un: absterge | video

[downswing]

( Two men and a xenomorph walk into a tavern —

...alternatively, stumble down a woodland road, breath staggered, seemingly drained — if not by the weight of the enormous forest creature they carry, bled and bound to a makeshift pallet of decayed logs, then by the constant, jittery effort to evade the strikes of its tail.

The Doctor drags the animal’s wooden bed by long, loosely woven strips of ripped cloth. Lan Wangji holds the pendant with one hand and his own cutting strings that fetter the beast with the other.

For their trouble, the creature’s tail lovingly smacks the Doctor on his flank, then thwaps Lan Wangji’s temple, on the swing back. It growls its thanks after, before settling into a... disturbing... purr... that seems to indicate the time to nap is nigh.

The Doctor, then: ) It's settling down a bit already! Just needed a proper looking after, really, like anything.

( Well said, Doctor. For your effort, have a nice, friendly, sleepy tail smack on the back. So Wangji doesn’t feel jealous, the snoring beast peers over his shoulder, drenching it in a sea of... drool. He sighs. )

We bear one of the Beastmaster’s creatures. Feral, wounded. Enemy of the Huntress in the woods.

( Who should have been long culled, but don’t let Lan Wangji’s long-suffering expression convince you of that. The enemy or their enemy, so on. )

It requires... healing to resume duties. We number those who know the care of animals?

( ooc: ...sorry, cave buddies, just going to park Fido in the back real quick! Any veterinarians in the house? )

Comments

[downswing]

When he deflects, worry. His silence, worry.

There is not a moment when he does not concern.

[makemeasong]

You've never seen him save the world.

[downswing]

A habit?

[makemeasong]

There's a lot of arseholes in the universe Wangji.

If he had his TARDIS here, he'd have gotten everyone off this planet within a day, tops, then come back to figure out how to fix it. Probably alone or he'd try to at least, but luckily some of us are too stubborn to let him to that.

Right, Doctor?

[downswing]

Do not encourage him.

[makemeasong]

You're the one who let him bring back something from the woods.

[downswing]

How would you have opposed him?

[makemeasong]

I would've shouted at him and dragged him away by the bowtie when he tried to insist. It's worked before.

[downswing]

At the next turn, teach me your ways.

1/2

[makemeasong]

Distraction is also a good tactic, just point him in the direction of the nearest shiny object.

2/2; private

[makemeasong]

He's curious, he wants to help every living thing, and he knows more than any one single being should.

It gets him hurt sometimes. He doesn't know how to not take care of something, even if it means that something is trying to kill him.

private

[downswing]

You love him.

[makemeasong]

[ That isn't what she expected, not in any way.

She's tried (and has actually been really good at, to her credit) to lock those feelings away to keep them nice and neat. He's the Doctor, timeless and larger than life. She's Clara, human and fragile and finite. It doesn't work for a lot of reasons, and he's her best friend—she'd rather have that than nothing, and she's decided she's alright with it.

Unfortunately for her, this is video, and in the seconds his words leave her stunned, the answer is probably clear. ]

Nah. I mean, not any more than he loves me, or anyone else for that matter.

[thedreamer]

Right, should have mentioned. Two hearts, respiratory bypass system, a few other bits and bobs.

And you're worrying for no reason at all, the pair of you, I'm perfectly fine. I'm a grown adult, in fact! More than once.

[downswing]

...more than once.

( He is doomed to a life of this: slowly but surely repeating the absurdities uttered as normal around him. )

[thedreamer]

There was another version of me here before, a long time ago I think? Did you know him? Funny little fellow, though with splendid sartorial taste.

[ Bowtie. Ahem. ]

[downswing]

...a kindly man.

[thedreamer]

Oh good! Dread to think I left a bad impression.

We're the same, of course, him and I, with some differences as one ages.

[ He is being remarkably diplomatic talking about his past self. He loathes himself so much he's usually not this...generous. ] Of course, he was only a few hundred years old and I'm over a thousand years now.

[ He doesn't talk about this part much. But. It has to be explained. ]

[downswing]

He appeared elder.

[thedreamer]

Bit of a lottery, that, my faces. Don't get a say in the matter, old or young.

[ He knows some of his future and what should happen, but here, he's just as mortal as the rest of them. No regeneration cycles left. ]

[downswing]

You are... the strangest creature.

[thedreamer]

People never really stop telling me that. But you're kind to say it, thank you.

[downswing]

Perhaps it is no compliment. Only resignation.

[thedreamer]

I'll grant you. But it's honest resignation and honesty is a kindness.

[ This, he does believe. Even if he sometimes withholds information. Even if through his nature, he's sometimes less than transparent. ]

[downswing]

You know unkindness as well as animals?