Inbox for sticksandbones

[lupusxylem]

I will not make this look pretty later, don't believe me it's all a lie

====

INVENTORY:

-The Punisher: Wolfwood's cross gun, normally covered in wrappings.
INFO from the mods on use so I don't forget: The cross-gun will be able to fire regular bullets (regains of these can be handwaved; silvered bullets can be purchased in the bonus AC store) just fine, without any special nerfs. The laser feature will be usable a max of 3 times a month.

-4 Vials of his Drugs(tm)
Info from the mods on use so I don't forget: Wolfwood can start with up to 5 vials of his Lab Drugs. More of these can be regained for the price of a Small Item (a maximum of 5 at once), but they will not work on other player characters for obvious reasons. Their healing ability will also be slightly nerfed to not heal anything instantaneously, but rather over a few minutes.
3/7: All Vials have been used. Will need to purchase replacements if he wants to use them again.
???: Forgot to put the date here but he's purchased more Vials, one has been used to he has 4 currently.

-A lighter

-A carton of cigarettes, more can be purchased/handwaved

-A winter coat that Heimr bullied him into purchasing

-A matching pair of boots for the coat

-A little knit wolf with sunglasses from Elsword.

-A blanket from Livio.

-A handgun with a wolf engraved on the handle.

-A black husky named Angelina

-A belt pouch to carry his regeneration vials with a cross emblazoned into the leather.

-Authentic rosary beads, with beads made from black glass and a heavy, silver cross pendant

-A black leather choker with a silver cross pendant, similar to the rosary

-A whole church(tm)

-A wool knit cat plushie from Pure Vanilla

-3 tomas chicks that currently live in Kiera's barn

-3 londonites

-Wolf skull shaped cufflinks

-A dagger for his "birthday" from Gnosis

Comments

some time after "saint nick" has finished his rounds-

[dissonanz]

( there's a knock on the door to wolfwood's chosen inn room.

kreide's not sure about this, honestly. he's not sure about a lot of things. but... )

[lupusxylem]

[Oh my godddd he's tired.

...and then he hears a knock, and seriously considers just not getting up to answer it.

He will, begrudgingly, opening the door to the tune of a hazy cloud of cigarette smoke. Sorry, Kreide.]

...oh. It's you again.

[dissonanz]

It is. I'm sorry to bother you, but- can we talk...?

[lupusxylem]

[No-]

...fine.

[He steps aside so Kreide can enter.]

But if it's something wrong with your present, go ask the Trader. I told you, they weren't from me.

[dissonanz]

Oh- no, it's not that at all.

( but he'll come in, ignoring the scent of cigarettes and whatever else. it's familiar in a way, anyways. )

It's...

( kreide is quiet as he thinks, trying to put his frustration into words. )

Twice now you've... reacted strangely to me, somehow, and then told me it was nothing. And it clearly isn't, or you wouldn't have acted so oddly. I'd like to know what's going on, please.

[lupusxylem]

Listen. I really ain't the guy to be asking about how shit here works. I haven't been here that long.

[Yet, he does shut the door behind Kreide as he says this, moving to lean against the nearest wall.]

But...what do you know so far? Anything?

[dissonanz]

I arrived five minutes before I opened the door to the inn. Everything that happened there... that's all that I know.

( which is to say: jack shit. )

[lupusxylem]

[Oh boy.

Wolfwood exhales heavily.]

...this is what people have told me.

This...place. Apparently all of us who show up here used to live here a long time ago, in a past life or something. Apparently we were different people, but still...sort of the same, I guess.

I was in the Forest a couple weeks ago, and it made me see a vision of some kids there. One of them looked like you.

[dissonanz]

... The Trader has said something similar- that we reincarnated into the life we know today, but originally we were born here. I'm still unsure what I think of that.

( but- him? in a vision...? )

I see. That would explain yours and Vash's reactions, yes...

( ... but that's only the first incident. )

[lupusxylem]

[Haha, yes. The second one...

Wolfwood takes off his sunglasses, and as he does, the vision he sees of Kreide with the black rocks coming from his skin disappears. It's just Kreide, now.]

My sunglasses were...enchanted, recently. The magic lets me see stuff in the Forest you can't normally, like the safe paths to go and hidden dangers and shit.

But it's also making me see...weird new looks on people, too. You had these black rocks coming out of your skin when you answered the door. I didn't realize until you touched your skin where they "were" that it wasn't real.

cw: disease

[dissonanz]

(



oh.

oh he doesn't like that. kreide closes his eyes and inhales slowly, but wolfwood can probably see that he's gone a bit paler than his already fair tone. )

... You aren't from Terra, correct? Those black rocks...

