[Open] Set me on firе just to watch me

[burnyoudown]

Who: Kavinsky and OPEN
What: Returning from a canon update and not doing so well from it. Emotions are running high + elemental surges (fire)
When: The end half of March
Where: Outside the Convoy
Warnings: Mentions of suicide/suicidal ideation, drugs, alcohol, murder, and abuse in threads, though none in the actual starters. Also lots of swearing.
I'll match format to whichever you prefer!

I. Up In Flames - (new glowing eyes elemental trait activation)

[Kavinsky couldn't say he knew what had happened, but that didn't mean he wasn't feeling scorched to his core. His dream animal and the cuccos weren't with him; he'd left them back at the Convoy. It was safer for them there, all things considered. Just like it was safer for everyone else that he wasn't at the Convoy right now.

His control over his fire wasn't what anyone could call 'present'. The ground around him was scorched in frantic patterns, and a tree or two here and there had flames flickering along the bark. The harmless fire that licked along the edges of his--semi-translucent and red-orange--hands and forearms surged whenever actual flames leapt from him. His eyes, normally a deep brown, glowed with the same red-orange every time his power surged, though he wasn't aware of it.

Things had been looking up for him. He'd thought they'd been looking up. He'd thought that Ronan would be just as eager for kinship, finding another dreamer, as he was. He'd been wrong.]

Fucking son of a bitch.

[He dropped into a crouch, breathing, or at least trying to focus on even breaths. Raking his fingers through his hair, he scrunched down more, like he was trying to become as compact as possible. That's not enough. It didn't take much for those words to twist into a different meaning, the one he knew Ronan had been implying. He wasn't enough.

The moment he pressed his hands to the ground on either side of him, steadying himself, flames surged from his palms, scorching the ground around him. He was distantly aware of the fact he needed to get the fire under control, but he didn't think that was going to be doable until he'd calmed the fuck down.]

Fuck.

II. Embers In The Air

[Though the ground around Kavinsky was scorched, the permanent flames on his hands and forearms had stopped surging, and his eyes, hidden behind white-rimmed sunglasses, had gone back to their normal dark brown. He seemed tired, spent, potentially asleep as he laid there--but he wasn't. He was all the other things, but he was very much awake.

That was more obviously confirmed when he sniffled, the ugly, sinus clogged sound of someone who'd been crying. He didn't have the energy--or really, the motivation--to get up right now, and he wasn't sure he had the motivation to do something about it if the sounds of something or someone approaching were something less than friendly. He didn't move, didn't lift his head.]

Just give me a heads up if you're going to eat my liver or something. Otherwise, fire's all done. I think. I'm not going to deep fry anyone.

[The last part he could nearly promise. The fire being done with and fully back under his control? Questionable.]

Comments

[bufudine]

Yeah, he knows what Kavinsky is thinking about instead. There's that hunger named desire in his gaze, an eagerness to fall onto Serph and devour him that's barely held back.

Serph startles at the sudden appearance of the blanket, the upper pair of wings fluffing before he relaxes immediately once he realises what's happened. It amazes him, this kind of control Kavinsky has over a dream like this.

"Sleep. It's been a long day." He raises a hand to run it through Kavinsky's hair. Even though he often feels disconnected from his own emotions, there's a part of him that can sense it has been an emotionally draining 24 hours for the dreamer. What Kavinsky needs is rest, not being kept up in more ways than one. "I'm here with you."

Carefully, he manoeuvres them down onto the blanket, arm around Kavinsky's waist as he does so. The wings closest to Kavinsky stretch out over him in a feathery blanket, an action he's well practised in now.

And because he knows Kavinsky is prone to thinking in circles, making things more complicated than they really are, and it really is quite obvious what Kavinsky wants beyond mistletoe, Serph adds, "We can have sex another time. Not tonight."

