[Without hesitation, he turns with her to head back toward town. He can't stop her from wasting one wish on him, but he might be able to keep himself from having to admit how terribly bloody his hands are. Jokes on him. It's like he forgets who he's talking to honestly.]
If you think I deserve it, you can use your second wish to see all of the things I've done. [He thinks she probably has something better to wish for; therefore, he has nothing to worry in regards to his his threat.] Then you'll change your mind.
Otherwise, they aren't something a girl should be hearing. All you need to know is they're bad.
[ Her eyebrows snap together, and while she's silent for a long minute, for once... there's absolutely no indication on how she feels just by looking at her. Her expression is entirely unreadable.
And then, finally: ]
If I... if you don't tell me yourself, then I don't want to know. I'm not going to use a wish just so... you can try to prove me wrong.
Asking me to wish for that instead of hearing it from you... just means you're not ready to believe in me yet. And that's fine.
... But don't say things like that-- that me being a girl means I need to be protected from hearing bad things.
[Good. Not good he made her upset. Good she won’t waste the wish on such awful things. Ugly of him to threaten her with it in the first place, but he thought maybe it would show her: he’s a rude, socially stunted brat. Hanging around him as a friend is the last thing she needs.
Jon had told him everyone at school was scared of him. His response? “Good.”] Make no mistake, it isn’t because you’re a girl. I’ve known plenty of girls who have experienced bad things for themselves. It’s because... [He shakes his head dismissively. He appreciates her feistiness about it. That she’ll tell him like it is, wants to hear it from him.]
[ Kisa is going to stick close to him out of stubbornness at this rate-- well, no. There's still fondness there. Just... something like frustration too.
He paints such a kind picture of her, but she's still that young tiger struggling to keep from running away from every single thing. She'd fled because she couldn't even believe in herself anymore. She couldn't believe in her classmates. Her mother. She'd been too afraid of disappointing everyone. ]
... Do you... really believe I'd hate you? If I knew?
I’m starting to believe you wouldn’t, and maybe that’s the most annoying part.
[He cuts a look over at her; it’s not angry and it’s not jeering. Confused maybe. He isn’t sure how to tackle this kind of stubbornness even after putting up with Jon for so incredibly long.]
It would take too long to tell. That’s how much I’ve done. I’m not of the mindset it couldn’t be fixed. Barely. Some things are unforgivable. But I don’t deserve unnecessary kindness. Especially not someone else’s wish they could have used for themselves.
Anyway, what’s done is done. If I even receive anything... I’ll show you. If I can.
[ It's a concession, she thinks. Or maybe a compromise. At the very least, he's not completely fighting her on this, and if he thinks that there's at least a slight chance that she won't flee from... whatever he's done, Kisa will count that as something promising.
So she merely sighs and offers him a nod. ]
Okay. I--
[ Aaaaand that is about the time she freezes up, because that sure was a low growl coming from the left, and that is most definitely a large, bear-shaped thing heading for them slowly and purposefully. ]
[For being thirteen, it's amazing how zero to sixty Damian can get about combat. One arm shoots out to the side to get her to stop and stay back, but he stands resilient and unafraid as the strange forest bear approaches.]
Put your back to a tree. Don't get in the way.
[It seemed as if he had came with nothing except his fists, but he's a Bat. The bear is faced head on, and he pulls the stone arrowhead dagger he made on the island of sirens out of the inside of his jacket from his waist.] And here I was beginning to get bored and stale. [He's probably smirking; the sneer is in his voice.
He doesn't mind tearing apart mutated forest animals, not really. Not when they're hostile.
Taking off is a showcase in speed and agility. He closes the distance between him and the bear, hopefully leaving Kisa far enough out of the way. The goal is to not get hit. He's smart enough to know taking a swipe is going to hurt--he's banking on being faster, smaller.
Slippery, he skids beneath one of the giant paws and out of range on the side of the snapping teeth. There's no hesitation to plunge the dagger between the ribs, in and out, quickly, and he keeps going because the bear will likely rage. He grabs a fistful of fur, hauls himself onto the back using the dagger as a climbing pick.
Maybe it is true, what he said. About having done a lot of terrible things.]
