the pain of a broken horn is, by far, the worst pain dan heng can possibly imagine. he's had all manner of injuries, but all of them combined pale in comparison to the sheer agony that is even the lightest gust of wind dancing across raw, exposed nerve endings; it's so exquisitely excruciating that it takes his breath away.
welt is saying something or other to caelus about the stellaron, but dan heng can't make out his words over the ringing in his ears. vaguely, he grows aware of march's gaze zeroing in on him, and he thinks he sees concern there; maybe she's even saying something to him, but it doesn't register, what with how singularly focused he grows on trying to steady his breathing and quell the churning in his gut. a cold sweat pricks on his brow, trickles down his neck. dan heng tastes bile in the back of his throat.
--- it's all he can do to turn away from march and stagger off a few feet before doubling over and being violently ill.
he's still gagging and clawing at the wounded horn when he hears footsteps approaching behind him; dan heng holds out a hand in a gesture for her to stop. "march," he chokes, "i'm ... i'm fine. please don't ... don't look at me when i'm like this --- "
her mind buzzed with all the voices around her; though they weren't particularly loud, it truly felt like each voice was played through a blown out sound speaker in her head. march couldn't even hope to focus on the companions by her side, because her duotone gaze was trained solely, and intensely, on dan heng. she looked him over, slowly, distantly β not enough of this seemed real to her. she was having trouble connecting to reality.
in an attempt to reach out to him, march spoke his name aloud, clearing her throat softly and repeating herself when she got not so much as a twitch in response. only when she got no reaction a second time did march 7th begin to realize that dan heng was not with them... and in mere moments her vision cleared up, she became acutely aware of her surroundings, and she came to just in time to see her best friend turn away from her, staggering as he tried to walk away.
the retching should not have come as a surprise, honestly.
it happened way too fast for march, but the realization that dan heng was in excruciating pain had snapped her back to the present so quickly she stumbled forward, and her once hazy mind was now racing as she planned on the fly.
β mr. yang, take caelus and go. i don't care what else happens. get an empty bin and a water bottle ready at the parlor car, and make sure my medical supplies ends up in the archives. now. go. β the authority in her voice was not something even welt would argue, and in a few moments they were gone.
turning back to the man she'd do anything for, march 7th walked as close as he'd let her without pushing it. β it's just me, dan heng, can you hear me? β her voice was concerned, but not urgent. she knew quite well that he didn't want her to worry, so she kept the anxiety out of her voice, replacing it instead with a soothing tone. β will you tell me what's causing this? the pain? β she had to be alert right now β for him. she'd do anything, anything for him. β i am not afraid of a little stomach acid, my love. i am afraid of letting you suffer alone. i'm going to move closer, and i'm going to touch the back of your neck, okay? β hesitantly, march stepped towards him, and she knelt down by his side. one hand slid cautiously over his shoulder blade, and up to the back of his neck. he was sweating, but she didn't mind, as long as she could provide a bit of relief she would stay with him forever.
β focus on my hand, as best you're able. don't hold back if you need to be sick again β let it out, so i can take you home with me, and get you patched up. β
