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+---- Thread: cut our teeth and make our bones right here (/showthread.php?tid=7764)
RE: cut our teeth and make our bones right here - Remi - 07-27-2023
[say]"Early? You mean you want the serum to really take hold just to make sure I don't have any lingering strength left over?"[/say] Remi wonders, smirking at his partner before trying to follow Ronin's gaze. [say]"You didn't bring one of those ink blot tests with you, did you? Because if so, it's going to be either penises or butterflies for me."[/say]
But it wasn't an inkblot test, or any test, actually. Lips parted in surprise, it's with a small gasp that Remi's VeRy GrEeN EyEs move from Ronin to the thermos and then back again. Feeling shocked not only that he was potentially going to be able to drink coffee but that Ronin had brought it for him, touched something inside of the wendigo he couldn't properly name, but that filled him with an effervescent sort of heat that had his fingertips tingling.
[say]"Yeah, I would."[/say] Remi answers, offering up none of his normal sass, and instead just smiling a touch boyishly at the hunter. [say]"That's..uhm..really nice of you. Thanks."[/say]
RE: cut our teeth and make our bones right here - Ronin - 07-27-2023
[say]"Does it work like that?"[/say] Ronin wonders with a lopsided smile. [say]"Say it a little louder so Isla can jot it down - I want to know if you become vaguely superhuman for a little while. Which, if you do, yes it's absolutely too early to arm wrestle."[/say] As for butterfly and penis rorschach tests, luckily (or unluckily, however you see it) Ronin has nothing of the sort, though he does pull a face as if wanting to ask why those two particular images dominated Remi's ink blots.
Coffee, at least, he has in abundance, and it's with a smile that tries very hard not to be awkward that he goes ahead and pours a measure into the flask cup, offering it out for Remi to try. [say]"Oh, don't thank me yet,"[/say] he says, seeming a little embarrassed if anything, even though he tries to smile through it. [say]"You might think it's terrible. Which, if you do, I brought a bag of M&Ms as well, so at least the taste of chocolate should cancel it out."[/say]
RE: cut our teeth and make our bones right here - Remi - 07-27-2023
[say]"Well how would I know, seeing as you're too chicken to try it?"[/say] The Lullaby counters, before growing a touch more tense at the mention of Isla's name. It was so easy in Ronin's presence to forget that this was all still an experiment and that there was someone - even if that someone was Isla - observing him and taking notes.
Reaching out for the coffee and finding that his fingers fumbled slightly against the cup, it was with both hands wrapped around it that Remi brought it toward his nose and inhaled deeply. Gods but it smelled wonderful, improperly brewed though it might have been. Feeling his mouth instantly start to water and chuckling a bit at the sensation, the wendigo raised the cup to his lips and took a hesitant sip.
Sighing indulgently, despite the heat and the (right, you can feel pain now idiot) flash of pain, Remi slurps a large sip before leaning back and smiling. [say]"Well, you are in luck that it isn't bad, because I am more of a savoury-guy than a sweet, one."[/say]
RE: cut our teeth and make our bones right here - Ronin - 07-27-2023
[say]"You say I'm too chicken, I say I'm safety conscious and would like to keep the use of both of my hands,"[/say] Ronin informs the other man easily, though if Remi wants to continue on the basis that he's a coward (which he has no doubt that the wendigo will), it's not a hill he's particularly worried about dying on.
The coffee, however, is a different story, and Ronin finds himself holding his breath and feeling absurdly worried that Remi won't like it. It's not a friendship thing (not just a friendship thing, he should say), but given that this will be the other man's first taste of anything in over half a decade... well, he doesn't want it to be shit.
And so as Remi seems happy with the results, Ronin lets out a relieved sigh and lets his shoulders drop, offering his partner a rather cheerful smile. [say]"Well thank fuck for that,"[/say] he murmurs. [say]"I don't know if you can finish a whole flask in fifteen minutes, but you're welcome to it. And if M&Ms aren't your thing, I've got... well, I think they're meant to be croissants, but we'll just call them breakfast pastries."[/say]
RE: cut our teeth and make our bones right here - Remi - 07-27-2023
[say]"Well, you can be the one to explain why Isla is not able to make any scientific leaps ahead in her research, then."[/say] Remi says with a shrug, glancing up toward the window before shooting Ronin a grin.
