voice | un: karma

[torpour]

My name is Nehan-- I'm researching how medicine works here, and how to merge it with the methods I'm used to. If my research goes well, for instance, I will be able to act as a doctor and pharmacist, among other roles found here.

To that end, I'm requesting samples of blood from fellow Sleepers. I understand it can be quite personal, so whoever does not want to do that need not respond. Those who do, so I can perform the phlebotomy myself, and can privately send you my address, and answer questions you may have.

Whoever wants to help but doesn't want a needle in their arm, I still have a job for you, if anyone is interested.

[very straight to the point, almost unwelcomingly so. but at least people know what they're getting into if they decide to deal with him?]

Comments

[tonedeaf]

Eh!

[ venti's eyebrows raise, taking a seat closest to the basin. the scent of the the incense makes him wrinkle his nose but the purpose of it keeps him from commenting on it. ]

Cut me? [ a nervous laugh, the smallest 'ehe'. ] Do I get to choose where you do it, at least?

[torpour]

If you choose a place that can bleed easily, I'll cut there.

[then he realizes that maybe he should put this person at ease, because he's been nothing but polite to nehan.]

Venti. I will do my best to make it as painless as possible.

[tonedeaf]

[ a place that can bleed easily... ]

My palm. Will that suffice? Or would you rather cut somewhere along my arm?

[ he shouldn't be that nervous about it. ]

I'll... I'll leave it to you if those don't sound okay. [ venti huffs. ] You are the doctor here.

[torpour]

The palm will hurt, and I'm sure you would want functionality in that hand after this.

[but he knows venti is nervous, so he holds out his left arm.]

Here, give me your arm, and I can show you where I can cut.

[tonedeaf]

[ yeah, he certainly does his need his hands. for playing the lyre, for holding a mug... and so venti holds out his left arm toward nehan with a hint of trepidation in his voice. ]

I don't know why I'm so nervous.

[ he's never trusted anyone with his... ah, blood? before??? at least like this, anyway. ]

[torpour]

It's natural to be nervous, if you've never had certain medical procedures before.

[then nehan takes venti's arm in hand and traces a path with his other hand, starting from the man's wrist.]

The wrist is a common place to cut because of all the prominent veins... but I don't want to kill you. The elbow has very obvious veins as well, but you'd want full functionality of your arm afterwards. [then the erune pokes at a spot just below the elbow.]

Right here, this should be fine. Veins can easily be encouraged to come up, and it's easy to heal from a wound here.

[tonedeaf]

This would be my first one. You'd be surprised how lucky I've been to avoid real harm.

[ voice as cheery as he can make it, though venti can certainly feel his fingers trembling slightly as watches nehan make that trail leading up to his elbow. the bard does his best to not flinch or move, again his attention as razor focused as he can make it.

with the exception of a punch to the gut (and then some)... ]

I trust you to make the right cut. Especially if it means it'll help those here in some way, at some point.

[torpour]

[venti may put on a brave face, but nehan can still tell withh the way his hand trembles that this is not something pleasant. and he understands that-- he simply cant pierce venti's arm with a needle, it absolutely has to be a cut.

still, with permission given, nehan begins to roll up venti's sleeve.]

If it would make you feel more relaxed, you may touch my ears while I perform the spells and phlebotomy. [his tone is grave, like he's imparting a big secret on venti, rather than... well, this.]

[tonedeaf]

[ venti blinks. he tilts his head slightly to one side, staring at nehan with a mixture of amusement and confusion. did he really hear the doctor correctly? he's pretty sure he did. ]

Is that... does that actually work?

[ he assumedly wouldn't tell venti this if it didn't have some kind of effects. calming, distracting, or something in between. and yet he also feels like he's been given an opportunity that not many others would get. ]

[torpour]

You never know until you try it for yourself. [really, nehan doesn't know himself. but he's willing to let venti do it anyway. and he's more comfortable with his ears being touched nowadays, when the fur has finally grown in after a year that lacks harsh touches and punishments. perhaps a little too unkept because he cant groom them properly, but they're fluffy and should provide some good texture. and some comfort to himself, a thick layer of fur between sensitive ears and questing fingers.

he wets a cotton ball with alcohol and rubs it over the spot he'll be cutting, but does it slowly, allowing venti time to think, to decide for himself what he really wants. to leave, if need be.]

[tonedeaf]

[ okay. he breathes in, lets out one slow exhale, and lets his shoulders relax. they've been slowly creeping upward toward his ears the entire time. watching nehan rub that swab on the place where he'll be assumedly be cutting into is... well. he's sure it won't be that bad. right? right.

right... ]

I'll do it as soon as you make the cut.

