aterat | Rendered Silent For You

Entry tags:

Rendered Silent For You

Who; Rhy Maresh, Llewellyn Watts, Open
What; Rhy accidentally makes a wish and things happen
Where; The Maresh-Watts home, the Markets
When; Feb 12th to 18th
Warnings; CW: Temporarily Deaf character

I. Poorly Chosen Words | A Cut Above

It had been an uncomfortable day through the whole of it. There was tension in the air that Rhy didn't understand, though it definitely frustrated him. His head was aching, he had work to do, and there was so much silly nattering.

Which was what led to incautious words, just as the bell rang over the door to announce the arrival of a new customer.

"Would it be too much for a man to wish for a bit of silence?"

And he had to pause, and smile. Because the sounds faded away. People were respecting the request. Thank goodness. He smiled and looked back down to the vest he was embroidering, not even noticing the customer before him.

II. Comfort At Home | Maresh-Watts Home (Closer to Llewellyn)

Something had gone wrong, and Rhy didn't know what. He had just come to recognize it, and after much pantomiming from the girls at the shop, he had known he should go home. Which was where Rhy was now. He'd arrived without Llewellyn there, and so he had taken a hot mug of tea to the living room and settled there on the couch. It had been a rather poor choice of location of course, given the fact that it meant his back was to the door. There was no way he would see his husband entering, but it was a common place for him, so he'd done it without thinking.

So now he sat, sipping tea, watching the fire without hearing its crackle, and waited.

III. Simpler Market Day | Markets

There was one advantage, if one wished to call it such. The market was less stress when it was quiet. There was no chance for him to call out for those who might sell him things, there was no arguments, there was no bargaining. All there was for him was a list as he moves through the market.

When he reached a stall he frowned to see the merchant there not bothering to look at him.

"I need help," he said, feeling the words in his own body, but not hearing a single one. "Please?"

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Okay, the confirmation meant their course was set… It was not going to be an easy stroll, but he could at least manage this much. Of all the weird, dangerous situations he’d navigated, a busy marketplace with a magically deafened man wasn’t going to be that difficult. Mostly. The response to his question is a good point. If Rhy’s attention was going to be divided, then they needed to take precautions to ensure he didn’t walk into anyone or anything…

Arriving at a sensible conclusion, he offered the man his arm. Waver needed to pay attention to the path and their surroundings anyway, between wanting to watch for a potential culprit and not wanting Rhy to walk in front of a chocobo cart or something. Plus, he could type on his phone one handed. He was a little more modern-minded than the other Lords, after all. Texting and electronics in general were something he and his students were used to using.

Then let me guide, I’ll worry about the path and random bystanders. I won’t ask questions that aren’t necessary, but I am used to weird things like this where I’m from. Seems like something that would be best to learn more than simply accept it.

An offered arm. Rhy looks at it and can't help the little sardonic laugh that slips from his lips.

"Yes, an escort. Of course this was always the proper purpose of them. I'll try and direct you. But it's... eerie how quiet it is."

The laugh and the comment gets a rise of his brow. The man was used to the idea of having an escort like this, hm? Didn’t sound happy about it either, based on the tone in his laugh. Not common for tailors to be familiar with, not in his experience, anyway. As the man continued he texted again sympathetically.

I’m sure it is, even those of us who prefer quiet are more accustomed to some small level of background noise. True silence is another experience entirely.

Glancing around, he started their path towards the neighborhood he was reasonably sure Rhy had meant. The mage was keeping an eye on the path and the surrounding people. No one acting suspicious… No one seemed to be following... Unless they were really good at it. Maybe he’s paranoid, but curses weren’t exactly uncommon in his experience. Then again, this world also was prone to weird shit based on what he’d seen since arriving and heard from before that.

I’d like to ask if you’ve had any altercations or disagreements recently, anything unresolved that might have incited someone to cause this? The why was nagging at him most, it usually did. Why would anyone cause a tailor to go deaf? His second concern being if there were more stages to whatever this was.

