.

.

.

Tighnari

"...!"

Tighnari stepped further into the room, his gaze fixated on the enormous pool of blood that had spread under the table, each drop adding to the growing red lake. 

His eyes then shifted to your body, lying there with a pallor that hinted at the severity of your condition. Despite your immortality, the sight was as jarring as if you were truly dying.

Tighnari

"Move aside-"

"You keep pressure."

Tighnari's eyes narrowed as he pointed a commanding finger toward Thoma, his voice filled with a mix of frustration and urgency. Thoma stood there, the bloodstains on his clothes.

Tighnari

"And what is he doing here?!"

He demanded, tilting his head towards Scaramouche. Tighnari's voice was laced with anger as he turned his head sharply towards Collei, his brows furrowing in frustration.

Collei's eyes widened in surprise, glancing nervously at Scaramouche before shifting her gaze back to Tighnari, struggling to find an explanation amidst the chaos.

Collei

"He's just a friend! He's not here for trouble... At least I don't think."

Tighnari

"Hmph. Surprising."

Tighnari shot Scaramouche a final, disdainful look, his eyes narrowing with barely concealed contempt. He then turned his full attention back to you, his expression shifting to one of focused concern. 

Bending his body forward slightly beside your body, Tighnari began to inspect your wound with careful precision, his hands steady despite the urgency of the situation. His keen eyes scanned over the damage, taking in every detail, as he tried to determine the best course of action to stabilize your condition.

Tighnari

"How did this happen, Thoma?"

Thoma

"I... Uh- They were stabbed like... Around a week ago I think? And they were passed out for that whole duration. Today they just woke up and the wound opened up, but it's nothing I've ever witnessed before..."

.

"I've tried everything. The blood just keeps on coming."

Tighnari

"Yeah, I can see that..."

"Archons, how are they not dead yet?"

Thoma and Scaramouche exchanged awkward glances, both aware of the answer to Tighnari's rhetorical question. 

After a meticulous examination of your body, Tighnari's expression shifted from intense concentration to grim resolve. His eyes, sharp and analytical, scanned every inch of your injuries. He carefully pressed and prodded, noting the alarming rate at which your blood was seeping through the makeshift bandages.

With a deep breath, Tighnari finally looked up. The atmosphere in the room grew even heavier as everyone awaited his conclusion, the silence thick with anticipation and fear.

Tighnari

"It's..."

.

.

.

"Some sort of poison?"

You

"Fuck!"

.

"That fucking traveller, I'm gonna-"

In a flurry of motion, Thoma rushed forward, his eyes wide with panic. As you began to speak, he quickly placed a hand over your mouth, muffling your words before you could inadvertently sell yourself out to Tighnari and Collei. His touch was firm but gentle, a desperate attempt to protect you from revealing too much.

Thoma's heart pounded in his chest, and his breath came in quick, shallow gasps as he looked at you with pleading eyes.

Tighnari

"I'm sorry, what was that?"

Tighnari's voice cut through the tense silence, his hands deftly moving to brew some sort of substance to help with your suffering. 

His tone was sharp with suspicion. The sound of bubbling liquid and the clinking of glass filled the room. His back remained turned, but his ears were keenly attuned to the slightest sound, waiting for an answer that made sense.

Thoma

"It was nothing!... It was nothing."

.

"Uhm... N/N here is just... Very frustrated."

*Chuckle*

"You know, blabbing on about random stuff..."

Scaramouche

"... So."

.

"What's the poison?"

Tighnari

"That's the thing..."

.

.

.

"I don't know."

You

"What?!"

Thoma

"Huh?!"

Tighnari

"It's like nothing I've ever seen before."

Thoma

"Huh... That makes two of us..."

.

"So, what? You can't help them?"

Tighnari

"I can give them something to help with the pain."

"The poison though... It'll kill them."

You

"That's funny."

You joked lightly referring to your immortality, your attempt at humour cutting through the tension in the room. Thoma nudged you gently, his touch conveying a silent plea for you to stop talking nonsense before your cover was blown. 

He glanced nervously at Tighnari and Collei, who were eyeing you with suspicion, yet hadn't pieced together your true identity.

Tighnari's ears twitched, picking up on the subtle exchange between you and Thoma. Collei's brow furrowed, her eyes narrowing as she tried to reconcile your presence with the situation. It seemed Thoma's assumption was holding—neither Tighnari nor Collei had recognized you as Y/N. For now, at least, your secret was safe.

Tighnari

"... Okay then."

.

"The verge of dying. Very hilarious!"

Tighnari said sarcastically, his tone dripping with skepticism. His sharp eyes flicked between you and Thoma, clearly unimpressed by the evasive answers and strained attempts at levity. 

Tighnari

"Hold them down. It'll hurt a little."

You

"A little?..."

Tighnari

"Mhm."

.

.

.

"Only a little bit."

Tighnari flicked the syringe, ridding it of any bubbles, the motion precise and practiced. The sharp needle glinted under the dim light before he plunged it into the flesh near your still-gushing wound. 

The liquid inside the syringe flowed into your body, a cool sensation spreading from the injection site. The pain intensified, a sharp spike that made you grit your teeth and tense up.

You

"Agh!"

You freaked out, your body instinctively recoiling from the sharp pain that radiated from the injection site. Your limbs flailed, your movements frantic and uncoordinated as you tried to escape the agony. 

Thoma, his face etched with worry, had to put in extra effort to keep you still. He wrapped his arms around you, holding you tightly against the table. His grip was firm, his hands trembling slightly as he struggled to restrain your thrashing.

Your breathing was erratic, each inhale and exhale ragged and shallow. The painkiller was beginning to spread through your system, its effects still too subtle to provide any real relief. 

Thoma's presence, his warmth and steadiness, was the only thing grounding you in that moment of chaos. His eyes met yours, a silent promise that he wouldn't let anything happen to you.

Thoma

"Hey, you said it would hurt only a little bit!"

Tighnari

"I was just saying that to calm them down. You know, just so the muscles wouldn't be so tense in an act of fear if I told them it hurt that bad."