#deepbluececil. Cecil

[townofcadence]

A bunch of others' OCs as Chibis!! I used bases by Cosmind! Thank you all for being here, you guys are amazing and i'm so grateful to interact with you!! And thank you for liking or reply to the post to get one lol.

If you like yours and want a bigger version just hit me up! i have them all with white borders and bigger sizes like stickers in my art program :3

[townofcadence]

The excitement is schooled excellently from this guy's face, hardly a wiggle of a fin to denote how he felt. But the eager feelings came through clear to Artair, who-- expected it, even if he really wished it could be otherwise. That sensation meant the guy was eager for profit--- and of course he knew he had something of value, the way he'd said it might just be his next big ticket item. This probably wasn't going to go well. If not for the fucking house-drake thing....

"I'll be honest-- I don't want it." He admitted. "Not-- not for me, anyway. I was kind of.... hired. To find it. Apparently this guy...he wants it for his archive. I don't really know much, except it'd help out a friend if I brought it back. I don't think it's really going to get used. Just.... stored properly."

The deal wasn't necessarily a bad thing.... if the guy intended to keep it. ".... I'd really like to bring it back with me. It's been.... a long trip." He tucks his head back against the wall. "Is there any way we could...expedite the process? Somehow?"

"Mhm." Cecil agrees with a nod. It is nice, after all. It was hard to find such things-- especially in such amazing condition.

But the next thing out of the washed up stranger's mouth has his ear fins flick-- even if he tries not to let the excitement show on his face. Maybe this day was going to turn out better than he thought. Finding an item and a heavily potential buyer for it before he's even hit the water? He's never even thought about having such a fast turnaround! "Oh...?" His voice is even, light, but interested. "And what would you be using something like this for, anyway?" A good opportunity to fish for information-- if someone was looking for something specific, there was always a reason why. And it'd give him a good heads up for his testing phase.

"Well..... normally I would say no. Have to make it fair, after all. But I guess I could make an exception this once, for a new customer." He grins again. "How about this: I'll get it processed and contact you first before I put it up for sale, and if you find the price agreeable then it's all yours-- and nobody but you will ever even have know I had it to begin with."

[townofcadence]

Commission for @deepbluececil of their fishy guy :3

Thank you for the commission! 💛

[townofcadence]

@deepbluececil // Continued!

"...You know what, fair enough. Have you ever considered using something to make sure every spirit in a five mile radius doesn't come for your ass? It might be helpful."

"What are you talking about? Of course I have something for that. That was like.... the first thing I got after my first encounter with a malevolent spirit ghost thing. I may be trouble, but I promise you, that's all natural, baby."

[townofcadence]

“It was my fault. I should have known better.” (Maybe we could have Cecil get a little bit hurt doing something on a case or something?)

Dealing with Trauma

"No--- no it wasn't." Artair's voice wavers as he insists. It's not life-threatening, but the cut is deep. He feels far away but his tone is calm and collected. "It wasn't. You're not at fault. It's my job to distract things, right? So you can get through without trouble? So it's not your fault I missed one. I should've known better! I know how they-- the fucking things like to hide. I should've realized, it's not your fault I didn't think to check, it was a rookie mistake and I should just--."

He realizes how his voice is sounding, how threaded with tension he's become. He slices through the cords all at once, shoulders dropping and volume evening out. "...Sorry. Just... worried. But I should've checked. This wouldn't have happened, otherwise. So--- it's not your fault, okay? But I can fix it. Just-- give me a minute, and I'll get you patched up." He's already rummaging through his pack.

[townofcadence]

What are you cooking?

Get a Meal

"Alright, look look look." Artair waves a hand over the grill. "Okay like--- you probably eat seafood all the time, right? Like you live in the ocean man. So I bet it's probably what you have most times. So I thought I'd shake things up a little." Artair uses the spatula to take the simmering burger from the grill. The smoked Gruyere and American blend of cheeses is still bubbling from the heat, as he slides the burger onto a potato bun, and passes it Cecil's way. "You can add any ingredient you want! I like pickles on mine, but do what makes your heart happy. There's fries about to come out of the air fryer too, though I'd toss some of that on there to give them a good kick!" He points with the spatula towards a seasoning bottle with the name peeled off.

[gunslinginnhogtyin]

“This perticular contest—yeah! I got a treasure box full’f antiques and valuable jewels too f’course, but lil’ Valentine’s more precious than anythin’ money could buy!” Not that he’s any less grateful for the more material aspects of his winnings, but—just look at her!

