Prompt# 97 - Delirious - Recovering - Tekia - Original

[tekia.livejournal.com]

Title: Recovering
Fandom: Original/ Maybe This is What Happened
Prompt: Delirious
Warnings:none
Rating: PG
Summary: Safed uses magic for the first time, and it takes its toll on his mind and body. This takes place directly after this.

Try’s arms fell to his sides, the shackles quickly eroding away with the demon’s magic. He rubbed his wrists where the restraints had held him, chaffing the skin. The red eyes stared at him, seemingly to read into his very soul.

Safed fell to the sand, disbelief coursing through him. The magic still hummed just under his skin, making him startlingly aware of everything around him. He could feel the nearly nonexistent breeze against his skin. There was also something else he could feel. He couldn’t explain it, but it was still there, making his skin tingle and itch.

Try walked up to him and Safed lifted his head to look up at the demon silhouetted by the sun’s light. The demon reached down and pulled Safed to his feet.

“Ouch,” Safed said, trying to escape Try’s harsh hold.
“Use your magic again. Remake the rocks.” He caught Safed’s hand, holding it out before them. “Force the magic to your will and make the rocks reform.”

Frightened by Try’s tone, Safed turned his attention to the magic. Like waves, the magic flowed through him, starting at his core and expanding throughout his body. He closed his eyes and gave the magic his desires. Sand back into rock.

Try’s hand was still on his, their fingers interlocked. Vaguely, he could feel Try’s own magic guiding his own. The demon’s magic was so much more powerful.

Maybe it was trying to take over his magic. From what he had understood, Safed had gotten his magic from being around Try so much, so maybe Try’s magic was trying to take back what Safed had stolen.

Maybe not. He could feel the magic gathering around them, outside his body. He opened his eyes and saw a pile of heavy boulders forming from the sand. Then he learned something about magic. His first use of magic left him drained of energy.

Safed finished the spell, feeling the magic course through him in a powerful wave, exploding through him and leaving him feeling empty. He smiled as he saw the results of his first real spell. The sand before him was now broken by rock, several rocks melted together with an opening just wide enough for a person to duck through.

He felt Try move from behind him, then his world went black.

When he woke, his head ached. There was an insistent pounding blossoming from a steady ache at the back of his head. He lifted one hand to his head and found a bandage wrapped tightly around his head. Safed sat up, groaning with the pain and swung his feet off the bed.

That gave him pause.

He was in Try’s cave, very similar to what it looked like in the future. There were less scrolls, and the walls weren’t yet completely covered by shelves. The table was the same, so was the rug on the floor before the fire pit.

The rocks Try had made Safed make were the same set of rocks that Safed recognized from the future, now that he thought about it. He smiled. Try had used him to make his cave. He rubbed his brow, wondering where the white haired demon had taken himself off to.

Just as he thought that, the demon appeared in the room.

Safed tried to stand as he approached, but Try waved him back down.

“You need your rest, human.”

“You didn’t warn me that it would drain me so.”

Try smiled tightly before sitting at the table, opening a bag Safed hadn’t noticed until just then. The scent of hot food filled the room, making Safed’s mouth water. He joined Try at the table, eyes intent on the bag of food. Standing caused his head to swim, but he only had to stumbled forward a few steps until he could fall into the chair.

“Did you bring any for me?”

Try pulled something wrapped in paper out of the bag and set it before him. The paper had words written over it, but was hard to read, folded as it was. Safed reached out and unwrapped the food, finding bread and cooked meat. It looked horrible, dripping in cheese and a red sauce that Safed couldn’t identify. Try seemed to have no problem with the substance, so Safed tucked in and found the food quite delicious.

“I take it that the spell worked?”

Try nodded, licking his lips clean of the sauce. “It did. ‘Could have done better, but well enough for your first try. Next time, I’ll have you make something of water.” His red eyes turned toward the ceiling. “I think perhaps a well. I’ll need water here in any event.”

“If I don’t flood the desert.”

“I doubt you could, human.” Try stood and walked one of the many shelves lining the walls. “You don’t have enough strength to gather that much water. Age will give you that strength.” He pulled a scroll from its hole and tossed it to Safed.

Fumbling the catch, Safed pushed his food away and opened the scroll. The words blurred before his eyes and he squinted, trying to make them clear. Suddenly a hand came down before him, startling him.

Try was looming over him. His blood red eyes were frightening as they searched Safed’s own eyes.

“Get back to bed. You’ve got a lot of recovering to do. That spell took much of your strength.” His hand shot out and he pulled Safed to his feet. The room swam before him again and his legs seemed to be unwilling to hold him. Being pulled around by the demon was going to become a bad habit of his, he could tell. He leaned heavily against Try.

“Maybe you’re right. I can’t feel my legs.”

He felt Try sigh, and could easily imagine the demon rolling his eyes as well. Strong arms came around him and lifted him into the air. Just as he was getting to enjoy the feel of Try’s arms around him, he was thrown onto the bed.

“Ouch,” Safed complained, clutching his head. His head throbbed and the light suddenly became too much for his eyes. By the time he could open them without pain overcoming him, Try had removed himself from the room, taking the food with him.

Safed laid on the bed, panting. He’d never felt so weak before. His lids were heavy and he fought to keep them up, but exhaustion won and within moments he was asleep.

Try was sitting beside him when he woke, but Safed felt that something was wrong. The demon wasn’t looking at him, instead he was focused on something in his hands. Safed’s lids were still too heavy for him to keep them open and he listlessly reached out a hand to the demon.

