snowblindrpg | [log] MINGLE BELLS, MINGLE BELLS [open]

-- late 430/early 431;

[ It's almost lockdown when Squalo reaches the bunker entrance, and he practically tumbles in through the gate, still making sure to close it behind himself. The last thing he needs is Angelnomaly nesting inside here with him right now. He nearly faceplants into the mold several times until he finally makes it into one of the safe areas, possibly part-crawling at that point, and promptly passes out as soon as he's aware it's not going to fucking kill him. ]

[ Too stubborn to die, this one. ]

[ He doesn't look too well, either. His face's even paler than usual, tired to the point of almost looking older, and there's a smattering of purple glitter down his left cheek, except upon closer inspection it becomes apparent they're actually tiny shiny crystals embedded in his skin. Just like the few bigger ones on his upper arm that seem to have torn through his clothes, although the weird shape of his sleeve suggests there's more of them that haven't broken through the layers of clothing. ]

[ Care to shake him awake or wait for it to occur naturally and say hello? ]

-- onward;

[ Later on, Squalo can be found around the bunker doing bunker-y things, probably, except now he's free of the crystals and instead half-wrapped into a wide selection of bandages, band-aids and whatnot. There's more of them than can be seen, obviously, and the biggest holes in his sleeve may have been patched up by now. ]

[ He may be grumpier than usual or the opposite - just a bit too calm. Maybe someone let him into their drug supply. Har har. ]

::

[ If a few days pass and Xanxus has not made an appearance, however, he will be getting visibly restless, almost panicky, and may be spotted packing or, eventually, suspiciously hanging around the exit at odd hour in the morning, as if planning to leave. In his current state, it's definitely a bad idea. ]

-- wildcard;

[ let's plot yo ]

[ Well. WELL.

This is not how Angel expected this particular reunion to go. She'd anticipated happy yelling and some fussing and maybe, just maybe being able to sneak in a stealthy hug. Because Squalo's back! And that's the best thing that's happened all week!!

But what she gets is a staggering glowy almost-corpse, and the sight of Squalo being so fucking un-Squalolike shocks her into silence. Without his usual boisterous demeanour, he almost seems like a stranger. It's horribly unsettling.

But then he actually collapses what the fuck and Angel scurries towards him with a yelp. Oh shit. Oh fuck. ]

Oh my god don't you dare die, you asshole - wake up!

[ she kneels, pulling his head into her lap as carefully as she can so that she doesn't touch the eridium and make him start bleeding, and taps at the unaffected side of his face. It's not quite a slap, but it's close. SHE'S PANICKING, OKAY, ]

[ SORRY ABOUT THAT, BABE. You can't always get what you want. Maybe later? On the bright side, he's definitely not going to resist hugs while unconscious. ]

[ Aaaaand it's gone. ]

[ The slapping's effective enough and his eyes open again, FULL OF SUFFERING except there's also a hint of a triumphant grin and oh look, he actually looks like himself there. Himself with a generous helping of glowy. ]

Told you I'd get here.

[ this asshole, ]

Oh my god you douchebag.

[ There's a distinct lack of venom there. Probably because the worry and the annoyance are both taking up all of Angel's brain right now and everything else can eat a dick.

She kind of wants to slap him again. And also kiss him. Unfortunately for Squalo, these are not sexy thoughts. ]

Why didn't you tell me it was this bad? I'd have met you halfway or something, there was no need for - you are such an asshole!!

[ An asshole who's getting his head tilted to one side so she can look at his blingeed cheek better. It doesn't seem too bad, at least? Unlike the rest. How the fuck has he made it all the way here in this state what the fuck wHAT THE FUCK!! ]

[ Like the douchebag he is, he starts fucking laughing. ]

[ It sort of falls short with a wheeze and he grips his damaged arm with his other hand, though. Apparently that hurts. ]

Why, so you can spend a week twiddling thumbs and going out of your mind? It's not that bad. [ right? RIGHT??? he honestly has no idea what qualifies as "bad" eridium exposure but he imagines it'd be something like foot long crystals all over the body and he's pretty good compared to that, so. haha. tis only a flesh wound ]

[ look he's basically saying he didn't want you to worry that's good points right ]

Edited 2018-12-09 17:15 (UTC)

Don't laugh, you butt!!

[ Except wait. Laughing is good, right? Sort of? Despite the discomfort it seems to cause? At least he's lucid and not, like. Dying.

Oh god what if he's dying. ]

It looks... pretty bad. Help me get your coat off so I can assess it better? I don't wanna touch it until I know you'll be alright when it gets removed - I mean, can - can you handle some blood loss right now?

