( ...okay, maybe Bakugo just invites strange company if that's what he's dealing with. You okay, buddy??
Esi doesn't even get to fully appreciate that tsun message like he normally would. The moment he gets confirmation, he moves to prop open his door with a shoe from the entryway, in case he does pass out.
Thankfully, he doesn't pass out before Bakugo shows up— but it's immediately clear what the problem is just from looking at him. He's paler than even usual, and his shirt is discarded somewhere inside of his new expansive ace suite. Esikko himself is sitting propped up against the wall in the entryway with an assortment of bloodstained towels shoved behind himself. The whole room smells heavily floral, as his blood normally does, and something that looks like branches sticks out from between his back and the towels and the wall, embedded into skin that had already been torn and scabbed over previously, covering a good third of his back. The skin reopened, these weird branches seem to be slowly spreading to peel up more skin, stretching further still. He's breathing hard, but alert enough to flick his eyes up at the signs of movement by the front door. )
[He did not invite that one. Even if he ended up answering it. Fucking weird... THAT WASN'T HIS DAMN FAULT!!
Bakugo takes longer to reach Esikko's room now that he has to transverse almost the entire fucking fleet of floors. He really needs to work on getting his rank switched. For multiple personal reasons, not because the hotel's a fucking dick.
A wedged-open door. That's ominous. Fingers splayed on the door, he pushes it open with a light swing on its well-oiled hinges. Apart from a peripheral glance around, Bakugo focuses entirely on Esikko. Immediately startled to see him in such a state. Slumped against the wall like he was assaulted a few seconds ago. Given his history, Bakugo suspects that. Instead, he's greeted with something disturbing! Red eyes widen and he quickly moves to the prince's side, careful not to touch or get too close just in case.]
What the fuck, Esikko?! [He stares at the odd mixture of plant and flesh, as if some kind of tree's growing out of the man's back.] What happened?
[If this is an experiment gone wrong, he's gonna slaughter him! Though given what he said... he suspects this is Esikko's version of "death" before reset.
( Turning into a tree sounds almost peaceful compared to whatever is happening here. It does look that way, doesn't it? Branches coming from beneath his skin, the occasional leaves and red flowers blooming just to drop off and seemingly melt away, leaving behind only that strangely cold blood of his. Despite the towels, they're soaked through, and there's blood on the tile beneath him. As soon as Bakugo approaches, Esikko tries to sit further up, to lean forward, and hunches over partially in the process, reaching out with a bloodied hand to try and grab some part of him for support. If he manages, his blood is still ice cold, but his skin feels warm and feverish in contrast.
Thankfully, none of this is contagious. None of it can hurt anyone else, not unless he wants it to— and even if he did, he wouldn't have the strength to utter magic. Wouldn't have reason to, either, when Bakugo came all this way to help, despite everything. )
My body's attacking itself. I need...
( He has to pause to stay conscious, to focus on breathing enough through the searing pain of his skin splitting behind him. He's always hurting, with everything going on in his body, but this is far worse than anything else. It's no wonder the first time it happened he wasn't able to reach out for help at all, just stumbled blindly through the halls to be found by a stranger.
Now, he has bandages laid out on a chair not far away, clearly at least somewhat prepared for this outcome. His hand withdraws from Bakugo to grip at his own forehead, hissing out as he leans more forward. Through this, the towels fall more to the floor behind him, soaked through for the most part, and the view of his back is more obvious. These "branches" vary in thickness, winding through exposed muscle and veins. )
I need you to rip it all out. As much as possible.
[How much blood exists in this guy's body? Towels soaked crimson, already oozing onto the tiles, still more dripping down. Gross. Bakugo's experience with the biologically-warped and deformed Nomu brace his stomach against the sight before him, but he hasn't seen something this graphic in his life. Bakugo doesn't let Esikko grab him for support just yet, not wanting to potentially poison himself with whatever might be churning in those plants. The guy's displayed questionable powers in the past and he wants to keep himself safe enough to tackle whatever Esikko needs him to do. Yet he remains close, showing he's not about to abandon him, simply focusing on preparing and caution primarily.]
C'mon. Spit it out. [He narrows his eyes and bites back natural curiosity demanding more answers. No, focus on physical "what to" first, then questions later once Esikko's no longer trying to turn into the goriest dryad existent. He glances around the area, not about to go for the towels. What other fabric's around? Searching for rubber gloves is a pipe dream at the moment. Wary of putting bare skin to any of that, yet he's pretty damn sure Esikko would've warned him if he was about to inject toxin into his flesh...]
WHAT?! [Rip it all out?!] THAT SHIT'S GROWING OUT OF YOU!! [How the hell does he know whether a branch is coming out or Esikko's fucking lungs?! Sure, some Quirks can be disgusting, like sprouting a sniper rifle out of your arm or turning your fingers into organic pistols. But this is on another level.] Tell me I'm not gonna tear your damn ribs out if I grab and yank something, or you're going to the medics for fucking surgery.
[If he can yank and tear without killing Esikko... fine. But if he has to get in there with surgical precision, fuck no. He'll take the prince to the medical wing to deal with it.]
( Esikko knows why Bakugo avoids his grasps for him, but it doesn't make it any easier to deal with. He feels cold, feels dizzy, like he's slipping, falling, and even with someone right here, all he can do is double over himself on the floor and grasp pathetically at the tile, at himself, a pained wheeze forced out of him at the next blossoming of flowers along the "branches." Strangely, the edges of his wounds where the torn skin meets still healthy flesh look as though they're darkening from frost bite. )
Just rip it out!
