[cruelcurse]

[SOMEBODY'S HELLA SICK. Henry's avoiding his dorm to keep himself away from his roommate while he's sick. At first, he also tried his best to stay away from everyone else. But when the fever intensified, he forgot why he had to put in the effort.

It's because his magical talents tend to go a little haywire while he's ill.

He can be found stumbling about in a feverish daze while classes are supposed to be going on, but he's obviously not attending. When he's not doing that, he's asleep somewhere. Wandering around all the time exhausts him. While he's sleeping, he can be found sleeping in an appropriate spot, such as the sofa in the common room or leaning over a table in the corner of the library.

Uh... He can also be found sleeping in a completely inappropriate spot, like the middle of the floor. It happens.]

[WHAT THIS ALL MEANS is that Henry can accidentally curse some characters without meaning to. YOUR CHARACTER WON'T EVEN SEE IT COMING. Contact me here if you want somebody to get cursed. We can discuss details and your character can be appropriately upset.]

Comments

[caincarnate]

[Naoya was walking down the hall when... wait. Was that Henry just passed out on the floor?

...

What an idiot. Carelessness like that would get him killed. He frowned, and began to walk away... only to walk back a few moments later. Tch. The mage really should've known better than this.

He crouched down to shake Henry awake, but in doing so, the younger man's feverish state suddenly became apparent. Naoya forced down a feeling of alarm as he pressed his hand against the other's forehead. Yup - he was burning up.

What on earth was he doing sleeping on the floor, then?! With a huff of aggravation, the programmer stood back up. Now what? He couldn't very well leave Henry out here... well, actually he could. But it was irritating knowing that he didn't particularly want to, all the same.

Ugh. Just this one act of kindness then - except it wasn't really kindness, he reminded himself. Just paying Henry back. A favour, never to be repeated.

With barely a word or a gesture, Naoya summoned Garuda to pick up the feverish mage so he could put him to bed properly.]

[cruelcurse]

Huuhhn...?

[Nope. It hardly seemed as though Henry noticed what was going on around him, even though Naoya had a demon relocating him and everything. That would normally rouse somebody, unless that somebody was really out of it. (It was a shame. Henry would have probably been fascinated by Garuda if he could even see straight.) He didn't even know Naoya was nearby at this point.

Instead of struggling to find out what was going on around him, Henry slipped into a feeling of comfort. Well, as comfortable as he could be while still having a raging fever. He did not protest to being moved around.]

[caincarnate]

[Not struggling was good. Naoya walked the armoured bird to Henry's room, and mentally commanded it to lay him down on his bed. With that done, the demon was recalled. Naoya drew a blanket over the young mage's body and proceeded to tuck him in - hopefully discouraging him from wandering off in the future. Fat chance.

But that was the extent of what he was obligated to do. Still, looking down at Henry as he was, the programmer felt a certain hesitation grip him. He stayed there, unmoving, lost in thought and simply watching the young man breathe. It was hard to tell how old he was, but he couldn't be too far off from Kazuya's age right now...

Nostalgia was such a dangerous infection. Even as he tried to stem the feeling, Naoya could feel it bleeding into the periphery of his heart. How... revolting.

...Maybe he could find a cloth somewhere in this room to dab down the sweat on Henry's face.]

[cruelcurse]

Ha ha... It's hot...

[He wanted to say something about it being winter, but he lost the energy to continue on that line of thought. The sorcerer took a deep breath and tried to get himself together.

That was when he started to notice where he was. His room. A place he was trying to stay away from in case he got his roommate sick, or worse. Henry didn't know how he'd gotten there, but there was somebody in his room. And he could feel who it was with no doubt.]

Naoya...?

[caincarnate]

[Naoya turned around at the sound of his name, but didn't respond - as though not answering Henry would somehow disprove his presence in this room. It wasn't like he wanted to be here anyway. He was still very deeply in denial about what he was doing here.

...Then again, Henry could feel him, couldn't he. So it wasn't like there was much point in denying it. With a sigh, Naoya strode over to his bedside.]

