Senecio adn Tide II

[VisAnastasis]

" Would it be too idealistic to say we both stopped being an ass and that things just solved themselves after we spent a lot of time together? You were not exactly peachy pleasant at a start either, " Hans took a deep breath, adding with a trace of humour. " I am not sure we can exactly pinpoint a proper moment when we began to bond, but I'd pretty sure a part of it is definitely over our love for spite. Even before we technically warmed up to each other more, we liked to spite people in the theatre that disliked us, didn't we? Even Tide was angry enough to chomp down the entire lunchbox before them in a threat after we were beaten up. And from then on, even before we technically got along, edgy humour and love from the dramatic flair tied us over, so I guess it's harder for me to imagine us not getting along than getting along... "

[Mirach]

"Right, that would be it," Senecio smirked. "I'm not sure if I'd get along with Eros that well even if introduced under different circumstances, but I'll try to get through that unreasonable dislike first to see how it actually goes from there." 

[VisAnastasis]

" Maybe you just like chill brother figures but dislike grandfather figures? Eros most of the time gives off this sweet vibe of a good-natured grandpa that worried for your health and tries to stuff you with homemade food because you're too thin, " Hans shared his own impression wonderingly. " I don't want to use bothersome facts to pressure you into trying to get along, like the fact that he's gone through a decent amount of pain from that poison to save your life that day, and kept helping you get better since. You don't have to act out of obligation, your life debt is something I'll settle down towards all involved parties. But now that you can feel each other's feelings and can't even act with common courtesy, I have a foreboding sense of doom. Eros is easily prone to sadness when disliked, but as long as he can't act like your feelings are not bothering him, he can power through. If you can feel him being sad and he can feel you feeling bad over making him sad, he'll feel worse, and you'll feel worse for that - isn't it just an endless circle? That's why I was really surprised you are neutral about coming. I'd have thought you'd have preferred to avoid him and try not to think too much of him... "

[Mirach]

"Well, yes, but he intrigues me still. I just have to return and try again to see if maybe this time it might go better. And... that life debt. How do you intend to settle it? Shouldn't it be mine to settle?"

[VisAnastasis]

" Normally, yes, if you'd be a sole entity in this world. But we Beings follow our own whims and packs. When a family member is saved, true, that family member can do what they feel like as thanks, but life debt is something a family pays as a unit, as it feels is fit. It's the same fairy tale logic that, when a knight saved a princess, the king is the one that pays that life debt to him. Just leave it to your good old brother figure to settle everything, " Hans proclaimed, with a brighter note and a pleasure when saying that so nonchalantly, explaining what he probably thought through ever since Senecio was saved. " Not counting me and Tide, who are your family, five people played important roles in saving you. One is Svarik, who kept healing you from poison all the time you were dead, and then later fainted while healing up your body enough for your soul to get back. Second is Death, who kept your soul safe, and healed you fully after the soul got back into your body. The third is Eros, who poisoned himself with the needle so his body could gain poison resistance, gave you a quarter of it, and balanced out your restless body chemicals. Fourth, sir Falcon, who used syringes with Svarik to take out the poisoned and give you Eros's blood. Last but not least, it's Janus who gave us syringes without any deal right away, without which we would have a much harder time. Svarik, Death, Eros, Falcon and Janus are all people life debt is owed to, " he explained simply. " For once, common courtesy of such big favours as resurrection implies that, if life of those mentioned are ever in danger, we should do our best to save them. But it goes without saying that, since lives are not often in danger, that all of those should be rewarded, fit for their contribution. And didn't I already set of on the process? I am going to write unpaid plays funded by me to help Svarik and Falcon and put all my power and knowledge into giving them a chance to have a relationship in the open, through a long tedious series of political steps. I know it's hard for humans to see it as such, but I don't have grand blessings or songs to offer in exchange... but I will make sure no debt goes unpaid, one at a time. "

[Mirach]

"It was... a real teamwork," Senecio murmured, feeling a bit uncomfortable with the knowledge of how much effort it took to save his life when summarized like that. "Oh yes... about that debt to Death... Maybe it would be better to not go to Eros now. I wanted to talk to you about something. Could we sit down somewhere private?"