Try smacked his hand away.

Still far too weak to be awake, Safed let his hand drop and fell back into his dreamless sleep. He woke and passed out several more times, barely coherent, knowing nothing save for the pain in his head and the strange images he saw when his eyes were closed.

He remembered waking and asking Try what was wrong with him.

“Your body is adjusting to living off magic. That spell was too powerful for you to do so soon.”

“You told me to do it.”

“Hum, and you did do it. Your body just wasn’t ready for that level of magic. Now, your body is adjusting. It’s very painful, it appears.”

He forced a glare, even though twisting his face into a frown hurt. “Ass.” He slept more after that, dreaming of being awake and being awake while dreaming. He heard his mother singing, heard his father’s flute. He saw Kiwi, as she had been when they had first met, glowing white wings and all. He felt her touch on his brow, and her magic washing through him. As she smiled down at him, where his head rested on her lap, she whispered words that he couldn’t hear, and he finally slept a restful sleep.

Waking was becoming a chore, Safed thought as he stared up at the solid rock ceiling above him. With much effort, he forced his hand to his head and rubbed at the bandage. The aching had gone down a bit, becoming a dull reminder of the pain he had been suffering for the past six days. Suddenly, he wondered if all that pain had stemmed from his first use of magic alone.

Before Try had opened the portal he’d been very stressed. If he were being truthful to himself, then he was going to have to admit that he hadn’t wanted to leave his lover. Maybe it had been his fear and nerves that had lead him to being in this state. He pushed himself upright, groaning as his body protested.

The cave was empty, the fire out. He couldn’t tell how long Try had been gone, nor could he guess the time. Not that it really mattered. His body was still very weak and he was going to be going anywhere in a long while yet. He wondered where the demon had disappeared to.

There was a covered plate of food on the table and Safed felt his mouth water. He swallowed and contemplated the chair several paces away. He remembered making that distance not that long ago, but now it seemed such an unsurmountable distance, so difficult. His body was getting weaker instead of better.

He stood on shaky legs and his head swam for only a moment. He frowned as he realized that, while his body was becoming worse, his head was getting better. He wearily dropped into the chair and pulled the plate toward him. Under the cloth, he found fruits and sliced meats. He quickly stuffed his mouth. There was nothing wrong with his appetite.

Safed was nearly finished when Try was suddenly hovering above him, one hand firmly planted on the table, propping him up. His hair was loose, the white strands hanging over his shoulders and resting against Safed’s bare arm.

“It is too soon for you to be out of bed.”

“I’m all right.”

Try’s eyes narrowed and his clawed fingers went to Safed’s bandage. He pressed against the bruise he knew to be hidden below, smiling as Safed went pale and winced. Safed weakly pushed him away.

“Of course it’s going to hurt if you poke at it,” he snarled, frowning up at the smirking demon. He really didn’t like that smile. It made him think that Try was feeling superior, which was never a good thing. His head was big enough as it was.

“You’re weak.”

“And you’re an ass.” Safed tried to stand and bumped his crown against Try’s nose when he didn’t move out of the way fast enough. Try hissed, backing away and glaring. “Sorry,” Safed murmured, holding a hand to his own head. Try sat on the bed and continued to glare. Safed could feel the hate the demon emitted like waves.

Hanging his head, Safed wished he was with the other Try, the try that still desired him, being human and all.

At least then he could lean on his shoulders. Maybe not to cry, but at least he could have felt the demon’s arms around him.

When a pillow landed next to his chair, he looked up to see Try unmaking the bed. The demon sniffed at the blankets and sheets, made a face, and threw them after the pillow. Safed watched, dumbfounded, his jaw hanging loose.

“What are you...”

“You’re awake now, you don’t need the bed. I’m tired.”

“You just told me I needed to get back into bed.”

Try paused in his actions to stare at Safed with unreadable eyes. “But you’re not going to, are you?”

Safed opened his mouth to reply, then realized that Try was correct. Well, that was a first, the Try he had always known always had been an enigma, saying one thing, meaning another, saying something else entirely, later. This was the first time he’d ever explained anything to him. It made sense as well, which was sort of scary. He smiled tightly. “No, I’m not. Have at.” Try nodded once and threw away the last of the pillows. Safed frowned in confusion. “Why the pillows too?”

“Because you smell.”

Instantly, Safed’s brow lowered. “You’re such a jerk.” He was very clearly insulting his human company, his human rescuer. That’s gratitude for you.

“I’ve improved,” noted Try.

“Ass.”

“Ah well.” Try laid back on the cleared bed, his arms folded behind his head. Safed shook his head in disbelief. Try was never this annoying before. Sure, he had his moments, but this was on a whole new level. It was like living with Xactán.

“Why are you being so rude and callous to me?” He knew he was on the verge of whining, but he was still suffering from the near overdose of magic, and he knew he was making excuses for his behavior, but was it too much to ask for?

Try tilted his head to one side, his eyes mere slits of red. For the first time, Safed noticed how red his skin still was. His time chained to that rock in the middle of the desert had really harmed him, if his magic couldn’t heal him. It had been six days.

“Because you’re a worthless human.”

“You’re suffering from a delusion of grandeur.”

Try smiled a slow smile, one that, under normal circumstances, would have turned Safed’s insides to mush. Instead he turned his back on the recumbent demon and finished what was left of his meal.