[Video/Action | OPEN] you know I give my love a f-f-four letter na-na-name

[black_black_heart]

xxxxx[VIDEO]

[ The camera is shaky, held in an unsteady hand. It catches the entrance of the Cirque du Vrai, briefly, then there's Tannusen. He's... against a wall? The camera's too close to see that he's sitting on the ground, but the angle suggests it. Skull mask pulled free of his head... glazed-eyed and trying to catch his breath. Blood on his lips, dotting down the side of his throat to the black robes that had been a costume. ]

Cass...

[ Couldn't be more obvious of an accidental public broadcast. He's trying to send this in private, but he can't see his fucking screen-- ]

I'm not... safe...

[ Labored breathing only picks up, like something's trying to throw him into a panic. Ramping up his heart-rate, whether he likes it or not. He definitely does not, right now. ]

Jethro... can... Enchant you... get...

[ Get him out here to the tiger faster, and help get Tannusen back to safety. ]

Haaa...

[ Nope, not doing great. His head lolls against the wall behind it, rolling on a neck that's slowly starting to not hold it up. He's visibly fighting to stay conscious, glazed eyes barely open. Then the feed clicks off. ]

---

xxxxx[ACTION]

Tannusen's sitting back against a wall somewhere near the entrance to the Cirque du Vrai, not doing well, as the video above suggests. He's hung up the phone, maybe on purpose and maybe not. Shallow, quick breathing, dilated pupils, fighting to stay somewhere in the middle of the unconsciousness that drags temptingly at him from one side, and the panic attack that's trying to set in from the other.

(( OOC: Cassian Lynch is going to show up to help him, so he's not going to willingly go anywhere, and he may react... poorly, to anyone else. This prompt's just here in case anyone wants that CR flavor! ))

Comments

PRIVATE voice

[feckinboomstick]

[TANNUSEN THERE WAS A REASON CASSIAN DID NOT GO TO THAT FUCKING CIRCUS YOU ABSOLUTE NUGGET-

Now was not the time for I told you so's and yelling. He wasn't sure what had happened, Tannusen had certainly had worse in the physical department he knew that, but it was pretty clear that whatever the problem was here, it wasn't those pin point blood spots everywhere.

The reply was in voice.

Because he didn't need Tannusen seeing the concern all over his face]

Comin', be there in a second, don't move.

PRIVATE voice

[black_black_heart]

Yeah I'm... I'm not movin'...

[ And a soft wheeze, not a normal sound out of Tannusen. Look, he's fixed the actual damage to his throat, but it still hurts. ]

ACTION

[feckinboomstick]

[He certainly used Jethro to get here, but that didn't mean he enjoyed being enchanted, as usual. Still, the priest was pretty good at hiding that faint, same old drunken stagger that always took him when his brain was hazed up by that magic.

With the chimera rumbling behind him, Cassian was quick to get to Tannusen's side, trying to swiftly and calmly haul him to his feet. Don't attract unwanted attention, don't panic.]

Aye then, can ye walk at all? What happened, what's gotten in ye-

[Not a thought this time that was for sure. And nothing seemed broken, which really settled on either a head injury or some kind of chemical involvement.

Sussing out the exacts could come later, he just needed to know what his next step should be.]

[black_black_heart]

"...Drugs."

Super helpful, Tannusen. But he didn't know the particulars of the concoction, did he? He clutched weakly at Cassian's shoulders as the priest tried to haul him up, doing what little he could to try to help.

"Drank sssomething... that carnivale fucks... with... your head..."

None of it was technically a lie, and he only dodged the full truth because he didn't want to terrify his love nor tip off the monstrous presence that heard what he heard and saw what he saw.

There was so much he was having to keep from the priest, right now.

Compulsive liar that pooka all were, he still hated it. All of it. All of it.

[feckinboomstick]

"Not like ye to take that indulgence." But again, something best left for somewhere else, and now was not the time to shake his finger in his face. Besides, he could only assume that it'd been unintentional, on Tannusen's part, really. Someone might have spiked the tiger's drink if the carnival fucked with ones head.

As soon as he got the other man standing, it was to the bike, helping him up on it again and straddling the bike itself.

God though he hated riding this thing.

Without another word, they all went shooting back to Everglade and the safety of the rectory, Cassian apparently a little...more aware now that Jethro could more or less steer himself since only one hand rested on the handlebars.

