Playing With Shadows II, for smartass_captain

[conjuredskies]

The darkness flows around him, a river of shadow beneath a moonless night. His hands are in agony and there’s a dull thudding pain in his skull, but he’s safe. For now. At least until Jim finds out what he’s done.

Which… is fuck up a ritual in their most hated place and let loose a powerful, bloodthirsty daedric warrior.

Felix utters all the Andorian words Norn’s taught him not to say.

“Are you just going to sit there, featherless? Don’t you know how to walk?” There’s a familiar harshness to the voice; Felix isn’t surprised to lift his head and see the crow sitting in a stunted tree close by. Though in his defence, he thinks, it’s a black bird sitting in a black tree in the realm of eternal night. It doesn’t exactly grab the eye.

“You’re… the Knave of Rooks, aren’t you?” The smallest of the Blackfeather Court, and one of the lowest-ranking, from his observations.

“Correct, mortal!” The bird puffs and preens. “Prince Nocturnal commanded that I should guide you through her glorious realm of Evergloam, in fulfilment of your contract!”

"You? So then..." She didn't set one of her phantom Nightingales to handle this errand. Even a former mortal must outrank the bird. But Felix bites his tongue hard on that. Not the time to start offending his guide with such observations, even if he's inadvertently learning something. 

The Knave cocks his head at Felix, the glint of his eyes a violet spark in the gloom. “Well? Speak! Where is it you need to go?”

“Uh-“ To the Enterprise, scream the white-hot nerves in his hands, the ache of his skull and ribs. To the ship and Dr. McCoy and all his wonderful shiny machines for making the pain go right the hell away.

Then he considers the look on Jim’s face when Bones immediately reports this, and winces. Anyway, there’s precious few shadows to fall out of on the Enterprise. He’d be as well going to their quarters and then he might give Jim a nasty surprise to his face.

“Iowa. My home on Earth.” He doesn’t know if that means much to the crow, but maybe that doesn’t matter.

“Very well. Follow! Hurry up!” The crow flaps off, leaving the mage to stumble after him, up the bank of the dark river and through a sparse wood Felix has glimpsed before. He finds his sight starting to adjust to the shadows as he picks his way over rocks and roots, trying to stick to what path there is. The bird calls to him again each time he drops behind, harsh and grating and peppered with commentary Felix can’t concentrate enough to be annoyed by.

The pain in his hands ebbs and throbs in turns. Eventually he musters himself to speak again, just to distract himself.

“Hey… Knave? You’re a servant of Nocturnal. A… a wise noble of this realm. Can you tell me… why the hood I wear didn’t protect my mind, from… from the foul place I delved into?”

The compliments seem to do the trick: the bird stops to preen instead of complaining about the question. He seems to hesitate, though. Felix nearly flinches when he flies down to the conjurer’s shoulder, leans over to tug the hood with his beak.

“The boon of Nocturnal? Her Gift of Merciful Shadow?" His voice is even harsher delivered straight into Felix's ear. "It softens the bitter edges of the light, veils the bones too sharp for mortal minds to bear.”

“Yes- I know that, but then why didn’t it work?” It didn’t stop Rielle from getting to him. Reminding him…

“How should I know, featherless? It makes things seem no more than the lies they tell, yes? Maybe you are a bad liar!” The Knave scoffs and flaps loudly away into the darkness.

A bad liar? That doesn't even make... Felix nearly laughs until the shooting pain in his ribs makes it a whimper. He doesn't have energy to waste on ruining what little dignity he has left; he shuts up and follows until the Knave circles a pool of shadow, cawing pointedly. The conjurer steps into it- and lands on the rug in a darkened living room.

---

He doesn’t dare look at his hands until he’s running them under cold water. The burns left by the backlash of the spell are… bad, the skin bubbled and raw. Conjurer’s burn is an occupational hazard but he’s never been so stupid as to let himself fail at a summoning this badly. Never felt the results like this.

