metalogs | Closed | Watching On The Wires

Entry tags:

Closed | Watching On The Wires

Who: David Alleyne

helpdesk_hero, Bart Allen

kid_flash_found, Balthier

portolan, Peter Parker

kindofamazing
What: Technopath Investigation of Excelsior
When: February 15th
Where: Excelsior City Streets, The Chai House
Content Warnings: N/A

I. The Initial Investigation | Closed to Bart

Picking where to live in a world like this is always something to be cautious about, and no one could honesty say that David wasn't a cautious person. He had to figure out what he wanted after all, and privacy was an important thing for him.

Which would be doubly true if he really was going to live here in this world as a hero. To finally have a chance to choose the life or not, and get to have the shocking chance to have an actual secret identity was strange. So he wanted to be able to protect it, and the people he loved, the best he could. Which was the purpose of being here today. From the little he'd learned of Excelsior, it was a perfect choice for him. Which of course made him all the more suspicious. Good thing he had backup for investigations.

"Here," he said to Bart, offering his friend his hand to hold now that they'd arrived. Not that it was his hand that he wanted to give Bart so much as the earwig in his hand. The best way to stay in contact with Bart without actually talking about what he's talking about.

"This place looks amazing," he said aloud as they moved through the streets.

II. A More Targeted Approach | Closed to Balthier (and a hint of Bart at the start)

First phase of the plan completed, David had to admit to himself that there was as a need for a whole different kind of assistance, and he thought he had an idea of who might serve for it. Sure, Bart could work in a pinch, but a specialist might be better. So he sent the text invitation and hoped for the man to agree to join him.

So he sat in the tea house, sipping a cup of the rose black that of course reminded him of the person he was hoping to get some help from. Still, he sort of twitched in his seat, anxious to see if he'd get the support he'd thought.

More than anything, though, he needed a specialist, and Balthier didn't show up, David might have to ask another favor of Loki.

As he looks up from his latest check of his phone he catches sight of Bart looking at him.

"What's that look for?"

III. Crossing A Hero | Closed to Peter (TASM)

Of course even after Balthier, David realized he still had other things to do. It wasn't intentional, but he'd been passing by the local police station by accident and... Well, he got to thinking. Not like anyone would notice him if he got onto the roof, right? And up there he could easily run into all sorts of wires and antenna and other methods that he could access a system out of sight. And since he'd gone with a very tech world look of dark brown slacks and a warm black sweater, all he had to do was stuff his yellow scarf into his pocket to be a bit less obvious. He circled the building casually, waited until there was a moment where no one was looking and he could see he was in a camera blind spot, and then he moved.

Climbing up the side of older concrete buildings like the police station wasn't hard when he could use his energy projection to form climbing claws on his palms. These helped him easily scale the side of the building, quickly and safely, until he lifted himself quietly onto the roof to look for some sort of access point for his technopathy.

Always helped to know what the local PD was working with.

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[Yeah, this wasn't good. David's got to find a good way to get Balthier home. He takes the scarf with gentle fingers, ignoring his how fingers brush Balthier's neck. That isn't important. He folds and then ties the thing loosely around Balthier's eyes.]

Where's your teleport coin? I need to get you back to the diadem.

[ The decrease in light helps a little. ]

Inner pocket. [ Inner pocket of the outer coat. It's going to have to be enough. He tries fumbling for it but about loses his balance and has to return to his previous crouched position. ]

As your physician, I'm going to have to ask you to stay still.

[David is gentle as he reaches into the coat, searching for an interior pocket and fetching it out. This he pushes into Balthier's hand before reaching to get his own out as well. He clasps his hand against Balthier's to hold the tokens together.]

I'm going to count softly. Going to need you to activate it when I say go, okay? It will be three, two, one, go. Understood? From there I'll be there when you are, and I can help get you to your room.

[ Balthier feels the token slide into his hand. It's smooth with a few little ridges -- something he can focus on, for a moment. The hand around his helps. So do the instructions. ]

Yes.

[ It takes all of his willpower to focus on David's count and get out the activation word. He's a moment slow, causing him to slide forward a bit before he teleports. He lurches as he arrives, sending his stomach turning again. He whimpers. ]

[Even that brief moment of delay makes David panic, in the split second between his arrival and Balthier appearing. He catches the man easily in his arms, wanting to hold him up.]

it's okay. I've got you. Tell me which floor you're on. We'll get there. I'm going to take care of you.

