[Stiles has heard a little bit about the role that tattoos play in magic, though he's still playing catch-up to learn exactly how that works. He's seen guys walking around with ink under their skin, though, and after asking he figures it out. Permanent spells, living in the body, channeling magic in or warding it away. The headmaster had told Stiles that he'd need to be sealed, but that plan hadn't been expanded upon, at least not in front of Stiles. He can only guess that a tattoo is the answer, and he's starting to feel in desperate need of one. Not only are the effects on his mind getting worse, but he's increasingly more paranoid about someone finding out exactly how dangerous he can be. So maybe it's time to take matters into his own hands and find someone to seal the Nogitsune deeper into his mind.
Except he doesn't know who to go to until Max mentions someone named Dani and gives a description. It's a student in the same year as Stiles, which should at least make it easier to bump into him. And yet, even after being told that Dani has long blond hair, Stiles doesn't realize he's been passing him in the halls nearly every day. It's not so much the androgyny as it is the almost ethereal feeling Stiles gets when he sees him. But once he figures out that yes, this is Dani, he finds an opportunity to talk to him. Queue him leaning up against the wall in front of Dani and then abruptly stopping as soon as he realizes how weird that is.]
Hey, are you Dani? Or can you tell me if there's another guy with long blond hair? If not I'll just casually disappear forever. [Okay, he's possessed and full of darkness, but that doesn't stop him from feeling nervous and rambling because of it.]
[They don't get new students coming in during the middle of the year often. It's rare, actually, so of course Dani's heard about Stiles and seen him around, but he's been busy enough that he hasn't been able to introduce himself properly yet.
Which is solved one day when the kid stops and talks to him, clearly nervous about something. Dani stifles a laugh at his actions and smiles brightly instead.]
I'm Dani. And you're Stiles. Nice to finally meet you.
[He tilts his head, tugging on the end of his braid and considering Stiles.]
[He's slowly getting used to the looks, knowing that the new kid always raised eyebrows and piqued curiosity. Unlike his first high school, the one he'd left, people here don't seem eager to befriend the student coming in halfway through the second year. Maybe the circles under his eyes and screaming at night is a good sign to stay away from his brand of crazy.
But Dani smiles, and it warms something in Stiles he hasn't felt since before the frozen landscape of Alaska became his temporary home.] Oh, you know my name? Is it that weird to have a new kid?
[Clearing his throat, he absentmindedly chews on the side of his thumbnail.] I've heard you're the guy to go to for tattoos.
[But that second part has his smile fading a little bit, his brow furrowing with mild concern. He twists his braid.]
Yeah, I've been doing tattoos for people. You're a little new to be getting any, though. Usually people start getting them when they get more comfortable with their line.
Guess there's not a lot to gossip about in frozen Hogwarts. [Gossip was bad enough in a small town like Beacon Hills, and it was much more populated than BCR.
Seeing the smile fade, his stomach sinks a little. He doesn't really understand where the concern comes from, but it makes him nervous to admit the exact nature of his problem.] It's not, uh, that kind of tattoo. The boosting ones, or whatever. [He hesitates, glancing away before continuing.] I need a seal.
[Tattoos are powerful, and permanent. They're not something to be taken lightly, and Dani is very aware of that, and discourages people who come to him because they want one to be cool. (Unless it's a non-magical tattoo, which he's generally willing to do regardless.)
But at the mention of a seal, his eyes widen and he bites his lip.]
That... sounds like something you should be talking to the faculty about, not me.
[The look doesn't bode well, and he feels his options narrowing. Shoulders tensing, his head half rolls and half jerks to the side before he focuses on Dani again. He doesn't want to tell him everything, but obviously he can't keep all of his secrets.]
Look! [It comes out as a snap, harsher than he'd meant it, and he inhales before trying again.] Look. The faculty don't know the full nature of my... problem. [He says the word like it's the biggest understatement of the year. When he continues, it's at an even faster speed than before.] Honestly, if they did, they might lock me up or— [He doesn't want to think about the "or" when he gets plenty of nightmares about what that could be.] Max said you can help. So can you?
[He's a little startled at the intensity of Stiles' insistence, and he worries his lip between his teeth even more as he considers. This really is something that more experienced magic users should be taking care of, but if Stiles is that worried... there might not be time.
And... well... if Max sent him...