He’s infinitely lucky not to be dead, of course. He knows that down to his bones. Lucky to be here - he couldn’t have worked a PINpoint like this.

The burns are nothing he couldn’t heal… if he only had the use of his hands. Felix allows himself to groan and swear with the pain- and the anger at himself. The house is empty, nobody cares. He does have a stash of potions, though the way his body complains he doubts he’ll have anything strong enough to fully tackle what he’s done to himself. He goes for the best one- the emergency elixir stashed in a cupboard, gingerly maneuvering it down to the counter with his seared hands. Hugging it in the crook of his elbow as he painfully gets the stopper off.

When he lifts the hefty bottle to drink- he tips his head back, there’s a moment of nauseating dizziness - it slips out of his fumbling hands, spilling across the counter as it bounces-

-rolls-

-hits the floor and smashes.

Felix stares at the ghastly mess over the tiles. At the ghastly mess of his hands. For some reason all he can think despite the despair and the burning pain is What am I going to tell Jim?

And oddly, that’s when something clicks. He understands, quite suddenly. Not knowing whether to laugh or cry, Felix starts to do both. A painful, racking, sobbing laugh as he slumps against the counter and lets himself just… surrender for a minute.

What are you going to tell him? Idiot. You don’t even know what to tell yourself.

Comments

[conjuredskies]

Stratos's camp. The house in Iowa. The mountain in Skyrim where Felix takes him hiking, once in a long while. The spot outside Medesgate where they start when visiting Marcella. The places across Tamriel where they visited looking for Aunt Lartia.

They didn't save co-ordinates for Rielle. None of them ever wanted to return.

There's a careful tread in the hall outside, a hummed tune as Terentius comes back down to the private rooms for something. It's dark out (and the few windows on this level are small anyway). The glimmer of lamplight from beneath the door catches the old soldier's eye. Though he tenses for a moment, he's starting to get used to his nephews - blood and otherwise - appearing in the house without warning. That's wizards for you, apparently. Still, they were much easier to keep track of before they got hold of teleporting devices.

He paces over and knocks on the door gently. Wise enough not to just walk into a married couple's room, even to scold them. "All right, who's there?"

[smartass_captain]

Jim's lost in a spiral of sick worry laced with anger. Despair threatens to knock but it will do him no good right now. Not when he needs to mount a search. Needs to call Stratos so they can head back to--

A knock at the door.

Jim swears but it's too late to plunge the room back into darkness by shutting off the PINpoint. He doesn't have time...but this might be for the better. The captain gets to his feet and pulls open the door before Terentius feels inclined to try and force it open (again, they've had to replace the hinges on this more than once already thanks to Felix Jim knows). It's just him though. Alone in this room dressed like he's expecting a fight. When was the last time he's slept?

"It's me. I'm sorry, I was just on my way out in a moment. I thought Felix might have come here."

[conjuredskies]

"Felix?" Terentius's face turns swiftly from good-natured cheer to one deep furrow of worry, mirroring what he reads in Jim's face. He comes further into the room, setting his lamp on Felix's old desk. "No, I haven't seen him. What's he got up to now?"

Something bad, by the physical armor. Not a fight with Jim, by the same token.

[smartass_captain]

"It's..." For a moment Felix's secrecy steals Jim's voice too. This was clearly important enough that Felix not tell anyone and Jim is his husband. He should be honoring this. But there's a time and a place for propriety and Jim's not likely to get the information he needs without giving Terentius some context.

"I wish I had more details but.." He shrugs almost helplessly. That's Felix for you. "He's in trouble. He owes someone something he borrowed and he's gone off to get it but hasn't come back." Jim remembers the smell of rot and sloughed off flesh beneath his fingernails. Fuck, he doesn't want to go back. He doesn't want to think about Rielle and what lies beneath the flagstones. His dreams are bad enough.

"...I need to know how to get to Rielle."