Butch is already outstretching his arms, holding the piglet out towards Cecil’s face. She snorfs quietly, curiously.

"...What. You win a contest and you get a pig?? Are you sure you weren't the loser? You're supposed to win useful things like-- money, or something."

[townofcadence]

It's clearly a bemused comment, despite the heavy sarcasm. Artair huffs an exhale, but he doesn't argue. If he pretends he doesn't think it's sarcasm, then the guy wouldn't keep poking at the notion, probably.

He does lean closer, but more in the way one would to inspect something interesting. His eyes glide over the blade, the bone handle, and internally, he groans.

"It... is very nice." He pauses, thinking. His head hurts. This is the worst situation to deal with someone over something like this, especially someone who's whole deal is probably wheeling and dealing and haggling. But he has to.

"I... was in the area looking for something. I think that might've been it." He admits. It might be a bad idea to, but he doesn't want this guy to vanish with it, or sell it to the highest bidder. That would be worse than showing his hand because he can't think well enough to have a better one. "I know you said it's only a sneak peek, but... if there's some way I could take it off your hands before it hits the market....?"

"Mm, right. You definitely seem it. Or at least more fine than you seemed when I found you knocked out on the beach a minute ago, I guess." He can't help but to snicker just a little at the insistence the other had on the matter. He could understand it sometimes, but wasn't the jig already up? It's obvious he's been knocked around and isn't just "waterlogged". Or, at the very least, he certainly wasn't "fine".

An eyebrow raises at the shift of expression on the other's face, but he doesn't comment on it. Instead, he reaches for the bag strapped to his tail. "Of course." A clawed hand delves in, and lingers only a moment before coming back out with a bundle of what looks to be old leather, bleached white. He opens it to reveal the artifact, all deadly sharp with a blade as black as the void. Like it sucked in the light around it, even. Cecil appears relaxed and is for the most part but there is a tension in his hand, ready to close around his prize for safekeeping if the stranger should make any too sudden moves towards it. "Pretty, isn't it? Wicked looking too. I'm sure it could cut through anything you aimed it at, if you really followed through."

[townofcadence]

"I'm-- fine." He insists, but it's a little flatter than he would've liked it to be. "Maybe. Or just-- you know. Waterlogged." It was an interesting point he made though, about what laid in the deep. He was pretty sure even he had an item or two lost to the water growing up. His losses were nowhere near as valuable as some... but the ocean wasn't a space where many scavengers could venture low enough to get to whatever might've been lost in voyages or happenstance.

The description--- isn't one he can keep his face from falling at hearing. He should be relieved. But in the hands of a tradesman...? ".... I think I would love a look, if you don't mind."

Cecil almost snorts when he laughs again, the slit-like nostrils flush against his face flaring for just a moment. "Oh you're out of it, aren't you? Maybe you really did hit your head." A hand raises, propping under his chin. "A lot of mundane things can bring in extra cash. Gemstones, jewelry, certain types of equipment or materials; anything you can think of, really. Lots of people lose all kinds of things in the ocean, you know."

He nods at the questioning of his adventure, and his energy reads as very proud of himself for his latest find. "Well, I won't say too much about it now..." Not that he could, really-- he hasn't found out what it can actually do yet. Still, better to keep the mystique! "But it's a very powerful knife of sorts. Carved from bone, it's end as black as the night." He raises an eyebrow. "If you want... I could let you take a little peek. A first look at my upcoming big ticket item."

[townofcadence]

"Network...?" Artair asks, a mild curiosity that he's slow on the uptake for. He simply can't fathom how a half alive guy in the ocean would be particularly helpful or useful to this humongous guy coiling on himself kind of like a sea serpent. But he wasn't feeling good so maybe he just-- wasn't synapsing something. But what could someone who sold things want from someone like him? Unless he was still hoping for the bag somehow?

"What kind of mundane items have value...?" He asks next, out of curiosity. Artair could imagine maybe he meant things like jewelry or something. The mental image of a creature as long and large as this guy combing a beach with a metal-detector for lost valuables cracks a smile on his face, at the absurdity.

But then he mentioned a magical item in a cursed underground temple, and Artair has to tilt his head. It's like a faint alarm bell is ringing in his ears. "Near here....? What....did you end up finding?"

