burnbrighter | inbox 🐾 songerein.

I could use your assistance, then.

[After a moment, a hand-drawn map drawn with where he's currently staying starred appears on the page.]

Can you meet me here?

on my way

[ It's scribbled onto the page somewhat hurriedly, which means Thoma was already running out the door as he was writing. He does have to make a stop in the plaza for supplies, and since he doesn't know what kind of state Diluc is in, he just kind of grabs a bit of everything.

Still, it's not too long before he shows up at Diluc's door. He does knock, but if there's no answer after a moment, he's definitely letting himself inside. ]

Master Diluc?

Come in.

[Upon entry, Thoma will find Diluc's dwelling sparse but functional. There's a bed, a small (and stocked) kitchen with a table, and a desk pushed up against the far side of the room with Diluc's journal and various other notes. He's wasted no time in taking notes and gathering information about the dreamworld in which they currently live.

Diluc himself is seated on the bed, shirtless and holding a damp cloth against his left side. There's a dark bruise blossoming in the center of his abdomen. He looks up at Thoma as he steps inside--alert, if obviously in pain. That's a good sign, at least?]

Thank you for coming.

[ Thoma pushes the door shut with his foot after he enters, turning to look the place over briefly. Honestly, considering they've all only been there for a short time, he isn't going to judge the decor - or lack thereof. His own home is similarly bare, save for some potted flowers sitting in the window.

In any case, Diluc is his priority. Thoma steps up to the bed and sets his bag of things down on the mattress as he frowns over at the other man. ]

As if I could refuse. What happened?

A man overwhelmed with negative dreamotion energy was tearing through the woods. I went to confront him.

[Carefully, Diluc removes the compress to reveal a nasty burn that takes up a large portion of his left side.]

I was ill-equipped to do so. This is the worst of it, although I may have cracked a rib or two as well. It hurts some to breathe.

[He says this as casually as if he was telling Thoma about the weather, even if his voice betrays the pain he's in a bit.]

By yourself?

[ Duh, Thoma. Obviously Diluc went by himself, or he wouldn’t have needed to call for help. That burn only makes his frown deepen. If he’d been there, maybe this wouldn’t have happened.

Granted, he and Diluc are still practically strangers, but Thoma still can’t help but feel responsible. There are people here from his home and he wants to look out for them. ]

You’re really lucky it wasn’t worse, you know. We barely understand what these dreamotion abilities are capable of. You could have been killed.

[ He turns to dig through his bag of supplies, coming up with salve and bandages as well as some alcohol for any other cuts and scrapes he might have. ]

Yes, by myself.

[Diluc sighs, a tired sound as opposed to a defensive one. Even he's aware that he's been taken down a couple of pegs by this and their still-recent fight within the nightmare. This is the second time he's had to depend on Thoma's intervention to make up for his shortcomings, even if they never actually discussed the first time, and it's an uncomfortable feeling at best.]

I'm well aware. I pulled back before the situation became that dire.

[But even then, he's lucky that the demon let him. Had he been less laser-focused on whatever target he'd been after in the first place, Diluc doubts he would have been able to walk away so easily. Or at all.]

[ Thoma sighs as well, a sound that sits somewhere between exasperated and being used to this sort of thing. He plops down on the mattress with Diluc and all his stuff, while he dabs a bit of alcohol onto some cloth and leans over to dab at a scrape on Diluc's cheek. ]

It's really admirable that you went out there to help, but a little more caution wouldn't go amiss.

[ To his credit he tries to make the next bit sound casual as he can. He's aware of how intervening so heavily in the dream realm might have been a blow to Diluc's pride. Thoma might not know much about Diluc as a person, but he's well acquainted with stories of his prowess in battle - even all the way across the ocean. ]

At least ask me to come with you next time.

[Diluc winces almost imperceptively in response to the alcohol's sting, but otherwise he doesn't resist or complain as Thoma begins the work of tending to him.

