[ By the time Raleigh gets to the shop, John is already there and most of the preparations are already done. Not for the first time he wishes he had some of the Mist his old mate Nommo had. Of course, without the Nectar to go along with it they'd be buggered.
Still, it'd be a lot easier to do this work with a little something to whet the palate, in a manner of speaking. He's coming out of a long hallway with a red thread leading out of it when the other man finally turns up. ]
Managed to make it here in one piece, good. Ready to do this?
[Raleigh takes a breath and looks around before focusing on John. He's tired. He looks tired.
He, well. Raleigh Becket looks like shit.
He's still black and blue from a very brutal fist fight, made of bruises and butterfly stitches with a careful suture in his eyebrow and lip. His aura, should John be able to sense such things, is a god damn spiderweb and he just. He's empty, man. He's empty and in crisis and he just..
Chuck told him to get help. Really and truly.. and.
[ Constantine gets a good look at the other bloke as he comes out of the hall. Blimey. Looks like he's single-handedly gone toe to toe with more than half of what's wandering about outside.
His brows furrow in unabashed concern and the old son looks just about ready to crumble where he stands. ]
Want a stiff drink before we get started? Looks like you could use one.
[ It won't mess with anything but it could settle the nerves a little at least. ]
Ought to be careful throwing that around, mate.
[ Said with a wry grin. Doesn't mean he will or won't take him up on that. ]
[Raleigh nods and moves to follow. A drink sounds good and as for the owing.. he knows. But at this point he has nothing to lose and everything. Filipendulous over the abyss.]
Appreciate that.
[There's nothing in him to make small talk. To ask how John's been or ask after Herc or their friends. He's curious, sure, but he feels like a dried out husk.
But he's all cried out, so there's that at least. He can speak. He can just about think. And he's here to fix the broken, rotting thing that's taken residence in his mind and spread through his every limb.]
[ John stops at a little spot that might've once housed a small kitchenette. Not that way here in this town. Creative license of the one dreaming, he supposes.
Still, there's a little cupboard that he stoops to procure a bottle and a couple of glasses out of, pouring a bit in both. He pours a touch extra for the one he offers over to Raleigh. ]
Course.
[ He takes a sip of his own, still watching the other man. It's difficult, what he's asked for, but hardly impossible. ]
First things first, what's this memory you're wanting to be rid of? Mostly so I know what I'm about to wade into. I figure it's nothing so fluffy as a row with the ex or something.
[Raleigh snorts and takes the drink with a node of thanks, trying to sort of his words to make any lick of sense.]
No.. if only.
[He takes a sip. It burns and that in itself is comforting. Something anchoring him to the present. He's been having trouble with that lately.]
My friend Wu was murdered by.. Lucifer.. I guess. The Devil. The real one. Here in Deerington not long ago. When we found his body I touched his ghost and.. Well, I guess possession is the only word for it. I saw how he died. I felt it. Every last detail... he his pain, his hopelessness.. and then-
And then he was gone.
I've gone through it once before and I can't- I can't go through it again. I can't do it.. I'm..
[He shakes his head and glances away. Anywhere but John.]
Lately I keep seeing it. Experiencing it.. Over and over and I'm not sure whether I'm me or Wu or my brother.. It's all just-
[Raleigh gives a spinning gesture towards his head. It's all warped and rolling over each other with his past trauma and he's tail spinning right into the void. And fast.
Another beat and he looks up.]
There's something really wrong with me, John.. I need help.
[ John was already certain that this was bad. Still, hearing Lucifer's name earns a long inhale through his nose and a twitch of his mouth as he looks down away from Raleigh and into his glass. He had his own run-in with that one wearing Sam.
He takes a sip, nodding as the other man explains and looks back up. Bury it, Johnny. Time to work. ]
Ran into that one myself.
[ And he's got a bit of experience with the way the ghosts around here work in regards to first deaths. He studied his own long enough after his first time. The way Raleigh talks about it, though---it twists in his gut in an unsettling sort of way.
John knows how things like this in his own world work and how demons like to run amok in memories and all, dragging up the worst bits they can. He gets the feeling that Raleigh is mentioning something that he's only heard Herc talk about once in a while. When he told him that being possessed by Neron was the closest he got to drifting since he was back home and how rotten it was.