[burnyoudown]

"Sorry. Should've warned you." He gently slid his thumbs along Serph's cheeks before dropping his hands. He would've spooked at something suddenly appearing, too, but he wasn't used to sharing his dreams, or needing to warn someone before something popped into existence, so he hadn't thought to say something before he did it. And, after everything that'd happened after the last day, his thoughts felt like molasses--not all of them, but a lot of them.

And it had been a long day. It felt like weeks had been crammed into the last few hours, and he was more tired than he let on, emotionally as much as physically. Resting would be good for him, and steering him towards good decisions was a kindness.

He didn't protest lying down, just made a quiet noise of agreement. And also snuggled as close as he could--or as close as he was allowed, whichever he reached first. He was still thinking everything over though, trying to ward off small insecurities--that all came to a halt when Serph said another time. Which helped Kavinsky realized that gently turning him down right now wasn't about not wanting him, but...choosing what was best for him. Like rest.

He smiled, a bit impish but warm at the same time. "Alright. I'd like that." A lot. Which he had a feeling was obvious, too, but. He liked Serph; he'd only ever been good to him, and he was patient, and sweet; he made Kavinsky feel safe. He was also wildly attractive.

[bufudine]

Serph lets Kavinsky get as close as he wants, allowing limbs to tangle and breath to fan over feathers and skin. At this distance (or rather, lack of it), it's easy to feel the slow and steady inhale exhale of his every breath, calm and even.

And it's a bit strange, not having the bodies he's become used to pressing against him from all sides, from Heat's arm around his waist to Jack's head tucked into the curve of his shoulder to John neatly hidden beneath the shadow of his wings. But it's still a quiet moment in time, a long slow exhalation that the dream seems to partake in as even the subtle tension of simply being alert unwinds like water flowing gently over rocks.

"Sleep," Serph murmurs, pressing a kiss on Kavinsky's forehead -- where, unlike Serph, Kavinsky doesn't have a third eye -- arm slung comfortably around him. His own eyes flutter half closed, their faint light dimming beneath his eyelashes. "I'll see you in the morning."

[burnyoudown]

Perfect. Kavinsky hadn't thought there'd be a real contender for his favorite thing when it came to sharing a sleeping space with someone--being able to lay his head on their chest and listen to their heartbeat--but Serph's slow, steady breathing was right up there. It ticked all the same boxes, gave him the same calm, soothing feeling. This was comfort, safety.

He exhaled slowly, whatever restless energy he'd been holding onto fading away, replaced by the bone deep tiredness he'd been fighting with all day since he'd been in the forest, trying not to fall asleep when he might've been a danger to himself or others. There was no danger here, nothing to worry about. He felt settled, balanced. As he closed his eyes, smiling even then, he tried to muster the energy for an actual reply. He did not. Instead, he managed a content, tired hum.

He thought when he woke up in the morning, things would be...better, on the path to better, his first steps. Or maybe he'd already taken those first steps. He was already too close to falling asleep to give that anywhere near the amount of thought it required; he'd figure it out later.

[bufudine]

Serph doesn't go to sleep.

He said he'd watch over Kavinsky and he meant it. He's not like John, who doesn't seem to actually need sleep, but he's not unfamiliar with keeping watch for long hours without getting bored. Though it's a bit strange doing it when he knows he is technically sleeping in the waking world.

But he has plenty to keep his attention while being on watch for any dragons, like the steadying of Kavinsky's breath as he calms down and slips into a contented slumber. He notices the tension ease from Kavinsky's face, expression unguarded. He notices the blotchiness from crying so much slowly fade, the faint traces of wiped tears slowly drying before evaporating away.

He can appreciate why John simply watches over his comrades as they sleep rather than doing anything else.

Time seems to stretch and compress all at once within dreams, so Serph doesn't know how much of it passes with every gentle breeze. Is he forcibly removed from the dream when Kavinsky wakes up? Or does Kavinsky need to wake up in the dream before he wakes up in the physical world? Serph doesn't know the answers to those questions, so he simply waits patiently until the answer makes itself apparent.

