the other healers are likely relieved to see jiaoqiu go off to chase therion, because it's been an unspoken thing, that he would probably be the worst patient in the heavens. he's belligerent and frosty normally, he won't let people examine him during strip check - never has, and never will - and has shown zero sign of wanting to let nearly anyone get close at any time. but... that isn't to say people haven't. and jiaoqiu is one of them.
therion's paying attention to his surroundings, but not like he might normally - ears metaphorically on a swivel, the constant attention of a man who has never once been at rest. no, right now, his attention comes directly from paranoia. it's the shapes and images dancing at the corners of his eyes as much as it is the frigid chill. he's soaking wet still, ice cold, nearly biting his tongue to keep his teeth from chattering as he hides in the train's station, waiting for the actual vehicle to arrive. he's tired. but he knows, if he lets himself close his eyes and gives into the sleepy feeling tugging at his eyelids, he could die. and therion - therion's died, apparently, and like hell he's going to let himself die, again, in this joke of a place that's some fake fucking heaven.
so he is paying attention when jiaoqiu makes his way into the station, and he holds himself perfectly still, one hand shoved under his strange clothing, desperately missing his poncho and scarf, pressed hard to a stomach wound, his head tilted back so there won't be a single sound, if blood drips from his face and onto the concrete. all he has to do is hold still. no one ever finds him.
and yet.
jiaoqiu calls his name. stubbornly, he does not respond, holding his breath, watching jiaoqiu's shape from a distance where he's hidden himself, tucked away in an unknown corner in the station - good eye darting from the tracks to his unwelcome companion. if he just holds still, he'll leave him alone. ]
jiaoqiu sighs, because it's easier to be exasperated and annoyed than it is to be sick with worry. nobody has died on one of these trips just yet, but he figures it's possible. he figures that it's just one step to the left, and the people filled with bullet holes and stabbed wounds could just pass without any fanfare at all. like he could just not be paying attention enough, and they'd breathe out their last.
his ears lay flat back against his skull, and he starts moving towards the smell of the blood, only stumbling slightly. therion is observant, even when he's injured. maybe especially when he's injured. he can't let his own shortcomings get in the way here. ]
Therion. Answer me. I know that you're in here.
[ which is threatening, so like - deep breath, and then: ]
I'd like to make sure you don't bleed out. And it smells like you might be close to that.
silence. no response. stubborn asshole. jiaoqiu can't see him - in more ways than he realizes - but the scowl on his face deepens, and he'd be glowering in his direction if he was able to.
the longer that he stands still, the worst that he feels - blood seeps between his fingers, down his face, and he presses down harder, letting the pain of it keep him awake. fuck you!!! i'll lay down and die where i want to lay down and die!!!! ]
Never have I seen someone so determined to nearly die.
[ YOU ARE SUCH A PUNK
okay, well, he's going to keep looking. wherever this bitch is hiding, he'll feel around until he finds him. and if he can't - he'll go sit in the middle of the station and wait until therion passes out, or tries to sneak past him. and he can hear him. sensitive ears. ]
[ so, this is the plan - he's just going to sneak past him. therion's very, very confident in his own skills. he knows he is the sneakiest person in this place. he knows he can sneak and get out of just about anything, especially if he times it right, even if he's injured. he dragged himself off the ground with all of his bones broken, once. he could do it here, too.
but the thing is, when he takes his first step out - carefully, moving with the sound of the train arriving so he can dart in under the cover of the noise, he actually sees jiaoqiu. only...
he doesn't.
remember how i didn't tell you what my cyoa effect was? well. when he looks at jiaoqiu out of the corner of his eye, what he sees is not jiaoqiu at all, but instead - a hideous, awful creature with a stretched out mouth and massive, bloody teeth, bloody eyes. gaunt cheeks and sharp claws, with jiaoqiu's features, with his eyes clawed out, making a low, guttural noise. somewhere between pain and fury.
he freezes, and jerks, drawing attention to his movement because he thinks the monster is staring at him - his thoughts tangle into a sharp tinge of fear and determination and he immediately grabs the kitchen knife he keeps in his boot, injuries be damned, and draws it, taking a half step backwards on his bad foot. doing this takes all the pressure off of his bleeding bite wound, and the bloodloss makes him almost wobble on his feet, even as he snarls - ]
Stay back.
