[ Siting down, he crosses his leg over the other. He looks at his knees before uncrossing his legs as he realizes that he should be in too much pain to worry about sitting properly. Stefano wonders if it appears that he is just attempting to look comfortable rather than scrutinizing every gesture that he gives.
I don't want to be used by this person. I don't want to give him anything. Already in his mind, he sees Jonathan as Theodore. It makes him want to close himself up and hide everything away, because the man will never understand his art and what his message is. The back of his teeth grind together before he looks up. ]
I used to be a photographer. I photographed wars. [ His eye drifts to the wall, fixing his stare upon the dried paint. ] This injury sent me home. They told me that there are pieces still in my skull... and I do feel them. Surgery wasn't an option given where they are. [ And what he says is true. There are sharpened pieces of metal and shrapnel still in his head. ]
I hadn't complained much about the pain due to … well … there is so much else we have to worry about, isn't there? But I find that I can't keep ignoring it. Since you are a doctor, I thought you might have some idea of what can be done. [ He smiles. It feels true on his lips. Because he gives a manipulated pieces of art to Jonathan and calls it the genuine article. ]
[The prospect of a challenging surgery lends more excitement to this case than it really should. Jonathan steps over to the table with the medications and lifts an examination device. It's the sort used to check the ears, eyes, mouth, and throat.]
That you survived such an injury is remarkable, Mr. Valentini, and a testament to your constitution, your will, and the competence of the medics who first attended to you. I've known a few war photographers. Thank you for your service. Documenting such horror may take as much of a toll on civilians as the military, but these are horrors and stories that deserve to be told. The better that they may not be repeated by our children.
I'd like to take a closer look at your eye. I have little doubt your surgeons did what they could, but there may be options here. I'm a surgeon, myself, and there are those who practice the magical arts of healing among our ranks.
[ With some success, he keeps himself from looking skeptical -- and annoyed. The anger he feels in his heart at this man's tone grows and grows. Yes, yes, I did a great service. Stefano realizes he did not say anything aloud. ]
I thought it would be unfortunate if they faded without anyone ever knowing that they lived. [ What a sap this fake version of himself sounds. ]
Oh? You would actually be able to do something? I do wonder if that is possible... [ And he would rather it not. But he does allow Jonathan to carry on with his examinations. ] I've grown used to it. The pain and everything. It just seems to ache so much more these days. As terrible as it sounds, the quota is a bit of a lifesaver.
Nothing dulls pain quite like it, hm? [ As he makes a slight joke at his own expense. Ugh. He steadies himself because he thinks that it will be grand at the end of all this -- like priming a canvas, as he tells himself once again. ]
[Jonathan is fiddling with the buttons on his instrument, but his gaze flicks up sharply at the mention of the quota.]
Small mercies, Mr. Valentini. It may be of interest that vigorous exercise of any variety can likewise lead to the release of endorphins. For those moments in between. Certain foods may also provide it, such as chocolate.
[That embarrassing sidebar attended to, he hopes, Jonathan raises a hand.]
I'd like to brush your bangs aside, if that's all right. Once I have a better idea of the condition of your eye, we might discuss options.
Chocolates, hm? Bit too soon to be receiving them. It's not even Valentine's Day.
[ Stefano makes his small joke, and laughs his small laugh. ]
Yes, that's fine. I only have my bangs in the way as ... I find it bothers most people. It's something that is part of me so I can't hate it... yes, I can't hate it. I decided that there'd be no point in hating something even if it causes me pain. [ Ah, that is getting dangerously close to the truth of who he is. But Stefano always thinks he is smarter than everyone else. ]
It's part of who I am and it shaped me. To treat it as anything else... would be a crime.
[For several seconds, Stefano will be treated to an assessing stare. Jonathan does not know what this man knows, what he thinks he might know, but the words ring like Ignacio's and Rafa's. Accept who you are, even the worst and most unseemly pieces. They had been speaking as vampries. Stefano couldn't know, though. That would be... no. It's preposterous. He offers a small, polite smile.]
I'm glad to hear you have no self-esteem issues, Mr. Valentini. I have met other men who have not taken such conditions so well.
[He brushes Stefano's hair back, movements gentle. The first notable thing about the doctor's hands is that they're very cold, unnaturally so. The other is that he's being particularly careful with his nails. His glamour hides the visual indications of his claws, but it's harder to hide the physical sensation of them.
Jonathan leans down and into Stefano's face, raising his instrument and flicking on the light as he peers with just his regular vision first.]
[ For a second, a cold sweat rolls down the back of his neck. Have I been found out? That's stupid! There's nothing to find out about what I've said. Yet the stare that he is given is enough to give him pause. It is enough for him to hold his breath for a second until the good doctor starts speaking, again. ]
Well, other men are fools.
