teaism | pls don't judge me I have so many injured guren icons okay

pls don't judge me I have so many injured guren icons okay

[Compared to this, the talking furniture from ages ago seemed almost pleasant. The door clicks shut behind them, and Guren almost wants to drop down right here. It's the first building they've come across in a while now— some sort of cabin in the woods that's falling apart just like the rest of the town they'd started in. Guren was bleeding from a variety of areas— a number of spots on his torso, his head, his face, his thigh— and that doesn't even start on the broken bones he's sporting, but he had a demon to take care of those injuries.

The man he was trying to support next to him was a different story. Hadn't they said something about not wanting to test if he could die and come back...?]

Look at me, Dex. [Guren wasn't trying to hide his worry now. He'd arrived too late, or at least that's his perspective. He shows up and something is nearly finished toying with Dextera like he's some sort of doll— something grey, with wings. Guren couldn't grasp what was happening, but interrupting had shown him that he was nearly outmatched. Nearly. With some biting words, he'd slain the creature(?) just before he was about to be offed himself. It was risky, to say the least.

But they're indoors now. Indoors, and there have to be supplies they can make use of somewhere. He staggers his next step forward as he tries to lead Dextera in, coughing blood against the back of his own hand. He's noticing that even his own injuries are staying longer than usual, somehow...]

Damn it...

[But he needs to know how Dextera is doing. How much can he handle? Guren doesn't want to find out his limit right now. One hand grips at Dextera's shoulder. They've been supporting each other the whole walk here, and he's trying not to weigh him down. His other hand, though the back of it is bloody now, rests against Dextera's chest carefully.] Sit down here.

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[Guren glances back, and he's surprised to see that Dextera actually does look better.]

You look like it actually helped. How are you feeling? [He doesn't know how any of that worked, but he still has plants and junk to help in the meantime! One for pain relief, one for accelerated healing properties... plenty to save for later.]

[ haven’t you ever felt alive after eating something raw, guren ]

Better. I can move, but...

[ it was small—which is for the best, in this case, since he would extremely rather not have had a big creature to deal with right here in the same room as guren.

his wounds haven’t closed completely, but they are... more all right, than they were. ]

I think I’d prefer the plants.

Haha, good. I'll make tea with one of them in a minute, but...

[It won't taste better, anyway. And first, he has weird alien plant paste.] Get your clothes out of the way. I'm going to clean you up.

[The sexiest way he could possibly say that, of course. He's gathering whatever he can carry and bringing it over, now, including his bowl of what looks like... mashed leaves and water. It is. All of this is going to be a type of leaf with water, but that's what they've got!!]

[ hot!

dextera obliges, though, glad to peel out of his clothes when it’s stuck to him in odd places from the dried blood. he winces, pulling at the wounds that the fabric of his shirt has dried against. ]

Are you sure this is going to work?

[ leaves and water... it’s so holistic. ]

No. [ At least he’s honest. He sits on the bed next to Dextera, a wet washcloth in one hand and his dumb bowl of plant paste set nearby. ]

But it’s not poisonous. [ Don’t ask how he found out. ] And even cleaning them off will help you in the long run. Let me see.

[ He places one hand at Dextera’s stomach, the other pressing the wet washcloth to wounded skin, trying to dab at it so the shirt can come loose easily. This is going to be a lot of touching. ]

[ dextera doesn’t ask how guren found this out, though he does wonder for a moment if guren has any room to judge him for eating anything that’s handed to him.

he draws in a sharp breath, but guren’s touch is gentle, even soothing—and the water is quick to rehydrate the wound and free his shirt. ]

...

[ he goes quiet now, transfixed by guren’s hands cleaning him up, dabbing gently at his cuts. ]

[Is it weird to still want to kiss a guy who just ate a giant mutant rat?

He really is distracted, even as he works. He's doing the touching, but watching how focused Dextera is on it is endearing. It's easy to let his touch linger more than it needs to and focus on his own breathing.

But if he gets too worked up over tending to someone's wounds, it'll definitely be weird, so he eventually breaks the silence while he's testing some of this alien plant on a cut. Supposedly, it'll ease irritation and accelerate repair...]

