Only one bed

[madmeemey]

there's only one bed!

Two characters have to share a room for the night. Every room is occupied, but fortunately there is one last room available.

There's just one problem — there's only one bed, and the characters aren't comfortable sharing it.

- TV Tropes

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[alivian]

[The comment about forgetting the habit gets an eyebrow raise.]

If we find a way out and we head back to my world, I can't afford to do that. There's a risk of it killing someone.

And if we enter any other world, I don't know how others will react to my Glare.

[Alivian next moves to gather his socks and boots, and starts to put them on, tucking his pants into the tops of them like before while he reties the footwear.]

That you don't fall down and writhe despite it making damned near anyone else do that? I'm not going to accept that as the given reaction.

[educated_wish]

...right.

[ He shakes his head. Stupid of him to forget about that. But he tended to centralize his experiences - what he felt was obviously what everyone felt. It always took reminding to figure out something else was true. ]

At least fall out of the habit while we're alone. I can handle it. It gives you a break.

[ He'd be saying the same to any student who was similar. ]

[alivian]

[If nothing else, Alivian doesn't blame him for forgetting. They've known each other for maybe 24 hours-ish. There's only so much one can retain!]

You may have to remind me a few times. Takes awhile for a pup to learn a new trick.

[His next move is to pull on his now-shorter shirt, and he frowns slightly at how it slightly comes up above his belt line. Still, not missing a beat, he starts to button it back up again. The movements of his wounded arm are only slightly hesitant by comparison to the other arm, but he doesn't seem to fully register that it's painful.

[And in a way, that's the case. It's such a non-issue compared to his usual aches that it just... doesn't really matter to him, aside from keeping it clean and wrapped up.]

[educated_wish]

If you need to take my shirt to cover up better, you can. It's only fair since I hurt you.

[ He's fine with hanging all out there with his abs. He's done it plenty of times, okay? He doesn't really have anything known as a change of clothes here - blankets would fall separate from their owners, but an opportunity for clothes was only on dead people. He wouldn't go that far.

Anyway, without even waiting for an answer, he starts to remove his own shirt. He's not really calculating their height difference. ]

Here.

[alivian]

Um--

[Well, that shirt sure is coming off. Alivian gawks at him a little, and then... quietly accepts the shirt. Even pulling it towards his shoulders to try to eyeball the fit, it's obvious that the shirt comes up a bit short, just like the one he's torn up.

[He does, well, give it an honest try, removing his own shirt before starting to pull Logan's on.]

Would it be any consolation to know that it doesn't hurt much?

[Logan's shirt doesn't quite fit, either...]

[educated_wish]

...that doesn't work either.

[ Logan tilts his head, not conscious of the fact he's just hanging out there with his prominent abs right now. He's just used to going randomly shirtless, okay? It's fine with him. ]

I don't know that I believe you. It has to hurt.

[ Unless Alivian's regular pains were truly so bad he just can't tell the difference? That's distressing. ]

[alivian]

[Okay, Logan's shirt is coming off now. He'll just use his own and throw his coat on, too.]

I'd suggest you squeeze my arm to prove it, but I don't want to disrupt the clotting process. What I'm otherwise dealing with is much more prominent than a little scratch. My threshold for pain is pretty high. I had to adapt.

[AKA yes, the other stuff hurts more.

[He hands Logan his shirt back, and clears his throat, averting his gaze with a faint touch of pink hitting his cheeks.]

This looks better on you, anyway.

[educated_wish]

'A little scratch'.

[ Logan just holds his search for a moment, giving him a disapproving Look. It doesn't occur to him to actually get dressed again, here. ]

What the fuck are you talking about? I know how deeply my claws hurt people.

I've been using them for nearly 200 years, don't pull that on me.

[ He pops them just to emphasize the statement, holding his fist up with the claws protruding. ]

You see these? These kill people.

[alivian]

[That gets a scowl, and his gaze briefly flicks to those claws, and then back to his face. There's no change in his heartbeat this time.]

I mentally acknowledged that when your unconscious self looked ready to lop my arm off entirely.

[That's probably a too-casual tone. He adjusts it, quieting it. Steadying it.]

An effect of my medicine dampens my response to pain. I don't really feel the damage from your claws. I do, however, feel the shards digging into my legs with every step I take. I feel how everything aches in a way that it hasn't stopped for years on end. I don't get a break. I'm on the highest safest dose of a medicine that's only meant to be taken in emergencies maybe once or twice a month. And I'm taking it daily.

[He points to his bandaged arm.]

This, feels like a tickle by comparison. And I don't know how to safely prove that to you without suggesting you do something asinine like "hitting me" for real.

[educated_wish]

[ He finally, finally puts his shirt back on, but doesn't bother to button it closed. ]

Even if you suggested it, I'm not hitting you.

I feel bad enough about what I couldn't control.

[ He looks him up and down, taking him in, noting how he holds himself in response to his usual pains. ]

I really need to get you to my world. They can help you better than yours was, I'm sure fo it.

[ He's already planning on calling Mariko. They haven't talked since Kirika's last birthday, it would be so fucking awkward. But he honestly needs to check in on them anyway. It was... strange, to pick up another Logan's relatives and family, but he felt it was necessary to do it. ]

[alivian]

It crossed my mind, but I'd not suggest it. Just. Pointing it out.

