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Post by Micah on Apr 12, 2014 16:05:01 GMT
Disoriented was putting how Jaime felt when he woke up lightly. His eyes wouldn't open fully against the blindingly bright light of the room he was in, but he smelled herbs and incense and underneath all of that a sterility that didn't put his rushing mind at ease. He remembered being overwhelmed, remembered being pissed that his contact was either a fucking liar or a fucking moron, remembered seeing Viveka go down. And then nothing.
His head throbbed and he closed his eyes against a sudden wave of dizziness. He hoped the god the Agency hadn't found them. Viveka had orders against going after anything, told only to watch and report after her fuck up, and they didn't take kindly to disobedience. And as for himself, being a rogue Agent... well. They took even less kindly to someone like him. Torture was in his future if they had been the ones to rescue him.
It was too much to handle. His thoughts left him and he welcomed the darkness of sleep.
When he woke up again, everything was little clearer, and the light didn't hurt so bad. He was in rather small room, laying in one of the four beds. It was clean, but there were bottle and plants cluttered all over the place. Not the Agency, then... thank whatever God was out there.
Trying to sit up, he found an IV in his right arm and a cast around the other, and pain shot through his chest, making him slump back against the cot with a choked gasp. Broken ribs, for sure, and maybe a collapsed lung. Fucking hell, he'd done himself in good this time... And he still had no idea where he was. Just because whoever had found him had kept him alive didn't mean a damn thing.
Pressing his thumb over the skin above the IV needle, he went to pull it out, but a deep voice stopped him. "I wouldn't recommend doing that just yet. You're likely only conscious because of the pain killers, and not dead from infection because of the antibiotics that's been giving you."
So he'd been here for a while, then. That wasn't good. The man before him was dressed simply, and had a kind look to his handsome face, but Jaime still didn't trust him. "Who are you?" he asked, voice raspy with pain and from disuse.
The man raised an amused eyebrow, and Jaime could tell he hadn't expected thanks. For some reason that made him even more on edge. In his left hand he was holding a small bowl of something steaming that smelled wonderful, and in his right... Jaime felt his face flush. A bed pan. Of course. And it was only then that he noticed how full his bladder was and how empty his stomach.
Gods above, what kind of mess had he gotten himself into this time?
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Post by Lizzie on Apr 14, 2014 13:02:14 GMT
Dominic took his weekly route like clockwork. Always the same path, always the same time. You could say he was something of a creature of habit. He kept himself closed off from people, from temptations. He supposed you could call him something of a recovering addict and humans, especially in this new world, were full of temptations just begging him to give in and fall once more.
He grew most of his own produce in gardens he spread out about the forrest surrounding his home. Of course, he kept a greehouse, but some vegetables refused to grow in containment. They wanted to be free to sink their roots into the soil of the earth and feel the true rain fall on them. Plants could be surprisingly picky, but Dom supposed it got him out of that house and moving around in nature instead of his occassional excursion to the butcher shop in town.
When he happened to find a broken and weak body only a few feet from one f his hidden gardens his first thought was not to bring it back to his home. You brought wounded animals home. You brought interesting finds home. You DID NOT bring humans home; or rather he wasn't the type. The wizard couldn't help but think about how the man he patched up was both a wounded animal AND an interesting find...when you got passed the obvious nature of the human in his woods.
When you spent a good portion of your lifetime fighting them off, you learned to spot a hunter right away. It would have been easy to let him die, all he had to do was leave him there, but instead he took him home, dressed his wounds and looked after him in that makeshift hospital. As if he'd never brought a human home with him before. Well, maybe not a human exactly, but it was most certainly something of a hospital for the number of unfortunate nuisances who'd found their way onto his path or to his home.
It was never a glorious process taking care of someone who spent a majority f their time with him unconscious. If he were honest, he hadn't expected the dark skinned hunter to wake up so soon. Of course, as usual there was no thanks to be had. He supposed he didn't really do it for the thanks. Dominic did it, perhaps, to atone for things he had done or maybe it was another test of his sobriety.