"I guess that's how it is, the ocean can either be very forgiving, or very... very cruel. For what it's worth, though, I'm glad it got you here too. Sure I would've enjoyed the looting, but I never turn down a good opportunity to network, either." And either way it would've been unfortunate. If he did manage to find the other in the water, there might not have been much to salvage. He definitely would've been dead, his bag probably would've been taken by the current, and who knows what damage might've come to that metal arm of his. No, that would've just sucked all around.

"Well, if you're sure." He shrugs lightly, his tail shifting and flipping over itself in the equivalent of him curling up and getting comfortable. At the questioning though he grins again, eyes closed in a very pleased expression. "Well, I am a merchant who deals with magical items. Selling or trading, and dabbling in some mundane items-- but only if they're valuable enough. And I collect all of my own stock. I'm actually on my way back from hunting down a new item now. It was a bit of a hassle, a whole cursed underground temple type of place, but the stock's in amazing shape and I'm positive it's gonna run a very pretty penny." At that the very end of his tail flips upwards, in what seems to be a sort of excited gesture.

[townofcadence]

The grin doesn't seem to bother Artair in the slightest. He can read between the lines, and feel it's meant to be---at the very least not a display of danger. He offers his own back, albeit weak. It stays on even at the description of what could've happened. "Haha....yeah." It's all he says on the matter. "Guess the current got me to shore before it got worse. Grateful for that." Honestly getting dragged further out to sea.... he didn't know what he would've done. How many times would he have drowned then, before he made it to safety? Would he ever have done so out in the ocean?

No, he was very, very lucky to be where he was right now. But he didn't want to think about that. "Oh... you don't have to worry about that." He waves a hand. "I.... I just need a little time. I'll be okay." Not wanting them to stay stuck on the subject, his other eye opened. "What-- if you don't mind me asking, what's got the day so exciting for you?"

Cecil laughs again, clawed hand waving up and down in two small motions. "Okay okay, I believe you. Now that you're really up you're a bit too cognizant for most of the undead I've run into, anyway. I mean you certainly had enough motor control to grab your bag. That kinda thing can be hard for the newly reanimated."

When Artair finally opens and eye and looks up at him Cecil gives him a grin-- a big, sharp, toothy grin. Still, the gesture feels friendly. He glances up on instinct when the other says he took a fall though, up towards the cliff. "Guess you're right about the lucky part, lucky you didn't crack your head open or drown. Or both." He shrugs. "Tch-- don't you worry about that, I'm usually better with that kinda thing. Just had an exciting day though, so I guess after all that I'd let my guard down." His body shifts and his more humanoid half lowers, until he's got himself propped by the elbows on the rock. "You feeling okay though? Figure the least I can do is make sure you're alright on your own, since I did kinda try to steal your stuff to sell."

[townofcadence]

"They did not lie." Artair's shoulders raised. "It's worked for years, it wouldn't just--- just....." The defensive tone leaves his voice. ".... what the fuck are you talking about--- just. Just let me see it." He holds out his hand until it's passed back to him, holding it with his fingertips as well. He frowns, running the pad of his index over it, and the displeased expression only seems to further etch into his features, leaving him gaunt.

"What....." His brows draw together, and he looks back up at Cecil. "You didn't--- no. I..... this isn't my earring. This isn't." Sure, it felt the same weight, looked it. But... the runes on the inside were wrong, and Cecil was right-- it was the right weight, but this was resin of some kind, not the metal he was used to. It looked almost identical, but he'd memorized every line, every imperfection and indent over a thousand times holding it. In his ear, it hadn't even pinged on his radar, but in his palm, the difference was night and day.

His gut twists. Artair-- drops to a sit. He stares holes into the imposter jewelry in his palm. "This--- this isn't my ring. This-- it isn't it. But--- where? How....?"

Cecil doesn't say if he will or not, the gears in his mind turning too forcefully for him to pay it much attention. The grip he keeps on the beloved object, however, is secure but as gentle as he can be. He raises it to his fins first, the left one and then the right-- neither of them flick. And then he holds it up close to his face, squinting hard as he examines it. It's turned slowly so he can see all parts; the outside, the inside of the loop, and even the clasp. He even taps the accessory a few times with one of his claws.

"Well-- whoever gave it to you lied, this doesn't do anything. It's barely even a decent kind of... eh... thick plastic? Resin maybe given it's slightly weighty."