[He owed it to Balthier, because either the spell to cure David had gone wrong and hurt Balthier, or... Or he'd just taken David's migraine into himself. And that would be even worse. David was good at playing through the particular pain of the things, given how his powers had been changed. But Balthier likely wasn't.]

[ If Balthier doesn't let David catch and guide him so much as he has no choice. It's taking everything to stay up right. But he's glad David is here to help. That feels comforting, and the instructions keep him moving. ]

Sixteenth. [ He wants to black out. He fleetingly thinks to the potions, but they aren't here and he doesn't have the capacity to get them or explain to David how to get them. ]

[Well, there's that. Good to hear too.]

I'm going to pick you up now, Balthier, I don't trust you on your feet. Can you promise to try not to lose your lunch on me? That tea was rather pricey, and probably wouldn't be as pleasant the second time."

[ Balthier manages a tiny smile and a breathy yes that might have been a chuckle if he was feeling better.

He doesn't resist as David picks him up. He's not used to the one being on the receiving end of this, but it's a relief to stop worrying about his balance. His stomach isn't great, but at least he can focus on that. He tries to count his breathing -- his mother had taught him that. It helps some with the discomfort of the additional jostling. ]

[It's easy enough to pick up Balthier. For all that the man would never have seen it, David was extremely fit under his clothes, and carrying even a man his own size wasn't the trouble it could have been. To be considerate of his head David went for a more stable bridal style carry, and took them right to the door of the hotel and through the sliding doors. Didn't even wait for help from anyone, just marched right to the elevator and jabbed the up button with his elbow.

And, once it opened up, he glared at anyone who tried to board with them. Balthier didn't need more noise. Once the door was closed and the button for the sixteenth floor hit, he finally spoke again. Of course, with how he held Balthier it meant a quiet whisper almost right into his ear.]

Where's your room card? And what's the chance that your roommate is in?

[ As he's carried, Balthier curls his head against David's chest. It's more stable. There's also some part of him that feels like a child -- that may have been the last time someone carried him. He'd gotten sick -- his mother -- the memories are blurry.

David's voice cuts through them. It's both welcome and sets new pain in his head. ] Other inner pocket. Low. [ Peter's been staying out til after dinner, mostly. It's still afternoon. ]

[So many pockets.]

I envy your coat. When I get to the door I'll have to see about that. For now, just stay still and quiet, okay? We'll get you better.

[He was happy to just carry Balthier, and when the elevator stopped he carried Balthier with him off and into the hall. And, even though two arms were wrapped around Balthier, something else was messing with Balthier's coat, seeking that other pocket.]

Just me. Don't freak.

[It was another glowing projection, a little created lizard moving through Balthier's coat to find the card. It climbed out after a moment to drop the card on Balthier's chest. There it was. David stopped in front of a door. The right one he hoped.]

The door is in front of us, on your left. Take the card in your hand and try and get it in the slot. i can't create something to do that.

[ Balthier wouldn't have noticed that there were too many hands -- or lizards. Every step feels like his skull is digging into his brain. The texture of his clothing makes his skin crawl. He wants to implode in on himself.

Being able to trust David and not walk gives him a little mental space back, at least. He focuses on the instructions and takes a few steadying breaths before groping for the key. That's easy enough. The scarf is still over his eyes and he can't see. He moves his hand vaguely to the left, banging the card into the doorknob.

If he were more lucid he would comment that they looked like drunk students doing some sort of hazing and/or courtship ritual. ]

[Perhaps they were. But the RFID chip in the card let the door open without David having to test his technopathy again, and he was able to awkwardly lever the door open and slip in. To a room that was rather bright because of the open curtains. David sighed at that.]

Okay, we need a dark place. I'm going to set you down on a bed and get all the curtains, and turn the lights out, okay? Once I've got it dark, I'll start some other things. Is the bed nearer or further from the door yours?

[ It's quieter up here than it was in the lobby or on the street, and that's already a relief. So is the AC. His coat and vest ensemble is warm inside. ]

Further. [ He feels David lower him to the bed. He reaches to take the coat off, but it's too much movement. He moans slightly before curling into a ball on his side. ]

[Oh dear. That didn't look good.]

Hold on, let me just deal with the light.

