iwillshieldhim: (hurt teeth grit)
Gladiolus Amicitia ([personal profile] iwillshieldhim) wrote2017-10-24 08:38 am

Meeting of Worlds [for pains]

It wasn't supposed to happen this way.

He had been out hunting, moving silently along the kelp bed, stalking a small school of large fish, when he had become the hunted. If he hadn't been so focused on the faint movements of his tail, giving him just enough momentum forward to keep up with the school. If he hadn't trusted that his size kept most predators away to begin with, maybe the faint feeling of being watched would have triggered a reaction sooner.

It would have been his life if he hadn't twisted out of the way at the last second as the shadow descended on him, but instead, it was his shoulder. He snarled as pain, and blood, bloomed bright, and immediately the shark started to go mad as the blood hit it. Gladio felt a crunch, certain of broken bone, but all he could do was react. The blade in his other hand came up and he stabbed, hard. Again and again, knowing the shark would feel nothing at all but all he could do was kill it.

How many stabs it took, he would never know, but by the time the beast finally released his shoulder, he couldn't keep a grip on his weapon any longer as dizziness over took him from blood loss. The shark began to float up, away, leaving a trail of blood behind it. I have to get away...

He weakly grabbed a large piece of kelp and started to wind it around the mess of his shoulder, giving as hard a thrust with his tail as he could. It was already a fairly shallow area to begin with, maybe he would be safe if he hit the shallows--

It was the last thought he had, darkness over taking him.

[personal profile] pains 2017-10-24 01:24 pm (UTC)(link)
The ocean's waters aren't as fruitful as they'd once proved to be. It isn't unusual for Noctis to spend one too many afternoons beyond the castle's borders at the edge of a quiet dock, his lure attracting nothing but the occasional strand of seaweed. Until recently, it hadn't proved much of a challenge to secure a fish or two for dinner, but even when Noctis' aim turned to fishing for sport, seldom does he get more than the occasional nibble.

Stiff from an afternoon spent warming the end of the dock, Noctis rises to wring the kinks from his shoulders and reel his line back in. Typically, if anything's snagged the hook on the way back in, all that's waiting on the end of the line is a strand of kelp or a piece of driftwood. Whatever's caught hold of his line this time is something much heftier.

"...What the hell?"

Whatever's caught on the hook is too big for Noctis to drag onto the dock. Hopping into the shallows, Noctis tugs the hefty object towards the shore instead, and as the murky water dissipates, he narrows his eyes to get a better view. It's that long and scaly tail that catches Noctis' eye first before he's thrown off by what very much appears to be a human body on the other end. Breath frozen in his lungs, Noctis hauls the creature up onto the sand until there's no denying that what he's seeing is the type of being only described in fairy tales– a long fish-like tail and the torso of a man.

What the hell indeed. Dropping to his knees, Noctis looks the unconscious creature over. Unconscious seems rather optimistic with the pallid sheen of his skin and the ugly proof of a wound beneath the blade of kelp wrapped around the creature's shoulder. Tugging it off reveals the extent of the wound, and cursing beneath his breath, Noctis strips off the hem of his shirt and winds it around the creature's injured shoulder. Healing his wound through magic would take the kind of focus Noctis simply doesn't have right now– if magic would even work on a creature like this.

oooh i like it

[personal profile] pains 2017-10-24 04:25 pm (UTC)(link)
This creature isn't the svelte and feminine merfolk of any fairy tale Noctis has ever heard, but he'll no doubt find time enough to gawk after he's handled its injuries. Might've been a lost cause if not for the telltale signs of life in those twitching gills. Noctis breathes a breath of relief– as much of one as he can manage given the circumstances.

The tear from his hook's something Noctis will have to deal with after he treats the bigger wound on the creature's shoulder. Taking his chances with the potion in his pocket, Noctis takes what feels like an agonizingly long moment to concentrate on the vial, infusing it with magic before breaking it over the creature's wound. There's no helping the amount of blood the creature's lost, but the potion should at least staunch the flow of blood and mend the wound. As gently as he can, Noctis digs his hook from the creature's tail.

