titanscience | Seasons inbox

[ There's some extra loud knocking before Levi lets himself into Hange's apartment and immediately starts looking for them. He looks -- well, he kind of always looks a bit high-strung, but it seems more so now, and he's only wearing one rubber glove, which is definitely very unusual. ]

Oi. Four-eyes. Something weird is going on.

[Hange happens to be lounging on their sofa, attention split between reading some book on plant care while watching trashy daytime tv on the picture box. Since the front door is already opening they don't bother getting up, waiting until Levi approaches instead so that they can ask:]

Huh? Weird in what way?

[ He looks around, as if worried about anybody seeing them, then sits on the other end of the sofa (lifting Hange's legs and dropping them back down on his lap if they're lounging along the width). ]

[ Then he peels off the rubber glove and shoves his hand toward Hange's face, though making sure to maintain reasonable distance. ]

[ Something is sure going on there. What used to be two pretty short stumps now definitely look slightly longer -- except the tips are nearly black, slightly translucent like a dark shadow. He wiggles it a little, and the black growths wiggle too. ]

It's a bit late for it to get infected, right?

[much like a cat that's found its perfect spot, Hange doesn't even blink as Levi lifts up their legs and plops them back down, probably giving some generic greeting while still invested in the picture box.]

[Levi's hand comes into view, and Hange glances at it briefly before looking at the screen again.]

[Until a second later when they're scrambling up into a seated position, grabbing Levi's hand by the wrist and yanking it closer.]

Wha-?! What did you do to it? Does it hurt?!

[That's the first concern, if it's painful for him, as Hange peers at the black stumps. It's not like they're rotting off- it's the opposite in fact, there's definitely more to the digits than there had been previously.]

Something's growing on them, right?

[ He sees that scramble coming, so he merely stares at Hange blankly for the few moments it takes them to catch up, and then winces a little as they yank at him to get a better look, but follows along the best he can. ]

[ He'd be lying if he said he wasn't scared, and while they're both new to this whole "magic" thing, Hange had already proven to be a quick study about it when they brewed all those anti-heartfreeze potions. ]

I didn't do anything. [ Not that he can recall, anyway. Not in the last few days. How far back is he supposed to think? ] No, it doesn't hurt.

[ Or maybe he's just so used to the constant dull ache in his knee that he doesn't really notice, but it's not like he'd be able to tell. The black stumps really don't bother him aside from, well, being black stumps. ]

[ He moves them again, frowning. ]

I... don't know. It doesn't really feel like anything is... on them?

[ But there's no way that's his own flesh, so!.. Come to think of it, it looks a little bit like... Shadow the voidcadt, almost?.. ]

[After a moment of hesitation, Hange reaches out to touch one of the black stumps, letting their fingers lightly run over it.]

Do you feel anything...?

[And nothing seems to be rubbing off and getting on Hange's skin, so it's not like it's a weird mold or anything like that. What a mystery...]

When did you notice it? Was it like this when you woke up?

[Hange is still poking around at it, trying to figure out what it is, but it doesn't really feel like anything they know. Not quite flesh, not quite bone, not quite rock...]

[ Levi starts pulling his hand away on reflex but manages to stop himself. ]

Uh, yeah? You touched my fingers.

[ At least he assumes that's where sensation is coming from! Surely Hange poked at what's left of his stumps too just now, right? ]

[ Somehow, he's starting to get more unsettled. ]

It wasn't there yesterday. [ Pause. ] ...I think.

[ He vaguely remembers maybe seeing some dark spots there before retiring earlier that morning/night, but he was tired so he just scrubbed it extra hard with soap and didn't look again. ]

[ Oh, shit. What if that made it worse. ]

[okay- that's definitely weird. Hange is certain they weren't touching the skin, but only the black growth on top.]

[only one way to test it-- with their free hand they reach over, covering up both of Levi's eyes with that arm and before he can protest-]

Don't move. Do you feel this?

[Hange will pinch the very tip of the black enigma, working their way down until they eventually touch something that Levi can feel. Just to be certain...]

[ Levi starts leaning away with a suspicious expression, but his anxiety over his predicament wins out and he relents, keeping still so Hange can cover his eyes. He has no idea why they think this is a necessary part of it but they're the scientist between the two, and definitely much closer to a doctor than Levi is, so -- ]

[ They're not gonna go far, because the very first pinch has Levi flinching a little and trying to pull his hand away -- not very hard, since he's aware they're testing stuff, but it's clear enough that it caused him discomfort. ]

Four-eyes, what the fuck?

[Hange wasn't expecting a reaction quite so soon, proven by the startled little jump they give before their arm lowers to give Levi his vision back.]

Levi! Levi-! Look!

[Hange holds the injured hand up, right in front of Levi's face to ensure he focuses on it, after which Hange pinches the same area again.]

You're feeling that, right?!

[ He blinks, glancing and Hange uncertainly, then his good eye landing on the black stumps again. He doesn't quite jolt this time, but the slight tension in his arm shows clearly enough that yes, he's feeling it. ]

[ He looks equal parts confused and terrified. ]

Why am I feeling that?

[Okay so Hange's judgement is definitely not off; don't mind them holding on to the fingers and fiddling with them while speaking.]

Beats me!! Did you stick your hand in anything weird today? This week? This month...?

[Hange pokes about the fingers testing the range of motion of the growing stumps and checking all parts to see if there is feeling in it.]

[Okay-- time for the next test. Hange runs off for a second to grab a book from the bedroom before returning to him. Thanks to the time spent with fellow Summer people, they've had a decent amount of success with the "identify disease" power by testing it on people who already know they are sick.]

Okay, let's try this. Don't worry, I'll explain after!

[Hange goes through the steps of the magic, and by all accounts it appears to be working, yet it is showing no signs of disease.]

So. It's not a disease, I can tell you that much? Actually, you're entirely disease-free! Good job, Levi.

[it's something?]

[ He minds a little bit, but they're his only hope at figuring out what's going on, so, he's tolerating it! He's also scowling. ]

Weird how? And no, I didn't do anything unusual.

[ Their expedition is a little too far back for him to draw the conclusion just yet, but he might get there in a few minutes. ]

[ Or after they're done with -- whatever this is, but he sits through it patiently and only glares at them at the very end. ]

"Good job"? What the fuck were you expecting, chlamydia?

[ grumble ]

[ anyway ]

Like I said, it's all been routine since we got back from the expedition.

[ wait a minute- ]

I wasn't expecting anything, but it's nice to have some confirmation that you don't have chlamydia, or syphilis, or anything else of that nature, right? Gosh Levi, I'm trying to be optimistic here!

[But they are no closer to figuring out the cuase of this, which continues to be concerning. It's true, nothing extraordinary has happened since their expedition and--

oh.]

Well.. the expedition certainly wasn't routine, we touched a lot of magical things out there didn't we?

[OH. Suddenly, one place in particular stands out.]

Levi... remember that hot spring? When I dipped my hands in it, the scratches I got from the broken wood earlier that day swiftly faded away... what if the same thing happened, it just took longer because growing fingers takes a lot more work than repairing a scratch?

[ It's not "nice"! It's just impossible to begin with! (Nobody tell him about koalas...) ]

Ugh.

[ anyway-- ]

[ He blinks, then frowns. They did run into a lot of weird things out there, and he does recall purposefully dipping his entire hand into the spring, maybe led by some sort of a foolish hope which immediately got crushed. ]

[ But it's been weeks, there's no way -- ]

[ Or is there? ]

...you think that pond did this? But you didn't get weird shadow splotches on your scratches, did you?

I don't know. I didn't grow anything weird, but I also don't have any lost digits. I don't have anything to grow back, unless eyesight counts.

[That.. is a possibility if they find out what caused it, and the source doesn't end up being a horrifically awful for Levi. What if the growing never stops and he ends up with four foot long black fingers? What if Hange stuck an eye in it? Would it grow out like black rock too?]

But we also got those magical trees, which are strange too. You've seen how fast they grow, and what they grow. I feel like we should start there if you're sure you didn't do anything weird here in the city.

