Event Log: Flu Season

[hadrielmods]

Who: All characters
What: The event log for the Flu Season event
Where: All over the city
When: March 20th-March 30th
Warnings: Gross sneezing, sick people, and paranoia

It starts with a cough, a sneeze, a sore throat - something small and simple, easily ignored. But then your symptoms get worse. It's probably been awhile since you've been sick, that sort of thing doesn't usually happen here. You might be able to raid the shops for some tissues and tea before it gets too bad, and hopefully you've got a friend to help out until you get better. Surely it'll be over soon, right?

Until the fever sets in, and you start to understand why your friend is really there. They don't want to take care of you. They want to make sure this is the last anyone will ever see of you. They want to learn all your secrets. They want to steal your most precious possession. You know they're plotting against you, you know they're keeping something from you. What will you do to find out what it is?

Then, as the sickness fades, you realize it was all in your mind. Let's hope you didn't do or say anything too awful. But that friend of yours... they seem to have picked up your cough. Maybe you should help them out?

► This log covers March 20th-March 30th.
► Feel free to make your own logs, as well
► Please tag headers of threads with content warnings where they apply
► Please put your character's name and open/closed in the subject line of your starters!
► If your paranoia ends in murder, please let us know here.

Comments

[puzzlingly]

「From the moment Law freezes, Atem can see this is not the pirate he knows and just as the does, he brings his hand over the pommel of his sword. A second later he shakes his head to himself and lowers his hand, he's not about to hurt his friend, no. He keeps closing the distance between them instead.」

What was that?

[hot_mes]

There's an epidemic in this city. [and that's the thing he's genuinely frightened of in a Fear-is-making-this-worse way] Leaving your house, you're putting yourself at risk.

[he turns toward Atem, still gripping his sword tightly]

Why would you do that after I warned you not to?

[puzzlingly]

I wanted to know how you were doing.

「He can't help but swallow when Law doesn't let go of his sword. Breathe in, breathe out, and repeat.」

I'm fine, Law, I didn't get sick.

「Or he hasn't.」

[hot_mes]

[there's definitely a light of fear deep in his eyes, Atem might remember it from those nightmares not so long ago.]

People are still falling ill! It's not over yet, it hasn't been eradicated. I won't rest until at least a week has gone by with no new cases. Go home, Atem-ya! Don't make me force you.

[puzzlingly]

「For someone as usually collected as Law, it is so damn easy to see the fear in his eyes. Now... now he knows who to blame, and a pang of guilt at how he confronted Fear about [Name] comes to the surface. This cannot possible be his fault but it sure feels like it.」

... Law. Listen to me. There is nothing you can do against it, it's you who needs to go home. When was the last time you slept?

「He can still remember how the pirate put up with him while he was bedridden at the clinic, never even went home to change until he woke up, he seems to be following the same logic here.」

[hot_mes]

[it's not as though Law hasn't decided he can't trust Fear either after that response to Julie's post but...he hasn't said anything out loud. It's all their faults, maybe.

He bristles a little, because Atem is right on the nose - he did faint once, but other than that, it's been a couple of days]

What do you know of it? [and then his gaze darts to the sword] Why are you armed? Is someone trying to kill you again?

[puzzlingly]

It's pretty easy to see--

「Oh man...」

No! Law! Listen, I am fine... Okay? I am! No one is trying to kill me.

「He goes as far as to take the sword, still sheathed, and places it on the ground in front of him.」

There, better?

[hot_mes]

[there's still something wild in his eyes, as he looks sharply around, uncertain. Is this a trick?]

Don't disarm yourself, idiot, if they're after you! Unless...unless you're here to lure me out...

[peak paranoia: everyone is a foe, no one is to be trusted]

...you're here to stop me, aren't you?

[puzzlingly]

「He knew it, he knew that would happen!」

No one is aft-- what? Stop you, how!?

「Goddamn you, Fear.」

[hot_mes]

They knew I would trust you. Let you get close to me. They don't want me to find a cure.

[don't ask who 'they' is, he doesn't even know. It's a nebulous threat, a shadow in his mind he can't shake. Law slides back a step, torn, and then brings up his free hand in that old familiar gesture]

Room!

