[ yeah that sounds good. maybe he can rely on this concussion to keep him from having to say words.
as for the painkiller bit, though, therion finally opens his working eye to glance up at jiaoqiu from where he is just burrowed into the blankets. ] Are you going to keep asking?
[ he mutters, but it's not like there's any actual heat or anything to this - he just sounds resigned like. yes. okay. i am being nagged.
besides, it's not like he's going to feel any more paranoid than he already feels. that, and with the tentative feeling of allowing someone to have his back, maybe... maybe he doesn't actually have to be in pain. the normal level of pain is zero.
[ he says in response, voice light as usual. he peers down at therion when he looks, lips twitching a bit at the sight of him bundled like he is. like, therion's in pain, he knows, but he's kind of cute like this, too. maybe that's jiaoqiu's healer instincts kicking in.
thankfully, therion gives in - and jiaoqiu hums, reaching for his bag. he digs around in it for a moment, and finally pulls out a pill bottle. the bag's a little sparse as far as items in it - there's an extra pair of clothes for jiaoqiu and a lot of medical supplies, plus therion's scarf and knife, but not much else.
still. he's got enough painkillers for therion to not suffer too horribly. so, he taps out two, and then hands them to therion, with a water bottle. drink. slowly. ]
[ "you don't have to suffer" gets an eye roll, because he is not suffering, only the eyeroll hurts his head so he doesn't get to do it as much as he likes as he is, once again, immediately proven wrong. therion could probably learn a lesson from this. he will not.
and, he's about to take the painkillers dry when the water bottle appears in his vision, halfway to his mouth, and after a beat, he will take the water. and like a good boy, he will drink it slowly after he knocks back the painkillers properly, then slowly settle back down. his energy is starting to run out - jiaoqiu is right, in that his body needs to rest, recover from all the blood loss and the emotional and physical exhaustion - and he curls a little closer to him subconsciously, tucking his face against jiaoqiu's shoulder. he's still burrito'd up in the blankets, all of his sharp edges officially sanded out, and only half able to be a brat, so this is maybe the cutest he could ever be.
as he settles back into place, he thinks about that little bag, and when he thinks jiaoqiu's busy putting stuff away, he asks, a little hesitantly - ] ...When did you find out where I was?
[ yeah that's what he THOUGHT, you were gonna take them dry. not today!!
therion sinks back down and hides his face against his shoulder again, and jiaoqiu hums soft, tucking him in. he can relax. those painkillers are the heavy duty kind, and he's hoping it'll help him sleep, because he needs it. jiaoqiu probably needs to sleep, too. he hasn't since he got here, and it's starting to take its toll, but. he's okay for now.
the question gets a little eyebrow raise, as he's putting the painkillers away one handed. a beat. ]
[ it's not really surprising, but there's something about the image of jiaoqiu rushing here so fast he didn't bother to bring anything, really, that tugs at his heartstrings. he doesn't have much of an explanation for why he's asking, so he just makes a little noise, noncommittal, and fels that ache get even worse at being tucked in, of all things.
god. this is pathetic? it's the head injuries, definitely, and not that he is just deeply, deeply uncool and every bit of genuine sweetness is as new and novel as anything. so. he settles in like that, lightheaded and this time not at all from a concussion.
in a low grumble, eyes closed again, he presses his cheek to jiaoqiu's shoulder. ] 'm only gonna sleep if we do it in shifts.
[ not for himself - though it serves two purposes - but for jiaoqiu. ]
[ therion is so funny, of course he came running. if there was any sort of hesitation, it was gone by the time primrose looked even just the slightest bit worried. if anything, it made him more anxious to get to the train, to find his way here.
the noncommittal noise gets him to look a little like ? at therion, confused as to why he asked, but he doesn't press. instead, he rests his head against therion's, hugging him. ]
Yes, alright. [ he says, after a moment, with a sigh. ] You first, though. You'll heal faster if you allow your body to do so.
[ you can bet your ass he'll try to wriggle out of letting therion do a watch shift with a concussion, but for now, he can agree. he turns his head to press a kiss to the side of therion's head. ]
Do you want me to stay? I'd thought I'd try to find us food and water, but I don't want to leave you alone.
[ ughhhhhh he doesn't NEED to eat, he could just not eat. or drink. or do anything that could involve leaving this little safe zone for the next twenty four hours. that seems like a good idea to therion, but he knows jiaoqiu won't let it pass.
it hurts his head to think it over, but he's quiet as he does, feels that kiss reverberate far further than the top of his head. ]
They're going to be looking for you right now. [ is his eventual answer, the more pragmatic one. ] ... 'm not sleeping if you're not staying.
