ιατρός

when richard siken said “it keeps coming back to that: what do i do with these hands?” and when mitski said “i don’t know what to do without you, i don’t know where to put my hands” and when olivia gatwood said “what am i, if not yours? what do i do with my hands when they are just hands?” and when sylvia plath said “what did my fingers do before they held him? what did my heart do, with its love?”

[diodorosxvidalis]

dorianxagapetos​:

-

“It’s impressive. I am always a fan of those who just do the most, anyway. If you’re going to die, you might as well do it first so everyone alive still has to mourn you. Otherwise, what’s the point of dying last? Useless.” Narcissus picked up his glass of wine, taking another sip from it before he made his way towards the wheelchair bound witch. They were so fragile, and he remembered feeling the same way once. But he’d lost himself to the feel of shooting an arrow instead of magic. “Alright, alright. You know I love it when people beg, but there’s so many of you.” He took Dio’s hand, only sparing the reaper that was with him a second glance, “You should get your…reaper friend fixed, too. Someone could do that for you.” The sickness was pulled from Dio within a few moments, and Narcissus dropped his hand, wiping his own on his handkerchief. “There.”

-

How someone could be so arrogant was beyond him, Narcissus took the meaning of the word to a whole new level and the worst thing was that Diodoros was certain if he said this then the man would think it was a compliment. “Please-” Dio managed, not sure if the state of physically dying, or somehow being forced to listen to the man talk was worse. Relief came soon after though and color returned to Dio’s pale skin, he stood with a strength that he had not known for weeks and felt his smile broaden at the edges. “You did it, you actually managed it.” This was his last hope, the last hope for any of his siblings as it happened. One man had held the power to fix them all along. “Who gave you this power?”

[diodorosxvidalis]

oriongriffin​:

.

“I like the vest,” Orion said distractedly, reaching out to straighten the collar of it. “You look good in green, very festive.” He reached for Dio’s hand, threading his fingers through that familiar grip before he began to lead the two of them towards the rows of fruit trees. The air smelled sweet, of the rotting fruit that peppered the ground and it was filled with the buzzing of wasps that swarmed around the bases of the trees: it felt nostalgic to him, of a place that he had once called home. “We could buy the apples from the market, but it’s not the same. You’ve got to go through all the motions of picking them yourself, it makes them taste better.”

He was excited by all of this and it showed in the way that a smile curved on his lips and how he eagerly lead the witch along the path. “You know, back home, it’s almost Thanksgiving. I know you don’t have that here, but I think we should do one.” As a reaper, he didn’t eat— but the desire for tradition was still present and warm in him, “I could invite the boys, you can invite your family, it’ll be nice. And there’ll be pie.” Rion pressed a kiss to his boyfriend’s neck, gesturing towards one of the trees. “Why don’t you pretend to pick from one of them, I’ll take a picture. Look over in the distance, we’ll make it look candid.”

-

“Logically that makes no sense, but if it makes you happy I am willing to oblige.” Diodoros said as he blew lightly at a wasp that got a bit too close to his face for his liking, healing magic aside the witch had no desire to get stung on what was supposed to be a romantic day out together. “Thanksgiving? Yes, turkey, pie, potatoes, I like all of these things.” He’d been looking for an excuse to get everyone together and hosting was something that the witch happened to enjoy doing. “Which boys are we talking about though, the wolf ones or the dead ones? I’m all for bringing everyone together under one roof but if a fight breaks out between my family and your friends in the pack then that might put a damper on the holiday spirit.” Or it might be on brand, given the origins of the tradition but Dio didn’t feel obligated to bring that up. Instead, he uncharacteristically did as Rion instructed and went towards the tree, smiling at it as if the fruit tree held some long buried hidden secret that he was only just now uncovering. “About what Narcissus said, about someone people able to help you. Do you think that’s true?”

[diodorosxvidalis]

adelaidevidalis​:

*

This was the plan and this was what her aching bones had to endure, her heart feels the most decayed in her chest as she thinks about packing a bag and leaving her mother alone in this big house with such a vile monster. It seemed home was never a place they could stay for too long, it gave them many good years before the hardships set in and home became a place with teeth. Even as she feels she is about to break, she knows she has to draw on strength, that she has too many siblings with tired eyes and diseased lungs to not try to be something better, it is for Ava that she will soften and make this as easy as they can. “I will and I expected the same from you in return, no trying to shoulder this alone. This will take all of us. I love you Dino Dio.”

