[IC] [Snek] Continuations

[pyrighteous]

Comments

[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.

[othellovonryan]

Being tall helps, yeah.

Warmth also helps.

They weren't very warm.

[pyrighteous]

They being ... the Kraang?

[othellovonryan]

[He nods.]

I think pressure helps because my battleshell kept me from bleeding out after.

Sometimes I can't take wearing it. The cold. But Raph is warmer so he helps when I can't.

[pyrighteous]

M-maybe I can figure out glyphs for that too. Like ... if we got a heavy blanket and worked some in some of the same glyphs we used for the crystals.