[say]"You know, you seem awfully preoccupied with how quickly I can or cannot finish things."[/say] The wendigo murmurs in a conspiratorily tone, having no idea how much Isla could or couldn't hear. [say]"That said.."[/say] Glancing down into his lap where no juvenile erection was present, he shot the hunter a sly look. [say]"Your presence has apparently helped with one part of the transition."[/say] The implication of course being that Ronin somehow had an anit-boner influence on the wendigo, which was neither true nor scientifically accurate. It was something he should probably make Isla aware of, but gods he couldn't think of the right combination of words to shout up to the window that wouldn't make him want to curl up and die.
No boner this time! Is it just Ronin or the serum? Guess we'll have to do more testing!
Looking intrigued and also vaguely horrified, Remi waits to see what manner of c-shaped thing the hunter was going to pull out. [say]"A croissant and a pastry are very different."[/say] He offers doubtfully before taking another sip of his coffee.
RE: cut our teeth and make our bones right here - Ronin - 07-27-2023
[say]"Oh, don't you worry - I will explain,"[/say] Ronin assures Remi once they've established that they're definitely not going to be arm wrestling or risking his delicate finger bones. Save that for the interns - or even better, save it for Grimm. Speaking of bones, while the hunter does offer Remi a grin that's a mix of grateful, vaguely glad and somewhat insulted, he seems to be suffering from a similar affliction to the wendigo.
[say]"Maybe once you've upped being human to an hour or two, we can get you out on day release or something,"[/say] he suggests: code for wow, it really is fucking horrible when everyone can listen in on your conversations, huh.
Anyway. Pastry croissant things. [say]"They are,"[/say] he agrees, [say]"but the bakers in undertown aren't exactly Michelin star chefs."[/say] What he takes from the bag does look vaguely croissant shaped, but it clearly hasn't risen properly, so it's probably going to taste a lot doughier than it should. [say]"If nothing else, they're good to laugh at."[/say]
RE: cut our teeth and make our bones right here - Remi - 07-27-2023
As if realizing that Ronin's suggestion might actually be possible, Remi leans forward slightly before glancing up toward the window. [say]"We could get drunk."[/say] He whispers in earnest now, very much doubting that Isla, friend or not, would sign off on an experiment based on testing the wendigo's alcohol tolerance.
Reaching out dubiously for the croissant, Remi pulls it toward his nose and sniffs experimentally. Though it was neither flaky nor buttery, the wendigo devoured it just under three bites, before wiping away the crumbs lingering on his lips with the back of one hand. Never before had average coffee and doughy croissants tasted better.
Putting a hand just below his throat as the balls of dough he'd swallowed down painfully lodged themselves there, the wendigo blinked a few times as he tried to inhale before realizing that he couldn't. Giving Ronin a rather shocked look, he pointed several times at his throat as his eyes continued to widen.
RE: cut our teeth and make our bones right here - Ronin - 07-27-2023
Eyes widening as well, it's an expression of utter delight that crosses Ronin's face, because Remi is right - they could get drunk. [say]"Can you imagine how much trouble I will be in if I return you in that sort of state,"[/say] he whispers back - none of this is a no, of course. In fact, Ronin thinks the wendigo is probably a hilarious drunk, and a lightweight as well given his current situation. He almost adds and you could get laid, but that feels a bit far, and there's breakfast to have besides.
Or breakfast to kill yourself over, as it might be the case for Remi. Having opted to eat his croissant rather than inhale it, Ronin's brow furrows at first before his eyes widen alongside the other man's. [say]"Are you fucking choking?"[/say] he blurts, putting his food aside and quickly shifting to sit on the bed next to Remi. Thumping him hard between the shoulder blades, he wonders how much trouble he'll be in on a scale from 1-death penalty if he accidentally murders the wendigo.
RE: cut our teeth and make our bones right here - Remi - 07-27-2023
[say]"Shhh, we can say it's just a side-effect."[/say] Remi says smoothly, sounding as though he has all of this planned out despite having quite literally thought of it only seconds before.
Widening his eyes again, the red colour of his skin making his eyes appear all the more green, the wendigo nods sarcastically, mouthing some silent insult that he doesn't have the airflow to back up. The thumb on the back only has Remi wincing and collapsing forward, but thanks now to the mixture of saliva with the dough, the balls in his throat (lel) refuse to be moved.
Used to being able to go up to ten minutes without having to bother to breathe, though this had only been a few seconds in reality, it felt like an eternity to the wendigo who was on the verge of proper panic.