( Frustrated, his words slip out with an angry hiss, and he curls in on himself further. His forehead is to the floor, one hand flat against tile as the other keeps shifting where it's best to hold himself, where he might be able to keep himself from vomiting, from passing out, from anything like that. This is the second time, so he expected it more, but panic is still setting in. Fear. He doesn't want to die. )
It's just— blood, but it's wrong, you have to get it out! ( It's cracking his voice, that fear and panic, his eyes squeezed shut as another "branch" breaks free from the skin of his back too quickly, stretching upward with an accompanying yell from Esikko. ) If you keep waiting, I'm going to die! Please, just—
( Weak. The voice feels foreign in his own mind, and he abandons his own words, trying his best to focus on breathing, instead. Like he says, the branches will turn to blood when "ripped free" from him... so it's messy and horrible, and it hurts like hell, but it's worse to leave it in, to have this war on his body. )
[He's done rescue training before. He's learned about emergency first aid and medical assistance. He's even pulled shit out of other people's bodies, from a piece of rebar to some damn asshole's Quirk-induced growth! But this is different from all of that. He can't get close until he's sure Esikko's not going to drag him down like a drowning victim clutching his rescuer. It'll get them both killed. Watching the guy double over amid his panting breaths and shivers, exposing more of his gory back garden isn't any easier on Bakugo.
But he gets his answer. What he waited for.]
Next time, have everything ready to tell me before you fucking call. [Growling, but determined. Without anything else, he grasps one of the towels on the floor, ignoring the blood, and moves around behind Esikko.] Stay curled like that. Bite the towel under you if you have to.
[Even as he talks, Bakugo takes his position, like some executioner standing over his duty. Or a woodsman with an axe for firewood. Legs braced, he grips one branch with the towel, having to trust Esikko's telling the truth, and pulls it up. It comes free with a sickening wet crack, suck, and peel. Far too similar to snapping a chicken bone or dragging wet branches out of a bog. No time to think if he's going to wrench the next one out and find Esikko's damn lung hanging off the "root" of it. One branch, then the next, tossing the blood to the side as soon as it begins to melt away.
If he has to, he's gonna put his foot on Esikko's upper back to keep him bent over... but only if necessary. Unfortunately, he's not the type to crack jokes or make light of the situation. Expression set, he goes into the task with the same determination and efficiency Esikko's always seen him work with. One at a time, but he's fast. Reaction speed's enough to dodge bullets with his Quirk and beat back numerous shards of ice flying at his face. Meaning Bakugo's grab-n-pull routine is fucking impressive, if the subject matter weren't a splattering gore fest...]
( He doesn't have the energy or the strength to say anything in response to that. Explanations can come later, if he makes it— and so Esikko braces himself in his position, and the cries of pain that come out are strangled, held back as much as he can manage between harsh breaths. The strange plant-like objects come out with the right amount of force, like the strong, nasty roots of a tree. Unlike roots, however, they don't bring any "soil" with them. The tears are clean, like this foreign object truly doesn't mix well with Esikko's body, and the moment it's pulled completely free, it begins to melt away into that cold, strangely thick and slow moving blood.
It does behave strangely, curling around the grips where Bakugo holds it with the towel, but it's like a desperate grasp more than anything else, not unlike the ones Esikko had made at Bakugo just earlier. Like some dying thing reaching for help.
It is a gore fest, with how much the blood splatters around them, and Esikko can't keep himself conscious for the whole thing. It slips away from him near the end, but it's clear from his breathing alone that he's stabilizing the more these things are removed. The bleeding just needs to be stopped, with the help of those bandages and the couple of medkits he has sitting nearby, and he'll be... alive, stable, not declining as rapidly. He's pale, his temperature is inconsistent, and his heart doesn't beat properly each time, but it's always been that way. )
[Some people might balk and panic over hearing a patient cry and moan in pain during a procedure, but medical professionals know better. Sometimes, you have to grit your teeth, harden your heart, and accept that agonizing reality. Moving a limb to reset a broken bone, cauterizing a more damaging wound, lancing an infected sore, scraping off burnt skin, things that feel like hell on earth but require that damnation in order to save a person's body or life.
Bakugo's been given the go ahead approval from Esikko; that's what he focuses on. If the guy lied to him and he ends up dying at the hero's hands thanks to his own shitty instructions, Bakugo's gonna break every bone in his body when he gets back! That aside... this is fucking disgusting.
Oh hell no! There's a reason he's using the towel. The second any of those branches try to curl around backwards for his hand, he's throwing their shitty existence against the wall or threatening to blow them up before they can touch his skin! Dammit, he needs some gloves for this shit! Esikko said it'd be fine, but fuck it!
How many are there? Does he have to get his fingers down in Esikko's ribs to dig out hiding branches? Tweeze small sprigs from his flesh? Tch, he can't ask the prince these questions, so Bakugo does what he has to in order to find and remove as much of the offending whatever-the-fuck-this-is as he can. He's not going to clean up his injury until he's sure they're all gone. Otherwise, that'd simply be sealing the problem up for another day.
The fact Esikko's lost this much blood without having some IV bag at his side suggests he's not going to bleed out at least...]
( While he could bleed out, and certainly is close to it, he won't need a typical IV bag to fix it, so it's nothing Bakugo has to worry about. The branches are nasty— like fucked up wings, almost, in their appearance, with how they reach out in multiple directions once far enough away from Esikko's skin. Like little trees trying to break free. But each pull of a bunch gathers the whole "root system" with them, most often. No digging, just slipping grips and branches breaking off from themselves to try and stay rooted.
It should be no problem for someone like Bakugo to get them out quickly. There's no need for precision, just strength and attention to details enough to get the last of it. Esikko's breathing is unsteady, as he lays there, his skin too pale, his fingertips a little blue— but he's alive. And that much is clear from the way his hand twitches against the floor, eyebrows furrowing just slightly like he's trying to wake back up, like he might already be.
But he doesn't manage more than that, right now. )
[There's nothing he can do to stop Esikko's bleeding. Not while he's tearing the ever-living fuck out of his back. He has to trust the other man knows what he's doing, what he's asking him to do, and he's not about to trick Bakugo into killing someone on his watch. He'd bring Esikko back and murder him for such a shitty ploy. Branch after branch, quickly losing the gnarly disgust from initial pull, Bakugo focuses on clearing them out rather than the garish pump of muscles within the filleted flesh of Esikko's back.
He grits his teeth in irritation as the branches try to fight back, attempting to feed off smaller twigs to avoid his grip on their trunks or roots. Bastards, you think you can get away from him?! He's getting every fucking one of you shitty things out whether you like it or not! COME'RE!!