Even with as casual as Thoma is speaking, there's something in the way he says it that makes Diluc realize he's proceeding carefully. It's appreciated, even if Diluc's not certain he deserves as much. Ultimately it boils down to the simple fact that Thoma has a far better understanding of how this world works than Diluc does. As a result, he's been better able to adapt while Diluc keeps hitting walls. Frustrating, and definitely pride-bruising, but not insurmountable.

Thoma has proven to be reliable and trustworthy in the few times they've interacted in this place. The very fact that Diluc invited him here to assist is testament to how highly he thinks of him--he's more than capable of tending to himself if necessary. But... well, maybe working with the Traveler has planted a bit of a seed in him that being self-sufficient to the point of isolation isn't always a desirable outcome.

Maybe.]

I typically work alone, but... I will.

[The statement is followed by a bit of awkward silence. Just because he's willing to be cooperative doesn't suddenly make him social.]

Edited 2021-11-10 23:40 (UTC)

[ While Diluc mulls over his answer, Thoma is content to stay quiet and work his way from small injury to small injury before he has to address the much larger issue of the burn on the other man’s side. He hasn’t quite figured out how to address the broken ribs just yet.

The answer he gets is frankly much more than he expected, and it startles a laugh out of him. ]

I’m not gonna lie, I thought it was going to be a harder sell than that. You strike me as kind of a lone wolf.

[Diluc is, by all metrics, a good patient while Thoma works--he remains still and shifts position as necessary as he goes from wound to wound. Post-combat clean up is practically routine for him, given how often he spends his nights scouring the streets and surrounding areas looking for some service that needs to be done for Mondstadt. How many times has he had to tend to his own injuries? Or had to sit there while Adelinde has done so?

And he'll take Thoma's easy demeanor over the thinly veiled worry and disapproval he gets from her.]

You're not wrong in your assessment.

[To say the least.]

However... I'm not so stubborn or proud as not to realize that I'm out of my depth when faced with dreams. Falling back onto old patterns will get me killed. You said as much yourself.

I guess I did say that, didn't I?

[ Said in a way that implies he absolutely remembers what he said and is at least a little pleased that Diluc is taking his words to heart.

He gives the other man a once-over to assess if there's anything else that needs addressing before he moves on to the burn. Thoma hadn't been sure what to expect when it came to Diluc's injuries, but he figured with a Pyro Vision in play, burns were a possibility. He reaches for the small tub of salve he picked up - something that is supposed to soothe burns specifically. ]

Move your hand please. [ Then, as he begins to put ointment on the wound-- ] Your Vision... you mostly use it offensively, right?

[Diluc absolutely catches what Thoma's saying between his words. But he has nothing to add to it--they're of the same mind, even if they got to that point differently, so there's nothing more to say. Instead, he simply moves his hand out of the way as requested.

The burn is by far the worst of his external injuries, and he's not able to stop himself from hissing in pain as Thoma starts tending to it. To his credit, he doesn't flinch and pull away. This isn't the first time he's had to suffer first aid, and it won't be the last.]

I do, but that's not what caused this. The demon I fought was able to conjure fire.

[A thoughtful pause.]

You use yours quite differently, if how you fought in the nightmare was any indication.

[ Thoma is as gentle as he can be, but some things are simply going to hurt no matter how much care he takes with them. Diluc is a model patient, at least - he knows what to expect, so Thoma doesn't feel the need to apologize whenever he happens to make the other man grit his teeth. ]

I see. Good thing I came prepared.

[ He nods, humming quietly in affirmation. ]

That's right. I tend to focus more on defense. Of course, I can still throw some fire around to attack, but I'm best at conjuring shields.

[ Which is something he was going to bring up anyway, if Diluc had resisted his offer for help. ]

[Even if Thoma had apologized, as far as Diluc is concerned there's no need for it. Pain is to be expected, given how badly he's burned, and it's better to feel the sting of treatment than to suffer an infection (or worse) later. It's part of the process, nothing more.]

Like you did with your dreamotion energy in the dollhouse.