[townofcadence]

"I-- I'm not!" He protests harder, not really offended so much as emphatic. "I'm really, really not. I'm just......" He trails away, his head tipping back against the stonework of the hollow. He hugs the bag to his chest, relief seeming to melt through him as it was relinquished. His hair proceeds to eat his shoulders and flop limp over a fair bit of his face. "...I don't know. I at least know I'm not dead though. Definitely alive. Got a pulse and-- blood that's pumping. Skin's not blue-- no offense. But you know.... not dead."

He takes a moment, before the gold eye opens again at the laugh. He kind of shares in it, with a harder exhale of breath and a uplifted corner of his lips. "I get that a lot. But no. I just. took a fall. Lucky I survived. Must've washed up on shore..... Guess I passed out or something at some point." Not a lie, really, but plausible enough. "Sorry about scaring the life out of you. Not really my intention. Just... kinda waterlogged."

"You're not?" He lets the question hang for just a moment. "...are you sure? You really look it." After another long moment of looking at the other though he sighs, and releases the hold on the bag. He's a lot of shit, but a thief isn't one of them-- all the time. Necessarily. It depended on the situation, really. Also how you defined stealing. Regardless, he wasn't gonna steal something from a sentient being that hadn't done anything to him. And who also kinda looked like a stiff breeze could knock him over.

"Resting? Really? Washed up on shore?" His voice is lined with an almost playful disbelief, a pointing out of just how ridiculous that sounded. "I guess it kinda makes sense though, if you really are alive then clearly you haven't slept in a good few years-- given just how intense your eye bags are." He laughs a little bit, a deep rumbly sound.

[townofcadence]

"But you're not on your own!" Artair's shoulders raised. "You aren't on your own anymore, and I should've checked. I'm not looking for excuses, that's all there is to know." He wishes Cecil would hit him, would tell him what a fuck-up he is instead of trying to be so fucking understanding. He needs to--- he needs him to understand that he should be angry! He should be mad at him and stop pretending this was fine, that he was fine and he wasn't angry because he can feel the heat all the way to his marrow! Why was he lying? Why was he pretending? He should just put him somewhere like they always did for days on end because he was at fault and he deserved it for being a failure--

Artair blinks. Something.... something about that's wrong. It's not... right. But he's too frazzled to focus well beyond the red and green thoughts branding themselves under his skin. And before he can really separate the thoughts, Cecil is insisting. His gears switch back, and any red flag ignites under the pain of Cecil's forced movements. "Wh--- no ! Stop that you fucking--- why can't you just let me help! You--- you----" He's teary-eyed now. He's so fucking awful and manipulative-- that's what his tears are. Artair turns his head away from Cecil and holds his breath when he needs to, so he doesn't make a sound. He hates this more, this weakness and this side of him that's useless and guilt-trippy. He doesn't fucking deserve to exist. "Just--- just stop! Okay?! You--- I can do this and I can do it fast and-- and--- I need to! So just--- so just stop! We don't know anything else is here! And you're stronger than me a-anyways so just--- just---."

His voice had climbed in pitch until it breaks away all at once. It was a balloon building in his chest until it bursts and he knew he was too late, too powerless, too weak. Cecil shouldn't rely on him. He'd probably make things worse.

"......Fine." The words come out empty. No sharpness, no desperation, nothing, because it's the only tone he can muster that isn't influenced by the vortex of shrapnel inside. He hadn't even pulled anything out, so he just snaps his bag closed and crosses his arms. It's scaffolding and support beams to keep him all together.

Artair turns and walks towards the exit of the chamber, to keep watch.

"You did just fine. I usually end up in a much worse state with these things when I'm on my own, so you're fine." He says it insistently. He means it. And Artair is... tense. Panicking? And Cecil doesn't really know how to fix it. He's fine, he just-- needs Artair to believe that, somehow. But the area where a nose would be scrunches, and his brows furrow the more he rambles. "What-- you're the one who's looking for an excuse for it to be your fault. I'm being logical."

But he's shaking, more, and he's trying to push his hands away. From him, from his bag-- why was this such a big deal? "Wh-- what am I supposed to do if something comes at us and I can't move because you're busy doing god knows what to my tail? Look-- okay? Look at me. I'm fine. I'm alive. Conscious, even! Now you need to stop blaming yourself when you did a fine job."

Cecil takes in a deep breath, and then holds it as he shifts to sit up straighter and start slowly wrapping his tail closer to himself so he can get a better hold of the wound. It feels like absolute shit if he's honest-- he loves his tail but when you've got something as muscle-y as that with a cut as deep as this, any movement is gonna fucking suck. When he finally shifts to where he wants, he lets go of his breath in a slightly ragged huff. "It makes more sense for you to go keep watch. I can do this fast and then we can keep going, alright?"