[conjuredskies]

Terentius isn't surprised, for a minute. This sounds exactly like Felix's brand of trouble, and while Jim surely has good reason to be worried, it probably isn't cause to panic. He's even opening his mouth to reassure the captain when Jim brings up that name.

Some of the color drains from Terentius's ruddy face.

"Are you sure about that? Felix wouldn't even speak of that place, I can't imagine him ever going there willingly..." Or maybe he just doesn't want it to be true. Doesn't want to believe that chapter of his nephew's life is lying open again.

Though the seed of fear is already planted. What if Felix is there? If there's even a chance it's true, could either of them risk doing nothing for even a moment?

[smartass_captain]

"He lied to me about where he was going to be today. He's seemed restless for weeks now, and I just assumed he was getting a bit pent up from being on the ship for so long." Jim doesn't even realize his hands are shaking until he tries to check his PINpoint again. Seeing it only sets his anger all the closer to the surface in a bid to drown out his panic and wrestle it into something he can control.

"Felix is a lot of things but proactive isn't usually one of them. If he could foist some of the trouble off on me or Stratos I can't imagine him not taking that option. Unless we couldn't know. Unless...I'd try to tell him not to." Or if he'd go in Felix's place? Is all of this His fault? Jim feels sick and dizzy. He needs to sit back down at the edge of the bed. It's more of a stumble.

"He's not answering my messages. I. That place isn't safe. If something's happened..." Jim swallows hard and tries to imagine he's addressing his crew. He has to be in control of himself. "We...might already be fighting the clock on this."

[conjuredskies]

The lines of the old legionnaire's face grow deeper by the moment. He moves closer to place his hands on Jim's shoulders, squeezing them firmly.

"Steady, lad. We'll find him, don't doubt it. You're right that we have to be sure he isn't there. But." A small, deliberate shake. "I won't send you there alone or unprepared. You already look like you've been standing watch three days straight. You've got your gear, now you need to go check your haunts and collect up any potions he's left stashed away. Even if you don't need them, he will. Then, if there's still no sign of him, you go get Stratos and bring him here. Do we have a plan?"

[smartass_captain]

Jim's gaze snaps to the cupboards where Felix would undoubtedly keep his stores but what little is here even Jim knows won't be what they need to treat an injured man. There is an empty leather satchel he spies that he can snatch up to store what he can find. The ship has a couple of things but they're all small. Minor brews (mostly made by Jim) that Felix uses while he's meditating or practicing aboard the ship. Anything major would have to be--

"The house. Our house on Earth. That's where all of his equipment's set up. The best potions we've got will be stored there." In all honesty Jim holds no hope to find Felix there if he wasn't on the ship. He's convinced his husband is below ground in a place they've all tried so very hard to put out of their minds for good.

"I'll fill up the satchel and call Stratos. We can meet back here. I shouldn't be gone longer than half an hour."

[conjuredskies]

Terentius nods, a little relieved just that Jim's taking the advice. The man's no fool but the kind of things playing through his mind right now- well, they'd be enough to cloud anyone's judgment.

"I'll gather up any other supplies that will help. Torches, for a start." He pats Jim's shoulder before he pulls away. "We know where to pick up the trail this time. We won't lose him again."

Wishful thinking, maybe- Terentius knows well there's a thousand bad places a conjurer like Felix could have disappeared off to. But they can't afford to let that thought take over. Rielle, at least, is a horror they can name and deal with.

[smartass_captain]

"R...right. I hadn't thought about that." Not when he has artifacts that emit light as well as a mage's spell on his person. Obviously he couldn't use those outside in this world though. Jim scrubs his hand down his face. Takes a deep breath and forces himself to hold it.

He's Captain James T. Kirk-Caelus and he's damn well going to get this done. Breaking down will just have to wait. Jim pushes himself up to his feet. Grits his teeth when a wave of nausea rolls over him. Calm and in command. Calm. In command. Over and over, he repeats the mantra until it passes. The satchel gets snapped up in a whisk of his arm as Jim digs out his PINpoint again.