There are more of those weird things out there. [He decides to share that now, covering one wound with a much better bandage. He scavenged some other house in the woods, apparently, since he pulled these out of his jacket just now.] I have a spell in place on this cabin so it's not as noticeable, but if anything strong like that gets too close, it probably won't be enough.

[He frowns. Really, he just wants to relax and explore what exactly these feelings are with Dextera, but apparently they're not allowed to have a break where they can truly relax.]

[ to guren’s benefit, the mutant rat mostly tasted like ash—if there’s anything lingering, at least it isn’t deeply unpleasant! just a little bit. ]

Huh?

[ he’s openly distracted when guren speaks again, blinking his way out of his reverie as his mind hurries to catch up with what he just heard. more of those monsters—great. they’re in no shape to fight, and dextera is in a similar boat. he doesn’t want to spend this time together worrying about the next time they’ll be attacked.

he frowns, brushing his fingers along guren’s when he’s close enough. ]

I think I can purify them. I just... need some rest.

Really?

[That's worrying, Guren thinks, but if he really can do something like that, then victory would be a lot easier. If he could provide backup, or a distraction, or both, then Dextera could manage to do the rest without interruption or pain, right? Guren hums, plotting it out in his mind.]

Then we'd just have to stay here and hope no one finds us. [Still a risk, but a lot less of one. And... time for actual rest? He glances at those fingers that had brushed against his own, grasping back at them as he slides past to treat another injury.]

That could work, but I need you to be sure that you can do it, and rested and healed as much as you can be.

It’s just exhausting. It doesn’t... hurt.

[ it takes it all out of him, which is why he passed out initially on top of all the injuries he’d sustained. with some rest and guren’s kind hands tending to his wounds, he should be able to purify any creatures they run across without killing himself. ]

If you don’t mind waiting, I can take care of us. Of it.

[ a quick correction that really makes more of a problem than it was to say in the first place! they are a unit, there’s nothing wrong with us, but now he’s shy. ]

[ Of us, of it. Guren cracks a smile at the correction, setting aside his plants and bandages. He’s treated and cleaned every one, now, but with everything set to the side, he still rests his hand over Dextera’s chest. ]

I don’t mind. It’s almost like a vacation. [ Haha, hardly, but he can dream. His fingers smooth down his skin a little, and he watches, eyes brighter. Dextera is all clean now and he’s still a bloody mess. ]

I’m counting on you. I’ll be ready to make it easier however I can.

[ dextera is grateful not to be called out on it, though guren's hand is still on him and that's almost more embarrassing. guren pls... ]

You can make it easier by looking after yourself, too.

[ he's not interested in giving guren blood poisoning, so he doesn't take any of the cloths that were used to clean and dress his wounds, but it's clear what he means when he touches on his own cheek along the spot where guren is bleeding, and then covers guren's hand with his own.

he's a little scratched up... it's nothing bad, compared to what they've both seen already, but a cut is a cut. ]

...I don't want you to bleed on the pillows.

[ Cute. Guren wants to keep his hands here, but they do look pretty messed up. He’s sure the slice at his face is a little worse, even if ultimately it’s nothing. ]

Ahh. [ He sighs, exaggerated, and pulls his hands back after a moment. Ringing out the towel he used for Dex and putting it aside with the rest, he gets up to get a new one, and new water. ]

No matter where I go, I’m surrounded by nagging voices like that. What a pain. [ He says that so fondly it’s ridiculous ]

[ dextera... also thinks he's cute. he's glad that his weird reliance on eating flesh wasn't so much of a turn-off that guren seems ready to bolt... maybe guren is kinky like that. ]

I'm sorry. [ not that sorry ] I'm just trying to look after you, the way you have for me.

[ it sounds like teasing, but it's also a little honest as well? ]

[ Don’t question his kinks... Dextera didn’t leave anything behind? It’s great to forget. ].

I don’t need to be looked after. [ Says the guy who came back with his hands like he couldn’t bother to put on some god damn gloves again. Shhh. He’s smiling, still, too, shifting to take his jacket off, and then his shirt. He might as well wash all of this off, while he’s at it...

While staying over here, like rude eye candy. ]

I just need you to feel better.