[ which. the second it comes out of his mouth, it feels a little embarrassingly childish, but maybe the underlying, threaded i want you to stay answer is enough to keep him out of harm's way for a few hours. if jiaoqiu disappears while therion's conscious of it, he's just going to want to get up and follow him. ]
[ he's not wrong. they will be looking for him, and it's not like he's hard to spot. he's not worried about that so much, but that isn't what makes his decision. what makes his decision is therion all but asking him to stay. if it means that therion will sleep if jiaoqiu stays, then he won't go anywhere. if it means therion is more relaxed, he won't go.
he can't say he blames him. if therion wanted to get up and go somewhere while jiaoqiu was out of commission, he'd protest it, too. sometimes it feels better to just... know exactly where the other is.
with a little hum, he sinks down further into the bed. ]
Then I'll stay. [ he says, soft. ] ... You do need to eat, eventually. It'll help clear your senses, and you'll be able to go home that much more quickly. But for now, I'm here.
[ therion generally doesn't like to eat, let alone when he's hurt, but he also knows jiaoqiu will continue to point this out because this is something he nags him about normally, let alone while he's got too much outside blood.
on the other hand, it's like. kind of nice to be nagged about something familiar? this is something that crosses his mind, and therion makes a face to himself, because fucking what. that's how he knows he has a head injury, because if he's enjoying being nagged, then something clearly has to be wrong. he makes a little disgruntled noise to himself and shuts his eyes, letting jiaoqiu sinking into the bed lead him down a little lower, too. curled up close, finally warm, and relatively safe, he says he'll stay, and that's good enough, for now. ]
Wake me up in an hour or two. [ though his tone suggests he doesn't think jiaoqiu will - he curls in close, cuddled into his side, finally actually getting (relatively) comfortable. ] If you don't sleep, you're going to start hallucinating.
[ like half of his existence has been trying to get therion to eat - mostly because he really does believe that eating food that tastes really good helps the healing process. it's part of his whole discipline, and therion gets the brunt of it because jiaoqiu is fussy about his health. he doesn't mind. it's part of taking care of him, and he likes doing it.
a huff, though, at that. ]
I'm not going to start hallucinating. [ he says, amused. he's not that far gone, he thinks, even though it has been at least a day or so since he's slept. he's been too anxious to. there's really nothing stopping him from dozing while he's curled up here, too - he'll try not to, because he does need to keep watch, but therion is so warm against him, and he's actually comfortable, despite their sort of dire residency, right this second.
he just hums, and strokes therion's hair until he falls asleep. keeps an eye out for fevers, for nightmares, too. ]
[ it's sharp, but like usual, its his way of worrying in return. though, his sarcasm is seriously limited by how downright sleepy he sounds tucked in here, all of his remarks starting to lose their usual bite when the painkillers take hold. but, now that he's comfortable - bundled up with jiaoqiu's tail draped warmly across his lap, his injuries tended to, and alive, and safe, the adrenaline crash finally hits him properly. what starts off as a doze lapses easier than he'd ever expect.
with the help of the medicine, and the help of safety, he's out. stone cold asleep, unbothered by a movement, by jiaoqiu adjusting or shifting - like being chosen by a particularly fussy cat, therion falls asleep curled against his chest. though he fusses occasionally in his sleep, this time, his free hand comes up and curls, unconsciously, in jiaoqiu's clothes, and holds there. ]
[ jiaoqiu holds him the whole way through, slumped heavily against the wall. for a while he just kind of zones out, trying not to fall asleep as he stares at the wall. he's lulled, a little, by the way therion's curled up on him.
eventually, in an attempt not to fall asleep, he reaches for his phone, and starts slowly tapping a message. primrose gets an alert - found him, injured badly, recovering now, laying low. will look for way out tomorrow. and that's about when therion reaches up to curl into his clothes. jiaoqiu hums, and carefully rests his hand on top of therion's, keeping it there.
the absolute knocked out nature of his sleep is satisfying, honestly. it makes him feel warm - it almost means as much as all the feelings they exchanged, today. and those - all of that, he thinks about too. he drifts, absently, thinking about finding a place when they get back. making therion dinner, and insisting he stay home for a week so he can nap in therion's lap like a particularly spoiled housecat. break in the new bed, too - that thought amuses him a little, because he's sure he can think of a few ways to make that happen.
somewhere in there, though, his ear twitches as he hears shouting over the wind outside. it's getting dark, and, nervously, he makes sure his phone is hidden, and they're out of view of any windows. no light, no nothing. he holds therion close, eyes open, just a little tense.]
[ primrose's response doesn't take too long - as ever, she's succinct, a simple Be careful. See you soon. May faith be your shield. three short sentences with a world of meaning, worry, and of course, a successful escape from wherever they're holed up, with all of the faith of house azelhart behind it.
an hour or two passes. it's starting to get very dark indeed, which is not necessarily as much of a blessing as you might think, because thieves and bandits tend to make their best at night - therion is certainly much of the same. streetlamps flicker on, and with it, the town starts to get a little louder, a little rowdier. you can practically hear the sound of doors slamming shut and locking across northreach.
sure enough, jiaoqiu's hearing picks up on the shouting. it's not too close, but it's getting closer, the sound of yelling, pushing, thudding footsteps. as the voices close in around the house, he'll hear snatches of their conversations. "Shit, you got humiliated, huh?" "Shut up and keep looking!"
that can't be good! distantly, there's the sound of someone banging on a nearby door, and yelling at the people inside about harboring fugitives.
if jiaoqiu looks down at all, he might feel that therion's also gone completely still where he's being held - good eye opening quickly, roused almost immediately out of his deep, deep sleep. he makes eye contact if he can, but he says nothing, dead silent. ]
[ he stays silent, but - he pulls therion a little closer, making eye contact. his ears are pinned back, and he's tense, but he's not panicking. it's fine. they'll make it.
carefully, he says, so, so soft right against therion's ear: ] Stay?
