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[ without preamble; ]

the undead are gone now, but are you interested in continuing to help with the clinic?

[eunhyuk just getting right to the point, it seems.]

Yes, I am. With my powers returned, I can be much more useful now, too.

[ brusqueness is a hallmark of his character, but look on the bright side: he used to be worse! ]

you don't have to talk about yourself like that. are you good to learn medicine the old non-magic way too?

[never bothered sizhui any, there's no reason for him to start caring now. sometimes getting straight to the point is nice!]

Oh. I'm sorry, I didn't even think about how that would sound. I'm good to learn it that way as well.

[ he's reminding eunhyuk (rather painfully) of jaeheon — not quite self-effacing, but not so outwardly confident either. he doesn't get it. never has. ]

alright. i don't want to put you out if you have a routine here already, but i'm usually at the clinic from 9.00am through 4.00pm. there's a little side room that i'm doubling up as an office.

——how's your handwriting?

[it's an even funnier comparison because sizhui wields a sword, too. give him a minute though and he'll show eunhyuk just how confident he can be.]

I don't have a fully set routine, so starting one would be nice. I do have a job here, though. There might be days where I can't come in until a little later. Is that okay?

My handwriting is fine but I only know calligraphy.

Edited (ignore me) 2025-03-13 02:57 (UTC)

[ a job. mark that as another plus on the tally for sizhui. most people barely get one from eunhyuk most times; initiative is always valued. ]

i can teach you the common alphabet here, but i might not be the best person to learn from if you want to learn the language.

wait, where do you work? at the sol and scroll?

[nice. the more he can get, the better; he does so like the motivation.]

I'd like to learn that. Do you happen to know anyone who might be able to teach me the language? It could prove useful.

I'm a waiter at Dead Men Tell No Tales.

ah. i haven't been there yet. ominous name; feels a bit eerie to eat there.

dr charles xavier teaches chess, but from what i've heard his partner is well-travelled and a polyglot — they may be open to teaching more than just chess.

if you want to come down to the clinic and get started, i'm free today.

[ ha ha. he's free every day, these days. ]

It's really quite classy for a pirate-themed place.

Chess, huh? Maybe I'll ask if I can join sometime and, if his partner is willing, inquire about learning other things.

I'm also free today, I'll come down. Better that we get started sooner rather than later.

i'm not that familiar with pirate lore. what do dead men have to do with the theme?

[ he's seen the pirates of the caribbean movies, but he doubts those are historically accurate or universal. ]

cool. if they ask why you're going to them, just blame me. i can handle them, maybe.

do you like fried chicken?

I suppose it's something to do with piracy and the rules they have? Maybe it has something to do with their treasure and how men will die if they cross a pirate. I'm not totally familiar with the lore either but I've read a few books in my time across the worlds I've traveled.

[sizhui hasn't seen those movies (yet), although he'd imagine they have to be based on some type of pirate lore.]

We'll handle them together if that's the case. I wouldn't leave you to deal with something like that alone.

Yes, I do.

[ more traits that remind him of hyunsu. sizhui may turn out to a problem for eunhyuk down the line, if he gets attached, but that's a bridge to cross when he gets there. the clinic matters more. ]

guess that's what i'll be reading come the weekend. "cross-universal pirate lore." maybe the library will have something hyperspecific about it.

just for the sake of disclosure, and so you're not surprised: erik knows of me. he may not react very well if he knows i sent you his way, that's all.

[ it's difficult to explain how he's been deep in the man's guts, very literally, on account of having performed an autopsy on the man. long story. ]

bring your drink of choice, i've got a plate here.

[sizhui's a pretty personable guy and who's to say? he might just get attached to eunhyuk; he's got a bad habit of that, especially once he's befriended someone.]

Let me know if you find anything good? I haven't checked too much of the library, but I plan to remedy that as soon as possible.

Oh, I see. [it's so tempting – so tempting – to ask eunhyuk what he's talking about yet sizhui resists, figuring that if he wanted him to know, he would've been more specific.] Thank you for the warning.

Okay, that sounds good!

[and the cultivator will make his way to the clinic, juice bottle in hand, dressed in all white aside from the scarf that hangs around his shoulders. when he arrives, he greets eunhyuk with a raised hand and a quick bow of the head.] Hello. [then he moves to the nearest surface he figures is a safe enough spot to set down the container he's holding.] How have things been going since the undead have left?

[ scarf aside, it really is a lot of white — it's what eunhyuk thinks first when he finally meets sizhui in person. eunhyuk gets off the stool he's parked himself in and meets sizhui halfway with a similar bow, invites the other take a stool opposite himself first before returning to his own. old habits, familiar discipline — he's oddly missed it, if he's being honest. ]

You need a glass for that? [ he asks, gesturing at the bottle. dr house had left behind a few drinking glasses, to say nothing of the alcohol stashed in random drawers here and there. eunhyuk moved the bottles to a central drawer, but hasn't touched any of them. ] I can find us a couple glasses, I think.

