ioduanlogs | Because Darling, I’m a Nightmare

Entry tags:

Because Darling, I’m a Nightmare

Characters: Valdis and Some Open
Date: April 2584
Location: Aifaran
Situation: Various
Warnings/Rating: In headers

The Dreaming never seemed to be on her side. Between getting caught in the Fool’s memories and the blatant disregard it had for her own memories, she was very glad when March ended. The rains and flooding weren’t much fun, but she had plenty of opportunities to move forward in this ridiculous world. Valdis didn’t hate it here, quite the contrary in fact, but she still struggled with the adjustment. At least she wasn’t alone, that helped quite a bit, now she just had to find a way to make herself useful. Idleness had never helped her before, so best to face everything head on and do the best she could, even if she hated taking orders instead of giving them.

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The pressure of the magic lifted before Devin had even finished speaking. If it weren't for the pain he was in, and the fact that she could feel it, she'd have turned on him in an instant. It didn't matter right now that this was X and not one of Fenrir's pack, her fury and confusion seemed to be clouding her choices. But at least she realized this.

Valdis began to force herself to relax, but she didn't rise or lift her head and the only sign that her wrath was fading was that her eyes were changing from scarlet to emerald once again. She released a low growl when X failed to answer, but she wasn't entirely sure what was going on anymore either.

What are you, she repeated, though less harshly this time. I think we are owed an explanation as to why you have all my powers.

Blearily, Devin rolled his head to the side to look at Valdis and X again, considering the latter's confusion more than the former. Surely they were related, but Valdis was a known quantity to him, whereas X was not. He took a few shallow breaths before chiming in.

"X, say hello to your roommate, Valdis." He gestured vaguely in the Hellhound's direction without getting up. The ground was quite nice for the moment. "You two were fighting when I got here, both of you as Hounds. I thought you were her doppelganger; she's had one running around the city for the past few days." Devin frowned. X would not have asked that if he'd understood the situation fully. He was studying his surroundings like he didn't recognize them. "You don't remember, do you?"

"Valdis?" asked X blankly.

... Valdis. I think we are owed an explanation as to why you all have my powers, she'd said. Or, well -- thought. Damn it. She was a shapeshifter, so X had been one as well, and Devin had come to break up the fight. But why did Valdis attack him in the first place? Or was that the doppelganger? Damn it; the old familiar headache pounded away at his temples, making it hard to think.

"No," he said, answering Devin's question first. "I don't. I'm --" He got slowly to his feet, letting the world swim, and then shift back into focus. "-- I'm a reader. I do that whenever my life's in danger. Devin, you're hurt."

The barebones explanation wasn't nearly as important as that.

Valdis didn't care about X's confusion, when he stood, she rose as well, padding over to stand next to where Devin lay, still showing her teeth, warning the man to stay away. It might have been sheer stubbornness preventing her from admitting any wrongdoing on her part, but she had acted upon the information she had, and that information had been mostly sound up until a few moments ago.

A result of his own idiocy, I assure you, Valdis replied, her posture still causally defensive. Had he been anyone else, he'd likely be dead.

"I'm fine," Devin replied, waving off X's concern. He most definitely was not fine, but he wasn't dying, so that was approximately the same thing. "The ground is just very comfortable at the moment."

He studied Valdis' posture for a few seconds, noting the wariness there. It was reasonable to be concerned, even though the immediate danger had passed. Whatever a 'reader' was, it apparently meant that X could mimic powers.

"So, if your life is not threatened, you're just you?" Devin wanted to know. X's clothes had been torn apart by the shift, but pulling his own jacket off to lend it to him was going to be a painful task. He slowly tested each of his limbs and considered the best way to roll onto his front. "Can you still use her powers now?"

Valdis's aggressive defence kept X right where he was, crouching a little closer to the ground. "I don't care," he answered her, his attention still on the injured vampire. His words didn't sound challenging so much as quietly firm. "Not even an idiot would deserve it."

Devin's casual disregard for his own injuries reminded X very forcibly of when Luci had the metal piping go through his hand several years before. No, I'm fine, just cut my hand off so we can keep moving. Right. Valdis wasn't wrong about the idiocy part, and X looked very far from impressed.

"Yes," he confirmed. "I'm just me. I can't use anyone else's powers right now. But --" And for this, he shifted his attention to Valdis, meeting her emerald stare. "-- there is something I need to talk to you both about, when we have the time. Right now, Devin needs a doctor. Please, let me help."

Her ears flattened against her skull, another growl forming in her throat. X was right, Devin needed a doctor, or a healer. This was one of those moments where she missed Raine more than usual. Valdis was half tempted to refuse the man's help, but she couldn't shift back until she had access to clothing and, based upon the pain he was in, Devin would have a hard time walking.

You have much explaining to do, Reader, she replied, stepping away from Devin so X could go by her.

The park was devastated and she was certain there would be some sort of consequence for this, but for now, she was more focused on other things.

A doctor. Dimly, Devin couldn't help but think of Sam scolding him while he sutured a bullet wound in his shoulder just a few months ago. He'd have given Devin quiet hell over this and insisted on seeing to his care out of an abundance of caution that Devin simply wouldn't. That was probably the pain talking as it began to eat through his control. Standing up was going to be extremely unpleasant.

"I'll heal in a few days," he protested, voice rough. Staying in the ruined park for that duration wasn't an option, however. "There's not much a doctor can do for broken ribs anyway; you can't put a cast on them," Devin pointed out irritably. They would probably want to keep an eye on him, though, which was undesirable. Every breath felt like it was scraping glass and gravel together in his chest. "Just-- help me get upright."

He could find a way to do it on his own, but X could provide support and leverage to minimize pain and the risk of exacerbating his injuries.