[ despite not having a single animalistic gene himself, therion is a little wolf through and through - he is so keenly used to dealing with these situations that he's holding himself tense, every muscle ready to spring into action, pain be damned. he knows, logically, they can't stay here, just as logically as he knows he can't move fast enough to avoid an entire mob.
jiaoqiu's voice is as soft and smooth in his ear as silk, and he shifts a tiny bit, enough to lean further out of the way of the window, pressing himself to jiaoqiu's chest. it hurts his arm, but the ache is just an afterthought, as he pays close attention, and turns his head closer. just as quietly - ]
How many?
[ trusting jiaoqiu, here, and especially trusting his hearing. can he tell how many voices there are approaching? ]
[ he's not super confident in his ability to fight, here. he's got fire, he can bite and scratch and get away, but he's not a hand to hand fighter or. a fighter at all, really. he's a combat medic, and that's about it.
he rests his hand on therion's neck again, at the nape of it, just holding. he's still, eyes closed as he focuses. how many voices? he's not sure, it's hard to tell. but - he picks out one. then two, then three - if there are more, he can't tell the difference between them.
so, soft: ] Three. Might be more.
[ he's not sure they can knock out three fast enough to not alert the others. but he's willing to try. ]
[ therion watches the light of a cellphone shine into a window a few doors down, pressing closer to jiaoqiu - he can likely hear his heartbeat thumping against his hand - and looking around the house itself. there's a closet. an attic pull, likely, on the inside, but it's a gamble. he can climb one handed if there's a ladder but bringing it down might make noise, and he could pull himself up silently without one, if he wasn't hurt. the closet itself might be the better choice.
his eyes track to the windows, pulling a bit of an annoyed face. ]
Down to the ground to crawl. [ with a slight move of his head towards the closet. ] Keep your ears down.
[ crawling is. going to be bad for his injuries, but therion's already prepared himself for whatever pain he's going to feel. it's fine. better to feel pain than to be alive. ] Avoid the confrontation if we can.
[ if it comes down to it, he can help therion up - he can hoist therion onto his back long enough to get up into an attic if need be. it might be better to stay up there regardless, even after the men leave, but for now, it's priority just to get there. he hums his assent, frowning a little because he knows therion is going to have a hard time crawling.
it upsets him a bit to think that therion's going to reopen his wounds this way, but. they've got to. so, carefully, he lets go of therion - not before pressing a kiss to his forehead - before sliding down the the floor, keeping his ears down like he was asked.
he's not injured, so it takes next to no time for him to crawl to the closet and open it just enough for them to get inside. the voices get a little louder, and he has to grab his tail to stop it from anxiously swishing across the floor. he'll check to see if there's an attic pull, just in case. ]
[ *dead, not alive, what an unfortunate typo up there
anyway. down they go. therion's watching the window from where he's settled, ignoring the way his head is pounding to watch jiaoqiu safely traverse the small space, watches him hold his stupid fluffy tail - serves him right for all the times therion's ended up practically eating it when they share a bed, he would think in a much less dangerous situation - and then slowly eases off the bed himself. it hurts, trying to get down, every muscle and injury screaming in protest, but he tests the floor with one foot to make sure the boards aren't squeaky, and then carefully lowers himself down.
this is what he did before jiaoqiu showed up, so frankly, it's easier to do it now that he's warm and bandaged. in that cold church, he pulled himself off that shitty altar and dragged himself into the corner to survive. that's all he's ever wanted to do - live, survive, like the cockroach that he is - and his stubbornness serves him well because of it. he moves without wincing, even if he feels stitches pull, even if his arm hurts where it touches against the ground briefly, but he slides under the window with relative ease and makes it to the door, where he pauses.
"Oi. We check this one yet?"
"Nah. Didn't even know it was out here. Might have some loot we didn't take yet. Forget the little guy."
despite this extremely concerning series of conversation and chatter outside - there's the sound of a fist banging into the door, loud and violent - therion seems mostly unbothered as he pulls himself around and inside like liquid, letting the closet door creak shut behind them. it's a very small closet, but above their heads, dangling, there does appear to be an attic pull. there's also some moth-bitten clothing in here. it smells bad! but hey. at least it's something.
while the thieves outside are making a ruckus, therion, still on the ground, mutters just loud enough to be heard by jiaoqiu - ] Think they'd at least learn my name by now.