[torpour]

[nehan gives him a nod, then pulls a scalpel from his bag, sanitizing it as well, and slipping a small vial into his other hand to be quick about collecting it. ignoring how the scalpel gains a soft yellow tinge while in his hand, he makes the cut quickly, to lessen whatever pain venti may feel.

he works quickly overall, muttering the blood spell to turn sparks into darkblood and pressing the mouth of the vial underneath the cut for the blood to pour into it-- it helps him ignore whatever touch happens to his ears.]

[tonedeaf]

[ his face pales just slightly as nehan makes the cut. it's sharp and immediately stings, but quickly dulls as soon as the scalpel is pulled away. and though he wishes he could stare at those ears as he feels them, his thumbs and index fingers gently rubbing each one starting from the base and working toward the tip? his eyes are on the cut, where the soft sparkling spots become more and more physically present, the glitter becoming more like liquid but still maintaining its twinkling characteristics. ]

Ah... that's it, isn't it?

[ the pain quickly subsides. the combination of watching the procedure, along with getting to participate in furry ear touching, has venti completely distracted. ]

[torpour]

[nehan cant respond, when venti is still bleeding, and the spell must be kept up in order to keep the blood as blood, rather than the inconvenient and useless sparks that would normally come out of a darkblood. well, he cant respond verbally... and he flicks an ear fucrther into venti's hand.

this is a bit awkward for him, having to work and not be distracted by pets. it's a miracle he hasn't stumbled on his words yet-- all the more reason to make it quick.

when nehan has his vial filled, he stuffs a cork onto it and wraps up the wound, then sets fire to the drops caught in the basin. and sighs, work complete.]

[tonedeaf]

[ the vial is full, the wound is bandaged, and venti's hands are now back in his lap... sadly empty of fluffy ears. the bard, normally one for words and probably too many of them, is still and silent. full of thoughts.

so of course, he has to ruin this quiet moment. ]

If you ever happen to come across Mondstadt in your travels one day... I will meet you and proclaim to all that you have the nicest ears that I have ever touched in my life.

[ and he has lived a pretty long life so far. ]

[torpour]

[skies, not another mondstadt man. hopefully... hopefully he's not as nosy as the other two.

nehan has to sigh as he tips the basin over and stamps ashes and blood into the ground so the smell of blood is dampened faster.]

You sound like you haven't gotten your fill of them, though.

[tonedeaf]

[ thankfully he's a little more than just a simple man, right? but that's all hidden behind the childish façade, one that does kind of miss having those ears in between his fingers. ]

A little. But I don't want to overstay my welcome.

[ in regards of nehan's cute ears. not so much when it comes to being in another's home. ]

Unless you're saying it's okay to linger a little while longer?

[torpour]

That all depends on you. [nehan straightens as he works, cleaning his knife with alcohol, and then his hands, leaving the basin there so the embers can burn themselves up.]

Do you want to stay here a little longer, and chase my ears, or do you want to call on my good will for another day?

[tonedeaf]

Ehe...

[ a soft smile that does its best to conceal everything and nothing at the same time. of course he'd love to sit here and continue to chase those ears. ]

... I think the latter will be better for me in the long run.

[ he gently rubs the spot that's covered, where it certainly aches a little. ]

I hope what you've taken is enough.

[torpour]

I'll make it enough. [meaning, he'll make it stretch for his purposes.

then he points at venti's arm.]

After an hour, you can remove that gauze, and spray a bit of alcohol on it. It will sting for a few seconds, but it will disinfect the wound and help it heal. If it doesn't heal, or if it continues to hurt, come back here and I'll find a way.

[tonedeaf]

Alcohol, huh.

[ and then venti laughs, a bright sound that is somewhat muted due to his awareness of his surroundings. ]

What about just drinking it? Would that have the same effect?

[ he's got plenty of it, after all. ]

[torpour]

[nehan has to suppress a sigh-- he should have expected this. but then again, he cant be too angry.]

Isopropyl alcohol, Venti, not drinking alcohol.

I don't recommend drinking isopropyl either, I don't want to treat you for ethanol poisoning.

[tonedeaf]

[ this prompts venti's mouth to open up slowly as he looks away to the side, lips forming an O. ]

Ohhhhh. [ a pause, then: ] I didn't know there was a difference! Thank goodness I didn't do anything so rash as to consume poison or anything like that.

[ nervous chuckle. ehe. ]

Perhaps... could I borrow some...?

[torpour]

[oh venti. nehan has to shake his head minutely, but it's more out of... fondness than anything else. silly man.

he beckons to venti to follow him, back into the house.]

Come, I'll give you a small bottle of it.

[tonedeaf]

[ hopping out of his seat, venti's quick to follow behind nehan with the excitement of someone who never thought about using alcohol to... like... you know, not drown himself in??? ]

Thanks doctor. I appreciate it, really I do!