Edited 2018-04-22 00:59 (UTC)

You have much explaining to do, Reader. "Don't I always," X murmured, half to himself. It sounded like a sentiment that should have at least some small amount of exasperation in its tone, but with X, there simply wasn't. Nothing but resignation and quiet regret.

With Valdis backing down, he moved forward toward Devin, careful not to make any sudden movements. His shoulder ached, and walking was oddly difficult; one foot seemed not to want to take his weight, even though nothing hurt. "I'm here," he said once he reached Devin, crouching again to offer himself as leverage. "My husband could also heal in a few days. In my experience, that makes you more careless with your health, not less. You need to lie still until they're not broken anymore."

Valdis snorted. Humans and Vampires were clearly far more ridiculous than other species. She kept her eyes on X, though she was far more relaxed now. He wasn't a danger in this moment, but her suspicions would remain until the man explained himself.

He won't listen to you, so don't waste your breath. She commented, flicking her tail in something between amusement and irritation. You are wrong though, he is rather reckless to throw himself between two Hounds, no matter the circumstances.

Devin threw a narrow look in Valdis' direction. "Excuse me for trying to help," he said acidly. "Would you rather I have stood by and watched?"

The point was moot. It was over and done. The glare he offered to X was undercut with pain as he propped himself up on his elbows and then worked his way into a sitting position. "Being willing to put the safety of others before myself is not carelessness." He paused while getting to his feet, moving as quickly as he dared. The edges of his vision went black again but didn't close over him, and Devin took several careful, shallow breaths. "I know my limits better than either of you," he ground out after a moment, doing his best not to sway where he stood.

Ah, bickering. Finally, Aifaran was starting to feel like home.

"Recklessness," X said in the lightly amused tone of a long-suffering parent, "isn't a bad thing when you're trying to help people, but it is careless to ignore the consequences just because you don't want them to exist. I don't want to know your limits, Devin. 'Limits' aren't something you should need to deal with when you're healing. Here."

X moved closer to help him to his feet, making the silent offer of leverage a little harder to ignore, just enough to take some of the pressure off of Devin's ribs. "I'm sorry," he said softly. He didn't know what happened, but he could see plain as day the results of it, and no amount of lecturing over the years had trained him out of his guilt reflex.

Valdis turned to she faced the two of them straight on, head tipped, eyes still narrowed.

I would prefer for you to not be injured on my behalf, came her reply. I heal far easier than you do. And I do not claim to know your limits, but I do know how much pain you are in.

She made no move to help. Paws were not useful in this situation.

"Should or shouldn't sometimes isn't an option," Devin said darkly. Not in this case, hopefully, but there had been times when he couldn't afford to rest and recuperate. "And I knew what I was getting myself into, so both of you can spare me the remainder of your lecture. I wasn't planning on trying to stop either of you with brute force. Hellhounds outmatch me." Other than base speed, anyway.

This argument was getting pointless. It was done and over already, and no amount of disagreement with his actions was going to change his opinion of taking them. He'd do it again if he had to.

"I am reasonably certain this was not your fault," Devin continued after a moment, taking his hand off X. He did not feel steady, but he wasn't going to immediately fall over. It would have to do. Stiffly, he shrugged his jacket off with as little movement of his arms and torso as possible, and held it out to X. One arm gingerly cradled his ribcage, for all the good that would do. "Here. So you don't have to walk around the city disrobed."

"Hellhounds?" X asked, looking between Valdis and Devin in shocked confusion. Valdis was definitely a bigger canine than X was used to, and perhaps he shouldn't have been surprised that meant she wasn't a standard dog, but hell? What did that mean?

Maybe that explained all the dead plants amidst the physical destruction in the park. X closed his eyes and shook his head. Maybe it wasn't something he wanted to know.

"No," he agreed reluctantly, putting more effort into the word than usual. "Not my fault. But it is my responsibility. I --"

He stopped, and blinked at Devin offering his coat. It took a couple of seconds for X to remember he was naked, but once he did, he snatched the coat and pulled it on, hugging it close over his chest. "Thank you," he said quietly. The park was empty except for them, but who knew how far away a doctor was.

That is not a fact I want known, Valdis snarled at Devin, ears flattening again, hackles rising. I keep your secrets, Vampire, and I thought you had the decency to keep mine.

Her fury was tightly contained, and while she had many words to follow, none of them held what she truly wished to say, mostly because she herself didn't know. She had given Devin that name as a precaution, but also as a sign of trust. That would not change, but she didn't need X asking questions. Since words were failing anyway, there was nothing else to discuss, so with another snarl, she spun around and took off towards the beach. Perhaps a run would soothe her anger.

Devin watched Valdis depart and rolled his eyes slightly, then sighed and regretted it. Shallow breaths, he reminded himself, wincing. How Valdis thought she could get away with explaining what X had experienced without filling him in on that little fact, he had no idea. A Hellhound by any other name still walked their streets, albeit a much nicer Hellhound than average.

Anger over the use of the name was more reasonable, in Devin's mind. He was sure she would yell at him for it later, and he wouldn't try to evade that, however sound his logic might have been at the time.

"They're not as bad as they sound," he told X, and then paused. "Well, they are, but she's not; we're all very lucky for that fact." The vampire glanced around at the wreckage of the park, then to the surrounding city. He closed his eyes for a moment. The walk back to the Dreaming Bridge suddenly seemed much longer than it actually was. Pain had a way of warping time and expanding distances. "Just don't tell anyone in idle conversation, mm? Secrets, as she said. I'm sure Dreamfolk have done stranger things than wreck a park, anyway."

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Because Darling, I’m a Nightmare

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