No it's not a game, but it's definitely turning into a challenge he refuses to give up on. Strength and attention to detail are try of his strong points, sharp eyes wandering bone and sinew to locate lingering roots or stubborn strongholds. Bakugo narrows his gaze at Esikko's state. Against his better judgement...]
( That rough voice draws him out of his thoughts a little, but it still feels like he's in an ice cold pool of water. Or blood, would be more accurate, he supposes. It's too thick, too slowly suffocating, this fog around the edge of all of his senses. Another branch tries to sprout from nothing but blood at the edge of his exposed muscle, blooming only briefly— but it's yanked out along with the others. )
Ngh.
( What was he saying? That voice. Awake?
Esikko tries to open his eyes, blearily staring across the tile into the rest of the suite. He hurts, he still hurts, but it's almost numb right now, like his body has forgotten the pain. Forgotten, like everything else is threatening to be, but a harsh wince draws back piece by piece, grasping onto them with desperation. Bakugo, it's Bakugo. He called him here. )
It's cold...
( It's nearly whispered, with how weak it comes out, but it's an attempt all the same. It's cold, not just from the blood loss, not just from his blood being so icy to the touch, but everything, everywhere, always— and it feels too pathetic, to be lying here like this, to be making someone do this so that he can squeeze out even more life than he's already had, but he doesn't want to die. Even at the times when he feels the most useless, the most pathetic, that feeling doesn't leave him. He doesn't want to die.
His eyes shut again, tighter, and he slides his palm closer to his face to block them as he tries to steady his emotions. )
[Like hell you do. YANK! Bakugo pulls the sapling from its moors and tosses it aside. Eyes dart from one area to the next, passing over grisly exposure of gristle, muscle, tendon, even bone. Gross. He's done some minor surgery and suturing before on cuts and burns, but laying open someone's back like this? These images are gonna stick in his mind far too long. As tempting as it is to grab a towel and start scrubbing, hoping to rasp away the remains in a feel sweep, he refuses the urge and keeps grabbing, pinching, digging if he has to, and otherwise ridding the curse from Esikko's flesh.]
Of course it's cold! You're bleeding out. [And the prince is normally an ice box. His rough voice carries what seems to be little sympathy, but Bakugo's hardened his heart in exchange for doing the wretched deed. Esikko promised him this was the way to save his life. So he better fucking have meant it! He has no intention of explaining to everyone the prince is friends with that he killed Esikko trying to help him. Bastard turned down his offer (demand) to go to the medical wing.
Is this how the prince managed his resets? Tearing himself out until there's nothing left but some kind of seed? How fucking long is this going to last? How much blood does he have left in his body?]
Dammit, you better show some improvements or I'm gonna get a fucking shovel! [Covering up concern with anger.] You said this would help, so help!
( He'd be touched if he could process it. He will be later, in fact. But right now, everything feels distant, like he's watching a scene from the third person, feeling himself slip further away. Stubbornly, he grasps onto life like he often does, clinging to the thought of not being alone, of Bakugo being here. As if to match, physically, his fingers curl tighter beside his face, still shielding his eyes, but more movement is probably a good thing, even if he can't hold the tighter grip for long before it slips. In and out like that, he tries to stay conscious, even as everything blurs and spins, even as he feels so tired. )
It's... it's helping. But— ( Speaking feels hard. The words come slow, the energy to find the air for each word is painful on his chest, on weak lungs and heart, but he pushes stubbornly past that. ) Clear... as much as you can, then stop the bleeding.
I have medication, I made, after that. It's in the kitchen. I have to drink it. ( His body shakes a little with the next breath in, holding it there as his fingers curl tight once more. ) To hold it back, a little.
( Obviously it's no cure. But he's working on it. He's... trying to work on it, anyway. Alternating between trying and not. Softly, quietly, ashamed, he adds on: ) I'm sorry.
( He breathes in, too slow and not deep enough and shaky, but it's still there, he's still alive. Thanks to Bakugo. ) I didn't know who to call.
[Esikko better be clinging onto life. Bakugo tosses another dissipating branch of blood to the side, then leans back, trying not to focus on how fucking gory his hands are. Even with the towel, the blood seeps right through. He discards that one, not even able to use it as a wipe for the man's back. Dammit, there are more around here, but he has to lean hard to the side and grasp it to drag the thing over. Bakugo presses its surface to the man's back, trying to blot the entirety of his hewn flesh and clear some of the mess. No scrubbing, no raking, no roughness. Terrycloth comes away from muscle and bone without strands of blood this time and he scans over Esikko's back for any remaining branches.]
Stop the bleeding with what? [His entire back's essentially torn open! He doesn't have a fucking new layer of back skin to slap over his exposed core and start suturing it up! A few sparks pop and snap over one hand, frying the blood on his palm and fingers. There's cauterizing the entire site, but in Esikko's state, the shock and pain would probably stop his heart. Without any other option, he presses the towel against his back and leaves it there.]
I'm getting the medicine. Stay alive even if you have to bite your fucking hand. [With that, Bakugo pushes up to his feet and heads for the kitchen. No, he doesn't expect a cure or he wouldn't be here doing this shit. Swiping the medicine from the counter, the hero pivots on his foot and returns to Esikko's side.]
Apologize if you fail. Not now. [Not when he's alive and stubbornly staying so.] You need to drink this or cut it with some water first?
( His answer to that is to reach out to try and put his hand over Bakugo's, to borrow the stability of his grip to bring it to his lips. He'll drink it even from the floor, even if a bit of it spills, gasping out when he finishes, wincing a little. )
Water, too. Ugh— gauze, there should be some...
( It's hard to form sentences fully, and so Esikko trails off there, struggling to find the words before he eventually just points with a tired, bloodied hand. With the bandages, and the first aid kits, he's crammed enough gauze into them to cover wounds this large. It's all he can think to cover it and bandage it, as that's what he's always done before...
