Impatience

[touchedinthehead]

Aldaras doesn't bring up the knife with Annie again, nor his sister, or various ways she could be hurt. Annie has homework, so she doesn't stay at his apartment too long. He goes back to having nothing to do - there's some more pacing, some quiet freaking out over Annie and her safety, and then he distracts himself with obsessive preparation for taking care of the knife.

He'll - pack with the assumption that he can save his sister. There's lots of non-perishable food, packing as much as possible with the least amount of weight. Water, too, but that one's a bit harder. It's always heavy. Whatever, that's fine, he'll just - obsessively pack some more things. Pack, pack, pack.

Predictably, he runs out of things to do. Except think. Which has become something of a minefield, lately. To keep him from doing something stupid. He can't think about Zevaia, can't think about the knife, can't think about the Dean and how insanely long it's taking him to get the smallest tidbits of information out of him. He can't think too much about obsessive ways to make sure Annie's safe, for fear of becoming some kind of psychotic, controlling stalker or something.

But trying to not think about Annie is a recipe for failure or insanity, so he distracts himself with - what ifs. What would have happened if he'd met her without the necklace's and tracker's side effects combination, what he would have done if she'd asked him to kiss her...

That helps the time pass by faster.

Comments

[touchedinthehead]

Aldaras flinches.

[alicornucopia]

"- I am so fucking sorry I'm touched it's this god damn cup I didn't even think Grandma liked it that much I don't think it makes me say true things I don't even know who you are -"

[touchedinthehead]

Aldaras is - not really thinking about the man's explanation right now. He just - is trying to process why anyone in the world would ever say that, and how it will not happen ever.

He has a blank expression on his face.

[alicornucopia]

"Oh my god I'm sure whoever she is she'll be fine - please, I'm so sorry, the cup made me, I don't think it's true."

[touchedinthehead]

He blinks, and takes a deep breath, and he processes the words he's hearing.

"... Saying - that is a side-effect?" he asks, softly.

[alicornucopia]

The man winces. "I didn't even think Grandma liked the fucking thing but yes it seems to be, I just - first time I see somebody whatever makes them want to crack my skull open comes out of my mouth, I tried gagging myself but - I'm so sorry!"

[touchedinthehead]

"I am," says Aldaras dryly, "sort of empathetic to people suffering from an unknown artifact's strange side-effects. I do not want to crack your skull open."

But he does sort of want to maybe cry in a corner somewhere.

[alicornucopia]

"I'm giving the fucking thing to the university, I don't even want to see it again but maybe they can tell me what the upside's supposed to be - which way is -?"

[touchedinthehead]

"That way," he says, pointing. "I - good luck."

[alicornucopia]

"Thanks. I'm so sorry. I'm sure whoever she is will be fine and I'm sorry about your sister and - and I'll just go." He scurries off.

[touchedinthehead]

He nods.

Well. That was - not what he was expecting. He still wants to go curl up in a corner and cry for a bit, but he's not allowed to. Not right now, he needs to save his sister. Back to - handing out flyers.

[alicornucopia]

More people ignoring him. A few hear him out but for whatever reason are not cut out to help.

One man lingers, reading a flier thoughtfully.

[touchedinthehead]

Aldaras tries very hard not to look expectant or too hopeful or - something. It doesn't quite work.

[alicornucopia]

"What's it take to trigger the necklace side effect exactly?" asks the fellow when he's read the whole thing.

[touchedinthehead]

"Mine was by sight. It could also be through something else, but that was mine and I'm still the only one touched by it. And I'm not willing to wait for a week or two to find out from the specifics from the Dean."

[alicornucopia]

"But if I go live in a cabin in the forest and use my share of bounty money to get groceries left on the porch I'll be fine?"

[touchedinthehead]

"Probably. And it's - symmetrical, apparently, so you won't fall in love with me for sure. So I could deliver things to you in person."

[alicornucopia]

"You want to go from knife-hunter to delivery boy?" snorts the man.

[touchedinthehead]

He shrugs. "I'm not in it for the money. It has my sister. I want her back."

[alicornucopia]

"Can I have more than half, then?"

[touchedinthehead]

Aldaras quirks an eyebrow. "I'd prefer not. Half of the reward is still an obscene amount of money. I have no idea what sorts of other side effects the knife's had on my sister, and I might need to hire caretakers for her or something. Sorry."

(He sincerely hopes he doesn't need to hire caretakers, that his sister is still functional...)

[alicornucopia]

"Worth asking. I'll go along if the Dean's office confirms the flyer."

[touchedinthehead]

"Thanks," says Aldaras, smiling a little.

[alicornucopia]

"Sintre," says the man, holding out his hand. "When do we leave, what do I have to bring?"

[touchedinthehead]

"Aldaras," he replies, shaking the offered hand. "Nice to meet you. Sooner the better, but I'd like to see if there are any more takers before we go. I'm bringing a ton of food and water, because the necklace can uncut people and they'll be pretty hungry, but you should probably bring more. Uh - lethal weapons are a bad idea, but things to trip up a large amount of people so we can poke them once with the necklace. Nets or clubs or something."