nysalogs | Closed ♪ I see nothing in your eyes

[Shit. He knows he's not being possessed -- the lights would have gone out and windows burst open, and Mephisto would certainly recognize that presence. But as soon as Rin utters that name, he realizes what's going on in his head... at least, mentally. Physically? He has no idea. Is his brain hemorrhaging? He doesn't look to be in pain, but...]

[First things first: he needed to calm Rin down. And perhaps against his better judgement, he decides to actually make an effort to do so himself. He stands slowly and walks over, crouching down in front of Rin and setting a hand on his shoulder -- or however close Rin will allow him, at least. With his other hand, he'll reach into his pocket to pull out a handkerchief for him.]

You're not being possessed. The only demons in here are you and I. If you've been coughing up blood, it's possible bleeding may simply be a another symptom.

You need to be resting, or you're only going to make it worse.

[ The other's words and actions do almost nothing to calm him, and he flinches at being touched, a clammy and shaky hand immediately coming to grip at the other's forearm. His hallucinations are warming up again, and as far as he can tell? The windows did just shatter; everything seems dark and far too familiar to that night. ]

Then why... why is everything like this?!

[ He looks wildly (as best he can) to the windows. His chest hurts, like he's been stabbed, and in his infected mind, these are all symptoms of possession rather than something that can be attributed to plain illness. People who were sick coughed and drank warm soup, they didn't bleed out of their face and hallucinate constantly..

Rin regretfully lets go of Mephisto in favor of clenching at the front of his shirt, hissing with pain as he held the bottom of the Kurikara against the floor to keep himself upright - and more importantly, to slide himself backwards another foot. Getting possessed or not, it feels like he's dying - he wouldn't say it out loud, but going through this makes him, someone bold and recklessly brash, extremely afraid. ]

He'll kill me... [ Or make him kill someone else. ] I can't rest...

["Like this"? Like-- he must be seeing things. He should be grateful that Rin didn't decide to retaliate with a burst of flames, but between his weak grip and the blood still leaking from his eyes and nose-- well, it's not like he has to wait for Rin to rest. Surely he might even appreciate this... not that Mephisto plans on letting him know he's the reason he passed out.]

[Which he'll do in about five seconds. It was an easy move -- he didn't even have to lift a finger to do it. Just a quick pinch to a nerve in his neck. In his current state, Rin might not even notice it -- but it'll knock him out cold for at least a few minutes.]

[It may not seem like much, but there's a lot Mephisto can do with a few minutes. A snap of his fingers puts Rin back in bed, kurikara tucked under his blankets alongside him, maybe even wrapped in his arms in case he freaks out. His face is wiped as best he can manage, and he's propped up -- just enough so that none of that blood leaks back into his throat.]

[It's not until he remembers to fetch some ice to start cooling him down to lessen his fever that he realizes why all of this feels so second-nature to him. This isn't his first time playing nurse to a dying demon. Just how many times did he see Lucifer in this state--]

[Ahh, what a strange thought to cross his mind at a time like this. He pushes it out of his mind and finishes up by spraying some of the few still-burning spots in the room with some holy water. What a pain...]

[Rin should wake up no less than 10 minutes later -- though he could sleep for much longer, if his fever goes down enough. But regardless of when he wakes, it'll be to the sound of ice gently clicking together in a bowl of water, as Mephisto wrings out a wet cloth to put over his forehead.]

[...he wouldn't blame Rin if he thought he was still hallucinating. This is probably the most domestic thing he'll have ever seen him do.]

[ And Rin does just that, sleeps for as much as his hyped up nerves will allow. Which ends up being a total of almost 40 minutes, far more than he's slept in one sitting in probably days. When his eyes blink open, it's blearily, squinting hard to adjust his eyes to the light. Of course, on instinct, he pats around for the Kurikara and is relieved to find it instantly - just like always. ]

Ugh... [ It takes him a moment to assess where he is, and even a few more to turn his head enough to see where the source of the sound of ice is from. Is that...Mephisto?? Wringing out a towel?????? His head feels hazy enough without the confusing image of Mephisto doing something like that. ] What...

