alec (𝘩𝘢𝘤𝘬𝘦𝘳𝘥𝘶𝘥𝘦) brennan⚡ (![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
striketwice) wrote2022-10-02 07:47 pm
striketwice) wrote2022-10-02 07:47 pm
Define "ran into"?
[ Alec ran into her too, but he'd be damned if he was able to summon up the ability to care about her state of being at the time. ]
[ Alec ran into her too, but he'd be damned if he was able to summon up the ability to care about her state of being at the time. ]
[ Jesus Christ. Alec scrubs a hand over his face. ]
I know she's not dead, at least. How bad was it?
I know she's not dead, at least. How bad was it?
[Well, at least Alec isn't too terribly upset about it. In all honesty? Ori probably was the least tormented compared to Sprezzatura and that frightened young man.
He glances at him again.]
I threw her around the graveyard. Her shoulder... [Might hurt. But it's likely tended to by now, right? Healing magic is active again. The Lovers cards are abundantly overflowing.] And I made her see someone she's lost.
[These descriptors are, in fact, purposefully truncated. Details are messier, he can gently step around those.]
He glances at him again.]
I threw her around the graveyard. Her shoulder... [Might hurt. But it's likely tended to by now, right? Healing magic is active again. The Lovers cards are abundantly overflowing.] And I made her see someone she's lost.
[These descriptors are, in fact, purposefully truncated. Details are messier, he can gently step around those.]
[ Alec doesn't need to know the details to know they're probably godawful. Just how is he supposed to handle all of this? ]
Henry... [ Breathed out in a sigh, something weary. ] We're gonna have to fix this, you know.
[ We. ]
Henry... [ Breathed out in a sigh, something weary. ] We're gonna have to fix this, you know.
[ We. ]
No, you can't.
[ None of them can. No matter how big or small the action, no matter the pain it did or didn't cause. ]
The only thing you can do is try to do better.
[ None of them can. No matter how big or small the action, no matter the pain it did or didn't cause. ]
The only thing you can do is try to do better.
[What if he doesn't wannaaaaa.
Henry frowns, dropping his hand. He lets his now-empty glass float back over to the nightstand.]
Since she's your friend, I'll do what I can to salvage what... can be salvaged.
[How things have changed, he's thinking, with vague detachment. Since when did he ever care about being better? Maybe because he had always thought he was in the right, but now... Now, it's hard to think that. Having harmed something that's important to Alec does make him regret.]
But she's probably scared of me now.
Henry frowns, dropping his hand. He lets his now-empty glass float back over to the nightstand.]
Since she's your friend, I'll do what I can to salvage what... can be salvaged.
[How things have changed, he's thinking, with vague detachment. Since when did he ever care about being better? Maybe because he had always thought he was in the right, but now... Now, it's hard to think that. Having harmed something that's important to Alec does make him regret.]
But she's probably scared of me now.
[ They've both landed in a weird space where they feel like there's something that should be salvaged, for whatever reason. Alec's never been one to care to make amends, but with Ori especially, he owes it to her. Like Henry, she's seen the things that are deep and dark and painful in him, and she didn't shy away.
That means something. ]
I'll talk to her, and we can go from there.
[ A pause, as he looks Henry over for a second. ]
Should probably talk to Sprezzatura, too.
That means something. ]
I'll talk to her, and we can go from there.
[ A pause, as he looks Henry over for a second. ]
Should probably talk to Sprezzatura, too.
[ He's still looking at Henry, trying to read the subtleties of his expression, to figure out how that really makes him feel. ]
But does some part of you hope she will?
But does some part of you hope she will?
[ Alec knows well enough by now how to read the minutiae of Henry's expressions, and how something so small can be indicative of something much, much bigger. That Henry wants to salvage anything at all is huge.
He reaches out, rests a hand over Henry's own. ]
Then we'll figure it out.
He reaches out, rests a hand over Henry's own. ]
Then we'll figure it out.
[He can read him better than anyone. Even when he's wearing his mask of congeniality, Henry knows Alec's learned to see through it as though it were never there.
He turns his hand palm-up, fingers gently curling around his.]
