audio; un: loveless

[limbical]

I'd meant to do this before, but honestly last month was a bit of mess. So, here we are, the stakes lower and less obnoxious felines involved.

Clinic update: I am, ideally, looking to work with Kaveh in arranging an actual building instead of the shoddy apartment I have myself set up in. I doubt that'll be complete anytime soon, but suffice it to say the clinic is still in operation as-is until further notice.

It's been brought to my attention a few times, but in light of our many incidents here, I will be arranging classes for proper first aid. I will be doing this on each weekend unless a medical emergency arrives. Hopefully that'll ensure the lot of you know how to better set a bone or a papercut, hm? Let me know if you intend on participating.

Lastly, and less important but... we'll say it's a bit of curiosity: I'd like for you to share your favorite poem. I don't really care about genre, just share it here. Thanks.

Comments

[limbical]

[Ah.

Urgh.

Daan realizes he should probably have messaged Daniel privately about that whole... thing, but Daan also habitually avoids talking about his problems when he can afford to. So! Here they are.]

Better.

...I'm sorry you encountered him.

[miyagimagic]

Please, Daan. The last thing you have to do is apologize.

[ Especially when Daan was the true victim in all of this. Daniel still has a hard time fully wrapping his head around everything that happened, but-- it surely can't have been pleasant for Daan in any way, he figures. ]

I'm just glad to hear that you're feeling a little better now. And that you're back to just being yourself, obviously. [ He'd so much rather have you than that.. cat mask thing around, dude.. ] Do you think there's a chance all of that might happen again?

[limbical]

...I struggle to feel like it wasn't my fault in some way. But I'll try to not think that way.

[It's easy to think that Daniel and so many others are too kind to him. That he doesn't deserve it. But Daan is genuinely trying to not think that way any longer, even if the process is difficult.]

I think that depends on how this place will play out. This is the first time something like this has happened. ...The cat explicitly said that he prefers to make a deal, so in normal circumstances I'd have to agree to it. So on its own, I'd say I wouldn't worry. I'm sure that's not really comforting to hear.

[miyagimagic]

[ Daniel pauses, then lets out a huff of breath. ]

Yeah. You know, I'm pretty sure I'm going to worry about you either way.

[ At least it seems he's become a little bit more self-aware of his tendencies to fuss about the people around them.. Or maybe he's just a little bit more honest about them. Either way, he doesn't mind owning up to it now, after he already made such a fuss about Daan openly in front of-- wait. ]

Do you.. have any idea what that thing was?

[ The thought only occurred to him now, first too relieved to just see Daan being alright. ]

In your words, I mean.

[ Because that cat-being-person had really only been confusing for the most part. Maybe Daan himself would make more sense. ]

[limbical]

...Yeah, that doesn't surprise me coming from you.

[Daan doesn't sound judgmental at all. In fact, he sounds a bit fond and grateful; even if he isn't used to people worrying about him.]

In my words? Hm.

I guess you could call him something close to a demon. I usually just use... entity, because "demon" sounds too simple, but close enough, I guess. But he's a servant to a god from my world.

And mind you, the gods of my world don't care about the suffering of human lives. ...We might as well just be pawns to them in whatever games they're playing. Pocketcat, servant of the Moon God Rher.

He's been following me around all my damned life.

[miyagimagic]

[ He'll accept his fussy reputation, just this once. Partially since it sounds like Daan doesn't mind it, and partially since-- well, if it can help Daan be reminded of the fact that people here care about him, even if he gets stuck in sticky situations? Then it's a good thing to Daniel.

Not to mention he's a little distracted by-- ]

Your world has actual gods? I mean-- gods that people for sure know exist? [ Not like Daniel's world doesn't have the concept of religion, but the idea of servants to gods is more something a cult might believe in.. But Daan speaks about it like it's more concrete than that.

Not to mention Daniel saw the evidence of that Pocketcat thing's existence. ]

And servants to gods that just.. follow people around? Why would they do that to you?

[limbical]

Gods that some people for sure know exist. Most common people don't really believe in things like that -- magic, gods, or anything else that could be under the "occult" label.

I've never been a common man, though.

[He realizes how that might sound. Vague, but hopefully implying enough -- Daan has dealt with this sort of thing all his life, never really escaping it.]

Hm, just him, I guess. I've never heard Pocketcat stalking anyone but me, so I can't say for sure. But I've never heard of or seen other servants behaving similarly. I assume it has something to do with following his master's orders, but I really don't know.

...In any case, that cat has an interest in making me a more permanent vessel. I don't know why me specifically, to be honest.

[miyagimagic]

Jesus, Daan..

[ He already thought the other was a little pitiful, considering everything Daan described about his wife and what happened to her, but.. on top of it he's also dealing with supernatural bullshit that not even everyone in his world deals with, and one part of said supernatural bullshit has practically painted a target on Daan's back that it is homing itself to?

Daniel isn't really sure just how much bad luck one man can have. ]

Why didn't you say earlier that you were dealing with that? I mean-- sure, you were probably assuming you were far away enough from your home that it wouldn't happen here. [ Answering his own question, b-but that's besides the point! Because-- ] If I had known, I would've helped you watch out for it somehow. Or tried to help you more.

[ Daniel says it like it's natural. Like he doesn't even have to think about helping Daan. It's just something he ought to do, and even more so when the other guy is dealing with this much. ]

[limbical]

[A slow, steady sigh escapes him.]

And how would I have brought it up, exactly? Most people even where I'm from don't believe in this shit. [Daan pauses, trying to regain his patience, and immediately just sounds tired.] But you're right, I assumed that I was far enough away from him and the gods that it wouldn't have mattered.

I was wrong. This city and whoever runs it decided to make it my problem and remind me of a possible fate.

[miyagimagic]

.. I'd believe you.

[ It doesn't sound hurt. After all, Daniel knows the other must mean nothing personal by it. It's only natural that most people wouldn't believe stories about gods and their servants or whatever - Daniel sure wouldn't have, not back home.

But now he knows what's all possible here? Well, it sounds weird, sure, but not impossible. ]

So don't ever feel like you won't be believed, alright? If you're ever worried about something, then you can tell me. Doesn't matter how outlandish it sounds, I'll always believe you. [ If they don't have anything else to rely on in this place, they ought to at least rely on each other, Daniel thinks. ]

[limbical]

...Ah, well. That's...

[Daan trails off and becomes quickly quiet, taken off guard by such a bold and kind admission.

I'll always believe you.

What a concept.]

...I'll try to remember that.

Thank you, Daniel.

[miyagimagic]

[ At least Daniel lets Daan have his little pause there. It's not like he can't understand where it might be coming from, after all. If the roles were switched, he'd probably need it too.

But when Daan finds his words again, speaking up to add that last part, Daniel's voice just sounds warm. ]

No need to thank me at all. The only thing we have in the face of how awful this city can be [ or the awful things it just allows to happen, like what happened to Daan.. ] is all the other people here, right? We have to look out for each other. That's all I'm trying to do here.