Glacius (
glacius) wrote in
hadriel_logs2016-11-25 07:12 pm
Entry tags:
You must bear your neighbor's burden within reason.
Who: Glacius (
glacius) and Carlisle (
tongueamok)
What: Glacius' self-loathing and guilt force him to retreat after he takes the life of a possessed Emily. After waking Carlisle comes to check in on him, only to discover that the alien's physical injuries, despite their gruesomeness, are the least of the otherworldly being's wounds.
Where: Glacius' apartment (Spire Two, 401)
When: November 22nd.
Warnings: Mention of gore and other troubling stuff.
After bringing Carlisle to the clinic, making sure that his injuries had been stabilized, and being assured that his friend--if he even deserved to call him that any more after his complete and utter failure to the clergyman-- would pull through, Glacius had immediately departed from the premises. The humans that had currently been staffing the establishment had tried to insist that he stay and be allowed to be treated too, but he was having none of it. He didn't feel deserving of kindness right now and he certainly didn't want to be asked to explain what had happened to them both--or what had happened to the poor soul that hadn't been able to be brought with them. The ice alien pushed his way through them and departed, the only evidence that he'd been the one to bring Carlisle here the sizable trail of purple blood that he left in his wake.
After that he stumbled back to his apartment and spent the rest of the night in a fog, pain and fatigue combining with his raw guilt and anguish, making it impossible to think. At some point he must have cleaned the raw, ragged cuts that had ravaged the right side of his face to keep infection from claiming him, but he'd done nothing beyond that to take care of himself, physically or otherwise. He didn't see the point in keeping himself going. He simply retreated to his bedroom and spent the rest of the night curled up in a tight ball on the floor of his bedroom, passing in and out of consciousness and fits of raw, unguarded sorrow. His mental state had degraded so thoroughly that he wasn't even aware when night passed into morning, nor was he conscious of what a mess he'd left his apartment--purple bloodstains smeared on the doors, the handles, dripped all over the floors--or even himself.
Of course that he meant that he also wasn't aware that he was going to have company very shortly, though he was desperately in need of somebody to come and shake him out of his rapid descent into the dark pits of depression.
What: Glacius' self-loathing and guilt force him to retreat after he takes the life of a possessed Emily. After waking Carlisle comes to check in on him, only to discover that the alien's physical injuries, despite their gruesomeness, are the least of the otherworldly being's wounds.
Where: Glacius' apartment (Spire Two, 401)
When: November 22nd.
Warnings: Mention of gore and other troubling stuff.
After bringing Carlisle to the clinic, making sure that his injuries had been stabilized, and being assured that his friend--if he even deserved to call him that any more after his complete and utter failure to the clergyman-- would pull through, Glacius had immediately departed from the premises. The humans that had currently been staffing the establishment had tried to insist that he stay and be allowed to be treated too, but he was having none of it. He didn't feel deserving of kindness right now and he certainly didn't want to be asked to explain what had happened to them both--or what had happened to the poor soul that hadn't been able to be brought with them. The ice alien pushed his way through them and departed, the only evidence that he'd been the one to bring Carlisle here the sizable trail of purple blood that he left in his wake.
After that he stumbled back to his apartment and spent the rest of the night in a fog, pain and fatigue combining with his raw guilt and anguish, making it impossible to think. At some point he must have cleaned the raw, ragged cuts that had ravaged the right side of his face to keep infection from claiming him, but he'd done nothing beyond that to take care of himself, physically or otherwise. He didn't see the point in keeping himself going. He simply retreated to his bedroom and spent the rest of the night curled up in a tight ball on the floor of his bedroom, passing in and out of consciousness and fits of raw, unguarded sorrow. His mental state had degraded so thoroughly that he wasn't even aware when night passed into morning, nor was he conscious of what a mess he'd left his apartment--purple bloodstains smeared on the doors, the handles, dripped all over the floors--or even himself.
Of course that he meant that he also wasn't aware that he was going to have company very shortly, though he was desperately in need of somebody to come and shake him out of his rapid descent into the dark pits of depression.

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"You did not want to do it, Glacius," he insists, his voice as unsteady as his breath. "Remorse is what separates us from the monsters, remember? Both you and I. Neither of us wanted what- what it is we sometimes do, either through accident or adversity, but it is our inclination to grieve, and seek forgiveness, that makes us who we are."
And that inclination is one that that so separates Glacius from Algidus, as well. The latter seemed to have no problem with causing pain and never apologizing for it, so willing to maintain his pride over what connections he'd fostered; Glacius, however, is far kinder, far softer, far more understanding. Perhaps Algidus was an aberrant after all, but just as Carlisle refused to give up on him, so he now refuses to abandon Glacius in his time of need. After all, if he cannot do this, then what good is he in keeping around?