[ And with his bangs pushed out of his face, the damage was hardly superficial. While he was able to take the shot, half the camera and shrapnel destroyed the area around his eye. There are ugly surgical scars across his cheek, sliding over the side of his nose. Those scars spread outwards but the focus is, of course, his scarred-over eye. Yet under the skin, there are sharp, jagged pieces still in the meat.
He would chuckle about how Jonathan has to touch what most would consider disgusting or horrific -- but he pauses at how cold the man's hands feel. It is enough for him to flinch, slightly. His eyebrow furrows slightly, and he notices the manner in which the doctor is careful with how his hands touch the scars. Too much even for you, sir? ]
I wonder if we should invest in a space heater for you. [ A beat. ] Your hands are freezing.
[The scarring is as fascinating as Jonathan thought it might be. That this man is alive truly must be by some measure of luck, as well as medical skill. With how deep the scarring goes and the nature of the shrapnel still in Stefano, Jonathan would have thought it might have pierced the brain through the eye socket.]
My apologies, sir. I was outside a short time ago.
[It's not even that cold outside, but that's all the excuse he'll be giving before moving on.]
The damage is certainly extensive. An X-ray may provide a better understanding of the depth of the shrapnel and any potential issues for removal. Is there sensation over the scar tissue?
[Jonathan should probably be more disgusted, but he's seen diseased Skals, Ichors, men ripped apart on the field of battle. This is unpleasant, but certainly minor by comparison. He lets the pads of his thumb brush lightly along the edge of the scars at the top of Stefano's head.]
And on a scale of 1 to 10--1 being akin to the pain from a small cut and 10 being akin to the sensations when you first received that injury--how would you rate the regular pain level?
Well, feel free to use my face to warm up. [ A very light joke. But he still flinches a little over the cold of the touch. Like being in a real doctor's office, hm? Stefano always did find them cold, but perhaps it is because they lacked the imagination of an artist? ]
Some. But not a lot. [ His eye shifts to look away. ] I think I mostly just feel what is beneath the scars rather than the scars themselves. [ And when his ability activates, the scarred over area that is his eye becomes a small camera lens, but he decides to not mention that. ]
Hm... I would say that it's a 6-7 ... which sounds bad, but it used to be closer to a constant 9 in the past. Quite debilitating. One probably could grow mad over the pain. [ He laughs at his past self who lamented over the agony and did not fully comprehend the beauty of what he was experiencing. ]
[Jonathan only offers a tight-lipped, polite smile to the humor. He's just going to try to turn the conversation away from the matter of his temperature.]
I'm sorry you've had to deal with that for so long, sir.
[He stands up, dropping his hands to his side for a moment before turning off his instrument. The magnification really isn't even necessary. Jonathan sets that down on the table and picks up a bottle of pills.]
Are you aware of any allergies you have to medications?
No, and I suppose that is what has made me very lucky.
[ It was not as if he was in any condition to tell the medics anything he could be allergic to as they saved his life. He chuckles to himself as he thinks of how beautiful it all must have looked and only sad that he did not have a chance to preserve the moment.
He frowns, shoulders slumping. Yes, he also did not have a chance to record his own death. So unfortunate. A masterpiece that goes without a signature is art forever incomplete. His eyebrow twitches as he reminds himself. Don't forget about the piece you are working on now. The flavor of this man's death will be extraordinary, if I can set all the things right! ]
But I must admit that ... checking into my eye is not the only reason that I've called to you. Certainly, you could do something to ease the pain, but also... as a doctor, you would not be horrified by its appearance. [ With cheer: ] And you're not... so... [ He trails off like a nervous, anxious person would. ]
[Jonathan stares at the other man as he trails off and it may be clear by the mildly bemused expression that he really hasn't the faintest idea what Stefano is hinting at.]
It is a scar, sir. Such things lend character and their own manner of beauty to the form. No two are alike and they paint a picture of what came before, what forces shaped a man. I find such things fascinating. But I am also a surgeon and can see what was in my mind's eye. Perhaps that lends a different perspective. Did you need some assistance with someone giving you trouble for it?
[He uncaps the bottle and shakes out a pair of aspirin, offering them to Stefano before going to fetch a glass of water for him.]
[ Stefano, to his credit, doesn't click his tongue at the answer. He feels anger rising in the back of his neck, making the skin feel warm. Letting out a small sigh, he has to admit that he's created this image of himself. Of course, he would think I was lamenting my sad fate.