[ but it's the bristle of a cornered, injured animal, ready to snap and bite and claw his way free. ]
he hears the knife more than he sees it - immediately he stands, if only to make sure that he can get away if he needs to, but. there's no sudden movements. not yet. he doesn't want to startle therion too badly, especially when he's already injured and about to fall. jiaoqiu slowly, carefully holds out his hands, ears pinned back, trying to make himself just a little bit smaller. ]
It's alright. It's just me.
[ he doesn't know that therion is seeing anything differently than what jiaoqiu normally looks like, but he can hear that tension in his voice, and he does not want to give therion any more of an excuse. for as sneaky as jiaoqiu is, as clever as he can be, he knows that he does not have a single chance against therion with a knife. whatever provoking this response just needs to... time itself out. ]
[ he's not wrong, is the thing. he's losing blood quickly - usually tan skin is pale and white, lips tinged a little blue, the cold from the icy ocean water doing him little favor, just like the blood seeping out from his (very inappropriate, culturally) outfit. the words that he's saying are garbled, either from hallucination or from the bloodloss itself, and for therion, already paranoid, it turns to what he heard in that place.
We're not equals! You're nothing but a stepping stone to me! the voice of the monster shrieks in his ear, cockney accent, smug face. morphs back into jiaoqiu, because for the gods-fucking-sakes he let himself care, touchy feely fool, glowering at him with an expression of hatred. you did this to me, it says.
he takes another staggering step backwards, heart pounding hard - blood dropping down his cheek, splattering onto the ground. he can't even say anything, swaying on his feet, but he's still trying to get away, even now, knife in hand, barbed and angry, desperately trying to stay alive. snapping creature in a trap. ]
[ soft - gentle, as much as he can get it to be while still being assertive. therion steps backwards, and jiaoqiu exhales slowly, following. so be it, if he gets stabbed, he cannot just let therion collapse and hurt himself further, so. he moves, telegraphing his moves as always, and reaches for the knife. or rather, reaches for the hand holding the knife, and just holds onto it. if he misses the first time he just ignores it, stubbornly trying again. ]
Whatever you are seeing isn't real. [ ears still pinned back. ] I will take care of you. Take a breath, and sit down, hm?
[ of course if therion stabs him he'll have other things to say, but he's banking on this working. ]
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no subject
the other healers are likely relieved to see jiaoqiu go off to chase therion, because it's been an unspoken thing, that he would probably be the worst patient in the heavens. he's belligerent and frosty normally, he won't let people examine him during strip check - never has, and never will - and has shown zero sign of wanting to let nearly anyone get close at any time. but... that isn't to say people haven't. and jiaoqiu is one of them.
therion's paying attention to his surroundings, but not like he might normally - ears metaphorically on a swivel, the constant attention of a man who has never once been at rest. no, right now, his attention comes directly from paranoia. it's the shapes and images dancing at the corners of his eyes as much as it is the frigid chill. he's soaking wet still, ice cold, nearly biting his tongue to keep his teeth from chattering as he hides in the train's station, waiting for the actual vehicle to arrive. he's tired. but he knows, if he lets himself close his eyes and gives into the sleepy feeling tugging at his eyelids, he could die. and therion - therion's died, apparently, and like hell he's going to let himself die, again, in this joke of a place that's some fake fucking heaven.
so he is paying attention when jiaoqiu makes his way into the station, and he holds himself perfectly still, one hand shoved under his strange clothing, desperately missing his poncho and scarf, pressed hard to a stomach wound, his head tilted back so there won't be a single sound, if blood drips from his face and onto the concrete. all he has to do is hold still. no one ever finds him.
and yet.
jiaoqiu calls his name. stubbornly, he does not respond, holding his breath, watching jiaoqiu's shape from a distance where he's hidden himself, tucked away in an unknown corner in the station - good eye darting from the tracks to his unwelcome companion. if he just holds still, he'll leave him alone. ]
no subject
anyway. stubborn!! stupid, stubborn man!!
jiaoqiu sighs, because it's easier to be exasperated and annoyed than it is to be sick with worry. nobody has died on one of these trips just yet, but he figures it's possible. he figures that it's just one step to the left, and the people filled with bullet holes and stabbed wounds could just pass without any fanfare at all. like he could just not be paying attention enough, and they'd breathe out their last.
his ears lay flat back against his skull, and he starts moving towards the smell of the blood, only stumbling slightly. therion is observant, even when he's injured. maybe especially when he's injured. he can't let his own shortcomings get in the way here. ]
Therion. Answer me. I know that you're in here.