"Good morning to you as well." Dominic sat the small bowl of stew on table next to the cot. Food could have come first but perhaps he'd eat better if he didn't have a full bladder. That or skipping to the most embarrassing part of this was his way of getting back at the man still laying on his cot wrapped in bandages. He was a kinder man than that and actually looked at him with a measure of kindness and understanding for the level of humility it took to be in his state.
Nodding to the stew then holding up the pan he asked him. "Which first? Just point. Don't be embarrassed, hunter, I've been taking care of both things for you for days."
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Post by Micah on Apr 15, 2014 3:19:13 GMT
Days. So it really had been that long. A spike of worry shot through him, making him forget his embarrassment and wondering what had become of Viveka. The other hunter had been out of practice. More so than he'd thought. If she hadn't been... hell, they'd still have been royally fucked. They'd been outnumbered. They'd been baited. They'd been the hunted, not the hunters.
When he got out of here, he swore he'd find out how that had happened. It made his fingers itch towards his weapons, and that's when he realized they were gone. Of course they were. It didn't sit well with him.
"Where are my guns? My sword?" he asked. He knew he should thank the man. He'd obviously saved his life. But for what purpose? Jaime didn't trust easily. Maybe it was a fault, but it'd kept him alive so far. "And... did you find a woman? I was... I was with a woman. Long black hair. Did you find her?"
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Post by Lizzie on Apr 16, 2014 5:44:01 GMT
Of course, a hunter was never complete without their weapons. Hah. Did this man think him to be a moron? He'd felt first hand the gratitude of hunters in the past who were left with their weapons at close range. Dominic sat the bed pan down, sighing at the man before him. He had been beautiful as he slept, but now the illusion of beauty was broken by questions he was sure would NOT go well with the man. Though, honestly, it wasn't like he could do much without tearing his stitches.
"Your weapons are safely locked away somewhere."He picked up the bowl of stew, stirring it so it didn't settle and grow cold. "They aren't in this house so don't bother ruining my hard work to get up and look for them. You should eat, and rest. I feel the king's men had an easier time with humpty dumpty than I with you."
Dominic didn't bother asking the man what had happened or what he was doing here. It obviously wasn't to hunt him, that was for certain. Few still tried that even if he was no longer one to kill those who invaded his privacy. The state which he had found the dark skinned hunter, told him a hunt had gone wrong. Terribly wrong. Had he not found him? Chances are he would have bled out near his garden then what a mess he'd have on his hands. He wouldn't have been accused, thankfully, because the wounds looked to be from claws and teeth. Dominic's M.O. had always been theatrical at best.The hunters had been particularly fond of his 'stigmata' phase.
He was pulled from his thoughts and looked up at the man's frantic eyes. A woman? He'd seen no trace of a woman. "I found only you. I didn't see any sign of another human." He offered the stew over to the man again. "I checked regularly for other hunters who might have been looking for you but, perhaps, the woman you were with got away and she is recovering as you are?"
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Post by Shea on Apr 16, 2014 6:13:42 GMT
Jaime didn't like that his weapons weren't around. The mix of herbs and incense of the place had made him suspicious, as did the lack of any monitors hooked up to his body. But the way the man called them "human", like he was speaking of another species, confirmed it: he was dealing with a healer.
Healers made him nervous. From what he knew, they were nearly constantly fighting with the urge to delve into darker magic. And when they took that fall, they could do anything they wanted with your body. Turn it against you, fill your lungs up with pus, make your heart explode. You were their playground. And the only way to get close enough to an antihealer to kill it was to have a pure healer with you to negate the effects.
He'd dealt with one once, a few years back. Well... the aftermath, anyway. It was something he didn't want to see again. A despite how this one seemed clean, he still didn't drop his defense. Not that he could have done much without his weapons.
Hell, not that he could do anything even with them.
He was so fucked, if this one turned out evil.
And the news that there hadn't been a trace of Viveka made him even more unsettled. The man could be lying, but what reason would he have for it? Cautiously taking the bowl of soup -- he wouldn't recover if he didn't try, and hell if he was going to sit and rot here -- Jaime finally met the man's eyes.