-

Whatever storm passed over their family, they were the Delphi - one of the oldest covens in the world. There was nothing that they could not weather if they stood united, it was times like this that Diodoros was most apt to remember that. “I love you too Ade, be safe. We’ll figure this out together. I promise.” There is something infinitely at odds about the middle child and the eldest, he wanted to do everything he could to protect her, and she didn’t want to need anybody. “Call me if you need anything.”

[diodorosxvidalis]

oriongriffin​:

for: @diodorosxvidalis​

“All that’s missing is a circle scarf and one of those beanies with a pom pom on the top,” Orion said with satisfaction, practically pulling Diodoros out of the car as he came around to the passenger’s side seat. He’d dressed for the occasion, pulling out his very best flannel and dusting off his boots for the first time in the season— and he had insisted that the witch do as well. The rift, as insufferable as his company had been in the whole hour that he had talked only about himself had managed to cure whatever ailment his boyfriend was afflicted by and as a result, his fiery nature had returned in full swing. This outing however, was a desperate attempt at getting him to forget things at home, especially with the insistence that it was very unwise for him to return there, lest he grow sick again. “You look very handsome,” he noted, pressing a kiss to Dio’s cheek as he gestured towards the apple trees. “Come on, if we fill a basket I’ll make you a pie later.”

-

There was a million things to be worried about still: Hektor was living in Diodoros’ childhood home, the cause of the mysterious illness that had nearly killed him and all of his siblings was still unknown, and given the city’s history there could, at any moment, be some dramatic and cataclysmic event that brought the city to its knees. It seemed that just as miserable as the city might trying to make him, there was just as many if not more things to celebrate. His family had survived another tragedy, Orion was with him, and Halloween decorations were one of the few things they didn’t argue about. Spooky season was here, and they were in love. It was obvious that Rion was trying to keep the healer’s mind off of things, focused on the present, on soft kisses pressed to chilly cheeks. On apple pie. And the best thing was, it was working. 

“Is the vest not enough?” It was unseasonably cold, but on principle the fire witch had refused to dawn the mits and the scarf and the hat. Still sensible, he’d managed a neutral toned hoodie with a forest green quilted vest over top. “Can we not just buy the apples from the market?” Dio suggested instead, “I will take the pie though.” He added, a light nudge as he did. “It’s like a treat.”

[diodorosxvidalis]

romxnambrose​:

-

“No – I really…I’m just doing what I can.” Especially considering his power was hardly helpful at times, it gave Roman a slight boost of confidence that he was doing something right for once. “Maybe, eventually, I can talk to Anastasia. I have questions about…Tanit.” Roman shook his head a little, “But it can wait. Are you sure you’ll be okay going home?”

-

Diodoros wondered about that, and what his mother would have to say about Roman’s power. A gift, she would call it. Anastasia had always known just what to say, particularly when it came to witches, particularly when it came to him. “I think she’d like that.” Diodoros said with a smile, “The energy you gave me was more than enough, I’ll be fine for now. Thank you Roman, I’ll talk to you soon. Okay?” 

[diodorosxvidalis]

levividalis​:

     Levi shook his head again, because this couldn’t be happening. From what it looked like, he was losing his life force slower than his siblings. He couldn’t watch them die, if whatever was happening to them didn’t kill him that surely would. “There have to be other ways. Can a phoenix fix this?” He looked over at his brother, and he hesitated for just a moment before he spoke up again. “Shouldn’t we do something about him then? I know I haven’t been much help lately but… I want to help now.”

-

“It’s mother’s intention to use him to get back at the rifts that tore down the veil, then get rid of him when he’s filled his purpose.” That had been her explanation anyways, though Diodoros wasn’t sure that the plan was sound. She’d been... Troubled for some time leading up to the sundering of the veil. He’d never question her outright, but Dio wondered how sound her judgement remained. Especially considering who she was suggesting they align with. 