[It's not a question. Diluc isn't the least bit surprised, based on everything he's learned about Thoma in the short time he's known him.]

I never properly thanked you for that. How dreams work here... it continues to catch me off-guard, but it especially caught me unaware back there. Your intervention preventing the situation from becoming much worse.

So: thank you.

That’s right.

[ It’s not a question, no, but it feels appropriate to answer. It’s probably pretty easy to understand the nature of his Vision after spending some time with him. ]

Oh… you don’t have to thank me. I’m just glad I was able to help.

[ And that’s Thoma in a nutshell – just happy to help! Once he’s done spreading the salve over Diluc’s burn, he steps back to look him over again, frowning at that bruise on his torso. If only he knew a healer.

Wait a second.

He does know a healer! ]

I can’t do anything for broken ribs, but I do know a healer. I can send for her, if you want.

["You don't have to thank me" and its variants are becoming common phrases between them, and Diluc isn't certain if it's comfortable or irritating. Either way, it's best left alone--this is clearly how Thoma is, and no amount of insistence on his own part is going to make him accept the gratitude unequivocally. He instead gives a non-committal hm and leaves it there.

The salve is already helping take the worst of the sting out of the burn, which only leaves the internal injuries to attend to--beyond Thoma's abilities, it seems, but he knows someone. He hesitates before answering, but only briefly. Whoever this woman is, he'll trust her for now. It would be nice to breathe without pain...]

If you could, I would appreciate it.

[ Thoma has said time and again that he doesn’t do the things he does for recognition or thanks – he doesn’t need it. If he can bring just a little bit of happiness or comfort to someone, then he’ll do it every single time with no desire for a reward. ]

Great. Give me a minute. In the meantime, just sit back and try to rest.

[ What follows is a few moments of Thoma with his nose in his journal, scribbling notes back and forth with this healer friend of his. After he sends the details of their location on to Ori, he looks up and says brightly, ]

She’s on her way!

[ Much like Thoma, Ori springs at most any opportunity to be of assistance to someone, so when she receives word that a friend of his needs healing, she's quick to respond and be on her way.

She was, however, helping out in the farmlands outside of town. Naturally, she would have hurried over regardless of where she was, but being a way's away means that she must shift into another form to get there faster - and being out with the sheep also means she doesn't want turn into something like a panther that might scare them.

And so the form that comes bounding almost clumsily towards Diluc's residence is that of a large dog, and just as a large dog would, she has precious little idea of her own size and momentum as she rushes and stumbles at the steps, nearly crashing right into the door. ]

[ The sudden noise at the door startles both occupants of the little treehouse, but Thoma assures Diluc that he'll check it out and not to bother himself. Whatever it is, he can handle it on his own.

He doesn't expect Ori when he opens the door, let alone Ori in dog form and looking like she just crash-landed on Diluc's porch. Despite their mutual embarrassment over Thoma petting her when last he saw her in this shape, he's still quick to bend down and help her to her furry feet. ]

Hey, are you okay? I got you!

[ He spends another moment fussing over her to make sure she's alright - it would be a sad kind of irony if the healer were injured on her way over, before he steps aside to admit her to the house. He calls back inside, ]

She's here! Just took a little spill on the steps is all!

[Diluc doesn't argue when Thoma takes the initiative on checking out whatever just crashed into his front door, but he also doesn't quite let him go alone. Despite the other's insistence that he'll be fine on his own, Diluc rises and follows a few paces behind. He intends only to jump into the fray if necessary, especially since his movements are far slower thanks to being injured.

The cause of the noise ends up being entirely harmless, which allows Diluc to relax. From inside the house, he can see Thoma helping a large dog to its feet and reassuring it. That's not terribly surprising, given how much he likes animals and dogs especially. What throws him is what Thoma says over his shoulder about the dog's identity.]

You invited a dog. To heal me.

[Thoma, what the hell?]

