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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The man is moving his mouth and there are no sounds coming from it. There's... there's nothing. Rhy stares at him in confusion for a moment, and then his look is one of annoyance.

"Don't just flap your lips at me. If you can't speak, or don't want to, write it down."

Rhy’s annoyed look is a surprise, as are his words. The professor’s own expression shifting to a bewildered annoyance of his own at the suggestion that he’d do something stupid like that. “What the hell do you mean by-” He started, then stopped as certain facts lined up in his head. 1. He’d tried to get the man’s attention and failed when approaching the counter. 2. It took Rhy seeing something set down to notice him there. And 3. Now he was suggesting that Waver was just moving his mouth instead of talking.

The man couldn’t hear him, clearly, but also was acting like he should be able to… Shit.

Well, Rhy’s final suggestion would have to be the one he went with. He keeps his notebook for notes on things he’s working on and organizing details for aspects of this world that he’s looking into. He’s not about to ruin his organization considering some of the things he was working on, so he tugs out the tellphone instead and opens up a message to briefly type out a few words before setting the device on the counter to slide in front of Rhy to look at.

Not to alarm you, but I was actually talking just now. You really couldn't tell?

The tellphone is passed over and Rhy's eyes roll over the text. Then over it again. No. No that can't be true. With shaking hands he lifts the tellphone and looks over the words one more time, close to his eyes this time.

"No," he breathes out, and realizes that he can't even hear his own words.

That one simple word confirms what he’d thought, and Waver feels pretty bad about being the bearer of his news. Even if someone would have to be, considering Rhy was going to need to know at some point. Probably better now than in the middle of a busy intersection or something. Still feels awkward to have to tell a total stranger they lost their hearing.

It looked like his quick errand wasn’t going to be so quick... Just leaving someone who’d discovered something like this wouldn’t sit right with him, even if it probably would with other mages. He still remembered how they treated Melvin when his health went south, so… Helping. Not that he had much of an idea on how to do that, given he wasn’t sure what was at play here.

Regardless, the mage can see the tremor in the man’s hand, and it seems like he’s fairly close to a panic attack. Having had enough of those himself over the years, Waver made a small motion to signal he wanted Rhy to hand the phone back to him so he can type a message out again.

I think it’s safe to guess this is new, then. Do you have a break room or something here to avoid customers?

Very new. As of this hour new. Rhy looks horrified still, and he's barely moved by the time the phone is put back into his hands. Alright then.

"No," he admits. There was no space for such a thing.

Great, of course there wasn’t… Being located where they were, they all probably just went out to the market or neighboring shops for a break. Still, he couldn’t exactly keep working like this. The horror on the man’s face was clear enough to indicate that coping with this wasn’t going to be as easy as taking a moment to breathe.

Okay… I’m going to have a word with your colleague over there for a minute. Just so the guy didn’t think he was being abandoned after the bad news was dropped on him. Just to make sure you’re not harassed by customers that don’t know what’s going on or people think I’m disrupting things.

Because it’d look weird after a while for some random guy to just stand around talking to someone during work hours instead of actually buying anything.

"I... can accept that."

Not that Rhy knows what to do with himself right now. Should he leave?

Waver nodded, glad they had an understanding, and it was enough of a confirmation for him to go to the nearest person working. Excusing his interruption and drawing her aside to fill her in on what was going on and what he was requesting. It didn’t take much to convince her. Of course, Rhy (as he discovered the man’s name was) seemed to be quite well liked. He took a moment to ask just a few questions, just to get a few facts straight. Rhy had been complaining about the noise of the busy shop before he’d arrived apparently, and that was something to note. This was a very recent development… With that and a few things in mind, he returned to the counter while typing out another message.

Your coworker will handle the sales floor. I think she agrees you shouldn’t have to deal with customers in your current situation.

The mage considered the options, though, giving Rhy a chance to answer. If Rhy wanted to leave, he wasn’t about to let a man who suddenly couldn’t hear go without an escort. That would be irresponsible and dangerous… Especially if he did end up in a full-blown panic attack over the sudden development.