[ Because, you know. HALF CORPSE. THIS IS THE WORST!! ]

[ HE COULD TOTALLY BE DYING!! ]

[ But he's not. Probably. ]

Uhh. Probably? [ Look he doesn't have a medical degree or anything. ] I've been eating and all, it just fucking hurts. [ a small pause, because he sort of expects she's not gonna buy that without a proper explanation. sigh. ] ...that kinda kept me from sleeping.

[ HAHA, ]

[ he'll just get on unwrapping and unbuttoning those layers now ]

[ Welp. She gives him an odd little look that's somewhere between exasperated and fond, and slides her bag over while he deals with his whole. Clothing situation. ]

I was gonna trade these to Alfie, but - um, if I have bandit STDs then condoms aren't gonna make me un-have them, I guess. When the extraction is complete, I'll give you one pill. You're gonna take half. There won't be a repeat of last time and nobody will embarrass themselves. Agreed?

[ HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA ]

[ I MEAN. She holds up one of her two remaining vicodin pills. It's so beautiful. Look upon it and weep. ]

[ Listen he may be able to undo the closures but he can't really un-tangle his poor coat off the crystals by himself. A little help here? ]

[ He'll just channel his annoyance into something less serious. ]

Bandit STDs, are you fucking kidding me? I can hear that, you know! I'm not some goddamn STD-ridden fleabag, dammit!

[ Anyway, it looks like his arm did get the worst of it. There's some smattering of tiny crystals on his side and chest as well, but his shoulder and upper left arm actually have a couple formations that are over two inches long. Anomalygel must have gone for a side-hug and stopped just in time not to cause some more deadly damage. ]

[ he's sort of looking at the pills as if they're God, but he's also having some serious doubts it exists. well, it's something of a no-brainer at this point. he needs to fucking rest somehow. ]

...fine.

Are - are you saying that the man who told you that I'd make your wang explode also lied about you being a living generator for self-replicating bandit-specific diseases? Sounds fake, but okay.

[ She has to be very careful to avoid touching any of the crystals by accident, but she eventually manages to help him free of his coat. Okay, this is by far the worst case she's seen so far. And it's a heck of a lot of eridium. Is she going to be able to absorb that much without any ill effects? It's obviously far less than she was using back home, but it's a lot more than the little rocks Lilith had been taking in, too.

HUhrhgrhg. ]

...Iunno how you've coped with this, honestly. I'm sorry. Um, do you just - do you want it gone right now? You know - to get it over with? It's gonna hurt, but apparently the relief afterwards is worth it.

[ Plus then he can have the sweet, sweet vicodin. ]

[Wow, Squalo, you look like crap. Don't worry, Harley is going to greet you in the nicest way possible-- by cheerfully lobbing a hackey-sack at your head.]

What's up, bunker buddy?

A: ANOMALY - outside the bunker

[Enoch has always been affection-starved. But this transformation has felt more isolating than anything. Sure, there are his fellow anomalies, but it still hurts that even knowing about all of them, people are still afraid of his appearance, or disgusted by his newly liquid composition.

Surely, if he waits where people are, he will find someone who will accept him. He's waiting outside the bunker, halfway blocking the stairs, for someone to acknowledge him. He doesn't seem to realize just how well he blends in with the snow. If you're on the half he's not on, enjoy the sudden nosebleed for no apparent reason. If you happen to approach or leave from his half? Well, you'll have a nosebleed and a tripping hazard.]

B: Normal + anomaly - outside the bunker

[Enoch himself is one of those people who happens to show up when the anomaly does. Someone approaching or exiting will find him and a white blob with his face conversing outside the bunker. They give off an air of tension, both sounding quite pained.]

I thought you of all people would understand. But you're like the rest. I'm...too disgusting to consider treating like a person.

Please, listen to me, I'm trying to tell you why - you're so much stronger than you think you are. Remember what we could do with the Veil? Miller has taken the unconscious control of that strength we've always had away from you!

The only thing he's taken from me is my body! And he gave it to you. You're not even a perfect copy, you-...if you were me, you wouldn't care about my appearance.

It isn't about your appearance! You've hurt others already. Rhys, and Dumpy, and who knows who else you've encountered-

I'm not hurting anyone! It's what Miller wanted and I'm not giving it to him! It's not as bad as you say.

When-...when we find a way to fix this, you'll understand.

There's nothing to understand, other than I'm not wanted. They'll believe you over me, because you still look like you're meant to.

[The anomaly slumps, the face melting back into its liquid body.] I'll-...I'll go. If my appearance is truly that upsetting, I'll go. That, I can believe hurts others...whether it's right or not.

[The anomaly turns and shuffles off into the snow, leaving a faint trail that fills in quickly in the snowfall. Enoch folds his arms tight and draws a deep breath, shaky with restrained tears.]

Edited 2018-12-15 18:46 (UTC)

[ It doesn't take long after the anomaly leaves for a comforting hand to make its way to Enoch's back. The hand is pretty firmly attached to Angel, just fyi. If that wasn't obvious already. ]

This is the worst, isn't it. For them, I mean. For us it's just the, um. Second worst. Which is still pretty freaking bad.