Everything feels fuzzy. The longer he looks at Bakugo, the more he feels like he can see someone else, various others with different expressions and different emotions that go with it. Words that aren't Bakugo's are sounding louder, and he presses his palm to his own temple, grunting out. )
You're going to stay, right? ( It's muttered, distracted, and potentially even when Bakugo is busy trying to retrieve the bandages. He can't tell. )
[Decided. Bakugo cups one hand under Esikko's chin, helping to lift his head, and brings the bottle to his lips with the other. He won't let him guzzle it, but rather pours some in, enough to get his tongue and lower mouth wet, then tilts it down and back.]
Swallow.
[No spills. He's not wasting any of this if it means Esikko lives. Drinking in this position is shit, but he can't roll the man onto his back either. They're going it fast and small. Bottle to the lips, pour, part, swallow, repeat. Any drops managing to escape end up caught in Bakugo's palm. He'll make Esikko lick those off at the end if he has to. Don't bitch at his hospice manners! 100% medicine completion or nothing!
He's less thorough with the water, not minding if Esikko spills some. A fucking sink's right over there. Leaving him bloody and panting on the floor feels like a cruelty, but price paid to get the gauze and medication.
Is he going to stay?]
If you're gonna waste your strength asking stupid questions, pass out already, Prince Prick.
[Dumbass. Does he look like someone who'd abandon a person mid-help? Bakugo kneels beside Esikko's body and begins his work. Ointment and antiseptic/bacterial spray coat the wound as quick but thorough as he can. He outlines the injury perimeter with gauze strips, then layers the entire wound with more. Only then does the wrapping begin. Around his ribs, under his torso, out the other side, up his ribs, across his back, and repeat. Keeping the original bandaging in place. Satisfied, he pins the gauze and repeats the entire method with bandages.]
( It's mumbled, barely audible, like he's embarrassed. But he doesn't push on that further either way, instead allowing Bakugo to clean and bandage him. He'll find that just shortly after taking that medication, there's a lot less of that excessive bleeding, and no additional branches or blooms seem to sprout up.
He's quiet, even when it hurts. He's used to a moderate amount of pain pretty frequently, honestly, and even if he wasn't, that burst of it at the second breaking of his skin was so bad that everything else feels numb in comparison. The medication, too, helps with some of that. )
I thought I had more time. ( Quietly, he adds it on when Bakugo seems close to finishing the bandages. ) Or I would have been more prepared.
What'd I just say? [Stop talking, dammit! It's as if Esikko forgot who he is! Bakugo's insulted the man thinks he'd show up to help him with something like this, then bounce without a damn word. Granted he'd rather have taken Esikko to the medical wing and let someone more knowledgeable help him, but the prince refused. So this is the next best thing. He takes some heart when noticing there's not as much blood, and no new bloody plants showing up.
Of course it hurts. You'd think by now Esikko would've gone completely numb from blood loss and shock, but apparently cursed existences like to give prolonged suffering for the power in return. He makes sure not to drop Esikko back into the pile of bloody towels, using the moment he has his body lifted to steal the mess out from under him and shove in a few more clean ones from the closet. Then lowers him back down. Bakugo isn't going to risk moving him to the bed.]
When you're better, you're gonna put together a fucking preparation kit and keep it easily accessible. With instructions.
( It's cold, but it doesn't feel as much like the world is closing in from around him. Esikko breathes out a shaky sigh because of it, as he's rested back down on the floor, eyes falling shut. He can feel the ache in his back, but his heart is beating so fast it almost doesn't bother him, right now. Almost doesn't hurt. )
How about... ( His head turns against the floor, eyes tiredly opening to search out Bakugo. His words are just as sluggish and weak, but he insists on continuing. ) ..."If found injured, call Bakugo."
( Making a joke in a time like this seems perfect, he thinks. Bakugo's angry yelling is almost nice, right now. Comforting, in a strange way. It's like there's care behind those words, like those angry little outbursts might stand even the slimmest chance at warming his cold body, heart and all. )
Housekeeping will clean everything up, so leave it. I have rabbits. Will you feed them?
[No machines to regulate his heart or breathing, no trustworthy temperature to know if he's burning a fever or losing too much blood, all Bakugo has to go on is whether Esikko's still breathing and conscious enough to talk. Easing him down onto the floor almost didn't happen, part of him wanting to keep the man propped up rather than left like some fucking murder scene on the ground. But... his back needs to stay as straight and still as possible. So, down he goes.]
You're fucking hilarious. [Immediately rejected with a snarl. Does Esikko really need him to counter that blood-lost-hazy stupid humor with blunt logic on how dumb it'd be to make the man wait for help if someone was there to do it instead?!] Focus on breathing and recovering; save your lame jokes for later.
["Later" meaning after he's strong enough to take a pillow to the face for being a dork.]
What am I, a damn maid now?
[Snarling even as he begins cleaning up the absolutely gore-fest the room's become. He deliberately stays close to Esikko, glancing at him regularly as he works, not wanting the man to wake up in a puddle of blood and evidence of his almost death. Bloody towels, gauze and bandages, washcloths, everything.]
You're explaining this shit to me when you recover.
( It sounds like agreement, at least, though he's too tired to fully respond. Quietly, he fades into rest, too exhausted to keep himself awake any longer. His new suite is large, but at least it's clean and organized. It's easy to find which room is Esikko's, if he looks around at all, considering it looks very much like how Bakugo had organized it back down in the 2s, just bigger. His journal is laid out on his desk, as usual... That's upstairs, though. Downstairs, there's a room that doesn't look like it suits Esikko at all (dark and minimalist), and a room reserved for his rabbits which seem to be named Order and Chaos.
Esikko's condition stabilizes slowly. Breathing steadies, his heart stops working so hard, and it seems like the bandages are staying in place, even if they will need changing fairly regularly. Right now, they're good.
But Esikko is a poor sleeper, and sleeping on the floor isn't helping. After about an hour or two, there's a soft groan from him on the floor as he wakes up, a little sore and already trying to push himself to sit up. Where's Bakugo now... )
[Bakugo lingers nearby, watching Esikko's eyes close and his body rise and fall with his breaths. Only after he's sure he's gone to sleep does the blonde move to his side and crouch down. He reaches a hand out, holds it in front of the prince's mouth and nose... Good, he's breathing. Satisfied, Bakugo leaves into the suite proper. Having spent a month in a Queen suite, he's more familiar with the general layout.