Waver also had questions. Wondering at this point if they were dealing with a curse or something of that nature, he had experience with those. That said, who cursed a tailor, of all people? One who seemed fairly well liked by his coworkers. It was just… weird.

Well, there was that at least. Rhy nodded at the message, not saying anything. He didn't want to hear, or fail to hear, his own voice. Except he couldn't just sit there.

"I don't know what to do," he admitted.

Waver waited for a minute or two, not about to rush him on making decisions or speaking up. When the words finally come, he frowns lightly. What, indeed? He knows what he’d do, but he doesn’t know this man well enough to say if that was what he would or should do. More phone typing follows, and he sets it on the counter again.

Well, I would recommend you going somewhere that you’ll be more comfortable than the middle of a busy shop for a start.

Sitting around here just seemed like it would make his already bad day worse.

So maybe pack up what you need, tell me where you’d normally go. I’ll see about escorting you.

Because if this were a curse of some kind, Waver had a feeling the culprit wouldn’t be done with just this. It would give him a chance to see if anyone suspicious is around and maybe ask a few more questions… He’s not unused to situations like this, so it’s not like he can just ignore it. Maybe he should mention the suspicion, but he also wasn’t going to do it in a crowded shop where the wrong person could overhear them.

"Home," he said as he finally moved from his stool and started to gather his things. "I would go home."

He needed his home, the safety of it. He needed a mug of tea, something he'd have to watch the oven closely for. He needed to curl up with a fire and to feel warm.

Home it was, then. A sensible choice. He’d be better off in a familiar environment while he adjusted to this. Hopefully more secure, too, if the man was being targeted or something. That said, he hadn’t seen Rhy around the buildings, so that either meant he was a local or he was one of the people the mage had heard about who’d moved into a house.

Where do you live in the city? I haven’t seen you around the coloured buildings, so I’m guessing you’re staying elsewhere.

Waver set the things he’d had aside, he’d come back for them later or something. Right now the important thing was making sure Rhy didn’t get in an accident or attacked by whatever caused this on his way home, and to figure out just what kind of magic they were dealing with… That was his next priority once they were away from the crowd of the shop and had a destination in mind.

"A house," Rhy said, his voice shaking. "We moved a while ago, Llewellyn and I. We wanted our own house."

A house with doors that whispered when you opened them, and rocking chairs that creaked and fires that crackled. So many sounds he wouldn't get to hear.

Waver sighed internally. It wasn’t the exact address he was hoping for… But Rhy’s tone still gives him the impression the man is ‘doing his best’ to not fall apart. The professor could respect that much, and it’s not like he couldn’t deduce where the house was to some extent. There was a reason Adashino called him ‘Mr. Detective.’ He’s not one, of course, he’s just used to having things that need to be figured out dumped on his lap.

Rhy’s bag seemed light looking, and he didn’t mention a carriage or anything… So he probably walked. That meant home wasn’t too far away… Probably.

Would I be right in guessing it’s in the neighborhood just off the market road where some houses have been repaired?

He moves to walk next to Rhy, keeping an eye on their surroundings as much as him as he held the door open. First job: See to getting the man home without an accident. Second job: Get a better idea of what was going on here and how it might be fixed… or at least prevent it from getting worse.

Do you mind if I ask some questions about all this on the way?

"Indeed," he agreed with a nod, setting his bag on his shoulder. Getting there shouldn't be too hard. Except for getting through the busy market. That would be a pain.

He sighs and walks out toward the door of the shop, and found himself shocked to see the door held open but not hear the bell. That was upsetting of course, and he didn't want to deal with that.

"It will be hard," Rhy said as he took the moment to look at the man's Tellphone with the words. "I need my eyes to see the path."

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.

Rendered Silent For You

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fucking hell lost that tag. Sorry, you're getting a simplified one.

Aw no worries, I've had that happen <3

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