post-snek recoveries

[neonleon]

[You know?

That weird temple wasn't good, but it wasn't the worst. Not by far now that he's back in this dimension. He floats a bit aimlessly, body broken, shell cracked and falling apart, some bones and insides shattered. His head aches in a way that he can't think.

All he can really do is hope Prime doesn't find him immediately right now. The light off his ring catches his eye and he looks at it, not fully registering that it's lit up.

A promise.]

Comments

[neonleon]

[Leo looks almost stricken by the sign, in a good way. He gives a quiet little chirp back. Love. Then waves him off while Hunter goes to join Darius, who starts leading him down the hall.]

"I see he's at least capable of resting. From how you talked about him, I wasn't sure he'd know how."

[pyrighteous]

[ Hunter jogs to catch up and walk beside Darius, still beaming. ]

He - uh - usually doesn't. Which means he's either trying really hard, or really badly hurt.

[neonleon]

"Or both."

[Darius considers while they walk. It doesn't take much to take a turn down a different hallway to take them outside. If he can get Hunter to leave the university for a few hours and get some fresh air, it'll be for the best. It isn't good for him to stay cooped up in there for days.]

"I'm sure he'll be back up in no time."

[pyrighteous]

[ Hunter follows diligently, instinctively. He could probably be convinced, especially if an errand for Leo is involved. ]

I ... I really hope so. I don't know what I'll do if he doesn't recover.

[neonleon]

"Hm. Well. Luckily, you have the best healers on the Boiling Isles looking after him, so I'm certain he will."

[Though Darius does bookmark a bit of mental space on the off chance the turtle doesn't. That slim decimal of a percentage chance. While he's protective of his protégé from someone he doesn't know well, he also knows Hunter would be best to avoid the heartache.

Things to deal with in the coming days.]

"So, tell me again, I may have missed it. How exactly did you propose?"

[pyrighteous]

[ All of Hunter's mental faculties come to a screeching halt. DID he tell Darius?? He honestly can't remember - it was such a panicked whirlwind at first, and - well if Darius knows then it doesn't matter whether Hunter said anything at all - ]

I - um - it was a little weird? There was a conflict that involved aging up and down. Leo aged up and ... well, his future was pretty bleak. The monster he was fighting somehow got out and invaded his world.

[neonleon]

[Hm. So something possibly predetermined? Hard to say with how fantastical it sounds. Not that the Boiling Isles isn't fantastical in and of itself, but some things Hunter describes from that place sound out of their own realm of possibility.

he does open the door for Hunter going outside the front of the university, back into the city.]

"And that was the thing that tried to kill him in that dimension?"

[Oh he hopes that bleak place wasn't where the turtle called home.]

[pyrighteous]

[ Hunter ... pauses a moment at the threshold, looking back at the university. It'll only be for a little bit, right? He'll be back right away.

He steps into the light, trailing behind Darius again. ]

That's right. He's one of - of a lot. In that future, they took over, and ... well, I guess I joined him at some point. We were - um - married. In that future.

[ His face is BRIGHT RED again. ]

Anyway um - aged up me made both of the rings? They're how I tracked him down. That's their primary purpose. I ... uh ... saw them and the plan from older us, and I proposed after that.

[neonleon]

[So a proposal out of... what? Convenience? That doesn't feel quite right. But Darius isn't sure what to think of that, not immediately. He rests a hand on Hunter's shoulder to walk with him. Just a short one, away from the University a bit.]

"Is that what you truly want though?"

[He hopes Hunter didn't feel obligated knowing about some other future.]

[pyrighteous]

[ The sheer puzzlement on Hunter's face is answer enough, probably. ]

Why would I propose if I didn't want to marry him??

[neonleon]

[JUST. Pinching the bridge of his nose here. Deep breath, buddy. He needs to be nice, Raine keeps telling him he needs to be nice.]

"There have been many times you did something you realized later you didn't want to do."

[He isn't like. He's not gonna SAY "hey remember all that stuff you did for your uncle" but he is thinking it very hard.]

"I just don't want you to have any regrets."

