Death and Tide

[Mirach]

Death just continued sipping the tea, obviously finding it tasty.

[VisAnastasis]

Tide watched it with interest indeed.
" He's glad... I don't think anyone asked him for tea recipe before. He can make really healthy both potions and teas, but he's not that great with tastes. Everything he makes is bitter as hell itself, or more. " he smiled a little when they were alone. " I'm really glad I brought you here... He's usually more calm like this when I come along with guests, but it's still nice whenever I get some response. I know he may not seem so, with his anxieties, but deep down, he is really caring, and I think his temperament would suit yours. You like to be quiet, and he's good with comfortable silence when he gets more used to you. "

[Mirach]

"So you don't like the tea?" Death asked a bit wonderingly. "I can drink it, if you want."

[VisAnastasis]

" Oh, no thanks. He possesses great knowledge, but his confidence is as frail as a cracked pitcher of water at the edge of a table. One wrong move and it'll break on the floor and splatter everywhere. On one of the first times, I came here as a guest when his house was done, when I apologized and asked if I could skip the tea, he went to the cave and cried for hours, feeling like he failed as a host and can't even do that little thing. I never refused to eat or drink anything since then. " Demon shook his head firmly. " Say, is it really that delicious to you? You noticed there's no sugar or honey or anything in it, and that it is about insanely strong? Honestly, it tastes like acid without the burning part to me. So it's amazing to me that you enjoy it so much. I can take in spicy things, but bitter is a whole level of Ewwww. "

[Mirach]

"All tastes are interesting to me. I enjoy the strong ones, and spice just happens to have a really strong taste," Death said. "A mix of two strong tastes is even better. Sweet and spicy... bitter and sour..."

[VisAnastasis]

Tide nodded slowly.
" It's great to know. You know, actually, when I think about it, Malachite knows to make an insane amount of potions that taste extremely bitterly and sourly, maybe even more so then the tea. Maybe you can work out some nice small deal with him in exchange for him making you a nice strong tasting potion to enjoy? He never asks for big things, as he never wants big things. When Erdel was here, he only asked for a day of his time, which they spent taking care of the garden and mining for ingredients for what Erdel asked him to make. You can talk about medicines, and perhaps you'll figure out together how to both make something that'll taste great to you, and be healthy for you. There are a lot of his potions that are very healthy but so undrinkable by most of the people that he gave up on them and decided them useless. "

[Mirach]

"But how do I talk to him about that if I shouldn't talk to him unless answering him?" Death asked.

[VisAnastasis]

" Oh, I get it. Yes, you shouldn't speak without permission, but that doesn't mean you shouldn't draw attention to yourself. Did you see me before? I usually wave to him so he can see I wish to say something and if it's alright. He's much more eloquent with gestures. You can't exactly wave without hands, but you can gesture somehow that you'd like a word. Only important thing is that he's scared if not in control, and being spoken to without permission is very touchy with him, it makes him panic. It's important you get permission, that makes him calm. If you want to talk but see no chance to, just look at me, and I'll see it as a sign to wave to him and ask him if you can speak with him. "

[Mirach]

"Alright. But maybe it's too soon to discuss potions. We just barely met," Death said. "And I would like to try healing your hand first, if you can explain it to him."

[VisAnastasis]

" I can. I'd rather have Xia stay here and not interrupt us, though, so maybe I can ask him to look out for her while we go to my room and see what we can do. She can't talk, and I'll warn her not to move fast or bark, so it should be the best option. But I have a condition. " he smiled innocently. " If you want me to indulge you, you have to indulge me afterwards in turn, too. It's only fair. Regardless if you succeed or fail, before we leave the island, I'd like us to see how that balm Cernunnos gave you could help us. I forgot about it last night, but I don't want us to leave anywhere before we see if we can ease your pain and stiffness with travel. Deal? "

[Mirach]

"Alright," Death agreed to that arrangement.

[VisAnastasis]

Tide was pleased. When Spirit got back, he waited for a while longer, until Death finished more of the new tea, not wanting to offend the creature by asking it to leave right away, so it wouldn't feel self-conscious about it. But when he felt the chance is right, he seized it, and gently asked, and was allowed to go.

Malachite stayed, suspiciously looking at the little kitten eating from the fruit salad bowl, while Tide picked up the snake gently and went toward the house. There was a long hall, and doors to rooms on all sides for twenty or so meters. Then they reached the end of the hall that led straight into the save, and when they passed into it, there was a pleasant, sweet little surprise - on the clearing in the middle of some island, there was a sweet little house within the cave. Tide went towards it, as it was probably where his room was. https://i.pinimg.com/originals/6e/52/d2/6e52d2a9f4d0700041b46a51983fbe79.jpg 

[Mirach]

"This place really feels safe," Death murmured. "Let's go inside and I will explain you what I want to try."

[VisAnastasis]

" I am not that great with building, but I did help with painting the roof, and me and Hans- I mean Llyr, picked out a lot of furniture with him and bought it. We tried to make it as safe and cosy as possible for Malachite. " Tide explained, not without a hint of pride while passing across the little bridge to the house, adding with a little bit of bemusement. " We hoped he'd like living in it compared to that other part which we passed through that is older and dustier since he likes working there, but he has too many things there, and I guess we made this little one a little too sweet... He doesn't really treat it like an actual house, he treats it more like collectors treat those cute miniature dollhouses - he likes cleaning it and rearranging things and keeping it tidy and nice, but mostly he just likes watching it. Not how I imagined, but I'm happy he enjoys it in his own unique way. "

When they entered, it looked as cosy on the inside as on the outside, obviously not lived in, but just as much, obviously kept well, with care. There was a lot of love and care built into this place, and even though a little Spirit it was built for didn't have sharp enough senses to feel it, he appreciated it deeply. There was a sweet little kitchen that was sweet, despite the cupboards were empty so stale food wouldn't ruin the nice flowery scent from dried herbs decorating the little dwelling. In one corner that was reserved for the bedroom, was a sweet big bed, soft and fluffy, with greenish-blue pillows and blanket.