The other had locked itself on Tannusen's leg.

[black_black_heart]

Tannusen once again allowed himself to ride 'bitch' on his own motorcycle... chimera. He really didn't mind, considering, and just draped his arms around Cassian's waist and buried his face against the back of his neck, focused on breathing and staying conscious.

His love's scent helped with the panic, at least. As a giant cat wearing human skin, scent was extra important to the pooka.

[feckinboomstick]

And Cassian never once tried to shake him off. He wasn't comfortable enough on the bike to play with Tannusen's hair or touch his face, but his hand never did leave his leg, the only thing really indicating the priest's concern being the power behind the grip.

At home, Tannusen was quickly helped off the bike and ushered inside, placed on a couch downstairs rather than trying to haul the drugged cat up them. Less potential damage that way. Drugs, lets see. If he didn't know the drug he couldn't use a herb or a potion on it, it had to be matched up exactly-

"Symptoms, Tannusen. What are they? Whatever ye can tell me, spit it out now, I need to match it up with what I've got."

[black_black_heart]

Tannusen does his very best to cooperate, even curling up on the couch when he's hauled there. Too tall to really stretch out on it, but he doesn't want to get comfortable and fall unconscious anyway.

"...Heart rate," meaning it was up higher than normal, obviously. "Lethargy..." at the same time?! Well... "...that's... probably more my crazy than the drug..."

He had a point, there.

God when had this couch gotten so soft?! He caught himself rubbing the side of his face on it, like he might in his other form.

"Don't think drug is... too dangerous," it was actually turning halfway pleasant, now that he was safe. His eyes were starting to focus again, finally. "Location wasn't safe."

Aaaaand then he stared at Cassian for a moment with wide eyes, as though surprised to see him.

[feckinboomstick]

Well a lot of drugs caused palpitations and increased heart rate. Lethargy wasn't too surprising to an extent if it was shock but-

Cassian swept back into the room with a cold glass of water, handing it over.

"Drink all of it, it's just water. It'll help dilute things a bit, clear your head."

Damn straight the location wasn't safe. He reached out to try and touch the pooka's face, smoothing away strands of hair and peering back at him, trying to get a good look at his pupils.

"Pupil's almost takin' up your whole feckin' eye." His tone was still even and careful.

"What are ye feelin'? Anythin' else?"

[Video]

[shy_mage]

T-Tannusen...?

[Bracken was wearing something that looked like a keaton mask, and was totally covered up, but it wasn't like there was anything that would really disguise who he was. It was just too obvious in everything else about him.]

S... S-Someone hurt you...? [Fidgety and nervous, he started out by stating the obvious, as if it still needed confirmed to him. He didn't understand why someone would hurt Tannusen, so it had to be a mistake.] D-Do you need help?

[black_black_heart]

[ Tannusen really can't see much, his eyes won't focus where he wants them to. He's aware his screen's turned itself back on, though, and that's definitely Bracken's voice coming over the little speaker...

Wait...

Why would Bracken be video-calling him... right now... and sounding so worried?

Asking if someone hurt him? ]

...

Shit.

[ That message to Cassian hadn't just gone to Cassian, had it. ]

Sssshit...

[ Way to be reassuring, Tannusen. ]

[Video]

[shy_mage]

[That just upped Bracken's stress levels.]

I... I'm s-sorry. Did I do s-something wrong? Are... Are... y-you...

[Of course, he didn't stutter because he was shy or nervous, but those things certainly did aggravate the problem. He got stuck on a sentence for a moment, seemingly unable to complete it properly.]

A-Are you... Are you okay?

[black_black_heart]

You didn't... do anything wrong. I tried to... send that... privately.

[ Between the lethargy weighing him down and how sore his throat is, words are a little slow. ]

Just realized I... fucked it up. 'S all. I'll be-okay.

[ The hallucinations starting up aren't too welcome, though. Especially when he already sees so much weird shit at all times! ]

[shy_mage]

[He didn't like to argue, but it was hard to believe that Tannusen was okay. He looked very bad.]

A-Are...

[He hesitated to be contrary.]

A-Are you sure...? I... I could h-heal you.

[black_black_heart]

Did that.

[ He actually had, too. None of the blood dotting his neck or lips had open wounds behind it. ]

Been... drugged. Cass is... on his way.

[shy_mage]

O-Oh...