[pyrighteous]

[ the bewilderment continues a moment before -

Oh. Yeah. Okay. He gets it now. Hunter winces a little. ]

This - this is different. I'm sure.

[ Hunter takes a deep breath. ]

He makes me happy, Darius. He - makes me feel normal. Like I can have a life that's mine, and not in anyone else's shadow. He's something new and wonderful and I love him so much my heart hurts.

[neonleon]

[Darius listens to that, hears it in Hunter's voice.

This turtle demon really is special to him. Hunter could've felt that way about anyone here in the Isles, or that temple place. So who's to say this isn't real?

Who is Darius to judge that. He should be encouraging this sort of independent thinking and feeling. He nods at that, bringing Hunter to some small stands - trinkets, flowers, that sort of thing. Open air market.]

"I know I never taught you, but did anyone else teach you the proper Boiling Isles proposal methods? Different ones optional, of course."

[pyrighteous]

[ Hunter brightens by increments, relief showing in his face. He hadn't known how desperate he was for Darius's approval until just now. ]

N - no. Belos, well. He said it was wrong for the Guard to be interested in anyone. That I had a higher purpose. And that anyone being interested in me would be committing a crime too, so he'd unfortunately have to throw them in the Conformatorium if they tried anything...

[neonleon]

"Right."

[Of course Belos said things like that. He only started getting bits and pieces of the full story about Philip and Caleb, and what little he does know? That makes sense. He pats Hunter's shoulder and starts walking him through the market.]

"We'll get you educated about some of the traditional customs before he showed up then."

[pyrighteous]

[ Hunter turns his head this way and that, taking in all the Boiling Isles styled trinkets. Already thinking of which ones Leo might like, proposal or not. ]

R-really? You don't mind teaching me?

[neonleon]

"What kind of mentor would I be if I didn't teach my protégé traditions?"

[And look. He will. He'll show Hunter everything, explain some of the old ways. The meanings of different color dried leaves for the bouquets, and the traditional gift of a scorpion-snake. There's a lot but he knows Hunter is eager and great at absorbing information.

The food is where he slows down because... well. He doesn't know what kind of food the turtle demon is used to.]

[pyrighteous]

[ He SURE IS. Asking questions, getting into details, already thinking of what to start with. Flowers are a good double purpose present - he can start with those as a get well gift AND a start to proposing. Scorpion-snake, maybe after he's less wrecked... ]

Oh - uh - Leo can eat anything a human can, but he also likes a lot of Boiling Isle style stuff, I think. They have a creepy supreme pizza in his world and it's AMAZING. Especially when the tentacles are still wriggling.

[neonleon]

[Darius helps him with some of it, explains a few things as Hunter asks questions. But at that comment has him blink a moment, then smile.]

"Well then. I think he'll do just fine with our cuisine without any issue."

[pyrighteous]

I - I think so too.

[ Hunter beams as he selects a nice bouquet and a potted snapdraglet (which growls at him) to take back to Leo for now. ]

I know you're worried, Darius. But he really is amazing. And Ori already gave him a shovel talk.

[neonleon]

[Darius looks at that choice and nods approvingly. Great pick.

but at the mention of Ori, Darius stares at Hunter, almost haunted for a moment before nodding.]

Right. You told me he was.. sort of there in some capacity.

"...What is a... 'shovel talk'?"

[pyrighteous]

Y. Yeah. He - um - when we get a chance to visit Viktor ...

[ He wants Ori and Darius to reunite SO BAD. Anyway. ]

Oh! It's a human custom. It's when someone who cares about you threatens your new partner with violence if they do anything to hurt you!

[neonleon]

"Ah. I'm still going to do that. Just so we're clear."

[Good job, Ori. He's so proud.]

[pyrighteous]

R. Right! That's still fine! But - go easy on him, he already knows how dead he is if he even thinks about hurting me.

[neonleon]

"For your sake, I'll try."

[Though from the looks of it, the turtle was pretty well dead already once. Maybe more than that if what Hunter said about that temple is true. He does start walking Hunter through the food stalls though if he wants to get anything here on the way back.]

"...For what it's worth, Hunter. I'm glad you seem to have found someone you care about on your own."