🃁 ⋆⑅˚₊➹ all or nothing.

[crittersheep]

WHO: You, some Sheep, & a Demon
WHERE:WHEN: Day 96, Evening

...darn. [ a yellow sheep in green wool throws his cards on the table with a huff, because this is the second game he's lost in a row. he could cut his losses, but the mischievous glint in his eyes as he collects & shuffles the cards says he's going for broke. ] Okok. Just one more hand, but this time it's for everything!

Another? [ the green sheep smirks and shakes his head, placing his cards on the table to be reshuffled. ] As expected with you... just know that the probability of you winning the next hand is exceptionally low.

[ spade snickers, ] Hah, we'll see about that. [ he deals the cards and puts on his poker face, ] I'm not going to let you and your numbers beat me. [ again. ] Let's do this. Game on, Club. [ the sheep play another hand, but this time spade wins, and he looks infuriatingly smug about it. ]

[ this time Club tosses his cards on the table. ] It was dumb luck. That's all.

uhHuh. It's always 'dumb' luck when I win. [ he brushes off club's comment. ] But you know what this means, I get to decide who we summon. [ he swipes the cards off the table and slams down a book that looks like a four year old made. ] And because I'm feeling so lucky I'm going to let the dice decide. [ he produces a pair, which he rolls immediately. ] Oho. [ flip flip flip BAP. ] It's going to be this one. Do you have a knife?

That seems like an ill-advised idea. [ he leans back and opens his own book to read instead, feigning disinterest. he holds up a knife once prompted, sliding it across the table. ] But it's your funeral.

[ spade cuts himself and draws the rune on the table. he waits and waits and waits and... nothing. ] It didn't work. [ he starts collecting the cards he swiped aside. ] I can't believe it didn't wo- [ as soon as he sets them down in the middle of the run it colors, light exploding outward and summoning a demon. ] Oh! It did work, would you look at th- HRK!

[ the demon, one-of-a-kind, sets his massive claws on each of their heads until their eyes and the suit adornments on their wool start to glow red. ] Did you two really summon me without a proper sacrifice? Now that just won't do. [ his eyes land on the cards scattered around and he chuckles darkly. ] Well how's about we fix that with a little game?

L̵e̵t̴'̴s̸ ̴p̶l̶a̵y̸ ̵a̶ ̸g̴a̶m̷e̶.̵

[ IC RULES | OOC RULES | ROOMS | 4&9 PUNISHMENTS | WINNERS & LOSERS | PRE-MINGLE ]

Comments

[aididitmyway]

... Okay.

[She reaches out to take the water and pills, and downs them.]

We're not leaving until I see you take stuff, though.

[aiwillneversmile]

That's fine. Just — Stay still.

[going to slowly and carefully get solution soaked bandages under her collar with his hands and some tweezers, wincing with recognition as he moves and occasionally pushes her hair out of the way, but fastidious while worn the whole time]

[aididitmyway]

[She does, and she does actually lift her hair to help him out a little bit and make it easier, but aside from a couple of small winces here and there...

She takes the pain like a champ, maybe because of everything that happened in her past life. This is nothing, really, in the long run of things she's dealt with, and then lets out a sigh of relief as the pain of the burn dulls.]

... Thank you, Cygnus.

[aiwillneversmile]

[seems lost for a beat once he's done but does glance up at that . . . and starts to come apart again, immediately coughing up a storm and trying to figure out breathing again while he has his face buried in his hands. after a spell:]

There's anxiety medication. Should I take it?

[aididitmyway]

[She jumps up, hands hovering hesitantly for a moment because touch is just going to make it worse and she can't comfort him and!! When he asks that question, she answers without hesitation:]

Yes. Please.

[She knows he needs it, she's not dumb, she knows her brother.]

[aiwillneversmile]

[takes a good moment to steady himself between the coughing and everything being the most right now, but eventually getting one good breath in and giving her a quarter of a pill]

Then, you too. If it doesn't feel like it's working after two hours, take another piece.

[and does actually down his before she can react, offering the cup of water back]

[aididitmyway]

But I don't—

[But then she thinks about it a moment, and she doesn't want to say no to him because he knows best in this situation, and she is anxious because of Cygnus's condition... and she downs it when she gets the water back.]

Okay. We should take some of this back with us, though... just to be safe. Once we get back to Clover I'm not gonna want to leave for awhile.

[aiwillneversmile]

[hence why he is micro-dosing both of them]

We're taking it back and giving it to someone else. I'm not in charge of medications after this.

[holding up another pill]

For the nerve pain. And I don't want to take it. Should I?

[aididitmyway]

Why don't you want to take it? It'd make it easier to get through the day, wouldn't it...?

[aiwillneversmile]

One, it's going to make me higher than I'm already going to be. Two, I like having something to hold onto like this . . .

[said hollowly, like he's been through this a few times]

[aididitmyway]

Let's take it with us. If you feel like you need it, then we have it. And if you don't need it, you don't need it.

Deal?

[aiwillneversmile]

[the gears are visibly turning then he just shakes his head with a cough]

No deal. I don't need it.

[will be taking TB drugs tho]

[aididitmyway]

[She sighs...]

But if you do, tell me. I'll go get it. When I was in the hospital, I learned something really important: don't suffer through it if you can do something about it.

[aiwillneversmile]

[his face twists up, caught off guard by something, before he just lays his head on her shoulder with a slight wince]

I don't know . . . Fine, we can bring it. And we can go back to Clover.

[aididitmyway]

[she is going to (very) gently pet his hair]

Nothing says you have to take it. But... just in case. We should go back to Clover, though... it'd be nice to lay down or something.

[aiwillneversmile]

Mmm . . .

[going to linger for a bit before swiping the meds and holding them out for her, taking her hand with his other one]

Eight hours for coughing. Two hours for anxiety. Four for pain.

[aididitmyway]

[taking, pocketing the meds in her hoodie pocket]

Okay. Let's go? I want to take a nap with you.

[aiwillneversmile]

But we're . . . Okay, nap, sure.

[they're both going to be deep with nightmares but fine]

[aididitmyway]

We don't have to. I just—... well, everyone's gonna make us rest anyway...

[getting up to start tugging him back to clover]

[aiwillneversmile]

[walking with a shake of his head]

It's fine. —Lyra, I'm sorry. For how I talked about you getting upset when I got hurt before.

[aididitmyway]

... You don't have to. Sometimes it's hard to get things until you've experienced it, not that I ever wanted to do that kinda thing with you.

[aiwillneversmile]

I didn't think anything would ever be worse than mom for either of us . . .

[aididitmyway]

... You know, when I first got here, I was still really mad at you from that time you told the whole world we were mama's. I stayed mad, too. Up until a demon grabbed you and threatened to kill you.

That's when I realized that I couldn't live without you. And I know you don't remember any of that, Cygnus, but. . . I was so scared I was gonna lose you, too. I always am whenever we're put into some kinda scary situation like that and you're there.

[aiwillneversmile]

[wow, let's hit every button why don't we!! slowing to a stop but holding firmly onto her hand, more than firmly as his breathing starts to shallow out again]

I really am going to lose my mind . . .

[aididitmyway]

[sorry bro, she slows too, though, watching him]

I won't let you.