Rhy, of course, was far from used to quiet. So this was truly upsetting and maddening to him, but he set his jaw and tried to proceed with the man. Was he perhaps channeling far more royal dignity than normal to compensate with his anxiety? Absolutely. He was too used to that to not fall back on it.

"I don't think I have, but I can't say I haven't. No man is perfect at noticing ill will directed to him.

Rhy was absolutely channeling a particular level of dignity that Waver was somewhat accustomed to. Though he hadn’t seen it in quite some time… It tugs at a certain nostalgia that he hadn’t expected to be confronted with today. There is a regal weight in the way the man is carrying himself, and even in how he speaks. The other lords could channel something like it, there were reasons why his adoptive sister Reines was called the princess of the El-Melloi’s… But there is a difference between them that Waver could see as he kept an eye on the man he was escorting.

It was enough to spark some curiosity. It seemed possible that Rhy was someone who pursued a different life than the one he’d been brought up in upon arriving in this strange world?

True enough, unfortunately.

Even he hadn’t been sure of who was targeting him in his own world until fairly recently. The why only becoming slightly more apparent since he’d had time to think. They’d have to move on. Drawing Rhy to a stop as they came up to an intersection where a cart was heading by, he glanced thoughtfully at the man again. Once he handed the phone over, the mage reached into a coat pocket for a small glass vial of some kind of liquid as a thought came to him.

Then we’ll focus on what’s effecting you and if it’s possible to reverse it without finding the person who cast it for now. Do you recall anything specific happening or an odd feeling before I started trying to get your attention? Even something small is worth noting.

Wouldn't Rhy be shocked that he was giving something of his lineage up just with how he carried himself when panicked. It would blow his mind and frustrate him to no end.

"No," Rhy said with a sigh. "Magic in my world can't even do this. But nothing was wrong except the shop was quite noisy. I don't know if it was by the time you got there."

It was definitely something that would come up. Probably at a later date, because Waver knew how to prioritize and curiosity took a back seat to figuring out whatever kind of magical nonsense was effecting Rhy.

Hm… That was actually more helpful than Rhy might’ve thought, though. The man studied Rhy for a moment before plucking a stray strand of thread from the tailor’s sleeve that had likely come to rest there as he snipped something while working. Tugging the cork from the top of the bottle with his teeth, he dropped the thread in and recapped it, giving it a little shake and then stared. If Rhy decides he’s a weirdo, Waver won’t bat an eye. Most mages thought he was. Using tricks like this was beneath them, but it got results with minimal effort. Good for a man with very little magical capabilities. The clear liquid turned a deep, brilliant shade of crimson. “Huh…” The hand goes back to his pocket for another vial.

So it was noisy and then it wasn’t. Was the silence gradual, or was it more… sudden?

As if Rhy even noticed. He was focusing on the road as it was, waiting for an indication that the phone had a new message.

"I wish I could tell you. It felt... rather quick to come."

Quick to come… As Waver looked at the first tube in his hand, he couldn’t help but muse over how strong the residual magic was. Plucking a bit of lint off his coat, he slipped that into the second file, gave it a little shake while they walked. Rhy would have to forgive the lack of update, but it was pretty clear the tailor was focused on walking, anyway. When the liquid also changed into a fairly brilliant shade of red, the mage swore under his breath. This particular trick wasn’t going to do shit this time, not if they were dealing with some kind of magic of this world that was effecting more than one person. Or… waiting to. Some kind of area of effect, either a location enough people frequented or… maybe the city itself. He was going to need to test that theory later…

That it felt quick to come means there was probably some kind of trigger for it… While there are some instantaneous curses, a lot of them you would feel the effects of gradually... Honestly, between what I can see here and what you’ve told me, I’m starting to think it’s something other than a curse caused by a disgruntled person… Which on the positive side probably means no one is trying to target you specifically.

