unpocoloco | Daybreak IC Inbox

Yeah.

[For once he agrees.

He lifts a brow.]

Toby's offerings? I... huh. I don't know.

Whenever we did find anything it wasn't a whole set up deal, just weird plants, occasionally something else... well, you could tell, because if we picked it up, it got this kind of glow to it. We could eat or drink it, even skeletal, and it'd just be gone. But we could taste it somehow. It was pretty cool. But, ah, I don't know about it all being offerings for us. You have to remember, mi familia and I, to this world we were just missing. A couple of posters around a bus stop if that, probably forgotten after a few years. No grave, no shrine or offrenda, no offerings. Never really tested it out.

Mmm.

[So if anything, it was a natural offering of the earth, not one actually prepared. He'd like to know if that weird bird freak's offerings actually did anything without having to trigger another round of hauntings, though. More importantly than that, though -- ]

I wonder...if that's something we could cultivate in the greenhouse. Need weird Mist shit in the soil, probably, and other environmental fuckery, but if it's plants -- I mean, that's the whole fucking point of a greenhouse, yeah?

[He blinks.]

Grow it here? Ay, that would be pretty cool. [He turns his chin up thoughtfully.] It's nothing I need, I don't get hungry, or even thirsty, since I'm all magic at this point. But it'd be nice. And pretty useful in actual offerings too. Plenty of spirits around who are just looking for some way to connect back to the world.

[But then he sighs.]

It's hard to find though. I'd sooner find my family out there than another one of those. Nevermind finding a way back out.

Maybe. You dunno what the fuck it all does, though -- and fuck, man, even if it's just some treat, that's worthwhile. Not like the school doesn't spring for other luxury shit.

[But... Hm. Yeah, compared to other people, people that had laughed and cried with him, it would be a pretty low priority, huh?]

What about, uh... I mean, there was that bridge covered in petals, right? You said you'd been to that place -- did you get out on that bridge...? Something like that would make a good connection point. Like a bifrost.

That's true. Maybe it helps us last longer. Who knows.

[But he says it with a laugh. He's not really expecting daybreak faculty to care.

Another laugh follows.]

That's, haha, no, no. It felt familiar but I think that was just... you know, imagining things. Dreams pulling on what I used to see around home on día de muertos. I'd always wished, while I was out there, that we'd all be able to find some sanctuary, some place to rest and call home. My actual return from death was more just waking up underground and then a lot of panicking, digging, and even more panicking. Not very glamorous.

[Yeah... Daybreak sure does suck that way. Still, Maverick's thinking about it, and how he could maybe turn something like that into a project. It'd be a substantial way to appreciate what Héctor's done for him while also sticking to his resolution to focus on academics.

Ah, but even if his future still feels like a nebulous joke, there's more depressing things to focus on.]

There should be...something. You know? Even some artificial bifrost or portal shit some wizard concocted... But I guess something like that's some kinda necromancy that should be monitored.

Something, si. Even a shantytown would be wonderful for those guys if it was just solidly defensible. They can't all come here, even if they tried. For some it's too hard to trust after running so long, some are just too weak or damaged to shift like I do. And some are young and normal kids grow too fast for the dead to pass.

[He sighs and shakes his head.]

And yes, I imagine it would be no small bit of attention needed for something like that.

[He chews the inside of his cheek, because his bitter thinking of no one pays attention to the homeless unless it's to get rid of them, kids are tossed out all the fucking time isn't...exactly helpful. Bringing them here with the promises of safety and a life, only to have them live on the streets so they can hide might be realistic, but it wouldn't be an upgrade or right. Even if someone were able to run some sort of shelter...]

Mm. They couldn't fucking leave Soleil, and they couldn't make it in Soleil with how fucked up the economy of this place is, so what would the fucking point be...

[Maverick could have said it. It would be true. Dios, he knows it's true, he'd spent the year after homeless, he's been on the street even when he was young, however brief it was. But it's different for the dead and trying to hide several dozen skeletons in the sun.]

Well. I can say at least that "making it" isn't on any of our radars. Kind of a moot thing with the dead. But, I don't know, there's no rest in the Outlands. Only for little bits of time. It's not enough. We don't get to mourn, the kids don't get to play. Things happen a lot out here but there's always a breath after. I mean, look at us right now. Out there is just like the hunt only it never really stops.

They can't be here. I know that. But I still wish I could think of something.