...not that Max has the clearest sense of when something should be handled by those in charge and when they can take care of it themselves anyway, and Max tends to think Dani could hang the moon if he sets his mind to it, but if Max sent Stiles to Dani, then Max thinks Dani can handle it. And, well, the only way to be sure is to ask.]
Okay, well, you're going to have to describe it for me. I don't know if I can help until I know what's wrong.
[Stiles does what he can to calm down, knowing that the stress of this new big world and the sleepless nights is getting to him. He digs his fingernails into his palms, remembering what Scott had once said about pain making them human. Maybe he doesn't have claws, but the bite of nails against his skin gives him something to focus on.
Blinking, wondering what it had been he said that changed Dani's mind, he relaxes slightly.] Describe the tattoo? Or what I need sealed?
What you need sealed. What the tattoo looks like will depend on that, actually, I'm afraid you don't get a choice when it comes to that.
[He reconsiders.]
Well, it depends on the magic going into the tattoo. But in the case of seals, every part of the design is created for a specific purpose, so there's no wiggle room for, say, flaming skulls or whatever.
Damn, I really wanted some flaming skulls on my back.
[He's kidding, and he can't help laughing a little. It's all ups and downs with him, honestly.
Getting serious again, he cracked the knuckles of one hand and then shook it out. He's glad that he doesn't have to design it since he doesn't know the first thing about that.] There's one thing that I want it to have, but it's to help the spell or whatever. Seal.
Uh. [Sucking in a breath, he holds it a second and then releases.] There's a Japanese spirit of darkness locked in me but it's taken control before and I need to, like, stop that from happening. Ever.
[Oh jeez. Dani's biting his lip again, his brow furrowed even more. No wonder Max has been talking to this guy. He lets his lip go, takes a deep breath, and nods slowly.]
Okay... I um. Okay.
[He's still fairly certain this is a job one of the professors should be handling, or even the headmistress, but if Stiles is really that desperate, Dani's willing to make an attempt. The good thing about his tattoos is that even if they were to go horribly wrong (they haven't yet, but there's always the possibility), the worst that would happen is that they'd be an incredibly ineffective skin decoration. Perks of being very closely attuned to heavenly energies, Dani supposes.
But this... in this case there's the chance that if something goes wrong, whatever's in Stiles will wake up and fight back.
He's going to need backup.
But first he needs a design.]
Okay. So I'm going to need everything you know about it, and since that might not be enough, I'm going to have to do some research of my own, and then I'll get back to you on what's going to have to go into the tattoo, alright?
[He frowns, nervous.]
Are you sure you can't talk to the headmistress about this?
[He knows it's a lot, but a big part of Stiles is worried about being locked up away from people where he'll be left alone with the darkness in his mind that's just begging for an opportunity to eat away at him. Alone he wouldn't have any distractions, lessening his chance to fight this. It's a lot to be dumping on someone he literally just met, but he's going to do what he can to repay Dani.]
Yeah, totally. And I can help you research, if you want. I'm pretty good at that. [Also he has no friends so he doesn't have a lot to keep himself occupied with.
Chewing on his lip, he nods.] She mentioned it like it wasn't something that needed to be handled immediately. I don't want to tell her she was wrong.
[Dani's still doubtful, but he's familiar with students having problems they're too worried to tell others about. Max being the prime example. So he sighs and nods.]
Alright. I might have to bring in a little help to get it done, though, would you be okay with that? Not teachers, other students.
Help? [It makes sense, and Dani soothes half of his concerns with the assurance that it would be from other students. Then again, that poses a different concern.] Yeah, sure. I just don't everyone thinking I'm a homicidal maniac or something, so maybe we can not tell them all the details? [He doesn't want to use the word "secret" but that's essentially what he's getting at.]
Okay... [He draws out the word, hesitant to agree.] Though I promise, Max and Marco would both totally understand. But sure. We don't have to let anyone know.
[It's so tempting to just use the opportunity as a way to tell people because he has to. Sometimes he has the urge to go up to people and yell at them about the spirit inside of him that keeps him up at night with dreams. Max already knows some of it, at least enough to have pointed him in Dani's direction.]
Max seems, uh, tolerant. [Understanding? Maybe possession wasn't as strange as he thought it was.] Who the hell is Marco?
So you're telling me that possession isn't a weird thing.