Tch, he better have kept his room neat, after all the crap he did to doctor up the little Rank-2 room before. Bakugo has no interest in snooping around. He gathers the bloody towels and fabric, finds the washer and drier, and dumps the entire wad in. Ace suite appliances should be able to handle this load. Detergent, softener, lid down, and turned on.
Finding the rabbits isn't the worst chore, but if Esikko doesn't keep their food in the kitchen fridge, he's gonna have to locate it elsewhere. Done with that, with more or less frustration, he returns to the prince and silently cleans up the floor around him. No bumping or shoving to disturb him means there's going to be a gory outline later, but the rest of the ground is spotless.
What, does Esikko expect him to sit here to do fuck all waiting for him? Within the hour, the entire mess-- sans was the prince is sleeping on --is gone. Bakugo's spent the rest of the time throwing a small meal into the oven via a stoneware pot. Whatever meat he found in Esikko's kitchen, a simple broth and seasoning, some beans and oranges/lemons. After that much blood loss, he's going to need a rush of iron and vitamin C. Anything the guy's got that fits into the category.
It's obviously not done by the time he spots Esikko stirring out the corner of his eye. Bakugo approaches him with a few clean towels, ready to catch him if he looks like he's going to fall, but willing to let him get up on his own if he can.]
( His kitchen is... pathetically stocked. Bakugo was likely able to find the bare bones that he did by chance, since Esikko hasn't a clue how to cook and would only set his kitchen on fire. His fridge is nearly empty, with leftovers from takeout that seem days old and untouched, and the only supplies are... from some sort of an Ace welcoming kit that was left there with the suite.
Esikko manages to stand, even if he's unsteady on his feet. As he lifts a hand, it's clearly a little shaky, from dehydration, or blood loss, or both— but he brings it automatically to his own hair, crusted over with dried blood. The face he makes is nothing short of disgusted, frustration creasing his brow. )
Ugh... I must look terrible. I need a shower...
( Of course his first waking thoughts are like this. Even still, he's taking a few more steps to Bakugo, sluggish and unsteady. )
What... ( Time is it? How long has he been out? He pauses, stopping his steps when he reaches the other. ) Something smells good.
[Some leftovers that seem too far gone to a picky palate are actually well enough to be eaten if spruced up and combined with enough. He does his duty to make sure it's not tripped over life before adding it. An Ace welcoming kit at least has a fair number of supplies considering the luxury and inclusion the Peacock likes to give people. At least Esikko knew to put things in the fridge.
Bakugo stands vigil beside Esikko, one arm holding the towels over his forearm, the other free to catch him should he stumble. Unsteady, yes, but the prince rises. Far better than lying on the floor dying in a pool of blood. As Esikko tries to wrangle his fingers through hair matted crisp with blood, Bakugo pulls a face.]
You look like shit.
[Terrible definitely wears Esikko as its picture. On approach, he offers a glass of cool (not cold) water. If Bakugo had more time, he'd've really grossed the prince out by shoving a blending of liver and broccoli down his throat.]
Here. Then go get cleaned up.
[Good, Esikko can walk. He can move his arms. He can hold items. He can talk. Seems his motor skills are all there.]
It's a false roast. [Seasoned potatoes mashed and mixed with the fine-diced remains of what's still edible of Esikko's leftovers, molded into a loaf-shaped and wrapped in a double shell of welcome bacon. A small pot of broth holds the beans and citrus on the stove. No cake for you.]
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Date: 1/5/25 03:50 (UTC)As for this... what the fuck?]
Don't you fucking die on me. I'll kill you.
[But he's leaving his room now.]
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Date: 1/5/25 04:04 (UTC)Esi doesn't even get to fully appreciate that tsun message like he normally would. The moment he gets confirmation, he moves to prop open his door with a shoe from the entryway, in case he does pass out.
Thankfully, he doesn't pass out before Bakugo shows up— but it's immediately clear what the problem is just from looking at him. He's paler than even usual, and his shirt is discarded somewhere inside of his new expansive ace suite. Esikko himself is sitting propped up against the wall in the entryway with an assortment of bloodstained towels shoved behind himself. The whole room smells heavily floral, as his blood normally does, and something that looks like branches sticks out from between his back and the towels and the wall, embedded into skin that had already been torn and scabbed over previously, covering a good third of his back. The skin reopened, these weird branches seem to be slowly spreading to peel up more skin, stretching further still. He's breathing hard, but alert enough to flick his eyes up at the signs of movement by the front door. )
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Date: 1/5/25 05:55 (UTC)Bakugo takes longer to reach Esikko's room now that he has to transverse almost the entire fucking fleet of floors. He really needs to work on getting his rank switched. For multiple personal reasons, not because the hotel's a fucking dick.
A wedged-open door. That's ominous. Fingers splayed on the door, he pushes it open with a light swing on its well-oiled hinges. Apart from a peripheral glance around, Bakugo focuses entirely on Esikko. Immediately startled to see him in such a state. Slumped against the wall like he was assaulted a few seconds ago. Given his history, Bakugo suspects that. Instead, he's greeted with something disturbing! Red eyes widen and he quickly moves to the prince's side, careful not to touch or get too close just in case.]
What the fuck, Esikko?! [He stares at the odd mixture of plant and flesh, as if some kind of tree's growing out of the man's back.] What happened?
[If this is an experiment gone wrong, he's gonna slaughter him! Though given what he said... he suspects this is Esikko's version of "death" before reset.
The man turns into a tree? Gross. But fitting...]
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Date: 1/5/25 06:32 (UTC)Thankfully, none of this is contagious. None of it can hurt anyone else, not unless he wants it to— and even if he did, he wouldn't have the strength to utter magic. Wouldn't have reason to, either, when Bakugo came all this way to help, despite everything. )
My body's attacking itself. I need...
( He has to pause to stay conscious, to focus on breathing enough through the searing pain of his skin splitting behind him. He's always hurting, with everything going on in his body, but this is far worse than anything else. It's no wonder the first time it happened he wasn't able to reach out for help at all, just stumbled blindly through the halls to be found by a stranger.