"I'll be back soon." It's a promise. There's hardly a sound before Jim's vanished from sight.

---

There must be a dozen missed messages on Felix's PINpoint.

Nearly all of them are from Norn while Felix's introverted companion worried himself sick. Hours apart and growing in emotional distress to the point of the last message the Andorian sent that was almost entirely profanity ending with 'you told me you Had this under control'. Jim's is much more simple sitting atop that pile but they all linger unread. Even if Felix wanted to check the device right now he couldn't where he's sunk down onto the kitchen floor sobbing until he's starved of air.

Around him the house is nearly silent. The air stale where it's not completely overpowered by the smell of his potion spreading slowly across the counter and floor, dripping down to make tiny patters next to where Felix has crumpled.

Through hitched painful breaths he'll hear boots on the floors of the other room. Quick and with a purpose before turning almost panicked as Jim lurches through the dark living room and nearly cracks his head open stumbling over the coffee table. The smell, the sound--is that crying?

Jim wasn't prepared for this. If Felix is here why wouldn't he respond--Artifical light floods the kitchen as he slaps for the controls.

"Felix?! What the fuck...oh shit oh fuck come here what the fuck happened ohno no no no.."

[conjuredskies]

He has his head tipped back against the counter to keep it steady. Everything feels too heavy and movement occasionally makes his head swim with pain. In the back of his head is a whisper that he has to move sooner or later, that passing out here would be a really bad idea. That he needs to find a potion or hope someone will find him. Jim. It would only be Jim.

It's just a question of whether he's more willing to face this agony or the look on his husband's face.

The manic laughter has died out of his sobs, his gulped breaths slowing as the pain and exhaustion take over. That's when he hears the sound of boots and knows the choice has been made for him.

The light is sudden and far too bright. Felix flinches, squinting up at Jim's horrified expression. It turns out his heart can sink even further. The Imperial struggles to push himself up, not to look quite so pathetic, to reassure his beloved at least a little. Wipes at his face with an awkward sleeve.

"I'm sorry, I really am I'm so sorry..." He looks so frightened. So hurt. Because of Felix, again. "I thought- I thought I could do it safely, I swear-"

[smartass_captain]

Here Felix is, almost laying on their kitchen floor covered in burns and dirt streaking his reddened cheeks and the first thing out of his mouth is an apology to Jim. Is this how Bones or Felix feels whenever Jim comes back from one of his missions? Because there's not an atom in Jim's body that isn't panicking to see those injuries right now. He doesn't even register the potion spilled all over their floor once he's assured himself it is not--in fact-- Felix bleeding out. His heart is lodged somewhere in his trachea as it jackhammers hard enough he can feel it in his fingertips. The light reveals the truth about the situation. That Jim was making ready to go out just as Felix worried he would. To face that hell again.

There's a buzzing in Jim's ears and an unsteadiness to his steps as he drops down hard onto his knees at Felix's side. He needs to focus, needs to get them out of here, but for a moment all he can do is stare down at his husband in horror.

His voice is strangled when Jim tries to shush Felix. He's pulling the mage close to him by the shoulders while he grabs for his PINpoint.

"We need to get you to the ship. Come on, just breathe..." All Felix will feel is a bit of a jostle as suddenly there's nothing but Jim to lean his weight against as their kitchen disappears and the hum of the deck plates beneath the thin carpeting of their quarters returns. The PINpoint is tossed aside so Jim can grab for his comm instead. He's not leaving Felix's side to get to the terminal in their room. Felix will hear the chirp as the device connects before Leonard's grumble that 'this better be good' filters in but Jim's cutting him off.

"Bones, I need a stretcher in my quarters. Now."