[Why was it always problems that he didn't have a spell for? He could heal wounds, but still had nothing for things like poisons or drugs.]

I-Is it like poison?

[Where he was from, the closest thing to drugs was spells as such.]

[black_black_heart]

Very.

[ In fact, Tannusen's not entirely sure yet if this is more poison than drug, or more drug than poison. ]

Might be... both.

[ Szel is known for both, after all. ]

I gotta stay... awake.

Action

[reachnotflexibility]

[Garrus hasn't met the man, but he's seen Tannusen around and he doesn't seem like he's a bad guy. Besides, he said that he wasn't safe, meaning that there was a piece of shit to handle. He breaks into a run. If he can find Tannusen, he can find the guy.

It takes a couple of laps of the fairgrounds before he thinks to check the area surrounding the place. After that it doesn't take long for him to find Tannusen. He crouches in front of the other man, who looks like he's seen better days.]

Hey, what happened? Who did this to you?

[Probably not the best way to greet a guy in the middle of a panic attack, but he's not familiar enough with human physiology to recognize the symptoms; no one aboard the Normandy had ever had such a reaction.

His costume and mask probably aren't helping, either.]

[black_black_heart]

[ Tannusen flinched back from the crouched stranger, though he doesn't get far since his back's already against a wall. His eyes are wide, unfocused, his breathing rapid. Just staring at Garrus.

Is his costume just that scary?

Maybe, with all the hallucinations he's starting to have, creeping in around the edges. ]

Who--

[reachnotflexibility]

[Garrus holds his hands up in front of himself in a way to show that he means no harm.]

I'm Ar-

[You know what? Screw it. This guy is obviously scared shitless right now, and there's no way the mask is helping. Garrus hadn't done anything as Archangel in front of the guy (so far as he's aware), so there's no harm in showing himself. Hopefully his actual face frightens him less than the mask.

He pulls off his hat and mask, slowly, lest he spook Tannusen.]

My name's Garrus Vakarian. I'm a Deputy of Nova City. Can you tell me your name? Do you know where you are?

[He's figured out that this isn't normal behaviour, so asking if he was alright would be a dumb thing. He just needs to know what he's dealing with here.]

[black_black_heart]

Oh good... the law.

[ Tannusen wheezes in a painful breath, throat no longer actually bruised and swollen but still plenty tender, especially with the drugs in his system ramping every sensation, every sense, higher and higher.

And his pulse. ]

Tannu...ssen.

[ Half-slurred. ]

A... shitty circus.

[reachnotflexibility]

[Garrus lets out a dry laugh.]

You're not wrong. Can you tell me what happened? Are you hurt?

[He's pulls out his phone and begins to record their conversation. Always good to have a paper trail.

He's assuming this Cass he called is coming soon, or at least that paramedics should be on their way since it was a public broadcast, so he's content to try to gather some background intel for now and maybe try to figure out if the guy is just super drunk or what. If they don't show in the next few minutes he'll have to do something, though.]

[black_black_heart]

Know 'm... not.

[ Tannusen is an actual former troupe member of three different circuses. That, and he's an actual Faerie... and had been Unseelie most of his life. His opinion is pretty grounded in fact. It's a shitty circus, and it smells like trap to the tiger.

He'd tried to leave the moment he'd realized it was digging its fingers into his mind.

Hadn't gone far enough, though. Not far enough to not run into an enemy. ]

Poisoned... drugged... something like that.

[ Blood still flecked his lips, dotted, drying, down his throat. The back of his head was bloodied, too, but Garrus wouldn't be able to see the drying red stickiness in his hair with his head tipped back against the wall. ]

Should live.

[ And even if he didn't, he'd done this dance before on this world. A bargain would be struck, and he'd return to finish his work. ]

[reachnotflexibility]

Poisoned?

[Well that doesn't sound promising. Doesn't look it, either. He says he'll live, but honestly? Garrus isn't sure. The man looks pretty terrible. The medics have thirty seconds to show before he carries the guy to a medical center himself.]

Who did this to you?

[black_black_heart]

[ Good luck, Garrus. With all of that.

Cassian's on his way, and Tannusen said he'd stay put, so he's staying put.

Besides, hospitals are so banal that stepping into one is literally like dipping himself in acid. ]

Me.

[ Not inaccurate. He'd certainly participated in what had gone down. ]