[ but his voice is extremely dry, in a way that suggests empty threat. ]
I'm going to close this up. I don't suppose you have a ...
[ needle phobia, he's about to say, but then he gets his first good look at the man's eyes: unfocused, unseeing. stephen blanches, fixates for a second, just to see if he can tell whether it's temporary, but. huh.
he shakes himself. there it's all manual, the way he pops open the kit, starts to staunch and clean up that unusual bloodflow. he's quick about it, the way only a medical professional can be, and that's even well before he pulls the suture kit out next. ]
[ Over the years, Matt's gotten very good at pointing out the moment when someone realizes he's blind. He exhales, then inhales sharply at the sting of antiseptic. ]
It's permanent. The blindness. Don't worry.
[ It's easier to talk through this part. Keep his mind on something else other than the inevitable but familiar discomfort. He and his dad used to talk, too, when Matt would clean him up after a fight. ]
I think ordinarily that would raise more questions than it answers.
[ his voice lackadaisical as he stoops down to start on those stitches. for precision work there's a matrix of light that climbs over his hands, thin and angled threads that hover over his skin at a distance, detectable mostly as fluctuations in the air. it helps with the tremors. ]
You're not planning on running out the door as soon as I'm done here, are you. I would advise against it.
Something tells me a guy who makes the news beating the tar out of criminals isn't an especially skilled listener.
[ it's good to keep him distracted from the pain and also from passing out on the lounge outright. with the aid of the spell stephen's work is quick, efficient - it's almost no time at all before the last stitch is snipped off. he dabs up the rest of the blood with the wet cloth and lifts his eyes to matt again. ]
I'm going to move us to a place you can lie down. For most people it's disorienting, so I'm going to take your hand. Okay?
![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
no subject
[ but his voice is extremely dry, in a way that suggests empty threat. ]
I'm going to close this up. I don't suppose you have a ...
[ needle phobia, he's about to say, but then he gets his first good look at the man's eyes: unfocused, unseeing. stephen blanches, fixates for a second, just to see if he can tell whether it's temporary, but. huh.
he shakes himself. there it's all manual, the way he pops open the kit, starts to staunch and clean up that unusual bloodflow. he's quick about it, the way only a medical professional can be, and that's even well before he pulls the suture kit out next. ]
no subject
It's permanent. The blindness. Don't worry.
[ It's easier to talk through this part. Keep his mind on something else other than the inevitable but familiar discomfort. He and his dad used to talk, too, when Matt would clean him up after a fight. ]
no subject
[ his voice lackadaisical as he stoops down to start on those stitches. for precision work there's a matrix of light that climbs over his hands, thin and angled threads that hover over his skin at a distance, detectable mostly as fluctuations in the air. it helps with the tremors. ]
You're not planning on running out the door as soon as I'm done here, are you. I would advise against it.
no subject
[ If he can still be a smartass, he must be more or less okay. ]
Mm. People advise me against things all the time.
[ He doesn’t look like he’ll be running, though. Even while he’s being stitched up, Matt looks ready to pass out. ]
no subject
Something tells me a guy who makes the news beating the tar out of criminals isn't an especially skilled listener.
[ it's good to keep him distracted from the pain and also from passing out on the lounge outright. with the aid of the spell stephen's work is quick, efficient - it's almost no time at all before the last stitch is snipped off. he dabs up the rest of the blood with the wet cloth and lifts his eyes to matt again. ]
I'm going to move us to a place you can lie down. For most people it's disorienting, so I'm going to take your hand. Okay?
no subject
Thanks.
[ He reaches vaguely for Stephen's hand, gripping it as hard as he can. Which isn't a lot right now. ]
I'm Matt.
[ That seems important to say. ]