GRATIA // PSL

[skeletoncity]

So, here's what Irahl knows.

He's alone in a dark, cold cave. He has most, if not all, of his gear. No one is guarding his location. As he heads away from the spot where he came to consciousness, no one tries to stop him, and no one gets in his way. The few people he finds down there seem human, and not about to approach the nearly-seven-foot man that comes stalking out of the lower tunnels. Honestly, everyone here seems a surprised and a little astonished about his... Entire scene.

There is a way up. It's a maze of twisting corridors and confusing passageways, half of which feel too small for him. It's bigger and bigger groups of people, some of which scatter like schools of fish, and some of which have to be pushed through to get anywhere. It's climbing up into streets lit with dingy lights, graffiti-covered hallways, warehouses, weird holes in stone walls that may or may not be windows. It's alarm bells, it's people yelling at each other down the street. It's just an absurd number of stairs. A couple of people make an attempt to stop him somewhere, and it goes poorly for them.

Elsewhere, events are being set in motion where Irahl cannot see. But he's on his way out.

Eventually, more people try to stop him. At the end of another long stretch of Underground city, a group of official-looking folks are putting a real effort into blocking off the obvious exit, and some of them have weapons.

Down a side alley, into another tunnel, and then the space opens up into a... Plaza, of some sort? The floor is made of stone. The buildings surrounding it are made of stone and are hard to distinguish from one another. At at least the ceiling (also made of stone) is a lot higher than before. Cavernous. There's some kind of sculpture in the middle of it, some impressive feat of geometric stonework that gives the illusion of defying gravity despite weighing literal tons.

This is where someone finally catches him. Sounds have been echoing unhelpfully down every passageway, making it hard to tell if people are coming or going - but this series of quick footsteps comes from an upward direction before someone hits the ground about five feet in front of Irahl.

His clothes are different. His hair is better-kept. Maybe if the situation wasn't quite so tense, there'd be time to see the ways in which his face is different, the way his eyes don't have quite as vicious and sharp a gleam as they used to. But whatever Irahl can take in of him, there is Robin, having hopped down from a rooftop to put himself between him and the exit again.

"...Holy shit."

Kind of weird that he looks absolutely shocked to see the person in front of him, though.

Comments

[indigochild]

The reaction to this news probably would have stayed entirely on the inside, but Vincent's open grinning makes total impassivity really hard to keep up. There's a softening of Irahl's features that is almost a smile, which he covers by reaching across himself with his good arm to pick up the folder, but it's still enough to betray the good-naturedness behind his otherwise very dry response.

"You all get stabbed to welcome you to the team, or am I the special one?"

He flips open the folder to glance his way through the paperwork. He probably looks like he's reading more than he is, but he's mostly just checking to make sure that it will be easy to figure out where to sign.

[skeletoncity]

Even a quick glance through the papers make it obvious that Jandru has already thought of this; they clipped a small note to the bottom of each page requiring a signature, with an arrow drawn in the direction of the empty field. There are a couple other notes sticking off pages further in the packet of papers, so maybe they left some other helpful notes as well.

Jandru manages to keep their own smile very small and certainly keeps it out of their voice. No need to broadcast that they're happy Irahl's on the team or anything, that would be unprofessional.

"Well, Finn technically got stabbed, but I understand that it was under different circumstances..." Jandru explains, using this as an excuse to frown a little, "So I suppose you're a bit special, yes. And if there's anything I can do to help with your recouperation, please let me know."

Vincent makes a sound from where he's still standing near the door, as if he's considering how to take advantage of the offer... Even though it technically wasn't extended to him.

[indigochild]

Irahl hears that small sound from Vincent on the other side of the room. Good to know that his nurse is on the case, because his attention is more focused on the packet and the messenger who delivered it than thinking up things that might make his healing go more smoothly.

"I'll look it over. Return it the next business day if I accept." Since today is a vacation day, as explained. Also, he has to at least pretend like he's going to comb over the details of the offer, even though everyone in this room knows that he's going to accept even if there does end up being some nitpicking to do.

[skeletoncity]

"Of course, take all the time you need."

Jandru waves their hands in front of them to further express that Irahl shouldn't even worry about it. Not that they wouldn't love these papers getting punctually returned, but they meant it when they said that Irahl could nitpick any part of the contract or his files--and they want him to have some time alone to look it all over and think.

"Hey, actually," Vincent says, "Does that doctor guy of yours have more painkillers? Ain't tryin'a throw a party or nothin', just thinkin' it'd help with sleepin'."

"Ah--" Jandru turns to regard Vincent, "I can ask! I'm surprised he didn't leave you with something..."

"Eh, kinda seemed like he was in a hurry," Vincent shrugs.

[indigochild]

"Probably thought I was about to die from a lacerated liver," he comments casually, keeping it vague whether he's referring to Finn not leaving any painkillers, him being in a hurry to flee the scene, or both.

He chooses to say this instead of give an opinion on whether or not he actually wants more painkillers. He'll leave that to his advocate. Irahl has never requested painkillers in his life and he doesn't love the feeling of them in his system, but he's also eager to heal as quickly as possible. Enforced bedrest while he conveniently has a babysitter seems like a good way to do that.

[hatesblindjokes]

If anyone can advocate for someone to have a more comfortable time in a shitty situation, it's Vincent.

"Yes," Jandru says gingerly, "I can see how that might have made him nervous..."

"Oh, and--" Vincent suddenly adds, "Gonna need more towels."

"Okay, sure. I'll let room service know to leave some outside your door." Jandru nods, pressing their lips into a thinner line as they're given additional tasks. "Anything else?"

"Hm..." Making a little bit of a show of thinking of more silly things for Jandru to do, Vincent presses his fingers to his mouth as wracks his brain, "Oh, there's... Do you guys still have that stuff, it's like... It's like milk, but they froze it into, like, little balls? An' you eat it with a spoon?"

That one gets Jandru to pause. Irahl can watch their face shift as they struggle momentarily to formulate an answer.

"...You mean us personally? Or the hotel?"

"No, the city," says Vincent.

"The whole city." Jandru says, blinking. "Oh... Okay, yes. I can get you some."

"Great! That'd be slick," Vincent smiles enthusiastically, "Thanks Jandru."

"Of course..." They respond, mostly sounding polite, "If that's everything, I'll get out of your way. Thank you for the time."

"Yeah, sure," Vincent says, having earned absolutely none of the thanks being given.

[indigochild]

Irahl happily settles back to watch this performance play out in front of him. He manages to keep himself from chuckling audibly, (the pain factor helps again,) but he fails at hiding the smirk.

When Jandru seems at the peak of incredulity for this interaction, having confirmed the existence of Vincent's mystery treat, Irahl joins in the conversation with a quiet "Ooo" of interest, as if he would ever use such a response outside of teasing someone.

He also considers catching Jandru at the last moment to state that he missed breakfast and see if he could get a big order of those sausage sticks he'd liked so much, but he decides to show restraint, as his employment papers haven't quite been safely signed and submitted yet. Better not risk it.

So, he lets them escape and get back to work.

[hatesblindjokes]

Jandru ducks their head in Irahl's direction as a very slight approximation of a bow, since Irahl is the one that can see, and quickly makes their escape before that "Ooo" can turn into something more substantial. Presumably they're off to go have a conversation with the hotel staff and probably give them a very large tip.

"Weird kid," Vincent remarks once they've left, shutting the door.