[ Poor Enochnomaly. Peering out from the bunker entrance is the first time she's spotted him, and she kind of wants to run and follow the trail so she can go and hug him or something.

She's not going to, but. Poor thing. ]

Shocking, I know -- self-replicating? How the fuck does that even -- you know what, I don't care. How the fuck can someone dead still be ruining people's sex lives? That's gotta be a special talent.

[ He probably feels her hesitation, however, because while he opens his mouth to say "Sure", instead he pauses. ]

Well, can you handle that? 'Cause, you know, I've had it this long, I can make do some more.

You mean trying to ruin. 'Cause - you know, he didn't. Actually stop us. Thankfully.

[ OH NO. The display of concern earns Squalo a soft little look, because that offer is touching as fuck. It's enough to give a lady a severe case of the dokis, gosh.

But now sort of isn't the best time for getting all misty-eyed, since there's a job to be done, and so she carefully reaches out and brushes her hand over the smattering of crystals on his cheek. Those are tiny enough for her to absorb without any danger to either of them, so. Why not?

She briefly glows purple - very briefly, for like half a second - and blinks a couple of times before fixing him with that adoring little look again. Okay maybe SOME dokis are acceptable LET HER LIVE ]

Oh my god you're so effing sweet sometimes. Um. I'll be fine, I think! I mean, it definitely isn't enough to kill me, I was on a way higher amount back home, so. I'm cool with taking it all at once if you are? If it makes me pass out or something, just yell for Rhys. Or Beckett. Orrrr just roll me into a corner and use my sweater to staunch your bleeding.

[ He looks like crap and he must be feeling like crap too, because the sack hits him on the side of head with a dull thud. He just sort of turns and looks at it for a moment, then finally remembers to get angry. ]

What the fuck was that for?!

[ Still, he's glad to see her. He likes her, it's nice that she's alive, all that. Even if... some shit had gone down. Listen, being weird as he is, getting clobbered with a hairbrush just made him have more respect for her, for the most part. ]

Well, no, not in the end.

[ It sure almost failed a few times before that, though. ]

[ Enjoy it while it lasts, Angel. Squalo sort of stares when she fucking glows, like what the fuck is even that, and then his cheek fucking stings. The holes aren't big enough to bleed properly or anything, it's more like an average scrape that hurts more than it harms. He still marks it with a pointed huff. ]

Alright, if you say so, but I definitely want something better than a sweater between me and deathly blood loss. [ He motions toward his bag with his good hand. ] I should have some bandages in there.

[ The glow is a ~*~*SIREN THING*~*~, of course. GEEZ!!! ]

Okay, cool. I have extra if the bleeding gets really nasty, but they've kinda been used and washed a few times over? So, um, yeah. Let's use yours.

[ She pulls his bag towards her and fishes out the bandages - thankfully without coming across any squelchy containers of Junpei blood in the process - and arranges them within reach so she can start bandaging as soon as possible once the eridium is removed. She does grab something from her own bag too, though. It's, uh, a stick, and she offers it to Squalo. ]

In case it hurts enough that you have to bite down on something. I kinda assume you'd prefer that to holding my hand.

[ Delicate manly sensibilities and all that. ]

Okay. Here goes.

[ And with only the tiniest of apprehensive pauses, she lays her hands on his hecked-up arm. She starts to glow again, brighter this time, to the point where her features are almost entirely obscured by the intense violet light. This isn't the mild buzz she got from removing Rhys' eridium deposits - she can feel the stuff coiling its way through her veins and shuddering its way into her organs and suddenly this seems like a stupendously bad idea but it's too late and she can't stop and she can taste blood and ozone at the back of her throat and --

And then it's done. The residual glow from her eyes makes it look like they're smoking, and she sits frozen with her hands raised slightly above Squalo's ruined arm. ]

Oh.

Whoa.

[ She. Doesn't seem to be in too much of a hurry to start bandaging. Even though Squalo is now bleeding profusely. 10/10 A+++++ best notgirlfriend ever. ]

Edited 2018-12-16 22:53 (UTC)

To see if you're still alive. [And he barely passed. No physical retaliation or anything! It's a little worrying. She plops down next to him.] What the heck happened to you?

[ OH! OF COURSE IT'S *~*A SIREN THING~*~!! ]

[ Squalo gives her a dirty look, because how dare she assume a little bit of pain is going to make him bite his tongue or whatever!! How rude. Also thoughtful, honestly, and if he could re-do this moment in his life, he would definitely stick that stick in his mouth. ]

[ He doesn't, however, because he doesn't expect the thing to be quite as painful. There's going to be LOUD SCREAMING that probably everyone in the fucking bunker can hear, but at least it doesn't last long. Maybe it's just surprise! Totally. ]

[ It kind of makes him miss most of that glowy cool thing, but maybe that's from the best. He still stares a bit at her eyes, sort of hacking and hissing and just trying his best to keep fucking breathing. His arm was gonna rot and fall off wasn't it. ]

...you're fucking high as balls.