[He won't reply to his little mumbles at first, acting as though he didn't hear him. Which he can only keep up until he looks up, eyes briefly meeting Rin's.]

Ah, so you're awake. [He takes the small towel and dabs at Rin's forehead before stretching it out across it.]

You have me quite the fright, passing out like that... how do you feel? It looks like your fever has gone down a bit.

[ Rin doesn't answer for a good 30 seconds, because he's too busy having an epiphany. All of this... is Mephisto responsible? It's not only confusing because of the domestic image but it also conflicts with his moral perception of him, almost makes him feel guilty for all the times he's been adamant about continuing his suspicions. Y'know, almost.

Maybe Rin trusts easily, but - doesn't it seem like he...actually cared for him? It's easy to win Rin over through actions, and this is definitely a big one. ]

I feel like shit.

[ His whole body aches, and while his fever has gone down, it doesn't do much for the chill he feels. He makes a face at the towel on his forehead but doesn't pull away, finally seeming to settle down. ] S'really cold in here.

[Well well-- that's probably the most lucid thing Rin's said this whole time. There's no guarantee that he's actually lucid yet, but compared to what Mephisto's had to put up with so far, he'll take what he can get.]

As you should. You lost quite a bit of blood earlier, and I had to cool you down to lower your fever. [He wipes his hands off on a nearby towel before standing, walking across the room to a drawer were additional blankets are and bringing one over -- as if to silently answer his request to be warmed up.]

[And whether or not Rin remembers just how much of a menace he's been, he'll get a hint of it when Mephisto spreads out the blanket over him. His sleeves have been rolled up, the fabric covered in little scorch marks here and there... but also, there looks to be some odd scarring all around his skin -- not that it's actually related, in this case. Normally he'd be hiding that, but he's not thinking about it right now.]

[ This is weird, so so weird, he'd probably think this whole situation was funny as hell if he wasn't suffering so much. Of course he won't verbalize it, but he's thankful for the added warmth, shuffling a bit under the covers - but his eyes catch the other's sleeve, and his look immediately hardens, expression distant and hard to read. ]

Yer arm... [ His voice is hoarse and soft, and he avoids looking at Mephisto's face. ] I burned you, right?

[ He can't remember the specific event, but why else would that be there? Thankfully it's easy enough to put two and two together here, even for Rin. ]

...Sorry.

My, don't apologize. I'll be expecting you to repay me tenfold for burning my precious clothing from Assiah.

[Which means someone's gonna have to stop being a bum and get a real job!!]

[But he can tell Rin's not talking about his clothes. He sits back in a nearby chair and sighs, tugging a bit at the sleeves to see if it's worth rolling them back down... not really.]

It's quite impressive, your dedication towards not causing harm, even to a demon like myself... your flames never burned me, only everything around me. Ah, and I suppose you did get my hair once. But I was due for a haircut anyhow.

Edited 2017-10-29 08:32 (UTC)

[ Rin frowns, feeling frustrated at his supposed lack of self-control. Sure, no one got physically hurt, but it always scares him when he blacks out, comes back to reality, and there's physical evidence of his violent behavior. Torn up class rooms, or broken down roller coasters, it's all the same. ]

Still...stuff still got damaged. [ He coughs a little, moving his neck enough to inspect the rest of the room. He doesn't like the thought of being dangerous to be around, even if the ever-constant threat of being executed is absent here. ] But at least ya didn't get hurt...

[ And those markings on his arm must have been from something else. It's something to take note of, but definitely not something he's in place to inquire about, considering Mephisto very well might've just saved his life. ]

I'll pay ya back somehow.

[ And not just for the clothes!! Even if tenfold is asking a little much. ]

...you could start by being a little less antagonistic towards me.

[He should probably be a little more subtle about trying to win Rin's good favor here, but at this point, he's not really sure there's a need for it. He's no longer in such dire need for allies, and he had no pressing need to keep Rin around.]

[And yet here he was, taking care of Rin personally, putting his own health on the line... were he asked why go to so much effort and were forced to answer honestly, not even Mephisto himself would claim to know for sure.]

I don't have to be the villain of your story, you know. A single act of kindness may not be enough to outweigh the trials I've put you through in the past, but surely it's a good start.