RE: cut our teeth and make our bones right here - Ronin - 07-27-2023
Smelling of booze is a side-effect? is what Ronin wants to snark, but of course they're not able to joke right now what with the developing life-or-death situation. [say]"Oh gods fucking damn it,"[/say] he hisses instead as he's not able to dislodge the first human food Remi has eaten in years. [say]"Get up, quick."[/say]
Isla is visible behind the glass now, her expression the quiet, serious sort of concerned, and her raised eyebrows tell Ronin everything he needs to know - do I need to call for help here. Keen not to ruin the wendigo's fifteen minutes of Heaven (and how's that going for you right now, Remi?), the hunter gets them both on their feet and quickly wraps his arms around the other man from behind.
[say]"You're lucky I took a first aid course,"[/say] he grumbles as he starts to administer the Heimlich manoeuvre, something he's sure Remi is going to be delighted about.
RE: cut our teeth and make our bones right here - Remi - 07-27-2023
Bewildered, but obedient if only because it had quite literally been beaten into him to be so in this environment, the wendigo rises only to find Ronin bear-hugging him from behind. Wanting to stiffen and pull away but finding what little energy he had remaining draining from his limbs, it's a good thing that Remi presently doesn't weigh much, because the way he sort of listlessly hangs in the hunter's arms likely isn't all that helpful.
Were he not on the verge of passing out there's no doubt that the wendigo would have had some choice words about the way he was hauled against Ronin's body with enough force to have him lifted off the floor. Spluttering, a large sphere of white dough flies past Remi's lips and lands unceremoniously on the floor with a dull thwaap.
Inhaling loudly before moaning against the sharp pain in his throat, the wendigo's knees buckle. Should Ronin have opted to let the other man go, Remi will find himself once again falling to the floor next to his bed.
Maybe carpet really was a good idea.
RE: cut our teeth and make our bones right here - Ronin - 07-27-2023
Luckily for Remi, Ronin isn't the type of first aider to unceremoniously fling away the person he's helping, but he'd be lying if the sound of the clean breath of air the wendigo takes doesn't almost have him dizzy himself. [say]"Careful,"[/say] he blurts, though it's unsure who he's actually talking to - himself or Remi - and he gently guides the other man towards the floor.
Overhead, Isla - who is on her feet by now - also looks relieved as all hell, shaking her head to the two of them and typing out a few furious notes (likely about cutting Remi's food up before letting him have anything else to eat). [say]"Alright, no more croissants for you,"[/say] Ronin says after another beat or two, patting Remi on the back much more gently this time before offering him a hand.
[say]"Are you okay? I guess bread is a lot different to an IV."[/say] Providing Remi doesn't mind, Ronin will help him back to sit on the edge of the bed. And he does join him, this time.
RE: cut our teeth and make our bones right here - Remi - 07-27-2023
Happy to let his knees buckle whether or not Ronin aided his descent toward the bed, it was with a trembling hand that the wendigo reached out to try and stabilize himself, before exhaling sharply as he leaned over too far. [say]"Fuck sake, it...it feels like you broke a rib."[/say] Remi says, though clearly not complaining despite the way the words warble out through lips stretched tight with pain.
[say]"I mean.."[/say] Trying to laugh before immediately realizing what a mistake it was, Remi shifts with Ronin's help to sit down, and as the hunter joins him, the wendigo sags comfortably against his partner. [say]"..and this is going to sound stupid to say, I haven't eaten this way in years either. As a wendigo I don't..."[/say] Pausing to catch his breath and reaching out with the hand not on Ronin's side to grab at the bed sheets, Remi takes a moment to breathe through the discomfort.
[say]"..well, I don't actually chew, or have a tongue or anything. I guess I...forgot how to swallow."[/say] Gods it's a stupid admission and though he can't bring himself to look up at the window where Isla is surely shaking her head, Remi is relieved beyond measure that it's Ronin down here with him instead.
RE: cut our teeth and make our bones right here - Ronin - 07-27-2023
[say]"If I did, I'm a lot stronger than I thought I was,"[/say] Ronin says, though of course his tone is apologetic, and he leaves his arm as a steadying presence around Remi's shoulders for now. [say]"Do you want me to check? Or... well, I guess it will just heal when the serum runs out...?"[/say] Oh the things he doesn't know.
Remi might have discovered it was a mistake to try to laugh, but as the wendigo properly explains, Ronin at least fills the silence with his own chuckling, and he shakes his head at his friend and carefully lets him go when he's sure he'll stay upright. [say]"Well it isn't by turning everything you eat into a bullet,"[/say] he says as a helpful reminder, letting out a long sigh and reaching out for the coffee flask to pour the other man another cup.
[say]"I make some pretty good soup if you ever want a human lunch date,"[/say] he adds with another soft laugh.