"Thank you," he said, lifting the bowl slightly. "For this, and... saving my life." He'd recover as quickly as he could, and then he'd find Viveka. Or at least find out if she was still alive. As soon as he could walk again, he'd leave. "But why save me? From what I know of... healers, they're creatures of solitude. Loyal to those loyal to them, but your kind typically doesn't go out of their way to help someone they don't know. And you know what I am. Most of MY kind would kill you as soon as they woke up."
They wouldn't be able to, of course, and obviously the man knew that. But why rescue someone that would try to kill you? Why waste the time, just to kill them after they'd healed?
He'd landed himself in one hell of a mess this time...
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Post by Lizzie on Apr 16, 2014 6:43:30 GMT
At first Dominic smiled. What a polite guest he had. He very well might have been mistaken when he labeled this young man as just the average hunter. It had been hard giving up on what he once was. the power and the high you got from destruction was something that couldn't be compared to anything in the world. He wouldn't have ever given it up had he not realized the consequences it came with. So now he lived modestly away from everything. The occasional thank you, though not needed, made it a little more worth it.
"You're welcome." Dominic responded, standing to move about the makeshift clinic he'd set up here. The tall, broad shouldered man stood and moved about the room, cleaning up soiled bandages, some that were tinted green from an infection that had set in. Thankfully, Dominic had given a little more magics than usual and managed not to break his own personal rule. He hadn't wanted the hunter to die from infection in that cot.
There was a time when he would have watched gladly as a human, or really any being, died with pain writ on their face but that time had long passed. His eyes turned back to the hunter resting there, cradling the stew in his large hands.. Dominic had leaned against a counter where he'd prepared fresh incense and crossed his strong arms over the navy tunic he wore. "I'm not like other 'healers'. More like a wizard or took up the healer cloth."
He rolled a shoulder in a shrug and brushed aside his brown hair from where it and it's streak of silver had fallen into his face. "I know most of your kind would kill me from assuming I was an antihealer. That's why I took your weapons. Perhaps when you're fully recovered and able to walk out my door, you'll thank me enough not to cut off my head." He soft smile turned more confident as he pushed off from the counter to cross the room where a small cat had come into the room. It was wary, watching the hunter with eyes that warned him not to come close but his harsh gaze melted once Dominic reached down to rub by his ears. "I can defend myself very well and I have hope that hunters won't make me waste all the hardwork I put into them by having to turn around and break their bodies. It gets boring out so the occasional good deed is worth it regardless of loyalties"
The cat followed Dominic as he walked across the room to retrieve a cup and filled it with water. All the while the grey ball of fur and fluff looked up at him and meowed. It had smelt the delicious stew and demanded either some of it, or its master's attention. Attention that was, currently, turned on that strange person. "I only have loyalties to myself and my own moral compass. I leave people alone and they leave me alone. Most hunters are understanding." The wizard spoke, offering the glass to the bandaged hunter to wash down the stew. It would be a miracle if he kept it all down, but better he have water in his system to make the process easier if it came to that. "My name is Dominic. You don't have to tell me your name, though I would appreciate it."
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Post by Shea on May 8, 2014 2:49:28 GMT
Jaime accepted the glass of water with thanks. What the man said made sense, and while Jaime honestly did believe him (there just wouldn't be a reason for the man to save him and have a clinic set up if he were an antihealer), it was hard, being a hunter, to let his guard down. So he took a hesitant sip of the water at first, and when his taste picked up nothing different, he took a deeper one.
Which he immediately regretted when he weak body started choking on it. Coughs shook his body and made everything ache, but he managed not to throw back up what little soup and water he'd had. Running a bandaged hand over his face in a weary gesture, he gave the healer a weak smile. "My name's Jaime," he told him, voice rough. "And you don't have anything to fear from me, even if I wasn't weak as a newborn, and we both know it." His smile turned into more a grin.