[conjuredskies]

"Nnngh-" He can't cling, has to lean into Jim as best he can and this time it's not his injuries that make the world shift dizzyingly around him. The sight of Jim in his leathers has all the terrifying implications sinking in and he sobs with relief as much as pain that Jim is here, he didn't go he's not going I won't let him-

Bones doesn't sound like he's arguing at the urgent demand. Felix is, though. Even despite the relief of knowing smarter people than him have this under control, the pain is going to go away soon enough - gods, he desperately hopes so.

"Jim i... it's okay I c'n, I walked back here I just need t'... sit for a minute." Sit and try to stifle his undignified whimpers. Even if Jim didn't stop him he wouldn't get far before Leonard arrives, entirely and unwillingly awake to face whatever the hell is going on this time.

[smartass_captain]

Jim's clinging to him well enough with one arm, anchoring Felix against his chest with his left arm the entire time he's fussing with his comm in his right hand. Doing everything he can to keep Felix supported and upright as much as possible where they're settled on the floor of their quarters. It's only now that Jim's even thinking about the potions back at the house and how Felix was trying to tend to his own injuries with one as the doctor terminates the call and no doubt flings himself out of bed and back into his uniform posthaste.

"Felix, stop squirming--" Jim's going to have to toss the comm aside too so he can get both arms around the Imperial to stop him from pitching himself sideways onto the floor. "You can't hold or touch anything right now just let me help you." He can't carry the mage all the way down to sickbay without hurting Felix more and possibly dropping him which would only make things worse for them both.

It won't take Leonard long to key open the door with one of his crew in tow to assess the situation. His frown deepens to see Felix and Jim on the floor, but one glance at Jim's attire (and Felix's) makes him hold one hand to stop his assistant at the door. Leonard turns back to the other and instructs him to go fetch Nurse Chapel instead. Someone he trusts to keep their mouth shut about whatever is going on here.

When he turns back to glare down at them Jim shrugs before nodding to Bones. "Come on, help me get him moved."

Leonard shifts his medkit so it's less likely to be in the way before squatting down to help. He's larger than Jim is and knows better how to grab Felix without touching his injuries.

"How in the hell d'you even...Easy there, Felix. Don't even start arguin' with me, we're gonna have to get those clothes off ya before too many folk start asking questions. Jim just goddamn change before you come running down after us, will you?"

It takes Jim a minute to even understand but when he glances down at himself he sighs.

"Right. Give me a second--"

"Not waiting around. Chapel will be here in a second and we'll get him down. You just follow after us when you're decent."

[conjuredskies]

He's too tired to squirm for long when Jim insists on holding him steady. Eventually he slumps into his husband's arms and lets himself be supported. He's in no state to argue and part of him is honestly happy to sink into the relief of having someone here to help.

He's fuzzy on what's happening until Leonard is there, an extra pair of hands hauling him up despite his confused flailing (he's trying to help, really he is). Something something clothes... right. Right, he can't go around the ship in his leathers, though he can't really help with the unclasping and unbuckling there.

"...'Kay." A deep breath, unaware of how very pale his face is. Focus, he needs to be lucid for this part. "Sorry f'r... getting you out of bed, doctor."

There's less swearing from Leonard than he was expecting, but Felix is grateful for the doctor's brisk attitude. His calm makes this feel more manageable, though no less awkward as they try to get Felix changed. The Imperial tries to focus on listening to Leonard like he's told, moving to help with the undressing. He still has to bite his lip hard to choke down the whine when they clip against one of his hands by accident.

Felix has never been quite so grateful that shipboard dress is light and - in the case of the meditation clothes Jim tosses over to the bed - loose enough to get on without so much trouble. It would be embarrassing to be so helpless, if his dignity wasn't sliding rapidly to the bottom of his concerns right now. At least he'll be pretty much decent when Chapel knocks on the door.

His eyes are on Jim, though. Jim who's unbuckling his own leathers, Jim who definitely isn't going back there. He's not sure what to say but when he catches his husband's eye Felix tries to look reassuring.

