queenofseers | ic inbox (mask or menace)

I'm... [he grimaces and grunts with the effort to sit up, finding his shoulder and adjacent side quite painful to shift around with.]Sore.

[while rubbing his upper arm, he glimpses at fresh bandages.]

...What happened? I don't remember. [and that bothers him. a lot. it's plain in the way his expression pinches and his voice goes quieter.]

[ Cassandra rubs her forehead and sighs. ]

Frankly, I have no idea. You did your...conjuring thing and it went through you. I didn’t even know that was possible.

Then- do you know Bodhi? He’s a friend of Poe’s. He was passing by, and he’s got healing powers. If he hadn’t showed up...

[ She shouldn’t show Martin how worried about that she is. She stops herself and switches tone. ]

Well, you’re patched up now. How is it, can you move your arm?

[he considers all this quietly, because it is quite a lot more than he expected! that first part...through him, she said? his eyes wince.]

I...messed up? [obviously, he thinks, pushing himself up with his good elbow until he can sit upright and turn, legs dangling over the edge.]

I-I can't, just-- [he says preemptively, then gives his arm a slow lift, wincing. through a hiss:] Shoulder...! [realizing:] It...it went the wrong way. Didn't it...? I miscast...

[ Cassandra reaches out as Martin sits up, holding out a hand to support him as he goes. ]

I guess that's what you'd say. To me it just looked wrong.

[ Among other things. It's hard not to remember the awful cries he'd made when he was hurt, looking at him now. For once she knows to hold back on that. ]

Okay, I get that's not something that should happen, but- it does happen, you're saying? Sometimes?

Sometimes... [he steadies, settled into place, looking down at his knees.] I mean, I never miscast that bad before. But it's happened to my cousins. Others, is what I meant.

[so maybe it was only a matter of time? still...]

Fucking hell.

[ Well, that shouldn't happen at all. What a horrifying thought. She tries her best not to sound too accusing when she speaks. ]

Is there any way to stop it from happening? Or is it just...something that can fuck you up? I mean, what happens when people don't have healing powers nearby?

The Lumas help mend it. [he carefully rubs his elbow.] For some it's their whole job. Tending and mending...making sure we figure out what happened so...so we don't do it again next time.

Ivan used to miscast all the time...

All the time...

[ That’s a hard thing to visualize. Maybe she should be happy it’s only happened to Martin once.

She moves a bit closer, thinking about sitting on the end of the bed but deciding against it. ]

Look, I’m...just happy you’re alright. I’m sure it wasn’t your fault, whatever happened.

[he sits quietly for a prolonged moment, his eyes still downcast, still trying to absorb everything. it's one thing to take stock of himself, but he wasn't the only one affected, was he?]

...I'm sorry. For...scaring you.

It wasn't your fault. I mean, it's just...how you turned out. It was an accident.

[ Cautiously, after a moment, Cassandra puts a hand on his good shoulder, hoping he doesn't hesitate. She's not touchy, it just feels like what she should do. ]

You are not blaming yourself for this. Alright?

[oh but he is. greatly. his shoulder loses a bit of tension at the touch (he's been getting better about shoulder touches, thanks to this family arrangement), but his head droops to obscure some of the guilty frown he wears.]

You said...someone helped? Sorry, I don't remember...

Yeah. Bodhi- he's a friend of Poe's. You've met him, I think? He just...happened to be around.

[ She doesn't sound as grateful as she really is, and she looks away, frowning. All this reminds her of is that she wouldn't have known what to do if Bodhi hadn't showed up, and- well, she doesn't like the idea of what would have happened to Martin otherwise. ]

[his expression gets sadder. Bodhi...]

He keeps...getting caught up in trouble...when it comes to me.

It can't be that bad. Well- this was pretty bad, but I mean- it can't always be that. Right?

[ Oof, that came out wrong. Course correct!! ]

Uh, what I mean is, I don't think he blames you for it. It's not like you did this on purpose.

No, but...still.

[lots of unsaid if I wasn't there to start withs are tucked in there, but he doesn't give voice to them any further.

after an exhale:] I'll be more careful next time.

I know you will.

[ She really does. Martin's too paranoid of a child to be lenient on himself; he'll worry himself to death trying to make sure this doesn't happen again, at this rate. For her sake moreso than his own. (It should be for his own, she thinks.) ]

...Do you know why it happened?

[while rubbing at his shoulder, his eyes wince when he feels a sore spot.]

I might've...squeezed my wrist too tight. It must've made the bone go backward...

Hey, you don't have to touch it yet-

[ She reaches a hand up to stop him, but she thinks he gets the memo. ]

So- you know not to do that now, I guess? Not that it was your fault, like I said. Something that small shouldn't hurt you that bad. [ Darkovs: more fucked up the more she learns! ]

That's why we train a lot... [he hesitates.] I mean, most...most of the others are a lot better already, so it's not common. Except Ivan, but that's...I mean, I'm still...conjuring something bigger than me. I have to figure out how to make it...more manageable, still.

[ She huffs. ] Okay, then. I mean- what if we got someone to train you? Someone who has an idea of how your powers work? Could Andy or Rex help?

[ Cassandra, after all, isn’t a physical fighter. But she likes to solve things by making plans, and honestly, she suspects Martin likes things that way too. ]

...What does Ivan do anyway? Who’s he?

...One of my cousins. He, um... [he points to his shoulder, then down to his elbow.] He makes a bow...and then...sometimes tries to make arrows. But those don't really go well. He makes Adrian make them instead -- a, another cousin.

They're...training to be sharpshooters. Together, because of that. He even uses glasses.

...At least he’s not alone. Sounds like he’s not exactly the sharpest of people, though.

[ Well- wait. She relaxes a little, wondering if this is making Martin more or less comfortable. She can see either happening. It’s nice to have him talking, at least. ]

How old are they? Ivan and Adrian. I mean, compared to you- from what you know.

[he looks up, thinking. Gracia, him, Adam...]

Ummm...fourth...and...fourth and fifth-youngest. I'm second, Adam's third... [he slowly nods.] Fourth and fifth. [blink.] Wait, no--I'm second, Adam's third...Danielle's fourth, then Ivan, then Adrian. Sorry. Fifth and sixth youngest. So...so Adrian's right in the middle of all twelve.

[it's not so much about feeling better as it is being distracted: having to recall and recount his family up does a good job of it.]

Edited 2019-04-23 22:17 (UTC)

That's a lot of you. Lord. Some of them must be older, right? Closer to my age.

[ She's thinking out loud. This isn't really doing anything for him, is it? She thinks of stopping herself, than remembers that keeping him talking for a bit might be a good idea, to see if anything changes. ]

Where's your sister? She must be older, right?

Yes, second-oldest. Bruce is oldest. He's going to get paired soon. I think Regina, too. [squint.] Maybe together...

[a beat.]

How old are you?

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject