extent | duplicitynet

It literally sounds insane.

[ nick knows that michael knows about all of it, at least. he's prepared for--something, he's not sure what yet, but something, so the hug catches him just a little off guard. presumably, like with oli, the worry has outweighed the anger for now, and nick clings back without hesitation. it's been a long few days. ]

I got like...caught up in that demon shit, I guess.

[ He keeps hold of him for almost a full minute, before pulling back with his hands on his arms. He looks him over again, closer this time, making absolutely sure there's no obvious injuries. He could've spelled them, maybe, but the important thing is that there's no injuries now.

Okay. It's something. ]

In the Down? But we looked there. Hell, we looked everywhere, it was like you vanished.

He grabbed me, took me up to some fucking cave or something, I think. Smashed my phone, I couldn't portal out. It was kind of insane.

[ he's kind of glad that it was ragnor's room he tumbled into late last night now, honestly, because this conversation would have been a lot harder if he'd still been filled to the brim with demonic magic. as it stands it still feels like he's got withdrawal jitters happening, but it's easily handled with a clenched fist every now and then.

there's also a new scar, on his palm where the two old ones sat there's now a single, fresh-looking one, but it's bandaged over and it stopped bleeding while nick slept, so all in all it could be worse. ]

He--I tried to get a message out, it just wasn't going anywhere. Like--I'm a witch, he was a demon, I can't get around that. I did try.

[ Michael finds the bandaged hand after a moment. He notes that it's an injury, but also that it's bandaged, which means this isn't the first place he came. Which means, of course, that wherever he went probably had a phone of some kind, and it wasn't used. He doesn't say anything about it, not yet. It's stored away. ]

What did he want you to do?

[ He's a demon, Nick's a witch. There'd been some method behind this. The demon had clearly made sure Nick wasn't found, and it was for a greater reason than just to damage him. ]

Portal to Hell. Demon stuff.

[ the way he says it is too casual for what actually happened, probably. for what he had to do, what was asked of him, but nick still hasn't entirely grappled with the whole situation himself. it still feels surreal, and there's something about having that much power that nick still misses.

but. the whole thing was objectively kind of unpleasant, regardless of whatever moments nick might have taken away from it, so he shrugs after a momentary pause, teeth digging into his cheek for a moment before he follows up. ]

It didn't work. Like not even close, obviously. It's kind of a blur, I didn't even realise it had been over two days.

[ Stuff better suited to the realms of fantasy than reality. It says something about the way his life is that's lol he's able to accept it readily enough. He nods. ]

Did he hurt you?

[ It doesn't matter how much he's been healed. ]

Looks like someone patched you up.

Oh, that was me, not him.

[ nick flexes his hand a little as he says it, frowning slightly at the bandage covering a wound that won't fully heal. he still has a blank spot in his memory where the earlier magical scarring incident should sit, the old ones conspicuously absent for the time being, and with it the concern over dabbling with demonic magic--blood magic-- is missing too.

there's plenty left about the whole incident to be concerned about, but the kind of power he was messing with isn't one of them, not right now. ]

He like, threatened. Giant sword and everything, but I just...did what he said. Something happened when I tried the last time, but it was only for like a second. He was mad, he left, and I ran.

[ Another nod. Michael lets him go, looks over him again as if to verify what he's saying. Then: ]

Okay.

Did he feed you? Let you sleep?

Not really. I just sort of--kept trying to figure out how to do what he was asking for.

[ nick cards his fingers through his hair quickly, scrubs the hand over his face once he's done. he can't really tell if there's actually still a lingering brimstone smell despite the shower he's taken, or if it's just stuck in his head now. ]

I could portal out once he left, but I kind of crash landed on Ragnor's floor. Called Oli and passed out pretty much as soon as he got the magic out of me.

[ Called Oli. Okay. Michael stores it away again, and motions to the kitchen. ]

Okay. I'm gonna make you something to eat, and then I want you to call Kyle, Nick, please. He's been worried sick.

[ So has Michael, but he's-- withdrawing, somewhat, because he doesn't want to put any of that on Nick today. He's still considering whether he wants to put any of that on Nick at all.

He heads on into the kitchen, pulls a frying pan out of the cupboard and into his hand with his mind, and goes to get eggs out of the fridge. This'll be as quick a meal as he can pull together. Along the way, he sets his device on the table. ]

You can use my phone.

He's not here?

[ obviously not. kyle would be here by now, but nick is still--scattered enough that the question comes before he puts together the logic behind it, and quickly waves away the need for a response. he follows along without argument though, into the kitchen behind michael, and it was one thing being out, but something about being in his own home means that when nick sits down, he feels like he actually relaxes for the first time in days.

there's no hesitation in navigating through the device quickly to find kyle's number either, and as he jams it between his ear and shoulder nick scowls. ]

Fuck, I need to like, actually get a new one, don't I. Is it a dick move to send someone a bill if they weren't in their right mind?

[ Michael puts a glass of water on the table by Nick, and starts scrambling up some eggs. ]

He's out, looking for you. We all have been. I only came home to feed everyone.

[ Which now includes feeding Nick. He falls silent while the phone's ringing, concentrating on the cooking. It doesn't take long to have them ready on a plate with some bread, and a bit of cheese on top. He sets that down, too, then on second thoughts goes to put coffee on. ]

[ nick has drank water since he came crashing out out the cave late last night, but he still drinks the water a little like he hasn't so much as seen it in weeks. if he was going to rely to that any further though, it's cut off by kyle answering the phone.

the call is a quick one, mostly because it's a whole conversation best done in person, and when he's done nick scrubs a hand over his face, pulling the plate closer and picking at some of the cheese. ]

He's on his way.

[ Kyle has barely been home for days, living on bagged blood and regeneration as much as he can. Coming back to check in with Michael and then heading back out to try and seek out Nick, or this bastard who everyone thinks has him. Everyone that knows things Kyle hasn't been privy too.

There's been no sign of Nick though and every day he comes up empty it worries him more. And then he's back. He's at the house, and he's alive, and given the other arrivals haven't happened, he may not have even died which might be a good thing. Kyle likes to think of but they all know there's worse things than death.

He comes to a stop on the deck. So many hours he's spent there, listening to the ocean and working things out. Except today he isn't sure how to even start. Where to even start.

Stopping just inside the doorway to the kitchen. Aching to just hold on to him and not let go but that insidious voice in his head whispers that maybe that's why Nick had kept things from him and so he holds himself still, trying to figure out what he should do and hating that feeling in his gut as he tries to figure out what the best thing to do is. ]

Hey.

[ His voice is tight and his eyes shine as he fights back tears after all the horrible things that had gone through his head, thinking he had lost Nick forever to this place. Hey feels so inadequate but he's not even sure what to say. ]

[ Michael's been watching that tension build in Kyle for two days. When he comes in, Michael has his hands around the top of one of the kitchen chairs.

Now he takes a few steps closer to Kyle and puts his hand on his shoulder. He needs to try and ground him in the moment. Nick's been through something awful and this isn't the moment to hit him with everything about William. That can come later. ]

Hey. You guys want some time alone?

[ nick is still tired, still spread too thin and kind of twitchy from the magical nonsense of the last few days, starving in a way that makes it hard to actually eat, but he still smiles when he sees kyle.

he gets up quickly but doesn't actually go anywhere, not yet. it's just really hard to tell where everyone's heads are at right now, and it's leaving him off-kilter, out of step, when it's already a challenge just being a person that wasn't filled to the brim with a magic toxic enough to him that it could have corrupted him completely. it's a--weird headspace to be in, and nick's eyes just flick rapidly between kyle and michael at the question. ]

Do we?

[ decisions are hard right now. ]

[ Despite everything racing through Kyle's mind, he's not even sure he's going to bring up any of the things he's learned recently ever. Especially not now though. This isn't about him and his feelings but about Nick and if he's okay.

Reaching across he covers Michael's hand with his own, staring at Nick and feeling his heart spider with cracks at the way he looks, that hesitancy Nick shows, his own uncertainty.

He lifts Michael's hand and kisses his knuckles tenderly. ]

I'm okay. Promise. And maybe? I don't know. This about all of us too.

[ He's anything but okay and he hates it. He feels so uncertain and hates the fear that gnaws at him. ]

I just want to make sure Nick's going to be okay.

[ He doesn't need to be okay. Not now. No one expects that.

He lets go of Michael's hand and holds his hand out for Nick. ]

Please?

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