#gallowhung

Asra hummed in acknowledgement, staring straight ahead. Julian’s presence was… unusually helpful in the moment. Asra had been experimenting again, trying to focus more on the disease itself instead of the cure. He wanted to figure out the way it moved and flowed, to understand it. Unfortunately, nothing good had come of it. He’d exhausted himself before he’d even truly begun, a big flourish of magic everywhere with nothing to show for it. It was frustrating. 

He allowed himself to relax in Julian’s arms, trying to steady himself. His stomach was churning, his head spinning. Warnings not to strain himself. Asra slowly looked up at the doctor, his eyes blurring for a moment before he could focus. Maybe he’d never figure out the answer. Maybe there were things magic couldn’t solve. 

“Can you help me to the bed?” His tone had been excited before, a new outlook on a way to find the cure. Now it was defeated, exhausted. He’d set the runes, prepared the ingredients, fetched water, so much effort, so much energy, so much time… completely wasted. 

He clumsily moved with Julian, growing more and more appreciative of his presence. It wasn’t his style to simply collapse on the floor for a few hours while he regained his strength. Well.. it was, but he didn’t want anyone to know about it. Julian was making the defeat more bearable, giving himself something to concentrate on… like not making himself seem entirely pathetic. Especially in the presence of a man that wasn’t the most, putting it kindly, knowledgeable about his craft.

The moment the bed was within reach, Asra allowed himself to crawl onto it. He fell sideways, his head hitting the nest of pillows amassed on it. He didn’t move for a while, staying put and letting his eyes wander about the room. 

They moved first to his efforts, then his mistakes, then to Julian. He still couldn’t believe how close he’d gotten with him. Friends were hard to come by for him. Friends who Asra allowed to watch him do rituals like this… unheard of. He wasn’t sure if it was the freshness of his failure or the exhaustion, but there was a warmth in Julian’s aura that hadn’t been there before. Or maybe he’d just started to notice it, or opened himself to the possibility. 

     ‘    whatever the hell i think this is, it better not be !    ‘   her voice carelessly bounces down the cobble streets and trails off into the shimmering night air. the nighttime makes it easier for her to be at liberty with her true intentions ; she practically blends in with her surroundings, despite the fact her choice and color of clothing outlines her against the door of her shop. diosa raises an eyebrow, hard gaze going expectant.

‘  PERHAPS YOU SHOULD TRY ANOTHER APPROACH .  ’     it doesn’t take much thought to deduce the situation .  mussed locks ,  embarrassed flush ,  dejected expression                the count’s temper tends to have a discouraging effect on anyone’s spirits ,  and julian is an unfortunately frequent victim .  half - interested gaze lifted from his book ,  asra regards him with a tilted head   (  a look of thoughtful innocence .  it’s short - lived ,  broken as soon as a touch of mischief cuts across lips .  )     

The investigation seems to have hit a wall. After another frustrated conversation with the Countess where the two of them went over everything they knew, her headaches started again and she gave Edge the rest of the day off. 

He’s looking around the marketplace when the rain starts. At first it seems like a light rain, but by the time he gets back to the street where his shop is, it’s pouring so hard he can barely see where he’s going from the raindrops. As he turns at the last corner, he runs straight into someone and reaches out as a reflex to grab the stranger to keep from falling.