We'll give it some time first. ["We" makes it feel like it isn't an impossibility.] I doubt she wants to see me right this very moment. And I still don't feel at one hundred percent.
He turns his hand palm-up, fingers gently curling around his.]
We'll give it some time first. ["We" makes it feel like it isn't an impossibility.] I doubt she wants to see me right this very moment. And I still don't feel at one hundred percent.
No, I bet you don't.
[ Tearing his way through at least three people was probably hell on Henry's powers. ]
Still, it'd be good if I knew what exactly we're walking into with Sprezzatura.
[ Tearing his way through at least three people was probably hell on Henry's powers. ]
Still, it'd be good if I knew what exactly we're walking into with Sprezzatura.
[Henry continues to look hesitant as he searches Alec’s face.]
After I broke her arm, I invaded her mind. We fought there, too. And then I decided to leave.
[And maybe, somehow, that is where their friendship saved them. That he didn’t kill her on the spot while she was trapped in her own mind must be a testament to something. Too bad that doesn’t feel like it helps matters.
Too bad it gets worse-]
And I left her inside of her own mind for a short while. She…
[He trails… off.]
After I broke her arm, I invaded her mind. We fought there, too. And then I decided to leave.
[And maybe, somehow, that is where their friendship saved them. That he didn’t kill her on the spot while she was trapped in her own mind must be a testament to something. Too bad that doesn’t feel like it helps matters.
Too bad it gets worse-]
And I left her inside of her own mind for a short while. She…
[He trails… off.]
She what?
[ Alec isn't angry, for whatever it might be worth. He could never be truly mad at Henry, anyway, but in this instance especially, he just wants to help. ]
Come on. We can't fix it if I don't know what's broken.
[ Alec isn't angry, for whatever it might be worth. He could never be truly mad at Henry, anyway, but in this instance especially, he just wants to help. ]
Come on. We can't fix it if I don't know what's broken.
[Alec would have eased it out of him, regardless. Guilt feels like a… burden. He doesn’t like it. It makes his words heavy.]
She burned. I left her alone in her own mind, with nothing but flames to eat her alive. To feel the pain that I feel when I’m burning.
She burned. I left her alone in her own mind, with nothing but flames to eat her alive. To feel the pain that I feel when I’m burning.
[ If that's how Henry treated a friend, he'd hate to see what he does to an actual enemy. ]
Jesus... does that like, I don't know. Have a lingering effect? Do you think she's okay?
Jesus... does that like, I don't know. Have a lingering effect? Do you think she's okay?
[The difference is that he feels no remorse for what he does to his enemies. They deserve all of it.]
Physically, she should be fine. Mentally? Everyone is different.
[But Henry specializes in causing trauma, so. Probably not good.]
But I would guess she won’t… like fire, not for a long time.
[Like him!]
Physically, she should be fine. Mentally? Everyone is different.
[But Henry specializes in causing trauma, so. Probably not good.]
But I would guess she won’t… like fire, not for a long time.
[Like him!]
Alright well. I can start by asking Rebecca how she's doing and we can go from there. Baby steps. Until then...
[ He reaches for Henry fully now, curling his arms around him and drawing him close. ]
Let's get some rest.
[ He reaches for Henry fully now, curling his arms around him and drawing him close. ]
Let's get some rest.
[Rebecca, the one who body slammed him, you mean?
The way Henry just sort of sinks into Alec, still so very tired despite the rest he’s managed to get.
He thinks he can feel his heartbeat.]
I’m glad you’re here.
[It doesn’t need to be reiterated and yet, it does.]
The way Henry just sort of sinks into Alec, still so very tired despite the rest he’s managed to get.
He thinks he can feel his heartbeat.]
I’m glad you’re here.
[It doesn’t need to be reiterated and yet, it does.]
[ They can both flop back on the bed together, for a little while. He keeps Henry nestled against his chest, where he can hear his heartbeat. ]
I'm glad I'm here too.
I'm glad I'm here too.
That's kind of the point.
[ He will. Of course he will. In truth, they both need the rest. So, just like this, they can drift off together. ]
[ He will. Of course he will. In truth, they both need the rest. So, just like this, they can drift off together. ]
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