[personal profile] pains 2017-10-27 11:15 pm (UTC)(link)
Noct can finally breathe when he sees the color begin to return to the creature's skin, signs of life more readily apparent to his eyes. Thank the gods. Snagging a few fish for dinner is one thing, but Noct's not even remotely hungry for something half man. This one looks a little too... beefy to eat, believe it or not.

While it's a relief knowing the creature's at least somewhat conscious, this discovery only precedes Noct getting a face full of tail when it lurches right out of his hands and gives his cheek a good smack. Dumbfounded, Noct stares at the creature beside him for a good long moment before picking a scale off his cheek and addressing it, conscious or not.

"I take it you're feeling better."

Never mind whether or not this creature can speak or not. Wouldn't be the first time Noct's spoken to sea life.

[personal profile] pains 2017-11-01 04:33 am (UTC)(link)
Noctis doesn't jump, but his eyes widen considerably when the timbre of Gladio's voice strikes his ears. He's clearly speaking in a language Noctis understands, but the creature's accent, if one can even call it that, isn't one familiar to him.

Keeping himself still, almost rigidly so, Noctis holds an arm beneath the creature's back to offer him whatever support he can. It's not as if he knows the first thing about how he ought to be handling him, but the creature doesn't seem eager to snap into him. Those fangs, however, are all the warning Noct needs to keep his movements to a minimum.

"...Yeah. Didn't plan on it, but," Clarification's pretty important here. Noct clears his throat, scanning the horizon before returning his eyes to the creature. "I didn't plan on hurting you either. Found you by the shore and caught you by chance. I thought you were a goner up until a couple minutes ago."

After all, he'd looked pretty damn dead not that long ago.

[personal profile] pains 2017-11-04 08:45 pm (UTC)(link)
Noct's gaze doesn't wander far from the creature's for very long at all, but his eyes scan the horizon every now and then. Making sure they're alone is important when dealing with a creature only heard of in myths and legends, one Noct knows better than to make known to the world at large. No need to make him a curiosity at best and a meal to the highest bidder at worst.

The dubious look on the creature's face when its eyes pass over his ears and legs pulls a laugh out of Noctis. He must look pretty damn weird to a creature with fins and gills, but on the contrary, Noct's not looking at the merman like he's anything unusual. The tail's pretty cool, frankly.

"...You hungry?" It can't hurt to ask, given that the creature had said before. Noct can't promise he has any sharks circling the bottom of his bucket. "Can't stop you if you want to leave, but you should probably hang out here for a while. I promise I won't hurt you."

His word probably doesn't mean much to the creature, but it doesn't hurt to let his intentions be known. Noctis doesn't plan on hurting him. While the potion was a good start, the merman's going to need some time to heal and Noct's going to need time to think about where a creature of his size can safely recover.

welcome back! sorry for the slowness myself, just transitioned between jobs!

[personal profile] pains 2017-11-11 09:55 am (UTC)(link)
...Ah. Noct'll be a little more mindful about not making any loud, sudden noises around a creature who might easily interpret it as aggressive behavior. Thanks for not ripping his throat out for that thoughtless laugh, Sir Merman.

With the creature agreeing to stay put long enough to enjoy a meal, Noctis fumbles with carefully lying Gladio down on the sand before rising up onto his feet. Well, staying for a spell is one thing, but he'll have to see if Gladio's inclined to give his offering of fish more than a glance over.

"Give me a sec. I'm gonna guess you're alright with fish for dinner."

Whatever Noct has in his bucket is what he'll offer up to Gladio, a meager helping of what little fish he managed to snag over the long afternoon. A pretty pathetic haul, but what might last Noctis a week might be good enough for one meal to this creature.

"...You got a name?"

Thank you! C:

[personal profile] pains 2017-11-13 10:11 am (UTC)(link)
It's a meager offering, but Noct's just thankful it isn't an offensive one. With what little he's able to lure out of the ocean these days, it's nothing he'll miss anyway.

Nodding, Noctis watches the frenzied fish circle the bottom of the bucket. "Yeah– it's no big deal. I've got other things to eat back home," hesitating only long enough to take in the sight of Gladiolus' powerful claws sinking into the fish, Noctis' eyes drop to the spill of blood on the sand. "...Noctis."

It's best he leave the introductions at first names. While Gladio eats, Noctis contemplates his injuries and considers whether or not a potion would do much to ward off what'll certainly turn out to be a nasty scar on the creature's shoulder. That wound on his tail from his hook may need some tending to as well.