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Post by Lizzie on May 24, 2014 18:43:50 GMT
Dominic rushed to his side, careful of the hunter as not to trip any self defense reflex. The last thing he needed was his new found charge hurting himself more while trying to hurt Dominic. Still he worried for him. The human had been in a grave state when he'd found him, half dead and covered in so much blood that the healer had to burn his clothes to hide the stench. He wasn't too worried about proper disposal or himself when it came to his health. Humans were susceptible to many illnesses and diseases but, being a hunter, he was sure this man could withstand almost as much as he could. Being beaten within an inch of his life was not one of those things he could survive if left alone.
Smiling, he had a seat in a chair next to Jaime's cot, his cat hopping up into his lap almost possessively. "Are you saying you wouldn't hurt me? Well, Jaime, I'm flattered. You may just be the most polite and respectable hunter I've had the pleasure of meeting." he chuckled motioning to the other's hair. "You should braid your hair or let me. It'll keep it out of your face and out of the way while you're still recovering. Mindlessly Dom pet the cat perched on his lap, finding the half shaved head fascinating. Times didn't change too much, he supposed, but for a man who spent a great deal of time covered in blood his hair was beautiful. He was glad he hadn't needed to cut if off.
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Post by Shea on May 24, 2014 19:05:39 GMT
Jaime was a little shocked when he noticed how Dominic nearly rushed to his aid, though he thankfully hadn't needed it. Truly, there was no way this man wasn't a pure healer. He wasn't naive enough to think he'd never hurt someone, but right then, Dominic was as pure a healer as he'd ever met. Jaime gave him a rough smile, reaching up to brush some of his hair behind his tagged ear.
"We both know I couldn't hurt you even if I tried," he said. Normally he'd think he was being patronized, but for Jaime didn't hear anything of the sort in the man's tone. He sounded genuinely glad Jaime wasn't going to hurt him. Well. TRY to hurt him.
Glancing to the cat that seemed glued to the healer's side -- though admittedly, only being awake for a few minutes, that might not be the case at all -- Jaime made a thoughtful noise. And then he glanced at his bandaged and splinted hand. "I'm pretty good at a lot of things. But braiding hair one-handed? Haven't figure that out yet." He reached up and grimaced at the grime; oil and blood, making his hair clump. He really hoped he wouldn't have to cut it off. And then he noticed how awful he smelled.
"... How long have I been out?" Jaime asked. He was used to sometimes having to go days without bathing. But with stitches and broken bones and already being beyond uncomfortable, he was suddenly aware of how terribly filthy he felt.
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Post by Lizzie on May 24, 2014 19:59:03 GMT
Stroking the cat's head, Dominic looked down at the feline with a smile. He wasn't sure his friend would enjoy hearing it but what else was he to say? Scratching at the back of the cat's ears, his gaze turned back to the man across from him. It's never easy to hear you've been bed ridden for a week. Honestly, how would he take to hearing that he had basically been dead if it weren't for dominic's quick thinking and over use of his power. He didn't like to indulge himself too much when it came to magic, but sometimes he gave in and this hunter had been one of those times.
"I found you a week ago. Internal bleeding, gashes and broken bones."He brushed a hand through his brown hair, sweeping the grey of his hair back as he did so. "I had to burn your clothes so the beasts didn't smell it and it wasn't like it could be salvaged anyway. Your hair, though. I did what I could while you slept but any more and I might have drowned you by mistake. Or worse." Dominic gave a dark chuckle and lightly nudged the cat on his lap.
At first it just looked at him and curled back up, but another more stern push made him hop down and grudgingly go into the next room. "If you think you can handle it, I can try to wash your hair and give you a better bath." Bathing patients had never been his favorite pastime. The smell and the humility the other party had to show. Somehow, he didn't so much mind this time. Perhaps that was because he somehow felt sorry for the other man. Or perhaps that was because he expected Jaime to be the kind of man to understand the necessity of it and not make too much of a fuss or become bashful.
"I'm sure I have something cleaner we can change you into, as well, Jaime." His smile was kind and charming but he didn't push, only offered. "But you need your rest so if it's too soon to make you move around, don't be stubborn. I can't read your mind."