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The alien continues to grieve, apologizing again and again, as if it could change anything-- as if it could make anything better. The words feel empty even to him, and in time he'll likely look back on this behavior with some modicum of embarrassment, but he' spent a long time in this cave keeping the worst of his emotions under lock and key. Now he needs a chance to vent, to try and expel all of that ugly sorrow and self-loathing--and just as importantly, to mourn for his friend, and the horrible events that were forced to come to pass.
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"A moment while I fetch a few things," he utters, easing to his feet, clamping his mouth shut as he rises to stifle the pain in his middle. He steps into the bathroom, hoping the first aid supplies Glacius had mentioned before will be in an obvious enough location.
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As for Carlisle's task, nothing is left out in the open--the supplies were valuable, so Glacius didn't want to leave them just lying around. He's stowed bigger items in the cabinet under the sink, and smaller ones--like tubes of antibiotic ointment and bottles of medicine--in another compartment fastened to the wall across from it. By the time the clergyman returns to the man room, the ice alien has balled his fists against the ground and is attempting to sit up straight, pulling in deep and rhythmic breaths through flaring gills. The sound of approaching footsteps pulls him out of what is undoubtedly an attempt to calm and regather himself, and he quickly notes the medical supplies that the human is carrying.
"... Good. Good, yes, I should... I should see to your injuries. I need to begin... making all this up to you, in whatever way I can."
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Carlisle sets the supplies on the floor, pulling the top off the bottle of disinfectant so he can coat the washrag. His eyes widen just a hair at Glacius' suggestion, as though he'd forgotten that was even on the table. "Your face, first. We should put something over it, so the raw flesh doesn't b- become infected. Does it need to heal before you rebuild the ice over it?"
Is that him trying to gloss over the subject? Absolutely.
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"Technically there needs to be at least partial healing, yes. Ice can be reformed over an open wound by adhering to intact shell around it, but in order for both layers of my body to truly join, there must be skin for the for the ice to adhere to. Think of... ehm... an icy lake, with a hole bored deep into it, exposing water that had not yet frozen further down. A thin layer could freeze over the top of the hole, effectively covering the opening, but it would be a brittle, easily dislodged. Now, if the waters were allowed to freeze over again and ice built up from there, it would be much thicker, and far more solid. Does... that make sense?"
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He pours some disinfectant onto the rag, setting the bottle aside. "Would you rather I do this, or would you prefer to do it yourself? It will sting, though admittedly, probably not as much as my own magic just did."
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That laid out between them, Glacius turns his head away so that the ruined side of his face is now pointing towards Carlisle and shuts his eyes. Though the clergyman's healing has put it in a much better state than the ragged and raw wound it was before, it's still extremely brutal and ugly-looking-- by far the worst part is the torn open socket that Carlisle is now looking straight at. Where his mandible once attached, now there's nothing more than a deep, gaping hole from which a jagged piece of bone protrudes. It is obviously extremely painful to the alien still... but after everything he's been through in his life, both back on earth and here in this cave, he seems sadly used to that.
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"Let's get started then. I'll do this as quickly as possible." And try not to let his hands shake too much. He prepares to press the rag to Glacius' face, cleaning around the wound and working his way out. "Any bandages we have may not work well, given your, er. Composition. I'm not entirely sure how your people treat such wounds."
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Glacius is going into such a long-winded explanation to try and keep his mind off of the pain while the disinfectant gets to work, but given what Carlisle knows about the alien's culture and their value of secrecy, the fact that he's explaining any of this to begin with may be fairly significant. Somewhere along the line the ice alien's walls have begun to come down around the clergyman... the fact that he was so open with his emotions just a moment ago was further proof of that. Perhaps it's not all that surprising, given how Carlisle has been right at his side in the moments where he needed help the most... but Glacius is a creature who is still learning to open himself up to people, so when he realizes this his eyes widen and his breath hitches in a startled manner. He momentarily leans his head away from the cloth to turn to face the man, but then it occurs to him that Carlisle will likely take this as a sign of distress or disapproval... so he gradually settles his wound against the clergyman's palm, covered in a rag now soaked in both disinfectant and his blood.
Though his guilt is still strong over everything that has transpired, and he's still not sure if he deserves this kind attention, the otherworldly creature is beginning to realize what a comfort it is to have someone else around when things feel like they can't get any worse. Glacius pulls in a deep and shaky breath and then tilts his head against Carlisle's hand a little more thoroughly now, like he's tentatively testing out what it's like to allow himself this sort of solace from someone... and maybe it's just the exhaustion finally taking its toll on him, but after a few moments he seems to settle, as his eyelids settle nearly shut.