[VisAnastasis]

Hans stopped and turned to him lightly, a little surprised and worried at the unexpected tone. He didn't sound upset though, as he misunderstood the situation.
" Is something bad going on that Tide isn't telling me? He said Death is surprisingly stable right now, and that's why he can leave him on his own without fear. of him dying in his sleep... He even told me there's just a slight fever, not a heavy one naymore. He didn't tell me too much of his situation, but the gist of it, he said, is that he's basically resting and eating food most of the time, whenever he's not reading books Tide borrowed him to make him more comfortable, " he summarized the situation as he understood it. " Is Tide not telling me everything? In any case, halls aren't, but all rooms are soundproofed with runes, we can either go to your room, or I can bring us to some of the rooms on my floor if you'd rather us be farther from others. "

[Mirach]

"No, don't worry. As far as I know, he's doing okay," Senecio assured him. "Let's just go to some nearby room..."

When they did so, he looked at Hans. "I wanted to ask about the debth. Does a debth and a favour cancel each other? Or are both still valid?"

[VisAnastasis]

" On what favour do you mean? Are you asking for the Being culture thing in general? In the context of your debt to Death? " Hans tilted his head as he was sitting down, a little unsure because he didn't understand why the sudden question, but he still replied truthfully. " I assume you mean a favour in context when a Being promises you a favour in the future? Depends a lot on the context and just how big the promised favour is. All are nuances depending on the mood and the decision of the people involved. If a Being promised you a favour, and your life was in danger and you asked to be saved, that counts as giving you the promised favour. But it's more complicated when it's not something you asked formally. We Beings generally count saving lives as a whole different level. Saving each other's lives is basically an ultimate gift. Even if we Spirits are reborn, humans putting effort to save us is rewarding enough feeling that most of the Beings will reward the human in any case, and keep an eye on him to save him if he's in danger. You'll note that in many cases in fairy tales by saving supernatural creatures heroes get unconditional help. But that isn't to say only those capable of saving Being lives are worth saving. Most of the times, Beings play favourites, and promise wishes to people they like, whether on whims or if they fulfil certain conditions. I assume you're asking about that sort of thing. As I said, there's no universal rule, but in that case, since Beings offer to give mortals wishes because they want to do something nice for them, the two remain, that is, a Being counts that as you owing them life debt, but they wish they promised you remaining, and they expect you, if not save them, for you to pay a lot of attention to return life debt through other means. If Being likes you enough to offer you a wish, they'd want to interact more with you, and it is counterproductive to cancel the two out. Having debt is a tacit excuse to keep looking out and checking on the person. Like Alpha would say, it's all a ruse to keep close to our favourite humans. But it all depends on the people involved. If you plead for it and say that you'd rather count that promised wish nulled since your life is saved, Beings usually won't insist otherwise just to be rude. You just have to be really careful and courteous and not explain it poorly, because some more sensitive Beings can feel offended and see it as you trying to distance yourself from them. Beings can get rather moody if you unknowingly offend them, so you'll have to be wary of that. "

[Mirach]

"Hm, okay," Senecio nodded. "So they don't automatically cancel each other, good. I would still like to call on the favour Death promised me if I play the chatacter convincingly enough that even he believes me. I don't want to be too assuming, but from what Tide told me, I think I won that bet, and I'd like to use it. I wanted to ask for your agreement first, though, because my wish would be that he heals you, as long as it is safe for him. But the question is, would you accept healing from him?"

[VisAnastasis]

Unlike before, when he was confident and bright talking about how he is going to pay of Senecio's life debts, with Senecio's last sentence, Hans grew pale and twisted his body downwards, under the rush of dread and terror at the thought of his soul being handled by someone. It was a subconscious, visceral reaction, not even to request yet, but to the idea. Hans's eyes looked glassy and troubled, as if he was remembering something terrible, and Senecio felt the strongest even feeling he perceived in a person so far - a restless sickening nausea that was so strong that he himself felt an urge to throw up.
" I... I think..." Being replied only slowly, having great trouble composing itself." I think that... " He barely managed to repeat, as he covered his mouth, trying to prevent his stomach for acting up.

[Mirach]

"Oh, I'm sorry..." Senecio said anxiously. "I'm sorry for bringing it up. I won't ask him. Not until you say I can."