Go back to sleep.

[cruelcurse]

[There was a lot he wanted to say to him. To warn him about. He didn't want him to get sick, but he also didn't want to leave him cursed... Oh, but maybe it was fine. It was all fine. Yeah. He couldn't summon the strength to keep talking much, anyway.

So he contented himself with saying nothing as he stared up at Naoya with a stupid smile on his face. And Naoya might begin to doubt he would say anything. And just when he might think he was right, that he wouldn't speak or had just passed out, Henry opened his mouth to talk about something completely out of left field.]

Will you ever... trust me?

[caincarnate]

[Huh. That was a loaded question all of a sudden - and here Naoya was just about ready to leave. He put his hands on his hips and frowned, looking rather annoyed.]

Why are you asking me such a stupid question?

[Especially when he should've saved his energy for sleeping, the little fool.]

here i go [01/12]

[cowardlyjustice]

[Well, he certainly didn't expected seeing such a sight.

Not really, it's the library and all. If he were none the wiser, he'd also be falling asleep there himself.

With great maturity, he carefully put a paper on Henry's back that says 'kick me' before tapping the man's head with a book.]

[cruelcurse]

Huhhh...?

[Drowsily, Henry lifted his head. He looked awful, and he stared directly at Brown. At least, maybe that was where he was looking. It was hard to tell when he hardly even opened his eyes. (He actually couldn't focus all that well.)

Dang it was really bright.

He offered Brown a smile, in any case.]

Hiya~ Ohh, I remember you. Ahah, sorry about the other day~.

[cowardlyjustice]

[At first Brown did feel a bit guilty, because geez, the guy looked like a wreck.

But then at the mere mention of the Incident, as Brown like to dub it, made him twitch.]

Pssst, no sleeping in the library, misteeeer. I think the librarian won't like iiiit.

[All in a mock whisper.]

[cruelcurse]

[Henry leaned back in the chair. The sign on his back made a crinkling sound, but he didn't investigate the noise.]

Sleeping? Huh~ Yeah, I guess I was sleeping. You think they won't like it?

[THAT MEANT THAT HE SHOULD PROBABLY CORRECT HIS BEHAVIOR... Henry stood from his spot slowly. He wavered dizzily in place, and he supported himself against the back of the chair.

He sneezed.]

[cowardlyjustice]

Gesundheit, governor. And no, I think they won't, I hear they'd drag lawbreakers to the bunker under the school.

[Conscience? What conscience?]

[cruelcurse]

[Henry laughed with his cracked sick-person voice.]

Under the school? Oooh~ What do you think they do down there? Maybe we should do something illegal and find out~

a later day~

[kidcarnate]

[The next day Naoya awoke to find, with some vague alarm, that he'd become even younger. The curse, it seemed, had not yet finished its work. It very well meant that he'd continue to de-age with every passing day - until when? who knew. Perhaps he'd be a baby by this time next week, or a fetus. Maybe even simply unborn... however that'd work with his ancient curse in play as well.

Henry really had to get better soon. And, begrudgingly, Naoya had to acknowledge that it wouldn't happen quickly enough unless he actively looked out for his health.

It was all self-interest, though. Definitely. He was still too peeved at Henry for there to be even a fragment, a sliver of genuine worry for the sorcerer's health. Especially when he was so bad at taking care of himself, too.

As quietly as he was able, Naoya crept into BE-01 to check if there was anyone there.]

[cruelcurse]

[Sure enough, Henry was present and fast asleep. A curious expression graced his sleeping features, however: one of discontent. It was hard to discern what that was about otherwise, but he seemed to be locked deep in sleep.

And still with a fever. It wasn't as bad as it was the day before, but still ever present.

He'd downed all of the fluids Naoya left him the other day and he seemed to have gotten himself some more water over time. The air around him was tense and uncomfortable - a stark contrast to his usually sunny demeanor.

Detecting Naoya's presence, Henry stirred in his sleep and opened his eyes with that same troubled look. Groggily, he looked over in Naoya's direction and tried to focus.]

