It had been something of a hard fight. Bull and Dorian had been separated from them, taking on a pack of demons that were deviating towards the village. Sen believed he and Jesse had this. His barriers were strong to keep them both protected against these demons. 'A fairly simple fight,' he thought. No new surprises, your standard murderous demons coming through to kill everyone.
But, of course there's a pride demon. A battle, a closing of the rift. It seems like it happens so quickly. But, as the demon dies, he doesn't see it come down with it's claws in it's death throes. In his exhaustion he can't summon the magic needed to throw up a barrier. He feels it's claws rake into his side and fresh blood pours forth from the wound it leaves him.
He's on his knees holding his side, the pain not hitting him yet as the adrenaline courses through his body. Then he hears Jesse's voice and he slowly turns in their direction. He can see them coming towards him and Sen waves over to Jesse. "Over here!" He calls out to Jesse, voice strained but clear. He gets up to move towards them, but he stumbles, the pain now beginning to wrack his body.
Jesse waves a hand in front of his face to clear the lingering dirt and dust from his vision as he makes his way towards Sen. Any relief he may have felt about them surviving both the rift and the landslide evaporates instantly when he watches the other man stumble. Maybe he sprained an ankle, or broke a bone, or…
… Is that blood? He picks up his pace and curses when he gets close enough to see the damage.
“Inquisitor, what… when did it get you?” He hadn’t seen it. He should’ve seen it, and been there to deflect the damage. That’s his whole job. The anger at himself can wait though. Will have to, so he can tend to these wounds.
These very... very serious wounds And them with no healer to take care of it. And no one knowing where they even are.
It takes everything just to hold the wound shut with his hand. He's not even sure how to properly heal this with magic. Maybe he should've learned how to heal at some point, maybe he should've done it sooner now that they were fighting a war. But, he didn't and this was the consequence. He looks ahead towards Jesse as he yells for him and stumbles again towards them.
He's not even sure how close to Jesse he is because it felt like the man was moving further way despite being close. Sen tries to stand but only proceeds to collapse right into Jesse. What was he saying? When did it happen?
"I. Just as we defeated it. It got one good hit in before it expired..." Sen mumbles as the sweat began to pour down his face. Another look as he looked to McCree as the adernaline was starting to course through him. Why was McCree looking so blurry...?
"Hey...can you stop moving for a moment? You're dancing right now..."
It takes a lot of self-control to bite back further cursing as the Inquisitor falls into his arms, but he does his best. As much panic as he feels, Jesse needs to stay calm. For both their sakes.
“C’mon now,” he says as he kneels, bringing Sen down along with him in a firm yet gentle grip. “I’ll try not to move too much if you won’t.” He tries for a bit of a joking tone, but it mostly falls flat with his worry lacing every word. He quickly tugs whatever clothes are in his way up to get a better look at the damage, years of practical field medicine experience rushing back to him.
“Whatever you do, stay awake. No time to be napping, you hear me?” He unbuckles his own armor quickly so he can get to the clothing underneath—specifically the scarf-like fabric he’d kept around his neck, which he now uses as a makeshift bandage.
“Sorry, this’ll sting—” he says, only giving Sen a moment of warning before applying pressure on the wound.
He doesn't struggle when Jesse lifts him somewhat to his feet but he was beginning to feel like a rag doll. The bleeding was beginning to stain his robes even though it was being staunched as well as he could. He does laugh a little at the attempt of the joke, everything sounds funny right now when his head was spinning. "You always make me want to move, Jesse...you have that effect on me," Sen says letting out a weak little laugh.
He huffs slightly in pain though at the comment of napping. It would feel so nice to sleep right now, just let himself drift off, away from the pain. "I don't...think I have much of a choice in the matter," he says softly, his head beginning to rest on Jesse's shoulder. He felt himself going in and out up until the point he begins to feel a sharp pressure on the claw marks.
It's enough to jolt him awake and let out a small cry of pain. "Shit! Fuck!" It's a hard to hold back the swearing. He's at least concious enough now that he does hear that question. "Y-yes. In my side pack. I scavenge a lot of it when we're on the road," he says slowly. Without thinking, bloody fingers reach into the bag, beginning pulling out the mentioned roots and holding them out to Jesse.