He graciously -- or at least acts gracious enough -- takes the aspirin from him. They all sound the same, don't they? They all sound so kind and seem to understand the real beauty of his state. But they are blind. All of them! Sanctimonious manipulators. And he can't help but take the offered medication a little too forcefully and hints at his poor mood. ]
No, it's nothing like that. [ He stumbles as he realizes his misstep. ] It's more ... in relation to the quota, sir. I would like your help in ... that. [ And he holds his breath as he stops himself from overexplaining himself. A lie is only as good as the details, yes, but one shouldn't flood a person with details if they are not asking. ]
[His eloquence flees and he glances away, blinking rapidly. He's met this man in-person not fifteen minutes ago. Are they really meant to just get on with something like that? Had he presented himself as the sort of fellow who would?]
I, erm... Ah...
[Words. Words and water. Jonathan turns on the tap and fills the glass for something to fill the silence.]
It-it is not my habit to offer such... services, but if there is truly no other, I could, um... I have tools.
![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
no subject
Date: 2018-11-19 07:30 am (UTC)From:[ Siting down, he crosses his leg over the other. He looks at his knees before uncrossing his legs as he realizes that he should be in too much pain to worry about sitting properly. Stefano wonders if it appears that he is just attempting to look comfortable rather than scrutinizing every gesture that he gives.
I don't want to be used by this person. I don't want to give him anything. Already in his mind, he sees Jonathan as Theodore. It makes him want to close himself up and hide everything away, because the man will never understand his art and what his message is. The back of his teeth grind together before he looks up. ]
I used to be a photographer. I photographed wars. [ His eye drifts to the wall, fixing his stare upon the dried paint. ] This injury sent me home. They told me that there are pieces still in my skull... and I do feel them. Surgery wasn't an option given where they are. [ And what he says is true. There are sharpened pieces of metal and shrapnel still in his head. ]
I hadn't complained much about the pain due to … well … there is so much else we have to worry about, isn't there? But I find that I can't keep ignoring it. Since you are a doctor, I thought you might have some idea of what can be done. [ He smiles. It feels true on his lips. Because he gives a manipulated pieces of art to Jonathan and calls it the genuine article. ]
no subject
Date: 2018-11-19 03:20 pm (UTC)From:That you survived such an injury is remarkable, Mr. Valentini, and a testament to your constitution, your will, and the competence of the medics who first attended to you. I've known a few war photographers. Thank you for your service. Documenting such horror may take as much of a toll on civilians as the military, but these are horrors and stories that deserve to be told. The better that they may not be repeated by our children.
I'd like to take a closer look at your eye. I have little doubt your surgeons did what they could, but there may be options here. I'm a surgeon, myself, and there are those who practice the magical arts of healing among our ranks.
no subject
Date: 2018-11-25 08:02 am (UTC)From:I thought it would be unfortunate if they faded without anyone ever knowing that they lived. [ What a sap this fake version of himself sounds. ]
Oh? You would actually be able to do something? I do wonder if that is possible... [ And he would rather it not. But he does allow Jonathan to carry on with his examinations. ] I've grown used to it. The pain and everything. It just seems to ache so much more these days. As terrible as it sounds, the quota is a bit of a lifesaver.
Nothing dulls pain quite like it, hm? [ As he makes a slight joke at his own expense. Ugh. He steadies himself because he thinks that it will be grand at the end of all this -- like priming a canvas, as he tells himself once again. ]
no subject
Date: 2018-11-25 11:27 am (UTC)From:Small mercies, Mr. Valentini. It may be of interest that vigorous exercise of any variety can likewise lead to the release of endorphins. For those moments in between. Certain foods may also provide it, such as chocolate.
[That embarrassing sidebar attended to, he hopes, Jonathan raises a hand.]
I'd like to brush your bangs aside, if that's all right. Once I have a better idea of the condition of your eye, we might discuss options.
no subject
Date: 2018-11-28 06:33 am (UTC)From:[ Stefano makes his small joke, and laughs his small laugh. ]
Yes, that's fine. I only have my bangs in the way as ... I find it bothers most people. It's something that is part of me so I can't hate it... yes, I can't hate it. I decided that there'd be no point in hating something even if it causes me pain. [ Ah, that is getting dangerously close to the truth of who he is. But Stefano always thinks he is smarter than everyone else. ]
It's part of who I am and it shaped me. To treat it as anything else... would be a crime.
no subject
Date: 2018-11-28 06:40 am (UTC)From:I'm glad to hear you have no self-esteem issues, Mr. Valentini. I have met other men who have not taken such conditions so well.
[He brushes Stefano's hair back, movements gentle. The first notable thing about the doctor's hands is that they're very cold, unnaturally so. The other is that he's being particularly careful with his nails. His glamour hides the visual indications of his claws, but it's harder to hide the physical sensation of them.
Jonathan leans down and into Stefano's face, raising his instrument and flicking on the light as he peers with just his regular vision first.]
no subject
Date: 2018-11-28 06:58 am (UTC)From:Well, other men are fools.