[burnyoudown]

Kavinsky wouldn't know, actually, if the dream would eject Serph if he woke up in the real world first. He'd had the impression it didn't work like that back before Revan. But here? He didn't know. As it happened, he woke in the dream first. He knew it'd been a while, hours, since he'd fallen asleep, but it didn't feel like it'd been that long. Time felt blurred and indistinct here, and even though he was still dreaming, it took him a moment or two of slow blinking to feel 'awake'.

"You're still here." He wasn't surprised--Serph had said he would be--but he did sound quietly pleased. And half-asleep. "I was gonna wake up, and then I remembered the stars." Don't ask him how remembering something while asleep worked. Likely because he'd spent the night in this dream.

"Everything's so peaceful, it feels like a good time to go for it." As opposed to some other time, when the dream might not be as stable. He wasn't sure any dream would be as stable as this one, actually, unless he was sharing with Serph. "Hope you weren't bored," he added.

[bufudine]

There's a shift and Kavinsky stirs. Serph doesn't move, watching the subtle changes in breathing and the flutter of eyelids as Kavinsky wakes up. Slowly, Kavinsky's gaze focuses and he starts talking in that mildly addled just woke up kind of way.

Go for what...?

It isn't that he forgot Kavinsky wanted to create a night sky orb that projects the stars, he just doesn't realise the intent.

But Serph shakes his head at the quesion. "I had plenty to look at."

The words are said completely straightfaced, no hint of a joke in his expression or tone.

[burnyoudown]

Kavinsky smiled. "Me or the forest?" He didn't know what sort of response he expected, about what would be interesting enough to look at all night without ending up bored.

He stretched a little, slow, sleepy, in no hurry what-so-ever. "It's been a while since I've slept this well." And he wasn't awake awake yet, but he knew he hadn't woken up during the night since Serph had been here with him, and he hadn't had any more nightmares. Those two things were a rarity when combined. Especially after everything that'd happened. Though that might have been part of why he'd slept so well once things were peaceful; the bone deep exhaustion that had followed crying the way he had.

Reluctantly, he sat up, combing his fingers through his hair. He had to feel awake enough--which he recognized was humorous considering he was sleeping--to get his thoughts sorted so he could work on the night sky orbs. Which really needed some kind of quick, snappy name, but naming things like that wasn't really his area of expertise. "Alright, two projector...orbs." Star balls. They might end up just being referred to as star balls. "They'll both be the same, so that's...yeah."

[bufudine]

Serph simply nods, not answering and answering the question at the same time. He isn't easily bored at the worst of times, and even in this small dream space there truly is a lot for him to observe with a careful eye. The forest almost seems to breathe with them, a strange kind of unity he's only felt in brief snatches when he's with Jack or Edward, or that long night under the oasis waters with John.

When Kavinsky sits up, so does Serph, though he keeps his wings wrapped around Kavinsky's waist like a blanket. He's faintly pleased that Kavinsky has rested well; that had been the purpose of him being here after all. A small smile flickers across his face.

He stays silent, but his attention sharpens despite being awake while Kavinsky had been sleeping, curious. Kavinsky is creating something within the dream, isn't he? The orbs of the starry sky, to be taken outside into the waking world. He's witnessing something rare, and wants to observe it with his full attention without distracting Kavinsky.

[burnyoudown]

He was glad both he and his dream were interesting. He was also quietly pleased about Serph's wings around his waist. Sometime, he'd have to remember to actually ask how sensitive they were, in terms of feeling touch and sensation, but for now he brushed his fingers gently, fondly, over the feathers. Asking now would undoubtedly lead to distraction, and he wanted to focus on the star balls night sky orbs.

He took a breath, held it a moment, then exhaled. ...Then squinted up at the sky to remind himself of the stars he was going to be working into the orbs. They appeared the same way things did in the real world when Kavinsky dreamed them; one blink, nothing, the next, a pair of glass orbs on the blanket at his knee, each of them the right size to fit in someone's palm. They were dark swirls of color, blue and black with a touch of deep purple now and then. Despite looking like glass, they weren't; he knew better than to make something like this out of something potentially so fragile. These could probably be chucked at someone--unadvised--and be completely fine. But did they work.