Now, he has bandages laid out on a chair not far away, clearly at least somewhat prepared for this outcome. His hand withdraws from Bakugo to grip at his own forehead, hissing out as he leans more forward. Through this, the towels fall more to the floor behind him, soaked through for the most part, and the view of his back is more obvious. These "branches" vary in thickness, winding through exposed muscle and veins. )
I need you to rip it all out. As much as possible.
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Date: 1/5/25 19:29 (UTC)C'mon. Spit it out. [He narrows his eyes and bites back natural curiosity demanding more answers. No, focus on physical "what to" first, then questions later once Esikko's no longer trying to turn into the goriest dryad existent. He glances around the area, not about to go for the towels. What other fabric's around? Searching for rubber gloves is a pipe dream at the moment. Wary of putting bare skin to any of that, yet he's pretty damn sure Esikko would've warned him if he was about to inject toxin into his flesh...]
WHAT?! [Rip it all out?!] THAT SHIT'S GROWING OUT OF YOU!! [How the hell does he know whether a branch is coming out or Esikko's fucking lungs?! Sure, some Quirks can be disgusting, like sprouting a sniper rifle out of your arm or turning your fingers into organic pistols. But this is on another level.] Tell me I'm not gonna tear your damn ribs out if I grab and yank something, or you're going to the medics for fucking surgery.
[If he can yank and tear without killing Esikko... fine. But if he has to get in there with surgical precision, fuck no. He'll take the prince to the medical wing to deal with it.]
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Date: 1/7/25 22:27 (UTC)Just rip it out!
( Frustrated, his words slip out with an angry hiss, and he curls in on himself further. His forehead is to the floor, one hand flat against tile as the other keeps shifting where it's best to hold himself, where he might be able to keep himself from vomiting, from passing out, from anything like that. This is the second time, so he expected it more, but panic is still setting in. Fear. He doesn't want to die. )
It's just— blood, but it's wrong, you have to get it out! ( It's cracking his voice, that fear and panic, his eyes squeezed shut as another "branch" breaks free from the skin of his back too quickly, stretching upward with an accompanying yell from Esikko. ) If you keep waiting, I'm going to die! Please, just—
( Weak. The voice feels foreign in his own mind, and he abandons his own words, trying his best to focus on breathing, instead. Like he says, the branches will turn to blood when "ripped free" from him... so it's messy and horrible, and it hurts like hell, but it's worse to leave it in, to have this war on his body. )
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Date: 1/7/25 22:40 (UTC)But he gets his answer. What he waited for.]
Next time, have everything ready to tell me before you fucking call. [Growling, but determined. Without anything else, he grasps one of the towels on the floor, ignoring the blood, and moves around behind Esikko.] Stay curled like that. Bite the towel under you if you have to.
[Even as he talks, Bakugo takes his position, like some executioner standing over his duty. Or a woodsman with an axe for firewood. Legs braced, he grips one branch with the towel, having to trust Esikko's telling the truth, and pulls it up. It comes free with a sickening wet crack, suck, and peel. Far too similar to snapping a chicken bone or dragging wet branches out of a bog. No time to think if he's going to wrench the next one out and find Esikko's damn lung hanging off the "root" of it. One branch, then the next, tossing the blood to the side as soon as it begins to melt away.
If he has to, he's gonna put his foot on Esikko's upper back to keep him bent over... but only if necessary. Unfortunately, he's not the type to crack jokes or make light of the situation. Expression set, he goes into the task with the same determination and efficiency Esikko's always seen him work with. One at a time, but he's fast. Reaction speed's enough to dodge bullets with his Quirk and beat back numerous shards of ice flying at his face. Meaning Bakugo's grab-n-pull routine is fucking impressive, if the subject matter weren't a splattering gore fest...]
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Date: 1/8/25 07:42 (UTC)It does behave strangely, curling around the grips where Bakugo holds it with the towel, but it's like a desperate grasp more than anything else, not unlike the ones Esikko had made at Bakugo just earlier. Like some dying thing reaching for help.
It is a gore fest, with how much the blood splatters around them, and Esikko can't keep himself conscious for the whole thing. It slips away from him near the end, but it's clear from his breathing alone that he's stabilizing the more these things are removed. The bleeding just needs to be stopped, with the help of those bandages and the couple of medkits he has sitting nearby, and he'll be... alive, stable, not declining as rapidly. He's pale, his temperature is inconsistent, and his heart doesn't beat properly each time, but it's always been that way. )
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Date: 1/8/25 15:23 (UTC)Bakugo's been given the go ahead approval from Esikko; that's what he focuses on. If the guy lied to him and he ends up dying at the hero's hands thanks to his own shitty instructions, Bakugo's gonna break every bone in his body when he gets back! That aside... this is fucking disgusting.
Oh hell no! There's a reason he's using the towel. The second any of those branches try to curl around backwards for his hand, he's throwing their shitty existence against the wall or threatening to blow them up before they can touch his skin! Dammit, he needs some gloves for this shit! Esikko said it'd be fine, but fuck it!
How many are there? Does he have to get his fingers down in Esikko's ribs to dig out hiding branches? Tweeze small sprigs from his flesh? Tch, he can't ask the prince these questions, so Bakugo does what he has to in order to find and remove as much of the offending whatever-the-fuck-this-is as he can. He's not going to clean up his injury until he's sure they're all gone. Otherwise, that'd simply be sealing the problem up for another day.
The fact Esikko's lost this much blood without having some IV bag at his side suggests he's not going to bleed out at least...]
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Date: 1/13/25 08:31 (UTC)It should be no problem for someone like Bakugo to get them out quickly. There's no need for precision, just strength and attention to details enough to get the last of it. Esikko's breathing is unsteady, as he lays there, his skin too pale, his fingertips a little blue— but he's alive. And that much is clear from the way his hand twitches against the floor, eyebrows furrowing just slightly like he's trying to wake back up, like he might already be.