[ And with his bangs pushed out of his face, the damage was hardly superficial. While he was able to take the shot, half the camera and shrapnel destroyed the area around his eye. There are ugly surgical scars across his cheek, sliding over the side of his nose. Those scars spread outwards but the focus is, of course, his scarred-over eye. Yet under the skin, there are sharp, jagged pieces still in the meat.
He would chuckle about how Jonathan has to touch what most would consider disgusting or horrific -- but he pauses at how cold the man's hands feel. It is enough for him to flinch, slightly. His eyebrow furrows slightly, and he notices the manner in which the doctor is careful with how his hands touch the scars. Too much even for you, sir? ]
I wonder if we should invest in a space heater for you. [ A beat. ] Your hands are freezing.
no subject
Date: 2018-11-28 06:58 pm (UTC)From:My apologies, sir. I was outside a short time ago.
[It's not even that cold outside, but that's all the excuse he'll be giving before moving on.]
The damage is certainly extensive. An X-ray may provide a better understanding of the depth of the shrapnel and any potential issues for removal. Is there sensation over the scar tissue?
[Jonathan should probably be more disgusted, but he's seen diseased Skals, Ichors, men ripped apart on the field of battle. This is unpleasant, but certainly minor by comparison. He lets the pads of his thumb brush lightly along the edge of the scars at the top of Stefano's head.]
And on a scale of 1 to 10--1 being akin to the pain from a small cut and 10 being akin to the sensations when you first received that injury--how would you rate the regular pain level?
no subject
Date: 2018-11-30 04:37 am (UTC)From:Some. But not a lot. [ His eye shifts to look away. ] I think I mostly just feel what is beneath the scars rather than the scars themselves. [ And when his ability activates, the scarred over area that is his eye becomes a small camera lens, but he decides to not mention that. ]
Hm... I would say that it's a 6-7 ... which sounds bad, but it used to be closer to a constant 9 in the past. Quite debilitating. One probably could grow mad over the pain. [ He laughs at his past self who lamented over the agony and did not fully comprehend the beauty of what he was experiencing. ]
no subject
Date: 2018-11-30 05:57 am (UTC)From:I'm sorry you've had to deal with that for so long, sir.
[He stands up, dropping his hands to his side for a moment before turning off his instrument. The magnification really isn't even necessary. Jonathan sets that down on the table and picks up a bottle of pills.]
Are you aware of any allergies you have to medications?
no subject
Date: 2018-11-30 06:45 am (UTC)From:[ It was not as if he was in any condition to tell the medics anything he could be allergic to as they saved his life. He chuckles to himself as he thinks of how beautiful it all must have looked and only sad that he did not have a chance to preserve the moment.
He frowns, shoulders slumping. Yes, he also did not have a chance to record his own death. So unfortunate. A masterpiece that goes without a signature is art forever incomplete. His eyebrow twitches as he reminds himself. Don't forget about the piece you are working on now. The flavor of this man's death will be extraordinary, if I can set all the things right! ]
But I must admit that ... checking into my eye is not the only reason that I've called to you. Certainly, you could do something to ease the pain, but also... as a doctor, you would not be horrified by its appearance. [ With cheer: ] And you're not... so... [ He trails off like a nervous, anxious person would. ]
no subject
Date: 2018-11-30 06:57 am (UTC)From:It is a scar, sir. Such things lend character and their own manner of beauty to the form. No two are alike and they paint a picture of what came before, what forces shaped a man. I find such things fascinating. But I am also a surgeon and can see what was in my mind's eye. Perhaps that lends a different perspective. Did you need some assistance with someone giving you trouble for it?
[He uncaps the bottle and shakes out a pair of aspirin, offering them to Stefano before going to fetch a glass of water for him.]
no subject
Date: 2018-11-30 07:13 am (UTC)From:He graciously -- or at least acts gracious enough -- takes the aspirin from him. They all sound the same, don't they? They all sound so kind and seem to understand the real beauty of his state. But they are blind. All of them! Sanctimonious manipulators. And he can't help but take the offered medication a little too forcefully and hints at his poor mood. ]
No, it's nothing like that. [ He stumbles as he realizes his misstep. ] It's more ... in relation to the quota, sir. I would like your help in ... that. [ And he holds his breath as he stops himself from overexplaining himself. A lie is only as good as the details, yes, but one shouldn't flood a person with details if they are not asking. ]
no subject
Date: 2018-11-30 02:51 pm (UTC)From:Ah. Um...
[His eloquence flees and he glances away, blinking rapidly. He's met this man in-person not fifteen minutes ago. Are they really meant to just get on with something like that? Had he presented himself as the sort of fellow who would?]
I, erm... Ah...
[Words. Words and water. Jonathan turns on the tap and fills the glass for something to fill the silence.]
It-it is not my habit to offer such... services, but if there is truly no other, I could, um... I have tools.