[IC] [Snek] Continuations

[pyrighteous]

Comments

[pyrighteous]

Well - we can make more in the morning then. Maybe some smaller ones that people can carry around their necks while outside.

[ He goes to sit down on one corner of his bed. ]

[othellovonryan]

[He nods.] Generally around the heart is best. The blood flow helps the warmth spread throughout.

[There is a pause because yes. He came here for sleep.]

[Because of the nightmares.]

[Because he does sleep better when he's not alone with these nightmares, but he also can't, or at least shouldn't, sleep with the battleshell on. It does start to hurt his back if he doesn't take it off and laying down is more pressure then what he's upright so hours of it is bad.]

[But it means taking it off in front of someone New.]

[He is. Slowly taking off his scarf and jacket as his mind is just trying to process all that because even for the short walk, he STILL had to have it on while outside.]

[pyrighteous]

[ Hunter watches him steadily, then startles when he realizes he's staring. ]

Oh. Uh - I should be a bird, right? Hang on.

[ There's a flicker of light, and then Hunter is indeed a bird. ]

[othellovonryan]

[Oh. That's right.]

Ah, actually... [He's blushing, fingers tapping at his shoulder, over the clasp of his battleshell.] With the cold, I'll have a tendency to cling. Warmth seeking.

Which would be less ideal with. Two birds.

A person sized body will keep me from clinging to Flapjack.

[pyrighteous]

Oh. Yeah, uh. I don't - want you to accidentally squeeze him to death or something.

[ Another flicker, and Hunter returns to his usual form. ]

[othellovonryan]

Probably won't do that, but injury is possible with all the thinner parts involved.

Just if its okay.

[pyrighteous]

I-it's okay! I have an objective for that kind of thing. Actually.

[othellovonryan]

It does seem to be an exceedingly common objective.

[There's a few more taps to his shoulder and then he finally actually hits the release for the shell. There's a small hiss and he pulls it off his back.]

[pyrighteous]

[ Hunter can't help but jolt and look up. Given how much Donnie has talked about it, he's real curious. ]

Uh - you can probably put it on the dresser.

[othellovonryan]

Uh. Right.

[He straightens up, still holding it and there is definitely a difference. His frame is a lot slimmer without the battleshell, it adds a few inches to his silhouette.]

[Which is why he's not gonna put it on the dresser, but instead go to lean it against the wall beside it because its a pretty heavy chunk of metal.]

[There is a few moments of hesitation before he turns to do that, because that means showing his back, and that's anxiety inducing both because Hunter is still New and because he knows what his back looks like. But he does turn to do that.]

[The shell is definitely different, looking more to be a leathery hide then the scutes of most other turtles. However, the cause for the anxiety is probably not hard to spot, because there is]

[Massive scarring there.]

[Healed, but also recent, much like his arms.]

[There are deep pockmarks and what appears to have been a root system that was straight up ripped out of his back. Not even something like flower roots, but full on tree roots that had grown over the surface of it.]

[It looks like it was absolutely painful when it happened.]

[pyrighteous]

[ Oh. Oh. That is, in fact, a ton of scarring. Hunter's eyes go wide for a moment as he takes it in and mentally calculates what could have caused it? Comes up with deep roots and ...

He can one hundred percent picture the amount of pain that must have come with that. He can practically feel Belos's own vines biting into his face with a burning hiss. ]

Can I ... ask what happened?

[othellovonryan]

.... [Donnie doesn't look back, just staring down at his battleshell, hands tight over the top of it.]

[The silence stretches for a solid minute.]

I needed a direct connection to the Kraang's ship.

[pyrighteous]

[ Sorry, Donnie. Hunter is patient, at least, not pushing. ]

It ... looks like you did that with a tree or something.

[othellovonryan]

Something akin to that. The Kraang biology definitely started from plants, though more...gooshy then plants.

Their technology is all biomechanical. The only way to control it is to connect it to your nervous system.

[pyrighteous]

[ Hunter shudders at that. ]

So - you connected with your nerves?

[othellovonryan]

Yes.

Along the spine.

Up to the brain stem.

[His voice is]

[Extremely detached and flat.]

[pyrighteous]

[ Hunter reaches out a hand? Stops. Donnie wants to be asked first, right. ]

Can I put my hand on your shoulder?

[othellovonryan]

No.

The contact has to be a certain way.

Or I start to panic or disassociate.

Or both.

[pyrighteous]

[ He nods, clasping his hands in his lap for now. ]

Is there a better way I could do that? Or do you not want anything right now.

[othellovonryan]

Lay down. Easier to show.

[pyrighteous]

[ Hunter carefully settles himself in his bed, then, face up. He is taut and attentive - unfortunately very experienced with watching someone for nonverbal signs that they're displeased with what you're doing. (But it's useful in this context.) ]

All right. I can do that.

[othellovonryan]

[At least he's not angry.]

[He was absolutely gripping the top of his battleshell in a death grip.]

[He takes a breath, let's it out, loosens his grip.]

[Then he moves over to the bed and moves next to him, grabbing an arm so he could move to tuck in against Hunter's side, pressing his back against his side and the bed.]

Needs...a lot of. Even pressure.

[pyrighteous]

[ Donnie's not angry. He's not Belos. Hunter is not at risk here. (But old instincts die hard, especially when they're actively useful ones.)

He lets Donnie grab his arm, following his lead. And just holds that position. ]

Yeah? Since it's not covered?

[othellovonryan]

[He nods.]

The Kraang wasn't even pressure. Different between the tendrils.

Large surface, even pressure is...

More grounding.

Raph has big arms and big hands so he always works, otherwise need...the right position.

[pyrighteous]

[ A slight nod from Hunter. ]

At least I'm tall.