Mask or Menace - IC Inbox

[dreadinquisitor]

He's gotten better with his communicator - a part of him even likes it! He'll probably get back to you, if you leave him a message.

Conversely, do it the old fashioned way. He'll definitely get back to you.

Comments

[dreadinquisitor]

Hopefully, this is the turn around. And I just need-- [They reach the kitchen and he grips the counter edge with his free hand.]-- rest.

Save your strength, there are bound to be more in worse need than me.

[He thinks of Poe's friend, the one taken away to the hospital.]

[h2no]

[archie puts a hand on his back briefly as he passes him into the kitchen, unloading his stuff on the counter.]

I'm not the only one. Nothin' bad is gonna happen if I do it to you over a cup of tea.

[dreadinquisitor]

[It's different from the healing he knows (rainbows, really?), but it isn't unpleasant. A warm pressure, like a shoulder of support to lean against.

His eyes drift shut for a moment.]

You've gotten better at it.

[h2no]

[he reaches his hand out, poking max in the cheek with his finger.]

Comes with practice.

[and people dying around him.]

[dreadinquisitor]

On one hand, I'm glad for you. On the other--

[He makes a bit of a face, the eye above Archie's finger squeezing shut as the the spread. His jaw was sore, and the touch helped as it had with his back, but the discoloration remained. Stubbornly dark veins and grey-tinged skin.

There was simply some magic that couldn't done away easily. For some things, there was only time.]

I'm sorry you've had to.

[h2no]

[hot take: archie has dark circles for miles thanks to chronic insomnia. FACE PAINT SOLVES ALL PROBLEMS especially when you literally just dunk a brush in pot and make a giant X on your face. he's a genius.

not that he'd ever mention this. it's easier to heal when people can't entirely see how tired you are.

archie lets his hand drop to his side again.]

It is what it is. Y'got a kettle or do I have to make it on the stove like a caveman?

[dreadinquisitor]

[A small laugh, little more than an exhale through his nose, but still with actual humor.]

As it's Poe's house, and he's really just grasped that the bag needs to go into the cup.... [He slants a smile at Archie.] Sorry. Do you regret coming yet?

[h2no]

Ugh. Ugh! UUuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuughhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhno I can work with that. Point me to the cabinet with pots and the one with mugs. Or the single one if they're in the same area.

[he groans again, childishly, over the top.]

UghhhhhhhhhPoeeee why'd you be like this!!

[dreadinquisitor]

From a world where they can fly among the stars but don't appreciate a cup of finely crafted tea. The heathens.

[Maxwell teases, finding a chair to sink in. Close enough to watch and hold conversation, but out from underfoot where he'd be more of a hindrance than anything.]

There. The left one, I think.

[Admittedly, his coherent hours recently hadn't really been spent memorizing the kitchen layout.]

[h2no]

Horrible. I'm getting him a kettle for Christmas.

[he rummages around, pulling out what he needs and pads over to the sink to fill it up. exciting.]

What happened to ya? Nanites bugger up old wounds, or somethin'?

[dreadinquisitor]

[Maxwell snorts gently, another not quite laugh, and turns his wrist. The Anchor flashes brightly.]

The interdimensial gift that keeps on giving. It was either very upset that the Porter was offline, or very pleased... [A small frown, a vee momentarily pulling downward between his eyebrows, before he shrugs it away.] I haven't quite decided yet.

[h2no]

[he stops what he's doing for a moment, Peeping That Anchor.]

Huh. Did you get it from the Porter?

[dreadinquisitor]

No. [He shakes his head.] It's from my world. A bit of ancient and arcane magic.

[He gestures with it, a small movement, before it lowers again.]

A long story.

[h2no]

[he can't help but look down at his own hand for a moment. sometimes, on bad days, he can almost feel the orb still. maybe he should've had the sigil burned into his hand, too. as a reminder.

archie shakes his head, dispelling the thoughts.]

Ain't that always the way with magic? [he puts the pan on the stove to boil the water.] Ancient, confusing and oft-times stupid as fuck.

[dreadinquisitor]

[A chuckle, a hint of the handsome laugh he was capable of on better days.]

And never a manual to go with. [Then a bit of a grin.] It's almost like it's not supposed to be trifled with or something.

[h2no]

You'd think they'd realise if they just told you the shit you're going to get into instead of leaving some stupid riddle, maybe people would avoid it more.

[he shakes his head. archie hates whoever "they" are.]

[dreadinquisitor]

Or be more secretive with their dark, ancient rituals. [Maxwell makes a "pfft" sound and shakes his head. Those people..] They wonder why things keep getting blown up all the time.

[His laugh fades gently, and he looks at Archie.]

So, what's your story, then? Clearly I'm not the only one that's had their fair share of phenomenal cosmic power wrangling.

[h2no]

Same as most people's.

[he crosses his arms, leaning against the surface next to the stove while the water comes to a boil.]

Fucked with powers I thought I understood, didn't, almost ended the world.

[dreadinquisitor]

[Maxwell sits quietly, listening. He waits for Archie to go on, then asks gently.]

What happened?

[h2no]

I got another chance, surprisingly. By the person who stopped me.

[he shrugs.]

I was trying to save the world, not end it. I guess I have that going for me, even if it didn't actually need saving.

[dreadinquisitor]

You do. [He nods, honestly meaning it. Maxwell has seen enough, done enough, to know that details are important. The reasons, as much as the actions.

He holds up The Anchor again.]

I got this from the monster that was trying to end mine. Purposely, so that he could rule whatever ashes remained.

[h2no]

[which he doesn't deserve and is still struggling to terms with.]

End it and then rule it? Look, coming from a bonafide madman, that's fucking stupid.

[dreadinquisitor]

That's what I said, but somehow he still managed to raise an army to follow him

[He holds out both hands, a 'what're ya gonna do' gesture.]

[h2no]

...I mean, I didn't quite raise an army, I just had a small team, but I like to think I had a point that wasn't completely insane.

Just, uh. Y'know. The method.

[dreadinquisitor]

If it helps, you don't seem particularly mad now. [He smiles.] And Corypheus would have never made me tea.