I can ask the Research Center, or the Guild Leader?

Maybe it does. But let's not put anything weird inside your skull until we know more.

[ He's having much the same train of thought as Hange is; nice as it sounds in theory, he can't put it past this place to turn it into something weird or even perilous. ]

[ At least shadow fingers should be realively easy to hack off if they really grow past normalcy this much. Probably. If not, there would probably be magic ways to deal with it. An eye is... a lot more delicate, mainly because of its location. ]

[ Maybe he should suggest they test it on him first. He can probably take it. ]

Yeah, that... might be a good idea.

[The guild leaders so far have helped them out of many hot messes when it comes to strange potential illnesses or curses, so asking them about this one is likely their best bet. They can also double up by asking for the finer details on some of the things they experienced out there in the woods, in particular the ghostly apparitions and the magical trees.]

Should we go now?

[ Uh-oh. They must think it looks bad. Levi tries not to panic. ]

Yeah. Yeah, okay.

[ Annnd off they go?.. ]

[No time like the present! Whether it's good or bad- no use in waiting to find out which one it really is, right?]

[So ooooofff the go!]

[ They probably spend most of the day bothering several of the local leaders, but they all seem to agree that it's not any sort of a magical STD or anything similarly unpleasant, and that it shouldn't be causing any problems. The opposite, in fact. It should supposedly stop growing once it's assumed the shape of Levi's old fingers. ]

[ They do seem a bit curious about how this happened, though, so it seems they'll have to figure that part out themselves... ]

[ Eventually, once they're back at Hange's again and Levi is sulking on the couch, because despite the reassurances he's still having weird shit happening to his body and he's just managed to start getting used to his disabilities, he considers the possibility again. ]

...Hange. [ Not "four-eyes" or "titan lover" or anything of the sort. Guess he's being serious. ] Do you still have samples from that healing spring?..

[Hange responds from the kitchen, taking it upon themselves to be the one who makes the tea and grabs the snacks today. It has to feel strange, having something foreign growing out of your body and nobody knows how to fix it, so hopefully these small comforts will improve the situation for him just a little....]

Those? Yeah-- they're in the spare room.

[Since Hange lives alone, the second bedroom has become a messy research lab or sorts, stuffed full of whatever items piqued their fancy.]

I filled some vials when we were there. I used one, and another broke on the way home, so I'd say I have... four left?

[ He appreciates it, even if he had made no indication about it being needed. But his anxious body language probably gave it away -- he's holding his own hand, something of an old childhood habit whenever he was lonely or scared, practically cradling it to his chest; it just happens to be the injured one. ]

If it's like they said... if I actually get my fingers back and it's not some weird cursed bullshit that tries to strangle me in my sleep. [ He tries to return it more to the familiar plane of conversation, where he cusses and distrusts everything and makes questionable jokes. It falls a little flat so he gives up. ]

Think it'd work on your eye?

[Hange doesn't respond right away, taking the moment to gather the brewing cups and bring them through to the living area. It just feels like the type of conversation they should be having face to face, rather than yelling it across the apartment.]

If it works for you, I figure there's no harm in trying... it's not like my eye could get any blinder, right?

[Okay there are plenty of things that could go wrong, such as the eye turning into an awful black rocky mass that is painful or overgrows the socket, but we just aren't going to think about those right now!]

I want to wait until your hand stops sprouting though, or whatever you wish to call it.

[ They're probably right. Levi's not in a rush for an answer anyway, and he looks grateful as he takes a mug of tea from them. Exactly what he needs after such a shake-up. What's happening isn't bad, exactly, but it still feels like his body betraying him and he needs some time to process it. ]

[ He grimaces slightly into his tea. ]

Don't call it sprouting. [ Please. ] Yeah, that makes sense.

[ He did also imply they should wait until they know it's safe, so there's no argument here. ]

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titanscience - 2023-12-21 06:05 (UTC) - Expand

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wingbound - 2023-12-23 15:34 (UTC) - Expand

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hello again (action; nebulous end of october)

we meet again :o

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