(Untitled)

[stilljustandrew]

[After this.]

*It's not too dark out here -- there's a moon just a few days before the full, and the strange stars.*

*Andrew's nose wrinkles a little: the sulfur smell of the demon seems to be clinging to their clothes, and it's more apparent out here in the clearer air.*

You sure you're okay?

Comments

[hadyougoing]

"I'm fine!" Ava says, quickly, and starts on a not-too-obvious trajectory away from the trees and towards the lake. "Really! I mean, maybe I can't judge since I've never actually been electrocuted before? I wasn't one of those kids who went around sticking forks into electrical sockets. How are you?"

[stilljustandrew]

Me? I'm good. It never really got near me.

I ... didn't mean just the burn, though.

[hadyougoing]

"Well that's good! Uh, and plus you had all that ... liquid demon mace. Whatever that was."

Ava frowns.

"... What do you mean, then? I kinda missed out on the action ..."

[stilljustandrew]

Holy water.

No, I just meant you looked kind of freaked out.

*A beat.*

You still do.

[hadyougoing]

"Holy water," Ava repeats, as if she didn't know. "Right. Uh."

Another frown, this one verging on embarrassed.

"Well, I guess it's not a big deal, right? Just business as usual around here." She sounds a little rueful. "I'll be okay."

[stilljustandrew]

Okay. Good.

*He looks rueful, too.* It's really not like this all the time, I swear.

[hadyougoing]

"Really?"

Ava cracks a faint smile. "I don't know, dude, this is all making me pretty skeptical. I've been here what, like a month and a half? And by the way, when is that door gonna show up? Any day now, people!"

[stilljustandrew]

A month and a half, and -- wait, is this not the first time something like this has happened here since then?

*Did he miss a memo?*

[hadyougoing]

"Oh-- no!" Ava shakes her head, looking a little alarmed. "Not that I know of ...? I just mean, between the talking gnomes and demon bears and demon demons the list just keeps getting longer ... doesn't anything around here ever stabilize to something approaching normal? Maybe?"

[stilljustandrew]

...You kind of learn to redefine normal.

It's usually pretty, um, peaceful? Even if weird.

*They're almost by the lakeside now. He sniffs, brushing at his shirt, and lets out a relieved sigh.*

[hadyougoing]

"Peaceful is good," Ava decides. "I haven't had a whole lot of peaceful lately. Oh except actually, in the afternoons? It kinda slows down for a few hours. I'm trying to spend it bonding with the rats."

Beat.

"This is part of the whole 'redefining' thing, isn't it."

[stilljustandrew]

*He chuckles.*

You're getting the idea.

[hadyougoing]

Ava sighs a little, brushing her hair back over her ear.

"Yeah, well. A couple more weeks stuck here and maybe I'll go native. I'll be eating weird foods and turning into a turkey and all kinds of craziness. You never know."

[stilljustandrew]

Maybe.

*A pause, and a little hesitantly:*

You're probably here for a reason. Especially since you're Bound.

[hadyougoing]

They've hit the lake now, and the moonlight shimmering on the surface is really very pretty. Ava doesn't seem to notice.

"What kind of reason?"

[stilljustandrew]

*He shrugs.* I dunno. Could be in order to get something straightened out in your own life, or maybe in your future, you need to meet someone here.

Could be someone here needs to meet you.