The city is at war [open]

[thetyrant]

Who: Logan and YOU!
Where: Atam, Keeliai, surrounding waters
When: April 8-13
What: landfall, and then Logan fleeing back to Tu Vishan.
Warnings: there will be at least one panic attack and thoughts of wanting to die.
Notes: I'm putting headers under the cut in the main post here, feel free to respond to any of them, just put the date (and location, if necessary) in the subject of your comment so I know where we're going with this :) You can answer in prose or actionspam, I'm okay with either!


April 8
[Wow, that quarantine thing fucked Logan right up. He's hidden in a side alley of Atam, praying no one sees him, sure he's going to die. Did they give him some kind of poison? What if "quarantine" was just a pretty euphemism? He doesn't know any other explanation for why he wants to throw up, why he can't breathe, and why his heart won't stop pounding or slow down. It's like there's a rabbit in his chest, battering his ribcage to get out.]

[He closes his eyes and leans his head against the wall, clutching his knees tightly, shaking like a leaf. Just let me die here, he thinks. Let it be done with.]

[Strangely enough, he hasn't heard the Crawler hissing in his ear nearly so much as usual, since he got onto land, but he's been too panicky to really notice.]

April 9
[Logan remains in Atam, exploring the city and trying not to piss anyone off too much. He suspects the way to not get in fights is to be deferential and be as little intrusion as possible, but he's a king, dammit 8|]

April 10-13
[Logan has fled back to Tu Vishan, with no interest at all in trying to get back to Atam. He did bring a small sword with him, and he can occasionally be found in the Metal district, getting a feel for it wherever there's enough space.]

Comments

[thetyrant]

[He tries. He can't really control his breathing at first, but he wrestles with it and it gets easier, slowly. Soon his breathing still shakes a little, but he's getting some oxygen to his brain at least.]

I...I d-d... [Apparently speaking is still too much to ask.]

[suoxi]

Shh.

[ Inara slides an arm around his waist and pulls him close -- sometimes, the warmth of another person can bring someone out of a funk. At least, she hopes and that's what she's aiming for, anyway. ]

Come. I will buy you some tea.

[ or a drink. Gods. ]

[thetyrant]

[He needs a little help to stand, but he manages it, letting her lead him out of the alley. A body against his is comforting. A reminder that he's not alone, he's not trapped, and even if he is tainted, he's still worth helping.]

[He can't walk very fast, but the sweat is starting to dry. A drink might be in order.]

[suoxi]

[ Inara keeps Logan close to her as they slowly move through the streets. The first place that she can find to serve them something is where they'll stop.

It probably wont be tea, but it will be something warm and strong. ]

[thetyrant]

[Does strong mean alcohol? Because now that rationality is returning he could use alcohol. He seems to regain strength, slowly, as he manages to convince his body and subconscious that yes, they're safe (ish) and well (ish). It's catching up with him the situation he was just found in and just how mortified he should start being right about now.]

[As he's deposited in a chair, he finally feels strong enough to speak.] I...should apologize. [Hey, actual words. He hasn't lost the power of speech after all.]

[suoxi]

[ this time? strong definitely means alcohol. Inara buys them both a drink because face it - after that? She needs one too.

It's more like a strong, warm cider than anything else, but it's good. She pushes the mug towards him, tilting her head in mild confusion. ]

Apologize? Whatever for?

[thetyrant]

[So we're just going to pretend you didn't just find him being a human wreck on the ground in an alleyway? Okay. Cool. :|]

[He doesn't answer because fffff and just sips his cider. The warmth is good for him, as is the alcohol. He mostly wants to sleep now, exhausted mentally, emotionally, and physically, but doesn't give much sign of it.]

[suoxi]

[ OH, LOGAN. Inara reaches to pat his hand, and she sighs. ]

You did nothing wrong. [ seriously -- he didn't. He was afraid, and honestly -- Inara was too. She was just trained to show it differently. ]

How is your cider?

[thetyrant]

Fine. [Apparently kings devolve into monosyllables when tired and embarrassed. But he's still sipping, which would seem to indicate it is, in fact, good. And that he doesn't think it's poison, which is progress from the last time this happened.]

[suoxi]

[ Inara refrains from another sigh, and instead gives him a smile. ]

What were your plans for coming on the mainland? Did you have anything in particular you were looking for?

[thetyrant]

[He takes another sip, for fortification. He speaks slowly at first, like he's remembering how, but seems to settle into it more.] My sword has become rusted and damaged, from all the seawater. I hoped to replace it.

[suoxi]

[ she nods, setting her mug down and glancing at him. ]

Hm. I am in need of something similar. Perhaps we can go together?

[thetyrant]

[Full of surprises, are we? He gives her a quick glance, betraying that he didn't expect that, but nods.] I would like that.