... Where I'm from, there's a disease called Oripathy. Over the course of infection, it crystallizes the infected from within, with eventual growths both internally and externally as it worsens.

... I suppose... you saw the worst potential of my infection. And...

( ... he can't bring himself to say it, it seems. )

[lupusxylem]

...shit.

[There are diseases not unlike that back home, obviously. It doesn't take long to realize that he kindof did a social faux pas, there.]

I mean. If it helps...what I saw wasn't real. It's just the glasses.

[...right?

Wolfwood you know damn well that's not how they work.]

[dissonanz]

...

( kreide is very quiet for what feels like a long time. )

It was very surprising, you know- being called a ghost.

Almost as surprising as waking up alive was.

I don't... understand it myself- what's happening with me. I don't have any answers for you. ... But, it shouldn't reach that point unless I do something incredibly foolish. And for everyone else's sake, I won't.

[oleaeuropaea]

[Well... Vash is feeling better. And clearly that's the only thing in this equation that matters. Has he taken the time to think about how Wolfwood might be hurt and need time? Has he really stopped to consider the impact of his actions? The answer to both of these questions is a very large, very resounding no.

Which is to say... he's knocking on Wolfwood's door now. His eyes are still a little puffy from his earlier talk with Mizuki, and his glasses wound up - somewhere. It's hard to say where. Vash thinks is all very good on his part, though. He's showing vulnerability, right?

His hands sit at his side, fiddling together as he waits for Wolfwood to answer.]

[lupusxylem]

[Vash is lucky that anyone is even in right now. Wolfwood actually hasn't been in his room a lot these past few days, instead wandering from place to place, person to person, trying to process his feelings in the forced space provided. Unlike Vash, he hasn't come to any sort of grandiose conclusion about what he should do, and he certainly doesn't feel better. Maybe he feels less immediately raw over the whole thing, especially after some talks with people whether he wanted to have them or not, but it's still...it's not enough.

But right now, he is in his room. He is not expecting visitors, and when he hears a knock come at his door, he considers simply not answering.

...but Miss Angelina has other plans, as she immediately starts yipping from where she'd been curled up by his face on the bed, scrambling and stumbling towards the foot of the bed where Wolfwood manages to intercept and scoop her before she tumbles off head first. Given that his room has a bathroom, he's just going to temporarily shuffle her in there for the time being. Last thing he needs is to be chasing a dog all over the Inn.

Honestly, he's only answering the door because he's thinking it might be to inform him of some new bullshit occurring, or maybe it's Livio come to check on him, or anything else he could moderately deal with.

...he is. Not expecting to pull the door inwards and see Vash's stupid face looking back at him.

And he does not give Vash a single breath to speak. The shock, hurt, and anger flash across his face in the span of less than a second, and unless Vash uses his Plant reflexes to dodge somehow, Wolfwood is going to level a cold-clock punch right into his jaw, no holding back, no mercy.]

[oleaeuropaea]

[So, here's the thing. Vash is immediately intrigued by the yip-yip-yipping of the little dog. So much so that he's already leaning forward the moment the door opens. He doesn't even see the fist coming toward his face, let alone prepare for it. Off balance as he is, it hits him with no issue.He topples back and hits the ground like a sack of bricks. It's a matter of luck he doesn't bash his head against the wall, or get knocked out cold. There isn't even a ringing in his ears. In fact, beyond the pain in his cheek, he doesn't feel much else.

He blinks a few times, staring at Wolfwood's knees, until he reminds himself to look up. He doesn't smile but he clearly isn't so bothered by the punch that he feels the need to fight back. When has he ever been the type. Rather, he just rubs at the still aching spot and lets out a low sigh.]

I deserved that. [He's probably just a little too casual when he says it. His usual Vash-isms are still in play.] Deserved that and more, really.

[Don't mind him as he tries to pull himself to his feet. Wolfwood is more than welcome to hit him again if he so desires.]

[lupusxylem]

[Oh, Vash.

It's cute that you think he'll let you get up.

Because the moment Vash tries to sit forward, the moment he does anything more but sit his ass down, Wolfwood swings a foot up and plants it right in the center of Vash's chest, shoving him right back down again. It stays there too, firm but clearly not applying his full weight. The hallway doesn't afford much space, but that doesn't stop him from taking a step forward, his forearm braced against the wall somewhere far above Vash's head as he looks down at him, incredulous indignation glittering dangerously behind his shades.]

Get. The fuck. Out.

