[He's quiet for a moment, gazing around the room as if to confirm. But eventually he shakes his head.]
I don't feel anything. But I know something is out there. I didn't just go crazy all on my own.
[He hefts himself to his feet, grunting a bit at the way his muscles protest the sudden movement. He sighs at his unwrapped weapon and reaches down to grab it and it's coverings and he starts his process of rewrapping it, all with a scowl.
There's a good chance he would have shot first and checked second if anybody but Vash had walked in through that door. He's glad it didn't come to that, but it just makes him angrier at the damn god out there.
He's also, very purposely, refusing to glance back Vash's way. Whether it's out of an awkwardness for clinging to him the way he did, or frustration for needing him at all, it's hard to differentiate.]
( Vash watches all of this quietly, his expression lost in thought. The way Wolfwood rewraps the Punisher is at least something he can focus on when he thinks, watching those sure hands as his own mouth twists. )
Okay, so the villagers believe in a god and you guys were trying to summon it to ask it some questions, right? And then it ... followed you? Can you ask anyone else who was at the -. ( A pause, faltering a little. ) - The summoning if, if they're feeling the same way? Because that can help us narrow things down. Or give us a wider pool of information.
( A hum. )
And I don't think you're crazy, Wolfwood. I really don't.
[He snorts, making his way towards the window and pulling it open to a rather tranquil looking scene below. He pulls out a cigarette and lights it, letting the smoke billow out.]
It didn't follow. It appeared in the fog. It was just this shape? Couldn't make shit out other than something was there. And then it was gone and then suddenly everything seemed...terrifying. It's like it put a damn spell on me.
[He doesn't feel like chasing the god down to ask him if it fucked him up, too. It doesn't really matter now that it's gone. But if it was able to mess with his brain from a god damn distance, well it suddenly makes the villagers behavior a little more understanding.]
Makes me wonder if some of the villagers aren't under one, too. I know fanaticism can make people bat-shit crazy, but even the ones who wouldn't go along with that can be manipulated by this thing.
( That's interesting, and a little concerning. But there's something prickling at the back of Vash's mind and he's on his feet in a second, stepping into Wolfwood's space and yanking open his blazer, the collar of his shirt. He ignores all the protests to stare at unmarred skin. )
You had a mark. It looked like a bruise. I was worried you'd been kicked or something, but then I realised I didn't see it again when you got up. ( Because he notices things, despite his ditzy aura. ) It's gone now. But it looked pretty dark.
( Finally looking at Wolfwood, and oh yeah - he's too close again. His hands drop away, skin flushing, stepping back too quickly. )
[He frowns but doesn't stop Vash from whatever he suddenly felt was so damn important, though as he glances down at his own bared skin, he's not sure what the hell that was.]
A mark?
[He shakes his head. He doesn't get marks, not for long anyway. And a bruise would definitely heal quickly. But, that all aside, he hasn't gotten hit by anything.]
Huh.
[The god? Did he put some mark on him and that's why he went nuts?]
Could be. I don't really bruise for more than a few minutes.
Mm. Were you hurt in a way that could cause bruising?
( Was he hurt at all? Vash doesn't exactly know what a summoning entails. He wonders if he should be pressing for more details, if he should be asking Wolfwood exactly what they did. But he trusts him, he has to trust him. )
I wonder if anyone else has one.
( He'll have to keep an eye out, but it's not like most people wander around with half their chests exposed. A concern for later, because he's too busy peering at Wolfwood now. ) Did you get anything from it?
[He should probably fix his shirt, but it doesn't cross his mind to fix the gap Vash has made.]
Nope. It's not exactly easy for people to land a punch and unlike you I don't walk into doors.
[He nods, attention back to the window below them. Maybe. But if the mark is a sign they're being messed with by the Lord of the forest, he doesn't see any apparent ones. He's not sure if it's more concerning that they might all actually believe in the god this much.]
No. Just that something is definitely out there. And a mark, apparently. Though, think it's obvious this thing can fuck with heads. That something?