[Nevermind that this all amounted to far more than a single act.]

I knew you'd say something like that.

[ You know when you're going to do the dishes, but then someone asks you to do it passive aggressively and it makes you not want to do it anymore? That's the feeling here. He huffs, would've been more annoyed if he had the energy to be, but settles for rustling the covers a little to tuck himself in while he comes up with something to say. ]

I know yer not doing this for no reason. [ If Rin knew the full extent of the situation he would have expected Mephisto to just forcibly take the Kurikara and lock him in that wacky prison again. But instead he's here, tucked in and very obviously cared for. Not many people have ever showed Rin that sort of kindness, sans his own brother and father. Shura was more of a tough love kind of person. ] Whether or not ya have another motive, I don't know.

But I repay my debts. I ain't gonna cut the hand that feeds me.

[ He means bite......but you get the picture. ]

[...huh. Just how much of their conversation from before does he remember, he wonders. He already told him his main reason for being here, perhaps taking advantage of his loopiness to be a bit more honest than usual.]

[Well, either way, it doesn't matter. And honestly, if they dwell on it anymore, he might just start grossing himself out for caring so much!!]

Speaking of feeding, you haven't had anything to eat or drink yet today. And you tore out the IV the nurses put in you earlier... has your appetite come back at all, or shall I simply hook you up again?

[...and then he jumps right back into sounding like he cares, shush.]

[ .......

They were doing so great!! But Rin's gonna have to stick to his defiant attitude with this one, 'cuz the notion of having to eat or have another IV in him sounds about as fun as being doused in holy water. ]

I just wanna rest... [ He's hoping he can just. Slip by, not answer the question, and get some pity. He doesn't feel hungry, and he'd prefer this weird cease-fire with Mephisto over the inevitable altercation that will happen if he tries to put an IV in him. ] It ain't like I'm gonna starve to death...

[ Y'know. Probably? Without covering his mouth (because he's 1) a nasty little gremlin and 2) not accustomed to sick people culture), he coughs hard, very subtly moving both his arms to hold the Kurikara against his chest rather than leave his arm at his side. ]

[Yes, very subtle -- also that cough has him covering his own mouth, glad Rin at least had the decency to not cough in his direction. Of course, if he was going to get sick from anything, it'd be from having cleaned the blood off of him earlier... sigh.]

...no, I suppose you won't. Weak though you may be, most demons can survive for ages without eating -- but seeing as you're half human, I wouldn't recommend keeping up your little hunger strike for longer than a few days.

[The IV from earlier should ensure that he won't be too dehydrated -- and truth be told, after all that fighting to get Rin back in bed, he'll gladly take him up on his compromise to rest instead.]

If you think you can sleep, then you should. I'll be here in case you need anything.

[ Rin's glad the other didn't forcibly take his arm, because he remembers how painful it was the last time. He doesn't quite remember pulling it out but it's the feeling that came with it that sticks. He just hums in reply, feeling secure enough to close his eyes. ]

You'd get it if you were me. It frickin' hurts... [ While saying this, he realizes he's never gotten to complain about things like this. ] There's no way I'm getting that thing in my arm again.

[ Even if he had to rip it out again, he doesn't care. The only reason he elaborates is because Mephisto hasn't made the move to force him to, so he feels safe complaining more. ] I don't even know if I can fall asleep. I only fell asleep earlier 'cuz I passed out or whatever...

[ And he doesn't wanna have to bleed profusely in order to return to slumber. ]

I'm aware. I heard how much you were crying like a baby about it. [It's mocking, but his voice keeps in the same low, oddly gentle tone he's been using since Rin woke up.]

[But also-- dammit he was hoping for a chance for a reprieve from playing babysitter! Rin might be calm now, but Mephisto isn't sure when his wanderlust might return and have him out feverishly meandering around again.]

But even if you can't sleep, it'll be better for you to be here in bed. You might still be contagious, after all. And it would be a shame to have this spread any more than it has.

[ He huffs again, turning on his side away from Mephisto. Rude!! ]

Shut up... I ain't a baby, or a kid...