[diodorosxvidalis]

daphneonassis​:

-

It wasn’t news to the genasi that there had been some recent turmoil within the Vidalis home, given Adelaide’s word and the last time she had seen Miri— sniffling and sneezing as she walked down the main streets of Corinth. What was a surprise, however, was seeing Diodoros’s paled face as he held a pastel box that she recognized heading towards the shop. Daphne and her father had long agreed to allow the Vidalis witch time away from the shop to heal herself, along with the dealings of the coven’s personal life. Though that didn’t stop the Onassis’s from shuttling medicine to them in hopes that it might lessen the symptoms they all had been feeling. Hektor’s presence hadn’t been helping much in that endeavor and as many herbs as she sent with Ade, nothing proved to be much luck. Even her father was stumped at what could actually make a difference. Maybe the healer had also noticed it within himself, the inability to kick this illness. Out of them all, Diodoros was the last on the genasi’s list to peg as needing assistance to fight what they all thought was just a bad cold. Especially with his position at the hospital and unique abilities that granted him the coven’s healer in the first place.

She took in a deep breath just at the sight of him, not having been in his presence much since the ritual and hadn’t realized how nervous that would actually make her. It was known for decades the stance the Coven of Delphi took on someone such as herself and that had leaked into most of Anastasia’s children. Hair stood on end as the bell chimed, the witch walking through the threshold and peering around the room. A forgotten memory of a summer at the estate, begging Dio for a late night fire to roast marshmallows as the fall breeze took hold of the bayside. Pieces of her longed for those days again and that feeling of acceptance, knowing that even deep within Adelaide there was a seed of disappointment. She tried to shake it off before speaking, not wanting to show him any weakness, and took a casual stance behind the counter, “She’s not scheduled,” hazel eyes fixing themselves on him while the box revealed the name of the local pastry shop, “my dad gave her some time off since she’s not feeling well. I hope she’s home resting and watching reruns.” But it was like Ade to sneak off despite this, so the genasi couldn’t exactly be too sure, “Have you tried calling her?”

-

“No, I came here for supplies anyways. If she’s not here she can’t help me.” Diodoros explained, he wasn’t looking for his rebellious little sister because he wanted to check-in or catch up. She could take care of herself and seemed to loath even an attempt at hovering. His current situation was uncomfortable though, there was a time when Daphne had felt like family. Now she just felt... Wrong. “And what does your father think about-” he gestured vaguely in her direction. The darkness that permeated the space between them was near palpable, it made his skin crawl. Daphne was everything that Diodoros had been raised to hate, to fear. “All of this?” The question was asked thoughtlessly but there was genuine curiosity there. She cared enough to still work for him, though whether that was out of necessity or not Diodoros didn’t know enough about Daphne to say for certain. 

[diodorosxvidalis]

dorianxagapetos​:

-

Narcissus knew he’d been given the option to come over to the other’s home, but getting anywhere near the Vidalis estate just made the rift shudder. He didn’t want any part of what was going on in that place, especially since Anastasia wasn’t sick and all her children were. Plus, the vampire was there, and he’d heard rumors the guy was kind of crazy. “Honestly, I should just turn this place into a charity house with how many of you there are. Yes, I spoke with Meryem. She told me you’d all be dragging yourselves in here eventually. You look worse than the others. Why?”

-

“I don’t know why.” Diodoros admitted, “Our mother woke up from a coma and ever since we’ve...” He looked weakly down at his hands and back up to the rift. He didn’t have energy for his temperament to flare, to take offence or to get in the least bit defensive. Diodoros had his suspicions on what had happened, but nothing that was sound. Only a theory that would need to be tested. “Please, help me. I’ve been told you’re the only one who can.”

[diodorosxvidalis]

oriongriffin​:

diodorosxvidalis​:

The pair of them landed in their home and shortly after Diodoros felt as if the room was spinning, tiny spirals of light filled his vision as the healer wavered on the spot. He turned to look at Rion but everything went dark. When the healer opened his eyes he was on the floor, he fainted. “Sorry I-” he should call Roman. “I think I need to lay down,” a beat passed before he looked from the floor to Orion’s eyes. There was a truth he needed to face, and one that he needed to share with Orion at last. Soon they’d have to say goodbye again and while there was no part of Diodoros that was ready time was against them now. “you should call Roman, ask him if he can come over. He’ll be able to help.”

