Private 「Erhard」

[sotoshini]

Comments

Week 2 Sunday Evening

[sotoshini]

[ First time introductions aren't Natsuno's thing, but sometimes you have to suck it up when the need arises. And due to his actions the night before, he's kinda in need of some medical advice. They haven't talked before, but it was pretty obvious at trial that Erhard was well, a doctor.

To the shock of some of his other cr, Natsuno knocks politely on Erhard's door. ]

Sensei?

[cryosurgeon]

[It's been a long weekend and Erhard hasn't slept more than six hours out of the last forty-eight. Right now even coffee isn't working as well as it usually does, but he can't sleep because every time he closes his eyes he sees the blood dripping out of that horrible iron maiden.

So it's no bother when he hears a knock on his door, it isn't as if he'll sleep any time soon. The voice isn't familiar, and when he opens the door he's met by someone he's only seen in rare flashes and never spoken to. "Sensei"... this boy must be Japanese, like several of the others. Erhard offers a small nod.]

Can I help you?

[sotoshini]

[ It's okay Erhard, Natsuno can't get the blood from the iron maiden out of his mind either, albeit for completely different reasons. He makes a respectful bow before speaking. ]

I was wondering if you could help me with something. May I come in?

[cryosurgeon]

[In lieu of a verbal answer, Erhard steps aside and opens the door further, allowing Natsuno to step in. He crosses to sit at the foot of the bed, opposite the desk chair, where he gestures for his visitor to sit.]

I'll do what I can. Do you mind if I ask you a few questions, too? I'm trying to establish a baseline for everyone here.

[sotoshini]

[ What may seem like a harmless social cue is actually really problematic. Natsuno pauses, looking from the open door to Erhard. After a moment, he takes one step into his room but goes no further. ]

Ah, sorry. I don't mind, but is it really alright for me to come inside? We can do this some place else if that's easier.

Week 3 Sunday Evening

[sotoshini]

[ If you're going to enter Shadow and Natsuno's lair library, there's a good chance one of the edgelords will be there. Erhard is not someone Natsuno particularly wants to engage with, but this is his turf and he can't help but notice how exhausted the doctor looks.

Was everyone drinking last night? ]

You look like you could use an old wives tale, sensei. [ ...actually Natsuno also looks out of it, but he's probably hiding it a bit better with his typical pale demeanor. ]

[cryosurgeon]

[Erhard wasn't looking for Natsuno, but the Jinrou is another person he feels deserves an explanation. He lets his hand drop from the book he'd been about to take from the shelf and sighs. Yes, he still feels a little hungover, but he's had some water and even a bit of food so he's not half dead.]

I was looking for books on memory, actually. What do you mean specifically by an old wives' tale? Is this related to what you told me before?

[sotoshini]

[ As opposed to being actual dead like Natsuno, right. ]

Try over there. [ Actually pointing in the right direction, see he can be helpful sometimes. ]

No. Tumeric for your hangover. [ Just coming out and saying it. ] Why memory?

[cryosurgeon]

[Erhard moves down the shelves toward the place Natsuno pointed.]

That makes sense. Turmeric contains curcurmin, which has anti-inflammatory properties. I'll see if there's any in the kitchen. I did try to restore my lost electrolytes as well, though I don't have much of an appetite.

[He pulls a book from the shelf and flips through it. Two people already know his secret. Eventually everyone will know, most likely.]

... I have retrograde amnesia. Large portions of my past are blurry or outright missing, though it doesn't affect my medical knowledge.

week 3 sunday evening...with less (more) feeling

[sotoshini]

[ "So that's what you like to flavor your meals with!" Natsuno's answer back then wasn't really a lie. The majority of those he's bitten are people who deserved nothing less. Seishirou. Tohru. Faceless bodies he's fought in "service" to the SCP. But there's another category, one he holds closer to his chest. Ozaki. Riku. It wasn't in retaliation that he bit them, but out of a necessity. Even if they had offered, the thought of accepting still made his stomach churn. And growl.

Find another path, huh? Maybe he would. Knock, knock. ]

Sensei? It's Koide.

[cryosurgeon]

[Erhard hasn’t expected to hear that voice again so soon. From Natsuno’s reaction in the library, he thought the younger man would avoid him for at least a few more days. It might be a good sign, but the doctor’s understanding of emotions is still tenuous at best, so he’ll avoid making judgements this quickly. He opens the door with a calm tone and a neutral expression.]

Hello. Come in if you want.

[He steps aside to let Natsuno in after the verbal invite.]