Naoya...?

[kidcarnate]

[It was pretty easy to write off the air of discomfort - having a fever wasn't exactly a fun time. Even for someone as powerful as Henry, being a victim of your own compromised immune system was a debilitating experience.

There was no pity in Naoya though - his expression remained cold, distant and irate. He placed another glass of water on the counter pressed his palm against Henry's forehead to check his temperature.

Hm. The little fool hadn't managed to make his fever worse, at least. Naoya's face softened just slightly, before snipping:]

I don't want to hear anything out of you.

[cruelcurse]

[That's when Henry jolted up and swung his legs over the side of his bed. He pulled Naoya close into a hug and laughed.]

Naoya... You're alright...!

[He was completely in disbelief. The dark mage clung onto Naoya's small form.]

I was so worried... But somehow, you're alive~

[kidcarnate]

Hrk--!

[What. What was he doing. What was he talking about?! Despite how feverish Henry still was, a chill ran through Naoya's body, freezing him in place.

No. No, no, no! He'd wanted the other mage to throw away that disgusting attachment, but somehow it just made it worse. A wave of panic and revulsion washed over him and he struggled to push Henry off with as much force his pre-teen arms could muster.]

Ugh, get off me! Don't be unseemly.

[cruelcurse]

[Henry was weak even without being sick. But while Naoya pushed him off, he just came back to hold him again. He couldn't believe that he was alright! In a daze, he started babbling on:]

I had a vision, y'know~? It's a thing for us spell-casters. In it, you were hit by a long car- I mean, it's called a bus. I tried to stop you, to save you...

[He took a breath.]

But I guess I passed out and I just never managed to get up again...

[A LOT OF GOOD HE WAS. Just leaving Naoya to die... He kept dreaming about it, too. Dreaming about trying to change fate but failing every time.]

1/14 HENRY..........

[thereyouare]

[ Vivian could not have this. She stood over Henry and just stared at him, somehow able to bar a look of disgust from her face if only because she was somewhat incapable of making one. She crouched down, leaning over her knees beside his head. ]

Hall pass?

[ Important questions first. ]

[cruelcurse]

[He just had to get his head on the floor for just a moment, just so that instead of falling over on accident he could do it on purpose. When Vivian prompted him, he pushed himself off of the floor and knelt next to her with a dizzy sway.]

Nope.

[And a simple answer. He smiled at her.]

[thereyouare]

[ Well, that was no good. She sighed. ]

We must go to the office.

[ Vivian carefully reached out to take his arm, her touch not harsh but enough to try and help him to his feet. ]

[cruelcurse]

Mmm'kay.

[With Vivian's assistance, Henry pulled himself to his feet, not too concerned about his future at the office. He hardly had any idea what was going on anyway.]

Who're you? I feel like I've seen you around... Ahah~! Maybe my memory's too fuzzy to remember, for all I know.

[thereyouare]

I'm Vivian. [ Easy enough. ] I monitor the halls. [ She lifted her other arm to show off her armband. Wearing it made her happy, so she liked to show it off. LIKE AN ATTORNEY BADGE ] Without a hall pass, you must go to the office, okay?

[cruelcurse]

Yeah, yeah.

[He didn't feel up to fighting her decision. Was he supposed to be in class right now? Henry realized that he didn't even know what time it was. How long had this sickness been going on, anyway? How many days? It must be pretty bad, and it didn't help that he wasn't doing a very good job at staying in bed in his room. He wished he didn't have to go to the office. Walking all the way there felt like so much trouble.

Maybe he'd curse Vivian on accident. It couldn't be too bad of a curse, and it'd wear off eventually. Then he'd be able to get away and go back to sleep! It was her fault for trying to move him somewhere. It would only be fair for him to give her a warning, at the very least. Slowly and deliberately, he spoke.]

You know, Vivian... I'd be careful around me, okay? I'm trying to stay away from everyone... I mean, why would you mess with a feverish dark mage~? Would you stay around me if you knew that I couldn't control my own magic...?