A medical emergency

[fadingworld]

A deep navy cloak hides his features and the more ornate tunic the courtesan usually wears to greet his clients. Mal hunches his shoulders and slides through the crowds hoping to avoid notice. He keeps his head down until he reaches the home of the doctor and wraps smartly on the door. "Open up," he calls in a voice that expects to be listened to.

How much time did he have? He could not have a client bleeding out. Not this one. Not one who had come to him for help, to be treated privately.

Comments

[fadingworld]

"I can well see that," Mal says softly. "You listen to your heart, you cannot stay clinical about a person. Why did you leave? Was it because you were only wintering there?" There is no judgement there, Mal would find that a perfectly normal reason.

[mandragoraspiritus]

He gives a hum of affirmation. "We were searching for a young lady, the adopted daughter of one of my friends. The stay in Beauclair was more of necessity than anything else, rather than braving the mountain passes in cold and harsh weather. We parted on good terms, the lady and I, and though I was one of the driving forces of our departure, I did silently and privately lament it a bit."

[fadingworld]

Mal turns his head to press a kiss to Regis' arm. "We lose a little of ourselves to those we meet and gain a little of them to take away with us," he says softly.

"There is a little of her spirit or personality that you carry."

[mandragoraspiritus]

"Oh, I lament no longer," Regis assures, bowing his head until he can bury his nose into Mal's hair, drawing in a dep breath to catch his scent more clearly. "I merely think of her fondly from time to time."

[fadingworld]

"You can speak of her any time, or of anyone else. There is so much to learn about you." He shuts his eyes contentedly. "I remember you said time passes differently for you. Does it seem like a long time since you had someone to share yourself with?"

[mandragoraspiritus]

"It both seem like no time at all as well as an eternity," he muses in a far away tone, falling silent for a moment before deciding to honestly explain.

"At the goal of our travel I was very severely hurt. From a human perspective, I died. My body was utterly destroyed. But life and death is not the same for us as it is for you. I still lived, though I was not at all aware of the world. I did no reasoning, no thinking. But, I still was. No doubt, I would still have been in that place and in that state had not Dettlaff found my remains and had he not taken it upon himself to regenerate me in his own blood." He breathes a soft sigh, tightening his hold around Mal just a bit. "Truthfully, I am still recovering from the ordeal."

[fadingworld]

Mal twists in Regis' arms until he is facing him and hugs the vampire close. He can feel the pain as he rests their foreheads together.

"Are you in any pain still?" he asks softly, "Or just recovering strength still?"

[mandragoraspiritus]

"There's no pain," Regis assures, "though I am far from peak form. It doesn't help me that I abstain from blood - for while we don't need it to live it does give us strength - but I am willing to stick to the slow path to recovery to not have to risk another dive into addiction."

[fadingworld]

Mal nods. HE can understand it. A couple of suggestions spring to mind on a way to take blood if was given in a glass or put into food. He decides not to voice these otherwise it may look like he is encouraging an addiction.

"Are you glad..." Mal pauses. "This is a very personal question. Are you glad he restored you with his blood?"

[mandragoraspiritus]

"I am, yes, more than I can ever put into words. The experience of..." He trails off for a moment, for there is another thing he can't put into words. Death?

"It was not pleasant, where I was before he found me, and in that state I would have had to linger there for decades, perhaps centuries. He could have just left me there but instead with no personal gain he took care of me and in so doing created a bond between us stronger than I could ever even begin to explain. I didn't only regain my body but I gained a close companion, a brother."

[fadingworld]

Mal thinks back to the reason Regis had to be shunned by his kind. It tugs at his heart strings now as he fully comprehends the weight of his decision. It came at so much personal cost. More than his heart could fully comprehend.

He swallows and presses his lips, soft and understanding to the vampire's.

[mandragoraspiritus]

There's a soft little noise from Regis when Mal's lips presses to him, the kiss not entirely expected. He quickly relaxes into it, though, the next sound coming from him being a contented sigh.

[fadingworld]

The kiss lingers on, ending as Mal drops his head to nuzzle the side of Regis' neck. "I will do my best to look out for trouble for you so you don't get into a situation like that again."

Would Regis hate him if he gave his own blood to help strengthen him in dire need? He hopes they don't have to find out.

[mandragoraspiritus]

"Do not worry, Mal," he comforts, gently petting his hair and keeping him tucked in close. "It was a situation risen from deep care, and that is not something I intend to avoid."

[fadingworld]

Mal makes a noise of contentment at the touch. "Good," he murmurs. "I definitely like you in one piece. Or," his eyes dance, "In smoke."

He yawns. "The most trouble I could cause is a discontented Duke looking for me."

[mandragoraspiritus]

There's a chuckle from Regis, then. "I am almost surprised that we haven't heard anything from the Madame so far." He has half expected that she come at least offer to take Mal back.

[fadingworld]

Mal grins, "I wonder if she is waiting to see if I will walk back in of my own accord. She always said we would not survive out in the real world."

[mandragoraspiritus]

"Perhaps in some time, we should go offer our medical services to make sure she knows she is proven wrong." Tucked in as Mal is he might not see the wide and toothy grin, but even so his tone is full of glee.

[fadingworld]

Mal laughs in sheer delight. "Lets," he says, "Please! We could also offer the Madame the once over." And what fun that could be!

[mandragoraspiritus]

"Let's," Regis echoes in agreement. "As soon as you are trained enough to handle things mostly on your own."

[fadingworld]

Mal all but wriggles with glee. "It's a pity it would be wrong to disturb her by making her think there was something seriously wrong with her."

[mandragoraspiritus]

"That would indeed be going against our very profession." Still Regis doesn't sound appalled by the idea. "Still, I suppose some deviation from the healer's path would perhaps be justified, should she get it into her mind to cause us trouble."

[fadingworld]

Mal grins and looks up. "Of course, it won't really do her any harm." He could spend a fair bit of time thinking of fake illnesses. But there he goes go yawning again.

"I will dream a few ideas up."

[mandragoraspiritus]

There's a fond noise from Regis, who bows his head to press a kiss to Mal's forehead.

"Sleep. And dream pleasant dreams."

[fadingworld]

"Thank you," Mal says softly, shutting his eyes more firmly. "Remember, you don't have to stay all night if you want to get up and read or do your own things." His voice is sleep filled and he's soon sound asleep.