[ which is threatening, so like - deep breath, and then: ]
I'd like to make sure you don't bleed out. And it smells like you might be close to that.
no subject
silence. no response. stubborn asshole. jiaoqiu can't see him - in more ways than he realizes - but the scowl on his face deepens, and he'd be glowering in his direction if he was able to.
the longer that he stands still, the worst that he feels - blood seeps between his fingers, down his face, and he presses down harder, letting the pain of it keep him awake. fuck you!!! i'll lay down and die where i want to lay down and die!!!! ]
no subject
[ YOU ARE SUCH A PUNK
okay, well, he's going to keep looking. wherever this bitch is hiding, he'll feel around until he finds him. and if he can't - he'll go sit in the middle of the station and wait until therion passes out, or tries to sneak past him. and he can hear him. sensitive ears. ]
no subject
but the thing is, when he takes his first step out - carefully, moving with the sound of the train arriving so he can dart in under the cover of the noise, he actually sees jiaoqiu. only...
he doesn't.
remember how i didn't tell you what my cyoa effect was? well. when he looks at jiaoqiu out of the corner of his eye, what he sees is not jiaoqiu at all, but instead - a hideous, awful creature with a stretched out mouth and massive, bloody teeth, bloody eyes. gaunt cheeks and sharp claws, with jiaoqiu's features, with his eyes clawed out, making a low, guttural noise. somewhere between pain and fury.
he freezes, and jerks, drawing attention to his movement because he thinks the monster is staring at him - his thoughts tangle into a sharp tinge of fear and determination and he immediately grabs the kitchen knife he keeps in his boot, injuries be damned, and draws it, taking a half step backwards on his bad foot. doing this takes all the pressure off of his bleeding bite wound, and the bloodloss makes him almost wobble on his feet, even as he snarls - ]
Stay back.
[ but it's the bristle of a cornered, injured animal, ready to snap and bite and claw his way free. ]
no subject
he hears the knife more than he sees it - immediately he stands, if only to make sure that he can get away if he needs to, but. there's no sudden movements. not yet. he doesn't want to startle therion too badly, especially when he's already injured and about to fall. jiaoqiu slowly, carefully holds out his hands, ears pinned back, trying to make himself just a little bit smaller. ]
It's alright. It's just me.
[ he doesn't know that therion is seeing anything differently than what jiaoqiu normally looks like, but he can hear that tension in his voice, and he does not want to give therion any more of an excuse. for as sneaky as jiaoqiu is, as clever as he can be, he knows that he does not have a single chance against therion with a knife. whatever provoking this response just needs to... time itself out. ]
You're going to collapse, if you're not careful.
no subject
We're not equals! You're nothing but a stepping stone to me! the voice of the monster shrieks in his ear, cockney accent, smug face. morphs back into jiaoqiu, because for the gods-fucking-sakes he let himself care, touchy feely fool, glowering at him with an expression of hatred. you did this to me, it says.
he takes another staggering step backwards, heart pounding hard - blood dropping down his cheek, splattering onto the ground. he can't even say anything, swaying on his feet, but he's still trying to get away, even now, knife in hand, barbed and angry, desperately trying to stay alive. snapping creature in a trap. ]
no subject
Therion.
[ soft - gentle, as much as he can get it to be while still being assertive. therion steps backwards, and jiaoqiu exhales slowly, following. so be it, if he gets stabbed, he cannot just let therion collapse and hurt himself further, so. he moves, telegraphing his moves as always, and reaches for the knife. or rather, reaches for the hand holding the knife, and just holds onto it. if he misses the first time he just ignores it, stubbornly trying again. ]
Whatever you are seeing isn't real. [ ears still pinned back. ] I will take care of you. Take a breath, and sit down, hm?
[ of course if therion stabs him he'll have other things to say, but he's banking on this working. ]