That comment about him should have him smiling fondly, not feeling a pang of anxiety so strong his hands almost shake. They stay steady though, even as Sen jerks around beneath them from the pain. At least it woke him up.
“You can dock my rations back at Skyhold for that if you want,” he offers, mind already two steps ahead. Elfroot. No time to make a potion, but he can work with the plants themselves and make a poultice. It’ll do until they can get to a proper healer.
“That’ll be more than enough. Here—” he takes the elfroot, then grasps Sen’s hand and presses it against the cloth over his wound. “Keep that pressure there, alright? I’m gonna need a minute or two, and you’re gonna have to talk to me the whole time. Maybe give me a few more compliments. Or curse at me again. Whichever you’re feelin’ up to.”
He gives the Inquisitor’s hand a quick squeeze with his own, just taking a moment to hold him there in his arms before slowly shifting his weight completely to the ground. He then hurries to find a couple of stones, which isn’t hard to do after a landslide. They’re no mortar and pestle, but they’ll do.
Another weak laugh as he hears Jesse say that to him. Docking rations? He could think of Cassandra putting a punishment like that down if he ended up bleeding out because Jesse was joking. But no, Sen wouldn't. It felt out of character for him. So, he just laughs a little more as he looks to Jesse, "If I did that you'd get skinny...and we both know that's not a good idea."
Oh look, he can tease while suffering blood loss, who knew. Still, he has enough adrenaline to keep focus on McCree's words. Right. Lie down and just keep awake enough to talk. He gives another small nod to his understanding as he's slowly set upon the ground. He holds his side to keep the bleeding staunched, but did he imagine Jesse squeezing his hand? Maybe...he's not sure.
But, once he touches the grass, he rolls his head to look to Jesse as they begin to try and pound the leaves into a paste. What had Jesse said again...oh right...Keep talking.
"So...compliments, hm?...I could do that...don't really feel like insulting you much. You're too handsome for that...your beard is nice...fairly soft...didn't think it'd tickle though." Just him rambling things off. That's fine.
Jesse is used to multitasking under stress like this. He’d done it plenty during the Blight, chaos all around while he tried his best to do one thing to help. Sometimes it was killing something. Sometimes it was keeping someone from being killed.
Perhaps this should feel familiar then, somehow, but no. This is still a singularly terrible experience, the Inquisitor’s life in his hands. Sen’s life.
“Handsome, huh?” Despite it all, he feels a rush of warmth at the compliment. Probably it’s the blood loss. Or maybe not, but now isn’t the time to try and speculate about it. He can use that train of thought to keep Sen talking at least.
“And you’ll laugh, but you know Dorian? Gave me some fancy oil for the beard, said it was ‘a crime against the Maker’ leavin’ it the way it was when I showed up. Granted, keeping my beard neat hasn’t been a priority this whole time, with all the y’know.” He spares a hand to wave it towards the area from which they fell, indicating the rift all the related unpleasantness.
As he speaks, he works the elfroot into a thick paste between the two stones. Then he’s back over to Sen, not even asking before tearing off a bit of his robes. He needs clean, dry cloth for this, and mages have enough to spare.
“Suppose it was worth it, if you like it well enough.”
At least the conversation was helping him keep focused on something, keeping his senses alert as he held the wound for dear life. Talking about such trivial things though, at least it helps or at least he feels it does. He keeps focus on Jesse as he speaks and can't help but smile at what he says.
"He would say that. The man is all about appearances. He and Vivienne were going on about how they intended on tossing my entire wardrobe out and replacing it all. Something more befit a leader?" He says it with a bit of a laugh. It seems so stupid to get so hung up over clothes when he felt like he was dying. But, even while he hurts so much there is a question that does come to mind.
"If we're so busy dealing with all of this...why do you do use that oil he gives you?"