[ the strangest part about guren is that dextera has tastes, and he's none of them—if he had to describe his ideal partner, in fact, guren is almost the exact opposite of gentle with long blonde hair and kind but coquettish eyes...

his type is specific, all right. but he finds himself watching guren anyway, with that attractive combination of his smile and his shirtlessness. ]

...

[ .......he forgot to say something....................... ]

...I do feel better.

[ That’s a fair type and better than Guren’s “Mahiru” as his type of the opposite sex... but wow, that’s a long pause. ]

Yeah? Well, good. [ He picks up the washcloth and the bowl and walks over, setting them both down nearby. ]

Here, then. I just need you to get my back.

[ he likes babes!!! ]

Ah?

[ even with a voice, he's not immune to his habit of just making noises in response to things that surprise him. he takes the washcloth and nods meekly. it's just cleaning, but this feels... intimate, especially now that he's on the other side of it. ]

All right. Just... sit down.

[ ...That is a babe. Dextera is such a guy??

But it is the intimacy here that’s different. Guren thinks so, too, and honestly he’s hoping that by keeping his own hands in his lap, he’ll behave a little more. And shamelessly enjoy a wet cloth at his back. He sits down with his back to Dextera. ]

Purifying exhausts you, you said? Is it dangerous for you? [ He’s still thinking about this, actually. ]

[ dextera is meticulous, with guren—more meticulous than he would ever be with himself, and it's perhaps paying attention to the details that keeps him from getting distracted by the way guren's muscles move under his skin with every slight shift.

even so, he doesn't immediately hear guren's question, and he looks up in surprise when he realizes he's being spoken to. he's got to stop zoning out like this... ]

No, it's not dangerous.

[ even with guren mostly cleaned up, dextera just likes touching him. he'll take advantage of this, as innocently as that can be done. ]

...I don't think it's dangerous. [ an amendment. ] I just can't use it much when I'm alone.

So it is still some kind of risk.

[Hm, that worries him, but he also knows that sometimes risks have to be taken. If he's there, doing what he can, formulating a plan, can he protect Dextera, too? He's thinking about that in great depth, but the attention to his back is still nice and relaxing. He doesn't hurt at all anymore, there, so it's just nice.]

What do you mean, you can't use it much when you're alone? Does something happen, or is it just that you get exhausted?

I just get exhausted. When I can't take breaks, that means death.

[ there's no standing around and waiting in the neuro tower. even if he clears the floor of meta-beings, more could always be lurking around the corner. the only places that are safe are alice and eliza's chambers, and those are... emotionally exhausting.

even thinking about it now, he lowers his head, pressing it against the back of guren's shoulder. ]

[Guren is still for a moment, but eventually he turns, trying to look back at Dextera without stirring him too much.]

So I just have to make sure you don't push yourself too hard. [His hand reaches back with a short laugh, finding Dextera's leg to rest against in comfort.] And you can do the same for me. It's balanced like that.

Even if I don't really need it. [He smiles with his little joke. Isn't he so funny, haha.]

[ ha... ha...

dextera does worry about him, even if guren seems completely confident in his ability to manage himself. he usually is, too, but if dextera hadn't been able to purify him of whatever the monster did, then it could have been... bad. still, now that they've reached the next day and they're both healing, it doesn't seem so bad. ]

I don't know if I can heal you again, so you should look out for yourself.

[ for now, as close as they are... dextera presses his mouth to guren's skin in a kiss that's not exactly a kiss, but is sweet and affectionate enough to pass for one. guren can probably feel how warm his face is. ]

[It's enough to give him a quiet shiver, and he relaxes into it, immediately longing for more contact. He doesn't want to lean back into him too far or too heavy, but he does want it noticeable, this time, keeping his face angled back at him.]

Yeah. That means you have to do the same. Don't worry; we'll keep each other in check.

[It sounds... nice, doesn't it? Checking on each other, helping each other like that. This is the first person where it seems possible. There's no house name getting in the way, no family that Dextera needs to support who would only be damaged by Guren's presence. It makes it seem possible, somehow, that they can spend this time together, uninterrupted. (Mostly.)]

You're warm. [He says it out of nowhere after he's let silence sink in, in a comfortable daze himself.]

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