Picking up both orbs, he rolled them around in his hands, testing the feel of them, or...something. But they apparently passed the test, because he nodded, then tapped his fingers against one of them. They were not like real world dinky wall or ceiling projectors. It opened a view of the stars as a cloud above Kavinsky, displaying constellations in 3D. He didn't say anything, but his expression said he was pleased with the projection. He tapped that one off, the other one on--it was identical--and he tapped it back off.

"Perfect." So long as Serph also liked how the projections looked. "Could you-" he started to hold out one of the orbs, then drew his hand back, looking down at them. Right. Visually identical. He could already predict the issues if he just did this with one. So he held out both of them. "Hold these for me, give 'em a tap." He wanted to make sure they'd work for Serph--and they would in the dream--and since they were identical, doing the same to both of them would make sure nothing headache inducing would happen later.

"Also, is...that good? The way they look?"

[bufudine]

There's no sensation from the feathers themselves, but Serph can feel their pull from where they're attached to flesh when others brush their hands over them.

It's pleasant.

As he watches Kavinsky create the orbs in rapt attention, their sudden appearance has Serph's brain scrambling and questioning if they hadn't been there all this time. It's... strange. He doesn't know why he expected there to be some kind of fanfare, some indication of the orbs' appearances before they simply are. In hindsight, it makes sense with how the blanket he's sitting on had simply appeared last time. But these orbs had simply manifested between one blink and the next and that was simply it. Even his own manifestations of magic have some kind of shift in the air, a cooling of temperature, some kind of sign before ice coalesces into existence.

Accepting the projection orbs with both hands, he taps them both with his thumbs. Once again, the constellations appear before him like a high quality hologram. It's a bit nostalgic; it's been a while since he's seen something like that. Because he turned them on at the same time, the constellations overlap.

He can't wait to bring his one back to the RV and show the others.

He nods, turning them off again. He sounds pleased, a simple joy leaking into the dream. "They look good."

Even when turned off, they swirl as mysteriously as the atmosphere and weather patterns in the waking world. It's nice to look at.

[burnyoudown]

Dreams were tricky like that. Kavinsky didn't always consider it a good thing that dreams just popped into existence the way they did. He'd dreamed too many dangerous things by accident and awoken to a dark room, not sure if it'd actually made it through or not. And he'd witnessed dangerous things dreamed into reality, Ronan less than two feet from him in the passenger seat of his Mitsubishi, suddenly a lit Molotov in his hands, not the heat of the flames but the sight of them that had caught Kavinsky's attention. Ronan's post-dream-paralysis would've done them both in if K hadn't been awake for it.

That felt like a different lifetime, a different person that'd gone through it.

Maybe he was a different person from then. He felt different, as he sat here in this dream, watching Serph test the night sky orbs. He felt...like he wasn't dying, like he wasn't burning down to ash. Like the flames had been put out, and he could start to heal. Like a forest after a wildfire.

Leaning forward a bit, he didn't so much as take the orbs back as he did just set his hands over them, in Serph's hands. It was absolutely not required that he was touching something he planned to dream back with him; this was wholly an excuse to touch Serph's hands. But he wasn't going to say that. He just smiled, soft. "Sounds like it's time to wake up, then. I'll see you again in a minute."

In hindsight, maybe he should have said something before he woke up, about how he would just disappear from the dream, taking the night sky orbs with him, but he didn't actually know how that looked for the other person. Not like he'd asked Ronan. The dream didn't cease to exist without him, though, but it felt frayed around the edges, like an old blanket that was unraveling, but doing its best to keep together.

He woke slower, more gentle, than he would've after a green pill, and when he opened his eyes in his room, blinking a few times, the orbs rested on the blankets between him and Serph, and Ro had wedged himself into one of the gaps under K's arms, snuggled against his shoulder and chest, but mindful of where his tiny screw horns were, so as not to jab Kavinsky with them.