But, the thought is all but interuptted when he hears the tearing of cloth as it comes free of his robes. Another small laugh escapes his throat. "Vivienne is going to kill you for that..." Either way he cants his head to them. "I really do like it honestly...not for the reasons Dorian says though..."
If there’s one thing Jesse can do come hell or high water, it’s talk. That it’s a benefit to this situation is a bonus.
“Those two working together sound like a force to be reckoned with,” he muses as he coats the fabric in elfroot paste. “And I’m sure when Vivienne hears this was to help you, she’ll only hit me with a little bit of lightning.”
The question gives him pause, but it doesn’t stop his work, as if his hands are working entirely on autopilot. He moves back to Sen’s side, gently moving his hand away from the wound before quickly replacing the bloodied scarf with the makeshift medicinal bandage, doing everything he can to keep it from being more painful than it has to be.
He’d suffered a grievous injury once on the field. He remembers how it had felt, bleeding out from the spot where his arm used to be, alone and terrified. He’ll spare Sen however much of that he can.
“Sometimes when everything is going to hell, you’ve got to focus on those little things. My beard doesn’t need to be a certain way for me to survive, but it’s… nice. Doing something for myself. Makes you feel a little more human, and a little less…” He hesitates, then pushes past the barrier of his own pride. “Scared. It grounds you. I’d forgotten that.”
As he presses the bandage down, he flashes a roguish smile down at Sen. “And maybe I was hopin’ the Inquisitor would notice.”
"I'll be sure she doesn't. Things would get very boring quickly if you died," Sen says with another small laugh. Not that he'd want to see the guy die either that's the last thing anyone needed. More death in the Inquisition and Sen did not want to start seeing his Inner Circle dying next.
He can't help let out a wince of pain when he feels the bandage pressed against the open wound. A sharp breath before he lets out a shuddering sigh as he already feels the elf root paste begin to alleviate some of the pain. The pain still is enough to keep him in the moment and his focus back on Jesse.
He listens quietly and is able to even ignore the fact that Jesse was already pressing the makeshift bandage on his wounded side. It was hard to imagine Jesse of all people being afraid, since he seemed to take everything so lightly. But, it's something to see him vulnerable in this moment.
But, there it is. That smile along with those words of his. "It's hard not to notice you...this may be the blood loss talking but...I've always had my eye one you," Sen says quietly. But, he looks to where Jesse holds the wound and moves his hand over theirs to keep it pressed down.
"But, right now...I think we should get back to base camp before I continue flirting. Cassandra would kill me if she found out I died flirting."
We can skip to them at camp from here if you want!
Jesse wishes he could have heard those words two hours ago, before they set out into the Hinterlands and everything went sideways. If he’d heard it then, he might have believed it, propriety be damned. Because Sen is the Inquisitor, savior of Thedas and Herald of Andraste and whatever other flowery title he’d been bestowed with. Jesse would be mad to even think of seriously propositioning him. But even that might not stop him if…
But Sen is right, he is speaking from a place of exhaustion and blood loss. Jesse has heard weirder things from the injured on the battlefield, so he packs up his feelings and sets them aside, already knowing it’ll keep him up that night.
“We’ll… we’ll revisit that when you’ve had a chance to get those head wounds looked at, yeah? C’mon now—” He slips an arm around behind Sen and eases him up into a sitting position. He’s starting to become aware of his own aches and pains, the shallow cuts and bruises. Thank the Maker he hadn’t been hurt worse, or they’d both be doomed here.
“Flirting would be a good way to go out in my opinion, but let’s not make today that day.”
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But, of course there's a pride demon. A battle, a closing of the rift. It seems like it happens so quickly. But, as the demon dies, he doesn't see it come down with it's claws in it's death throes. In his exhaustion he can't summon the magic needed to throw up a barrier. He feels it's claws rake into his side and fresh blood pours forth from the wound it leaves him.
He's on his knees holding his side, the pain not hitting him yet as the adrenaline courses through his body. Then he hears Jesse's voice and he slowly turns in their direction. He can see them coming towards him and Sen waves over to Jesse. "Over here!" He calls out to Jesse, voice strained but clear. He gets up to move towards them, but he stumbles, the pain now beginning to wrack his body.
no subject
… Is that blood? He picks up his pace and curses when he gets close enough to see the damage.