But he doesn't manage more than that, right now. )
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Date: 1/13/25 21:40 (UTC)He grits his teeth in irritation as the branches try to fight back, attempting to feed off smaller twigs to avoid his grip on their trunks or roots. Bastards, you think you can get away from him?! He's getting every fucking one of you shitty things out whether you like it or not! COME'RE!!
No it's not a game, but it's definitely turning into a challenge he refuses to give up on. Strength and attention to detail are try of his strong points, sharp eyes wandering bone and sinew to locate lingering roots or stubborn strongholds. Bakugo narrows his gaze at Esikko's state. Against his better judgement...]
Oy. Say something. You need to stay awake.
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Date: 1/14/25 04:54 (UTC)Ngh.
( What was he saying? That voice. Awake?
Esikko tries to open his eyes, blearily staring across the tile into the rest of the suite. He hurts, he still hurts, but it's almost numb right now, like his body has forgotten the pain. Forgotten, like everything else is threatening to be, but a harsh wince draws back piece by piece, grasping onto them with desperation. Bakugo, it's Bakugo. He called him here. )
It's cold...
( It's nearly whispered, with how weak it comes out, but it's an attempt all the same. It's cold, not just from the blood loss, not just from his blood being so icy to the touch, but everything, everywhere, always— and it feels too pathetic, to be lying here like this, to be making someone do this so that he can squeeze out even more life than he's already had, but he doesn't want to die. Even at the times when he feels the most useless, the most pathetic, that feeling doesn't leave him. He doesn't want to die.
His eyes shut again, tighter, and he slides his palm closer to his face to block them as he tries to steady his emotions. )
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Date: 1/14/25 19:35 (UTC)Of course it's cold! You're bleeding out. [And the prince is normally an ice box. His rough voice carries what seems to be little sympathy, but Bakugo's hardened his heart in exchange for doing the wretched deed. Esikko promised him this was the way to save his life. So he better fucking have meant it! He has no intention of explaining to everyone the prince is friends with that he killed Esikko trying to help him. Bastard turned down his offer (demand) to go to the medical wing.
Is this how the prince managed his resets? Tearing himself out until there's nothing left but some kind of seed? How fucking long is this going to last? How much blood does he have left in his body?]
Dammit, you better show some improvements or I'm gonna get a fucking shovel! [Covering up concern with anger.] You said this would help, so help!
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Date: 1/15/25 06:07 (UTC)It's... it's helping. But— ( Speaking feels hard. The words come slow, the energy to find the air for each word is painful on his chest, on weak lungs and heart, but he pushes stubbornly past that. ) Clear... as much as you can, then stop the bleeding.
I have medication, I made, after that. It's in the kitchen. I have to drink it. ( His body shakes a little with the next breath in, holding it there as his fingers curl tight once more. ) To hold it back, a little.
( Obviously it's no cure. But he's working on it. He's... trying to work on it, anyway. Alternating between trying and not. Softly, quietly, ashamed, he adds on: ) I'm sorry.
( He breathes in, too slow and not deep enough and shaky, but it's still there, he's still alive. Thanks to Bakugo. ) I didn't know who to call.
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Date: 1/16/25 03:53 (UTC)Stop the bleeding with what? [His entire back's essentially torn open! He doesn't have a fucking new layer of back skin to slap over his exposed core and start suturing it up! A few sparks pop and snap over one hand, frying the blood on his palm and fingers. There's cauterizing the entire site, but in Esikko's state, the shock and pain would probably stop his heart. Without any other option, he presses the towel against his back and leaves it there.]
I'm getting the medicine. Stay alive even if you have to bite your fucking hand. [With that, Bakugo pushes up to his feet and heads for the kitchen. No, he doesn't expect a cure or he wouldn't be here doing this shit. Swiping the medicine from the counter, the hero pivots on his foot and returns to Esikko's side.]
Apologize if you fail. Not now. [Not when he's alive and stubbornly staying so.] You need to drink this or cut it with some water first?
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Date: 1/16/25 04:56 (UTC)Water, too. Ugh— gauze, there should be some...
( It's hard to form sentences fully, and so Esikko trails off there, struggling to find the words before he eventually just points with a tired, bloodied hand. With the bandages, and the first aid kits, he's crammed enough gauze into them to cover wounds this large. It's all he can think to cover it and bandage it, as that's what he's always done before...
Everything feels fuzzy. The longer he looks at Bakugo, the more he feels like he can see someone else, various others with different expressions and different emotions that go with it. Words that aren't Bakugo's are sounding louder, and he presses his palm to his own temple, grunting out. )
You're going to stay, right? ( It's muttered, distracted, and potentially even when Bakugo is busy trying to retrieve the bandages. He can't tell. )
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Date: 1/16/25 17:00 (UTC)Swallow.
[No spills. He's not wasting any of this if it means Esikko lives. Drinking in this position is shit, but he can't roll the man onto his back either. They're going it fast and small. Bottle to the lips, pour, part, swallow, repeat. Any drops managing to escape end up caught in Bakugo's palm. He'll make Esikko lick those off at the end if he has to. Don't bitch at his hospice manners! 100% medicine completion or nothing!
He's less thorough with the water, not minding if Esikko spills some. A fucking sink's right over there. Leaving him bloody and panting on the floor feels like a cruelty, but price paid to get the gauze and medication.
Is he going to stay?]
If you're gonna waste your strength asking stupid questions, pass out already, Prince Prick.
[Dumbass. Does he look like someone who'd abandon a person mid-help? Bakugo kneels beside Esikko's body and begins his work. Ointment and antiseptic/bacterial spray coat the wound as quick but thorough as he can. He outlines the injury perimeter with gauze strips, then layers the entire wound with more. Only then does the wrapping begin. Around his ribs, under his torso, out the other side, up his ribs, across his back, and repeat. Keeping the original bandaging in place. Satisfied, he pins the gauze and repeats the entire method with bandages.]
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Date: 1/17/25 04:10 (UTC)( It's mumbled, barely audible, like he's embarrassed. But he doesn't push on that further either way, instead allowing Bakugo to clean and bandage him. He'll find that just shortly after taking that medication, there's a lot less of that excessive bleeding, and no additional branches or blooms seem to sprout up.