[sotoshini]

[ Truthfully, Natsuno didn't know himself if he was going to actually come here until he stood outside Erhard's door. But now that he's here, he has to see this through. He steps in and waits until the door is closed to speak again. ]

You don't sleep much, huh sensei? [ Small talk isn't something he usually engages in, but it's easier to start this way. His eyes are red, they have been red since he arrived here, and his tone is his usual level one. No fangs or black schlera, at least for now. ]

I was thinking about what you said. About your offer. 

[cryosurgeon]

No. I have frequent nightmares.

[He sees those eyes, remembers the offer he made. He isn't afraid of Natsuno or that inhuman hunger. To him, it's another medical condition to be managed. He can ease the distraction of whatever driving demands undeath makes on Natsuno's body.

He undoes his high collar, exposing his slim neck and part of his shoulder, then pushes up his sleeves to the elbows.]

Wherever you want to take it from, I'm willing. I trust you.

week 3 saturday evening

[sotoshini]

[ That trial sure was...something. While they have an arrangement, Natsuno waits a few hours before he swings by Erhard's room late Sunday night. Part out of consideration, part logistically—he needed time to reset himself and he'd still rather keep this whole thing between the two of them if possible. ]

Knock, knock. [ Knocking once and then opening the door. Permission's for first time entry only, and he's always been one to barge in more often than not. ]

[cryosurgeon]

[Erhard had collapsed onto his bed the moment he returned to his room, but he hadn't slept. Of course not, how could he? He's spent all this time after the trial trying to rebuild his walls and bottle those horrible, turbulent emotions.

Never again. To hell with his promise to Ann, he'll deny his emotions for the rest of his life.

He lifts his head slightly as Natsuno enters, only to let it thump back onto the pillow a second later.]

... I hope you're hungry.

[sotoshini]

[ Closing the door behind him, he pulls out the chair from the desk and sits down. There's some consideration here, but eventually he settles on a respone. ]

Why? [ Natsuno for his part looks as stern as ever, if a bit tired. ]

[cryosurgeon]

[He closes his eyes. His head's pounding, the memory of his own cries echoing in his skull, the smell of Holmes's blood caught in his nose. He's never been so scared, so angry.

He doesn't want to be that person again. He'd rather not be anything except a doctor, a pair of skilled hands and a brain filled only with medical knowledge. It was so much easier that way.]

Because I don't want to relax and nod off slowly. I want to pass out cold.

[At least this time his face won't hit the floor.]

week 4 Wednesday dinner time

[sotoshini]

[ Guess who's getting a visit not after trial for once? It's right around dinnertime (and before whatever activity gets forced on them this week), but Natsuno is gonna barge in like usual in the entirety of his ridiculous outfit sans flower crown. Yes, that means he is still rocking a bright yellow boa. ]

Catch. [ Wherever Erhard is, he's getting tossed a couple of onigiri without further explanation. ]

[cryosurgeon]

[Fortunately, Erhard is not so tired that he can't catch the onigiri without fumbling them. He does look at them with some confusion, though. He thinks he saw Dr. Tachibana with something like this once, and he's seen a few of the others here eat them. But finally, after a few seconds of staring, he takes a bite of the end opposite the nori strip. Different than plain rice, sort of sweet and vinegary? And what's in the middle...?]

Is this salmon?

[sotoshini]

Yeah. The other one is tuna. [ It hadn't occurred to him that Erhard wouldn't be familiar with such a Japanese staple, but that would require a level of thought a bit too far. ]

You need it. [ Natsuno is far from the shining bastion of health so clearly if hes saying this it looks bad. ]

[cryosurgeon]

[Erhard's lips twitch, and for a brief instant there's the hint of a wry smile on his lips.]

It makes sense that you'd want to keep me healthy. Iron-rich foods low in saturated fat, to replace lost blood. Thank you.

[He sits down to eat, gesturing for Natsuno to sit as well if he wants.]

week 6 sunday afternoon

[sotoshini]

[ Hey there Erhard, bursting in not too subtle fashion. ]

Sensei. [ It's just that one word to start, but man is it frigid. ]

[cryosurgeon]

[Erhard's curled on his bed, clutching Sherlock's letter and gloves to his chest. He doesn't flinch, but he glances up briefly before letting his head drop back onto the pillow. He looks like a tired old herbivore, waiting for the predators to put an end to his suffering. There's no fight in him at all.]

[sotoshini]

Is that it? Is this the best you can do? [ ...there may be an unintentional mirror in his words. ]

[cryosurgeon]

... why are you here? Are you really Koide, or is Nirrti screwing with us?

[He sounds flat and tired, more than he ever did after previous trials.]