[It's both a weight off his back, and a scary reality. Even if he was able to get rid of the Nogitsune, he'd still be open to possession from something else.]
In general, no. But the idea is to do it temporarily, and on our terms. On the heavenly side, we want to be able to work with the being who possesses us so that we can both have greater power toward a common goal, but on the demonic side it's more like wrestling a being's will to yours. Though some demons are willing to bargain.
[He tilts his head, noticing Stiles' nervousness.]
It's definitely not everybody. Just the people who are... attuned to it, so to speak. But having something possess you long term? No one wants that. Most of the time we try to get it out. But if your guy is really stuck inside you...
[He frowns, upset at the thought.]
Well. Sealing him in is going to mean you'll be possessed for life, but in control. Best case scenario, we make a killer tattoo and it's sealed but you can still use its power, on your own terms. Worst case scenario, you have a cool looking tattoo that's totally useless. Super worst case scenario, it wakes up and fights back while we're trying to seal it. Which is why I need backup.
[He listens intently, soaking up the information and wondering when he was going to be formally taught all of this. Maybe they focused more on a person's specific magic before bothering to tell them the specifics of any other plane. Or line. Whatever it was. He's still trying to remember all these new ideas and terms.
But then Dani starts talking about best and worst case scenarios, and he goes even plaer than he was before. There's no choice, he can't just let the Nogitsune out of himself, but the thought of it fighting back more than it has been is terrifying.]
I'm stuck with it. Even if I let it out, it wouldn't be worth it. [Better to suffer with it inside himself than let it loose to cause suffering on a wider scale. He'd been weak enough to let it in, he needs to be strong enough to keep it there.] Okay, yeah, we need backup. It's already awake. Keeps me awake most nights, too. [Hence the dark circles under his eyes.]
[He can tell that Dani isn't really sold on this whole arrangement, and Stiles just hopes that he doesn't change his mind after the research is done. It's also impossible to tell how much work goes into designing a tattoo like this, not to mention actually inking it.]
You're awesome. Consider me your research slave. Or slave in general. [He winces at that term, though.] Okay, not slave, but someone who's really grateful and wants to help you out with anything I can.
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Except he doesn't know who to go to until Max mentions someone named Dani and gives a description. It's a student in the same year as Stiles, which should at least make it easier to bump into him. And yet, even after being told that Dani has long blond hair, Stiles doesn't realize he's been passing him in the halls nearly every day. It's not so much the androgyny as it is the almost ethereal feeling Stiles gets when he sees him. But once he figures out that yes, this is Dani, he finds an opportunity to talk to him. Queue him leaning up against the wall in front of Dani and then abruptly stopping as soon as he realizes how weird that is.]
Hey, are you Dani? Or can you tell me if there's another guy with long blond hair? If not I'll just casually disappear forever. [Okay, he's possessed and full of darkness, but that doesn't stop him from feeling nervous and rambling because of it.]
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Which is solved one day when the kid stops and talks to him, clearly nervous about something. Dani stifles a laugh at his actions and smiles brightly instead.]
I'm Dani. And you're Stiles. Nice to finally meet you.
[He tilts his head, tugging on the end of his braid and considering Stiles.]
So why're you looking for me?
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But Dani smiles, and it warms something in Stiles he hasn't felt since before the frozen landscape of Alaska became his temporary home.] Oh, you know my name? Is it that weird to have a new kid?
[Clearing his throat, he absentmindedly chews on the side of his thumbnail.] I've heard you're the guy to go to for tattoos.
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It's a small school. Word gets around.
[But that second part has his smile fading a little bit, his brow furrowing with mild concern. He twists his braid.]
Yeah, I've been doing tattoos for people. You're a little new to be getting any, though. Usually people start getting them when they get more comfortable with their line.
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Seeing the smile fade, his stomach sinks a little. He doesn't really understand where the concern comes from, but it makes him nervous to admit the exact nature of his problem.] It's not, uh, that kind of tattoo. The boosting ones, or whatever. [He hesitates, glancing away before continuing.] I need a seal.
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But at the mention of a seal, his eyes widen and he bites his lip.]
That... sounds like something you should be talking to the faculty about, not me.
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Look! [It comes out as a snap, harsher than he'd meant it, and he inhales before trying again.] Look. The faculty don't know the full nature of my... problem. [He says the word like it's the biggest understatement of the year. When he continues, it's at an even faster speed than before.] Honestly, if they did, they might lock me up or— [He doesn't want to think about the "or" when he gets plenty of nightmares about what that could be.] Max said you can help. So can you?