( He is resolutely not looking, though his hands twitch a little like he's half tempted to reach out and tidy Wolfwood up himself. It's certainly not what he should be focused on, and that too has him feeling a little guilty. )
For now, I guess? Will you tell me if you start feeling weird again? If only so I can come help.
( There's a nervous energy in him now that the moment has passed, and he twists to pace the little room they're sharing, brows knitted together in thought. ) Okay, so we have to keep our wits about us, that's all. I think we're used to that anyway. And maybe I can ask the villagers some more about their god. I wasn't really paying attention before. Do you want me to go check the area now that you're feeling steadier?
( Not better because he knows Wolfwood enough to believe something truly did happen. He's trying to help him save face either way. )
[He reaches out and pats Vash on the shoulder once before stepping back from the window. And he finally situates his collar.]
I called for you once, didn't I?
[Which is his way of saying, yes. He's not exactly the kind to ask for help, or to seek it, but Vash has proven to him when it mattered the most that he was dependable. So he's always going to be the one he reaches out to if he needs it.
Acknowledging he needs it might be a different task though.]
Suppose we can go check.
[That was the point in being here, after all, wasn't it? Hunting down some damn creature. But people seem to have gotten a little lax around the town.]
( And that does something funny to him, he thinks. He really shouldn't be so pleased that Wolfwood thought to summon him, especially when something clearly terrible had been happening. But he likes that he was, that the trust between them was enough. It lights him up a little, a strange energy lifting his spirits again. )
Would that help? Because I can go alone if you want. Just to make sure there's nothing we're missing out there.
[He watches Vash for a moment, he seems a little lighter than he has been. And he's glad for it. He hates that he put him out. Hates that he had such a weak moment. But he hates even more how careful Vash is being with him now.]
Knock it off, Spikey. I can handle a walk in the woods. If it's out there again, maybe between the two of us it won't get away.
[But he does hate how there's a hesitation in his very bones about going back out there and after that thing, the fear from earlier still a vivid memory. But he's never been one to cower.]
( Vash only watches him for another long moment, expression complicated and searching. In the end though, he smiles, reaches out to clasp Wolfwood's shoulder once. )
Okay, sure. Hey, if anything we have a fun spooky story to tell the kids when we get back, right? Kids love that.
( Vash hadn't, as a child. He was more easily upset. But that's besides the point, he's sure at least the ones who vandalised the robot caretaker might. ) Make me really cool in it when you tell them, alright? ( As he's patting himself down, ready to go back outside. ) I want them to think I'm a badass.
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no subject
I don't feel anything. But I know something is out there. I didn't just go crazy all on my own.
[He hefts himself to his feet, grunting a bit at the way his muscles protest the sudden movement. He sighs at his unwrapped weapon and reaches down to grab it and it's coverings and he starts his process of rewrapping it, all with a scowl.
There's a good chance he would have shot first and checked second if anybody but Vash had walked in through that door. He's glad it didn't come to that, but it just makes him angrier at the damn god out there.
He's also, very purposely, refusing to glance back Vash's way. Whether it's out of an awkwardness for clinging to him the way he did, or frustration for needing him at all, it's hard to differentiate.]
no subject
Okay, so the villagers believe in a god and you guys were trying to summon it to ask it some questions, right? And then it ... followed you? Can you ask anyone else who was at the -. ( A pause, faltering a little. ) - The summoning if, if they're feeling the same way? Because that can help us narrow things down. Or give us a wider pool of information.
( A hum. )
And I don't think you're crazy, Wolfwood. I really don't.
no subject
It didn't follow. It appeared in the fog. It was just this shape? Couldn't make shit out other than something was there. And then it was gone and then suddenly everything seemed...terrifying. It's like it put a damn spell on me.
[He doesn't feel like chasing the god down to ask him if it fucked him up, too. It doesn't really matter now that it's gone. But if it was able to mess with his brain from a god damn distance, well it suddenly makes the villagers behavior a little more understanding.]