[ ... Well. This is a fun experience, except not really. Eyes wide and countenance startled, Kisa nonetheless obeys, backing up to press her back against the nearest tree.
Watching Damian fight, actually savage this time instead of attempting not to kill whatever wants him dead, is a little staggering. Through it all, she doesn't move, nor does she look away, as much as she actually wants to shrink back and close her eyes. It's hard to watch.
Not that the bear is making it easy, either. It's still trying to buck Damian off, letting out a roar so loud that snow shivers off the tree branches. But Damian seems to know what he's doing, and as long as the bear doesn't actually charge in her direction, Kisa won't budge.
Maybe it's true, what he said. About having done a lot of terrible things.
But that doesn't change the fact that he's still her friend, and she doesn't want to see him hurt, even though she'd definitely heard that confident sneer in his voice. ]
[The bear is pincushioned. Every chance he's able when not being bucked around, he plunges the dagger into the bear's backside. It rears and roars, and the fur breaks away under his gripping hand. He slips, bumps down, but grabs on again like he's unworried.
He's satisfied with the instigating. It's time to end it mercifully, no matter if it's a mutated creature or a normal one. But as he's scaling the bear's back, it decides, nevermind Kisa, it wants to charge for the tree. Damian thinks it's going to try to squash him.]
Watch out!
[He trips with the sudden burst forth, slamming down on his stomach and hanging on. He has to use the dagger as a climbing pick again, but the bear is unbothered by the pain. Tunnel vision. The struggle to the shoulders while holding on is something else. He shoves the dagger into the side of the bear's neck once he's far enough up, then flings himself over the shoulders and around front.
He drags the dagger with him, clinging to it, pulling it as far across the bear's neck as he can. As long as he's able, he keeps his legs tucked up, until the bear's front crashes down against the ground, and then he drops his heels to try to brake the slide all the way up to Kisa, two or so feet away.
When the rolling dirt settles and the bear ceases growling, all that's left is Damian's labored breathing in the alcove of the bear's head and chest. He yanks the dagger out, covered more than halfway with blood.]
[ Kisa's moved, darted to the side if just because she's not entirely ready to be plowed into by a bear; thankfully, Damian's stopped the attack at the last minute, but it still takes a few additional seconds for her to remember how to breathe.
But slowly, she takes a breath, and then moves forward the remaining two feet to check on Damian. She doesn't think she saw it bite him or get any kind of claw marks scored into his skin, but still. ]
[A moment or two of pause, and then he leans up out of the bulk of the bear as Kisa runs over.] I'm fine. [He's very bloody. There's no telling if it belongs to him or the bear, but bets are definitely on the bear because he's still standing.]
We should go. It made too much noise. Other things could be attracted.
[Despite being... gross, he takes her by the hand and turns them around, his other hand brandishing the dagger low. As if he didn't just bust a huge, mutated bear without breaking too much of a sweat.
He's not running, but unlike before, his pace is brisk and his strides are long. She'll have to work to keep up, at least until they're out of the forest.]
[ That's... probably to be expected, and she can't really blame him, nor does she flinch when he grasps her hand and tugs her along. And to her credit, Kisa does try to keep up, understanding Damian's urgency and staying silent in order to focus on the important things, like. Breathing. Not tripping in her haste to keep up.
Once they're out of the forest and Damian finally stops, though, she's (quietly) breathing hard, one hand pressed over her chest. ]
[Kisa doesn't have to worry about being alone. Damian's stamina is excellent; he's not out of breath, but he pauses alongside her when they're out of the forest so he can try to level his lungs out.
When he lets go of her hand, it's somewhat apologetic. He turns his over and peers at it. He's... covered in blood and messy. RIP. Sorry, Kisa for the dirty hand.]
Are you okay? [She's dying, Damian.] Let's make a deal right here not to go back into the forest for a long while. I'm getting tired of its games.
[WHO WILL BE THE FIRST TO BREAK THIS PROMISE BETWEEN THEM. Damian surely.]
Stop apologizing. [It really doesn't come out as harsh as it otherwise would.] I went because I wanted to go. [And because Kisa shouldn't be alone, and because it was a quest, and because LISTEN.]
A hypothesis cannot be tested unless you're willing to experiment. Can you keep going? [But he doesn't begin moving just yet.] Do you want me to carry you?