.

Orion gripped at Diodoros’ shoulders, clutching him close and guiding him towards the couch— all but carrying him after to their bed. Worry ebbed through him where spirit did, and that was to say that it was consuming: the reaper lingered by the witches’ side, swallowing down words that he was frightened to speak aloud. Something was wrong, and it was wrong enough that he was filled with fear. “You rest,” he finally said, leaning down to press a kiss to his boyfriend’s mouth, touching at his cheek. “I’ll get him.”

-

END

[diodorosxvidalis]

levividalis​:

     Levi wished there was something he could do, but he was no healer. His invisibility would not come in helpful at all with any of this. He felt useless, and yet like he had to do something about this right away. “We can’t die.” His voice was full of shock, because it sounded like that was what Dio was insinuating. And he was probably right about it too. “Dio, I — do you think… this could be because of Hektor?”

-

“My friend Roman, the one that owns the tea shop. He can help us, but the energy he gives us fades eventually. It won’t last, but he can buy us some time.” Diodoros offered, “Roman’s a siphon, he can take and transfer the life force of things from himself into others.” Or from others but Roman was a good person, he’d only attempted as much before to help Dio’s mom because the healer had begged him. “I don’t think it’s any coincidence that this all started when Hektor appeared.”

[diodorosxvidalis]

romxnambrose​:

-

Roman didn’t ask for anything from anyone – it just wasn’t in his nature. He gave and gave, until he really had nothing left to give. He wanted to ask a favor, but he held his tongue. Instead, he smiled, “It’s not shitty to ask for help, Dio. I’m always here for you. Just text me if they’re coming. So I know.”

-

“Maybe.” Diodoros wasn’t so sure, but Roman was his best friend and he didn’t like the thought that he always went to the other witch with his hand out. “But when my family and I get through this I’ll have you to thank.” The healer offered, when being the operative word rather than if. Dio was denying the truth that there was a good chance he would not survive this, that whatever curse had taken hold of him and his siblings would spell the end of the Delphi. “If you ever need anything I’m here for you.” 

[diodorosxvidalis]

oriongriffin​:

.

Orion tucked in a breath before it completely left him— his shriek echoed through the warehouse and in the dark before he flickered invisible, gripping at Diodoros’ waist as if it would centre him to one realm in particular. “Asshole, I hate the dark.” He stepped them both into the light, noting how the sparkle in the witches’ eyes shone and then dimmed just as quickly, as though such things required far more energy than he had in him to expend. The reaper nodded, and with his forehead against Dio’s and arms still holding onto him, he teleported them back to the house that lay waiting for them.

-

The pair of them landed in their home and shortly after Diodoros felt as if the room was spinning, tiny spirals of light filled his vision as the healer wavered on the spot. He turned to look at Rion but everything went dark. When the healer opened his eyes he was on the floor, he fainted. “Sorry I-” he should call Roman. “I think I need to lay down,” a beat passed before he looked from the floor to Orion’s eyes. There was a truth he needed to face, and one that he needed to share with Orion at last. Soon they’d have to say goodbye again and while there was no part of Diodoros that was ready time was against them now. “you should call Roman, ask him if he can come over. He’ll be able to help.”

[diodorosxvidalis]

romxnambrose​:

Roman frowned, though he couldn’t do much more for Diodoros. Releasing his friend’s hand, he tried to catch his own breath as subtly as possible. “You should send your siblings to see me, then. Tomorrow. Or one a day, so I can help. I can at least give them enough energy to last a few hours.”

-

“Okay, that much I can do.” Dio said gratefully. Roman was a good friend and he knew the help that the other witch was offering him came with its own set of risks. “I’ll let them know that you can help, I’m sorry old friend.” The healer said with a sigh as he reached to scratch at the back of his head, “I’ve been shitty to you, it seems I’m always coming to you with my problems.”

[diodorosxvidalis]

levividalis​:

     Levi was watching his siblings fall apart, and while he himself felt worse every single day, he had to admit he wasn’t doing as bad as any of them. He wasn’t entirely sure why, and he also wasn’t sure where this was coming from, whatever was eating them up. “Do you know what it is? What’s doing this to all of us? I know of no one else outside of our family who is… sick like this. It must have something to do with–” But he stopped himself there, because Levi didn’t want to question their mother, but he couldn’t help but notice that it had happened since she woke up. Something was wrong, but Levi didn’t see himself in any position to criticize anyone in the family after what he had done.