[bufudine]

Serph likes the touch of hands over his. A moment of gentle, shared intimacy. It's one of the few things that doesn't make John skittish, and there's a kind of warmth in intertwining fingers like they're plaited thread.

He doesn't quite have the time to turn his hands palm up before Kavinsky simply disappears from the dream, just like how the orbs had appeared. The bigger surprise is that Serph hasn't been forcibly dragged out of the dream; he expected the dreamscape to collapse on itself now that its 'owner' isn't here. He's so used to his dreams simply ending after a particular point when he's sharing a dream with another, abruptly catapulting him into the waking world.

...So. How does he leave it?

A perplexing problem to ponder while he studies the dream's raggedy edges. And while he knows something like oh, eating someone's leg in a dream doesn't translate to eating it in the waking world, in Kavinsky's dream where thought becomes reality, he doesn't risk bringing harm to himself to force himself out. Instead, Serph settles himself down on the blanket and closes his eyes, slipping into a sleep within a sleep.

When he opens his eyes ten minutes later, he sees a familiar room. He rouses, instantly alert out of habit, wings folding as he sits up. He hopes Kavinsky hadn't been worried when he didn't wake up with him, so he explains, "I didn't know how to wake up."

[burnyoudown]

Kavinsky did worry when Serph didn't wake up shortly after him. Ro was concerned, too, and when Serph set up, Ro jumped back from sniffing at him with a little mrp! before clambering over Kavinsky's knee as he sat there to...no that was it, he just draped there, with the same kind of fluidity cats seemed to possess.

Worry became sheepishness once K heard the explanation. "Oh. You-" he pushed his fingers through his hair. Well, that told him a few things that he hadn't realized before: the dream must have stayed, even without him, and that maybe Serph was still figuring out how some things worked, too.

"Sorry. I hadn't realized-" he gestured vaguely. "Next time, I won't just...ditch you there." If there would be a next time. He hoped there was, though not another all-night-by-necessity. He liked sharing his dreams, but he didn't want Serph to have to be exhausted from it.

"But I got these, and they seem to be working just like they did in the dream." He rolled one of the night sky orbs towards Serph, but in a way that kept his fingers on it. Because... none of his sharp edges existed right now, and without any of those protective walls or spikes, no venom, no pretenses, he was left with the softness he'd tried so hard to protect for so long. And he wanted to touch Serph's hand.

[bufudine]

Serph's experience with animals (much less dream ones) is... limited. But since Ro had been sniffing him before and was sniffing him again before clambering away, Serph once again briefly offers his hand to Ro to sniff properly.

He shakes his head. "It's alright. My dreams usually... end." Serph stretches his arms, wings stretching too. "I didn't know it wouldn't happen this time."

Granted, walking in dreams isn't usually something he's had control over. Every time he's dreamed with someone, it's never been his intention. Whether it's him entering someone else's dream or someone else being drawn to his, it had always been an accident. And sometimes within the dream, he doesn't always realise it's a dream at all. Even if Kavinsky's powers are from his own world rather than this one, perhaps he can learn more control over his own from Kavinsky.

Pulled from his thoughts by Kavinsky talking to him, his attention slides to the projection orb, which looks as mysterious as it had within the dream. Oblivious to Kavinsky's intent, Serph reaches for the part of the orb that isn't covered by Kavinsky's fingers; how else is he going to take the orb from him? (But he wouldn't mind Kavinsky touching him at all.)

Serph taps the orb and the now familiar projection fills the room with a starry light. His expression softens at the sight, marvelling at them for a moment before he turns his gaze on Kavinsky. "Are you rested?"

That had been the whole point of this exercise after all. Helping Kavinsky to rest safely.

[burnyoudown]

Ro almost immediately turned back around to sniff Serph's hand. With another little mrp he started just...slowly...climbing up...his arm, whether or not he was moving his arm. Like if Ro did it slow enough he'd be allowed to continue, as if that was how things worked. Or maybe he was just trying to be as respectful as he was capable of. Either way, he held on well enough, either somehow with his front paws, or maybe his back lizard feet. And he knew, of course, that Serph had protected both him and Kavinsky from the dragon, and...something something, people who were good to Kavinsky had Ro's approval and gratitude.