“Inquisitor, what… when did it get you?” He hadn’t seen it. He should’ve seen it, and been there to deflect the damage. That’s his whole job. The anger at himself can wait though. Will have to, so he can tend to these wounds.
These very... very serious wounds And them with no healer to take care of it. And no one knowing where they even are.
no subject
He's not even sure how close to Jesse he is because it felt like the man was moving further way despite being close. Sen tries to stand but only proceeds to collapse right into Jesse. What was he saying? When did it happen?
"I. Just as we defeated it. It got one good hit in before it expired..." Sen mumbles as the sweat began to pour down his face. Another look as he looked to McCree as the adernaline was starting to course through him. Why was McCree looking so blurry...?
"Hey...can you stop moving for a moment? You're dancing right now..."
no subject
“C’mon now,” he says as he kneels, bringing Sen down along with him in a firm yet gentle grip. “I’ll try not to move too much if you won’t.” He tries for a bit of a joking tone, but it mostly falls flat with his worry lacing every word. He quickly tugs whatever clothes are in his way up to get a better look at the damage, years of practical field medicine experience rushing back to him.
“Whatever you do, stay awake. No time to be napping, you hear me?” He unbuckles his own armor quickly so he can get to the clothing underneath—specifically the scarf-like fabric he’d kept around his neck, which he now uses as a makeshift bandage.
“Sorry, this’ll sting—” he says, only giving Sen a moment of warning before applying pressure on the wound.
“Please tell me you’ve got some elfroot on you.”
no subject
He huffs slightly in pain though at the comment of napping. It would feel so nice to sleep right now, just let himself drift off, away from the pain. "I don't...think I have much of a choice in the matter," he says softly, his head beginning to rest on Jesse's shoulder. He felt himself going in and out up until the point he begins to feel a sharp pressure on the claw marks.
It's enough to jolt him awake and let out a small cry of pain. "Shit! Fuck!" It's a hard to hold back the swearing. He's at least concious enough now that he does hear that question. "Y-yes. In my side pack. I scavenge a lot of it when we're on the road," he says slowly. Without thinking, bloody fingers reach into the bag, beginning pulling out the mentioned roots and holding them out to Jesse.
no subject
“You can dock my rations back at Skyhold for that if you want,” he offers, mind already two steps ahead. Elfroot. No time to make a potion, but he can work with the plants themselves and make a poultice. It’ll do until they can get to a proper healer.
“That’ll be more than enough. Here—” he takes the elfroot, then grasps Sen’s hand and presses it against the cloth over his wound. “Keep that pressure there, alright? I’m gonna need a minute or two, and you’re gonna have to talk to me the whole time. Maybe give me a few more compliments. Or curse at me again. Whichever you’re feelin’ up to.”
He gives the Inquisitor’s hand a quick squeeze with his own, just taking a moment to hold him there in his arms before slowly shifting his weight completely to the ground. He then hurries to find a couple of stones, which isn’t hard to do after a landslide. They’re no mortar and pestle, but they’ll do.
no subject
Oh look, he can tease while suffering blood loss, who knew. Still, he has enough adrenaline to keep focus on McCree's words. Right. Lie down and just keep awake enough to talk. He gives another small nod to his understanding as he's slowly set upon the ground. He holds his side to keep the bleeding staunched, but did he imagine Jesse squeezing his hand? Maybe...he's not sure.
But, once he touches the grass, he rolls his head to look to Jesse as they begin to try and pound the leaves into a paste. What had Jesse said again...oh right...Keep talking.
"So...compliments, hm?...I could do that...don't really feel like insulting you much. You're too handsome for that...your beard is nice...fairly soft...didn't think it'd tickle though." Just him rambling things off. That's fine.
no subject
Perhaps this should feel familiar then, somehow, but no. This is still a singularly terrible experience, the Inquisitor’s life in his hands. Sen’s life.