-

“I don’t.” Dio said with a sigh, “And mother doesn’t have any answers either. My magic was able to stave the symptoms off for a time, but now only Roman’s power is able to help. He can provide us with some energy that lasts a few hours, but even then it begins to dwindle.” The truth lay not in their physical body but their very lifeforce, the thing that sustained them. “This sickness is only a symptom of something that is eating our life away, if we don’t find a way to reverse it-” Dio shook his head, “we won’t last, Levi.”

[diodorosxvidalis]

@dorianxagapetos​

What strength he had was a gift from Roman who’d visited him earlier that morning, when the striking young man opened the doorway of his home to let the witch inside. Dio couldn’t walk, but a wheelchair had been procured for him to get at least this far The witch shifted in his seat as tired limbs rolled him inside, Dio considered the power that came off of the man now, it was unlike anything he’d known before and quietly he found the strength to be hopeful still. Death’s door was approaching, his magic was long gone from him now and every passing hour Diodoros felt his strength leaving him once more. “Is it true?” Dio asked, referring to the text that Miri had sent around, “Are you really able to help me?”

[diodorosxvidalis]

levividalis​:

     “Don‘t worry about it.” The truth was Dio‘s potions had helped, and ever since he stopped taking them, his body had started feeling like a minefield. Levi had sort of hoped that his brother might be able to help his ankle heal, but looking at his brother now, any such thoughts left his brain. He was worried about all of them — Dio, Miri, Ava, Ade — and he himself mattered little in comparison. “Dio, you look awful. No offense.” It was paired with a weak crooked smile before he moved into the house, trying to cover up his limp as quickly as possible. “Are you getting any better at all?”

-

“None taken.” Diodoros said weakly as he broke into a small fit of coughing before he led Levi into the half-furnished home and sat on the couch. Levi was sick too, but he didn’t seem as bad as the others, maybe proximity to the home had an effect on the process. This had all started when their mother woke up, and their home was at the center of it - but that seemed to mean the process was only slowed, not stopped entirely. “This thing Levi, I don’t... I don’t know if I’m going to get better. Everyday I can feel myself getting weaker. Miri, Ava, Ade. It has all of us.”

[diodorosxvidalis]

oriongriffin​:

.

There had to be something wrong, with how easily Diodoros conceded— and Orion followed the other’s tired dark eyes with his own, trying to disguise the worry that flooded his gaze. He had made a promise once, to take care of the witch: death had not been the end of such a vow, but it made him feel as though he was severed from the ability to do more than just flit around on the sidelines, offering advice that Dio would not take. “They sound like they don’t have an ounce of personality, zero karmic bonus points, all that. I bet they’ll totally fuck with the feng shui of the kitchen too…” The reaper trailed off, watching in horror as Dio found the door, turning the handle. “Don’t do that—“ But it was too late, and the witch had sunken into the shadows, out of view. Orion took a breath, holding onto the doorframe as he leaned in, calling into the dark. “Dio, don’t play like this. We can go home.” He took a tentative step in, cursing under his breath. “We can get those stupid doorknobs,” he said, blinking as if it would get him used to the lack of light. “Just come back to the door.”

-

Slipping into the darkness was the healer’s alternative to responding to Rion’s insidious statement about decor. Uncharacteristically too tired to fight, Diodoros steadied his breathing in the dark as he kept his eyes fixed on the reaper’s lingering frame in the doorway. Something stirred in him, affection, adoration, Dio was scared but the two of them had been through so much already - this wouldn’t be the end. And if it was... Diodoros jumped out and yelled Boo! as he wiggled his fingers into the base of Rion’s ribs, laughing menacingly before he wrapped arms around the reaper’s shoulders and hung off of him. Dark eyes met the Rion’s in the dark as Dio smirked, “Scaredy cat.” The healer said simply, laughter still in his voice before he pressed his lips to the reapers, “Take me home,” he was tired, too tired to do much of anything. “please?”