"Some comfort," Rhy said with a sigh.

It was not much, but at least no one was perhaps after him specifically. That was... something. It's just damn frustrating though.

Honestly, the tailor was handling this pretty well, even if he was afraid and frustrated. Most people would probably be losing it by now, especially when there was no apparent answer to undoing the mess. Waver tucked the tubes away in his jacket to look at again later and started them walking once the traffic had passed and onward towards the neighborhood they were attempting to get to. If this was more widespread as he now feared, the mage definitely wanted to try to get a head start on figuring it out and what could feasibly be done.

I admit it’s not much, but it’s given me something to think about. I can’t make any promises, of course, but once you’re safely home, I’ll see what more I can learn about the situation and if there’s anything we can do to reverse it.

Was he? Rhy didn't know that he would agree. He was far too shocked to feel much right now beyond the fear he was trying to work himself through.

"Thank you. We need to cross this road now."

Waver looked ahead and nodded. It probably wouldn’t be too far now, he expects… But the mage glanced either way to ensure there was no surprise traffic, before guiding Rhy across the road and to the next street.

Don’t mention it. Like I said, I’m not entirely unfamiliar with odd situations like this.

He just hopes he can figure something out, because he doesn’t like what he sees right now…

"I doubt there are many things quite like this," Rhy said with a sigh. And it's really how life was going to work for him, wasn't it? That he'd get hit by something rare.

"Down this street."

Rhy would be surprised how many weird things Waver had seen and been in the midst of in his life, but the man doubted that knowledge would help right now. No, it was time to get the man home so the mage could do what he usually did when things like this came up.

Right, point out your house when we get near so I don’t pass it by.

"I shall definitely remember that. If we are lucky, you will hear a dog barking quite a bit."

Except Pretzel was with Llewellyn today, and his luck would not be so good as to have his husband already home.

A dog… Waver’s first instinct is to ask if he should be worried. But Rhy himself didn’t seem to be, and he’d probably caution him about more than barking if it were necessary… So he’d hope that was enough. His experience with dogs was minimal. Svin did not count contrary to Flat’s nickname for the boy, even if the kid’s beast-magic involved a phantasmal wolf.

I’ll listen for one, then. The street seems fairly quiet so far, though.

It was a nice enough neighborhood, from what he could see. A home here and there was still empty, while others seemed to have had work done on them. He was presuming that Rhy’s house would be one of those.

"I had noticed," Rhy said, his voice edged with bitterness. Perhaps it was best not to observe on the sounds of the place for now.

After a while he gestures to a house, his own.

"This one."

An awkward wince at the note of bitterness. Good job Waver… He realized rather belatedly that he could have chosen his words more wisely, but that was nothing new. Whatever awkward apology or comment he could offer was set aside, though, as the tailor gestured to a house in front of them. His eyes wandered the property lightly. He wasn’t familiar with it, but it didn’t appear that anything obvious was amiss. Not aside from the fact that there was definitely no dog barking as they approached the little gate around the property.

No dog, I presume that means they aren’t home.

Which was unfortunate. It would be better for Rhy to have company rather than be left to his own when he couldn’t hear anything.

Yes, that would be the right way to interpret it. Rhy sighed.

"Thank you for your assistance. I'm going in now."

Waver withdrew his arm now that they were there, though he shook his head a little at the thanks. It wasn’t like he’d really done anything aside from making sure he got home alright. There was a lot more to be done to try to figure this all out, and Rhy still had to deal with not having his hearing, apparently home alone while his husband was out. The mage knows better than to force something though, and hopefully Rhy would be careful while he waited for someone to return.

Don’t mention it. If anything changes with your situation, your hearing or if you notice anything else strange in the meantime, let me know. It’ll help to know while I look into this further. You can find me under Waver Velvet on the tellphone’s directory.

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Rendered Silent For You

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