Magic Box, Sunday, 04/24

[not_every_mage]

Anders was worried about the wound he'd gotten the day before. Despite his best efforts, the thing wouldn't bloody heal: It stopped bleeding easily enough, but a nasty green plaque formed over it almost immediately. The scab itched badly overnight, and the buzzing in his head was almost worse than the itching. In the shower, he noticed the scab looked bigger in the morning light.

He went to work anyhow, mainly in the hope that one of the books of magic had some kind of section on fighting creepy spider aliens. He didn't have much luck finding one, and by lunchtime the scales (he couldn't pretend it was just a scab or a rash anymore) were starting to spread down his hips and out of his shirtsleeves.

He was feeling more and more like he had a mission, and whatever it was, it wasn't here.

(This wasn't so bad, he thought dimly. At least it gave him something to do besides mourn.)

[OOC: Open if you want to catch him.]

Comments

[rebelseekspizza]

Dante had gotten a tentacle shoved straight through the center of his chest yesterday afternoon, but the only proof of it was a small hole in the center of his shirt. He didn't realize that was different from anyone else's - he'd been up until late fighting the things off after he'd gotten Ada to the clinic. Then he'd passed out somewhere.

It'd taken him until that morning to realize he hadn't actually spoken to Anders since-- that. And he should probably check up on the guy, what with the whole-- the weird-ass alien attack.

So he pushed open the door at a fairly early point in the morning. "Anders?"

[not_every_mage]

To be fair, Anders hadn't been around much to talk to. He'd been out early and in late and generally avoiding humans as much as was possible.

It looked like that was ending now.

"Hello," he said, after a certain hesitation. His scales or rash or whatever they were weren't visible yet,but there was a certain stiffness to the way he moved, and a greenish cast to his skin. "I'd ask how you were, but I doubt it's much better that I am."

[rebelseekspizza]

Dante shrugged. "Been killing these things that were around yesterday, they nearly took out Ada," he said. "But they seem to be gone now."

That wasn't remotely what Anders was asking after, and he knew it. But he'd never been talky, and he wasn't about to start now. "You? You don't look so good."

[not_every_mage]

"I didn't see any on my way here, but I thought they might just be hiding out around the corner," Anders nodded. It wasn't what he had been asking about, but it was worth talking about anyhow. "Though somehow I don't think they're gone for good as long as their ship's still here."

He scratched the back of his neck, looking vaguely embarrassed, and explained, "One of them stuck me yesterday. It's not healing very well."

[rebelseekspizza]

"Really?" Dante said, walking up to the counter.

He'd get around to... that. Eventually. But right now just thinking about it made him angry.

"One of 'em stabbed me," he said, "But it went away in seconds."

[not_every_mage]

"Must have gotten you less than me, then," Anders said, rolling his shirt up to display his scaly abdomen. "I've been healing as much as I can and I'm still stuck with this."

He didn't sound worried. He already knew Dante's healing factor outclassed his abilities any day.

[rebelseekspizza]

Better than the healing factor, Dante's inhuman biology had laughed in the embryo's face before burning it away like paper. He wasn't aware of it, though, and the state of Anders' stomach wasn't making his mood any better.

He sucked in a breath.

"You look like you're turning into a gator or something," he said, barely managing to catch himself before he said anything about Ada that'd give away her very much regular, every day scales. "The fuck?"

[not_every_mage]

Anders frowned, resting his chin on his collarbone to get a better look at his stomach.

The rash had spread notably since he last saw it a few hours before.

"It must look worse than it is," he said as he smoothed his shirt into place. "I'm not turning into anything."

He couldn't keep the worry out of his voice. Kathy had been sure she'd make it through too, and it didn't seem like she had been right.

[rebelseekspizza]

"Maybe we should get you to the clinic," Dante said, frowning. "That can't be good."

[not_every_mage]

"Do you think they can help me?"

Anders wasn't sure that he believed that -- or that he wanted to be helped even if it was possible. Some part of him didn't really care whether or not he recovered.

[rebelseekspizza]

"I don't know," Dante said. "But it's better than you walking around here like nothing's going on."

He cared if Anders recovered.

[not_every_mage]

Anders seemed to think about that for a long time.

"You're right," he said. "At least if I'm in there I won't be able to hurt anyone else if -- you know."

If he became a monster, but he couldn't even say the words.

[rebelseekspizza]

"Let's not get into you knows yet, all right?"

Dante'd had more than enough you knows. He wasn't having another fucking you know two days after the last you know.

He nodded at the door. "C'mon."

[not_every_mage]

"Probably better not to think too far ahead," Anders admitted. He reached for his jacket and locked the cash register.

He bumped against Dante's shoulder when he was ready to go. "This has been the worst week."

[rebelseekspizza]

"Yeah, I know," Dante said quietly. He reached over for a second, slinging his arm - or trying to - around Anders' shoulder for a brief half-hug.

Get Anders to the clinic first. Talk fucked-up shit later.

[not_every_mage]

Anders let Dante hug him, or whatever he was doing. Being touched made him feel more real and less tainted, and those were good things.

He nodded and followed Dante toward the clinic. In a way, it was nice to have the excuse not to talk about their shared loss.