[VisAnastasis]

" C-Coward...." Hans coughed with a little frail smile, latching onto teasing him in a desperate try to escape the dreadful suffocating thoughts that were overwhelming him." You... Are such a... Scaredy cat. So worried...like Tide. I am... A-alright," he stuttered, trying to force himself to calm through unsettling nausea. " I am a-alright... I just... Don't really.... I don't... "

[Mirach]

"Yeah, you definitely look alright," Senecio nodded with a slight tease of his own to ease the suffocating feeling he could perceive clearly. 

[VisAnastasis]

" I know... R-right?" Hans snorted, a gurgling sound coming from his throat. He swallowed firmly, trying to force himself to collect a little to answer in a more coherent sentence. " I mean... I just... Did not expect this. I just thought you needed... Good advice. I... I am not doing... This on purpose. Just... Just...." He gulped." I guess... After trying to Sing for a b-bit... And... And I feel a little... a little sensitive to the thought. A body can be... stupid. It's just doing... Doing... "  he shivered against his will." Its own thing..."

[Mirach]

"Oh yes, bodies can be stupid, mind can be stupid... it's all a big mess, really. What would help?" Senecio asked. "A strong smell or taste, maybe?"

[VisAnastasis]

" Maybe... M-maybe something that... That smells nice... Flowery?" Hans pleaded quietly, without hiding the desperate need to focus on something else, as he revealed hesitantly and vulnerably. " I keep... I keep feeling like it's... On the tip of my nose. The smell of s-scorched fried e-eggs... and bacon. I.t's so... So... O-iily.. and d-disgusting... " He closed his eyes firmly, as if in the same time, fearful and tense to close them, but not able to keep them en, fighting against the persistent memory.

[Mirach]

"Hm, let's see if I got the hang of this room service,"  Senecio said, and asked for the first nice smelling thing that came to his mind, which was his pot of violets.

[VisAnastasis]

Since he had clear idea of what he wants and it was in his room, the room service seemed to respond rather smoothly to him, transporting the little pot with ease on a little table besides the bed they were on. The flowers seemed even healthier and more numerous than the last time he had seen them, having grown in meantime.

[Mirach]

"Well would you look at that," Senecio murmured. "I wish this were my merit, but obviously it's not." He pressed the flowers into Hans's hands. 

[VisAnastasis]

Hans's hands shook lightly, as he felt the soft texture. Slowly, he opened his eyes again. They welled up at the brightly coloured, gentle sight, but he stubbornly with great effort bit his lip and stopped himself from shedding tears, determined not to ruin his makeup. With faintness and vulnerability in his gesture, he brought his face toward the pot, breathing in the refreshing strong scent of flowers with desperate need, calming down a little bit with the soothing fragrance.

[Mirach]

When Senecio saw the sensation helped a bit, he asked the room for one of the sweet cookies they had with breakfast and offered it to Hans as well.

[VisAnastasis]

Hans hesitated, taking the cookie carefully. He kept the flowers close to himself, though, holding onto the gentle smell like a child for a little bit of comfort, while he began nibbling on the cookie slowly. Thankfully, it seemed to have a good influence on both his mind and stomach, that sugary warm taste so unfitting with his dark sensations of the past. As he ate, the sharp sensations from the memory began to dull slowly, leaving Spirit looking faint and frail, but with cleared look in his eyes that weren't clouded with memories like before.

[Mirach]

Senecio just waited quietly, not wanting to accidentally trigger him with something he says. 

[VisAnastasis]

Hans ate the cookie only slowly but appeared a little better as he did so. He still kept smelling flowers, though, as it seemed their rich healthy fragrance, fitting for something grown with the power of a meadow king, was comforting and distracting too, all the more now that nausea subsided with the sweet cookie. He remained like that for a moment, while he was collecting his thoughts and slowly building up the courage to respond.
" You know... " he finally whispered, with a distant, a little choked up voice, so unusual to hear from him. " As soon as I woke up, and Tide mentioned to me you finally wanted to get yourself some nice furniture and settle down here... I was... very happy, " he admitted quietly. " I thought to myself...  This is why I worked hard to get rich. For moments like these. I am going to give him everything he feels like having today. But I never thought you would ask for... for something like this... "