[Yeah. This is something out of his depths, which makes him frown and stubbornly want to think on it more. He hates having to admit defeat, acknowledge he's not good enough even with all his efforts, and that he might never be good enough. He ends up digging out his cigarettes and lighter with a frustrated sigh.]

...Hard to imagine shit just...being like that. It wasn't too bad for me, but I know plenty who had it rough in a not fun way. Pretty fucking weird to just go back to school today, nothing ever happened, none of you certainly tried to fucking kill one another, nope. Seriously, what's with that shit? They really think that won't make this as fucking bad as it is, if they pretend?

Honestly I... I don't know. A less generous guess of mine is that magical society is just that bad at dealing with these things that they think that's the best way to do it-- which wouldn't surprise me because they really are that bad. Sometimes half of what I do to help in night classes is explaining to born mages or other beings that normal people don't do things like that. It's like they're thinking, if we keep them moving we stave off any breakdown, which, yes, it does, but it builds.

[As the two of them both well know. He shakes his head.]

But that's a guess. The best one I have is that they don't have a better idea of what to do and maybe keep an eye on everyone better when they're back in class. But it was bad. I thought I was having some kind of belated breakdown from my hollow days until everyone else went even more nuts.

[He scrubs at his face a little. Then blinks at Maverick.]

Oh! Hey! That reminds me. You said you had healing magic now, right? Can I ask how that works? Cause, obviously I'm fine enough I can carry on as I am and los médicos are extremely busy right not, but you know, if there were a quick fix...

[Ugh. Thank god he’s not in the night classes. He’d want to throw someone out the window, he's sure of it, and that someone would end up being some Outlands critter that would retaliate by chewing on his face with its acid slobber all over, because that's his luck.

Héctor gets his attention back easily enough, though he glares flatly.]

You thinking about your potential breakdown reminded you? Wow, fucking flattered. [Like, just because it wasn't wrong didn't mean he should say it??? But anyway, the rest of this,] It’s a pretty quick fix, yeah, and I could use the practice. Gotta figure out how to not blow it all in one k -- uhh. [ahem] So what’s up? What’ve you got?

Wha-- no! That's not what I meant!

[Of course he wasn't reminded via breakdown. More that he was reminded via the fack he nearly got broken. Maverick's moving on though and so the most he gets a sort of a sulky look.

It's a look that lingers right up until Maverick falters. He eyes him just a moment longer and then shakes himself, letting it go.]

You're probably going to find this ironic but...

[He glances around, just to be sure they're alone out here. Then he stops and rolls up his sleeve on the one side, shoving it until it's up to his shoulder. From there, there isn't anything wrong, but he holds up and his power starts to work, pulling back flesh into dust until it disappears into his shirt. He keeps the rest of him whole, for now.]

Had a kid set me on actual fire this time. Kind of blow torch levels.

[And indeed, the bones are scorched black and charred, not to ash, but certainly not how it should be.]

Mostly got my sides and stuff, except the other arm that I temporarily ditched at that time. Obviously, I'm not going to try and take up space in the infirmary that the living could use but I was already pretty fragile before this and it's not the most comfortable.

Jesus, dude.

[He reaches out on instinct but doesn't make contact -- fragile, right -- even though he can feel himself recoil in the back of his mind. Death and skeletons weren't something you move towards. Past mistakes were meant to be walked away from. This is Héctor, though, and he put up with enough discomfort already, he didn't need this. Ughhh, what the fuck...

Maverick pinches the bridge of his nose with a sigh.]

Uh, fuck. Okay. I can fix it, just remember that I can and will kick your fucking ass. Gimme your hand...

[That's the easiest, he's found.]

[He supposes he can't be surprised at the reaction. Still, he's certain it's less gruesome than it could've been. Burned bone was not burned flesh.

He's half prepared for Maverick to turn him down, say it's nothing he can fix. He is dead after all. Healing with him could be questionable.

Unthinkingly, leaning his cane on his legs, he reaches for that boney hand and pulls it free. Unlike Maverick's bones in the dream, it comes free easier than tugging out a hair. He pauses.]

...Oh! You meant-- Sorry.

[He pushes it back on, wiggles his fingerbones to check the connection, then holds his burnt arm back out to Maverick.]

There.

[EAUGH]

Fuck!

[DON'T???? Now he really doesn't feel like healing this idiot... In fact, he's taking a step back and gesturing to Héctor's other hand.]

The non-freakish one, for my sake?

I'm sorry! I'm sorry.

[But he does as asked, holding out the one that's still whole.]

Will it, ah, work on that? Like... everything?

Yeah, it doesn't fucking matter. Jesus fucking christ...