[there, now no matter what happens, he's prepared]

[puzzlingly]

Who's they!?

「Too late.

But Atem sees the blue aura taking shape and close around them with the now familiar bubble — he shrinks a little bit, it's just an initial reaction, a second later he straightens all the way and faces his friend with the kind of resolve he usually only keeps for serious matters.

Well, this one is one now.」

Law, 「He starts, trying to keep his voice tranquil and even.」 there is nothing else I'd want more than you finding a cure to whatever is going on, but it's not you, it's the gods. There is nothing you can do right now. Please, let me take you home before someone gets hurt.

[hot_mes]

[there is nothing more serious and tragic than two friends facing each other like this. Law, at least, is not afraid of Atem - his life is safe, for what it's worth. That mention gives a shape to the shadow in his mind]

Yeah, the gods. Fuck them. We're not allies, anymore, we're just tools to them.

[his eyes narrow, then, looking the willowy pharaoh up and down for any sign of betrayal]

Why do you keep wanting me to go home? What's waiting there for me? I won't be cornered.

[puzzlingly]

I know... I don't think they ever considered allies either.

「He tries to keep the conversation as normal as he can, it is in fact, not hard at all, he's not afraid of Law either, he knows, that, whatever happens, it's not on him. He will not blame anyone else but himself for not listening to him to start with.」

Because you need to sleep, friend. You're going to hurt yourself if you keep going like that.

[hot_mes]

No. [if he remembers any of this later, he's going to hate himself for losing control of his emotions. He's nothing but a terrified child right now.] I don't need sleep. If you're my friend at all you won't ask me to do what I can't do.

Don't get in my way, Atem-ya. I have work to do.

[puzzlingly]

「It's ok Aang, I mean, Law, you have your pants on, Fire Lord Ozai will not make fun of you. It's terrible, Atem knows that feeling perfectly well and hasn't been able to get over it for a couple of months now, at least he will understand.」

I am your friend Law, that will not stop, but please don't ask me to do that.

「Despite it all, and knowing it might be a mistake he tries to reach for him.」

Think as the doctor you are, you need your rest--

[hot_mes]

[they will both have to get blind stinking drunk when this is over...

The reaching hand is not exactly a threat, but Law's fevered mind sees it as such, the twitch of movement that has him reacting out of pure instinct. With the Room around them he can do almost anything, but some part of him still doesn't want to hurt Atem. So, instead of unsheathing Kikoku and slicing him into puzzle-pieces, his open hand comes forward, fingers crooked as if to grab something.]

Mes!

[it's lightning-fast and then his hand is in Atem's chest - bloodless, painless, but undoubtedly plunged to the wrist in his body]

I can't let you stop me. I'm sorry...Atem-ya...

[he pulls his hand back and with it comes a heart, neatly boxed in a translucent shield similar to the Room and still beating. Atem has about a minute before he passes out to see what's been done and hear the apology, not that it's going to do Law any good.]

[puzzlingly]

「It happens before he can even finish talking.

The sensation would never compare to anything he's ever felt before, not even to the day Law helped him taking off his own eye. It is as if he were trying to swallow a really large chunk of food without choking. It takes him a moment to realize what has happened, and there certainly is more surprise in his eyes than horror at the living organ on his friend's hand. Just a little moment later that he falls on his knees as he tries to grab onto Law's clothes, a strange fatigue falling over him — he's not dying, he knows how that is — ultimately making him feel unable to move.」

Law...

「He can barely whisper his friend's name, and the last thing he listens is the apology, but he can no longer respond to it to tell him that it's... fine. He doesn't blame him.」

[hot_mes]

[Ironically, it is the same command as the one that took the eye, but...this is the ultimate form of it. A scalpel as gentle as the fingers clutched around the heart.

Law lets him fall, doesn't even cushion the tumble, because he's too busy folding that heart against his chest. He can't let anyone see that he has it. It needs to go with the others, somewhere safe. He really didn't mean to make trouble, it's just that this is the fastest way to slow someone down, easy and painless, keeping them out of his way until he's ready to deal with them directly.]

Sleep. You can have it back when I've solved this problem.

[now, to get the hell out of there and squirrel this precious heart away where no one can damage it. It must be kept safe! No one can have it!]

[puzzlingly]