"...Your wounds don't hurt still, do they?"

alright, settled in at work and i should be good to tag regularly again!

[personal profile] pains 2017-11-27 04:21 am (UTC)(link)
The numerous scars that line the merman's body suggest he's no stranger to injury– rather, he's likely seen his fair share of scuffles in the deep sea. Mended for the time being, the wound on Gladiolus' shoulder is still bound to scar. As long as it isn't terribly painful in the meantime, then they've done what they can.

"Wish I could do you better, but at least the wound's closed up," Noct mutters, eyes shifting to look out over the ocean. "Trying to fish, but like you said, it's pretty barren here. Got any suggestions?"

Noct would be surprised if his scaly new friend gave away the best angling spots to a human who he might suspect would fish the place dry, but it doesn't hurt to ask.

[personal profile] pains 2017-11-30 03:15 am (UTC)(link)
Keep up with him, eh? In the water, Noctis can't imagine he'd stand a chance against Gladiolus, but he might just have another solution.

"I've got a row boat. It'll still take me way longer to get there, but it's better than nothing."

And better than ending up as a shark's meal, for that matter. Noctis nods towards the docks, his beaten up and well worn row boat tied to the end of it with some rope.

"Think you're good to swim with that messed up shoulder? Don't push it. I'm not gonna starve without a fish dinner tonight."

[personal profile] pains 2017-12-04 11:50 pm (UTC)(link)
Noct's eyes catch on Gladio's tail for a long moment, transfixed on the way the twilight hits the water and illuminates the scales that cover it. Noct's cognizant enough of the fact that all his staring might be misunderstood that he takes his eyes off of Gladio not much longer. Gods help him if the merman thinks he's sizing him up to see how easily he could make a meal of him.

Righting himself, Noct walks to the end of the dock and unwinds the knots in the length of rope keeping his dingy little boat secured to the mildewing wood. After he's loaded up his gear, Noct takes the ore and paddles out beside Gladio.

"If it's any consolation, we'll probably be about even."

Nah, not even. Banged up shoulder and all, Gladio could likely outpace him still if he chose to, but assuming the merman plans to stick close by, the gradual pace of their journey might do them both some good.

[personal profile] pains 2017-12-11 03:19 am (UTC)(link)
Noct's going to trust Gladio as much as he can on this one. Pulling out his phone and searching for directions wouldn't help them much out here in the ocean, so even if Gladio's just luring him to someplace secluded enough where he can drag him into the depths, Noct's going to take his chances. As it stands, right now they're both banking on the other not being malicious enough to betray the fragile trust between them by making an attempt on the other's life.

Gladio's pace is easy to keep up with in the boat, but Noct's mindful not to move to quickly either. Easy does it. Healed or not, that wound must still be bothering the merman.

"Late and lonely just suits me, I guess," Noct says with a languid shrug. "Fishing's better on your own anyway."

That's how he's choosing to explain away his lack of friends, take it or leave it. Noct has other reasons for secluding himself, but those reasons are nothing that should concern Gladio. Man isn't lonely by nature, so Noct's asocial habits might be tough to explain.
Edited 2017-12-11 03:20 (UTC)

[personal profile] pains 2017-12-15 03:49 am (UTC)(link)
Noct tugs his boat onto the sandbar and lets his eyes wander across the sands and past it into the ocean. The water's much more clear and blue here, no doubt a byproduct of going untouched by man. It's beyond generous of Gladio to escort him here. Hefting his fishing gear out of the boat, it's better if he uses the rod he'd left beneath the seats to angle with rather than calling one to hand using magic. Startling Gladio and getting his throat ripped out? Yeah, Noct'll pass.

"Thanks," Noct sets up his rod and casts out into a pool of particularly indolent fish hanging out in the warm waters. There's a smile on his face he hasn't been able to wear for a long while now. "Pretty big ones out here. One of these guys could feed me for a week."

Not hard to do when Noct's diet primarily consists of absolute garbage, but that's nothing Gladio needs to know. Ignis judges him for his poor dietary choices enough as it is.

"But it's more about the fun of it for me. You uh, ever fish for sport?"

Silly question, probably. Noct hasn't the first clue what merfolk do for fun.