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And... well... if Max sent him...
...not that Max has the clearest sense of when something should be handled by those in charge and when they can take care of it themselves anyway, and Max tends to think Dani could hang the moon if he sets his mind to it, but if Max sent Stiles to Dani, then Max thinks Dani can handle it. And, well, the only way to be sure is to ask.]
Okay, well, you're going to have to describe it for me. I don't know if I can help until I know what's wrong.
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Blinking, wondering what it had been he said that changed Dani's mind, he relaxes slightly.] Describe the tattoo? Or what I need sealed?
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[He reconsiders.]
Well, it depends on the magic going into the tattoo. But in the case of seals, every part of the design is created for a specific purpose, so there's no wiggle room for, say, flaming skulls or whatever.
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[He's kidding, and he can't help laughing a little. It's all ups and downs with him, honestly.
Getting serious again, he cracked the knuckles of one hand and then shook it out. He's glad that he doesn't have to design it since he doesn't know the first thing about that.] There's one thing that I want it to have, but it's to help the spell or whatever. Seal.
Uh. [Sucking in a breath, he holds it a second and then releases.] There's a Japanese spirit of darkness locked in me but it's taken control before and I need to, like, stop that from happening. Ever.
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Okay... I um. Okay.
[He's still fairly certain this is a job one of the professors should be handling, or even the headmistress, but if Stiles is really that desperate, Dani's willing to make an attempt. The good thing about his tattoos is that even if they were to go horribly wrong (they haven't yet, but there's always the possibility), the worst that would happen is that they'd be an incredibly ineffective skin decoration. Perks of being very closely attuned to heavenly energies, Dani supposes.
But this... in this case there's the chance that if something goes wrong, whatever's in Stiles will wake up and fight back.
He's going to need backup.
But first he needs a design.]
Okay. So I'm going to need everything you know about it, and since that might not be enough, I'm going to have to do some research of my own, and then I'll get back to you on what's going to have to go into the tattoo, alright?
[He frowns, nervous.]
Are you sure you can't talk to the headmistress about this?
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Yeah, totally. And I can help you research, if you want. I'm pretty good at that. [Also he has no friends so he doesn't have a lot to keep himself occupied with.
Chewing on his lip, he nods.] She mentioned it like it wasn't something that needed to be handled immediately. I don't want to tell her she was wrong.
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Alright. I might have to bring in a little help to get it done, though, would you be okay with that? Not teachers, other students.
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Max seems, uh, tolerant. [Understanding? Maybe possession wasn't as strange as he thought it was.] Who the hell is Marco?
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[To put it simply.]
Demons being different from spirits, yeah, but still. Same general principle.
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[It's both a weight off his back, and a scary reality. Even if he was able to get rid of the Nogitsune, he'd still be open to possession from something else.]
Some people have all the luck.
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[He tilts his head, noticing Stiles' nervousness.]
It's definitely not everybody. Just the people who are... attuned to it, so to speak. But having something possess you long term? No one wants that. Most of the time we try to get it out. But if your guy is really stuck inside you...
[He frowns, upset at the thought.]
Well. Sealing him in is going to mean you'll be possessed for life, but in control. Best case scenario, we make a killer tattoo and it's sealed but you can still use its power, on your own terms. Worst case scenario, you have a cool looking tattoo that's totally useless. Super worst case scenario, it wakes up and fights back while we're trying to seal it. Which is why I need backup.
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But then Dani starts talking about best and worst case scenarios, and he goes even plaer than he was before. There's no choice, he can't just let the Nogitsune out of himself, but the thought of it fighting back more than it has been is terrifying.]
I'm stuck with it. Even if I let it out, it wouldn't be worth it. [Better to suffer with it inside himself than let it loose to cause suffering on a wider scale. He'd been weak enough to let it in, he needs to be strong enough to keep it there.] Okay, yeah, we need backup. It's already awake. Keeps me awake most nights, too. [Hence the dark circles under his eyes.]
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Okay. Research first, then I'll design something, test it out a bit, and then we can go for it.
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You're awesome. Consider me your research slave. Or slave in general. [He winces at that term, though.] Okay, not slave, but someone who's really grateful and wants to help you out with anything I can.