[smartass_captain]

Leonard frowns even harder at Felix's not entirely cognizant slurring but doesn't bother verbally flogging Jim any more right now. Not when Felix looks to be about a second away from passing out and Jim's barely holding himself together. Finding out what happened is far less important than getting Felix down to Medical in the moment.

"S'my job, kid. Just relax for me best as you can." Felix thankfully isn't fighting him nearly as hard as Jim would be and in fact seems to be mostly on the same page where it comes to undressing and redressing. Willing to behave enough that when Christine is let in Felix is ready to go. Bones doesn't even need to give her an instruction in this case--one look at Felix has Christine's expression thinning into grim focus as she moves to help Leonard get Felix secured. She at least has enough control to smile sweetly when Felix whimpers again.

"We'll get that taken care of, just hold on."

It leaves Jim lingering in the bedroom having kicked aside all of their otherworldly clothing and so very helpless to do anything more for his husband but watch. Jim nods when Felix looks his way.

"I'll be right down."

Just as soon as he catches their uncle up on what's happened.

[conjuredskies]

Felix tries to nod shakily, though it's interrupted by his getting maneuvered onto a stretcher whether he likes it or no. He's not really clear when Christine administers whatever it is they use, but he does exhale with relief when he feels the pain start to bite less and less until there's a genuine, wonderful numbness washing over him. For a while there's not much to do but lie back and hold still and let them cart him off to sickbay where they can scan and prod (gently) as much as they need to. Sometimes a question gets directed his way but he's getting less and less helpful with that so mostly Leonard and Christine make their own inferences from their readings.

The burns are most obvious. Second-degree and almost covering his hands, extending irregularly up part of his arms as if he stuck them into a naked flame, though the precise nature of the damage looks more like a plasma burn. There's some on his face too, especially his cheeks and nose, but that's much milder, easy to overlook until they're inspecting him under the clear light of sickbay. Then, they're both already sure he's concussed even before they find the welt on the back of his head. Kid hit it pretty good, which tallies with the bruising Leonard saw down his back. Fits the pattern that suggests some kind of explosion threw him back.

The rib fractures... Leonard's not so sure about that. He's seen enough crew members get knocked around in explosions to recognize when it looks more like a local impact. Besides, he helped get that leather chest-piece off of Felix. It felt pretty bent and torn up around there, but he doesn't remember a lot of scorch marks.

These aren't thoughts he'll be spending time on, though. Nowhere near as important as making sure Felix's skull is intact (and that he's got all the brains he started with); checking no bits of rib have gone astray to cause more harm; helping Christine clean up the kid's hands so they can get the regeneration underway. There's some nerve damage there (maybe more than the burns would suggest) but nothing Leonard can't fix up. The kid is goddamned lucky he's not relying on his medieval homeworld's medical knowledge.

It's gonna be a while before Felix is completely patched back together and they can all try to get some rest again. But Leonard pretty quickly has him safely strapped down ensconced in sickbay, out of danger and no longer whimpering pathetically.

---

Terentius, meanwhile, is oblivious to all this: he's been piling supplies on the kitchen table, torches and rope and blankets rousted out of cupboards and sorted to try and get a sense of what they'll really need. He looks up sharply at the sound of boots, frowning to hear just one pair before he actually clocks Jim's change of attire.

"Did you get Stratos?"

[smartass_captain]

Leonard's certain Christine has her own opinions about whatever Felix has gone through but they're both in agreement almost from the immediate start that whatever's happened to Felix Jim probably wasn't involved with. The captain bore no injuries of his own and had been on the bridge until only just recently. It's almost unthinkable that Jim would be in one piece if he'd been anywhere near this. Half because of the nature of Felix's injuries and half because James T. Kirk has a nasty habit of putting himself in harm's way to make sure someone else is safe.