[ YEAH. Whats with all the people who look after him babying him so much??? Shura, Leanne, and now this clown!! ]

[ He ignores Mephisto's warning (like a real teenager blowing off someone telling them to stay indoors) in favor of just lying there, his breathing seeming to even out over the course of the next few minutes despite saying he wouldn't fall asleep. Him speaking would come as a surprise, but it comes nonetheless after calculated silence (and steeping in the increasingly real possibility of his death, like he can't rest until he has an answer): ]

If...if I really die from this - can ya...tell Yukio somehow? When he wakes up.

[ There's...literally no one else he can ask, since Mephisto's the one person who's at his deathbed. He wouldn't go as far as to ask him to look after Yukio, since he's 1) already technically their guardian and 2) that's what Shura is for. But because he's turned away, he can't see the fearful expression on Rin's face, fear both for dying and for what dying would mean for his last remaining family. Something about this illness makes Rin feel vulnerable in a way that he hadn't felt since Kyoto, emotional in a way that had him questioning just how long he had left to live. Which makes for a very unbrave, unreckless, un-Rin image. ]

[It's a relief when Rin starts to breathe easier, appearing to fall asleep despite his earlier protests. Mephisto even moves to stand, planning to step out for some fresh air-- when Rin's voice draws him back in.]

[That fear of death... it wasn't something Rin showed very often, for all his recklessness. It was human in a way that contrasted with the rather demonic side he'd been showing earlier, in his feverish daze. But it was to be expected. Almost all humans feared death once it drew near. Why, you could almost say it was one of the few things that truly distinguished humans from demons.]

[...so what did that mean for Mephisto?]

[For a powerful demon king, for whom death was only ever temporary, the idea of fearing it just didn't make sense. He knew death -- he's "died" plenty of times. And he's seen plagues like this sweep through entire cities numerous times throughout the years.]

[And yet as he sits here, eyes focused on Rin's back and realizing for the first time how much thinner he looks now than he did before, he feels a certain anxiousness that he can't explain -- as if some voice in the back of his mind were demanding that he leave this room before Rin passes his illness onto him.]

[Without his powers, without his world... was he even a demon king anymore? Would he end up like this someday, forced to face the idea of his own mortality?]

[He's surprised by how much effort it takes for him to sit back down by Rin's side. But he manages it, even reaching out, hesitantly... and giving Rin a pat on the head.]

[It's brief. A little stiff. But for someone who so rarely gave any sort of affection without some benefit or reason behind it, he's hoping that the gesture itself might make up for it.]

[--but why is he hoping that? He's not sure. And it's rather unsettling that he's not sure.]

...you can tell him yourself all about your first experiences being sick when he wakes up. I'm sure he'd get a kick out of hearing how many times you punched me in the face just while I was trying to take your temperature.

[It was 3.]

[ Okay...weird... that was honestly the last thing he expected to get out of that, but he doesn't react negatively to show that. He doesn't even tense up, really, too focused on his own thoughts and endless what-if dying scenarios that have plagued his mind since the disease got to this stage. Maybe he was hallucinating? All the new evidence of Mephisto maybe actually caring about him past his usefulness as a tool is just weirding him out. Not that he doesn't appreciate some sort of comfort in the moment.

Mephisto's answer doesn't really satisfy him, as he longs for a secure and solid answer, but he realizes its the only answer he's going to get. ]

He wouldn't think that was funny. [ He's joking, Rin...but at the same time does Yukio think anything is funny????? ] He'd just say...I'm always....getting into...

[ Rin trails off, as he can feel himself starting to black out, another onset of faintness placing him right back into unconsciousness. He would've felt more bad about punching you in the face but too bad!!!! Enjoy your fresh air old man. ]

[Yes, excellent, let Rin think he just hallucinated all of this so he doesn't have to deal with him thinking Mephisto might actually kinda sorta care about his well-being--]

[EXCEPT HE TOTALLY DOESN'T??]

[NOT AT ALL.]

[The fact that he stays and watches over Rin to make sure he sleeps for longer than a few minutes is just so he doesn't have to come back to another mess. Obviously.]

Closed ♪ I see nothing in your eyes

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