He's quiet, even when it hurts. He's used to a moderate amount of pain pretty frequently, honestly, and even if he wasn't, that burst of it at the second breaking of his skin was so bad that everything else feels numb in comparison. The medication, too, helps with some of that. )
I thought I had more time. ( Quietly, he adds it on when Bakugo seems close to finishing the bandages. ) Or I would have been more prepared.
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Date: 1/17/25 21:51 (UTC)Of course it hurts. You'd think by now Esikko would've gone completely numb from blood loss and shock, but apparently cursed existences like to give prolonged suffering for the power in return. He makes sure not to drop Esikko back into the pile of bloody towels, using the moment he has his body lifted to steal the mess out from under him and shove in a few more clean ones from the closet. Then lowers him back down. Bakugo isn't going to risk moving him to the bed.]
When you're better, you're gonna put together a fucking preparation kit and keep it easily accessible. With instructions.
[That's not a suggestion.]
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Date: 1/18/25 09:01 (UTC)How about... ( His head turns against the floor, eyes tiredly opening to search out Bakugo. His words are just as sluggish and weak, but he insists on continuing. ) ..."If found injured, call Bakugo."
( Making a joke in a time like this seems perfect, he thinks. Bakugo's angry yelling is almost nice, right now. Comforting, in a strange way. It's like there's care behind those words, like those angry little outbursts might stand even the slimmest chance at warming his cold body, heart and all. )
Housekeeping will clean everything up, so leave it. I have rabbits. Will you feed them?
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Date: 1/18/25 22:28 (UTC)You're fucking hilarious. [Immediately rejected with a snarl. Does Esikko really need him to counter that blood-lost-hazy stupid humor with blunt logic on how dumb it'd be to make the man wait for help if someone was there to do it instead?!] Focus on breathing and recovering; save your lame jokes for later.
["Later" meaning after he's strong enough to take a pillow to the face for being a dork.]
What am I, a damn maid now?
[Snarling even as he begins cleaning up the absolutely gore-fest the room's become. He deliberately stays close to Esikko, glancing at him regularly as he works, not wanting the man to wake up in a puddle of blood and evidence of his almost death. Bloody towels, gauze and bandages, washcloths, everything.]
You're explaining this shit to me when you recover.
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Date: 1/19/25 05:27 (UTC)( It sounds like agreement, at least, though he's too tired to fully respond. Quietly, he fades into rest, too exhausted to keep himself awake any longer. His new suite is large, but at least it's clean and organized. It's easy to find which room is Esikko's, if he looks around at all, considering it looks very much like how Bakugo had organized it back down in the 2s, just bigger. His journal is laid out on his desk, as usual... That's upstairs, though. Downstairs, there's a room that doesn't look like it suits Esikko at all (dark and minimalist), and a room reserved for his rabbits which seem to be named Order and Chaos.
Esikko's condition stabilizes slowly. Breathing steadies, his heart stops working so hard, and it seems like the bandages are staying in place, even if they will need changing fairly regularly. Right now, they're good.
But Esikko is a poor sleeper, and sleeping on the floor isn't helping. After about an hour or two, there's a soft groan from him on the floor as he wakes up, a little sore and already trying to push himself to sit up. Where's Bakugo now... )
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Date: 1/19/25 07:03 (UTC)Tch, he better have kept his room neat, after all the crap he did to doctor up the little Rank-2 room before. Bakugo has no interest in snooping around. He gathers the bloody towels and fabric, finds the washer and drier, and dumps the entire wad in. Ace suite appliances should be able to handle this load. Detergent, softener, lid down, and turned on.
Finding the rabbits isn't the worst chore, but if Esikko doesn't keep their food in the kitchen fridge, he's gonna have to locate it elsewhere. Done with that, with more or less frustration, he returns to the prince and silently cleans up the floor around him. No bumping or shoving to disturb him means there's going to be a gory outline later, but the rest of the ground is spotless.
What, does Esikko expect him to sit here to do fuck all waiting for him? Within the hour, the entire mess-- sans was the prince is sleeping on --is gone. Bakugo's spent the rest of the time throwing a small meal into the oven via a stoneware pot. Whatever meat he found in Esikko's kitchen, a simple broth and seasoning, some beans and oranges/lemons. After that much blood loss, he's going to need a rush of iron and vitamin C. Anything the guy's got that fits into the category.
It's obviously not done by the time he spots Esikko stirring out the corner of his eye. Bakugo approaches him with a few clean towels, ready to catch him if he looks like he's going to fall, but willing to let him get up on his own if he can.]
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Date: 1/19/25 08:31 (UTC)Esikko manages to stand, even if he's unsteady on his feet. As he lifts a hand, it's clearly a little shaky, from dehydration, or blood loss, or both— but he brings it automatically to his own hair, crusted over with dried blood. The face he makes is nothing short of disgusted, frustration creasing his brow. )
Ugh... I must look terrible. I need a shower...
( Of course his first waking thoughts are like this. Even still, he's taking a few more steps to Bakugo, sluggish and unsteady. )
What... ( Time is it? How long has he been out? He pauses, stopping his steps when he reaches the other. ) Something smells good.
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Date: 1/19/25 21:10 (UTC)Bakugo stands vigil beside Esikko, one arm holding the towels over his forearm, the other free to catch him should he stumble. Unsteady, yes, but the prince rises. Far better than lying on the floor dying in a pool of blood. As Esikko tries to wrangle his fingers through hair matted crisp with blood, Bakugo pulls a face.]
You look like shit.
[Terrible definitely wears Esikko as its picture. On approach, he offers a glass of cool (not cold) water. If Bakugo had more time, he'd've really grossed the prince out by shoving a blending of liver and broccoli down his throat.]
Here. Then go get cleaned up.
[Good, Esikko can walk. He can move his arms. He can hold items. He can talk. Seems his motor skills are all there.]
It's a false roast. [Seasoned potatoes mashed and mixed with the fine-diced remains of what's still edible of Esikko's leftovers, molded into a loaf-shaped and wrapped in a double shell of welcome bacon. A small pot of broth holds the beans and citrus on the stove. No cake for you.]
Scram, before I throw your ass in there myself.
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