"Well..." Kavinsky let the word hang for a moment, watching Ro but not moving to stop him, so long as Serph didn't seem to mind being scaled by an animal that was probably more fluff than anything else. If allowed to scale Serph's arm, Ro was just going to drape over his shoulders. "I'll still keep that in mind. Maybe we could work on things together."

Okay...okay yeah. He hadn't made his intentions there clear at all, with the attempted hand touching. It was fine, he just...shifted closer, while watching Serph's expression. Kavinsky had the feeling he tended to be guarded, a lot, and...it was nice to be able to tell when he was relaxed or pleased. He was still looking, temporarily forgetting what he'd scooted closer for, when Serph addressed him.

After a second's hesitation, He reached over to settle his hand on Serph's, the one not holding the orb. "Yeah, I am. I... All of this means a lot to me." Groaning a little, he pressed the heel of his other palm to his eye, rubbing a bit. "I sound like a fuckin'- broken record. But I just-" He shrugged helplessly. What would he have done if Serph hadn't shown up in the woods? Where would he be right now? There were a lot of potential answers and most of them weren't good.

"Also Ro likes you." That might be obvious, considering Ro was purring, and it might also be an obvious pivot to keep him from repeating himself some more. But was it possible to be too grateful when someone might have genuinely saved your life and you'd been kissing them? And wanted to kiss them some more?

[bufudine]

Serph allows Ro to climb his outstretched arm, steady as the little creature's weight transfers from Kavinsky to him. It's a kind of novelty he's never experienced before; he's never had a pet of any kind and the only small animal he's been in the presence of was that strange cat, who was always watching him with a silver eye gaze that seemed to see right through him. He doesn't really know what to do, but since Ro isn't doing anything he objects to, Serph simply allows Ro to drape over his shoulders.

He nods; yes, he would like to work on things together, too. As far as he knows, there isn't anyone else who has knowledge in this area and now that he knows what can be done with dreams, it seems more relevant to try and exert some level of control over them than before.

He doesn't need a dream to feel the sheer gratitude exuding from Kavinsky. He turns his hand that's under Kavinsky's so it's palm up, allowing him to thread their fingers together. "It's alright. I understand."

There's no need for words. Several festering wounds had been cleaned out before they could destroy him. Now, Kavinsky can heal.

Serph places the orb safely in the crook of the blankets, his now freed hand cupping the curve of Kavinsky's jaw before he leans in for a brief, chaste kiss.

[burnyoudown]

Kavinsky appreciated Serph's patience with Ro--and Ro clearly did, too, from the way he was purring. Eventually though, the little dream animal would decide he was done with shoulder lounging; it was only Kavinsky's shoulders that Ro stayed on for extended periods of time, usually when K was walking around the Convoy.

Equally though--or honestly even more--Kavinsky was quietly delighted that Serph would like to work on dream things with him. His whole life, he'd wanted to be able to talk to people about the dreaming, to share it with someone. His desperate need for it, the desire that had burned him down to nothing, was still there, just in a different form. Quieter, far less frantic. Content, even, after spending the whole night in a dream with Serph.

Kavinsky's delight warmed into a different kind of joy when Serph took his hand, and K's smile was soft and fond, unguarded. He didn't make a habit of letting his insecurities slip through the cracks, or he tried not to, anyway, but they were at least swiftly quieted in this moment. Ro also chose now to slink off of Serph's shoulders with a little miiip, sliding down to the floor--on the side of the bed farthest from the body of the dragon--with the softest noise and disappearing under the bed, where things clinked around.

"Good." It was a relief to be understood, to be...safe. Known and seen and not judged or shunned. He'd never been so grateful to anyone in his entire life. He felt...drained, but not empty; it was the pain that had been drained, and though he was still raw, the wounds would be able to heal. The weight that had been dragging him down for so long had lifted.