Though Leonard knows better he does make note of Chapel's suggestion that they send someone to inspect the lab he has clearance to work in to make sure there's nothing dangerous yet lingering for someone else to stumble upon nor any damage to the ship.

While it's surprising that Jim isn't pacing around already in the hallway just outside it's a blessing in and of itself. They needn't send someone to keep the captain busy while they do their work which is a relief. Jim tends to linger close to the people he cares most about whenever something goes wrong to end them up in here.

They're not wrong, either. If Jim didn't have a promise to keep a universe away he'd already be heading their way. As it stands Jim's haphazardly in his uniform once more as he exits their bedroom in Bruma to go find Terentius back in the family home. His hands are raised immediately when the old ex-soldier turns to look at him.

Calmer than he'd been before but somehow just as pale.

"I found Felix. We don't need to ride out tonight." That should be cause for relief but the fact that Jim's here alone and still sounds shaky has Terentius moving closer to Jim as best as his bad leg will allow.

"Where is he, Jim?" What's Felix done now? Why wouldn't he have come here to explain himself even a little? The last part he can at least suspect but surely they're owed that after the worry everyone's been through.

"He was at the house in Iowa trying to make use of the potions he keeps there..." With wet eyes and a tight voice Jim starts to explain how he found his husband in their home on Earth. Describes his injuries and mangled leathers and how terrified Felix was. Jim might sound unsure about what's transpired but those burns of his tell Terentius a pretty clear picture.

One they've all worried would befall their wayward youngest eventually.

"Conjurer's burn." Terentius murmurs, dropping his gaze from Jim's for a moment. The fate of a mortal playing with powers too vast for them to control. He's heard it described often enough to know Felix is lucky he's only burned his hands but even that could have such devastating effects on a mage. How will he properly cast ever again if he's hurt himself so severely? "Felix needs to see a healer immediately--" He starts but his newest nephew is already nodding.

"I have him in the care of Dr. McCoy. He's got...the best people in my plane looking after him right now. Of that you can be sure. I just. I needed to come tell you we'd found him." Jim's only looking more pale after the description of what's likely happened to his husband. "He went back after all and he's lucky to have made it out alive. I...my people will see to his injuries."

Jim swallows around a lump in his throat.

"We'll have to get answers after."

[conjuredskies]

However unsure Terentius might be about what healing in Jim's world entails, he knows for certain that Jim wouldn't allow any more harm to come to his husband. He remembers the man who introduced himself as a doctor at the wedding, the friends Jim brought with him. They seemed trustworthy, too. So no matter how much the older man wishes he could run to his nephew himself, he placates his ragged nerves with that knowledge. Nods slowly.

"Whatever he was doing, Jim, it sounds like an injury caused by magic. I don't know much about those, and I bet your people won't either. I know they're good at their work, but- you should let Stratos see him, too. Hell. You might not be able to stop him once he finds out."

He pulls a rueful, lopsided smile. Reaches out to clasp the captain's arm. "But you got him back. He's damned lucky you went looking for him, you know. And at least... he's not back there."

Though the fact that he went back at all... for the love of Stendarr, Felix, why?

[smartass_captain]

Terentius has a point and besides, Jim can't imagine Stratos having to hear about this of all things through the grapevine. Bad enough Jim had to find out about it second hand from one of his own crew Felix has decided to trust over his own husband. (Suspecting why Felix might have done this doesn't make the anger simmering beneath his skin any less intense, it just takes away his outlet to unleash it.)

"I'm going to let Stratos know right away. Just...once I'm back on the ship. Otherwise he's apt to go there without me and that wouldn't be good for anyone."

Stratos, in a panic, walking around a ship he shouldn't be on. That's sure to go well. Even in gamma shift that's asking for trouble.

"He's always been lucky. I...just hope that continues to hold, Uncle." Jim forces a bit of a smile at the touch. Trying to sound confident in Bones and their staff. But if the injury affected his magic too...what could any of them do for Felix? "When he's able I'll bring him here right away to see you."

