QUIET MOUNDS - STEF HEART

[abardacttofollow]

You find yourself in a stone room that looks like some sort of medieval dungeon. There are (thankfully), no torture instruments, but there is a man strung up here. One large manacle is around his neck, chaining him stiffly to the door. His hands are free, but each foot is manacled to the matching bottom corner of the doorframe. There is a visible lock on each of the three manacles.

It's Stefen, and there's a knife in his chest. Despite that, he's alive, apparently alert, and doesn't look to be in pain, perhaps due to the lulling, sense-dulling music that seems to be coming from nowhere at all—in fact, if you were in pain before you entered, it's gone here. His wound is bleeding, but only a little, and he smiles his usual bright smile at you.

Behind him, but in front of the closed door he's bound to, you can see three double sets of strings running vertically. Where they meet the floor, they are fastened, and then each runs across the floor to the three doors on the opposite wall, then under them.

There is nothing else in this room.

((OOC: Here's how this will work! Since we're doing individual runs, rather than me putting up individual top levels for areas, just jump the post itself, and I'll run everything for you within your one thread. If you're wanting to do a run with someone else, just stay in the same thread together.))

Comments

[abardacttofollow]

Stefen has the slight glaze of trance, but his eyes shift up toward Vanyel.

[twicebonded]

[meets his gaze, just looking at him]

[abardacttofollow]

His eyes start to clear a little; he's now playing consciously.

[twicebonded]

[moves to sink down next to him]

[abardacttofollow]

Stef leans against him, just a little. His fingertips are a little blistered.

[twicebonded]

[softly, startled

Stop. Don't hurt yourself—

[abardacttofollow]

"It's my pain or his."

[twicebonded]

. . .

Oh.

Oh, Stef.

[abardacttofollow]

Stefen smiles at him, a soft tight expression.

[twicebonded]

[. . . just, loves him so much it's a physical ache, tears rising in his eyes]

[abardacttofollow]

Stefen's eyes widen and he almost stops playing to try to comfort him.

[twicebonded]

Do you—know why that matters to you?

[abardacttofollow]

"Yes." It's not... coupled with an explanation.

[twicebonded]

Why, do you think?

[abardacttofollow]

"I can't... I can't say." Stef looks a little ashamed. "But he deserves this, doesn't he? He's working so hard all the time. I can work just as hard when he has audiences."

[twicebonded]

You can't tell me?

[abardacttofollow]

"Isn't that enough to tell you?"

[twicebonded]

I have many of my own feelings about things. Assumptions. But I know it comes from a place in my own head . . . and I don't want to color my impressions of your feelings by accident.

[abardacttofollow]

"I can't decide things for you, either."

[twicebonded]

You can decide things with me.

[abardacttofollow]

"So give me your thoughts."

[twicebonded]

[visibly exasperated, but trying to keep his temper reined in]

You first.

[abardacttofollow]

Stef sighs. "Van, please. I can respond to you, but I'm not..." He ducks his head. "What do you even want to hear? I already did tell you some of how I felt."

[twicebonded]

Is the Vanyel you're used to—I mean, do I get better at not being so self-centered?

[abardacttofollow]

"What?? You're the most selfless person I know..."