[Alivian glances up at him again once he's a bit more clothed.]

You're really trying very hard to give me some measure of hope, huh.

[His expression is carefully blank, for the most part, with a faint hint of bewilderment that's there and gone in a couple of blinks of the eye. Eventually, his body automatically shifts to take weight off of his left leg, just like before.]

Well. If we get there, I won't stop you.

[If he doesn't get his hopes up, he can't be let down!]

[educated_wish]

Am I?

[ Is that what he's doing? He hadn't realized. Maybe he just wants to see someone else, who seems to be caught up in despair, saved from it just like he was. Especially when it's someone he can't help but care about. ]

We will get there.

[ He doesn't know how he'll make sure of it, but he will. Somehow. He hasn't lived so many years under Charles' guidance to give up hope now. ]

But let's hunt that food, so you can eat.

[ He's hungry himself, though he doesn't really want to admit it. ]

[alivian]

Don't know. Feels like it, though.

[Food though? Yes. Give.]

You'll eat with me, right?

[He looks at Logan expectantly. While he's used to eating alone, the other day was-- it was nice. Eating together, that is. And, well. None of it was bad in the slightest. (Okay, except for the stank-fish.)

[He clears his throat with a frown.]

...I want to eat with you.

[educated_wish]

I will.

[ He might not register hunger very often anymore, but he still knows when his body genuinely needs it. He doesn't know that his body is already starting to break down in certain ways at this point, and not registering hunger is one of them. He just knows it's an odd thing that he's noticed. ]

  - As long as it's not a stinky fish.

[ He narrows his eyes at the thought. ]

[alivian]

No, I learned my lesson. It is seared into my memory and I'm never going to attempt to eat it again.

[He clears his throat and averts his gaze.]

If we're getting fish again, I recommend we make a pair of spears. We'll stay drier. Though that will take time. I don't want to take a dive in while injured if I can help it.

[educated_wish]

If diving is necessary, I'll do it.

[ He's not great at it, but he can manage. He wants to prevent infecton. ]

But we can make the spears. I shouldn't just use my claws again?

[ That had probably looked so awkward and silly, but he's not aware of it. ]

[alivian]

A spear can cut through the water more cleanly with less noise. Which means a fish won't be as likely to notice until it's too late. Driving it far enough also means that the fish is stuck on the spear. And with the right target point, it won't suffer long.

[He's not going to be the one to tell Logan that it looks silly, though.]

Your claws are useful, but have a shorter range than a spear, and are also tethered to the rest of your arm. A spear can be thrown - therefore extending the range of how far you can hunt.

...Though that's probably all pretty obvious...

[It's nice to be heard, is all.]

[educated_wish]

....is it obvious?

[ he hadn't been thinking about all of that at all. He tends to be singular minded in his weapon usage - claws, claws, claws. The only other thing he uses is his fists. ]

We'll use the spears, then. I guess we look for that shit first.

[ That was obvious. He also likes being heard. ]

[alivian]

...Isn't it obvious?

[Alivian's eyes go somewhat innocently wide (and for once, he probably doesn't look as worn out as usual, brief though the moment is,) but nods.]

Ideally, we find sticks or something for the base, something to tie it all with-- I guess that thread is useful after all -- and then something sharp, or something to make another something sharp. Obsidian, for one, if we can find it. It's softer to carve out compared to other materials, but it's remarkably sharp like glass when done right.

[He seems excited about this knowledge, like "did you know?"]

[educated_wish]

...you're cute. You're getting excited about it.

[ He never gets excited about teaching. Never did, never will. He just did it because it was required to stick around the Academy. Maybe if it'd been something he was interested in, but it was first art and then history. Both were really terrible. ]

I'll get the thread.

[ He disappears into the kitchen area, where he's stashed the sewing kit in a cabinet. ]

[alivian]

[Getting complimented prompts Alivian to immediately sputter, surprised -- and embarrassment lingers on his face with the very, very successful flattery.]

It's-- I just--

[From verbose to barely verbal in five seconds.

[He's still trying to recover his vocabulary by the time Logan gets back, face and demeanor alternating rapidly between frustrated and slightly giddy.

[...Yeah, he really liked that and doesn't know what the fuck to do with himself.]

[educated_wish]

[ Logan can't help but laugh and press a little with the complimenting. ]

You just trying to prove me right?

[ He throws the sewing kit at him, unprompted. ]

Here, catch.

[alivian]

No?! I'm not!

[It's like he's trying to be indignant, but can't manage it. He does, at least, catch the kit. His tail gives a few irritated flicks, but he shoves the kit also into his coat pocket.]

Are many humans so bewildering, or is it just you?

[educated_wish]

It's me.

[ Logan laughs again, especially because of the irritated flicks of the tail. It's not a mean sound, but if anything it's at his own expense because he understands how he can be. ]

I'll try to keep it up.

[alivian]

[That gets another tongue click out of him, but, well, time to head for the door.

[He's not upset about this laughter, at least. He arches a brow at him, as a thought occurs to him.]

Assuming we get out today, need anything from the blanket nest? Or, anything?

[Maybe that cognac?]