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But the worst doesn't come. True to his softer nature, Glacius doesn't lash out, but instead settles back against Carlisle's hand, allowing him to continue working. Breathing a sigh of relief, he can't help but smile just a little. He feels... useful here, even as Glacius leans further into his grasp. It's so odd to see someone so strong so vulnerable, so in need of help from someone like him.
He finishes up, taking a look at his handiwork. It isn't any prettier, but at least it's clean. "How does that feel?" he asks, breaking the silence.
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His brow furrows. He's not entirely sure how they're going to do that, aside from the obvious 'go all the way around his head' method.
"We might have to be a tad creative with it."
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"We'll have to go around your entire head, for one," he says softly. "And unless you are hiding some of that salve your people use, someone will need to change it at least once every day or so, lest it fester."
His eyes flick to and away from Glacius in that moment; Carlisle is aware people tend to tolerate him in small doses, and assumes the alien might prefer someone else -- someone with more medical knowledge, perhaps -- tend to him from here on out.
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... And if he's honest with himself, there's one person who he knows that he can trust with those particular vulnerabilities. It's the clergyman sitting right next to him, who's already seen him at his lowest and shouldered him through it. The demon might have fallen, but its death has given fuel to plenty of his own--and Carlisle has always been understanding and supportive when it comes to talking him through things so that he can ward them off. Glacius may not be ready to openly admit it yet, but he's coming to realize that he's going to need that support moving forward if he really ways to come to grips with everything that has transpired.
So the big icy creature lowers his head slightly and averts his eyes. "I... I know it is not my place to ask this of you, not after... such a colossal failure. But if you... if you wanted to stop by, I... I wouldn't mind," Glacius tries, his gills fluttering one after the other, like a human might wet their lips in apprehension. "You... you have been good to me, have never judged me for my weaknesses... and I know that right now, I am far from the strength and nobility that I normally aspire to. I don't want anyone else to see me like this, but I know that you understand, and that... that means more to me than I can say, Carlisle."
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So he's completely surprised when Glacius doesn't turn him away, but gives him a standing invitation to return -- it's one Carlisle is elated to accept, a genuine grin pulling at him in spite of Glacius' apparent shame in asking for such assistance. It's true that Glacius isn't the pinnacle of strength he usually is, but being allowed to see this side of him has been enlightening... and encouraging. Carlisle feels he actually can do something for his alien friend, that he can be of use to him in more than simply a healing capacity.
"I—" He feels his face burn -- he's not used to the feeling of hope welling in his chest. "I would be happy to, Glacius. I- I- I mean, honored. Honored to help in some way. You... you, too, have seen me at the lowest I have been in some time, and stood by me despite- despite what I am and what I have done. It's... important to me that I'm able to help you, to somehow repay all that you have done for me when I didn't deserve it."
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"You... you don't need to repay me, Carlisle. You've always been at my side, even when it put your wellbeing at risk. If anything, this will be a chance for me to... make up for my failures from the day before. I have a lot of that to do..." Not just with the clergyman, though that's going to be his starting point since he's right here and he's been so good to him. "... I would like to begin working on that, if I could. Let us figure out how we can bandage my wounds, so that I can move on to seeing to yours."
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"I suppose we'll need to.. hm." He tilts his head, trying to figure out the best way to go about this. "Right. Pack it with some gauze, then wrap over the top. That seems like that will be the best course of action?"
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That need to make it up to Carlisle is part of the reason he's doing his very best to be a good patient, despite the fact that the human is suggesting things that sound painful or unpleasant. When he rises up to his knees the alien lowers his head again--not insignificant, given that's posture meant to show deference to another--to make it easier for him to reach. "I... I suppose," Glacius grits out, none too pleased, but going along with all of this anyways. "Try to avoid wrapping anything in front of my eye... my eyes," he corrects himself, remembering that it was thanks to Carlisle that he even has the one on the right side of his face at all. "... Don't know... how you did that. Even weakened, your abilities are... remarkable."
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"It's simply a matter of using my energy to coax your body into repairing the damage," he explains. "I can also use it to manipulate your energy into helping me accomplish this." He reaches over Glacius' head, using his spikes to keep the bandages from covering his eyes. "Admittedly, your alien anatomy makes this a little difficult, but the principle is th—ghk!"
The bandage roll falls to the floor, leaving a trail of linen behind it as Carlisle curls in on himself; he stretched his torso too far, the stitches pulling against his tender, wounded skin. One hand goes to his chest, right over the rips in his tabard, while the other grabs a hold of Glacius' shoulder as Carlisle uses the alien to steady himself. He takes a shallow breath and continues talking, as though he may be able to brush it off and minimize his reaction if he just rushes past it. His voice shakes with his body as he tries to recover.
