-
Nevin was fumbling. Basic motions that he had gone through countless times were now difficult, he dropped the vial twice more, only barely keeping it from shattering. When he went to cut up some of the herbs, he ended up slicing open the tip of one finger, but the only attention he paid to that was solidifying the blood and pulling it away the from the brew, so that it didn’t contaminate the burn salve. Finally, finally he managed to finish it, after singing his hand on the hot bowl as he just grabbed it directly, upending it into the vial so that he could bring it out. Then he came back, holding it carefully in trembling hands , and shoved it into the ice box, waiting until it cooled off. Then he carried it back to her, his heart clenching when he realized that she hadn’t moved, at all. I was such an idiot. With trembling fingers, he began applying it to her burns, choking back tears.
Eteri shut her eyes as he placed the cool salve against her skin, her stiff posture seemed to relax. “That feels nice.”
Nevin wasn’t sure what had happened. He broke the collar and the necklace right? So she should be fine. Right? From the conversations he overheard he knew they were imbued with a dark magic. Was that still messing with her head? He closed his eyes for a moment, wincing as he realized his bloody finger was drawing red lines across the burn salve on her skin, then opened them.
The connection between them was still faltering, the joining point not healed properly. Whatever had been done, she still was probably having trouble remembering him - the oily sheen was still there, but weaker. Damnation, he wished he had an actually effective power, his blood magic was useless here.
Finally, his fingers were smoothing the paste onto her tail, and he thought of something. She had been quiet, too quiet. He swallowed.
“Eteri, honey. I want you to tell me if anything hurts. It’s ok to feel pain, honey. I need to know if I missed anything.” The moment he said it was ok to feel pain her otherwise blank face contorted and tears started to brim her eyes.
“C-chest hurts...body hot ...burn...burn hurt…” she sobbed. Nevin’s eyes went wide and his gaze shot down. He was a fucking moron. He ripped her dress open, revealing the burnt, peeled parts of her skin.
“I-ok, honey. It’s okay to cry. I’m going to help you.” His voice was choked up as he began spreading more of the paste along her skin, over the swells and into the dips of her body. After - after the burn salve eased the pain, he would need to get a tonic that promotes healing. Or - or. Or, he could help her. He swallowed.
“Eteri, honey. I’m going to do something, that, since you don’t remember me - and please, honey, remember me - might be scary. But it’s to help you. I promise.” He waited only a moment before a thick thread, bright and red, gathered around his chest, and slipped forward, sliding into her skin. A wave of red rushed down it, and Nevin felt utterly drained as he forced his life force into Eteri. He wavered a bit, then did it again, pushing more into healing her. He - he needed to -
“Honey, I’m about to pass out.” His voice was strained. “When I do, I need you to wait until you’re feeling better, and bring blankets here. Don’t try to move me - just -just...just stay with me.” His voice broke, as he pushed a third pulse of life force into her. For a moment he stayed there, before slumping over, one hand clutching hers.
-
She wasn’t sure what happened, and quite honestly - despite his instructions she couldn’t stay conscious herself. Eteri slumped over his unconscious form. Unlike he, however, she awoke a few minutes later. Feeling incredibly nauseous. Her head pounding. She grimaced as she shifted out from underneath Nevin, with a great deal of effort. She padded to their room and pulled up a pile of blankets and pillows.
“This should help.”
Eteri made a little blanket cocoon around them booth and with a great deal, and we are talking about a GREAT deal of effort she managed to lift up Nevin’s torso so she could rest his head in her lap. “Is better Nevin?” She asked, gently pulling his hair away.
A voice, soft, he opened his eyes - to see a paste covered face peering down at him, asking him if he was alright. Nevin let out a weak smile and reached up with a trembling hand. “Honey?” His voice was weak, strained, and just speaking took effort. If they hadn’t had some time to sleep, he wouldn’t even have been able to open his eyes.
“Still think strange.” Eteri said as she pushed his hand down. “That you call honey. Like Eteri calling you fish.” He laughed, and the motion shook his body.
“Then, just Eteri. My Eteri, I hope?”
She gave Nevin a small smile, it wasn’t as bright nor as cheery as hers usually were. She knew what had happened, and she needed to process it. She knew she had treated Nevin poorly and that she had so easily walked into a death trap because she was too trusting. Even now she felt remnants of whatever that man had done to her tugging at the recesses of her mind.
“Your Eteri.” She finally said, squeezing his hand tightly.
“Am so-” She cleared her throat, trying very hard to speak properly. It felt as though the situation called for it. “I am sorry.” She murmured. “You did life force thing again?”
Nevin forced himself up with a lurch, into a seated position, and wrapped his arms around her, hugging her to his chest. The hold was weak, but there. “You don’t need to be sorry, Eteri. I did, and I would do it again without hesitation. That man… that man found you because I tried to be adventurous, and was stupid. I am the one who is sorry.”
There was no winning here, each one felt as guilty as the other. “Am...was too trusting.” Eteri pried him off of her and forced him to rest back into her lap. “Not thinking of conse---conse..uh….bad things that can happen with Eteri’s actions. This no happen again. Can no have you do this to you.”:
“Consequences, Eteri. That’s what you needed there. And losing you, even if you didn’t really want to leave, hurt far worse than giving up some life force to heal you.” He burrowed his head into her lap, pressing his face into her stomach, and breathed in deeply. “I’ve missed your scent…” His voice was a weak mumble.
Eteri gently ran her fingers through his hair, not saying any more. If she had, he’d continue to respond and he needed rest. The ordeal shook Eteri. More than she let on. If Nevin hadn’t said those words...she would have considered leaving with her sister. The empty and heavy feeling inside of her chest ached and tugged at her very core.
Nevin shifted, wrapping an arm around her waist and hugging her as his eyes drifted closed. “I think I lied.. I don’t want you to leave, I just want you to stay…”
Eteri furrowed her brows. Still running her fingers through his hair. Just how long could they keep this up? All she seemed to do was hurt him. If he kept this up wouldn’t he die? HIs soul weaved slowly back and forth, weaker than its usual current and that unnerved her. Some parts grew brighter than others. The red that shone through the cracks...it was almost pulsating. She wasn’t sure what to make of it. She couldn’t tell if it were good or bad.
“Am here.” Eteri said. “Am here….” His fingers tightened against her before he fell unconscious once more.
-
A darker shade of red (M- non smut).
Workshop
Rewards:
Nevin receives:
885 EXP
70 Gold
Eteri receives:
680 EXP
70 Gold
Who are you?
Are you in touch with all of your darkest fantasies?
Have you created a life for yourself where you can experience them?
I have. I am fucking crazy.
But I am free.
Lana Del Rey
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All rewards have been added.