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Post by Shea on May 24, 2014 20:27:18 GMT
Jaime froze, staring at Dominic like he'd grown a second head. A week. He had been out for a WEEK. If Viveka had been alive when Dominic found him, there was no way she still was. Burying his face into his hands, he let out a shuddering sigh. A week. And another hunter's life on his hands, now. He should have listened to Markus when he said Viveka shouldn't go. He should have listened to the boy. Younger he might be, but there no doubt he was the better hunter out of the all of them and had more experience working with her.
If he'd been a weaker man, he might have cried. If he wasn't so disgustingly used to this, he would have. But he took in a shaky breath and looked back up. "A bath would be good," he murmured, ignoring how his voice sounded just a little choked. He admittedly didn't like the idea of being bathed, simply because of how useless it made him feel. Modesty wasn't the issue. He'd gotten over that a long time ago.
Pulling the blankets off his legs, he looked at them. One was covered in bruises and swollen, the other wrapped in bandages. Part of him wanted to just go back to sleep. But he had to move. He had to wash her blood off of him. Looking to Dominic, he said, "Please tell me you won't have to carry me, too," dark humor in his voice, and maybe a little self loathing.
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Post by Lizzie on May 26, 2014 0:19:04 GMT
After he'd spoke, Dominic could sense the way his body tensed and almost feel the way he choked back emotion as he spoke. He was no empath but he knew the human body, it's sounds and it's every move and tell. He didn't press the issue. Knowing that Jaime had mentioned a woman before, he was most likely concerned for her well being after a week of him being bed ridden and unconscious. Was she a partner? Lover? Friend? He did not know and he felt no need to pry into the other's life. After all, he would heal and he would run back to what he did and most likely die young as many hunters did. It was sad really, especially after all the work he was putting into getting him well once again.
Watching Jaime pull the blankets off his legs, Dominic was thankful he'd at least managed to save his bandaged leg. The other took a lot of work to fight off infection, but he tended to it nearly every day. The brown haired healer stood from his seat and walked to a side door. he kept a many of things in that closet. Mostly clean linens, crutches and a wheel chair he acquired from a hospital some years ago. He puled it free, opeing it for the man just a shirt ways away and dropped a small pillow into the simple canvas seat.
"No, thankfully, I'm prepared for people who aren't allowed to walk. Carrying grown men bridal style has never been my preference." Dominic chuckled, wheeling the chair over to the bed and turning it to the side to make it easier for the both. "How would you like to do this? I can try to pick you up, or we can work together to get you in that, you just hang onto me?"
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Post by Shea on May 26, 2014 6:15:56 GMT
Jaime had to laugh at the healer's words. "Being carried bridal style isn't mine," Jaime agreed, though the thought of it was funny, if only how pathetic it would make him. He'd been hurt before; every hunter had. He'd even been rushed to the emergency room, found bloody and passed out. But to be unconscious for a week, with every nerve in his body screaming at him to just stop and let it rest? Not once.
He didn't want to think about how close he'd probably come to dying. He wasn't naive enough to think he'd live a long life, but he wasn't in a rush to meet his end, either. He didn't have a death wish, but it was hard to turn your back on this life once it chose you.
Shaking his head, Jaime grit his teeth as he shifted his battered legs over the edge of the bed. He knew that even if he wasn't so busted up, not using his legs for a week would have drastically worn away the muscle. Still, he tried to stand on his own, if only to see how far his body really had deteriorated.
Pain shot up from his feet through his entire body as soon as he put weight on them, and his knees buckled under him, dragging him to floor and leaving his chest and arms sprawled awkwardly on the wheelchair. Vision fuzzy with pain, he had to remember how to breath steadily to keep what was in his stomach down and to keep from crying out.
With a tight smile, he looked up at the healer, "Well. I really did bite off more than I could chew this time." And though he had a feeling he'd regret it, just like finding out how long he'd been out, Jaime found himself asking, "Just how close was I to meeting my reaper?"
