chippedsoul | The Journal (Inbox

[Poison. It's definitely poison. Those lips of his are staying shut tight, not convinced by Holmes' words, whatever he could pick out at least. He's glancing in Holmes' direction. If he could glare, he would be doing so right now.]

[Sherlock spends a few seconds waving the potion around in front of Asougi's mouth, then sighs and admits defeat. It feels familiar, somehow. Why is that, again? ... Iris. When she was very young, Iris would also refuse to eat whatever Sherlock offered her. How did he solve that, again? The memories are so faded, they're basically gone, and Sherlock ends up smacking the heel of his palm against his forehead a few times.

Think. Think!

And then, at last, he remembers. He slips the cork back into the bottle and puts it on the nightstand, out of Asougi's reach. Then he disappears from the room for a minute. Asougi might think he's safe, but Holmes returns in due time, holding a book. He sure did raid Asougi's library! Reading to Iris always did the trick. Granted, he didn't really read stories to her. He read research reports, the newspaper, letters sent from across the sea... But this is the Index and there are storybooks aplenty.

He sits himself down on the edge of the bed and opens the book, starting on the first page.]

Once upon a time, there lived in a certain village a little country girl, the prettiest creature who was ever seen. Her mother was excessively fond of her, and her grandmother doted on her still more. This good woman had a little red riding hood made for her. It suited the girl so extremely well that everybody started calling her... Little Red Riding Hood.

[Enjoy the drone of Sherlock's voice, Asougi!]

..................

[He can't be serious. He's just going to keep giving that look of disbelief at the detective. At least pick an interesting story! The words just go through one ear and other the other, his attention on the man who was clearly just trying to distract him.]

[Excuse you, an innocent little girl and a grandmother are gobbled up by a wolf. How is that not interesting? Holmes doesn't notice the look that's being shot his way. His attention is on the story now.]

-As she was going through the wood, she met with a wolf, who had a very great mind to eat her up, but he dared not, because of some woodcutters working nearby in the forest. He asked her where she was going. The poor child, who did not know that it was dangerous to stay and talk to a wolf, said to him, "I'm going to see my grandmother, and bring her a cake and a little pot of butter from my mother."

[Yes, he did do the little girl voice. You're welcome.]

[He might have visibly wince at that "girl" voice. He's being tortured isn't he? Trying to get him to break, so he could take that poison. Maybe if he could just lean over, muster up enough energy to kick the book, or him.]

[If Asougi thinks the little girl voice is bad, just wait till Holmes gets to the grandmother. He makes sure to really emphasize that old, sickly croak. What're ya gonna do about it, Asougi?]

[Partially fall off the bed. He couldn't quite reach Holmes to kick him and thus he's fallen off the bed instead.]

[The moment Sherlock spots that toppling movement from the corner of his eye, one of his arms shoots outward to try and catch Asougi.]

Whoah! Oh dear, careful now!

[He groans, not from the fall, but the body aches he's starting to feel after he forced himself to move so much. He's relying on Holmes to not fall as he breathes heavily. At this rate, he'll just tire himself out without Sherlock's "help".]

[Don't worry Asougi, Sherlock's got you. Once he's got a good, gentle hold with both hands, he carefully sits Asougi up again.]

There we are. Take it easy, now. I know it's an intense story, but it's still only a story.

[He made a scowling sound after being put back on the bed. This man is so loud and-

...

He must have gotten his eyesight back for a moment, cause he can just pick out that poofy hair of the detective, that ever so optimistic grin of his. He sighs heavily, flopping back onto the bed, raising an arm to rest over his head.]

[The flopping is good! Sort of. It means Asougi won't slide back off the bed so easily. He still needs to stay somewhat upright for that healing potion, though. Sherlock reaches for the bottle again, uncorking it.]

Let's try this one more time, shall we? Bottoms up. [Here comes the hot air balloon, moving towards Asougi's mouth for a landing! Vroom vroom- or whatever sound a hot air balloon made in 1900.]

... [Were the sounds really necessary? He needs to have a proper talk after this about the detective's...approach. Knowing who it is, he isn't fighting as hard to take a bit of the potion. It's hard to get down, a bit of the liquid trickling from his lips, but he manages to get some into his body.

It helps to ease his symptoms, feeling a little rejuvenated by the potion. It doesn't cure the fever, but at least his body aches have stopped.]

[From what he's learned from Iris, the sounds are absolutely necessary. They're soft sounds, at least. Discreet, for Sherlock's doing. Once enough of the potion is down, he puts the cork back on the bottle and sets it down again, smiling.]

There. Now, was that really so bad?

You could have done it without the theatrics. [Oh! Words! He manages to make words, though his voice is soft and weak.]

[Sherlock grins and waves a hand. There is progress and that's good enough for him!]

I did attempt it without the theatrics! Twice! It did not work.

I couldn't tell it was you, and I'm not a child. [Quit treating me like one :T. His head was starting to pound a little as he lays back onto the bed.]

Are you certain? You were behaving an awful lot like one, ha ha ha! [Yeahhh, that laughter is probably not helping Asougi's headache any.]

[Nooope, just going to pull up the blankets while muttering.] Not so loud. ["Thanks for the potion" is somewhere in that, probably.]

[Thankfully, Holmes has some very good hearing. It comes with being the Best Detective Ever, ya know. He chuckles under his breath.]

I take your health has improved, if only a little?

A little. [Still feels like crap and low on energy. He pulls down the blankets so his eyes at least are visible.] What day is it...?

Iiit's.... Tuesday, I believe. Or perhaps Thursday? Saturday? There was definitely a U in there.

[Oh Asougi, you should've known better than to ask.]

[He should, but he's not in his right mind and hasn't seen anyone. So he'll just sigh.]

Some time then. [As his stomach whines hopelessly once more to be fed for the 100th time.] Did anything happen since the campaign...? [That might get him some information.]

Hmmm, let's see. The water turned very foul for a while. Hostile, even. That was rather nasty. Our Essences were behaving a bit oddly as well. On the bright side, I found a very nice pot of soil to have my precious Audrey III feel right at home. [...] Oh, yes, and the Story Eater attacked this place, leading to a spot of mayhem! But don't you worry, that whole matter was dealt with.

[That all happened...? He doesn't know what this Audrey is, he's a little worried he can't recall much of this. Everything is just a blur.]

What about yourself? [They fought didn't they?]

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