[ because apparently he can still be sassy? like this? but he jerks his chin up to the attic pull. ]
jiaoqiu watches him pull himself across the floor with an expression that is absolutely Unhappy. he does not like that therion is having to hurt himself to get safe. but - it'll be okay. he'll fix it, once they're safe. he can do as much as he can to make sure that therion doesn't make it that much worse, in the meantime.
the voices get him to tense, ears flicking violently. therion, at least, doesn't look like he's having that bad of a time here, but jiaoqiu knows it's mostly just because he's used to this sort of thing. with a little sigh, he rubs at his face as the door closes, and then jumps and slaps a hand to his chest like an old man at the fist banging on the door. jesus.
there's a little jolt, as he thinks about how he left the blanket and pillow out there, but. he brought his bag with him, at least. they can't steal that much, and they hopefully won't know that someone was just in the building.
therion gets a little huffy look at the sass, and then very, very carefully stands up in the closet to try and pull the attic open. slowly, quietly as he can. it's pretty decently soft, considering he's not built for stealth, and though it creaks slightly when he eases it down, it doesn't seem to alert anybody. with a deep breath, jiaoqiu glances down at therion, and then shifts so therion can climb onto his back. he'll help him on, of course, but - there's no way he's going to be strong enough to lift him up above his head.
they can get up into the attic. he'll figure out what to do with the pull once therion's up and safe. ]
[ this is very undignified but it's fine. therion's done a lot of undignified things in his life! there's not even enough time to react to the way his injuries are throbbing from that crawl over here, the adrenaline too high, the danger senses too strong. all he does is press up close against jiaoqiu in the very limited space, setting his good hand on the doorknob, just in case, as jiaoqiu fiddles with the attic pull. he can't hear that well, but the foxian hearing can likely pick up on the sound of something jingling and one of the thieves making fun of another one for being slow, but the lock catches.
in the meantime, therion's pride thinks he can get up the ladder perfectly fine by himself, at the moment - he gives jiaoqiu a little bit of a look when he offers his back. there's not exactly room to complain, though, and honestly, it shows even more how much he trusts him, to allow for this. putting himself on jiaoqiu's back leaves him very vulnerable in case that door flies open, and he does not like that, but carefully, he props himself up against the door, and then climbs onto jiaoqiu one handed, lowering his head near his ear. ]
Step to the back of the ladder steps. [ therion murmurs, his voice barely a whisper. less squeaking, that way. less chance of making more noise. sneaking 101 from a thief.
there's the sound of a door opening - his grip tightens on jiaoqiu, a nonverbal hurry. ]
[ this close, curled up against him on his back, therion can probably hear jiaoqiu's heart pounding in his chest. he's calm in motion, he knows how to be - but this is terrifying if only because he's genuinely not sure how he'll fight the men off if he has to. they're sitting ducks. and - well, really, he's more concerned about therion than he is himself, as always. therion can't really protect himself all that well, like this, and jiaoqiu promised he would.
but he trusts therion to hold on, and takes his advice easily enough. back of the steps - there's less noise, and he's decently quiet as he makes his way up to the top of the ladder, into the dusty and damp attic. the door opening out in the main room freaks him out, his fur sticking up on end and his expression tense, but he manages to reach down and pull the ladder up and close the trapdoor without any banging or clatters.
it's cold up here, and dark, though he can see alright considering his foxian senses. he shifts to let therion down, wrapping an arm around him to support him. there are boxes in the corner of the room that seem like decent cover, but mostly, he's hoping the thieves don't even bother checking up here at all. that they miss it. ]
[ honestly, if he was less hurt, this would be a whole other situation for therion if only because - well, he's always been an adrenaline junkie, it's sort of a requirement of the life that he lives. this is very, very dangerous, and there's something about being pressed close to someone, trusting them with your life, escaping danger by the skin of your teeth that gets him going a little, but there's no room for that now. or energy.
he can feel jiaoqiu's fur puff up near his ear - unlike jiaoqiu, he doesn't seem that bothered, and there's a puff of a laugh, something a little wild no matter its quiet volume, near his ear, as they get up and into the attic room. therion can't see their surroundings well, and as he's set down, he gingerly unpeels himself from jiaoqiu in the small space, and shifts his good hand down, reaching into his bag and feeling for his switchblade. he'll let jiaoqiu get adjusted for the moment, moving through this like an old hat, and though he's supposed to be the one being protected, he still makes sure jiaoqiu stays close by, already thinking through a plan of where to go, how to get out if they get caught. he'll just turn himself in. shitty as that is, he'd rather jiaoqiu get out.
in the meantime, there's a loud cacophony from downstairs - it's more muffled up here, with the distance of the closet and the attic panel. the sounds of drawers being opened and shut, rattled around. the contents of the kitchen silverware being raided, any semi-useful electronics ripped out of the wall. occasionally, they can hear a swear, or a hell yeah!, but for the most part it's just noisy.