[Pulling his hand off like it's nothing... This is the jackass that told him to stop trying to rip his fingers apart, too. Hypocrite. With a grumbling sigh, Mav takes Héctor's hand in his. His face is heating up enough to counteract any chill there might be, ugh this is embarrassing, why does his magic have to work this way... Now to focus on metering it out. Even if he doesn't have to heal anyone again tonight, it's something he should know how to do. Focus, focus, ignore everything else, ignore how fucking stupid this was...

Awkwardly, he lifts Héctor's knuckles to his bitten lips, brushing them against his skin before pulling back with a shaky exhale. His magic isn't flashy or beautiful the way Héctor's was, seeping in without a trace visible on its own. The burned, porous bones will regenerate a bit, though, broken cracks strengthening to support any new added weight of healthier chips that had been charred away. Long-gone pieces are out of his realm, especially with him trying to reign in the surge of magic that was usually spent, but for a while at least, Héctor will also get a brief reprieve from his usual, constant aches.

Maverick drops the hand as he looks away like that will help hide the blush. Here he'd finally wrestled his brain into accepting he was never going to kiss Héc, but there it was... Stupid, humiliating magic.]

Be grateful, I don't fucking go around doing it a bunch, for obvious reasons.

[In his defense, pulling himself apart did hurt at his point. At all. It's more an issue to hold himself together.

He still feels more than a little guilty for spooking Maverick like that but he's exhausted his apologies. At first he thinks that flush is something leftover from that and frustration.

Maverick lifts his hand to his lips. He blinks in surprise. And then, it starts working.

It's visible on the bones of his other arm, the black returning to a faded off-white. But even beyond the relief of the burning, there's a relief going deeper. His eyes briefly close breath shuddering out. His hand is dropped but he still stands there looking dazed.]

Oh...

[He blinks some more, trying to refocus. Then he reaches down, pressing fingers both boney and flesh around the joints of his bad leg. He straightens, taking a step on it without his cane. It doesn't pop loose, or even give way.]

Wow, I... I forget how it felt... that helped a lot...!

[He's got a look of wonder stuck there on his face.]

Thank you, Maverick.

[For a second, he thinks he fucked up somehow, like holding back had left Héctor with burns where Mav couldn't see, but the relief is evident in his movements and expressions. It had worked. More than that, it exceeded expectations. Terrible as the method was, not even mentioning the reason behind the power, it was something he was good at. He helped.

He stuffs his hands in his pockets and shrugs, but any denial of being pleased by this would be a lie.]

Yeah, yeah. I'm amazing. What else is new? [Even if the way he says it is oddly demure for him... But! But!!] Seriously, that good, huh?

That good? I feel great! I could--

[His eyes light up, a grin as bright beneath.]

I'm gonna do a cartwheel.

[It's the only warning before he drops the cane aside completely and proceeds to do just that. He spins onto his palms and back onto his feet like a girl in a schoolyard.]

HAHA! Look at that! Once piece, all held together! You're incredible! You're wonderful! Dios, it's been years...

[Even if it only lasts a while, he can enjoy it for that.]

Maverick, you have a power that every parent dreams of.

[The excitement is infectious, Maverick snickering to himself as he watches Héctor go. Look at that indeed! What a dumbass, but he can't help feeling warm inside and just all around great at the praise. You're wonderful. It's nice. Way, way too nice.

At least the embarrassment knocks him back down a bit.]

Hell... You gotta say it like that? Bad enough I live with this "kiss it better" or fairytale prince bullshit, man...

[He grins sheepishly.]

I'm sorry, you're right. But I think it's cool! I mean, you kind of had me confused there for a second, but it works really well.

[He starts on back to pick up the cane, just holding it for once and not using it.]

Seriously, I owe you one. I don't know what of, but something.

[internal screaming... It’s hard, loving the feeling of being appreciated, but also wanting the one appreciating him to shut the fuck up. This is some really bizarre torture.]

Yeah, right. Pretty sure that was us breaking even, but even if it wasn’t, charging for the service is kinda... Tch. Fuck that. Just take better care of yourself, alright? And don’t go blabbing about this where it doesn’t need to be said.

[That's just life with Héctor.]

Now what the heck would I even blab? Oh yeah, Maverick has a healing kiss that magically made all my bones go back to normal! By the way, I'm super dead!

[He shoots a wry grin.]

Besides, when have I ever spilled anyone else's secrets? But! I'll do my best and make sure your efforts aren't wasted. Promise.

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