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Post by Lizzie on May 26, 2014 10:43:50 GMT
"You stubborn ass of a hunter." Dominic shook his head, his voice torn between amusement and annoyance. He had to give it to the man for wanting to be self sufficient but he had just spent a week of hard work putting humpty dumpty there's pieces back together. He really didn't want to start from scratch.So, with the strength he did have, he helped right him in the chair, careful of his hurt limbs the best he could.
The question Jaime asked, he didn't answer right away, Instead he set about wheeling him to and through a door at the other end of the long room. It led through what appeared to be a dining room but had an impressive sunroof with odd plants surrounding them that Dominic held in almost as high regard as he would children. The narrow hallway that followed was lined with shelves built into the wall with a number of books and trinkets finding their homes there.
Once they finally found their way to the bathroom did he speak. It was hard to tell a man he'd nearly died, that he would have been dead.He wheeled him just into the bathroom before leaving him to walk to a sink that looked as though it would be right at home at a salon or barber shop. "If left to the care of a human doctor, you would have died in a matter of hours." Dominic's shoulders set, not enjoying the talk of death or the feeling that he was boasting. A healer could do many things, as he had done with Jaime. They could cause the cells that create and pump blood to produce new cells and blood at an alarming rate. He could cause ripped skin and limbs to heal at rates that would make a human doctor's head spin. He could, effectively, numb the human body to all pain or pleasure and perform an operation while someone was alive and looking straight at him, hell he could make them look straight at him. It was a useful but so many let the power behind that to go to their head and, soon, each action with the human body was about proving what you had the strength to do. What you had the power to manipulate. Humans were nothing more than puppets to an anti-healer. Dominic remembered THAT all to well.
"It took a lot to stabilize you, but here you are. Please be more careful. To a big strong hunter man like yourself you may feel pathetic but nothing is more so than falling flat on your arse instead of accepting someone's shoulder for support." He teased, wheeling him to the sink that now flowed with warm water. "I'm going to wash your hair first. Even if we attempt the full on bath, there's no way we could wash it in there without hurting you. It's good that you've got that patch shaved off . less for me to wash."
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Post by Shea on May 26, 2014 20:05:22 GMT
Jaime didn't miss the way Dominic didn't immediately answer his question, though he didn't press it as he let the healer wheel him through his home like an invalid. He drummed his fingers against the arm of the chair in an annoyed manner, knowing it was unrealistic to expect to jump back up after the beating he'd taken, though it still irked him nonetheless.
And eventually that faded, caught up looking at the healer's home. It was small, and cluttered with all sorts of odds and ends, and smelled like fresh green earth. It was... pleasant, here, with the sun shining through the roof and a wide assortment of plants everywhere; small touches that made the place a home, especially one that belonged a healer. He wouldn't mind spending a few days doing nothing but reading some of the mass amounts of books Dominic had seemed to collect over the years, either.
He took a glance over his shoulder as Dominic got them to the bathroom and let to turn on the sink, wondering what the rest of the house looked like. He had to admit, part of him was a little envious. To be able to live in relative peace like this was something Jaime didn't like to admit he'd kill for. But Dominic's words had him turning back to look at him and swallowing hard.
He had expected it to be bad. Maybe have lost a limb or eventually passing away in a hospital bed, or going brain dead from a coma. But to hear that he'd have died in a matter of hours? If he had been so far gone, then it didn't take any imagination to know just how powerful a healer this man was. It set Jaime a little on edge. He must be old. VERY old. And the older they were, the most likely it was they had used the darker arts at some point. But he kept the thoughts to himself.
"I'm surprised you didn't just cut it all off," Jaime remarked instead. He also left out that he would have very upset if the healer had to of cut it all off. Macken had always loved his hair long, and he'd never cut it after shaving it all off the night he'd... "My little brother insists the shaved patch looks like I'm trying too hard to be young," he murmured, voice soft with memory. "But, my... a friend.. he'd liked it, even if he liked to play it off with teasing about how it made me look more dangerous."
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