Then the other man mentions a brother and that must be who he's talking about having lost before. Having experienced the death of. Damn. ]
Get a little more of that in you, old son. [ He gestures to Raleigh's glass with the one that holds his own. ] I can help but it won't be easy. It requires an, ah, trip of a different kind with both of us. We go in, you show me, some fancy words and should be sorted.
Shouldn't take long but it might feel like it does. Probably be winded after, so I can help get you back home too. [ Beat. ] Unless you'd rather me call someone for you.
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-> Action?
no subject
Still, it'd be a lot easier to do this work with a little something to whet the palate, in a manner of speaking. He's coming out of a long hallway with a red thread leading out of it when the other man finally turns up. ]
Managed to make it here in one piece, good. Ready to do this?
no subject
He, well. Raleigh Becket looks like shit.
He's still black and blue from a very brutal fist fight, made of bruises and butterfly stitches with a careful suture in his eyebrow and lip. His aura, should John be able to sense such things, is a god damn spiderweb and he just. He's empty, man. He's empty and in crisis and he just..
Chuck told him to get help. Really and truly.. and.
Well Chuck is right. He needs help. Real help.]
I am.
Thank you for helping me. I'll owe you one.
[And Raleigh hates owing anyone anything.]
no subject
His brows furrow in unabashed concern and the old son looks just about ready to crumble where he stands. ]
Want a stiff drink before we get started? Looks like you could use one.
[ It won't mess with anything but it could settle the nerves a little at least. ]
Ought to be careful throwing that around, mate.
[ Said with a wry grin. Doesn't mean he will or won't take him up on that. ]
no subject
Appreciate that.
[There's nothing in him to make small talk. To ask how John's been or ask after Herc or their friends. He's curious, sure, but he feels like a dried out husk.
But he's all cried out, so there's that at least. He can speak. He can just about think. And he's here to fix the broken, rotting thing that's taken residence in his mind and spread through his every limb.]
no subject
Still, there's a little cupboard that he stoops to procure a bottle and a couple of glasses out of, pouring a bit in both. He pours a touch extra for the one he offers over to Raleigh. ]
Course.
[ He takes a sip of his own, still watching the other man. It's difficult, what he's asked for, but hardly impossible. ]
First things first, what's this memory you're wanting to be rid of? Mostly so I know what I'm about to wade into. I figure it's nothing so fluffy as a row with the ex or something.
no subject
No.. if only.
[He takes a sip. It burns and that in itself is comforting. Something anchoring him to the present. He's been having trouble with that lately.]
My friend Wu was murdered by.. Lucifer.. I guess. The Devil. The real one. Here in Deerington not long ago. When we found his body I touched his ghost and.. Well, I guess possession is the only word for it. I saw how he died. I felt it. Every last detail... he his pain, his hopelessness.. and then-
And then he was gone.
I've gone through it once before and I can't- I can't go through it again. I can't do it.. I'm..
[He shakes his head and glances away. Anywhere but John.]
Lately I keep seeing it. Experiencing it.. Over and over and I'm not sure whether I'm me or Wu or my brother.. It's all just-
[Raleigh gives a spinning gesture towards his head. It's all warped and rolling over each other with his past trauma and he's tail spinning right into the void. And fast.
Another beat and he looks up.]
There's something really wrong with me, John.. I need help.
no subject
He takes a sip, nodding as the other man explains and looks back up. Bury it, Johnny. Time to work. ]
Ran into that one myself.
[ And he's got a bit of experience with the way the ghosts around here work in regards to first deaths. He studied his own long enough after his first time. The way Raleigh talks about it, though---it twists in his gut in an unsettling sort of way.
John knows how things like this in his own world work and how demons like to run amok in memories and all, dragging up the worst bits they can. He gets the feeling that Raleigh is mentioning something that he's only heard Herc talk about once in a while. When he told him that being possessed by Neron was the closest he got to drifting since he was back home and how rotten it was.
Then the other man mentions a brother and that must be who he's talking about having lost before. Having experienced the death of. Damn. ]
Get a little more of that in you, old son. [ He gestures to Raleigh's glass with the one that holds his own. ] I can help but it won't be easy. It requires an, ah, trip of a different kind with both of us. We go in, you show me, some fancy words and should be sorted.
Shouldn't take long but it might feel like it does. Probably be winded after, so I can help get you back home too. [ Beat. ] Unless you'd rather me call someone for you.