Makes me wonder if some of the villagers aren't under one, too. I know fanaticism can make people bat-shit crazy, but even the ones who wouldn't go along with that can be manipulated by this thing.
no subject
( That's interesting, and a little concerning. But there's something prickling at the back of Vash's mind and he's on his feet in a second, stepping into Wolfwood's space and yanking open his blazer, the collar of his shirt. He ignores all the protests to stare at unmarred skin. )
You had a mark. It looked like a bruise. I was worried you'd been kicked or something, but then I realised I didn't see it again when you got up. ( Because he notices things, despite his ditzy aura. ) It's gone now. But it looked pretty dark.
( Finally looking at Wolfwood, and oh yeah - he's too close again. His hands drop away, skin flushing, stepping back too quickly. )
Sorry. It could be something though.
no subject
[He frowns but doesn't stop Vash from whatever he suddenly felt was so damn important, though as he glances down at his own bared skin, he's not sure what the hell that was.]
A mark?
[He shakes his head. He doesn't get marks, not for long anyway. And a bruise would definitely heal quickly. But, that all aside, he hasn't gotten hit by anything.]
Huh.
[The god? Did he put some mark on him and that's why he went nuts?]
Could be. I don't really bruise for more than a few minutes.
no subject
( Was he hurt at all? Vash doesn't exactly know what a summoning entails. He wonders if he should be pressing for more details, if he should be asking Wolfwood exactly what they did. But he trusts him, he has to trust him. )
I wonder if anyone else has one.
( He'll have to keep an eye out, but it's not like most people wander around with half their chests exposed. A concern for later, because he's too busy peering at Wolfwood now. ) Did you get anything from it?
no subject
Nope. It's not exactly easy for people to land a punch and unlike you I don't walk into doors.
[He nods, attention back to the window below them. Maybe. But if the mark is a sign they're being messed with by the Lord of the forest, he doesn't see any apparent ones. He's not sure if it's more concerning that they might all actually believe in the god this much.]
No. Just that something is definitely out there. And a mark, apparently. Though, think it's obvious this thing can fuck with heads. That something?
no subject
For now, I guess? Will you tell me if you start feeling weird again? If only so I can come help.
( There's a nervous energy in him now that the moment has passed, and he twists to pace the little room they're sharing, brows knitted together in thought. ) Okay, so we have to keep our wits about us, that's all. I think we're used to that anyway. And maybe I can ask the villagers some more about their god. I wasn't really paying attention before. Do you want me to go check the area now that you're feeling steadier?
( Not better because he knows Wolfwood enough to believe something truly did happen. He's trying to help him save face either way. )
no subject
I called for you once, didn't I?
[Which is his way of saying, yes. He's not exactly the kind to ask for help, or to seek it, but Vash has proven to him when it mattered the most that he was dependable. So he's always going to be the one he reaches out to if he needs it.
Acknowledging he needs it might be a different task though.]
Suppose we can go check.
[That was the point in being here, after all, wasn't it? Hunting down some damn creature. But people seem to have gotten a little lax around the town.]
no subject
( And that does something funny to him, he thinks. He really shouldn't be so pleased that Wolfwood thought to summon him, especially when something clearly terrible had been happening. But he likes that he was, that the trust between them was enough. It lights him up a little, a strange energy lifting his spirits again. )
Would that help? Because I can go alone if you want. Just to make sure there's nothing we're missing out there.
no subject
Knock it off, Spikey. I can handle a walk in the woods. If it's out there again, maybe between the two of us it won't get away.
[But he does hate how there's a hesitation in his very bones about going back out there and after that thing, the fear from earlier still a vivid memory. But he's never been one to cower.]
no subject
Okay, sure. Hey, if anything we have a fun spooky story to tell the kids when we get back, right? Kids love that.
( Vash hadn't, as a child. He was more easily upset. But that's besides the point, he's sure at least the ones who vandalised the robot caretaker might. ) Make me really cool in it when you tell them, alright? ( As he's patting himself down, ready to go back outside. ) I want them to think I'm a badass.