"Man, place's already been picked clean." grumbles one of the thieves. "Check everything," says another voice, grumbling, "Bout fucking time we get to take loot for ourselves."
therion rolls his eyes where he's crouched. thieves. egotistical, selfish. darius has bad taste in goons. a doorknob nearby rattles - the main bedroom door. ]
[ oh he's very funny that he thinks he'll turn himself in without jiaoqiu getting involved,
they stick close to each other in the dark, and even as therion's reaching for his blade and settling in to wait, jiaoqiu's tail comes around him anyway. big, fluffy, and warm - trying to stave off the chill. he listens to the thieves raid the area downstairs, quiet and absently resting his hand on therion's back, just to sort of... ground himself. it's kind of funny. in a situation where therion wasn't beat to shit, he might also find this sort of exciting in that horrible sort of way, but right now, he's genuinely not sure they won't just stab him and take therion.
the loot chatter gets jiaoqiu's ear to flick in annoyance, if only because he's going to be pissed if they take his blanket. the rattle of the doorknob, however, gets him to flinch, and he ducks down a little, ears pinned back. all he can do is be quiet and hope they don't bother.
the closet is obviously a good place to check out, though. footsteps get louder as the thief comes to dig around for valuables, and jiaoqiu's fingers curl into therion's shirt as the closet door below them opens. he's about holding his breath, here. ]
[ he feels the fingers in his shirt, and lifts his good hand up - up, blindly, and covers jiaoqiu's mouth with one hand. he's used to being dead silent, and it's not that he thinks he's going to make noise or something, but it's an extra layer of protection for the both of them. he chooses to protect jiaoqiu, to keep him extra quiet, instead of to grab his knife.
he's used to it, anyway - hiding like this, staying put away. the only worry he has is that he might have gotten blood on the floor, but that's the nice thing, he doesn't even have to, because he knows jiaoqiu took care of him. because again, he can trust him, and he's proved it over and over.
so, he holds his own breath too, utterly still, listening. there's grumbling downstairs, the voices right underneath their feet.
"Just a bunch of fucking moths." one of the men grumbles, and slams the door shut. this woul dbe a good time for a moment of relief, but there's some more bickering, too muffled for therion to pick up but likely easier for jiaoqiu. "Don't be stupid, there might be a fake floor." "In a regular house? Are you shittin' me?"
more bickering. the doorknob turns again, the door opens again. therion's hand curls a little more, tensing, tensing. there's a little bit of a scuffle, as the leader of whoever this group of little thieves is bangs through the door and starts rifling through the coats. therion grabbed the pull and hid it on the way up. maybe that'll be enough. ]
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no subject
as for the painkiller bit, though, therion finally opens his working eye to glance up at jiaoqiu from where he is just burrowed into the blankets. ] Are you going to keep asking?
[ he mutters, but it's not like there's any actual heat or anything to this - he just sounds resigned like. yes. okay. i am being nagged.
besides, it's not like he's going to feel any more paranoid than he already feels. that, and with the tentative feeling of allowing someone to have his back, maybe... maybe he doesn't actually have to be in pain. the normal level of pain is zero.
so, begrudgingly, he holds out his hand. ]
no subject
[ he says in response, voice light as usual. he peers down at therion when he looks, lips twitching a bit at the sight of him bundled like he is. like, therion's in pain, he knows, but he's kind of cute like this, too. maybe that's jiaoqiu's healer instincts kicking in.
thankfully, therion gives in - and jiaoqiu hums, reaching for his bag. he digs around in it for a moment, and finally pulls out a pill bottle. the bag's a little sparse as far as items in it - there's an extra pair of clothes for jiaoqiu and a lot of medical supplies, plus therion's scarf and knife, but not much else.
still. he's got enough painkillers for therion to not suffer too horribly. so, he taps out two, and then hands them to therion, with a water bottle. drink. slowly. ]
no subject
and, he's about to take the painkillers dry when the water bottle appears in his vision, halfway to his mouth, and after a beat, he will take the water. and like a good boy, he will drink it slowly after he knocks back the painkillers properly, then slowly settle back down. his energy is starting to run out - jiaoqiu is right, in that his body needs to rest, recover from all the blood loss and the emotional and physical exhaustion - and he curls a little closer to him subconsciously, tucking his face against jiaoqiu's shoulder. he's still burrito'd up in the blankets, all of his sharp edges officially sanded out, and only half able to be a brat, so this is maybe the cutest he could ever be.
as he settles back into place, he thinks about that little bag, and when he thinks jiaoqiu's busy putting stuff away, he asks, a little hesitantly - ] ...When did you find out where I was?
no subject
therion sinks back down and hides his face against his shoulder again, and jiaoqiu hums soft, tucking him in. he can relax. those painkillers are the heavy duty kind, and he's hoping it'll help him sleep, because he needs it. jiaoqiu probably needs to sleep, too. he hasn't since he got here, and it's starting to take its toll, but. he's okay for now.
the question gets a little eyebrow raise, as he's putting the painkillers away one handed. a beat. ]
Not too long ago. A few days. Why?
no subject
god. this is pathetic? it's the head injuries, definitely, and not that he is just deeply, deeply uncool and every bit of genuine sweetness is as new and novel as anything. so. he settles in like that, lightheaded and this time not at all from a concussion.
in a low grumble, eyes closed again, he presses his cheek to jiaoqiu's shoulder. ] 'm only gonna sleep if we do it in shifts.
