Daybreak IC Inbox

[unpocoloco]

Héctor
UN: OLLIN

STATUS: Graduate Student / Teacher's Assistant

ACCOLADES: I write music, know how to play a few instruments, mostly la guitarra.

BIO: !Hola¡ Soy Héctor. Yo hablo español y un poco inglés. I've come to Daybreak to learn a little about all this magic stuff and help out around the Campus. If you need an odd job taken care of, I'm your guy! (Unless you are la policía. Or someone I have borrowed from. If that is the case, do not contact me, por favor.)

© TESSISAMESS

Comments

[unpocoloco]

[He wasn't expecting to be contacted. Certainly not about this. When he sees the name pop up, one he recognizes, his heart jumps to his throat and a weight settles in his stomach, like somehow she'll know and want him to tell what's become of her brother.

Which is, ironically, the thought to peel some of that panic back. He's her connection to her brother. She'd be trying to keep tabs on him. She'd want to know these things.]

si. accident happened. will be fine. who told?

[leekspins]

Peter. It's not a secret, is it? That sort of thing shouldn't be! Is someone healing it for you?

[unpocoloco]

si. ekkehardt. and no. not a secret.

[Not exactly.]

[leekspins]

That's a relief! I wanted to offer, but to be honest, I don't know if my powers are that strong.

Are you okay? Can I get you anything?

[unpocoloco]

no.

[He very nearly sends that message alone.]

no need.

sorry about the window. not done. and [He can't make himself type out her brother.] other plans.

[leekspins]

No, that's okay! Please take it easy! You shouldn't have to do any maintenance with just one arm. I even feel bad texting.

Doesn't it hurt?

[unpocoloco]

si. very, very much.

things happen. do not worry. texting fine too. just tricky. slow. right handed normally.

[leekspins]

I'm sorry.

But I'm grateful, too. Thank you for protecting him.

And I can switch to voice in five minutes, class is almost over.

[unpocoloco]

gracias.

i am glad he is safe too.

[If crushed over so many other things.]

do not text in class.

[leekspins]

Too late, ha ha! Don't worry, I'm paying attention.

He's okay, by the way. Just tired. I healed his injuries.

[unpocoloco]

[He's not okay. Peter's never going to be okay again because the boy is dead and he doesn't even know it and they're both being hunted down and--]


thank you.

[leekspins]

[She can't tell if he's terse because of his arm or if something is still wrong. That's part of why she was hoping they'd switch to voice, text just doesn't give her enough context.]

We made some plans to catch the monster that attacked you guys. When you're better, let me know. There's something you can do to help.

[unpocoloco]

what




orighim noyi
orihime
no
no no
don't go after it
this is bad
youd don'tk now

[leekspins]

I do. And I know it's going to come after me too, eventually. So we're going to prepare for that, instead of waiting to get attacked. That's why I wanted your help. If it does go after me, it'll use the same tactics it's used on everyone else, and it'll target my brother. I can't see him, but you can, so we can warn him and when the monster comes...we'll get him then.

[unpocoloco]

orihime i

[There's a long gap here. It's mostly due to him pushing back in the desk chair, covering his mouth and trying not to slip into another panic. And mostly failing that.]

i dont think
your brother is going to make it to this
its been
dangerous
for people like him

[leekspins]

I know. That's why we have to find him as soon as we can. Is he laying low for now? If that's the case I'll figure out something else, I don't want to blow his cover.

[unpocoloco]

i

Im sorry

i don't think we should talk about this through text

[leekspins]

That's okay, class is out anyway. And there's something I wanted to ask you in private, if you don't mind! Are you up for a visitor?

[unpocoloco]

not... entirely

not in my room. somewhere else? we can go to that study room.

[leekspins]

Okay! I'm on my way!

---------------------

[She wants to stop by the cafeteria and get more food for Peter, but honestly, they're probably feeding him fine in the infirmary. Besides, she doesn't want to keep Hector waiting.]

[He probably got to the study room before she did since she was in the academic buildings, so when she arrives, her face is flushed from the cold. She's breathless, but smiling.]

Ole!

[She meant 'hola.' She's got a lot to learn.]

Oh...you really don't look too good. Do you have a fever?

[unpocoloco]

[She'll find him where he's prommised, leaning against the table with his one hand braced on his cane, eyes glassy with distance. He looks up when she arrives.

And winces a little at her butchered Spanish.]

Hola, Orihime.

[It's both a greeting and a correction. He's almost grateful for it, this small moment of mundanity before he breaks her heart.]

No. Just having a bad... time. Lately. I'll be fine.

[Maybe. He heaves a breath.]

You should probably go first. You said you had something to ask?

[leekspins]

[Her mouth falls open at the realization of her error. Then she laughs sheepishly, rubbing the back of her head. He looks so sad. A little levity can sometimes help, but if played at the wrong time, it can also make things so much worse.]

[This seems like one of those times.]

I do. I'm a little worried it'll stress you out, honestly. And it looks like you're dealing with a lot right now.

[She sinks down into the chair to look up at him.]

So you don't have to answer. And I haven't talked about it with anyone else, so if it's too personal, I'll never mention it again. But...well...

[Orihime looks away for a moment, shifting her jaw, then peeks up at Hector.]

Are you secretly a ghost?

[unpocoloco]

[He'd disagree, tell it helped. It's just this is a hard situation to make better.

That doesn't mean she can't pull off distracting him though, it seems. His eyes widen and his back straightens. He blinks at Orihime.

And then, to his own surprise, he laughs. It's a strained breathy thing but nevertheless.]

Hah. No. Not a ghost. You can touch my arm if you want to be sure. I'm pretty solid.

What, ah... made you think that?

[leekspins]

[She studies his reaction. He's laughing it off, so she could be wrong. But... No, she gave her conditions, she should keep them. Whether his denial is false or true, she has to act like she was foolish for ever believing such a thing.]

Little things, really.

[She shrugs her shoulders, but she doesn't touch his arm.]

First it was your powers. You said it was just glowing, then you said it was the ability to see and speak with the dead, then Peter said you could stop blood loss in spite of not having an arm. It kind of conflicts.

[She taps her fingertips lightly together, looking down at her thumbs.]

Peter also said that the undead don't really hold up so well in the sun, and that's why he couldn't talk to his uncle except at night. The few times I saw you when the sun was up, you looked really sick. And when you saw my brother's picture, you said he would have been older than you. It was kind of a strange thing to say, but when I thought about it...it seemed like the sort of thing that a person who died before might mention.

B-but you're right. It's probably just my imagination being weird, because everything at this school is so amazing.

[unpocoloco]

Oh...

[When she said small things he didn't expect such a list. Those things together, collectively? They're not that small. And Peter's excuse for him doesn't help much either but even aside that, there's so much he's let slip himself. Mistake after mistake.

He could laugh it off. He could let her head bow further. Let her think she's got it all wrong.

But he didn't come out here to lie to her.]

I'm not a ghost.

But...

I am dead.

[He watches her, braced.]