galratech | (no subject)

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[Shiro doesn't remember falling, but it feels a little like he's been dropped off a high building and frankly, given the likelihood that he was teleported here, for whatever reason... he doubts, with his luck, that it was a gentle landing. He deeply considers lying prone for a few more minutes, but the sound of excited voices filter through to his awareness past the pain, talking about a 'beam of light'. Before he can think about how much he hurts, he's rolling into a tense, ready crouch, just in time for several large shapes to break through the foliage. Shiro can only gape at the variety of the figures that fan out to surround him, scales and vines and wings. He hasn't seen such a menagerie gathered in one place since, well... the coliseum.

It's not a comforting comparison.

Weary dread sluices through Shiro's body as they circle him, jeering. He seems weak! and King Darc will know just what to do with this one. and He'll be quite a prize, with this last line, an echo from the past again, ratcheting his pulse up until it feels like his chest will break. Though Shiro knows from their tone it won't do any good, he warns them to back off just once before lunging at the nearest one, hoping surprise will give him enough edge to run.]

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[He is testing the water with his human hand, pleased.]

Hey. Seems to have worked.

...What worked?

[Shiro shrugs, a little embarrassed.]

I wanted to see if I could heat the bath with my arm. I've never used it for... anything like that.

...?

Why would you heat the bath?

... Have you never had a hot bath?

Edited 2017-02-08 19:43 (UTC)

[grunts]

A bath instead of a rag in a lake is new to begin with.

Well—Give it a try and let me know what you think.

[he tilts his head slightly. BLITHE]

Get in yourself first and I'll join you.

[Hah. Well, that makes sense. Shiro climbs in without further preamble, leaning back into it with a sigh.]

[Darc swallows, not sure if his pulse calmed down or got faster. He has to be ready for it, he has to, no matter how much he hopes that for once. JUST for once, he won't have to deal with a knife in his back. The adrenaline from the possibility, and the sight of Shiro so attractively waiting for him, is a bit of a blur.

He climbs in with a careful waver, and gasps.]

Ah...

Not bad, huh?

[WHAT THE FUCK!!!]

This feels incredible! All you did was heat it up?!

That's all. I'm glad you like it.

[he laughs?! it feels so pleasant that his tense paranoia helplessly melts away all at once. The hot water, the soft, pleased look on Shiro's face. Darc feels a little out of his depth, embarrassed.

He sinks lower into the water and groans, the heat achingly pleasant on his battered back. At a loss for what else to say he just, grumbles]

If Kharg knew about this and didn't tell me I'm gonna throttle him.

It's hard to say. On my planet, humans have only had the technology widespread for a couple hundred years, which isn't much.

[purrs]

You should use your arm for your own simple ends more often.

[Shiro's expression is complicated. Wry, sad, resolved.]

... Yeah, I think you might be right. It's not going anywhere.

[Ah. "empathy," again. Darc remembers last night, too, even high Shiro didn't touch him often with that hand. If at all...]

It was forced on you by your enemies. It's natural that you would resent it. All the more reason to make it completely serve your will.

Well, this is a pretty good start.

[Darc hums. Brings himself to rise out of the water, turning his back to Shiro to lean over the edge of the tub and pick up the pipe he brought.

His heart pounds a bit after the fact, the warm spell Shiro's got on him not broken but reminding him that this is yet another opportunity he's given Shiro to shank him. His hand clenches the edge of the tub as he fishes it out of the bag.]

I used to avoid using my more human hand at all costs. To me it was the cause of all my suffering. I went out of my way to avoid learning about anything that might benefit my hybrid body. In the end I was only holding myself back.

[Now that he's not high and recovering, Shiro's better at recognizing these moments of tension. But he's too polite to bring attention to them. It makes sense that Darc is wary, in general.]

... What changed things for you?

[he chuffs and straightens up, to prep the pipe without his back turned. A bit of thrill going through him, his heart pounding. Instead of a knife, Shiro's asking about him. For once, just once]

Hah! I almost died, and could only save myself with a sword.

I was being too stubborn otherwise.

Edited 2017-02-10 02:22 (UTC)

And you stuck with it after that, huh?

[he sighs. Taking a deep, calming breath. Stuffing the pipe. He smiles a little, wry, still a little giddy from the nervous and warm tension going in and out.]

I did. And it's the same now. It doesn't benefit the Deimos to be stubborn. But to be honest, it still took a while to really accept.

That makes sense, after a lifetime. It's amazing how much you've turned it around.