[ not for himself - though it serves two purposes - but for jiaoqiu. ]
no subject
the noncommittal noise gets him to look a little like ? at therion, confused as to why he asked, but he doesn't press. instead, he rests his head against therion's, hugging him. ]
Yes, alright. [ he says, after a moment, with a sigh. ] You first, though. You'll heal faster if you allow your body to do so.
[ you can bet your ass he'll try to wriggle out of letting therion do a watch shift with a concussion, but for now, he can agree. he turns his head to press a kiss to the side of therion's head. ]
Do you want me to stay? I'd thought I'd try to find us food and water, but I don't want to leave you alone.
no subject
it hurts his head to think it over, but he's quiet as he does, feels that kiss reverberate far further than the top of his head. ]
They're going to be looking for you right now. [ is his eventual answer, the more pragmatic one. ] ... 'm not sleeping if you're not staying.
[ which. the second it comes out of his mouth, it feels a little embarrassingly childish, but maybe the underlying, threaded i want you to stay answer is enough to keep him out of harm's way for a few hours. if jiaoqiu disappears while therion's conscious of it, he's just going to want to get up and follow him. ]
no subject
he can't say he blames him. if therion wanted to get up and go somewhere while jiaoqiu was out of commission, he'd protest it, too. sometimes it feels better to just... know exactly where the other is.
with a little hum, he sinks down further into the bed. ]
Then I'll stay. [ he says, soft. ] ... You do need to eat, eventually. It'll help clear your senses, and you'll be able to go home that much more quickly. But for now, I'm here.
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[ therion generally doesn't like to eat, let alone when he's hurt, but he also knows jiaoqiu will continue to point this out because this is something he nags him about normally, let alone while he's got too much outside blood.
on the other hand, it's like. kind of nice to be nagged about something familiar? this is something that crosses his mind, and therion makes a face to himself, because fucking what. that's how he knows he has a head injury, because if he's enjoying being nagged, then something clearly has to be wrong. he makes a little disgruntled noise to himself and shuts his eyes, letting jiaoqiu sinking into the bed lead him down a little lower, too. curled up close, finally warm, and relatively safe, he says he'll stay, and that's good enough, for now. ]
Wake me up in an hour or two. [ though his tone suggests he doesn't think jiaoqiu will - he curls in close, cuddled into his side, finally actually getting (relatively) comfortable. ] If you don't sleep, you're going to start hallucinating.
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a huff, though, at that. ]
I'm not going to start hallucinating. [ he says, amused. he's not that far gone, he thinks, even though it has been at least a day or so since he's slept. he's been too anxious to. there's really nothing stopping him from dozing while he's curled up here, too - he'll try not to, because he does need to keep watch, but therion is so warm against him, and he's actually comfortable, despite their sort of dire residency, right this second.
he just hums, and strokes therion's hair until he falls asleep. keeps an eye out for fevers, for nightmares, too. ]
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[ it's sharp, but like usual, its his way of worrying in return. though, his sarcasm is seriously limited by how downright sleepy he sounds tucked in here, all of his remarks starting to lose their usual bite when the painkillers take hold. but, now that he's comfortable - bundled up with jiaoqiu's tail draped warmly across his lap, his injuries tended to, and alive, and safe, the adrenaline crash finally hits him properly. what starts off as a doze lapses easier than he'd ever expect.
with the help of the medicine, and the help of safety, he's out. stone cold asleep, unbothered by a movement, by jiaoqiu adjusting or shifting - like being chosen by a particularly fussy cat, therion falls asleep curled against his chest. though he fusses occasionally in his sleep, this time, his free hand comes up and curls, unconsciously, in jiaoqiu's clothes, and holds there. ]
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eventually, in an attempt not to fall asleep, he reaches for his phone, and starts slowly tapping a message. primrose gets an alert - found him, injured badly, recovering now, laying low. will look for way out tomorrow. and that's about when therion reaches up to curl into his clothes. jiaoqiu hums, and carefully rests his hand on top of therion's, keeping it there.
the absolute knocked out nature of his sleep is satisfying, honestly. it makes him feel warm - it almost means as much as all the feelings they exchanged, today. and those - all of that, he thinks about too. he drifts, absently, thinking about finding a place when they get back. making therion dinner, and insisting he stay home for a week so he can nap in therion's lap like a particularly spoiled housecat. break in the new bed, too - that thought amuses him a little, because he's sure he can think of a few ways to make that happen.
somewhere in there, though, his ear twitches as he hears shouting over the wind outside. it's getting dark, and, nervously, he makes sure his phone is hidden, and they're out of view of any windows. no light, no nothing. he holds therion close, eyes open, just a little tense.]
