will he — open

[PEREGRINE]

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It felt strange to be alive, still. Not in a grating way, but Pip was suspended awkwardly between carbonated giddiness and the suffocating grief of losing his parents. It was a toss-up whether or not he would sleep well, if his dreams would be memories of a picnic and chocolate or if they would be blood-soaked and haunted by vacant eyes. Sometimes his mind found both, tangling them together in a variety of ways. He could be picnicking with his parents and Grim all at the same time, everything soft and hazy; but he could be seeing Grim slumped in the corner too, mouth agape, lifeless. He could wake up in a cold sweat, tears in his eyes, or he could wake up with a bittersweet aftertaste in his mouth. Was it much of a surprise then, that he struggled so greatly with handling the balancing act? Pip was terrified of slipping, and of the repercussions for it, because people depended on him to keep a level head. To help them, when they needed it. If he couldn't be that for them, then what was all his life's work for? His parents' work? It worried him more that their reputations' would be sullied by his failure; he cared for how competent he was perceived to be, yes, but those skills were because of his parents' teachings. To have their careful guidance tainted by his own inability to deal with nightmares -and dreams- was just...unacceptable. Pip refused to allow it, and while sheer tenacity wouldn't do much to force his addled mind into sleep, he could, at the very least, coax it there in other ways. Mainly medicinal, however ill-advised it was for Pip to treat himself. What other option did he have?

He couldn't force Grim to sleep on the floor like some kind of watchdog.

Pip was returning from his bartering for chamomile tea when, jar in hand, he spotted Michaelis. For a brief moment he'd forgotten again, and seeing him was whiplash, but he recovered quickly enough to also remember the circumstances of his return. To remember how Grim had reacted, finding Michaelis' body, but it was a ruse, the work of a fleeing man. Pip hadn't known him well before, and now he knew him even less, uncertain of his intentions. He'd killed a man, and ended up returning anyway. Still, he wasn't interested in causing a ruckus, so he spoke nothing of those thoughts when he approached the man and his cat, the one who'd woken so many people with his cries. Marine had been no better off. "Plenty of people, I'm assuming." He took a closer look at what Michaelis seemed to be working with. "Are you...carving a hand?"

[div style="width: 507px; text-align: justify; line-height: 1.1"][spoiler=IT DOESNT MAKE THE DARKNESS GO AWAY / INFORMATION / UPDATED 1/29/2018][size=9pt]‣ Peregrine Alexis Cooke / Introduced as "Pip" / Male / Unknown sexuality; ½ Prim
‣ 19 Years / Aug. 1 / NPC x NPC; Deceased / Only child / Raised into a life of medicine
‣ Apothecary of Northstar District / May wander at times, to resupply or visit those in need
‣ Character Tropes: Gentleman Snarker, Good Is Not Soft, & Child Prodigy

‣ 5'8 & 130-135 lbs. | Very slim and slight of build. Some toned musculature, but not obvious.
‣ Heterochromatic eyes (left blue, right brown). | Cool brown hair. Mostly neat but a little tousled.
‣ Warm, gentle expressions. Openly friendly and welcoming. Smiles are soft and genuine.
‣ Medium skin color with warm undertones. Freckled. | Wears flannel sweaters and tighter pants.
‣ Carries a lightly worn satchel packed full with neatly organized medical supplies and tools.

‣ A warmhearted optimist who tries to see the best in everyone, but always within reason.
‣ Even-tempered and doesn't often rise to anger. Can play mediator, unless he agrees strongly.
‣ Gentle and caring. Offers help to anyone he meets, and if he can't, he finds someone who can.
‣ Generally avoidant of conflict, verbal or physical. Dislikes his own involvement in it.
‣ Rarely has judgmental thoughts for others. Recognizes people have faults and forgives easily.
‣ Holds himself to a very high standard and becomes withdrawn when he cannot meet it.
‣ Grieving the very recent loss of his parents and will be considerably more withdrawn

‣ Strength: 3 / Perception: 6 / Endurance: 5 / Charisma: 8 / Intelligence: 9 / Agility: 7 / Luck: 3
‣ Difficulty is determined by skill, with an opponent of the same size + life/combat experience.
‣ 65/100 Physical Defense / 50/100 Psychological Defense / 70/100 Short-Term Recovery
‣ Nonviolent actions may be powerplayed, as long as they cause physical discomfort at most.