Two Eyes Cenote ninety-third

since this is outdated, u can decide when in machi's timeline makes sense for this gift to get there! <3

"and i you, machiavelli, even if we are meeting like this." he regretted no situation of theirs; even now he found the opalsheen gaze which sparkled knives between he and the fellahin now.

in answer he stepped back and dipped his head, paws stinging gratefully with the work he had done. "i will make a salve for you. i can make no guarantees, but it — please accept this." the scars of flesh might be well-mended; he knew he could not do anything for the spirit, and this burned him.

in cowardice, in acceptance, in respect, in unsurety, senmut offered a lower bow than he should have, and on the exhale of a breath, he turned away and padded up through the cells.

true to his word, though on a timeline which had its maneuvers — one odd day, a round bundle would find its way to machiavelli's quarters: to unwrap wet leaves dried in shrinking exposed the soft inner bark of willow, all crumbling away to expose a bleached-white skullpan of a raccooon.

it would hold a neat catch of softly viscous sap mingled with the oils of oak to make it more pliant. bound with aloe, the salve was meant to lighten the marks and nurture the torn skin.

for some time he would not see machiavelli again. senmut wished their next meeting to be lighter.