[conjuredskies]

Terentius makes a rueful noise. Stratos is generally adept at subterfuge but... perhaps not so when he decides his little brother's injuries outweigh discretion. He's certainly capable of causing havoc if he goes on the warpath.

"You do that. I need to tell him what I think of sneaking past me without so much as a 'how are you'." Terentius looks over Jim, gives him another pat before he steps back. "I'll be here. You just make sure you get some sleep. You're going to need it too." Don't think he hasn't cottoned on to your bad habits, Jim.

[smartass_captain]

To say nothing about how lost Stratos could get on a ship that large without Jim there to guide him. He was only ever aboard once before after all and that was...not even the same ship. Years ago at that. Jim swallows. Terentius is more right than he knows. Jim's already taken one of the stamina potions Felix had tucked away to help keep him on his feet for what's apt to be a rough and long night into morning.

"So long as you do the same. I...know how hard it's going to be to be left alone after finding out all of this. I'm sure Stratos will be by before I am. And...thank you for the help tonight. Felix might still be waiting for someone to find him back at the house if you hadn't urged me there."

Jim shudders to even think of his husband laying on the floor amid broken glass and the potion that could have helped ease his pain suffering all alone. It squeezes at his throat until it's difficult to breathe. He needs to get back and see Felix.

"We'll come back with better news." It's as much of a reassurance as Jim can give before he takes a step back and reaches for his PINpoint. The family home grows silent once more with the captain's departure. But what to tell Stratos? Jim paces in a circle around his quarters a few passes while he drags his free hand through his hair. There's too much to tell in a text alone, not nearly enough to give him a full story.

Jim frowns over the device before he stops to send out a message.

Are you awake? Can you get to where your clothing for my world is at the moment? There's been an incident and you're going to want to be here. Use these coordinates to get to my quarters. Erase the old ones you might have, that ship no longer exists and by now someone else has likely moved in to my old place in Yorktown.

[auspex_caelo]

Stratos tends to be an early riser and it's already starting to get light far to the north Haafingar. Still, he's expecting a good hour of sleep or more before the insistent pip of his hidden-away PINpoint prompts him to roll over and check it. Just in case it's not Felix sending him a picture of some ridiculous Earth outfit or Nekomata making acerbic commentary on her current assignment.

It's neither.

Jim has to wait a good ten minutes before Stratos is remotely awake enough to process what he's reading.

I can. What incident? Clothes. He needs to get his clothes, hidden away at the bottom of his trunk. He pulls off his outer clothes to dress hurriedly. He'll need to check those co-ordinates carefully... leave a note for his staff that he's on urgent business...

[smartass_captain]

It's time enough for Jim to both put away his gear for Tamriel and to lay out Felix's for him to inspect. He's gone and worried himself sick all over to tally the scorch marks, stains of blood that are undoubtedly Felix's, and the mangled leather where he'd been struck bodily. More than ever he has to repeat to himself that Bones has brought Jim back from worse before. That Felix is going to be okay.

But for his magic...

Jim stops to scoop the device back up. He's as prepared as he's going to get for what's sure to follow.

It's Felix. He's hurt, badly.

[auspex_caelo]

The strength goes out of Stratos's hands when he reads that message. Too many awful possibilities coming to mind at once. He's feared for Felix so much over the years but now, really? When he was so certain at last that his brother had a safe home and reason to have a care with the dangers he invoked? When it finally felt like the harshest lessons were behind them?

He wants to demand more answers immediately but typing it all out like this will only slow them down. Stratos jams the PINpoint into his pocket instead and jots a hurried note for his aide to find.

When he materializes in Jim's quarters, he looks more like his younger brother for how pale he is. Momentarily relieved to see Jim there and know he's in the right place- but there's no time for niceties.

"How bad is he?"