“Handsome, huh?” Despite it all, he feels a rush of warmth at the compliment. Probably it’s the blood loss. Or maybe not, but now isn’t the time to try and speculate about it. He can use that train of thought to keep Sen talking at least.
“And you’ll laugh, but you know Dorian? Gave me some fancy oil for the beard, said it was ‘a crime against the Maker’ leavin’ it the way it was when I showed up. Granted, keeping my beard neat hasn’t been a priority this whole time, with all the y’know.” He spares a hand to wave it towards the area from which they fell, indicating the rift all the related unpleasantness.
As he speaks, he works the elfroot into a thick paste between the two stones. Then he’s back over to Sen, not even asking before tearing off a bit of his robes. He needs clean, dry cloth for this, and mages have enough to spare.
“Suppose it was worth it, if you like it well enough.”
no subject
"He would say that. The man is all about appearances. He and Vivienne were going on about how they intended on tossing my entire wardrobe out and replacing it all. Something more befit a leader?" He says it with a bit of a laugh. It seems so stupid to get so hung up over clothes when he felt like he was dying. But, even while he hurts so much there is a question that does come to mind.
"If we're so busy dealing with all of this...why do you do use that oil he gives you?"
But, the thought is all but interuptted when he hears the tearing of cloth as it comes free of his robes. Another small laugh escapes his throat. "Vivienne is going to kill you for that..." Either way he cants his head to them. "I really do like it honestly...not for the reasons Dorian says though..."
no subject
“Those two working together sound like a force to be reckoned with,” he muses as he coats the fabric in elfroot paste. “And I’m sure when Vivienne hears this was to help you, she’ll only hit me with a little bit of lightning.”
The question gives him pause, but it doesn’t stop his work, as if his hands are working entirely on autopilot. He moves back to Sen’s side, gently moving his hand away from the wound before quickly replacing the bloodied scarf with the makeshift medicinal bandage, doing everything he can to keep it from being more painful than it has to be.
He’d suffered a grievous injury once on the field. He remembers how it had felt, bleeding out from the spot where his arm used to be, alone and terrified. He’ll spare Sen however much of that he can.
“Sometimes when everything is going to hell, you’ve got to focus on those little things. My beard doesn’t need to be a certain way for me to survive, but it’s… nice. Doing something for myself. Makes you feel a little more human, and a little less…” He hesitates, then pushes past the barrier of his own pride. “Scared. It grounds you. I’d forgotten that.”
As he presses the bandage down, he flashes a roguish smile down at Sen. “And maybe I was hopin’ the Inquisitor would notice.”
no subject
He can't help let out a wince of pain when he feels the bandage pressed against the open wound. A sharp breath before he lets out a shuddering sigh as he already feels the elf root paste begin to alleviate some of the pain. The pain still is enough to keep him in the moment and his focus back on Jesse.
He listens quietly and is able to even ignore the fact that Jesse was already pressing the makeshift bandage on his wounded side. It was hard to imagine Jesse of all people being afraid, since he seemed to take everything so lightly. But, it's something to see him vulnerable in this moment.
But, there it is. That smile along with those words of his. "It's hard not to notice you...this may be the blood loss talking but...I've always had my eye one you," Sen says quietly. But, he looks to where Jesse holds the wound and moves his hand over theirs to keep it pressed down.
"But, right now...I think we should get back to base camp before I continue flirting. Cassandra would kill me if she found out I died flirting."
We can skip to them at camp from here if you want!
But Sen is right, he is speaking from a place of exhaustion and blood loss. Jesse has heard weirder things from the injured on the battlefield, so he packs up his feelings and sets them aside, already knowing it’ll keep him up that night.
“We’ll… we’ll revisit that when you’ve had a chance to get those head wounds looked at, yeah? C’mon now—” He slips an arm around behind Sen and eases him up into a sitting position. He’s starting to become aware of his own aches and pains, the shallow cuts and bruises. Thank the Maker he hadn’t been hurt worse, or they’d both be doomed here.
“Flirting would be a good way to go out in my opinion, but let’s not make today that day.”