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

[keep_busy]

"I'll try to be near the phone so you can call me when you've found somebody and not delay more than you have to," says Annie.

[touchedinthehead]

"Thank you," he says, genuinely. "I - need to go, but - really, thanks."

There are other things he wants to say, but - he really doesn't want to pressure her. 'In case I die, I love you,' isn't really salient information, she already knows he loves her.

[keep_busy]

"Be careful," she calls.

And they part ways.

[touchedinthehead]

"I will."

He goes and revises the ad, and then he prints up flyers and starts trying to persuade people personally.

[alicornucopia]

He gets a lot of people who write him off as a panhandler or a petition-filler before hearing him out, mostly.

There's one guy who is quite white-faced and miserable-looking, carrying a bag, rushing through campus with his lips pursed tight and looking like he's about to cry.

[touchedinthehead]

Yeah, that's why Aldaras wasn't doing this earlier. But now he knows for sure that he can save his sister, and everyone else that's been cut.

He notices the - miserable looking person. His mind's currently got blinders on, so his first assumption is 'The knife did it.' "... Are you okay?"

[alicornucopia]

The man blanches when Aldaras addresses him and says, "I'm t- you'll never succeed, the knife will get her just like it got your sister, and you're too useless to do anything about it -"

[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.