N-no-- [ she really doesn't feel like being lugged around as a tiger right now, just because she's a little winded. So long as Damian isn't encouraging more speed-striding, she should be fine. ]
Alright. [He won’t push it. But he doesn’t take her hand again just for the sake of not smearing her with more blood. Great. He’s going to need to either take a cold wash or haul water to heat up to get a hot one. And he’s going to have to scrap these clothes because he isn’t sure they won’t be stained even cleaned.
The jacket is maybe worse. He doesn’t know if it’s lacquered for protection. Dammit.
His pace increases accidentally, and he has to force himself to wait for her. It’s clear, though, that he’s going over a thousand things in his head by his silence and his intense gaze at nothing in particular. A lot of planning and organization. It really isn’t a look most thirteen year old boys have.]
[The hand surprises him, but he doesn’t toss it off.] There’s a lot to do. [Without yanking, he brings her along. Back to the Flavo cottage since that’s where all of his supplies are in the first place.]
If you want to go home, you can. I’ve got to... [Well, he just kind of glances down at himself. Yeah. Bear blood and stuff. It’s fine.] Do some cleaning. [The jacket more importantly.]
![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
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If you think I deserve it, you can use your second wish to see all of the things I've done. [He thinks she probably has something better to wish for; therefore, he has nothing to worry in regards to his his threat.] Then you'll change your mind.
Otherwise, they aren't something a girl should be hearing. All you need to know is they're bad.
no subject
[ Her eyebrows snap together, and while she's silent for a long minute, for once... there's absolutely no indication on how she feels just by looking at her. Her expression is entirely unreadable.
And then, finally: ]
If I... if you don't tell me yourself, then I don't want to know. I'm not going to use a wish just so... you can try to prove me wrong.
Asking me to wish for that instead of hearing it from you... just means you're not ready to believe in me yet. And that's fine.
... But don't say things like that-- that me being a girl means I need to be protected from hearing bad things.
no subject
Jon had told him everyone at school was scared of him. His response? “Good.”] Make no mistake, it isn’t because you’re a girl. I’ve known plenty of girls who have experienced bad things for themselves. It’s because... [He shakes his head dismissively. He appreciates her feistiness about it. That she’ll tell him like it is, wants to hear it from him.]
It’s because you still believe in people.
no subject
He paints such a kind picture of her, but she's still that young tiger struggling to keep from running away from every single thing. She'd fled because she couldn't even believe in herself anymore. She couldn't believe in her classmates. Her mother. She'd been too afraid of disappointing everyone. ]
... Do you... really believe I'd hate you? If I knew?
no subject
[He cuts a look over at her; it’s not angry and it’s not jeering. Confused maybe. He isn’t sure how to tackle this kind of stubbornness even after putting up with Jon for so incredibly long.]
It would take too long to tell. That’s how much I’ve done. I’m not of the mindset it couldn’t be fixed. Barely. Some things are unforgivable. But I don’t deserve unnecessary kindness. Especially not someone else’s wish they could have used for themselves.
Anyway, what’s done is done. If I even receive anything... I’ll show you. If I can.
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So she merely sighs and offers him a nod. ]
Okay. I--
[ Aaaaand that is about the time she freezes up, because that sure was a low growl coming from the left, and that is most definitely a large, bear-shaped thing heading for them slowly and purposefully. ]
no subject
Put your back to a tree. Don't get in the way.
[It seemed as if he had came with nothing except his fists, but he's a Bat. The bear is faced head on, and he pulls the stone arrowhead dagger he made on the island of sirens out of the inside of his jacket from his waist.] And here I was beginning to get bored and stale. [He's probably smirking; the sneer is in his voice.
He doesn't mind tearing apart mutated forest animals, not really. Not when they're hostile.
Taking off is a showcase in speed and agility. He closes the distance between him and the bear, hopefully leaving Kisa far enough out of the way. The goal is to not get hit. He's smart enough to know taking a swipe is going to hurt--he's banking on being faster, smaller.
Slippery, he skids beneath one of the giant paws and out of range on the side of the snapping teeth. There's no hesitation to plunge the dagger between the ribs, in and out, quickly, and he keeps going because the bear will likely rage. He grabs a fistful of fur, hauls himself onto the back using the dagger as a climbing pick.