[He strode off quickly to find every curtain possible and shut them to turn away as much light as he could. Which of course meant the room was just a touch too dark for him to easily see in. Which was something a bit easier for David to cure for himself without hurting Balthier. With a bit of focus he called a few small lights into being from his energy projection power, making sure they were dim and only around the size of rice grains. These he set to hovering around his head, a personal crown of dimly glowing stars orbiting his head as he moved to Balthier's side.]

Do you want me to help you shed some of those clothes?

[ He's going to be delighted by David's light crown some other day. For now, not moving and the decrease in sound and light definitely help. ] Please. [ He manages to follow prompting hands, keep an arm straight or turn to help the procedure. It's unpleasant, but the decreased heat and restraint from the fabric is a huge relief. ]

[Who said David would ever manifest the crown of little stars again? For now they were his best option in his mind, so he takes the permission and works with it. He uses slow, careful motions to help slip the coat from one arm and then the other. Once that's done he rises briefly and moves to lay the coat carefully over a chair. Only then does he return to repeat the process, just as slowly and carefully, with the vest. He's had enough experience with trauma patients and other injured people to know how to do this right. The vest too went carefully over the chair to keep it straight. After that David moved for Balthier's shoes, shedding those carefully as well.]

Anything else you need off? I'd suggest the belt, but that seems a bad place to touch without warning.

[ Balthier breathes more evenly as the garments come off. His body temperature is regulating, at least, and the dark is helping. Less constraint is too. David is slow and gentle -- that certainly helps too. ]

Belt. Socks. Top buttons.

[ He's stringing a few more words together. The pain is still intense and he still feels nauseous, but he at least doesn't feel like he's completely collapsing into himself with every tiny change in the environment. ] Thank you.

Don't thank me. I'm the reason you feel like this.

[He starts at the bottom, working his way up. Socks slowly taken off and set aside over his shoes. Belt undone with an absolute minimum of touch to try and keep that from being weird, and draped over coat and vest. And buttons... Oh that makes him hesitate before he finally moved and did that a bit more quickly. Only then did he reach up to loosen the scarf and uncover Balthier's eyes.]

I'm going to get you a cold compress for over your forehead and eyes. Then I'm going up to my room to fetch my pain pills and make a cup of coffee. Caffeine will help you absorb the pain medication faster. Will you be alright?

[ He's not in any shape to argue right now, but he's had plenty of people cause him harm and then leave him to deal with it.

He's barely aware of David's movements, but the removal of restraint from sensitive areas is welcome. He rolls on his back, breathing much more evenly. The removal of the scarf doesn't send any additional pain. He squints at the dim light around David's head. He honestly thinks he's hallucinating that part. It's like David is some strapping mythical figure from an old tale, tending gently and glowing with light. Things he was into as a kid. ]

Yes. This is more manageable. [ A whole sentence. ]

[Hey, not David's fault that he looks like something out of a tale. He's just doing his best. He smiles down at Balthier then moves to the bathroom to find a wash cloth. This he wet and came back to press over Balthier's forehead.]

Fifteen minutes, maximum, I promise. I'm only down the hall, so this will be quick provided Matthew didn't drink it all. I know coffee isn't your thing, but really, you're going to want it. I'll be right back. I'm keeping your key card until I return.

[With that he slipped out, quiet as a shadow, the light going with him. In the end it took almost twenty minutes before he returned, letting himself in and kindling little lights again before moving to the bed.]

I've chilled the coffee a little. Hold your hand out for the pills.

[ The coolness off the cloth is extremely welcome. Balthier drifts to a twilight space where he’s at least in a sort of stasis. He winces as the door opens, the sound setting some of the pain anew. But he knows medicine will help and trusts David on the coffee. He eases himself up, just a little, so he will be able to drink, and holds out his hand for the pills. ]

[David passes over the pills and a bottle of water to start with, and once those are down he offers the coffee to sip at lightly. Nursing was something he was very good at after all. Once he was sure Balthier could handle himself David offered a soft smile he wasn't certain Balthier would see in the dim light.]

And now you just need rest.

[ Balthier obediently takes what he’s handed. All he wants is to be able to sleep. ] Aye-aye, doctor. [ He settles back down beneath his compress and eventually the pain dulls enough that sleep comes. ]

[David lingers only so long as was needed for Balthier to fall asleep. Then he rose and slipped back out as quietly as he could. He'd find a way to make it up to Balthier later for what he'd caused.

He owed the guy something for this. Some sort of gift to thank him for the risks and burdens he'd taken on for David. It was only right.]

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Closed | Watching On The Wires

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