[ Dog-phi gives Thoma an apologetic but grateful look - or as much of one as she can give with a dog's face - for both his assistance in helping her back up and his concern before looking up at the injured friend in question. Then her doggy-head tilts in mild confusion as she realizes, hey, I know this friend too, followed immediately by the realization that this is must be a confusing sight to said friend.

Then most importantly, the realization that if Diluc is injured, he really shouldn't be up and walking around! Ori takes a few paces back to give herself room before her dog form is covered in light then shifts back into that of a familiar, short tiefling. ]

Diluc...?

[ Somehow, despite knowing the two know each other, she hadn't even thought of the possibility that Thoma's friend would be Diluc, especially since she's sure Thoma's made plenty of friends in Reverein by now. ]

Sorry, I know that wasn't the most graceful entrance, but... Please, lay down! You must be in a lot of pain.

She’s not just a dog—

[ She’s a pretty girl too. Well, in any case, Thoma is saved the need to explain when Ori steps back and assumes her true form. It’s not as startling to him this time, at least, though he can imagine that Diluc is quite confused. ]

Wait, you two know each other?

[ That saves him the need to make introductions, too. Perhaps he should have led with Ori’s name, first. ]

I guess that works out then. And you heard the healer, Master Diluc.

[ Get back in bed, mister!!! ]

[Oh. Diluc had no idea Ori liked to turn into animals. Or even that she could.

Ordinarily, he would have questions and protests. But after the day he's had, he decides to just let it be. It's no less absurd than a man turned into a demon by his rage, and has the benefit of not being an active harm to his life or surroundings. He'll accept it on that basis alone.]

We met not long after you and I did. She shared her tea.

[He barely has the explanation out before the two start shooing him back to bed.]

I'm not so badly wounded that I can't be on my feet. And there's no need for "Master Diluc" here.

[As if the simple act of breathing isn't causing him a great deal of pain right now. And as if he expects that Thoma of all people is going to just let formalities go.

Complaint over the fussing lodged, Diluc heads back to the bed and has a seat. He doesn't lie down--he doesn't feel he has to--but at least he's back in a resting position of sorts.]

Edited (typo) 2021-12-13 23:34 (UTC)

[ Well, Ori certainly feels a bit foolish now, both for forgetting to mention to Thoma that she's met Diluc, and for not mentioning her abilities to Diluc. It simply hadn't come up at the time, and talking about Dawn Winery was far more interesting to her than talking about herself. ]

Oh, that's right. I'm sorry I hadn't mentioned it, Thoma—

[ Then she hears Thoma address Diluc by "Master" and Ori tenses up - after learning about how much a friend of hers from home loathed his own royal standing, Ori hasn't been sure how to treat nobility... she shifts uncomfortably as she wonders if she really should try to be more respectful, but soon enough Diluc's words make her feel a little better about accidentally being rude...

Which means she can focus on what she's actually here to do! She watches him intently as he moves back towards the bed, and while she's certainly evaluating the extent of his current injuries - some of which Thoma has already patched up, to her understanding - she can't help but notice the scars across his skin, testimonies of injuries past. Her concern for him only grows at this observation, but unfortunately there isn't much she can do for wounds that he sustained long ago. For what he's dealing with right now, though, she can very much be of some assistance.

She casts Thoma a reassuring glance and nods at him before she moves over to kneel on the floor at Diluc's bruised side. She looks up at him with a focused, but concerned expression. ]

Before I start, I should let you know... The spell will accelerate the healing process. It will take you less time to recover from your injury overall, but you'll likely feel a lot of discomfort while I'm casting it.

[ Then, with his acknowledgment, she'll gesture with her hands as she mutters a few quiet words. Her hands and eyes emit a soft yellow glow as strings of arcane energy seem to draw into her hands. Harnessing the restorative power of nature itself, she presses her hands to his bruised torso. What would have taken weeks for Diluc's body to heal on its own seems to do so in a matter of seconds - but it certainly also feels like his broken ribs are kicked into overdrive as they heal rapidly. ]

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