[townofcadence]

Artair held to his bag with stubborn fingers. He did feel a little bad for startling the guy so hard, especially when that embarrassing heat dusted his face, but he doesn't have the energy to do more than cling and make sure he didn't lose-- basically everything he had on him that mattered.

"I--I'm not dead." He protests, only when he hears the guys comment. Finally, he raises his eyes and looks at him where he's still hugging the bag to his chest, the strap straining against one arm. He blinks because.... a giant merperson guy wasn't exactly what he expected to see. But his brain can't even properly take him in except-- yellow shirt. Blue eyes. Dark hair. Blue skin. "I was--- resting. I wasn't--- exactly awake, when you picked me up. But I'm alive."

"Fuck-!" Cecil nearly jumps out of his own scales when the corpse suddenly moves and talks, his grip on his new prize so unrelenting that he almost pulls the dead guy right back out of the spot he'd been nestled in. He tries to pretend he's not blushing after being so startled.

"Jeez-- I swear, what is it with you reanimated corpses and only moving when someone's least expecting it? You couldn't have said anything when I was carrying you around?" He huffs, blowing a piece of his bangs out of his face. "Or is this the sort of thing where you only reanimate when someone tries to take something specific from you?"

[townofcadence]

"Not well enough." He answers in a voice that's reclaimed some of that tension, eyes back on the injury on Cecil's tail. He pretends it doesn't bother him, but Artair knows-- he feels that pain beneath his own skin, with every shift Cecil makes. His eyes seem to focus more and more, tunnel visioned and lined with green thoughts. He undoes the magnetic snap of his bag and his hand forces its way inside. "It's not your fault. If I hadn't let one get away--- I just. Just stop, okay? You would've been fine so-- stop trying to find a reason this is your fault. I had a job, and I didn't do it. It's as simple as fucking that."

Artair rocks with the push. Cecil is still trying to focus on him, and he is starting to shake. His chest feels so tight he can't breathe. He should've found something in his bag now, except he hasn't even really been thinking of what he needs. He's wasting time-- and now Cecil doesn't even need him.

"Stop--- stop stop stop." He swats at the hand on his head, and then at the hand going for Cecil's bag. "No. Stop that. Okay? Just stop."

He takes a breath. "Just--- you keep watch. I'm fine! I can put a band-aid on a fish-- and I have stuff that'll help extra. Just--- so just let me help you. It's free of charge! I wouldn't even ask you to pay or- or owe me, anyways. If anything it's making up for--- helping cause it." The pressure in his chest that's red and hot has him too wound up. He needs to relax. But how do you, when you're such a fuck-up and Cecil is hurt and he didn't do his fucking job?

"Just--- I can do it. Just let me do it. I want to--- I-I can do this much. I can help. Please?" Not that he plans to listen, even if the answer is no. Cecil-- he's being stubborn, but he could fix it and then Cecil would be perfectly fine and he'd be useful like he's supposed to be, even if he can't do this job right.

Cecil-- rolls his eyes, when Artair starts. It feels just like him, to try and place the blame solely on himself. He tries not to wince as his tail shifts, and he places a hand atop the other's head. "Hey-- stop. Look, you're the distraction. And you know what you did? You distracted. Damn near all of them, even. So I'm not even as banged up as I could be, thanks to you. You're here to make it easier on me to do what I do, and you did. I'm not looking for you to just... I don't know, somehow magically fix every dangerous thing forever. That would be stupid. And boring. And you know what? I should've checked too. These things are more ambush-y, so of course not all of them would take the bait. So, yeah. It was my bad." He doesn't really sound like he's kicking himself over it, at least. He's mostly just trying to keep his voice as casual and normal as possible through the pain.

"Mm... no, I don't need a nurse." He laughs, and uses the hand on the other's head to give him a playful push. "If you take on two jobs then you'll start paying your debt off way too quick. Why don't you just keep watch? Doubt you know how to properly patch up a fish, anyway." He's already reaching for his own bag, for the bandages and... probably the suture kit, too. It's deep and he knows it, it hurts like a bitch. Not to mention he can feel the way his own blood has seeped into the small spaces between his rows of scales and made them wet. He's breathing heavy but relatively evenly, nothing if not used to licking his own wounds.