As for how things have been now that the undead are gone — [ he looks to the cracked tile, the piles of glass, plaster, and random debris scattered across the clinic. ] It's a mess.

Have you been doing okay, though? I know I asked you so suddenly. Sorry about that.

[it's one of his comfort colors, okay? and if he gets it messy, he's well-versed in how to clean it, regardless of what stains he might get while helping eunhyuk in the clinic. he takes the offered stool with ease, settling in for the long haul. his eyebrows arching toward the other male when he asks about a glass.

sizhui spares a glance at the bottle, gives a little half-shrug with one shoulder then he responds,] I don't need one, but if you can find some, that would be nice. It would make sharing easier, too. [because of course he's going to offer.

after that, he peers around at the mess, expression wrinkling faintly, his head nodding in understanding.] I can help you clean up as well.

I have been, thank you. It's okay, I wasn't too surprised when you asked, but it was still slightly unexpected.

We can't seem to keep a real doctor on, honestly. It's been a rotating cast of faces around here for people who should be running this place.

[ and if he's honest, it's something he worries about when he remembers how lacking the facilities are here. maybe that's the byproduct of having a guest list that consists of magic people and superpowers and weird fantasy incest people he'd usually see in movies or television, but the fact there's only an outpatient clinic and a morgue but no emergency service or triage is — well, it's not a pretty picture in his mind, that's all.

he does find glasses, though. clean, too — he thanks his past self for that. they're a pair of aluminum tumblers, very reminiscent of the roadside eateries and grill stalls from home; eunhyuk thinks them far more precious than the ever-present crystal glasses here for that reason.

he sets one in front of sizhui, keeps the other for himself, then takes a seat. ]

So — healing, and all of that. You know what scissors are?

[ it's been a good metric to use for determining which side of the "historical vs modern" line someone is on, so far. ]

That's unfortunate. Not completely surprising, however, as it seems like these sorts of places cycle through people pretty quickly without any regard to them or the people that are here.

[having been to multiple worlds, sizhui's used to individuals coming and going at all times. sometimes, they stick around for a while, make an impression and then disappear without a trace. other times, they show up and are gone the next day; it's just proven to him that getting close to people can be dangerous, especially when someone like him creates friendships so quickly. the idea of there being a doctor that might stick around isn't all that wild though and if they could get someone who does, maybe they could take time to create a place where emergency services would be used.

he accepts the cup with a polite bow of the head, uncapping the juice bottle he's brought and carefully pouring some into the glass. once it's a little less than half full, he recaps the bottle and sets it between them, his way of offering some to eunhyuk if he happens to want any.]

I do. Despite not being from a modern world myself, I'm a bit more familiar with modern things. If there's something I don't know about, I'll ask, though.

[because he has a feeling there are a lot of other tools that he doesn't know the names of and he wants to learn as much as possible.]

[ With absolutely no warning, thanks to Eunhyuk: ]

ATTENTION!

This Is The Curse Of Bloody Mary! You Must Forward This Message To Ten People, Or She Will Come And Find You And Kill You! She Knows Where You Live. She Will Hang Your Corpse For Everyone To See And Laugh At You. She Will Find You!

THIS IS NOT A JOKE!!!!!!!!!!!

[thanks a lot, eunhyuk. now sizhui's going to be wondering about bloody mary for the next god knows how long.

however, the only thing he has to say about this at first is:]

Why would I pass on a curse to other people?

So She Does Not Trouble You In Her Search For New Corpses Of Course.

I don't really want her to trouble other people, either. What sort of creature is this Bloody Mary?

She Is A Terrifying Demon And She Is Probably Hideously Ugly, Hence The Curses.

A demon, you say? [listen..... he might be considering fighting bloody mary.]

She may not be as hideous as you think. Some demons can trick you, after all.

Oh Yes This One Is Full Of Tricks.

In Fact I Have Learned That She Is Among Us In This Very House In Disguise As A Pathetic Human Girl!

She is?

Do you know who she's disguised as or is it some nameless person around the mansion?

She Is In The Guise Of The Mortal Child Jem Walker. I Am Going To Kill Her!

Are you absolutely certain it's her? It would be unfortunate to attack an innocent person, after all.

She Admitted It To Me. Why Would She Lie?

I don't think that she would... unless it was a joke? But I don't know her, so I cannot say for certain.

saltburnt inbox

text; @kpyr7.8

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sweats... i'm so sorry this is so late

it's all good!!! i'll backtag forever so 😌

🫂🫂🫂🫂🫂

🫂!!!!!

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to action?

to action!

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sorry for the lateness oof

you are totally fine!!

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