He tipped his face into Serph's hand, lashes fluttering against his cheeks when he was kissed. Kissing Serph back, Kavinsky leaned in to try and chase his mouth for a moment, eyes still closed, but he let the kiss stay as it was, soft and chaste. Exhaling slowly, he opened his eyes again, and when he spoke, his voice was soft. "How're you feeling?"

[bufudine]

He cannot claim to understand the workings of Ro's mind. It seems the creature is satisfied, slinking off like he's liquid in animal form and returning to his retreat beneath the bed. It's... strange, but oddly charming.

When Serph pulls away, he brushes a thumb across Kavinsky's cheek, gently bumping his forehead against the dreamer's. "I'm fine."

He isn't tired, but he doesn't want to reach that point either. He's not used to this sort of concern directed his way, but he can recognise it as care, a way of asking his status and an offer to try and help if it is poor. He's so used to presenting an immoveable wall that it's hard to shake the habit. But truly, he has been through far more arduous nights where he was fighting the entire time. This night had been an easy one by comparison.

He pulls away, grasping the constellation orb and unfolding himself out of the bed. "But I need rest."

In a few hours, the Convoy will be moving and this room folded up and away. And while Serph is capable of sleeping in all sorts of places, he'd rather do it in a place that he considers territory.

[burnyoudown]

Kavinsky couldn't claim to understand how Ro's mind worked, either. At least Serph hadn't had to see Ro puff up and prance hop around wildly--though to be fair, one of those times had been because there was a sock static clinging to his tail floof and Ro hadn't known what to do about that development. It hadn't done anything to discourage him from stashing socks under the bed, though.

Those forehead bumps still made him smile. "Okay." That was good to hear; he remembered that Serph had told him about how he didn't really rest when he was dream sharing. So he wasn't surprised that Serph was going to go actually sleep--nor did he blame him for not wanting to stay in this room once the Convoy started moving again. It got cramped in here. Kavinsky knew from a few times of first-hand experience in the past.

"That's fair. I've got to get things cleaned up here, so." Like the dragon, and the blood, and he had to secure the knife, because he didn't want a weapon of any kind just bouncing around in the room, out where someone might get hurt.

Kavinsky slid to the foot of the bed to avoid the dragon as he stood up, so he could see Serph to the door. And stuff. He was going to have to drag the dragon out of here, but he'd dealt with them in the past; he knew they weren't too heavy to lug around.

[bufudine]

Serph's gaze slides to the corpse on the room's floor. Right. Yeah. They probably should do something about that. "I'll take the dragon."

While Serph could eat it himself, he intends to give it to Heat for a morning snack. Heat doesn't actually need to be plied with extra food -- at least not from Serph -- but it'll put him in a better mood. Especially since he'd likely still be cranky at Serph going off without him and the closer proximity to John overnight, who he still dislikes (just not as much as before).

He doesn't wait for Kavinsky's response, crouching to lift the dragon's corpse in one hand -- it's not that heavy but it's certainly an awkward shape -- and jostles it until it can be tucked comfortably under one arm. The blood from the dragon's fatal injuries has had plenty of time to dry, so Varuna's ravenous attention isn't piqued; the demon prefers a fresh kill, not a corpse hours old.

With a nod to Kavinsky, Serph turns to leave, dragon and orb in tow.

a vital final tag

[burnyoudown]

"Oh- thanks, yeah. I appreciate it." The dragons were definitely awkward shapes. Kavinsky usually dragged them by the tail, or rolled them onto a sheet or something to carry them easier.

For his part, K stayed out of the way, other than opening the door for Serph--he had his hands full, after all. And maybe, just maybe, it gave him an excuse to lean out the door to watch Serph go. Definitely not to check him out from the back, no. Not at all. Except absolutely, and always, though he wouldn't admit to it now. But at some point in the future? Yeah, probably. Serph had a nice everything, and it would be a crime not to admire and appreciate it all.