"P- pri- principle is the- the same, I s- suppose from world to world."
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"Enough of this," the ice alien rumbles out, "I have let you exert yourself too much on my behalf already. I will sit by while you are clearly tired and in pain no longer."
Without waiting for any protest, Glacius slings an arm low around Carlisle's waist and then tucks the clergyman carefully against his body so that he can heft him in his arms as he rises up to his feet. Staggering briefly--agony and exhaustion have been sapping at his strength all through the night and morning--he regains his balance and starts walking them into the guest bedroom, perhaps more accurately called Carlisle's bedroom since he's been the only guest to stay in it. The ice alien lays him down on the bed, just as he did not all that long ago when the human had been too drunk and too worn down by his own problems to make it to his home alone, then steps back slightly.
"I am going to fetch what medical supplies I have... take this time to remove those garments," he suggests, having no idea that being seen without some one's clothes on could be cause for shame or embarrassment-- or that Carlisle has his own personal woes about exposing himself in such a manner. "I will be waiting outside your door. Call for me when you are ready."
And with that he's gone from the room, leaving the clergyman with some privacy in which to prepare himself for tending.
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His breath hitches again as the alien picks him up -- gentle as he tries to be, the movement still pulls on Carlisle's already aggravated injuries, sucking the air and fight out of him all at once. He shuts his eyes and tries to keep any further signs of pain to himself; by the time he opens them again, he's being deposited in the guest bedroom (the one he stayed in, but not his room, as surely Glacius will have other guests at some point). He tries to protest, but out the door Glacius goes, leaving him to undress.
It hadn't occurred to Carlisle until that moment that Glacius' people would likely have no qualms about seeing one another unclothed; after all, it doesn't seem they wear clothes at all, but rather liken the more human concept of nudity to when they must expose their underbodies. Carlisle is not only human and clergy, and therefore does have some ingrained resistance to being completely unclothed, but he also has other issues with it, ones he would rather not expose to just anyone.
But Glacius isn't just anyone -- Glacius is is friend, one who has already seen him vulnerable, worn. The alien has stood by him longer than Carlisle would stand by himself. And more than that, he agreed to Glacius' terms when insisting he be allowed to heal the icy giant's jaw, and certainly won't be getting out of his end of the deal now that he's stuck in the guest bedroom with said giant waiting for him just beyond the door. His chest and his old wounds ache, and his nerves only seem to make the tremors running through him worse.
But he finally does get started after another minute or two of silent, worried contemplation. He begins with the tabard, undoing the buttons carefully. His hands are too shaky to repair the tears across the front himself, but perhaps Emily will not mind doing so once she returns... if she returns. It could have been worse, he reminds himself. It could have been him and Glacius. The alien might have preferred that, but Carlisle isn't eager to risk a revival from the false gods. He has been close to death enough times already, one incident in particular bringing him far closer than others.
Next comes his jacket, slipped off and laid beside his tabard on the bed. The shirt beneath is skin-tight, and torn as well -- at least it wasn't irreparably ruined in the middle, as it had been on his right arm when a mimic nearly bit the limb off. He considers leaving the shirt on, but as the bandages around his torso go up fairly high, off it goes as well, pulled from him bit by bit so as not to worsen the rips. With the one sleeve and glove still attached to it, that leaves him with only the ink-stained bandage on his arm, the remaining glove, and the bloodied bandages around his chest.
And, of course, the dark scars that trail outward from the bottom of the wrappings around his middle: deep, violet claw marks from a wound long healed, but one that plagues him nonetheless to this day. Carlisle takes a deep breath and tries to fight the mortification written across him as he crosses his arms, becoming the very picture of discomfort. "I'm ready."
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The blood staining the bandages is certainly worrisome, but what immediately catches the alien's attention is those dark purple scars that rake across his abdomen. Glacius is quite sure that is not the color human flesh is supposed to be-- and he's seen a lot of grisly wounds thanks to his time in Ultratech's clutches. In fact, it looks more like an old scarring that would result in of his species, given the color of their insides. He's not sure at all what to make of it, but given how he'd seen Carlisle clutching at his middle in distress a number of times today, he can't help the surge of concern that wells up inside him.
He also, unfortunately, has no idea that calling attention to these scars is going to likely make the human feel so much worse about being exposed in this manner. He's already been staring, first in shock and then in intent examination, but now he flicks his eyes up to the clergyman's face. "Carlisle--what is this. Are those wounds infected? What... what should I do?"
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"Nothing," he insists. "Old wounds you need not concern yourself with."
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