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an hour or two passes. it's starting to get very dark indeed, which is not necessarily as much of a blessing as you might think, because thieves and bandits tend to make their best at night - therion is certainly much of the same. streetlamps flicker on, and with it, the town starts to get a little louder, a little rowdier. you can practically hear the sound of doors slamming shut and locking across northreach.
sure enough, jiaoqiu's hearing picks up on the shouting. it's not too close, but it's getting closer, the sound of yelling, pushing, thudding footsteps. as the voices close in around the house, he'll hear snatches of their conversations. "Shit, you got humiliated, huh?" "Shut up and keep looking!"
that can't be good! distantly, there's the sound of someone banging on a nearby door, and yelling at the people inside about harboring fugitives.
if jiaoqiu looks down at all, he might feel that therion's also gone completely still where he's being held - good eye opening quickly, roused almost immediately out of his deep, deep sleep. he makes eye contact if he can, but he says nothing, dead silent. ]
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carefully, he says, so, so soft right against therion's ear: ] Stay?
[ do they stay, try to hide? or do they go? ]
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jiaoqiu's voice is as soft and smooth in his ear as silk, and he shifts a tiny bit, enough to lean further out of the way of the window, pressing himself to jiaoqiu's chest. it hurts his arm, but the ache is just an afterthought, as he pays close attention, and turns his head closer. just as quietly - ]
How many?
[ trusting jiaoqiu, here, and especially trusting his hearing. can he tell how many voices there are approaching? ]
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he rests his hand on therion's neck again, at the nape of it, just holding. he's still, eyes closed as he focuses. how many voices? he's not sure, it's hard to tell. but - he picks out one. then two, then three - if there are more, he can't tell the difference between them.
so, soft: ] Three. Might be more.
[ he's not sure they can knock out three fast enough to not alert the others. but he's willing to try. ]
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his eyes track to the windows, pulling a bit of an annoyed face. ]
Down to the ground to crawl. [ with a slight move of his head towards the closet. ] Keep your ears down.
[ crawling is. going to be bad for his injuries, but therion's already prepared himself for whatever pain he's going to feel. it's fine. better to feel pain than to be alive. ] Avoid the confrontation if we can.
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it upsets him a bit to think that therion's going to reopen his wounds this way, but. they've got to. so, carefully, he lets go of therion - not before pressing a kiss to his forehead - before sliding down the the floor, keeping his ears down like he was asked.
he's not injured, so it takes next to no time for him to crawl to the closet and open it just enough for them to get inside. the voices get a little louder, and he has to grab his tail to stop it from anxiously swishing across the floor. he'll check to see if there's an attic pull, just in case. ]
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anyway. down they go. therion's watching the window from where he's settled, ignoring the way his head is pounding to watch jiaoqiu safely traverse the small space, watches him hold his stupid fluffy tail - serves him right for all the times therion's ended up practically eating it when they share a bed, he would think in a much less dangerous situation - and then slowly eases off the bed himself. it hurts, trying to get down, every muscle and injury screaming in protest, but he tests the floor with one foot to make sure the boards aren't squeaky, and then carefully lowers himself down.
this is what he did before jiaoqiu showed up, so frankly, it's easier to do it now that he's warm and bandaged. in that cold church, he pulled himself off that shitty altar and dragged himself into the corner to survive. that's all he's ever wanted to do - live, survive, like the cockroach that he is - and his stubbornness serves him well because of it. he moves without wincing, even if he feels stitches pull, even if his arm hurts where it touches against the ground briefly, but he slides under the window with relative ease and makes it to the door, where he pauses.
"Oi. We check this one yet?"
"Nah. Didn't even know it was out here. Might have some loot we didn't take yet. Forget the little guy."
despite this extremely concerning series of conversation and chatter outside - there's the sound of a fist banging into the door, loud and violent - therion seems mostly unbothered as he pulls himself around and inside like liquid, letting the closet door creak shut behind them. it's a very small closet, but above their heads, dangling, there does appear to be an attic pull. there's also some moth-bitten clothing in here. it smells bad! but hey. at least it's something.
while the thieves outside are making a ruckus, therion, still on the ground, mutters just loud enough to be heard by jiaoqiu - ] Think they'd at least learn my name by now.
[ because apparently he can still be sassy? like this? but he jerks his chin up to the attic pull. ]
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jiaoqiu watches him pull himself across the floor with an expression that is absolutely Unhappy. he does not like that therion is having to hurt himself to get safe. but - it'll be okay. he'll fix it, once they're safe. he can do as much as he can to make sure that therion doesn't make it that much worse, in the meantime.
the voices get him to tense, ears flicking violently. therion, at least, doesn't look like he's having that bad of a time here, but jiaoqiu knows it's mostly just because he's used to this sort of thing. with a little sigh, he rubs at his face as the door closes, and then jumps and slaps a hand to his chest like an old man at the fist banging on the door. jesus.
there's a little jolt, as he thinks about how he left the blanket and pillow out there, but. he brought his bag with him, at least. they can't steal that much, and they hopefully won't know that someone was just in the building.