Maybe it is true, what he said. About having done a lot of terrible things.]
no subject
Watching Damian fight, actually savage this time instead of attempting not to kill whatever wants him dead, is a little staggering. Through it all, she doesn't move, nor does she look away, as much as she actually wants to shrink back and close her eyes. It's hard to watch.
Not that the bear is making it easy, either. It's still trying to buck Damian off, letting out a roar so loud that snow shivers off the tree branches. But Damian seems to know what he's doing, and as long as the bear doesn't actually charge in her direction, Kisa won't budge.
Maybe it's true, what he said. About having done a lot of terrible things.
But that doesn't change the fact that he's still her friend, and she doesn't want to see him hurt, even though she'd definitely heard that confident sneer in his voice. ]
no subject
He's satisfied with the instigating. It's time to end it mercifully, no matter if it's a mutated creature or a normal one. But as he's scaling the bear's back, it decides, nevermind Kisa, it wants to charge for the tree. Damian thinks it's going to try to squash him.]
Watch out!
[He trips with the sudden burst forth, slamming down on his stomach and hanging on. He has to use the dagger as a climbing pick again, but the bear is unbothered by the pain. Tunnel vision. The struggle to the shoulders while holding on is something else. He shoves the dagger into the side of the bear's neck once he's far enough up, then flings himself over the shoulders and around front.
He drags the dagger with him, clinging to it, pulling it as far across the bear's neck as he can. As long as he's able, he keeps his legs tucked up, until the bear's front crashes down against the ground, and then he drops his heels to try to brake the slide all the way up to Kisa, two or so feet away.
When the rolling dirt settles and the bear ceases growling, all that's left is Damian's labored breathing in the alcove of the bear's head and chest. He yanks the dagger out, covered more than halfway with blood.]
no subject
But slowly, she takes a breath, and then moves forward the remaining two feet to check on Damian. She doesn't think she saw it bite him or get any kind of claw marks scored into his skin, but still. ]
Are you okay...?
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We should go. It made too much noise. Other things could be attracted.
[Despite being... gross, he takes her by the hand and turns them around, his other hand brandishing the dagger low. As if he didn't just bust a huge, mutated bear without breaking too much of a sweat.
He's not running, but unlike before, his pace is brisk and his strides are long. She'll have to work to keep up, at least until they're out of the forest.]
no subject
Once they're out of the forest and Damian finally stops, though, she's (quietly) breathing hard, one hand pressed over her chest. ]
my inbox was at 666 until this tag im dying
When he lets go of her hand, it's somewhat apologetic. He turns his over and peers at it. He's... covered in blood and messy. RIP. Sorry, Kisa for the dirty hand.]
Are you okay? [She's dying, Damian.] Let's make a deal right here not to go back into the forest for a long while. I'm getting tired of its games.
[WHO WILL BE THE FIRST TO BREAK THIS PROMISE BETWEEN THEM. Damian surely.]
I'm glad Kisa defeated the Devil
But yeah, give her a minute, she's still kind of wheezing. Kisa manages to nod, at least, to let him know that she's only temporarily dying. ]
Okay... I'm sorry... for making you come with... me...
[ Kisa, breathe. ]
same
A hypothesis cannot be tested unless you're willing to experiment. Can you keep going? [But he doesn't begin moving just yet.] Do you want me to carry you?
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I'm okay... I can keep going.
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The jacket is maybe worse. He doesn’t know if it’s lacquered for protection. Dammit.
His pace increases accidentally, and he has to force himself to wait for her. It’s clear, though, that he’s going over a thousand things in his head by his silence and his intense gaze at nothing in particular. A lot of planning and organization. It really isn’t a look most thirteen year old boys have.]
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Which is why she quietly reaches out to catch hold of his hand anyway. It's fine. She doesn't care about getting dirty. ]
You're... thinking really hard.
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If you want to go home, you can. I’ve got to... [Well, he just kind of glances down at himself. Yeah. Bear blood and stuff. It’s fine.] Do some cleaning. [The jacket more importantly.]
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[ And he got like this protecting her in the first place. Kisa can definitely assist with cleaning. ]