[Mirach]

"So this bed is actually yours when you stay here?" Death asked.

[VisAnastasis]

" Yeah, I actually got it custom ordered for Malachite - see those cute little malachite gems that decorate the edge? I always thought big beds are the best thing, so I hoped it may be nice for him to sleep n, to have lot of space and lot of soft things all around, and place for stuffed toys if he ever desires some. But he couldn't sleep in it well and kept tossing and turning... Feels too nice for him to enjoy it, he said. " Tide smiled a little more faintly while raising his mask to see better. " When he decided not to live in the cottage, after all, he asked me if I would accept to stay here when I come over and stay for the night. I don't need to sleep, but he asked rather hopefully and it was sweet, so I accepted. When we feel like being inside, I usually lie down and huddle up in the blanket, and he likes to glance at me now and again while he makes me tea on the stove or cuts vegetables. It's nice. "

[Mirach]

"I see..." Death murmured as they sat down on the bed. "So, what I would like to try is," he started explaining right away then, not wanting to lose any more time with it, "I am missing a layer of soul that prevents me from healing in that layer. But you have it. When we are Semai, I could theoretically use it to heal in that layer. I think it wouldn't work on healing anyone outside the connection, but it could work on ypu, since you will share it..."

[VisAnastasis]

" In some weird way, it does make sense. Together, we share a mind as Semai, but as those minds do each have a soul, we technically share two souls, all entangled. Actually... Wait... " Tide raised his eyebrows as a thought came across his mind. " You can't heal yourself by yourself, and especially you probably can't heal around the layer you're missing - but in theory, when we are together, could you maybe heal yourself a little? Or at least ease your pain, like you can ease the pain of other creatures when you touch them? " Tide followed Death's line of logic hopefully. " You can't ease your own pain outside of our bond, but when we're together, we in theory share powers of both of us. Maybe we'll suck the first time because we, I mean, no one ever tried it before, but maybe it is possible. I was only thinking about keeping you alive when I offered, but wouldn't Semai made from both of us actually be able to both heal souls like you and bend souls and water like I can? Or at least some weird mix of both that we could explore... "

[Mirach]

"I'm not sure. As you said, I can't heal the missing layer when it's not there. For you, it is there but it's hurt, so I might be able to heal it. And I don't think any of that would work outwards, only inwards, so it would apply only to our souls... and I'm not quite sure what it is that would apply to them, actually. So let's try to start small..."

[VisAnastasis]

" We're still in a lot of ways two minds when we bound, not fully one. Sometimes binding comes to easily that it blends fully right away, but both of us think rather differently and complexly, so it may take us a while to fully smoothe the feel out when we bind. Just don't forget, we are not two people that happen to have their minds connected, this is not mere telepathy. This is a special thing. We are one. " Tide whispered, and offered him his hand so they could bind, not seeming to mind that he is in the snake form, knowing result will be the same when they skip in the second layer. " Allow yourself to feel that, and to lean in that. When we become one, you won't be the Spirit Death healing the demon Tide. You'll be a Semai, healing itself, even if the part you'll try to heal would have originated from me. The fact may come with its set of challenges. "

[Mirach]

"I hope we will figure it out..." Death smiled a little and laid his head on Tide's palm so that they could pass into the second layer and connect together.

[VisAnastasis]

Tide grinned more widely with that, as it seemed those tiny little signs of trust and ease were really making a big difference to him, and making him like his strange little companion a little bit more each time. He caressed the little creature under the chin with his gentle finger, and then, when they were ready, they skipped into the second layer.
This place was clearly well tended to and protected from as many sides as Tide could muster making, to keep the frail Spirit Malachite from any surprises and stress. The second layer around the cave looked pretty much almost like it looked in the first layer, it only felt a little lighter. Tide was shy, as it was their second time and this time, they did not bind out of the need to keep Death alive, but rather to help him, which seemed to make him embarrassed, as he was always shy about receiving instead of giving, and reluctant to admit his own pain. Still, he knew Death wouldn't do anything to hurt him, and only wanted him to feel better, and he enjoyed his presence, looking forward to this with some guilty pleasure - and leaning against creature's mind trustfully.

[Mirach]

Death was eager to try his theory and looking forward to being able to heal the wound that resisted him and reminded him of his helplesness in that. He leaned into the connection, not hesitating much.

[VisAnastasis]

First time they did it it required a lot of patience and they were inching only slowly toward each other - this time they were both so eager, although for not quite same reason. It felt like threading a path one already knows in his heart. Tide leaned into it fully and with playfulness of mind characteristic for him - and when he felt familiar pool of the black hole of grief, he welcomed the pull and once again reached for it and leaned in its direction.

He knew the immense sadness and pressure of it, and for someone that knew, he was way too eager to return to it - he believed deeply in openess and proofs of affection, and for him, anything short of full acceptance was unacceptable to him, and he optimistically saunter downwards and into their connection.

[Mirach]

That part was still there, unable to reach out and excluded from the connection, but the rest of Death's mind leaned into Tide's and started exploring the feeling of not missing the layer.