therion gets a little huffy look at the sass, and then very, very carefully stands up in the closet to try and pull the attic open. slowly, quietly as he can. it's pretty decently soft, considering he's not built for stealth, and though it creaks slightly when he eases it down, it doesn't seem to alert anybody. with a deep breath, jiaoqiu glances down at therion, and then shifts so therion can climb onto his back. he'll help him on, of course, but - there's no way he's going to be strong enough to lift him up above his head.
they can get up into the attic. he'll figure out what to do with the pull once therion's up and safe. ]
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in the meantime, therion's pride thinks he can get up the ladder perfectly fine by himself, at the moment - he gives jiaoqiu a little bit of a look when he offers his back. there's not exactly room to complain, though, and honestly, it shows even more how much he trusts him, to allow for this. putting himself on jiaoqiu's back leaves him very vulnerable in case that door flies open, and he does not like that, but carefully, he props himself up against the door, and then climbs onto jiaoqiu one handed, lowering his head near his ear. ]
Step to the back of the ladder steps. [ therion murmurs, his voice barely a whisper. less squeaking, that way. less chance of making more noise. sneaking 101 from a thief.
there's the sound of a door opening - his grip tightens on jiaoqiu, a nonverbal hurry. ]
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but he trusts therion to hold on, and takes his advice easily enough. back of the steps - there's less noise, and he's decently quiet as he makes his way up to the top of the ladder, into the dusty and damp attic. the door opening out in the main room freaks him out, his fur sticking up on end and his expression tense, but he manages to reach down and pull the ladder up and close the trapdoor without any banging or clatters.
it's cold up here, and dark, though he can see alright considering his foxian senses. he shifts to let therion down, wrapping an arm around him to support him. there are boxes in the corner of the room that seem like decent cover, but mostly, he's hoping the thieves don't even bother checking up here at all. that they miss it. ]
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he can feel jiaoqiu's fur puff up near his ear - unlike jiaoqiu, he doesn't seem that bothered, and there's a puff of a laugh, something a little wild no matter its quiet volume, near his ear, as they get up and into the attic room. therion can't see their surroundings well, and as he's set down, he gingerly unpeels himself from jiaoqiu in the small space, and shifts his good hand down, reaching into his bag and feeling for his switchblade. he'll let jiaoqiu get adjusted for the moment, moving through this like an old hat, and though he's supposed to be the one being protected, he still makes sure jiaoqiu stays close by, already thinking through a plan of where to go, how to get out if they get caught. he'll just turn himself in. shitty as that is, he'd rather jiaoqiu get out.
in the meantime, there's a loud cacophony from downstairs - it's more muffled up here, with the distance of the closet and the attic panel. the sounds of drawers being opened and shut, rattled around. the contents of the kitchen silverware being raided, any semi-useful electronics ripped out of the wall. occasionally, they can hear a swear, or a hell yeah!, but for the most part it's just noisy.
"Man, place's already been picked clean." grumbles one of the thieves. "Check everything," says another voice, grumbling, "Bout fucking time we get to take loot for ourselves."
therion rolls his eyes where he's crouched. thieves. egotistical, selfish. darius has bad taste in goons. a doorknob nearby rattles - the main bedroom door. ]
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they stick close to each other in the dark, and even as therion's reaching for his blade and settling in to wait, jiaoqiu's tail comes around him anyway. big, fluffy, and warm - trying to stave off the chill. he listens to the thieves raid the area downstairs, quiet and absently resting his hand on therion's back, just to sort of... ground himself. it's kind of funny. in a situation where therion wasn't beat to shit, he might also find this sort of exciting in that horrible sort of way, but right now, he's genuinely not sure they won't just stab him and take therion.
the loot chatter gets jiaoqiu's ear to flick in annoyance, if only because he's going to be pissed if they take his blanket. the rattle of the doorknob, however, gets him to flinch, and he ducks down a little, ears pinned back. all he can do is be quiet and hope they don't bother.
the closet is obviously a good place to check out, though. footsteps get louder as the thief comes to dig around for valuables, and jiaoqiu's fingers curl into therion's shirt as the closet door below them opens. he's about holding his breath, here. ]
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he's used to it, anyway - hiding like this, staying put away. the only worry he has is that he might have gotten blood on the floor, but that's the nice thing, he doesn't even have to, because he knows jiaoqiu took care of him. because again, he can trust him, and he's proved it over and over.
so, he holds his own breath too, utterly still, listening. there's grumbling downstairs, the voices right underneath their feet.
"Just a bunch of fucking moths." one of the men grumbles, and slams the door shut. this woul dbe a good time for a moment of relief, but there's some more bickering, too muffled for therion to pick up but likely easier for jiaoqiu. "Don't be stupid, there might be a fake floor." "In a regular house? Are you shittin' me?"
more bickering. the doorknob turns again, the door opens again. therion's hand curls a little more, tensing, tensing. there's a little bit of a scuffle, as the leader of whoever this group of little thieves is bangs through the door and starts rifling through the coats. therion grabbed the pull and hid it on the way up. maybe that'll be enough. ]
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