[ He says that sort of angrily, with pauses in between as he tries to clutch his now very hole-y arm, then breaks into a laugh instead. It may be slightly hysterical at this point, but he does think it's funny. It's just probably not the best time to be amused right now. ]

What? No 'm not.

[ Hahahaha yes she is. Her pupils are like fucking pinpricks, which only makes the glowy irises more apparent, and she stares at Squalo's bloody arm with extreme interest. Like, wow. That's really red. Why has she never appreciated how very red fresh blood is before?

It takes a few seconds for her to remember that blood is bad, and that she needs to start bandaging. Oops. ]

I'm in full control of my faculties! Someone who was high wouldn't even be able to say-- oh, that - oh. You should take your vicodin. For the thingy. The pain? And also because you are stupid cute when you're high, which is still a thing that I am not. Hey, why is "high as balls" even a term, anyway? It isn't as though they're especially high up?

[ She's being surprisingly efficient with the bandaging, even making sure to pack the deeper wounds with extra material before wrapping them. The process isn't as gentle as it would be if she were sober, though. Chattering away like an idiot is kind of distracting. As is the vague sense of euphoria. And the way that touching anything kind of makes it feel like there's popping candy under her skin. Neat. ]

Unless you're really small, I guess. Smaller than me. Minute. God, I - do you know how lame it is to be small when everyone around you is a freaking - a really tall - when everyone else has so much leg??

1 - late day 430; OTA;

[ Well. Angel sure is glowy this evening. Even more than usual. The soft light that normally radiates from her eyes and tattoos is both harsher and imbued with a slight violet cast - she could probably be used as a blacklight, if someone is inclined to do so.

Except maybe not. Because that would involve getting up and moving around, and it seems like Angel is perfectly content to remain slumped on the floor while she turns her tablet around in her hands. The back of it is covered in stick-on rhinestones, and apparently watching the light play across those is the most fascinating thing Angel has ever seen in her life.

Yeah. She's high as fuck. Somehow. So mysterious. She isn't too high to greet anyone who comes close enough, though. ]

Dude. Have you seen this? More things should be covered in jewels and stuff. It's so pretty.

[ RUN WHILE YOU STILL CAN. ]

2 - any day until 428; OTA; hey it's anomalygel;

[ There's a puddle outside the bunker. A purple, glowy puddle that trails past the building and out of sight past the side of it. You shouldn't step in it, unless you want to feel weak and nauseous for the next hour or two, and you really shouldn't follow it.

Except there's a noise. The sound of a woman crying. Angel, if you know her well enough to recognise the voice.

Maybe you've heard Angel talking about how her anomaly doesn't want to hurt people. Maybe the purple puddle and the nosebleed that starts as you follow it just aren't enough to put you off helping someone in distress. Or maybe you just want to point and laugh? Whatever. The point is that if you follow the trail around the corner, you'll see this.

She seems very upset. ]

I'm sorry! I didn't - didn't know anyone was outside, um. Hello?

[He doesn't know the first thing about sirens and eridium. So all he knows is...she's high on something, and he has no idea how she could have found anything that could do that to her. Except, there's vicodin floating around among people still, isn't there? Is she injured? Sick? Is that what's making her eyes and tattoos glow strangely?

Trying to hide his overt concern for a futile moment, he sits beside her with a forced smile.]

I'm sure you would get along with the old nobility of Uruk. They used gems in whatever they could.

[To flaunt their status, but...]

[For a bit, the only reaction he has is a subtle lean back into her hand. He can be comforted. His anomaly...can't, without extreme risk. He thinks about how his instinctive response to this is to turn and hug her back. About how his anomaly would crush her if he tried to do the same. And he can't bring himself to do it.]

They are their own isolation. After whatever they endured...

I wonder why they don't seem to stick together. Well - except for the ones who are obviously incompatible, or... or, um, overly ornery.

[ She's probably answered her own question there, hasn't she. That and hanging with changed versions of friends and family is probably a painful reminder of everything that's happened to them.

Which reminds her - crap. ]

Speaking of ones that're, um, meaner - if Beckett's starts haunting this area too, don't engage. I know that's almost too much to ask, but just. Don't.

[log] MINGLE BELLS, MINGLE BELLS [open]

Squalo

late 430 OBVS;

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

Onward and upward

Flexible on day, what is time anyway. Open to everyone!

B!

no subject

no subject

woo

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

cw: fantasy narcotics use for prompt 1? SORT OF?

1

no subject

no subject