[oleaeuropaea]

[The punch was expected. Deserved even. But given the way they'd usually fought, he figured it would have been one and done. Or even three and done. This is far different than their usual fights. For a brief moment, Vash almost feels like he's in danger. The thought is pushed away just as quickly as it comes on, but it doesn't change the fact that it was there]

Nick - Wait, I - [He closes his eyes. Pinned down like he is, he's inclined to believe that it's not worth trying. He wants to make himself believe that Wolfwood has given up on them. That if he keeps trying, it'll only get them both hurt.]

I'm sorry. I really am - sorry.

[lupusxylem]

Don't.

[He doesn't want to hear it. He doesn't want to get sucked back in. He's not...ready for this.

He grinds the ball of his foot into Vash's sternum, because it's clearly not getting through.]

Do you even know what you're apologizing for?

[oleaeuropaea]

[He yelps, more out of surprise than anything. He's used to pain, considering every scar his body is riddled with. He just isn't expecting it from Wolfwood. Anger is one thing, but this is making him suffer.]

I - pushed you away again. Didn't listen to you. Tried to make you make the choice. I did everything we agreed not to.

[He swallows, trying to tip his chin just enough to keep Wolfwood's eyes.]

I'm sorry - For it all.

Christmas Day

[simplicitas]

[Hey hello Elsword has left you a crimesmas gift on your doorrrrrrr]

Hi Wolfwood!

I made you a gift! This is your favourite animal right?

[Is it offensive to assume a man's favourite animal based on his last name... anyway Wolfwood is getting this. It comes with a pair of tiny sunglasses too.

...

Yeah he was really inspired about this one.]

[lupusxylem]

[That is textbook, word for word, many things Vash had done wrong, yes. Wolfwood is very proud of him for having his basic social comprehension on lock in that regard.

But that is where it ends. Because just by the way Vash is clumsily going about this with no regard for how it would be received, Wolfwood knows he doesn't get it. And that is why he's this upset, a level of angry with Vash he has likely never before seen.]

Good for you. Did that make you feel better?

[oleaeuropaea]

[Did he expect the worst of it to pass with that apology? Honestly, yes. The fact that he's still pinned down tells him all he needs to know. Any sort of relief he might have tried to feel fails to trickle in. He can only stare up at Wolfwood, trying to comprehend what he's done wrong, and how to make it better.

He has to make it better. That's what he does, right?

Panic starts to grip him. So much has happened over the course of his long life. He's broken and damaged things beyond repair. His ability to fix anything had been limited to the plants, after all. But the last thing he wants is for this to be one of those things. For Wolfwood to be one of those things.]

No, but - [He tries to sit up, to coax Wolfwood's knee upward.] I thought - maybe we could talk about it. I could explain it. Please, just let me explain.

[lupusxylem]

[As Vash tries to sit up...Wolfwood forces him back down. This time, even harder. He's still not full on standing on his chest, but he's getting closer the more Vash resists. The more he tries to talk, to interject-]

You listen to me, Vash the Stampede.

Did you think...for even a second about if I even want to talk to you right now? If I even want to see your face? Did you think about how I felt, or did you just think about how you could smooth shit over because you're suddenly having more regrets?

[He doesn't strike Vash again, but he does slam a fist into the wall above him. Whoever still lives in the Inn...I'm sorry.]

You don't GET to just come back here and act like everything's gonna be okay just because you want it to be badly enough. Get it through your iron-clad skull: you shut me out. Not the other way around.

[...finally, he lets up on the weight of his foot holding Vash down. He begins to step back, retreating backwards towards his room's door.]

...and until you really understand what you did wrong, I don't want to see your fucking face.

[oleaeuropaea]

[It's a clear statement. Vash needs to figure out what he did wrong. There's no beating around the bush about it. And yet Vash finds a way to hear it wrong. He doesn't hear use your damn head and apologize for what actually happened, he hears get gone and say gone. Because that's just how his iron-clad skull works.

He doesn't protest as Wolfwood begins to back away. It's hard to say if the full depth of his actions that night have finally sunk in, or if something else is running through his head. Regardless, the fight's gone out of him. The only real movement he offers up is laying his hand against his chest and rubbing at the bruise that will surely form there.]


... Right. [He pushes himself up with his prosthetic. It isn't to follow, only to start to pick up his own pathetic pieces off the ground.] You don't have to worry about that.

[Because of course, that's what he'll focus on. He'll mope around like a kicked puppy instead of actually acknowledging his flaws.]

'm not staying at the inn anymore so -

[That's fine. He pulls himself up. Better get gone, just like he was told.]